endure it. But quiet ourselves; the land through which the river
Nilus wanders in one stream, is barren; but where it parts into
seven, it multiplies its fertile shores by distributing, yet
keeping and improving, such a propriety and nutrition, as is a
prudent agrarian to a well-ordered commonwealth.

"Nor (to come to the fifth assertion) is a political body
rendered any fitter for industry by having one gouty and another
withered leg, than a natural. It tends not to the improvement of
merchandise that there be some who have no need of their trading,
and others that are not able to follow it. If confinement
discourages industry, an estate in money is not confined, and
lest industry should want whereupon to work, land is not
engrossed or entailed upon any man, but remains at its devotion.
I wonder whence the computation can arise, that this should
discourage industry. Two thousand pounds a year a man may enjoy
in Oceana, as much in Panopea, œ500 in Marpesia; there be other
plantations, and the commonwealth will have more. Who knows how
far the arms of our agrarian may extend themselves? and whether
he that might have left a pillar, may not leave a temple of many
pillars to his more pious memory? Where there is some measure in
riches, a man may be rich, but if you will have them to be
infinite, there will be no end of starving himself, and wanting
what he has: and what pains does such a one take to be poor
Furthermore, if a man shall think that there may be an industry
less greasy or more noble, and so cast his thoughts upon the
commonwealth, he will have leisure for her and she riches and
honors for him; his sweat shall smell like Alexander's. My Lord
Philautus is a young man who, enjoying his œ10,000 a year, may
keep a noble house in the old way, and have homely guests; and