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teachers in those times appear to have acquired great fortunes。
Gorgias made a present to the temple of Delphi of his own statue
in solid gold。 We must not； I presume； suppose that it was as
large as the life。 His way of living； as well as that of Hippias
and Protagoras； two other eminent teachers of those times； is
represented by Plato as splendid even to ostentation。 Plato
himself is said to have lived with a good deal of magnificence。
Aristotle； after having been tutor to Alexander； and most
munificently rewarded； as it is universally agreed； both by him
and his father Philip； thought it worth while； notwithstanding；
to return to Athens； in order to resume the teaching of his
school。 Teachers of the sciences were probably in those times
less common than they came to be in an age or two afterwards；
when the competition had probably somewhat reduced both the price
of their labour and the admiration for their persons。 The most
eminent of them； however； appear always to have enjoyed a degree
of consideration much superior to any of the like profession in
the present times。 The Athenians sent Carneades the Academic； and
Diogenes the Stoic； upon a solemn embassy to Rome； and though
their city had then declined from its former grandeur； it was
still an independent and considerable republic。 Carneades； too；
was a Babylonian by birth； and as there never was a people more
jealous of admitting foreigners to public offices than the
Athenians； their consideration for him must have been very great。
This inequality is upon the whole； perhaps； rather
advantageous than hurtful to the public。 It may somewhat degrade
the profession of a public teacher； but the cheapness of literary
education is surely an advantage which greatly overbalances this
trifling inconveniency。 The public； too； might derive still
greater benefit from it； if the constitution of those schools and
colleges； in which education is carried on； was more reasonable
than it is at present through the greater part of Europe。
Thirdly； the policy of Europe； by obstructing the free
circulation of labour and stock both from employment to
employment； and from place to place； occasions in some cases a
very incovenient inequality in the whole of the advantages and
disadvantages of their different employments。
The Statute of Apprenticeship obstructs the free circulation
of labour from one employment to another； even in the same place。
The exclusive privileges of corporations obstruct it from one
place to another； even in the same employment。
It frequently happens that while high wages are given to the
workmen in one manufacture； those in another are obliged to
content themselves with bare subsistence。 The one is in an
advancing state； and has； therefore； a continual demand for new
bands： the other is in a declining state； and the superabundance
of hands is continually increasing。 Those two manufactures may
sometimes be in the same town； and sometimes in the same
neighbourhood； without being able to lend the least assistance to
one another。 The Statute of Apprenticeship may oppose it in the
one case； and both that and an exclusive corporation in the
other。 In many different manufactures； however； the operations
are so much alike； that the workmen could easily change trades
with one another； if those absurd laws did not hinder them。 The
arts of weaving plain linen and plain silk； for example； are
almost entirely the same。 That of weaving plain woollen is
somewhat different； but the difference is so insignificant that
either a linen or a silk weaver might become a tolerable work in
a very few days。 If any of those three capital manufactures；
therefore； were decaying； the workmen might find a resource in
one of the other two which was in a more prosperous condition；
and their wages would neither rise too high in the thriving； nor
sink too low in the decaying manufacture。 The linen manufacture
indeed is； in England； by a particular statute； open to
everybody； but as it is not much cultivated through the greater
part of the country； it can afford no general resource to the
workmen of other decaying manufactures； who； wherever the Statute
of Apprenticeship takes place； have no other choice but either to
come upon the parish； or to work as common labourers； for which；
by their habits； they are much worse qualified than for any sort
of manufacture that bears any resemblance to their own。 They
generally； therefore； choose to come upon the parish。
Whatever obstructs the free circulation of labour from one
employment to another obstructs that of stock likewise； the
quantity of stock which can be employed in any branch of business
depending very much upon that of the labour which can be employed
in it。 Corporation laws； however； give less obstruction to the
free circulation of stock from one place to another than to that
of labour。 It is everywhere much easier for a wealthy merchant to
obtain the privilege of trading in a town corporate； than for a
poor artificer to obtain that of working in it。
The obstruction which corporation laws give to the free
circulation of labour is common； I believe； to every part of
Europe。 That which is given to it by the Poor Laws is； so far as
I know； peculiar to England。 It consists in the difficulty which
a poor man finds in obtaining a settlement； or even in being
allowed to exercise his industry in any parish but that to which
he belongs。 It is the labour of artificers and manufacturers only
of which the free circulation is obstructed by corporation laws。
The difficulty of obtaining settlements obstructs even that of
common labour。 It may be worth while to give some account of the
rise； progress； and present state of this disorder； the greatest
perhaps of any in the police of England。
When by the destruction of monasteries the poor had been
deprived of the charity of those religious houses； after some
other ineffectual attempts for their relief； it was enacted by
the 43rd of Elizabeth； c。 2； that every parish should be bound to
provide for its own poor； and that overseers of the poor should
be annually appointed； who； with the churchwardens； should raise
by a parish rate competent sums for this purpose。
By this statute the necessity of providing for their own
poor was indispensably imposed upon every parish。 Who were to be
considered as the poor of each parish became； therefore； a
question of some importance。 This question； after some variation；
was at last determined by the 13th and 14th of Charles II when it
was enacted； that forty days' undisturbed residence should gain
any person a settlement in any parish； but that within that time
it should be lawful for two justices of the peace； upon complaint
made by the churchwardens or overseers of the poor； to remove any
new inhabitant to the parish where he was last legally settled；
unless he either rented a tenement of ten pounds a year； or could
give su