PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Agricullure, and CfJ11lmertt. 447
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their place or condition in society, or to forego th.)se
indulgences, which their own habits, or what they
observe amongst their equals, have rendered neces .. ary
to their satisfaction. This principle is applicable to
every article of diet and dress, to houses, furniture,
attendance; and tbis effect will be felt in every cla~~
of the community.. For in"tance, the custom of
wearing broad-doth and fine linen repays the ~hepherd
and flax-grower ~ feeds the manufacturer, en ..
riches the merchant, gives not only ~upport but existence
to multitudes of famiii~s: hitherto, therefore~
the effects are beneficial; and were these the only ef.
fects, such elegancies, or, if ynu plea.~e to call them so,
such luxuries, could nc! be too univer~al. But here
follow~ the Dlischief: when once fa ,hion hath annexed
the use of these articles of dress to any certain
class, the middling ranks, for ~'\:ample, of the community,
each individual of tlllt rank finds them to ·
be necessaries of life; that i~, find~ himseif obliged til
comply with the example of his ~quals .. and to maintain
that appearance which the custom of society rec;·
quire~. 'l'his obligation creates such a demand upon
hi~ income. and \\;thal adds so m.uch to the cost and
burthp!l of a fam11y, as to put it out of his power to
marry, with the prospect of continuing his habits, or
of 11laintaining hi~ place and situation in the world.
'\T e see, in tllis description, the cause which induces
men to waste their Jives in a barren celibacy; and
this cause, which impairs the very source of population,
is justly placed t() the account of luxury.
/ It appears, then, that luxury, considered with a
view to populati()n, acts by two opposite effects; and
it seenlS probable that there exists a point in the scale,
to which luxury may ascend, or to which the wants
of mallk!nd m;!y be multiplied with advantage to
the community, and beyond which the prejudichl
consequences begin to prepondera~~. / The determination
of this point, though it tls:-time the form of an
~nithm':'tical problem, depen~s upon circumstances
too I1UlnCr(iUS, intriccltc, and 11nd~fined\ to adnlit of
~ preci~e SOltltioJl. Il(),v~~vcr, fr()nl what has bePD
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