8005. SOCIETIES (Communal), Experiments.—
A society of seventy families,
the number you name, may very possibly be
governed as a single family, subsisting on their
common industry, and holding all things in
common. Some regulators of the family you
still must have, and it remains to be seen at
what period of your increasing population your
simple regulations will cease to be sufficient to
preserve order, peace, and justice. The experiment
is interesting; I shall not live to see
its issue, but I wish it success equal to your
hopes.—
To William Ludlow. Washington ed. vii, 378.
(M.
1824)
