t collectively, it is liable to great abuse, and to be badly done.

Individuals never could afford to send their letters, from one end of
the kingdom to the other, without combining together, unless
government furnished them the means: but, by the aid of the
government, they are enabled to do it at a very cheap rate, with
expedition and safety, whilst a profit arises to government greater than
any regular business in the world produces.

There is a possibility of an individual sending a letter by a particu-
[end of page #94] lar messenger, at his own expense, to the greatest
distance, provided he can afford it; but, as it happens, there are many
more letters require sending than there are messengers to send, or
money to defray the expenses.

It is the same with the education of youth. A man may have a tutor to
his son, and educate him privately, if he can afford it; but it happens,
as with the letters, that there are many more sons to educate than there
are tutors to be found, or money to pay them.

As the individual, in the case of the letters, would be obliged to
depend on some self-created carrier, if government did not interfere,
so they are with regard to the education of their children; and, as in the
one case they would be very badly served, so they generally are in the
other.

In the first place, the plans of education are every where bad, and the
manner of executing still worse.--Those to whom the education of
youth, one of the most important offices in society, is intrusted
undergo no sort of examination, to ascertain whether they are fit for
the business. They, in general, depend upon their submissive conduct
towards the parents and improper indulgence of the children for their
success. It was found that the judges of criminal and civil law could
not be intrusted with the administration of justice, while they
depended on the pleasure of the crown. Can it then be expected that a
much more numerous set of men, who are, in every respect, inferior in
rank and education, to judges, will maintain that upright and correct
conduct that is necessary, when they are infinitely more dependent
than the judges ever were at any period?

This is one of the questions that is to be argued on the same principles,
that the independence, under a monarchical or democratic
government, is decided. Under the dominion of one chief, on
particular occasions, which occur but seldom, it may be necessary to
yield to his will, if the