an be got only in small quantities.

#8. Wealth is useful.# In the third place, we can easily see that
everything which forms a part of wealth must be #useful#, or have
#utility#, that is, it must serve some purpose, or be agreeable and
desirable in some way or other. Senior said correctly that #useful
things are those which directly or indirectly produce pleasure or
prevent pain#. A well tuned and well played musical instrument produces
pleasure; a dose of medicine prevents pain to one who is in need of it
But it is often impossible to decide whether things give more pleasure
or prevent more pain; dinner saves us from the pain of hunger and gives
us the pleasure of eating good things. There is utility so far as
pleasure is increased and pain decreased; nor does it matter, as far as
political economy is concerned, what is the nature of the pleasure.

Then, again, we need not be particular as to whether things #directly
produce pleasure#, like the clothes we wear, or whether they
#indirectly# do so, as in the cases of the machines employed to make the
clothes. Things are indirectly useful when, like tools, machines,
materials, &c., they are only wanted to make other things, which shall
be actually consumed and enjoyed by some person. The carriage in which a
person takes a pleasant drive is directly useful; the baker's cart which
brings him food is indirectly useful. But sometimes we can hardly
distinguish. Shall we say that the meat put into the mouth is directly,
but the fork which puts it in is indirectly, useful?

#9. Commodity.# We now know exactly what is wealth; but instead of
speaking continually of wealth, it will often be convenient to speak of
commodities, or goods. #A commodity is any portion of wealth#--anything,
therefore, which is useful, and transferable, and limited in supply.
Wool, cotton, iron, tea, books, boots, pianos, &c., are all commodities
in certain circumstances, but not in all circumstances. Wool on a stray
sheep lost in the mountains is not a commodity, nor iron in a mine which
cannot be worked. #A commodity, in short, is anything which is really
useful and wanted, so that people will buy or sell it.# But, instead of
the long word commodity, I shall often use the shorter word goods, and
the reader should remember that

#goods = commodities = portion of wealth#.

CHAPTER II.

UTILITY.

#10. Our Wants are various.# After a little reflection, we shall see
that we generally want b