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The institution of long apprenticeships has no tendency to form

young people to industry. A journeyman who works by the piece is

likely to be industrious, because he derives a benefit from every

exertion of his industry. An apprentice is likely to be idle, and

almost always is so, because he has no immediate interest to be

otherwise. In the inferior employments, the sweets of labour

consist altogether in the recompence of labour. They who are

soonest in a condition to enjoy the sweets of it, are likely

soonest to conceive a relish for it, and to acquire the early

habit of industry. A young man naturally conceives an aversion to

labour, when for a long time he receives 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

generally turn out very idle and worthless.