But  though  not  concerned  with  these  directly,  we  are  so  in  an
indirect  manner ;  that  is,  as  far  as  industry  is  exerted  to
acquire  the  pecuniary  means  to  procure,  and  the  leisure  to  enjoy,
the  pleasures,  or  the  opportunity  to  avoid  the  opposite  pains,
arising  from  these  several  sources ;  and  as  far  as  the  industry  of


THE  SUBJECT. 7

the  whole  commimity  is  susceptible  of  arrangement  and  direc-
tion, with  a  prospect  of  more  or  less  success  as  regards  the
general  happiness  on  the  attainment  or  avoidance  of  the  plea
sures  and  pains  accruing  from  these  sources,  they  cannot  but
come  within  our  province. How  is  it  possible  to  regard  only
the  pleasures  arising  from  wealth,  and  exclude  entirely  the
pleasured  arising  from  all  the  rest  ?     In  considering  the  means
of  improving  the  outward  circumstances  of  mankind,  of  afford-
ing greater  pleasure  with  less  exertion,  whatever  can  afford  en-
joyment>    **  every  human  exertion  to  avoid  pain  and  obtain
pleasure,"  whether  it  add  to  our  accumulative  wealth  or  not,  is,
when  successful,  equally  beneficial  with  wealth  itself. To  limit
our  inquiries  to  wealth,  would  be  to  take  but  half  our  subject
into  consideration,  and  to  give  riches  a  higher  place  in  the  scale
of  estimation  than  they  deserve. Even  riches  are  not  desired
for  their  own  sake,  and  they  may  be  purchased  at  too  dear  a
price  ;  they  are  only  really  valuable  as  far  as  they  contribute  to
enjoyment,  and  as  the  pleasure  they  afford  outweighs  the  pain
of  their  acquisition. They  would  lose  their  character  and  value
should  they  cease  to  afford  enjoyment ;  for  men  would  then  no
longer  be  willing  to  use  any  exertion,  or  make  any  sacrifice  of
labour,  to  obtain  them ;  and  it  were  absurd  to  confine  our  atten-
tion solely  to  amass  riches,  while  overlooking  those  essential
conditions  under  which  alone   their   possession    conduces   to
human  happiness. Individual  industry  is  exerted  to  acquire
knowledge  and  skill,  and  the  industry  of  a  nation  may  be  so
directed  as  either  to  promote  or  to  retard  their  acquisition ;
and,  consequently,  to  increase  or  diminish  the  pleasures  which
such  acquisition,  and  the  advantage  or  profit  which  their  pos-
session, affords. We  cannot,  then,  in  a  comprehensive  view  of
national  industry,  omit  the  consideration  of  the  means  by  which
this  pleasure  and  advantage  may  be  augmented. 