1 791' BENEFITS OF KNOWLEDGE. 23 



work. We have lived to fee fome part of the value of 

 the general diffufion of knowledge. Your fons will 

 ftill fee more extenfively its happy efFcdls. Reafon 

 and Truth arc the natural rulers of mankind, when 

 the obftruclions between their throne and their fubjefls 

 are fairly removed. Defpotifm and Vice, their na- 

 tural enemies, will flee before them, and 'Europe be- 

 come a garden peopled with Adams and Eves, before 

 their fall. I have never relifiied the doftrine of moral 

 evil being a neceffary part of the fyftem. What many 

 individuals avoid, may be avoided by all. We fliall 

 by and by get a hunting of Happinefs inftead of Riches, 

 and fee people efteemed for the tranquillity of their 

 minds inftead of the extent of their pofleffions. I 

 look alfo for another beneficial effeft from tlie improve- 

 ment of the moral fyftem. That the higheft and low- 

 eft orders of the ftate will learn to adapt their ftile of 

 living fo exaclly to their circumftances as to live hap- 

 pily, and within bounds. I mention the extremes, be- 

 caufe it is precifely thefe who referable each other the 

 moft in the diftrefs of their circumftances, it being al- 

 moft as difficult to manage a great as a little income. 

 How rarely, and how iniperfecliy do wc find the art 

 of oeconomics treated amidft all our publications,though 

 a favourite topic among the rjicienis, and leading to in- 

 finitely more important ccnfequenccs in common life 

 than many of the higher branches of philofophy. 

 Gunnery tells us how to point cannon of all calibers ; 

 oeconomics would teach us alfo the range of our for- 

 tunes, what could, and what could not be attained by 

 them. Adam Smith Ihews clearly the wealth of na- 

 tions depends upon the ceconomy of individuals ; and 

 that a ilate muft grow rich wiicn each of its inhabi- 

 tants faves annually fomcthing of his income. I find 

 I have got on a topic that it w ould require a volume to 

 unfold all my ideas upon, or a month to comprefs them 

 into the fize of a letter. I would have plans of houfes, 

 lifts of fervants, wines and meats, cloalhs anU equi- 



