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may perhaps never be realized, or which, on the contrary, may fall on them with such form, as utterly to overwhelm them, notwithstanding their best precautions. The business of life must proceed in spite of its uncertainties. The mariner, going a long voyage, has scope for the exercise of his discretion in choosing the moment of his departure, but, as to the rest, he must commit himself to the chances of the winds and waves.
The failure of employment, were it simply periodical, that is, were it to recur at known intervals, and to continue during periods of known duration, though its effects would be much mitigated, yet even thus, would offer a great obstruction to the preventive check. The term during which the constitution of society charges the labouring classes with the maintenance of their families, is precisely analogous with that during which nature charges the birds and beasts with the maintenance of theirs. In both cases, the term is fixed, merely by the time required for the development of the physical strength. Supposing the birds to possess the faculties of reason and speech, as in the times of which Æsop treats, let us consider the
