I think it
will be but a very modest computation to say, that of the
products of the earth useful to the life of man nine tenths are
the effects of labour: nay, if we will rightly estimate things
as they come to our use, and cast up the several expences about
them, what in them is purely owing to nature, and what to
labour, we shall find, that in most of them ninety-nine
hundredths are wholly to be put on the account of labour.
Sec. 41. There cannot be a clearer demonstration of any
thing, than several nations of the Americans are of this, who
are rich in land, and poor in all the comforts of life; whom
nature having furnished as liberally as any other people, with
the materials of plenty, i.e. a fruitful soil, apt to produce
in abundance, what might serve for food, raiment, and delight;
yet for want of improving it by labour, have not one hundredth
part of the conveniencies we enjoy: and a king of a large and
fruitful territory there, feeds, lodges, and is clad worse than a
day-labourer in England.
Sec. 42. To make this a little clearer, let us but trace
some of the ordinary provisions of life, through their several
progresses, before they come to our use, and see how much they
receive of their value from human industry. Bread, wine and
cloth, are things of daily use, and great plenty; yet
notwithstanding, acorns, water and leaves, or skins, must be our
bread, drink and cloathing, did not labour furnish us with
these more useful commodities: for whatever bread is more worth
than acorns, wine than water, and cloth or silk, than leaves,
skins or moss, that is wholly owing to labour and industry;
the one of these being the food and raiment which unassisted
nature furnishes us with; the other, provisions which our
industry and pains prepare for us, which how much they exceed the
other in value, when any one hath computed, he will then see how
much labour makes the far greatest part of the value of things
we enjoy in this world: and the ground which produces the
materials, is scarce to be reckoned in, as any, or at most, but a
very small part of it; so little, that even amongst us, land that
is left wholly to nature, that hath no improvement of pasturage,
tillage, or planting, is called, as indeed it is, waste; and we
shall find the benefit of it amount to little more than nothing.
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