THE COLDNESS OF POLITICAL ECONOMY.
"It was only a year ago, that the House heard that thousands of the people of Ireland were obliged to go on the sea. shore, and picked up the sea-weed for food. Were those suffering beings, who could scarcely stand up in the attitude of hu- man beings, to be driven, to appeal to the cold calculations of political economy ?" —Mr. D. W. Harvey's Speech on Mr. Richards's proposal ofPoor-Laws. for Ireland.
A defect in education occurring in the case of an ingenious and in other respects able man, in some circumstances becomes in the highest degree mischievous. If such persons would be ignorant and silent at the sametime, there would be no harm done; but, unfortunately, conceit its too frequently the companion of partial ability ; and envy also, of those who excel in the department they fail in, is too often found in the same society.
Mr. HARVEY speaks with contempt of the "cold calculations of Political Economy," because this science will not fill the stomachs of a hungry population with a miraculous supply of loaves and fishes. Suppose a vessel at sea, tossed about the ocean without compass, or the means of making an observation • the navigators conse- quently ignorant where they were, or where to steer, with death by famine and shipwreck staring the unhappy crew in the face: what would be said of a passenger who should begin to sneer at the cold calculations of astronomy ? True, lunar observations will not fill the belly or replenish the water-casks; but, in the first place, had these cold calculations been properly made, they would have prevented the occurrence of distress ; and, secondly, they are the best means of obviating the recurrence or the continuation of the misfortune. The best thing for the moment, certainly, would be for a well-supplied ship to heave in sight, and administer to all their present wants; and this is, perhaps, all that an ignorant person would think of : were he also conceited, he might ridicule the Coldness of science, that will not instantly clothe the naked or feed the hungry.
Why is Political Economy called cold ? would it be any better if it were hot. The science of public wealth is yet but very imper- fectly understood : the subject matter is vastly complicated; and the truth is, the calculations applied to it have not hitherto been cold enough.
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