Latin,- an unknown through the medium of an imperfectly known language. Again, the authors first read are, for the most part, poets: it may be worthy of consideration whether such should be the case. A prejudice against the use of the classics in education has of late been gaining ground, proceeding, it is considered, in a great measure, from the indiscriminating and exclusive devotion which has been paid to them. It will be important to sift the grounds of this, and to consider whether there would not be some reason in abandoning classical instruction in the instance of children whose destination in life forbids a hope of their being able to continue the study of them beyond the age of childhood.

Composition, which forms a considerable item in school instruction, is, in a great measure, in an imperfectly known language; much of it is in verse, and often upon abstract subjects. To be able to arrange ideas with order and precision upon paper is a most important object; nor can too great pains be bestowed upon it: but it is for consideration whether composition in the Latin tongue should precede composition in English; whether it should be in verse rather than in prose; whether young persons should not first learn to describe with clearness, and in order, before attempting to reason upon abstract subjects; whether the circumstance of their writing upon such subjects may not be attended by many injurious effects, such as the habit of tacking words together when the ideas to be conveyed are imperfectly understood, and thus, as Owen Felltham says, give "a floude of words with a drop of soule;" besides, perhaps, teaching them to put up with superficial reasons and common-places, which habit, when once acquired, is not easily lost. Milton, in his Essay on Education, speaks of "the forcing the empty wits of children to compose themes, verses, and orations, which are the acts of ripest judgment, and the final work of a head filled by long reading and observing with elegant maxims and copious invention." It may, at the same time, be well to consider whether the accurate and orderly description of objects after a careful observation, and the consecutive narration of facts, ought not to constitute the first ex

ercises in composition. The difficulty of obtaining clear and accurate statements of facts is generally complained of by professional men; may not this be, in a measure, attributable to the circumstance of children never having been practised in giving them? We should much like to see a well-digested plan for teaching composition drawn out: one that would rise step by step from the description of single and simple objects to that of many and complicated; from this to comparison, first of single objects with one another, then of species and genera. From this it might mount up by progressive steps to reasoning,―induction, and demonstration; rising gradually from simple predications concerning things palpable to the senses, to abstract and lengthened arguments. But induction is the description of reasoning upon which the greater proportion of knowledge depends, and is of more service in the affairs of life than any other: we are therefore disposed to lay great stress upon the accurate practical cultivation of it; and we know of no attempt which has ever been made to do so.

It is asserted by some, and denied by others, that natural philosophy ought to form a branch of general education at schools. We shall now only state that the studies of young persons differ in their objects from those of men. The studies of men are for the purpose of gaining that intimate knowledge of some particular subject that will enable them either to encrease the stock of human knowledge, or to pursue it as a profession. The studies of young persons are for the purpose of developing the faculties, of giving them a lively interest in the world they are entering upon, a desire for knowledge, and the means by which it can be acquired; they are for the purpose too of enabling their parents and preceptors to discover what the peculiar bents of their minds are, so that the one study which must ultimately be chosen for prosecution may be one in which they will probably succeed, and that, while pursuing that alone, they may be able to sympathize in, and converse upon, the pursuits and occupations of others.

Important a part of education as religion forms, it is one upon which the Society, if it intends to effect good,

must observe a strict neutrality; religious controversy must be avoided. The contributions to the publications of the Society must, therefore, be confined to observations upon the cultivation of religious sentiments, without touching upon points of difference. The Society cannot allow the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, the Church of Rome, or any class of dissenters, to be attacked through its pages, for it has an assurance that if this rule is ever deviated from, they will become either an arena for opposing sects to contend in; or, what is more likely, the representative of the opinions of one. The subject of education would in such case be forgotten, and the Society itself would have been organized in vain.

