es_, and his piece illustrates that vigorous
discussion of social subjects which the Encyclopaedia stimulated. It is
worth remarking that this writer was a sub-engineer of roads and bridges
in the generality of Tours. The case is one example among others of the
importance of the Encyclopaedia as a centre, to which active-minded men
of all kinds might bring the fruits of their thought and observation.

Next to the _corvees_, the monster grievance of the third estate was the
system of enrolments for the militia. The article, _Milice_, is very
short, but it goes to the root of the matter. The only son of a
cultivator of moderate means, forced to quit the paternal roof at the
moment when his labour might recompense his straitened parents for the
expense of having brought him up, is justly described as an irreparable
loss. The writer, after hinting that it would be well if such an
institution were wholly dispensed with, urges that at least its object
might be more effectively and more humanely reached by allowing each
parish to provide its due contingent of men in its own way. This change
was indeed already (1765) being carried out by Turgot in the Limousin,
and with excellent results. The writer concludes with the highly
civilised remark, that we ought to weigh whether the good of the rural
districts, the culture of the land, and population, are not preferable
objects to the glory of setting enormous hosts of armed men on foot
after the example of Xerxes. Alas, it is one of the discouragements of
the student of history, that he often finds highly civilised remarks
made one or two or twenty centuries ago, which are just as useful and
just as little heeded now as they were when they were made.

The same reflection occurs to one in reading the article on Foundations.
As I have already said, this carefully written and sagacious piece still
remains the most masterly discussion we possess of the advantages and
disadvantages of endowments. Even now, and in our own country, the most
fertile and beneficent work to which a statesman of energy and courage
could devote himself, would be an application of the wise principles
which were established in the Encyclopaedia. Passing from _Fondation_ to
_Foire_ in the same volume, also from the pen of Turgot, we see an
almost equally striking example of the economic wisdom of the
encyclopaedic school. The provincial fairs, with their privileges,
exemptions, exclusions, were a conspicuous case