ic; another puny and weak;
one bright and intelligent; another dull and slow. Over these
differences of body and mind the laws have no power. An Act of
Parliament cannot make a weak frame strong. It follows that in after
life some men must be capable of earning more than others. Out of every
thousand men and women, too, there will be a few who are distinguished
by remarkable talents or inventive genius. One man by patient labour
and great sagacity invents a sewing machine, a telegraph, or a
telephone, and he thus confers the greatest possible advantage upon
other men for centuries after.

It is obviously to the advantage of everybody that those who are capable
of benefiting society should be encouraged to do so by giving them all
the reward possible, by patents, copyright, and the laws of property
generally. To prevent or discourage a clever man in doing the best work
he can, is certainly no benefit to other men. It tends to level all down
to a low standard, and to retard progress altogether. Every man, on the
contrary, who is incited to work, and study, and invent to the utmost of
his powers, not only earns welfare for himself, but confers welfare upon
other people. He shows how wealth may be created abundantly, and how
toil may be lessened. What is true of great ability and great inventions
is true, also, of the smallest differences of power or the slightest
improvements. If one bricklayer's labourer can carry up more bricks than
another, why should he be prevented from doing it? The ability is his
property, and it is for the benefit of all that he should be allowed to
use it. If he finds a better way of carrying bricks, of course it should
be adopted in preference to worse ways. The purpose of carrying bricks
is to get them carried and benefit those who want houses. Everything
which makes it difficult and expensive to build houses, causes people to
be lodged worse than they otherwise would be. We can only get things
made well and cheaply if every man does his best, and is incited to do
so by gaining the reward of his excellence.

Every man then should not only be allowed, but should be encouraged to
do and to earn all that he can; we must then allow the greatest
inequalities of wealth; for a man who has once begun to grow rich,
acquires capital, and experience, and means which enable him to earn
more and more. Moreover, it is altogether false to suppose that, as a
general rule, he does this by taking wealth from oth