CHiiP. XV. 
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PRINCE. 
411 
people. Increase the productions of your own country, and 
they will put you in possession of the products of other 
countries. Let your laws be just, and then the good in the 
community will respect and obey them, and help you to 
deter the bad from infringing them.” 
“ But,” said the prince, “ suppose we try to do this, and 
the nation does not prosper, will they not say that the go¬ 
vernment is to blame ? ” I said, “ There are in every country 
people who are always ready to blame their government when 
they do not prosper.- But if your laws are just and wise, 
and those who administer them honest, the enlightened and 
the upright in the community will be as ready to support 
you in adversity as in prosperity; and their confidence will 
be your strength. The loyalty of the people,” I also added, 
“ depends much upon the officers who administer, as well as 
the sovereign who makes laws, and one of the wisest of 
kings has said f a wicked person shall not stand before me.’ ” 
The prince replied, “ I know that. I am quite convinced of 
that.” 
It was past noon when the prince and his companions left 
me; and I have repeated the foregoing only as a specimen of 
the kind of conversation which he appeared anxious to intro¬ 
duce as often as opportunity offered. Other topics equally 
important to the people, and more intimately connected with 
himself personally, as well as relating to the present and the 
future welfare of his country, were often introduced by the 
prince in the course of conversation. Besides my lively in¬ 
terest in this young prince, and which every interview deep¬ 
ened, I cannot but hope that the intercourse I had with him, 
more frequent and unreserved than with any other indi¬ 
vidual, may have been of some advantage to him, while it is 
a source of grateful remembrance to myself. 
In the evening, a number of the chief men among my 
friends came and proposed many inquiries respecting modes 
