o be in the form of
land or money at interest, this is no longer the case. {100}

In America, and in countries that are new, or in those of which the
inhabitants have been sufficiently hardy, and rash to overturn every
ancient institution, precautions have been taken against the
accumulation of too much wealth in the hands of one person, or at
least to discourage and counteract it; but, in old nations, where we do
not chuse =sic= to run such risks, the case is different. The natural
vanity of raising a family, the means that a rich man has to
accumulate, the natural chance of wealth accumulating by marriages,
and many other circumstances, operate in favour of all those rich men,
who are freed from risk, and independent of industry. In some cases,
extravagance dissipates wealth, but the laws favour accumulation of
landed property, and counteract extravagance; the advantages are in
favour of all the wealthy in general, and the consequence is, that from
the first origin of any particular order of things, till some convulsion
takes place, the division of property becomes more and more unequal.

Far from counteracting this by the laws of the land, in all those

---
{100} Amongst the Romans, in early times, property in land was by
law to be equally divided; but that absurd law was never strictly
attended to, and when the country became wealthy was totally set
aside.
-=-

[end of page #125]

countries, the governments of which took strength during this feudal
system, there are regulations leading greatly to accelerate the progress.
The law of primogeniture has this effect; and the law of entails, both
immoral and impolitic in its operation, has a still greater tendency.

These laws only extend to agricultural property; but commerce, which
at first tends to disseminate wealth, in the end, has the same effect of
accumulating it in private hands.

Industry, art, and intelligence, are, in the early ages, the spring of
commerce; but, as machinery and capital become necessary, a set of
persons rise up who engross all the great profits, and amass immense
fortunes. {101}

The consequence of great fortunes, and the unequal division of
property, are, that the lower ranks, though expensively maintained,
become degraded, disorderly, and uncomfortable, while the middling
classes disappear by degrees. Discontent pervades the great mass of
the people, and the supporters of the government, though powerful,
are too few in number, a