But it is not to knowledge alone that education must be directed. Action and being are the most important points, and knowledge is only valuable as far as it contributes to make them perfect. It is little if a man be an encyclopædia of knowledge, if he is unable to take his rank as a moral and social being. Precept and the science of morals, no doubt, will enable him intellectually to judge between actions; but many know, who cannot act: this is not enough. Unless education has operated upon the desires and the habits, - unless it has accustomed the individual to seek his pleasure from things which afford it of the highest, and most enduring description,-unless it has awakened the sympathies and taught him to take a deep interest in the well-being of his fellows-unless, in a country wealthy as this is, it has made the possessor of it desirous and capable of applying it to reasonable and noble purposes,—it has done little to make him wiser and happier; and if it has not these effects, where is its utility?

In enquiring into this branch of the subject, it will be the business of the Society to consider the means that are taken by masters for accurately acquainting themselves with the characters of those committed to their charge; the kind of surveillance that is had recourse to,-whether extending to hours of relaxation as well as those of employment,-whether to the night as well as to the day, whether it would or would not be desirable to have it more close than it is; whether the

children of different ages are separated, so that the younger shall not be corrupted by the elder. Those who have ever been at a public school, or, indeed, any school of magnitude in this country, must be aware of the indecency, both in language and conduct, which exists among the boys, particularly those who are verging upon manhood, but whose mental and moral culture is backward. These boys are but too often the corruptors of the school, and exercise a very prejudicial influence over those of tender years. The age of adolescence, in all instances, is the most dangerous in life; it requires a peculiar treatment, and deserves an attention which in this country has never yet been bestowed upon it. The ideas with regard to the sex which are then formed materially affect the future character. The fagging, the flogging, the tasks, and the punishments which are made use of in the educational establishments in this country, will all become in their turn subjects of discussion.

But while attention is directed to the intellect and character, the health and developement of the physical powers must not be neglected. Here, again, will be a wide field for investigation. The tendency of existing systems in this particular, and the mode of remedying any defect which may be found prevalent, will have to be considered.

Before quitting the subject of school education, we must advert to one description of schools which, perhaps, at this moment is of more pressing importance than any other; we allude to schools for the labouring classes. These classes form, and must form, the great mass of the population; but their moral, intellectual, and physical condition, notwithstanding the immense progress we have made in many things, is far from being in a satisfactory state; it is, indeed, below that of the working classes of some other countries, whose wealth and internal activity are far inferior to our own. What are our lengthened lines of rail-road, or the teeming produce of our looms, if the labourers and artificers, by whose hands they were executed, spend their hours of relaxation in drunkenness and debauchery; or if they so task their animal powers as almost to cease to have a moral and intellectual exist

ence? or if, for the sake of gain, they allow their children to become our slaves; and while these little beings should be having their growth and increase under some mild system, allowing their infantile strength to be overtasked, destroying their health, stunting their growth, and preventing the developement of their moral and intellectual faculties?

We subjoin a few extracts from the evidence which appears in the report of the Factory Inspectors. The first is the testimony of a parent.-" Her children come home so tired and worn out, they can hardly eat their suppers." "Has seen the young workers absolutely oppressed, and unable to sit down or rise up: this has happened to her own children."

The overlooker deposes to the same effect." The work over-tires the younger workers. Often sees the children very tired and stiff-like." "After the children from eight to twelve years old had worked eight or nine hours, they were nearly ready to faint; only kept to their work by being spoken to, or a little chastisement, to make them jump up. I was sometimes obliged to chastise them when they were almost fainting, and it hurt my feelings; then they would spring up, and work pretty well for another hour; but the last two or three hours were my hardest work, for they then got so exhausted."- "I have seen them fall asleep, and they were performing their work with their hands while they were asleep, after the billy had stopped, when their work was over. I have stopped and looked at them for two minutes, going through the motions of piecing fast asleep, when there was really no work to do, and they were really doing nothing. I believe, when we were working long hours, that they have never been washed but on Saturday night for weeks together."

"In some instances children begin to work in factories as young as five years old; it is not uncommon to find them at six. Many are under seven, and still more at eight; but the great majority are nine."

Considering the extraordinary progress which has been made of late years in physical science and the dominion over matter, with the prospect of an almost indefinite extension of it, which man has thereby obtained,-produce