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Show 16 INTRODUCTION. restrain inquiry, conducted upon just principles,, even where the in1mediate practical utility of it 'vas not visible. In mathematics, chemistry, and every branch of natural philosophy, how many are the inquiries necessary to their in1provement and completion, \vhich, taken separately, do not appear to lead to any specifically advantageous purpose! Ho,v n1a11y useful inventions, and how 1nuch valuable and improving kno\vledge would have been lost, if a rational curiosity and a n1ere love of jnforn1ation had not generally been allowed to be a sutlicient motive for the search after truth ! I should not, therefore, consider it as· by any n1eans conclusive against further inquiries in political econon1y, if they \Vould not always bear the rigid application of the test of cui bono? But such, in fact, is the nature of the science, so intitnately is it connected \vith the business of 1nan-. kind, that I really believe more of its propositions \vill bear this test than those of any other departInent of hun1an knowledge. To trace distinctly the operations of that circle of causes and effects in political econon1y 'vhich are acting and re-acting on each other, so as to foresee their results, and lay down general rules accordingly, is, in n1any cases, a task of very great dif-ficulty. But there is scarcely a single inquiry belonging to these subjects, however abstruse and re1note it may at first sight appear, which in some point or other does not bear direct! y upon practice. It is unquestionably desirable, therefore, both with a vievv to the irnproven1ent and con1pletion of the INTRODUCTION. 17 science, and the practical advantages which n1ay be expected from it, that such inquiries should be pursued; and no common difficulty or obscurity should be allowed to deter those who have leisure and ability for such researches. In tnany cases, indeed, it n1ay not be possible to predict results ,,vith certainty, on account of the con)plication of the caus·es in action, the different deg~es of strength and efficacy with -vvhich th~y n1ay operate, and the nutnber of unforeseen .ct~·curhstances which are likely to interfere; but 1t IS surely .knowledge of the highest importance to be able to dra\\t a line, "rith tolerable precision, be ... tween those· cases \V here .the expected results are certain, and those \V here they are doubtful; and further to be. able satisfactorily to explain, in the latter case the reasons of such uncertainty. ' . To know \vhat can be done, and ho\v to do It, is, beyond ~ doubt, the n1ost valuable species of inforn1ation. The next to it is, to knovv vvhat cannot be done, and \vhy \Ve cannot do it. The first enables us to attain a positive good, to increase our po\vers, and augtnent our happiness : the second saves us fron1 the evil of fruitless atten1 pts, and the loss and Inisery OCCasioned by perpetual failure. · But these inquiries den1and tnore time and application than the practical statesman, \vh?m of all others they n1ost nearly concern, can gtve to thetn. In the public n1easures of every state aU are, no doubt, interested; but a pect!liar responsibility, as \vell as interest, n1ust be felt by those c |