The　public　can　facilitate　this　acquisition　by　establishing
  in　every　parish　or　district　a　little　school；　where　children　may
  be　taught　for　a　reward　so　moderate　that　even　a　common　labourer
  may　afford　it；　the　master　being　partly；　but　not　wholly；　paid　by
  the　public；　because；　if　he　was　wholly；　or　even　principally；　paid
  by　it；　he　would　soon　learn　to　neglect　his　business。　In　Scotland
  the　establishment　of　such　parish　schools　has　taught　almost　the
  whole　common　people　to　read；　and　a　very　great　proportion　of　them
  to　write　and　account。　In　England　the　establishment　of　charity
  schools　has　had　an　effect　of　the　same　kind；　though　not　so
  universally；　because　the　establishment　is　not　so　universal。　If　in
  those　little　schools　the　books；　by　which　the　children　are　taught
  to　read；　were　a　little　more　instructive　than　they　commonly　are；
  and　if；　instead　of　a　little　smattering　of　Latin；　which　the
  children　of　the　common　people　are　sometimes　taught　there；　and
  which　can　scarce　ever　be　of　any　use　to　them；　they　were　instructed
  in　the　elementary　parts　of　geometry　and　mechanics；　the　literary
  education　of　this　rank　of　people　would　perhaps　be　as　complete　as
  it　can　be。　There　is　scarce　a　common　trade　which　does　not　afford
  some　opportunities　of　applying　to　it　the　principles　of　geometry
  and　mechanics；　and　which　would　not　therefore　gradually　exercise
  and　improve　the　common　people　in　those　principles；　the　necessary
  introduction　to　the　most　sublime　as　well　as　to　the　most　useful
  sciences。
  The　public　can　encourage　the　acquisition　of　those　most
  essential　parts　of　education　by　giving　small　premiums；　and　little
  badges　of　distinction；　to　the　children　of　the　common　people　who
  excel　in　them。
  The　public　can　impose　upon　almost　the　whole　body　of　the
  people　the　necessity　of　acquiring　those　most　essential　parts　of
  education；　by　obliging　every　man　to　undergo　an　examination　or
  probation　in　them　before　he　can　obtain　the　freedom　in　any
  corporation；　or　be　allowed　to　set　up　any　trade　either　in　a
  village　or　town　corporate。
  It　was　in　this　manner；　by　facilitating　the　acquisition　of
  their　military　and　gymnastic　exercises；　by　encouraging　it；　and
  even　by　imposing　upon　the　whole　body　of　the　people　the　necessity
  of　learning　those　exercises；　that　the　Greek　and　Roman　republics
  maintained　the　martial　spirit　of　their　respective　citizens。　They
  facilitated　the　acquisition　of　those　exercises　by　appointing　a
  certain　place　for　learning　and　practising　them；　and　by　granting
  to　certain　masters　the　privilege　of　teaching　in　that　place。　Those
  masters　do　not　appear　to　have　had　either　salaries　or　exclusive
  privileges　of　any　kind。　Their　reward　consisted　altogether　in　what
  they　got　from　their　scholars；　and　a　citizen　who　had　learnt　his
  exercises　in　the　public　gymnasia　had　no　sort　of　legal　advantage
  over　one　who　had　learnt　them　privately；　provided　the　latter　had
  learnt　them　equally　well。　Those　republics　encouraged　the
  acquisition　of　those　exercises　by　bestowing　little　premiums　and
  badges　of　distinction　upon：　those　who　excelled　in　them。　To　have
  gained　a　prize　in　the　Olympic；　Isthmian；　or　Nemaean　games；　gave
  illustration；　not　only　to　the　person　who　gained　it；　but　to　his
  whole　family　and　kindred。　The　obligation　which　every　citizen　was
  under　to　serve　a　certain　number　of　years；　if　called　upon；　in　the
  armies　of　the　republic；　sufficiently　imposed　the　necessity　of
  learning　those　exercises；　without　which　he　could　not　be　fit　for
  that　service。
  That　in　the　progress　of　improvement　the　practice　of　military
  exercises；　unless　government　takes　proper　pains　to　support　it；
  goes　gradually　to　decay；　and；　together　with　it；　the　martial
  spirit　of　the　great　body　of　the　people；　the　example　of　modern
  Europe　sufficiently　demonstrates。　But　the　security　of　every
  society　must　always　depend；　more　or　less；　upon　the　martial　spirit
  of　the　great　body　of　the　people。　In　the　present　times；　indeed；
  that　martial　spirit　alone；　and　unsupported　by　a　well…disciplined
  standing　army；　would　not　perhaps　be　sufficient　for　the　defence
  and　security　of　any　society。　But　where　every　citizen　had　the
  spirit　of　a　soldier；　a　smaller　standing　army　would　surely　be
  requisite。　That　spirit；　besides；　would　necessarily　diminish　very
  much　the　dangers　to　liberty；　whether　real　or　imaginary；　which　are
  commonly　apprehended　from　a　standing　army。　As　it　would　very　much
  facilitate　the　operations　of　that　army　against　a　foreign　invader；
  so　it　would　obstruct　them　as　much　if；　unfortunately；　they　should
