ly finished, in fields within the liberty of Westmin-
ster

, at the public expense, with all the improvements
which experience has suggested, and a bill is now
in the house, for regulating insane establishments,
and appointing periodical visitants for the purpose of
promoting humanity and preventing abuses. But,
after all, much remains to be done. A continuance
of peace may do much. The legislature, however, is
perhaps very properly slow in adopting new mea-
sures and in abolishing old customs. These feelings
do not operate with the same force in a new country.

I am surprised to find that my last work on the
Population, Power, and Revenue of the British Empire,
had not been on sale in America; as the first edition
went off in eight months, although a very expensive
book on account of the number of tables. I have no
doubt of its being reprinted in America. Already there
are two translations of the work in German, and I
believe also in French. I believe Mr. Clay

, when here,
carried out a copy of it. He told me he intended to
do so. I send you under cover an epitome of this
work. It has been purchased by the ministers of all
the nations of Europe, as well as many other foreign-
ers. Through the medium of this work, much has
been disclosed on subjects tending to promote the
happiness of nations, and to prevent many of those
errors by which their decline has been effected.

It is a pleasing circumstance, to find your country
is following our example, with respect to free schools.
We, at last, discover here, that the general education
of youth is not only the best prop to the state, but to
the happiness and prosperity of the people. I trust
your schools are established on a stable basis, which
can undergo no unfavourable change by the death or
removal of the first benevolent founders. For want
of this, many excellent institutions have fallen into
decay, when their original founders were no more.
As yet, our legislature has afforded no pecuniary aid
to the numerous schools established in this country;