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certain public institutions which it can never be for the
interest of any individual； or small number of individuals； to
erect and maintain； because the profit could never repay the
expense to any individual or small number of individuals； though
it may frequently do much more than repay it to a great society。
The proper performance of those several duties of the
sovereign necessarily supposes a certain expense； and this
expense again necessarily requires a certain revenue to support
it。 In the following book； therefore； I shall endeavour to
explain； first； what are the necessary expenses of the sovereign
or commonwealth； and which of those expenses ought to be defrayed
by the general contribution of the whole society； and which of
them by that of some particular part only； or of some particular
members of the society； secondly； what are the different methods
in which the whole society may be made to contribute towards
defraying the expenses incumbent on the whole society； and what
are the principal advantages and inconveniences of each of those
methods； and thirdly； what are the reasons and causes which have
induced almost all modern governments to mortgage some part of
this revenue； or to contract debts； and what have been the effects
of those debts upon the real wealth； the annual produce of the
land and labour of the society。 The following book； therefore；
will naturally be divided into three chapters。