734

THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF

monly possessed, is generally sufficient for conducting thewhole simple business of the society. In a civilized state,on the contrary, though there is little variety in the occu-pations of the greater part of individuals, there is an almostinfinite variety in those of the whole society. These variedoccupations present an almost infinite variety of objects tothe contemplation of those few, who, being attached to noparticular occupation themselves, have leisure and inclinationto examine the occupations of other people. The contem-plation of so great a variety of objects necessarily exercisestheir minds in endless comparisons and combinations, andrenders their understandings, in an extraordinary degree,both acute and comprehensive. Unless those few, however,happen to be placed in some very particular situations, theirgreat abilities, though honourable to themselves, may con-tribute very little to the good government or happiness oftheir society. Notwithstanding the great abilities of thosefew, all the nobler parts of the human character may be, in agreat measure, obliterated and extinguished in the great bodyof the people.

The education of the common people requires, perhaps, ina civilized and commercial society, the attention of the pub-lic more than that of people of some rank and fortune.People of some rank and fortune are generally eighteen ornineteen years of age before they enter upon that particularbusiness, profession, or trade, by which they propose to dis-tinguish themselves in the world. They have before that fulltime to acquire, or at least to fit themselves for afterwardacquiring, every accomplishment which can recommend themto the public esteem, or render them worthy of it. Their pa-rents or guardians are generally sufficiently anxious that theyshould be so accomplished, and are, in most cases, willing-enough to lay out the expense which is necessary for thatpurpose. If they are not always properly educated, it is sel-dom from the want of expense laid out upon their education;but from the improper application of that expense. It is sel-dom from the want of masters; but from the negligence andincapacity of the masters who are to be had, and from thedifficulty, or rather from the impossibility which there is, inthe present state of things, of finding any better. The em-ployments too in which people of some rank or fortune spendthe greater part of their lives are not, like those of the com-mon people, simple and uniform. They are almost all of