THE END OF LAISSEZ-FAIRE

of the rich. But by page 418 she has toadmit defeat:

“Caroline .—The more I learn upon thissubject, the more I feel convinced that theinterests of nations, as well as those of in-dividuals, so far from being opposed to eachother, are in the most perfect unison.

“Mrs B. —Liberal and enlarged views willalways lead to similar conclusions, andteach us to cherish sentiments of universalbenevolence towards each other ; hence thesuperiority of science over mere practicalknowledge.”

By 1850 the Easy Lessons for the Use ofYoung People , by Archbishop Whately,which the Society for Promoting ChristianKnowledge was distributing wholesale, do notadmit even of those doubts which Mrs B.allowed Caroline occasionally to entertain.“More harm than good is likely to be done,”the little book concludes, “by almost anyinterference of Government with men’s moneytransactions, whether letting and leasing, orbuying and selling of any kind.” True liberty23