ONEUROPEANEDUCATION
　　_ToJohnBanister，Jr。_
　　_Paris，October15，1785_
　　DEARSIR，——Ishouldsoonerhaveansweredtheparagraphinyourletter，ofSeptemberthe19th，respectingthebestseminaryfortheeducationofyouth，inEurope，butthatitwasnecessaryformetomakeinquiriesonthesubject。Theresultofthesehasbeen，toconsiderthecompetitionasrestingbetweenGenevaandRome。Theyareequallycheap，andprobablyareequalinthecourseofeducationpursued。TheadvantageofGeneva，is，thatstudentsacquiretherethehabitofspeakingFrench。TheadvantagesofRome，are，theacquiringalocalknowledgeofaspotsoclassicalandsocelebrated；
　　theacquiringthetruepronunciationoftheLatinlanguage；ajusttasteinthefinearts，moreparticularlythoseofpainting，sculpture，architecture，andmusic；afamiliaritywiththoseobjectsandprocessesofagriculture，whichexperiencehasshewnbestadaptedtoaclimatelikeours；andlastly，theadvantageofafineclimateforhealth。Itisprobable，too，thatbybeingboardedinaFrenchfamily，thehabitofspeakingthatlanguagemaybeobtained。IdonotcountonanyadvantagetobederivedinGeneva，fromafamiliaracquaintancewiththeprinciplesofthatgovernment。Thelaterevolutionhasrendereditatyrannicalaristocracy，morelikelytogiveill，thangoodideastoanAmerican。IthinkthebalanceinfavorofRome。Pisaissometimesspokenof，asaplaceofeducation。
　　ButitdoesnotofferthefirstandthirdoftheadvantagesofRome。
　　ButwhysendanAmericanyouthtoEuropeforeducation?WhataretheobjectsofanusefulAmericaneducation?Classicalknowledge，modernlanguages，chieflyFrench，SpanishandItalian；Mathematics，Naturalphilosophy，Naturalhistory，Civilhistory，andEthics。InNaturalphilosophy，ImeantoincludeChemistryandAgriculture，andinNaturalhistory，toincludeBotany，aswellastheotherbranchesofthosedepartments。Itistruethatthehabitofspeakingthemodernlanguages，cannotbesowellacquiredinAmerica；buteveryotherarticlecanbeaswellacquiredatWilliamandMarycollege，asatanyplaceinEurope。Whencollegeeducationisdonewith，andayoungmanistopreparehimselfforpubliclife，hemustcasthiseyesforAmericaeitheronLaworPhysic。Fortheformer，wherecanheapplysoadvantageouslyastoMr。Wythe?Forthelatter，hemustcometoEurope：themedicalclassofstudents，therefore，istheonlyonewhichneedcometoEurope。LetusviewthedisadvantagesofsendingayouthtoEurope。Toenumeratethemall，wouldrequireavolume。Iwillselectafew。IfhegoestoEngland，helearnsdrinking，horseracingandboxing。ThesearethepeculiaritiesofEnglisheducation。Thefollowingcircumstancesarecommontoeducationinthat，andtheothercountriesofEurope。HeacquiresafondnessforEuropeanluxuryanddissipation，andacontemptforthesimplicityofhisowncountry；heisfascinatedwiththeprivilegesoftheEuropeanaristocrats，andsees，withabhorrence，thelovelyequalitywhichthepoorenjoywiththerich，inhisowncountry；hecontractsapartialityforaristocracyormonarchy；heformsforeignfriendshipswhichwillneverbeusefultohim，andlosestheseasonoflifeforforminginhisowncountry，thosefriendships，which，ofallothers，arethemostfaithfulandpermanent；heisledbythestrongestofallthehumanpassions，intoaspiritforfemaleintrigue，destructiveofhisownandothers’happiness，orapassionforwhores，destructiveofhishealth，and，inbothcases，learnstoconsiderfidelitytothemarriagebedasanungentlemanlypractice，andinconsistentwithhappiness；herecollectsthevoluptuarydressandartsoftheEuropeanwomen，andpitiesanddespisesthechasteaffectionsandsimplicityofthoseofhisowncountry；heretains，throughlife，afondrecollection，andahankeringafterthoseplaces，whichwerethescenesofhisfirstpleasuresandofhisfirstconnections；hereturnstohisowncountry，aforeigner，unacquaintedwiththepracticesofdomesticeconomy，necessarytopreservehimfromruin，speakingandwritinghisnativetongueasaforeigner，andthereforeunqualifiedtoobtainthosedistinctions，whicheloquenceofthepenandtongueensuresinafreecountry；forIwouldobservetoyou，thatwhatiscalledstyleinwritingorspeaking，isformedveryearlyinlife，whiletheimaginationiswarm，andimpressionsarepermament。Iamofopinion，thatthereneverwasaninstanceofaman’swritingorspeakinghisnativetonguewithelegance，whopassedfromfifteentotwentyyearsofage，outofthecountrywhereitwasspoken。Thus，noinstanceexistsofaperson’swritingtwolanguagesperfectly。Thatwillalwaysappeartobehisnativelanguage，whichwasmostfamiliartohiminhisyouth。Itappearstomethen，thatanAmericancomingtoEuropeforeducation，losesinhisknowledge，inhismorals，inhishealth，inhishabits，andinhishappiness。Ihadentertainedonlydoubtsonthishead，beforeI
