Themostdetestableofallemployments，thatofpublicexecutioner，is，inproportiontothequantityofworkdone，betterpaidthananycommontradewhatever。
Huntingandfishing，themostimportantemploymentsofmankindintherudestateofsociety，becomeinitsadvancedstatetheirmostagreeableamusements，andtheypursueforpleasurewhattheyoncefollowedfromnecessity。Intheadvancedstateofsociety，therefore，theyareallverypoorpeoplewhofollowasatradewhatotherpeoplepursueasapastime。
FishermenhavebeensosincethetimeofTheocritus。ApoacheriseverywhereaverypoormaninGreatBritain。Incountrieswheretherigourofthelawsuffersnopoachers，thelicensedhunterisnotinamuchbettercondition。Thenaturaltasteforthoseemploymentsmakesmorepeoplefollowthemthancanlivecomfortablybythem，andtheproduceoftheirlabour，inproportiontoitsquantity，comesalwaystoocheaptomarkettoaffordanythingbutthemostscantysubsistencetothelabourers。
Disagreeablenessanddisgraceaffecttheprofitsofstockinthesamemannerasthewagesoflabour。Thekeeperofaninnortavern，whoisnevermasterofhisownhouse，andwhoisexposedtothebrutalityofeverydrunkard，exercisesneitheraveryagreeablenoraverycreditablebusiness。Butthereisscarceanycommontradeinwhichasmallstockyieldssogreataprofit。
Secondly，thewagesoflabourvarywiththeeasinessandcheapness，orthedifficultyandexpenseoflearningthebusiness。