The Popular Educator

Ar no period in the history of our country was it less portant events in the history of his country, and to
necessary to offer an apology for introducing a national place at the command of the student for the Civil Ser-
work on Education than at the present time. So keen is vice or University Examinations all the branches of
the competitive spirit of the age, that the advantage of education necessary for his advancement, no effort
knowledge in the struggle for advancement is apparent will be wanting. Our ambition is to place in every
to all. The mighty power of steam applied to railways English Home an Educational Encyclopædia, invaluable
and vessels has developed national and international com- as a manual of study and a work of reference, which,
munication to a degree not dreamt of at the commence- whilst simple, progressive, and interesting in its style,
ment of the century. Telegraphy presents to our view shall be powerful for the improvement and the advance-
the daily contemporaneous history of the world; and the ment of its students.
Press, relieved from those shackles which impeded its In the three great departments of knowledge which
action and fettered its influence, has become a powerful this Work will embrace-History, Science, and Lan.
medium for the communication`of thought between the guages—the end of such instruction, viz., its practical
leading minds of the age. In the political condition of our application to the affairs of life, will be kept steadily in
own country a change has been wrought, the consequences view. Science will be taught not merely as abstract
of which the boldest prophet avows his inability to predict, truth or an interesting intellectual exercise, but as
but which all parties agree will be fraught with good or embodying in all its branches those principles, a know-
evil, according to the degree in which the new recipients ledge of which will explain the various phenomena of
of power may be possessed of the knowledge to use that the world, and enable us to avail ourselves more
power aright. The necessity of Education, therefore, intelligently, and therefore more successfully, of all the
which was fiercely combated when this work first saw varied material with which Nature has supplied us.
the light, is now universally admitted, and the mode Instruction in Languages-whether living or dead-
and the system alone remain to be discussed. So patent will be so conveyed as to enable the student not only to
is this, that the illustrious chief of the Conservative understand a given set of books in any particular tongue,
Party has been pleased to accept the dedication of this but to make him master of the language itself by
work to himself. Gratifying as is this complimentary gradual and easy, but yet real and tangible stages.
recognition of the services which the original edition of The Historic Sketches, by means of which we shall
the POPULAR EDUCATOR has rendered in the promotion teach History, will, we hope, render that study no longer
of National Education, we feel that the basis of our a mere record of battles, an obituary of kings, a mighty
present claim upon the co-operation of all the friends of chaos of incident; but will illustrate how each nation has
chat great movement consists in this—that our system discharged its functions in the world's history-how each
has been tested, its efficiency has been proved, whilst a epoch has played its part in the drama of a nation's life.
sale of 500,000 copies has testified, on the part of those A reference to our list of contents will show that under
for whom it was designed, their appreciation of the work various heads will be included every branch of study
and their estimate of its value.

which can possibly be useful in the varied walks of life.
But some twenty years have elapsed since the POPULAR The great aim and object of this work is to enable
EDUCATOR first issued from the press, and during that the people to educate themselves. We have only to ask
period considerable advances have been made in many of them to realise the magnitude and grandeur of the work
the departments of knowledge. To perfect the work in in which they will be engaged if they determine to do
accordance with all the discoveries up to the present so. Obstacles will be overcome by united resolution.
day, we have found it necessary to introduce many new Every difficulty surmounted will be additional strength
subjects, and to re-model many of our old lessons, and for further victories. A good education is the best
we shall spare no expense in making these changes as legacy we can leave to our children. It is the best
complete as possible. To amuse, to instruct, to elevate, investment we can make for ourselves. The educated
will be our constant endeavour. To render the work. man in every walk of life carries with him his own
man more perfect in his vocation, the soldier and sailor capital—a capital unaffected by monetary crisis-an
better fitted for the higher positions of his profession, investment: whose interest is not regulated by the
the naturalist more conversant with the beauties of success of speculation-a legacy which none can dispute,
Nature, the politician further acquainted with the im- and of which none can deprive.