consisting, for the greater part, of wretched
and miserable families.

4. In every view of the matter, therefore, it is desirable; that the
families of which a nation consists should be happily off: and as this
depends, in a great degree, upon the _management_ of their concerns, the
present work is intended to convey, to the families of the _labouring
classes_ in particular, such information as I think may be useful with
regard to that management.

5. I lay it down as a maxim, that for a family to be happy, they must be
well supplied with _food_ and _raiment_. It is a sorry effort that people
make to persuade others, or to persuade themselves, that they can be happy
in a state of _want_ of the necessaries of life. The doctrines which
fanaticism preaches, and which teach men to be _content_ with _poverty_,
have a very pernicious tendency, and are calculated to favour tyrants by
giving them passive slaves. To live well, to enjoy all things that make
life pleasant, is the right of every man who constantly uses his strength
judiciously and lawfully. It is to blaspheme God to suppose, that he
created man to be miserable, to hunger, thirst, and perish with cold, in
the midst of that abundance which is the fruit of their own labour.
Instead, therefore, of applauding "_happy_ poverty," which applause is so
much the fashion of the present day, I despise the man that is _poor_ and
_contented_; for, such content is a certain proof of a base disposition, a
disposition which is the enemy of all industry, all exertion, all love of
independence.

6. Let it be understood, however, that, by _poverty_, I mean _real want_,
a real insufficiency of the food and raiment and lodging necessary to
health and decency; and not that imaginary poverty, of which some persons
complain. The man who, by his own and his family's labour, can provide a
sufficiency of food and raiment, and a comfortable dwelling-place, is not
a _poor man_. There must be different ranks and degrees in every civil
society, and, indeed, so it is even amongst the savage tribes. There must
be different degrees of wealth; some must have more than others; and the
richest must be a great deal richer than the least rich. But it is
necessary to the very existence of a people, that nine out of ten should
live wholly by the sweat of their brow; and, is it not degrading to human
nature, that all the nine-tenths should be called _poor_; and, what is
still worse, _call themselves poor_