ately distinguished by a kind of diffipated curiofity, a bufy endeavour to divide, his attention amongst a thoufand objects, and a wild confufion of astonishment and alarm.

The attention of a new-comer is generally first struck by the multiplicity of cries that stun him in the streets, and the variety of merchandise and manufactures which the shopkeepers expofe on every hand; and he is apt, by unwary burfts of admiration to excite the merriment and contempt of those, who mistake the use of their eyes for effects of their understanding, and confound accidental knowledge with just reasoning.

But, furely, thefe are fubjects on which any man may without reproach employ his meditations: the innumerable occupations, among which the thousands that fwarm in the streets of London, are diftributed, may furnish employment to minds of every cast, and capacities of every degree. He that contemplates the extent of this wonderful city, finds it difficult to conceive, by what method plenty is maintained in our markets, and how the inhabitants are regularly fupplied with the neceffaries of life; but when he examines the shops and warehouses, fees the immenfe ftores of every kind of merchandise piled up for fale, and runs over all the manufactures of art and products of nature, which are every where attracting his eye and foliciting his purfe, he will be inclined to conclude, that fuch quantities cannot eafily be exhausted, and that part of mankind must foon ftand ftill for want of employment, till the wares already provided shall be worn out and deftroyed.

As Socrates was paffing through the fair at Athens, and cafting his eyes over the fhops and cuftomers,

"how

"how many things are here," fays he, " that I do not "want!" The fame fentiment is every moment rifing in the mind of him that walks the streets of London, however inferior in philosophy to Socrates: he beholds a thoufand shops crowded with goods, of which he can scarcely tell the use, and which, therefore, he is apt to confider as of no value; and, indeed, many of the arts by which families are fupported, and wealth is heaped together, are of that minute and fuperfluous kind which nothing but experience could evince poffibly to be prosecuted with advantage, and which, as the world, might easily want, it could fcarcely be expected to en-, courage.

But fo it is, that cuftom, curiofity, or wantonnefs, fupplies every art with patrons, and finds purchasers for every manufacture; the world is so adjusted, that not only bread, but riches may be obtained without great abilities, or arduous performances: the most unskilful hand and unenlightened mind have fufficient incitements to industry; for he that is refolutely bufy, can fcarcely be in want. There is, indeed, no employment, however despicable, from which a man may not promife himself more than competence, when he sees thousands and myriads raised to dignity, by no other merit than that of contributing to supply their neighbours with the means of fucking fmoke through a tube of clay; and others raising contributions upon thofe, whofe elegance difdains the groffness of fmoky luxury, by grinding the fame materials into a powder that may at once gratify and impair the fmell.

Not only by these popular and modifh trifles, but by a thousand unheeded and evanefcent kinds of business, are the multitudes of this city preferved from idleness,

and

and confequently from want. In the endless variety of tastes and circumftances that diverfify mankind, nothing is fo fuperfluous, but that fome one defires it ; or fo common, but that fome one is compelled to buy it. As nothing is useless but because it is in improper hands, what is thrown away by one is gathered up by another; and the refuse of part of mankind furnishes a fubordinate class with the materials neceffary to their fupport.

When I look round upon those who are thus varioufly exerting their qualifications, I cannot but admire the fecret concatenation of fociety, that links together the great and the mean, the illuftrious and the obfcure; and confider with benevolent fatisfaction, that no man, unless his body or mind be totally disabled, has need to fuffer the mortification of feeing himself useless or burthenfome to the community; he that will diligently labour, in whatever occupation, will deferve the fuftenance which he obtains, and the protection which he enjoys; and may lie down every night with the pleafing consciousness, of having contributed fomething to the happiness of life.

Contempt and admiration are equally incident to narrow minds: he whofe comprehenfion can take in the whole fubordination of mankind, and whofe perfpicacity can pierce to the real ftate of things, through the thin veils of fortune or of fashion, will discover meanness in the highest stations, and dignity in the meaneft; and find that no man can become venerable but by virtue, or contemptible but by wickedness.

In the midst of this univerfal hurry, no man ought to be fo little influenced by example, or fo void of honeft emulation, as to stand a lazy spectator of inceffant

labour:

labour, or please himself with the mean happiness of a drone, while the active fwarms are buzzing about him no man is without fome quality, by the due application of which he might deserve well of the world; and whoever he be that has but little in his power should be in hafte to do that little, left he be confounded with him that can do nothing.

By this general concurrence of endeavours, arts of every kind have been fo long cultivated, that all the wants of man may be immediately supplied; idleness can scarcely form a wish which she may not gratify by the toil of others, or curiofity dream of a toy, which the shops are not ready to afford her.

Happiness is enjoyed only in proportion as it is known; and fuch is the state or folly of man, that it is known only by experience of its contrary: we who have long lived amidst the conveniences of a town immensely populous, have scarce an idea of a place where defire cannot be gratified by money. In order to have a juft fenfe of this artificial plenty, it is neceffary to have paffed fome time in a distant colony, or thofe parts of our island which are thinly inhabited: he that has once known how many trades every man in fuch fituations is compelled to exercise, with how much labour the products of nature must be accommodated to human use, how long the lofs or defect of any common utenfil must be endured, or by what aukward expedients it must be fupplied, how far men may wander with money in their hands, before any can fell them what they wish to buy, will know how to rate at its proper value the plenty and ease of a great city.

But that the happiness of man may fill remain imperfect, as wants in this place are easily supplied, new

wants likewise are easily created: every man, in furveying the fhops of London, fees numberlefs inftruments and conveniences, of which, while he did not know them, he never felt the need; and yet, when use has made them familiar, wonders how life could be fupported without them, Thus it comes to pafs, that our defires always increase with our poffeffions: the knowledge that fomething remains yet unenjoyed, impairs our enjoyment of the good before us.

They who have been accustomed to the refinements of fcience, and multiplications of contrivance, foon lofe their confidence in the unaffifted powers of Nature, forget the paucity of our real neceffities, and overlook the eafy methods by which they may be fupplied. It were a fpeculation worthy of a philofophical mind, to examine how much is taken away from our native abilities, as well as added to them, by artificial expedients. We are so accustomed to give and receive affiftance, that each of us fingly can do little for himself; and there is fcarce any one among us, however contracted may be his form of life, who does not enjoy the labour of a thousand artists.

But a furvey of the various nations that inhabit the earth, will inform us, that life may be fupported with lefs affiftance; and that the dexterity, which practice enforced by neceffity produces, is able to effect much by very fcanty means. The nations of Mexico and Peru erected cities and temples without the use of iron; and at this day the rude Indian fupplies himself with all the neceffaries of life. Sent, like the reft of mankind, naked into the world, as foon as his parents have nurfed him up to ftrength, he is to provide by his own labour for his own support, His first care K

VOL. II.

is