182 ADAM SMITH. 



general rule of such establishments is, that they are 

 founded or endowed by private munificence, sometimes 

 by the bounty of former sovereigns. Dr. Smith con- 

 tends that their instruction is always worse than that of 

 schools and colleges which subsist by the exertions of 

 teachers paid by school fees. He also objects to such 

 endowments, as drawing to literary pursuits a greater 

 number of persons than would naturally devote them- 

 selves to a literary life, or than its gains can support. 

 He seems to admit, however, that there is an advantage 

 even in the small amount of education bestowed in 

 endowed schools and colleges, so very much underrated 

 by him; for he suggests that without them there might 

 have been nothing taught at all. He has even carried 

 his view further, and allowed that the public should 

 establish parish schools: apparently on the ground that 

 the very ignorance which such establishments are calcu- 

 lated to remove, if left to operate, would prevent the 

 bulk of mankind from making any exertion to obtain 

 schools and teachers, by preventing men from being 

 aware of their own deficiencies. 



(3.) The institutions for adult education are chiefly 

 those for teaching religion. Dr. Smith does not give a 

 very decided opinion against an establishment supported 

 by law and by the State, but all, or nearly all his 

 reasoning tends towards that negative ; and he gets the 

 better of Mr. Hume's argument, (which he cites as that of 

 " by far the greatest philosopher and historian of the 

 present age,") that there is no better way of preventing the 

 dangers of fanaticism than paying a clergy to be quiet/"" 



* "Qui otium reipublica? perturbant, redclam otiosos." (Cic.) 



