[ 35 J 



merchants are princes, as it could have been faid 

 of any merchants in ancient times. The like 

 accomplifhments may afTift many of the mid- 

 dling order of tradefmen. But, as to the lower 

 clafs of trades, fuch as handicrafts, farmers, 

 mechanics, &c. their mother-tongue is fuffi- 

 cient for all their purpofes -, but it is neceflary 

 that they fhould read their own language, and 

 acquire fuch a knowledge of figures as may en- 

 able them to keep common accounts. As to 

 the loweft clafs, fuch as common labourers, 

 peafants, and that part of the people called the 

 poor, it is not needful that they fhould have any 

 fort of learning, except what may inftrudl and 

 forward them in their various labours : it is fuf- 

 ficient that they are inftru6ted in the moral and 

 religious rights of their country, by perfons 

 whom the policy of the (late, under which they 

 live, has appointed for that purpofe. Thus 

 would the orders of men be kept di(tin6t, and 

 labouring people v/ould not be wanting to per- 

 form the loweft offices in fociety. A wrong po- 

 licy prevails with us at prefent under the name 

 of charity. Our middling people, through a 

 fhart fightednefs, give education to the children 

 D 2 of 



