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both as solid as possible; and as useful as possible。

     The revenue of every established church; such parts of it

excepted as may arise from particular lands or manors; is a

branch; it ought to be observed; of the general revenue of the

state which is thus diverted to a purpose very different from the

defence of the state。 The tithe; for example; is a real land…tax;

which puts it out of the power of the proprietors of land to

contribute so largely towards the defence of the state as they

otherwise might be able to do。 The rent of land; however; is;

according to some; the sole fund; and; according to others; the

principal fund; from which; in all great monarchies; the

exigencies of the state must be ultimately supplied。 The more of

this fund that is given to the church; the less; it is evident;

can be spared to the state。 It may be laid down as a certain

maxim that; all other things being supposed equal; the richer the

church; the poorer must necessarily be; either the sovereign on

the one hand; or the people on the other; and; in all cases; the

less able must the state be to defend itself。 In several

Protestant countries; particularly in all the Protestant cantons

of Switzerland; the revenue which anciently belonged to the Roman

Catholic Church; the tithes and church lands; has been found a

fund sufficient; not only to afford competent salaries to the

established clergy; but to defray; with little or no addition;

all the other expenses of the state。 The magistrates of the

powerful canton of Berne; in particular; have accumulated out of

the savings from this fund a very large sum; supposed to amount

to several millions; part of which is deposited in a public

treasure; and part is placed at interest in what are called the

public funds of the different indebted nations of Europe; chiefly

in those of France and Great Britain。 What may be the amount of

the whole expense which the church; either of Berne; or of any

other Protestant canton; costs the state; I do not pretend to

know。 By a very exact account it appears that; in 1755; the whole

revenue of the clergy of the Church of Scotland; including their

glebe or church lands; and the rent of their manses or

dwelling…houses; estimated according to a reasonable valuation;

amounted only to L68;514 1s。 5 1/12d。 This very moderate revenue

affords a decent subsistence to nine hundred and forty…four

ministers。 The whole expense of the church; including what is

occasionally laid out for the building and reparation of

churches; and of the manses of ministers; cannot well be supposed

to exceed eighty or eighty…five thousand pounds a year。 The most

opulent church in Christendom does not maintain better the

uniformity of faith; the fervour of devotion; the spirit of

order; regularity; and austere morals in the great body of the

people; than this very poorly endowed Church of Scotland。 All the

good effects; both civil and religious; which an established

church can be supposed to produce; are produced by it as

completely as by any other。 The greater part of the Protestant

churches of Switzerland; which in general are not better endowed

than the Church of Scotland; produce those effects in a still

higher degree。 In the greater part of the Protestant cantons

there is not a single person to be found who does not profess

himself to be of the established church。 If he professes himself

to be of any other; indeed; the law obliges him to leave the

canton。 But so severe; or rather indeed so oppressive a law;

could never have been executed in such free countries had not the

diligence of the clergy beforehand converted to the established

church the whole body of the people; with the exception of;

perhaps; a few individuals only。 In some parts of Switzerland;

accordingly; where; from the accidental union of a Protestant and

Roman Catholic country; the conversion has not been so complete;

both religions are not only tolerated but established by law。

     The proper performance of every service seems to require

that its pay or recompense should be; as exactly as possible;

proportioned to the nature of the service。 If any service is very

much underpaid; it is very apt to suffer by the meanness and

incapacity of the greater part of those who are employed in it。

If it is very much overpaid; it is apt to suffer; perhaps; still

more by their negligence and idleness。 A man of a large revenue;

whatever may be his profession; thinks he ought to live like

other men of large revenues; and to spend a great part of his

time in festivity; in vanity; and in dissipation。 But in a

clergyman this train of life not only consumes the time which

ought to be employed in the duties of his function; but in the

eyes of the common people destroys almost entirely that sanctity

of character which can alone enable him to perform those duties

with proper weight and authority。

                            PART 4

       Of the Expense of Supporting the Dignity of the Sovereign 

     Over and above the expenses necessary for enabling the

sovereign to perform his several duties; a certain expense is

requisite for the support of his dignity。 This expense varies

both with the different periods of improvement; and with the

different forms of government。

     In an opulent and improved society; where all the different

orders of people are growing every day more expensive in their

houses; in their furniture; in their tables; in their dress; and

in their equipage; it cannot well be expected that the sovereign

should alone hold out against the fashion。 He naturally;

therefore; or rather necessarily; becomes more expensive in all

those different articles too。 His dignity even seems to require

that he should become so。

     As in point of dignity a monarch is more raised above his

subjects than the chief magistrate of any republic is ever

supposed to be above his fellow…citizens; so a greater expense is

necessary for supporting that higher dignity。 We naturally expect

more splendour in the court of a king than in the mansion…house

of a doge or burgomaster。

                           CONCLUSION 

     The expense of defending the society; and that of supporting

the dignity of the chief magistrate; are both laid out for the

general benefit of the whole society。 It is reasonable;

therefore; that they should be defrayed by the general

contribution of the whole society; all the different members

contributing; as nearly as possible; in proportion to their

respective abilities。

     The expense of the administration of justice; too; may; no

doubt; be considered as laid out for the benefit of the whole

society。 There is no impropriety; therefore; in its being

defrayed by the general contribution of the whole society。 The

persons; however; who gave occasion to this expense are those

who; by their injustice in one way or another; make it necessary

to seek redress or protection from the courts of justice。 The

persons again most immediately benefited by this expense are

those whom the courts of justice either restore to their rights

or maintain in their rights。 The expense of the administration of

justice; therefore; may very properly be defrayed by the

particular contribution of one or other; or both; of those two

different sets of persons; according as different occasions may

require; that is; by the fees of court。 It cannot be necessary to

have recourse to the general contribution of the whole society;

except for the conviction of those criminals who have not

themselves any estate or fund sufficient for paying those fees。

     Those local or provincial expenses of which the benefit is

local or provincial (what is laid out; for example; upon the

police of a particular town or district) ought to be defrayed by

a local or provincial revenue; and ought to be no burden upon the

general revenue of the society。 It is unjust that the whole

society should contribute towards an expense of which the benefit

is confined to a part of the society。

     The expense of maintaining good roads and communications is;

no doubt; beneficial to the whole society; and may; therefore;

without any injustice。 be defrayed by the general contribution of

the whole society。 This expense; however; is most immediately and

directly beneficial to those who travel or carry goods from one

place to another; and to those who consume such goods。 The

turnpike tolls in England; and the duties called peages in other

countries; lay it altogether upon those two different sets of

people; and thereby discharge the general revenue of the society

from a very considerable burden。

     The expense of the institutions for education and religious

instruction is likewise; no doubt; beneficial to the whole

society; and may; therefore; without injustice; be defrayed by

the general contribution of the whole society。 This expense;

however; might perhaps with equal propriety; and even with some

advantage; be defrayed altogether by those who receive the

immediate benefit of such education and instruction; or by the

voluntary contribution of those who think they have occasion for

either the one or the other。

     When the institutions or public works which are beneficial

to the whole society either cannot be maintained altogether; or

are not maintained altogether by the contribution of such

particular members of the society as are most immediately

benefited by them; the deficiency must in most cases be made up

by the general contribution of the whole society。 The general

revenue of the society; over and above defraying the expense of

defending the society; and of supporting the dignity of the chief

magistrate; must make up for the deficiency of many particular

branches of revenue。 The sources of this general or public

revenue I shall endeavour to explain in the following chapter。

                            CHAPTER II   Of the Sources of the

General or P

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