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in a particular occupation。〃 True； but why not also； 〃feelings of
an agreeable kind？〃 It can hardly be supposed that the feelings
which retard labour are more essentially a part of the labour
than those which accelerate it。 The first are paid for as pain；
the second as power。 The workman is merely indemified for the
first； but the second both produce a part of the exchangeable
value of the work； and materially increase its actual quantity。
〃Fritz is with us。 He is worth fifty thousand men。〃 Truly； a
large addition to the material force； consisting； however； be
it observed； not more in operations carried on in Fritz's head；
than in operations carried on in his armies' heart。 〃No limit can
be set to the importance of mere thought。〃 Perhaps not！ Nay；
suppose some day it should turn out that 〃mere〃 thought was in
itself a recommendable object of production； and that all
Material production was only a step towards this more precious
Immaterial one？
11。 I am sorry to lose time by answering； however curtly； the
equivocations of the writers who sought to obscure the instances
given of regulated labour in the first of these papers； by
confusing kinds； ranks； and quantities of labour with its
qualities。 I never said that a colonel should have the same pay
as a private； nor a bishop the same pay as a curate。 Neither did
I say that more work ought to be paid as less work （so that the
curate of a parish of two thousand souls should have no more than
the curate of a parish of five hundred）。 But I said that； so far
as you employ it at all； bad work should be paid no less than
good work； as a bad clergyman yet takes his tithes； a bad
physician takes bis fee； and a bad lawyer his costs。 And this； as
will be farther shown in the conclusion； I said； and say； partly
because the best work never was； nor ever will be； done for money
at all； but chiefly because； the moment people know they have to
pay the bad and good alike； they will try to discern the one from
the other； and not use the bad。 A sagacious writer in the
Scotsman asks me if I should like any common scribbler to be paid
by Messrs Smith； Elder and Co。 as their good authors are。 I
should； if they employed him…but would seriously recommend them；
for the scribbler's sake； as well as their own； not to employ
him。 The quantity of its money which the country at present
invests in scribbling is not； in the outcome of it； economically
spent； and even the highly ingenious person to whom this question
occurred； might perhaps have been more beneficially employed than
in printing it。
12。 I have to acknowledge an interesting communication on the
subject of free trade from Paisley （for a short letter from 〃A
Well…wisher〃 at my thanks are yet more due）。 But the Scottish
writer will； I fear； be disagreeably surprised to hear； that I
am； and always have been； an utterly fearless and unscrupulous
free…trader。 Seven years ago； speaking of the various signs of
infancy in the European mind （Stones of Venice； vol。 iii。 p。
168）； I wrote： 〃The first principles of commerce were
acknowledged by the English parliament only a few months ago； in
its free…trade measures； and are still so little understood by
the million； that no nation dares to abolish its custom…houses。〃
It will be observed that I do not admit even the idea of
reciprocity。 Let other nations； if they like； keep their ports
shut； every wise nation will throw its own open。 It is not the
opening them； but a sudden； inconsiderate； and blunderingly
experimental manner of opening them； which does the harm。 If you
have been protecting a manufacture for a long series of years；
you must not take the protection off in a moment； so as to throw
every one of its operatives at once out of employ； any more than
you must take all its wrappings off a feeble child at once in
cold weather； though the cumber of them may have been radically
injuring its health。 Little by little； you must restore it to
freedom and to air。
Most people's minds are in curious confusion on the subject
of free trade； because they suppose it to imply enlarged
competition。 On the contrary； free trade puts an end to all
competition。 〃Protection〃 （among various other mischievous
functions；） endeavours to enable one country to compete with
another in the production of an article at a disadvantage。 When
trade is entirely free； no country can be competed with in the
articles for the production of which it is naturally calculated；
nor can it compete with any other； in the production of articles
for which it is not naturally calculated。 Tuscany； for instance；
cannot compete with England in steel； nor England with Tuscany in
oil。 They must exchange their steel and oil。 Which exchange
should be as frank and free as honesty and the sea…winds can make
it。 Competition； indeed； arises at first； and sharply； in order
to prove which is strongest in any given manufacture possible to
both； this point once ascertained； competition is at an end。
13。 I should be glad if the reader would first clear the ground
for himself so far as to determine whether the difficulty lies in
getting the work or getting the pay for it。 Does he consider
occupation itself to be an expensive luxury； difficult of
attainment； of which too little is to be found in the world？ or
is it rather that； while in the enjoyment even of the most
athletic delight； men must nevertheless be maintained； and this
maintenance is not always forthcoming？ We must be clear on this
head before going farther； as most people are loosely in the
habit of talking of the difficulty of 〃finding employment。〃 Is it
employment that we want to find； or support during employment？ Is
it idleness we wish to put an end to； or hunger？ We have to take
up both questions in succession； only not both at the same time。
No doubt that work is a luxury； and a very great one。 It is；
indeed； at once a luxury and a necessity； no man can retain
either health of mind or body without it。 So profoundly do I feel
this； that； as will be seen in the sequel； one of the principal
objects I would recommend to benevolent and practical persons； is
to induce rich people to seek for a larger quantity of this
luxury than they at present possess。 Nevertheless； it appears by
experience that even this healthiest of pleasures may be indulged
in to excess； and that human beings are just as liable to surfeit
of labour as to surfeit of meat； so that； as on the one hand； it
may be charitable to provide； for some people； lighter dinner；
and more work