　　cametoEurope：whatIseeandhear，sinceIcamehere，provesmorethanIhadevensuspected。CastyoureyeoverAmerica：whoarethemenofmostlearning，ofmosteloquence，mostbelovedbytheircountrymen，andmosttrustedandpromotedbythem?Theyarethosewhohavebeeneducatedamongthem，andwhosemanners，moralsandhabits，areperfectlyhomogeneouswiththoseofthecountry。
　　Didyouexpectbysoshortaquestion，todrawsuchasermononyourself?Idaresayyoudidnot。Buttheconsequencesofforeigneducationarealarmingtome，asanAmerican。Isin，therefore，throughzeal，wheneverIenteronthesubject。YouaresufficientlyAmericantopardonmeforit。Letmehearofyourhealth，andbeassuredoftheesteemwithwhichIam，DearSir，yourfriendandservant，PROPERTYANDNATURALRIGHT
　　_ToJamesMadison_
　　_Fontainebleau，Oct。28，1785_
　　DEARSIR，——Seveno’clock，andretiredtomyfireside，Ihavedeterminedtoenterintoconversationwithyou。Thisisavillageofabout15，000inhabitantswhenthecourtisnothere，and20，000whentheyare，occupyingavalleythroughwhichrunsabrookandoneachsideofitaridgeofsmallmountains，mostofwhicharenakedrock。
　　TheKingcomeshere，inthefallalways，tohunt。Hiscourtattendhim，asdoalsotheforeigndiplomaticcorps；butasthisisnotindispensablyrequiredandmyfinancesdonotadmittheexpenseofacontinuedresidencehere，IproposetocomeoccasionallytoattendtheKing’slevees，returningagaintoParis，distantfortymiles。
　　Thisbeingthefirsttrip，Isetoutyesterdaymorningtotakeaviewoftheplace。ForthispurposeIshapedmycoursetowardsthehighestofthemountainsinsight，tothetopofwhichwasaboutaleague。
　　AssoonasIhadgotclearofthetownIfellinwithapoorwomanwalkingatthesameratewithmyselfandgoingthesamecourse。
　　WishingtoknowtheconditionofthelaboringpoorIenteredintoconversationwithher，whichIbeganbyenquiriesforthepathwhichwouldleadmeintothemountain：andthenceproceededtoenquiriesintohervocation，conditionandcircumstances。Shetoldmeshewasadaylaborerat8sousor4d。sterlingtheday：thatshehadtwochildrentomaintain，andtopayarentof30livresforherhousewhichwouldconsumethehireof75days，thatoftenshecouldnoemploymentandofcoursewaswithoutbread。Aswehadwalkedtogethernearamileandshehadsofarservedmeasaguide，Igaveher，onparting，24sous。SheburstintotearsofagratitudewhichIcouldperceivewasunfeignedbecauseshewasunabletoutteraword。Shehadprobablyneverbeforereceivedsogreatanaid。Thislittle_attendrissement_，withthesolitudeofmywalk，ledmeintoatrainofreflectionsonthatunequaldivisionofpropertywhichoccasionsthenumberlessinstancesofwretchednesswhichIhadobservedinthiscountryandistobeobservedalloverEurope。
　　Thepropertyofthiscountryisabsolutelyconcentredinaveryfewhands，havingrevenuesoffromhalfamillionofguineasayeardownwards。Theseemploytheflowerofthecountryasservants，someofthemhavingasmanyas200domestics，notlaboring。Theyemployalsoagreatnumberofmanufacturersandtradesmen，andlastlytheclassoflaboringhusbandmen。Butafteralltherecomesthemostnumerousofallclasses，thatis，thepoorwhocannotfindwork。I
　　askedmyselfwhatcouldbethereasonsomanyshouldbepermittedtobegwhoarewillingtowork，inacountrywherethereisaveryconsiderableproportionofuncultivatedlands?Theselandsareundisturbedonlyforthesakeofgame。Itshouldseemthenthatitmustbebecauseoftheenormouswealthoftheproprietorswhichplacesthemaboveattentiontotheincreaseoftheirrevenuesbypermittingtheselandstobelabored。Iamconsciousthatanequaldivisionofpropertyisimpracticable，buttheconsequencesofthisenormousinequalityproducingsomuchmiserytothebulkofmankind，legislatorscannotinventtoomanydevicesforsubdividingproperty，onlytakingcaretolettheirsubdivisionsgohandinhandwiththenaturalaffectionsofthehumanmind。