Two arguments have been principally urged in favour of apprenticeships. In the first place, it has been said, that they are necessary, in order to prevent insufficient workmanship from being exposed to sale ; and, second ly, that they are useful for formU4 young people to habits of industry. With regard to the first of these arguments, it is clear, that the institution of long ap prenticeships can afford no security against insufficient workmanship. When such is brought to market, it is generally the effect of fraud, and not of inability. The sterling mark upon plate, and the stamps upon linen and woollen cloth, give the purchaser much greater security than any statute of apprenticeship. He gene rally looks at these, but never thinks of enquiring whether the workman had served a seven years apprenticeship. The second argument, in favour of apprenticeships, is contradicted by experience. An apprentice is likely to be idle, and almost always is so, because he has no im mediate interest to be otherwise. The stimulus to ap plication is removed. A young man naturally conceives
an aversion to labour, when, for a long time, he re .ceives no benefit from it. The boys who are put out apprentices from public charities are generally bound for more than the usual number of years, and they gene rally turn out very idle and worthless.
Were the statute of apprenticeship repealed, it is by no means improbable; that some private contract, simi lar to an apprenticeship, would in general take place between the master and the learner of a trade. Some thing would probably be required by the master, as a recompense or return for his instruction, either in mo ney or in time. But the amount of this reconipence, or premium, would be regulated by a due consideration of the mutual advantage of both parties. Apprenticeships would be shorter, if indeed they existed at all ; the competition in the different trades would be greatly en larged, and all manufactured articles would come much cheaper to market. See Smith's Wealth of Nations, b. i. chap. 10. (z)*