THE RADICALS AND THE PEOPLE. 129

light or enthusiasm, He was well aware of the strong vault 1838.
of bronzed prejudice which man mistakes for the luminous Jr. 34
firmament, of truth, and with him as with the philosophic
reformers in France on the eve of the Revolution, the
foundatioy of his hope lay in a peuple éclairé, the enlightenent
 of the population,
“Do not let your zeal for the cause of democracy,” Cobden
Wrote to Tait, the Edinburgh bookseller, « deceive you as
to the fact of the opaque ignorance in which the great bulk
of the people of England are wrapt. If you write for the
masses politically, and write soundly and honestly, they will
ot be able at present to appreciate you, and consequently
will net support you. You cannot pander to the new Poorlaw
 delusion, or mix up the Corn laws with the Currency
Quackeries of Attwood. N othing but these cries will go down
With the herd at present. There is an obvious motive about
Certain agitators’ movements. They hold up impracticabilities
 ; their stock in trade will not fall short. Secondly,
these Prevent intelligent people from joining said agitators,
Who would be likely to supersede them in the eyes of their
followers. There i no remedy for all this but improved
education, Such as the taj] and the body are, such will be
the character of the head. Nature does not produce such
monsters as an ignorant or vicious community, and virtuous
and wise leaders. In Scotland you are better off because you
are better educated. The great body of she English pea-Sants
 are not a jot advanced in intellect since the days
of their Saxon ancestors.
“I hope you will join us in a ery for schoolmasters as a
first step to Radicalism. . , . Whilst I would caution you
against too much political stuff in your magazine, let me
bray you to strike a blow for us for education. I have
inbounded faith in the people, and would risk universal
suffrage bo-morrow in preference to the progent franchige.