Thedescentofpropertyofeverykindthereforetoallthechildren，ortoallthebrothersandsisters，orotherrelationsinequaldegree，isapoliticmeasureandapracticableone。Anothermeansofsilentlylesseningtheinequalityofpropertyistoexemptallfromtaxationbelowacertainpoint，andtotaxthehigherportionsorpropertyingeometricalprogressionastheyrise。Wheneverthereareinanycountryuncultivatedlandsandunemployedpoor，itisclearthatthelawsofpropertyhavebeensofarextendedastoviolatenaturalright。Theearthisgivenasacommonstockformantolaborandliveon。Iffortheencouragementofindustryweallowittobeappropriated，wemusttakecarethatotheremploymentbeprovidedtothoseexcludedfromtheappropriation。Ifwedonot，thefundamentalrighttolabortheearthreturnstotheunemployed。Itistoosoonyetinourcountrytosaythateverymanwhocannotfindemployment，butwhocanfinduncultivatedland，shallbeatlibertytocultivateit，payingamoderaterent。Butitisnottoosoontoprovidebyeverypossiblemeansthatasfewaspossibleshallbewithoutalittleportionofland。Thesmalllandholdersarethemostpreciouspartofastate。
　　Thenextobjectwhichstruckmyattentioninmywalkwasthedeerwithwhichthewoodabounded。Theywereofthekindcalled”Cerfs，”andnotexactlyofthesamespecieswithours。Theyareblackishindeedunderthebelly，andnotwhiteasours，andtheyaremoreofthechestnutred；butthesearesuchsmalldifferencesaswouldbesuretohappenintworacesfromthesamestockbreedingseparatelyanumberofages。Theirharesaretotallydifferentfromtheanimalswecallbythatname；buttheirrabbitisalmostexactlylikehim。Theonlydifferenceisintheirmanners；thelandonwhichIwalkedforsometimebeingabsolutelyreducedtoahoneycombbytheirburrowing。Ithinkthereisnoinstanceofoursburrowing。
　　AfterdescendingthehillagainIsawamancuttingfern。Iwenttohimunderpretenceofaskingtheshortestroadtotown，andafterwardsaskedforwhatusehewascuttingfern。HetoldmethatthispartofthecountryfurnishedagreatdealoffruittoParis。
　　Thatwhenpackedinstrawitacquiredanilltaste，butthatdryfernpreserveditperfectlywithoutcommunicatinganytasteatall。
　　Itreasuredthisobservationforthepreservationofmyapplesonmyreturntomyowncountry。TheyhavenoapplesheretocomparewithourRedtownpippin。Theyhavenothingwhichdeservesthenameofapeach；therebeingnotsunenoughtoripentheplum-peachandthebestoftheirsoftpeachesbeinglikeourautumnpeaches。Theircherriesandstrawberriesarefair，butIthinklackflavor。TheirplumsIthinkarebetter；soalsotheirgooseberries，andthepearsinfinitelybeyondanythingwepossess。Theyhavenothingbetterthanoursweet-water；buttheyhaveasuccessionofasgoodfromearlyinthesummertillfrost。Iamto-morrowtoget[to]M。MalsherbesanuncleoftheChevalierLuzerne’saboutsevenleaguesfromhence，whoisthemostcuriousmaninFranceastohistrees。HeismakingformeacollectionofthevinesfromwhichtheBurgundy，Champagne，Bordeaux，Frontignac，andotherofthemostvaluablewinesofthiscountryaremade。Anothergentlemaniscollectingformethebesteatinggrapes，includingwhatwecalltheraisin。Iproposealsotoendeavortocolonizetheirhare，rabbit，redandgreypartridge，pheasantsofdifferentkinds，andsomeotherbirds。ButIfindthatIamwanderingbeyondthelimitsofmywalkandwillthereforebidyouadieu。Yoursaffectionately。”OURCONFEDERACY……THENEST”
　　_ToArchibaldStuart_
　　_Paris，Jan。25，1786_
　　DEARSIR，——Ihavereceivedyourfavorofthe17thofOctober，whichthoughyoumentionasthethirdyouhavewrittenme，isthefirstwhichhascometohand。Isincerelythankyouforthecommunicationsitcontains。Nothingissogratefultomeatthisdistanceasdetailsbothgreat&smallofwhatispassinginmyowncountry。Ofthelatterwereceivelittlehere，becausetheyeitherescapemycorrespondentsorarethoughtunworthynotice。Thishoweverisaverymistakenopinion，aseveryonemayobservebyrecollectingthatwhenhehasbeenlongabsentfromhisneighborhoodthesmallnewsofthatisthemostpleasingandoccupieshisfirstattentioneitherwhenhemeetswithapersonfromthence，orreturnsthitherhimself。IshallhopethereforethattheletterinwhichyouhavebeensogoodastogivemetheminuteoccurrencesintheneighborhoodofMonticellomayyetcometohand。AndIventuretorelyonthemanyproofsoffriendshipIhavereceivedfromyou，foracontinuanceofyourfavors。ThiswillbethemostmeritoriousasI