proceed, nor have they any fund at
their disposal, from which to draw the necessary money for
expenditure.

It sometimes happens, that an individual, from a real public spirit, or
from a particular humour or disposition, or, perhaps, because he has
been severely oppressed, musters sufficient courage to undertake the
redress of some particular grievance; but, unless he is very fortunate,
and possesses both money and abilities, it is generally the ruin of his
peace, if not of his fortune. He finds himself at once beset with a host
of enemies, who throw every embarrassment in his way: his friends
[end of page #123] may admire and pity, but they very seldom lend
him any assistance. If some progress is made in redressing the
grievance, it is generally attended with such consequences to the
individual, as to deter others from undertaking a similar cause. Thus
the incorporated body becomes safe, and goes on with its
encroachments with impunity.

Much more may be said upon this subject; but, as it is rather one of
which the operation is regulated by particular circumstances, than by
general rules, the object being to apply the result of the inquiry to
England, we shall leave it till we come to the application of it to that
country, only observing, that the church, the army, and the law, are the
three bodies universally and principally to be looked to as dangerous;
and each of them according to the situation and the form of
government of the respective countries, though, in England, the
church has less means than in any country in Europe of extending its
revenues or power, the law and corporate bodies the most; and, under
arbitrary governments, the church and the military have the most, and
the law and corporate bodies little or none. [end of page #124]

CHAP. V.

_Of the internal Causes of Decline, arising from the unequal Division
of Property, and its Accumulation in the Hands of particular Persons.--
Its Effects on the Employment of Capital_.

In every country, the wealth that is in it has a natural tendency to
accumulate in the hands of certain individuals, whether the laws of the
society do or do not favour that accumulation. Although it has been
observed in a former chapter that wealth follows industry, and flies
from the son of the affluent citizen to the poor country boy, yet that is
only the case with wealth, the possessor of which requires industry to
keep it; for, where wealth has been obtained, so as t