WCP3028

[1]¹

Norham Gardens

Oxford

May 27: 1879

Dear Sir

On my return from abroad yesterday afternoon I found your letter² of the 5^th.

Circumstances prevented my reading your article in the 19’ century:³ I much regret that I did not. I will do so as [2] soon as I can: but I am going to be Examiner in the Schools, and shall be sorely pressed for time.

Most certainly I had no feeling of scorn or of any thing like it for the advocates of reciprocity.⁴ But I cannot help thinking it a perfectly indefen- [3] sible and foolish policy for a notion to fall into: and I cannot for the life of me find a single thing to be said for it, except that a producer cannot sell his goods against his foreign competition and asks to be supported at the cost of his own community. But [4] surely all Free Trade advocates say the same thing. I have said nothing new there: and the mischief is so great that I must hold not every man is authorised to speak most plainly about the matter. But I never had any feeling [5] except [illeg.] Protectionists are very naturally mistaken.

As to bounties, say the sugar one — they are indefensible: but I never could get over the difficulty, that if the French are so foolish as to make us [6] constant presents at their own cost, it is hard to find a reason why the people of England should be told not to accept them.

I promise you to read your paper [7] carefully and very readily, when I have time, and will write to you again at length, if I can[.]

Y very faith^y | BPrice⁵ [signature]