no better arguments than his in proof of it, not a man in the world would believe it.  It is fortunate for us, that Platonic republicanism has not obtained the same favor as Platonic Christianity; or we should now have been all living, men, women, and children, pell-mell together, like the beasts of the field or forest.  Yet ‘Plato is a great philosopher,’ said La Fontaine.  But, says Fontenelle, ‘Do you find his ideas very clear.’  ’Oh, no! he is of an obscurity impenetrable.’  ’Do you not find him full of contradictions?’ ‘Certainly,’ replied La Fontaine, ’he is but a sophist.’  Yet immediately after, he exclaims again, ’Oh, Plato was a great philosopher.’  Socrates had reason, indeed, to complain of the misrepresentations of Plato; for, in truth, his dialogues are libels on Socrates.

But why am I dosing you with these antediluvian topics?  Because I am glad to have some one to whom they are familiar, and who will not receive them as if dropped from the moon.  Our post-revolutionary youth are born under happier stars than you and I were.  They acquire all learning in their mother’s womb, and bring it into the world ready made.  The information of books is no longer necessary; and all knowledge which is not innate is in contempt, or neglect at least.  Every folly must run its round; and so, I suppose, must that of self-learning and self-sufficiency; of rejecting the knowledge acquired in past ages, and starting on the new ground of intuition.  When sobered by experience, I hope our successors will turn their attention to the advantages of education.  I mean of education on the broad scale, and not that of the petty academies, as they call themselves, which are starting up in every neighborhood, and where one or two men, possessing Latin, and sometimes Greek, a knowledge of the globes, and the first six books of Euclid, imagine and communicate this as the sum of science.  They commit their pupils to the theatre of the world, with just taste enough of learning to be alienated from industrious pursuits, and not enough to do service in the ranks of science.  We have some exceptions, indeed.  I presented one to you lately, and we have some others.  But the terms I use are general truths.  I hope the necessity will, at length, be seen of establishing institutions here, as in Europe, where every branch of science, useful at this day, may be taught in its highest degree.  Have you ever turned your thoughts to the plan of such an institution?  I mean to a specification of the particular sciences of real use in human affairs, and how they might be so grouped as to require so many professors only, as might bring them within the views of a just but enlightened economy?  I should be happy in a communication of your ideas on this problem, either loose or digested.  But to avoid my being run away with by another subject, and adding to the length and ennui of the present letter, I will here present to Mrs. Adams and yourself, the assurance of my constant and sincere friendship and respect.