Preface to the Third Edition

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION IN deference to a widespread opinion that the closeness of the printing and the absence of breaks made the book " difficult to find your way about in " the type of this edition has been changed and the chapters have been divided into sections. \ Most of the introductory chapter, on the subject-matter of economics, has been omitted, because it was found too difficult for beginners, and I hope to deal with. it better in a future work. On the other hand, I have expanded the two pages on Money into a short chapter which I hope will not prevent students from seeking further infor mation in my Money and elsewhere. I have endeavoured in Chapter I, § 4, to throw a little more light on the principle of avoidance of unnecessary labour, and I have tried at the end of Chapter III to clear up some difficulties in the conception of an optimum or best possible population.

Many unimportant alterations in casual allusions and examples have been made neces ix x PREFACE TO TIlE THIRD EDITION sary by the effects of the War, especially the great decline in the purchasing power of money. Chapter I in the present edition includes the whole of the old Chapter II and what is left of Chapter I. The old Chapters III, IV and V are renumbered II, III and IV. Chap ter V is the new chapter on Money. The numeration of the remaining chapters is un altered except that the old Chapter XIV, It The Wealth of Nations," now appears as Chapter XIV, It Trade between Countries," and Chapter XV, It The Wealth of the In habitants of different Territories."