not the Illness but the remedy itself that is painful.
The principal errors among these can be reduced to just four: (1) while a country is enriched, complaints of famine and misery are heard, despite the fact that famine and misery are not seen; (2) modem nations envy those of antiquity which, by comparison, actually merit contempt^”or compassion; (3) it is sometimes believed that the prince’is raising duties
when he is actually doing no more than setting them equal to ancient duties, which have since been reduced;
(4) what should be called opulence, tameness, industry are criticized as luxury, lassitude, or ignoble arts.
They do not appear to perceive the increase and-greater facility of acquisition 03: to rejoice in it, so insa tiable is man’s greed; they only complain of the expense
as though their money were being passed on to foreigners and not to their own fellow citize
Greed and complaint about expenses
Where one lives better?
London and Paris
In other words, it is accredit to London and
Paris that everything there is more dear and that these cities do not grow any smaller as a result. This is the quality which shows that our century is an improve
ment’ over times past.