WHITINGS OF DR. SMITH.

LXXIX

ment. The only infallible criterion of the excel-lence of any conftitution is to be found in the de-tail of its municipal code; and the value whichwife men fet on 1 political freedom, arifes chieflyfrom the facility it is fuppofed to afford, for theintroduction of thofe legiflative improvementswhich the general interefts of the community re-commend. — I cannot help adding, that the ca-pacity of a people to exercife political rights withutility to themfelves and to their country, prefup-pofes a diffufion of knowledge and of good morals,which can only refult from the previous operation,of laws favorable to induftry, to order, and tofreedom.

Of the truth of thefe remarks, enlightened poli-ticians feem now to be in general convinced; forthe mod celebrated works which have been produ-ced in the different countries of Europe , duringthe lalt thirty years, by Smith , Quesnai , Tur­ got , Campomanes , Beccaria, and others, haveaimed at the improvement of fociety,—not by de-lineating' plans of new conftitutions, but by en-lightening the policy of actual legiflators. Suchfpeculations, while they are more effentially andmore extenfively ufeful than any others, have notendency to unhinge eftablifhed inftitutions, or toinflame the paffions of the multitude. The im-provements they recommend are to be effected bymeans too gradual and flow in their operation, to