Theymightjustly，therefore，havepresumed，thattheirownancestors，sohighlycelebrated，possessednogreatervirtue，andwereasmuchinferiortotheirposterityinhonourandhumanity，asintasteandscience.AnancientFRANKorSAXONmaybehighlyextolled：ButIbelieveeverymanwouldthinkhislifeorfortunemuchlesssecureinthehandsofaMOORorTARTAR，thaninthoseofaFRENCHorENGLISHgentleman，therankofmenthemostcivilizedinthemostcivilizednations.
Wecomenowtothesecondpositionwhichweproposedtoillustrate，towit，that，asinnocentluxury，orarefinementintheartsandconvenienciesoflife，isadvantageoustothepublic;sowhereverluxuryceasestobeinnocent，italsoceasestobebeneficial;andwhencarriedadegreefarther，beginstobeaqualitypernicious，though，perhaps，notthemostpernicious，topoliticalsociety.
Letusconsiderwhatwecallviciousluxury.Nogratification，howeversensual，canofitselfbeesteemedvicious.Agratificationisonlyvicious，whenitengrossesallaman\'sexpence，andleavesnoabilityforsuchactsofdutyandgenerosityasarerequiredbyhissituationandfortune.Suppose，thathecorrectthevice，andemploypartofhisexpenceintheeducationofhischildren，inthesupportofhisfriends，andinrelievingthepoor;wouldanyprejudiceresulttosociety？Onthecontrary，thesameconsumptionwouldarise;andthatlabour，which，atpresent，isemployedonlyinproducingaslendergratificationtooneman，wouldrelievethenecessitous，andbestowsatisfactiononhundreds.ThesamecareandtoilthatraiseadishofpeasatCHRISTMAS，wouldgivebreadtoawholefamilyduringsixmonths.Tosay，that，withoutaviciousluxury，thelabourwouldnothavebeenemployedatall，isonlytosay，thatthereissomeotherdefectinhumannature，suchasindolence，selfishness，inattentiontoothers，forwhichluxury，insomemeasure，providesaremedy;asonepoisonmaybeanantidotetoanother.Butvirtue，likewholesomefood，isbetterthanpoisons，howevercorrected.
Supposethesamenumberofmen，thatareatpresentinGREAT
BRITAIN，withthesamesoilandclimate;Iask，isitnotpossibleforthemtobehappier，bythemostperfectwayoflifethatcanbeimagined，andbythegreatestreformationthatOmnipotenceitselfcouldworkintheirtemperanddisposition？Toassert，thattheycannot，appearsevidentlyridiculous.Asthelandisabletomaintainmorethanallitspresentinhabitants，theycouldnever，insuchaUTOPIANstate，feelanyotherillsthanthosewhicharisefrombodilysickness;andthesearenotthehalfofhumanmiseries.Allotherillsspringfromsomevice，eitherinourselvesorothers;andevenmanyofourdiseasesproceedfromthesameorigin.Removethevices，andtheillsfollow.Youmustonlytakecaretoremoveallthevices.Ifyouremovepart，youmayrenderthematterworse.Bybanishingviciousluxury，withoutcuringslothandanindifferencetoothers，youonlydiminishindustryinthestate，andaddnothingtomen\'scharityortheirgenerosity.Letus，therefore，restcontentedwithasserting，thattwooppositevicesinastatemaybemoreadvantageousthaneitherofthemalone;butletusneverpronounceviceinitselfadvantageous.Isitnotveryinconsistentforanauthortoassertinonepage，thatmoraldistinctionsareinventionsofpoliticiansforpublicinterest;
andinthenextpagemaintain，thatviceisadvantageoustothepublic？Andindeeditseemsuponanysystemofmorality，littlelessthanacontradictioninterms，totalkofavice，whichisingeneralbeneficialtosociety.
Ithoughtthisreasoningnecessary，inordertogivesomelighttoaphilosophicalquestion，whichhasbeenmuchdisputedinENGLAND.Icallitaphilosophicalquestion，notapoliticalone.Forwhatevermaybetheconsequenceofsuchamiraculoustransformationofmankind，aswouldendowthemwitheveryspeciesofvirtue，andfreethemfromeveryspeciesofvice;thisconcernsnotthemagistrate，whoaimsonlyatpossibilities.Hecannotcureeveryvicebysubstitutingavirtueinitsplace.
Veryoftenhecanonlycureonevicebyanother;andinthatcase，heoughttopreferwhatisleastpernicioustosociety.
Luxury，whenexcessive，isthesourceofmanyills;butisingeneralpreferabletoslothandidleness，whichwouldcommonlysucceedinitsplace，andaremorehurtfulbothtoprivatepersonsandtothepublic.Whenslothreigns，ameanuncultivatedwayoflifeprevailsamongstindividuals，withoutsociety，withoutenjoyment.Andifthesovereign，insuchasituation，demandstheserviceofhissubjects，thelabourofthestatesufficesonlytofurnishthenecessariesoflifetothelabourers，andcanaffordnothingtothosewhoareemployedinthepublicservice.