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Northfield, May 28th 1848 Dear Brother I hardly know whether I owe you a letter or not At any rate there are undoubtedly many matters in your later letters abundantly worthy of serious consideration and careful answer. In one of your letters you advise me to study thoroughly "A National pars?", "French finance", "British Budget", "Treasury Note & Subtreasury scheme", "Sources of Revenue, Estimates, appropriations, & disbursements" &. Why? Cui bono? For what earthly object would you induce me to devote even a portion of my valuable time to such a ridiculous pursuit. My, if, I had a month or a year of perfect leisure I should sooner have thought of devoting it to the study of any single tree, plant, animal, bird, bug, reptile, the meanest creature of God than to such. I do not want to be a Stateman, especially a financier. However you say Dr. Lamartine & I disagree upon the progress of political mind growth. Let us see. Lamartine says "Arbitrary, aristocratic, Constitutional, republican." Well, in the sense in which he uses it, for the progress of Nations, age to age, from century to century, under the influence of Enlightened civiization, education &c. History no doubt sustains him. I fully agree that such is in great measure the usual, perhaps natural line of progress. Still I am by no means disposed to give up my statement of the natural progress of mind. You may say mine progression begins where his ends; or state it as I did originally, Radical, youth: democratic Manhood; Experience & age, Conservative For my part, I judge that the most conservative minds of this Country might in Europe be the strongest Republicans: while perhaps the most ultra radicals of Europe would soon grow Conservative here perhaps would be Monarchists. We do not always know how near extremes are until we see them meet.