wealbk02-第23章

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branch　of　the　wholesale　or　retail　trade。　The　different　quantities

of　productive　labour　which　it　may　put　into　motion；　and　the

different　values　which　it　may　add　to　the　annual；　produce　of　the

land　and　labour　of　the　society；　according　as　it　is　employed　in

one　or　other　of　those　different　ways；　never　enter　into　his

thoughts。　In　countries；　therefore；　where　agriculture　is　the　most

profitable　of　all　employments；　and　farming　and　improving　the　most

direct　roads　to　a　splendid　fortune；　the　capitals　of　individuals

will　naturally　be　employed　in　the　manner　most　advantageous　to　the

whole　society。　The　profits　of　agriculture；　however；　seem　to　have

no　superiority　over　those　of　other　employments　in　any　part　of

Europe。　Projectors；　indeed；　in　every　corner　of　it；　have　within

these　few　years　amused　the　public　with　most　magnificent　accounts

of　the　profits　to　be　made　by　the　cultivation　and　improvement　of

land。　Without　entering　into　any　particular　discussion　of　their

calculations；　a　very　simple　observation　may　satisfy　us　that　the

result　of　them　must　be　false。　We　see　every　day　the　most　splendid

fortunes　that　have　been　acquired　in　the　course　of　a　single　life

by　trade　and　manufacturers；　frequently　from　a　very　small　capital；

sometimes　from　no　capital。　A　single　instance　of　such　a　fortune

acquired　by　agriculture　in　the　same　time；　and　from　such　a

capital；　has　not；　perhaps；　occurred　in　Europe　during　the　course

of　the　present　century。　In　all　the　great　countries　of　Europe；

however；　much　good　land　still　remains　uncultivated；　and　the

greater　part　of　what　is　cultivated　is　far　from　being　improved　to

the　degree　of　which　it　is　capable。　Agriculture；　therefore；　is

almost　everywhere　capable　of　absorbing　a　much　greater　capital

than　has　ever　yet　been　employed　in　it。　What　circumstances　in　the

policy　of　Europe　have　given　the　trades　which　are　carried　on　in

towns　so　great　an　advantage　over　that　which　is　carried　on　in　the

country　that　private　persons　frequently　find　it　more　for　their

advantage　to　employ　their　capitals　in　the　most　distant　carrying

trades　of　Asia　and　America　than　in　the　improvement　and

cultivation　of　the　most　fertile　fields　in　their　own

neighbourhood；　I　shall　endeavour　to　explain　at　full　length　in　the

two　following　books。