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Untitled Article
Where her people understand how to act , they are sure to win the honour of acting nobly , and to prove that they deserve to be taught to act thus always . They understood the reform measure , and they acted with a moral greatness nowhere surpassed . If they were equally enlightened in respect of other objects and other means , they would act in like manner . Thev are easrer to
become thus enlightened ; they are ashamed of whatever anomalies in their condition prove that the causes of evils are not known . They respect , and would fain emulate , whatever of popular wisdom France has the exclusive possession of ; and if they are too ready to blame their government as the immediate cause of some grievances , whose remedy lies in their own hands , it should be remembered in their behalf , that their rulers may be the remote cause of these very evils , by delaying the
communication of the knowledge that would cure them . Government thinks it hard to be blamed for the crime and poverty that are increasing in our country in so tremendous a ratio ; but , granting that a reduction of the public burdens would go only some way towards lessening both , if the rest might be effected by making the people understand their own interests , and if government has the power
of thus enlightening them , with the government rests the ultimate responsibility of the whole . The tacit recognition of this principle by the present government , shown in the provision which it has made for Irish education , fills us with hope of what awaits that portion of the English people which is now suffering , either indignantly or unconsciously , under the injuries of ignorance and vice .
Not only is education in England shamefully limited in extent ; what there is of it is _ , generally speaking , vague in its objects , and absurd in its routine . The poorer sort of educated learn to write and read ; whatever is further taught is Greek and Latin . Whatever is wanted as a direct means to active usefulness , —whatever is desired as a preparative for the occupation of the pupil ' s life , must be obtained as it . can . How rare a thing it is to find any provision m , ade for the most useful kinds of knowledge , becomes most apparent when such a book as that of Mr . Frend
cornes in our way—giving us an opportunity of comparing what might be , and ought to be , taught as commonly as reading and writing , with what is actually imparted of philosophy and science in this country . The pupils of his imaginary schools , prodigies as they would be at this day , under our present educational methods , are no wiser than the tenants of every cricket-ground
in the kingdom might be thirty years hence , if the nation were to set about educating its youth in right earnest . Mr . Moggridge ' s tract encourages us by proving what has been done by interrupted and imperfect methods in France . Mr . Fiend ' s stimulates us by showing something of what might be looked for from a systematic and wise mode of instruction . Both are useful iu directing
Untitled Article
National Education . 698
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1832, page 693, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1822/page/43/
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