The honour you conferr’d on me by Your very obliging reception of my Life of Leo X, induces me to hope for the same indulgence to two other publications which I have taken the liberty of transmitting you herewith.

The discourse on the opening of the Liverpool Institution may serve to shew the efforts that are making in a provincial1 town for the promotion of literature & science; & is intended to demonstrate that for the moral & intellectual improvement of mankind they must depend on their own exertions; a sentiment which, tho’ sufficiently obvious, is too often forgotten, & can therefore never be too much inforced. With respect to the other Tract on penal Jurisprudence, & the reformation of Criminals, I cannot but feel still greater hesitation in submitting it to your enlighten’d judgment & great experience, yet I venture to hope that altho’ you may find some points in which you may dissent from the opinions I have advanced, & may perhaps think that I have spoken of the establishments in the United States of America with too great freedom, yet up[on] the whole I cannot doubt of your approbati[on] of any attempt however humble to extend a system which has so long flourished under your direction, & contributed so essentia[lly] to the prosperity & honour of your Country.

That you may long continue to enjoy the blessing of health, & that the remainde[r] of your life may be as happy as the former part has been useful & honourab[le] is the sincere wish of