d a people of the most benevolent, the most gay and amiable
character of which the human form is susceptible; where such a people, I
say, surrounded by so many blessings from nature, are loaded with misery
by kings, nobles, and priests, and by them alone. Preach, my dear Sir,
a crusade against ignorance; establish and improve the law for educating
the common people. Let our countrymen know, that the people alone can
protect us against these evils, and that the tax which will be paid for
this purpose, is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid
to kings, priests, and nobles, who will rise up among us if we leave the
people in ignorance. The people of England, I think, are less oppressed
than here. But it needs but half an eye to see, when among them, that
the foundation is laid in their dispositions for the establishment of
a despotism. Nobility, wealth, and pomp are the objects of their
admiration. They are by no means the free-minded people, we suppose
them in America. Their learned men, too, are few in number, and are less
learned, and infinitely less emancipated from prejudice, than those
of this country. An event, too, seems to be preparing, in the order of
things, which will probably decide the fate of that country. It is no
longer doubtful, that the harbor of Cherbourg will be complete, that
it will be a most excellent one, and capacious enough to hold the whole
navy of France. Nothing has ever been wanting to enable this country
to invade that, but a naval force conveniently stationed to protect the
transports. This change of situation must oblige the English to keep up
a great standing army, and there is no King, who, with sufficient force,
is not always ready to make himself absolute. My paper warns me, it is
time to recommend myself to the friendly recollection of Mrs. Wythe, of
Colonel Taliaferro and his family, and particularly of Mr. R. T. and to
assure you of the affectionate esteem, with which I am,

Dear Sir, your friend and servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXVIII.--TO MRS. COSWAY, October 12, 1786

TO MRS. COSWAY.

Paris, October 12, 1786.

My Dear Madam,

Having performed the last sad office of handing you into your carriage,
at the pavillion de St. Denis, and seen the wheels get actually into
motion, I turned on my heel and walked, more dead than alive, to the
opposite door, where my own was awaiting me. Mr. Danquerville was
missing. He was sought for, found, and dragged do