Where  there  is  a  sufficiency  to  supply  the  ordi-
nary wants  of  human  nature,  and  where  that  supply
is  certain,  and  we  are  confident  that  there  is  no
danger  of  its  failing,  the  source  of  all  care  and
solicitude  is  cut  off ;  even  losses  and  accidents,  all
lose  their  power  of  sensibly  afflscting  us,  when  this
is  the  case ;  and  which  would  be  the  case,  if  the
lower  orders  of  the  people  were  put  in  a  plentiful
and  comfortable  state.  This  a  good  government
has  the  power  of  effecting,  by  taking  care  that  none
of  the  people  become  so  powerful  as  to  oppress  their

\  fellow-subjects,  either  in  the  open  and  more  evident
manner,  as  feudal  lords  do  their  vassals  ;  or  in  the
indirect  and  masked  one,  by  the  means  of  great
and  unequal  property.
In  addition,  therefore,  to  such  considerations  as
arise  from  justice,  humanity,  and  the  principle  of
doing  to  others  as  we  would  be  done  by,  the  self-
interested  motive,  of  removing  or  lessening  an  evil
to  which  we  ourselves  are  exposed,  might  induce
us  to  better  the  condition  of  the  poor,  in  order  to
render  that  situation  comfortable  to  which  the
wealthiest  may  be  reduced.  By  so  doing,  we  not
only  guard  against  the  fatal  contingency,  but  we


HALL    ON    CIVILISATION.  115

render  our  present  enjoyments,  whatever  they  may
be,  comfortable  and  complete,  by  removing  that
which  embitters  and  renders  them  hollow  and  un-
satisfactory— the  reflection  on  the  uncertainty  of
their  continuance.
