 themselves with Gentlemen.
My Lord, says he, with the most easy and provoking Unconcern, when you shall be pleased to look down from the Superiority of your Station, and to consider Things and Persons according to their Merits, you will not despise Some, merely for being of use to Others. The Wealth, Prosperity, and Importance of all this World is founded and erected on three living Pillars, the TILLER of the Ground, the MANUFACTURER and the MERCHANT. Of these, the Tiller is supposed to be the least respectable, as he requires the least of Genius, Invention, or Address; and yet the Plowman
Triptolemus
was worshipped as a God; and the Plowman
Cincinnatus
is still held in as high Esteem as any Peer of any Realm, save that of
Great-Britain.
I have known, said I, a Mob of such Gods and Dictators somewhat dangerous at Times. I must be free to tell you, Mister, that Matters are much changed since Princesses kept Sheep, and the Sons of Kings were Cow-herds. The Ranks and Orders of Men are now appointed and known, and one Department must not presume to break in upon the other. My Baker, Barber, Brewer, Butcher, Hatter, Hosier, and Taylor, are, unquestionably, of Use, though I have not the Honour of being acquainted with one of them. And, hitherto, I have deemed it sufficient to send my Servants to entertain and pay them their Bills, without admitting them to a Tete a Tete, as at present.
He now rejoined, with a little Warmth. My Lord, we pardon your Indelicacy, in consideration of your Error. The venerable Body, now present, might be admitted to a Tete a Tete with the first Estate of this Kingdom, without any Condescension on the Part of Majesty. And, would you allow yourself to be duely informed, I should soon make you sensible that we have actually done you the Honour which we intended by this Visit.
Permit me to repeat that the Wealth, Prosperity, and Importance of every Thing upon Earth arises from the TILLER, the MANUFACTURER and the MERCHANT; and that, as nothing is truely estimable, save in Proportion to its utility, these are, consequently, very far from being contemptible Characters. The Tiller supplies the Manufacturer, the Manufacturer supplies the Merchant, and the Merchant supplies the World with all its Wealth. It is thus that Industry is promoted, Arts invented and improved, Commerce extended, Superfluities mutually vended, Wants mutually supplied, that each Man becomes a useful Member of Society, that Societies become
