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time, that so much has been accomplished; consider-ing the object of labour, or no labour, as being, in fact,the only question in debate, and being of opinion,for various reasons, that the legislature will beobliged to resort to the plan recommended by their commissioners. By this decision, I conceive the greatquestion of prison discipline, as far as regards theUnited States, is finally settled; every other place,except Philadelphia, already adopted that plan, there-by making crime to counteract itself, and repair, asfar as possible, the evils it has occasioned. In nocountry has this principle been so well understood,or carried so far, as in your own, and the relinquish-ment of it for the Bastile system of solitary confine-ment, would have grieved me more than I can express;but, thank God, my dread of that is over; and I shallnow die in peace, convinced that the time will arrivewhen my own country will follow the example. You will not be surprised to hear that our canalnavigations, which have hitherto been very produc-tive, are depreciated by the completion of our rail-way from Liverpool to Manchester; which is shortlyexpected to be succeeded by one from Liverpool toLondon, and by several others in different parts ofthe kingdom; but our small dykes bear no propor-tion to your magnificent aqueducts, which, I suppose,set all competition from railways at defiance. I send you an account of the Liverpool and Man-chester road, as just published, by my next neigh-bour, Mr. H. Booth, the Treasurer of the undertaking,which, I think, will interest you. I have also addeda copy of my discourse on opening the LiverpoolInstitution, and of a work I published some yearssince, entitled, Illustrations of the Life of Lorenzode Medici, one or both of which you have probablybefore seen; but which I beg you will accept, as amark of sincere respect and attachment, with whichI am, my dear sir, your very faithful and obligedfriend, W. ROSCOE.