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Mr . Christie adds , that " enlightened politicians throughout Europe , are generally beginning to adopt the same sentiments /' He mentions a work which he had lattlv met with , entitled Vues padu
triotiques sur ^ education peuple ; a Lyon , 1783 , 12 mo . The following is a translation by Mr . C . of a passage of that work , in answer to Rousseau ' s objection to
the education of the poor * It is curious , as a specimen of a publication , jfor the people , in France , so early as 1783 , and too closely connected with our subject for its insertion to require-an apology .
" How , without some instruction , shall they learn to conform themselves to tbeir situation , to lessen the number of its difficulties by industry , to mitigate them by resignation , or sometimes torisea"bove that unfortunate condition , into which the chance of their birth has
thrown them ? 1 teach the rich , say you , to make a proper use of their riches ; bat * hat can I teach the poor man ? Much—i-not to make a bad use of his poverty j not to make it a pretence for
jmng himself up to beggary and idleicss ; or for making free with the fortune bf others : lastly , to pay his country that tribute with his strength , which mother pays with his gold . Do not then consider this as the least useful
task . Whether ill or well educated , the rich can always lay out their money ; rod it is of Jitde consequence to society , whether the tavern keeper or the jewel - lw is the mean of circulating it . But is it also indifferent in what manner the
poor tuan employs his hands ? Is it the fttoc thing to society , whether he springs the , furrows of the plains with the sweatof his brow , or drenches the high-^ ys with the blood of the traveller ? r speak with propriety , it is the poor 111111 > it is the . common people , who have toost need of education . " P . a * 6 .
Tliis is necessarily rather a Me . ^ of Sunday Schools than of foe irInventor . These now enjoyed such general countenance , that it w ° uld be useless to seek farther a [ ter their early patrons . If any
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great men waited , even longer than Bishop Porteus , who , it appears , was satisfied as a man while Be hesitated as & Bishop , they reserved to themselves only the very easy task to
Pursue the triumph , and partake the gale . It will be recollected that Mr . Raikes , in his letter ( p . 580 . ) has , in rather disparaging terms , spoken of 4 C patriots . " and " a reform in
Parliament , " a question then much agitated , and which William Pitt , " the great statesman now no more , " had not yet found it quite convenient to abandon , though he was preparing to kick down the ladder by which he ascended . Mr . R #
probably had not turned his attention to political subjects , or he would have perceived how he was doing more than any other individuel to perfect the design of th © " Patriots . " For , by rescuing his " countrymen' * from the despotism of tyrannical passions and
vicious inclinations , " he was gradually removing the only objection which could be endured , under a free and equal government , against a representation the most extensive . Nor . in the mean
time , could he have been so easily satisfied , without attempting every practicable cc Reform in Parliament , " had he observed in how many instances , under the present representative system , Election must unavoidably become m . a market vile Of slaves self-bartcr ' cL The iC patriots , " as they are sometimes called in derision , may challenge a comparison with their warmest opponents oh the ground of attention to every useful project which has done honour to the age * While they have pursued poHtk « l
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Memoir of Mr . Robert Raikcs . 583
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1811, page 583, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2421/page/7/
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