_Mackintosh on Ogilvie's Essay on the Right of Property in Land._
At the dispersion of the library of the late Sir James Mackintosh,
striking evidence of his extensive reading appeared. It seems to have
been his custom to always read with a pencil in his hand, to score the
remarkable passages, and to make occasional notes; generally at the end
of the book he indicates the place where, and date when he read it.
One remarkable and not uninteresting example occurs in the following
volume in my possession:
"An Essay on the Right of Property in Land, with respect to its
foundation in the Law of Nature: its present establishment by the
municipal laws of Europe; and the regulations by which it might be
rendered more beneficial to the lower ranks of Mankind." London,
1782, 8vo.
On the inside of the cover Sir James Mackintosh has written:
"_Clapham Common_, July 18, 1828.--An ingenious and benevolent,
but injudicious book, which is a good example of the difficulty of
forming plans for the service of mankind. To the author, an
accomplished recluse, a lettered enthusiast of no vulgar talent or
character, I owe the cultivation of a sense of the beautiful in
poetry and eloquence, for which at the distance of near half a
century I feel a lively gratitude. It was written by _William
Ogilvie_, Professor of Humanity in King's College, Aberdeen. I
even now recollect passages of his Translation of the 4th Book of
the Eneid.--J. MACKINTOSH."
I have found a corroboration of the estimate above given of this person,
by another of his countrymen, James Ogilvie (who appears to have been an
itinerant teacher of oratory in America) in a volume of _Philosophical
Essays_ published in Philadelphia in 1816. Speaking of a gifted native
of Scotland of the name of McAllester, settled in the far west, near
Bard's Town, and lamenting that he should choose to bury his talents in
obscurity and indolence, the writer says:
"He came nearer to the character of a scientific sage than any
human being the narrator has ever known, with the exception of
_William Ogilvie_, Professor of Humanity in King's College, Old
Aberdeen, Author of a profound original 'Essay on the Right of
Property in Land.'"
The book itself is, in some respects at least, well worthy of attention,
and especially at the present moment, when the subject it embraces
presses itself upon all men's consideration. On _emigration_, for
instance, Ogilvie has some anticipatory views: thus he observes with
truth:
"To increase the prosperity and the happiness of the greater
number, is the primary object of government, and the increase of
national happiness must be the increase of national strength. Is
it not then the duty, and perhaps also the interest of every
legislature in the West of Europe to promote the emigration of its
less opulent subjects, until the condition of the lower classes of
men at home be rendered nearly as comfortable as the condition of
the same classes in the new settlements of North America?"--Pp.
50, 51.
Just now, when the Property Tax is to receive the mature consideration
of the legislature, the following passage, which also anticipates the
public feeling as expressed lately by an influential part of the press,
deserves to be cited:
"Without regard to the original value of the soil, the gross
amount of property in land is the fittest subject of taxation; and
could it be made to support the whole expense of the public, great
advantages would arise to all orders of men. What then, may it be
said, would not, in that case, the proprietors of stock in trade,
in manufactures, and arts, escape taxation, that is, the
proprietors of one half of the national income? They would indeed
be so exempted; and very justly, and very profitably for the
state; for _it accords with the best interests of the community
through successive generations, that_ ACTIVE PROGRESSIVE INDUSTRY
SHOULD BE EXEMPTED, IF POSSIBLE, FROM EVERY PUBLIC BURTHEN, _and
that the whole weight should be laid on that quiescent stock,
which has been formerly accumulated, as the reward of an industry
which is now no longer exerted_."--P. 207.
In another work on political economy, Sir James has also recorded his
opinion, and indicated some passages, which have been copied by Godwin.
The work is: _Doutes Proposés aux Philosophes Economistes sur l'Ordre
Naturel et Essentiel des Sociétés Politiques, par M. l'Abbé de Mably_: à
la Haye, 1768, 8vo.
"This book is a greater mixture of sense and nonsense than any
other I ever read. What he says against the _Political_ jargon of
the Economists, their evidence and their _despotisme légal_, is
perfectly well reasoned. His own system of ascribing all evils to
the Institution _of Separate Property_ is too absurd for any
serious discussion."
It is pleasant to have these recorded opinions of such a man as
Mackintosh on books the subjects of which he had deeply meditated.
Indeed, to me there is a great charm in such private memoranda of a
distinguished and able man, giving the passing impression on his mind in
the course of his reading.