I sincerely hope the time is not very far distant,
when you will have the countenance and assistance
of your government in improving your poor laws,
which undoubtedly have hitherto tended to increase
the number, and indeed the misery of the poor.

I beg thou wilt accept of my most hearty thanks,
for the reports of the Society for Bettering the Condi-
tion of the Poor, which I expect to receive the next
time of my going to the environs of the city.

I should be much gratified, if thou wouldst be so
good as to inform me of the present state of the school
under the care of Lancaster

. I wrote him about two
years ago, but possibly my letter did not reach him,
as I had not the satisfaction of hearing from him.

With great regard and esteem,
I am, very sincerely,
Thy affectionate friend, THOMAS EDDY. London, 10th October, 1806. DEAR SIR,

I have postponed acknowledging the receipt of
your acceptable favour, of the 9th September, last
year, from month to month, in hopes of being able to
make such communications on the subject of political
economy, as I conceived ought to be acceptable; but
my public duties have become so multifarious, as to
afford me less time than I could wish, although I can
conscientiously say, that I do not waste a moment in
any pursuit that has not public or private utility for
its object. The banking system, if conducted on
a proper principle, has certainly a great tendency to
give efficacy and extension to human labour, which,
you well know, is the only source of wealth in every
country; and, perhaps, no nation upon earth has
been more indebted to the powerful effect of credit
and confidence than this, in giving a spring to the
industry and enterprise of the people, and thereby
rendering every species of human labour extremely