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follow as a trade what other people pursue as a pastime。
Fishermen have been so since the time of Theocritus。 A poacher is
everywhere a very poor man in Great Britain。 In countries where
the rigour of the law suffers no poachers； the licensed hunter is
not in a much better condition。 The natural taste for those
employments makes more people follow them than can live
comfortably by them； and the produce of their labour； in
proportion to its quantity； comes always too cheap to market to
afford anything but the most scanty subsistence to the labourers。
Disagreeableness and disgrace affect the profits of stock in
the same manner as the wages of labour。 The keeper of an inn or
tavern； who is never master of his own house； and who is exposed
to the brutality of every drunkard； exercises neither a very
agreeable nor a very creditable business。 But there is scarce any
common trade in which a small stock yields so great a profit。
Secondly； the wages of labour vary with the easiness and
cheapness； or the difficulty and expense of learning the
business。
When any expensive machine is erected； the extraordinary
work to be performed by it before it is worn out； it must be
expected； will replace the capital laid out upon it； with at
least the ordinary profits。 A man educated at the expense of much
labour and time to any of those employments which require
extraordinary dexterity and skill； may be compared to one of
those expensive machines。 The work which he learns to perform； it
must be expected； over and above the usual wages of common
labour； will replace to him the whole expense of his education；
with at least the ordinary profits of an equally valuable
capital。 It must do this； too； in a reasonable time； regard being
had to the very uncertain duration of human life； in the same
manner as to the more certain duration of the machine。
The difference between the wages of skilled labour and those
of common labour is founded upon this principle。
The policy of Europe considers the labour of all mechanics；
artificers； and manufacturers； as skilled labour； and that of all
country labourers as common labour。 It seems to suppose that of
the former to be of a more nice and delicate nature than that of
the latter。 It is so perhaps in some cases； but in the greater
part is it quite otherwise； as I shall endeavour to show by and
by。 The laws and customs of Europe； therefore； in order to
qualify any person for exercising the one species of labour；
impose the necessity of an apprenticeship； though with different
degrees of rigour in different places。 They leave the other free
and open to everybody。 During the continuance of the
apprenticeship； the whole labour of the apprentice belongs to his
master。 In the meantime he must； in many cases； be maintained by
his parents or relations； and in almost all cases must be clothed
by them。 Some money； too； is commonly given to the master for
teaching him his trade。 They who cannot give money give time； or
become bound for more than the usual number of years； a
consideration which； though it is not always advantageous to the
master； on account of the usual idleness of apprentices； is
always disadvantageous to the apprentice。 In country labour； on
the contrary； the labourer； while he is employed about the
easier； learns the more difficult parts of his business； and his
own labour maintains him through all the different stages of his
employment。 It is reasonable； therefore； that in Europe the wages
of mechanics； artificers； and manufacturers； should be somewhat
higher than those of common labourers。 They are so accordingly；
and their superior gains make them in most places be considered
as a superior rank of people。 This superiority； however； is
generally very small； the daily or weekly earnings of journeymen
in the more common sorts of manufactures； such as those of plain
linen and woollen cloth； computed at an average； are； in most
places； very little more than the day wages of common labourers。
Their employment； indeed； is more steady and uniform； and the
superiority of their earnings； taking the whole year together；
may be somewhat greater。 It seems evidently； however； to be no
greater than what is sufficient to compensate the superior
expense of their education。
Education in the ingenious arts and in the liberal
professions is still more tedious and expensive。 The pecuniary
recompense； therefore； of painters and sculptors； of lawyers and
physicians； ought to be much more liberal； and it is so
accordingly。
The profits of stock seem to be very little affected by the
easiness or difficulty of learning the trade in which it is
employed。 All the different ways in which stock is commonly
employed in great towns seem； in reality； to be almost equally
easy and equally difficult to learn。 One branch either of foreign
or domestic trade cannot well be a much more intricate business
than another。
Thirdly； the wages of labour in different occupations vary
with the constancy or inconstancy of employment。
Employment is much more constant in some trades than in
others。 In the greater part of manufacturers； a journeyman may be
pretty sure of employment almost every day in the year that he is
able to work。 A mason or bricklayer； on the contrary； can work
neither in hard frost nor in foul weather； and his employment at
all other times depends upon the occasional calls of his
customers。 He is liable； in consequence； to be frequently without
any。 What he earns； therefore； while he is employed； must not
only maintain him while he is idle； but make him some
compensation for those anxious and desponding moments which the
thought of so precarious a situation must sometimes occasion。
Where the computed earnings of the greater part of manufacturers；
accordingly； are nearly upon a level with the day wages of common
labourers； those of masons and bricklayers are generally from one
half more to double those wages。 Where common labourers earn four
and five shillings a week； masons and bricklayers frequently earn
seven and eight； where the former earn six； the latter often earn
nine and ten； and where the former earn nine and ten； as in
London； the latter commonly earn fifteen and eighteen。 No species
of skilled labour； however； seems more easy to learn than that of
masons and bricklayers。 Chairmen in London； during the summer
season； are said sometimes to be employed as bricklayers。 The
high wages of those workmen； therefore； are not so much the
recompense of their skill； as the compensation for the
inconstancy of their employment。
A house carpenter seems to exercise rather a nicer and more
ingenious trade than a mason。 In most places； however； for it is
not universally so； his day…wages are somewhat lower。 His
employment； though it depends much； does not depend so entirely
upon the occasional calls of his customers； and it is not liable
to be interrupted by t