  ever　be　directed　against　the　constitution　of　the　state。
  The　ancient　institutions　of　Greece　and　Rome　seem　to　have
  been　much　more　effectual　for　maintaining　the　martial　spirit　of
  the　great　body　of　the　people　than　the　establishment　of　what　are
  called　the　militias　of　modern　times。　They　were　much　more　simple。
  When　they　were　once　established　they　executed　themselves；　and　it
  required　little　or　no　attention　from　government　to　maintain　them
  in　the　most　perfect　vigour。　Whereas　to　maintain；　even　in
  tolerable　execution；　the　complex　regulations　of　any　modern
  militia；　requires　the　continual　and　painful　attention　of
  government；　without　which　they　are　constantly　falling　into　total
  neglect　and　disuse。　The　influence；　besides；　of　the　ancient
  institutions　was　much　more　universal。　By　means　of　them　the　whole
  body　of　the　people　was　completely　instructed　in　the　use　of　arms。
  Whereas　it　is　but　a　very　small　part　of　them　who　can　ever　be　so
  instructed　by　the　regulations　of　any　modern　militia；　except；
  perhaps；　that　of　Switzerland。　But　a　coward；　a　man　incapable
  either　of　defending　or　of　revenging　himself；　evidently　wants　one
  of　the　most　essential　parts　of　the　character　of　a　man。　He　is　as
  much　mutilated　and　deformed　in　his　mind　as　another　is　in　his
  body；　who　is　either　deprived　of　some　of　its　most　essential
  members；　or　has　lost　the　use　of　them。　He　is　evidently　the　more
  wretched　and　miserable　of　the　two；　because　happiness　and　misery；
  which　reside　altogether　in　the　mind；　must　necessarily　depend　more
  upon　the　healthful　or　unhealthful；　the　mutilated　or　entire　state
  of　the　mind；　than　upon　that　of　the　body。　Even　though　the　martial
  spirit　of　the　people　were　of　no　use　towards　the　defence　of　the
  society；　yet　to　prevent　that　sort　of　mental　mutilation；
  deformity；　and　wretchedness；　which　cowardice　necessarily　involves
  in　it；　from　spreading　themselves　through　the　great　body　of　the
  people；　would　still　deserve　the　most　serious　attention　of
  government；　in　the　same　manner　as　it　would　deserve　its　most
  serious　attention　to　prevent　a　leprosy　or　any　other　loathsome　and
  offensive　disease；　though　neither　mortal　nor　dangerous；　from
  spreading　itself　among　them；　though　perhaps　no　other　public　good
  might　result　from　such　attention　besides　the　prevention　of　so
  great　a　public　evil。
  The　same　thing　may　be　said　of　the　gross　ignorance　and
  stupidity　which；　in　a　civilised　society；　seem　so　frequently　to
  benumb　the　understandings　of　all　the　inferior　ranks　of　people。　A
  man　without　the　proper　use　of　the　intellectual　faculties　of　a
  man；　is；　if　possible；　more　contemptible　than　even　a　coward；　and
  seems　to　be　mutilated　and　deformed　in　a　still　more　essential　part
  of　the　character　of　human　nature。　Though　the　state　was　to　derive
  no　advantage　from　the　instruction　of　the　inferior　ranks　of
  people；　it　would　still　deserve　its　attention　that　they　should　not
  be　altogether　uninstructed。　The　state；　however；　derives　no
  inconsiderable　advantage　from　their　instruction。　The　more　they
  are　instructed　the　less　liable　they　are　to　the　delusions　of
  enthusiasm　and　superstition；　which；　among　ignorant　nations；
  frequently　occasion　the　most　dreadful　disorders。　An　instructed
  and　intelligent　people；　besides；　are　always　more　decent　and
  orderly　than　an　ignorant　and　stupid　one。　They　feel　themselves；
  each　individually；　more　respectable　and　more　likely　to　obtain　the
  respect　of　their　lawful　superiors；　and　they　are　therefore　more
  disposed　to　respect　those　superiors。　They　are　more　disposed　to
  examine；　and　more　capable　of　seeing　through；　the　interested
  complaints　of　faction　and　sedition；　and　they　are；　upon　that
  account；　less　apt　to　be　misled　into　any　wanton　or　unnecessary
  opposition　to　the　measures　of　government。　In　free　countries；
  where　the　safety　of　government　depends　very　much　upon　the
  favourable　judgment　which　the　people　may　form　of　its　conduct；　it
  must　surely　be　of　the　highest　importance　that　they　should　not　be
  disposed　to　judge　rashly　or　capriciously　concerning　it。
  ARTICLE　III　　　　Of　the　Expense　of　the
  Institutions　for　the　Instruction　of
  People　of　all　Ages
  The　institutions　for　the　instruction　of　people　of　all　ages
  are　chiefly　those　for　religious　instruction。　This　is　a　species　of
  instruction　of　which　the　object　is　not　so　much　to　render　the
  people　good　citizens　in　this　world；　as　to　prepare　them　for
  another　and　a　better　world　in　a　life　to　come。　The　teachers　of　the
  doctrine　which　contains　this　instructio