AT ON THE SOCIAL CONDITION AND EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE
IN ENGLAND AND EUROPE.* Anotrr the (era of the Reform Bill and for some time later, a class of doctrinaires in this country were rather unduly smitten with the charms of foreign education, especially the French and Prussian systems; and through them the idea of foreign su- periority became a fashion. Afterwards, other writers called attention to the fact that those systems rather made a machine than an intelligent being for practical purposes; that an Fnglish tradesman, continually called upon to take a part in parish affairs, the administration of justice, and mayhap the elec- tion of a Member of Parliament, was far better fitted for the affairs of life—was much more of a man—than the state-- tutored German, who was not even permitted to help himself; although John Bull might not have so much "book learn- ing," or behave so well at the table d'hote, barring spitting, picking his teeth with his fork, "licking his platter clean," and other little table delicacies. And it -was affirmed by similar tra- vellers that similar remark e might be made on the artisans of the respective countries. Repudiation and territorial a,ograndizements in America further tended to restore John Bull's faith in himself and "the roast beef of Old 'England" : when the various revo- lutions of 1848 shook the Continent to the centre, and sent so many potentates on their travels, John's belief in the "British constitution" and all the doctrines therewith connected revived again in pristine 'vigour; in which happy faith he continues, and may perhaps be a little too positive on the point. But it is difficult to convince and still more difficult to silence the true dootrinaire by nature. Where his notions are not imita- tive but inherent, he holds them fast through good and evil report: and. of this class is "Joseph Kay, Esq.,,M.A., and late Trave-lli Bachelor of the University of Cambridge." In 1844, Mr. Kay was appointed to that office, and was directed by the Senate to travel through Western Europe, in order to ax- amine the social condition of the poorer classes of the different countries. In fulfilment of which direction, lie travelled "through Prussia, Saxony, the Austrian Empire, Bavaria, Wurtemberg, the Dutehy of Baden, Hanover, Oldenburgh, Lombardy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Holland." He has also peregrinated Eng- land, Wales, and parts of Scotland and Ireland. Wherever he has been on the Continent, (excepting ,perhaps the Austrian do- Minions,) he finds comparatively a paradise among the or, an in This country a bell upon earth. The causes of this '1 erence in the condition and character of the people, he ascribes to our laws permitting the settlement or entail of -landed property, and to our -want of a foreign system of education. The proofs of this opinion he has put into two thick volumes ; the first of which relates to the effects resulting from the division of land in Switzerland, France, and Germany ; the second describes at large the edu- cational systems of Germany, Switzerland, France, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, in brief contrast with that of England.
The work is not a book of travels, or even of -the results of tra- vel in the sense of any living pictures. Mr. Kay now and then introduces an anecdote or incident illustrative of his views, and states his own conclusions from what he has seen, broadly and glibly enough. The work, at least the first volume, devoted to
Peasant Proprietors," is in reality a series of descriptive disquisitions on the benefits produced by the system of national education and the subdivision of the land, on the moral, econo- mical, and social condition of the peasantry, frequently eon- trasted with the opposite state of matters in this country. In these sections the general argunaent or theme is Mr. Kay's ; but the bulk of the chapter consists of quotation, sometimes from Eng- lish sometimes from foreign writers, and very often from writers readily accessible if not altogether, familiar to the public. The second volume, devoted to the account of the different s stems of education, is more expositional; and though based upon ocuinent- a7 matter of some kind, is compilation rather than quotation, mingled, however, with incidental remark, and occasionally with illustrative anecdote.
Voluble and onesided are the characteristics of Mr. Kay. He has the confident flow of an attorney. All his statements and opi- nions may be true, but the reader does not feel 'satisfied of their truth. If he happens to know enough of the question to take any interest in it, he will see that Mr. Kay has only eyes for his own side of the case. There is not, for example, a more disputed point than the economical effects of the division of land among peasant proprietors ; yet Mr. Kay omits what has been advanced against the system, -while he quotes to a fatiguing extent from those • The Social Condition and Education of the People in England atul Europe; showing the Results of the Primary Schools and of the Division of Landed Property in Foreign Countries. By Joseph Kay, Esq., M.A., Barrister-at-law, and late Tra- velling Bachelor of the University of Cambridge. In two volumes. Published by Longman and Co. who have written in its favour. ¶ ,niorelity of the English peasantry is exhibited at large from dil sources ; the statistics and other facts which show the 'State of -similar affairs in foreign coun- tries' and which all who have glanced at -the Subject are familiar With, are quietly passed over by Mr. Key': iltis notlieweier, in specific cases of this kind -only, but in the generall'ilithi,ef his statement, that the wilful or =cons-dons partisan 31Vilhown. The following passage may be taken as a favonrable- speci men of style, and as a fair sample of manner. It is not -a so, lutely false ; it is even partly true ; but it is onesided. All the possible good result's- of soldierly training anti barrack life are massed together and represented as fa.voiuubly influencing every individual ; the evil-effects are not shown at all. It is the veracity of an auctioneer's "descriptive particulars," which must have truth about them' - or the sale would be set aside ; but we are all aware of What sort of truth. Those who know What collections of young men are, and what foreign life at its best is described to be, must be assured that it will have its drawbacks, even without reading Cowper on the Militia. "At the age of twenty, all the young men; having been educated as above mentioned, enter the army ; and for two or three :years go through all the exercises of a severe military discipline, and through all the precise and orderly drill of soldiers. All arc subjected to this course. In the barracks is continued the discipline which was commenced in the playgrounds Of the schools. They learn to walk uprightly, to go through all military man'teuvrcs, -and to act in coneett ; they strengthen their'previonsly=acquired habits of good dressing, cleanliness, neatness, and order ; they harden their muscles by exeroise and severe drill; they learn how te: use arms; by being moved from barracks to barracks, and from province to province, they become better ac- quainted with their own country, and See more of life and of the world than if they had been confined, as peasants generally are, to the narrow -circle- of a parish or provincial to**; they strengthen their patriotic sentiments by learning to regard themselves as members of their' country's army,' and as capable of aiding to defend their fatherland; they Require thanlTand vas- ideaaand habits, by being. for three years accustomed to the severest drill and 'exercises, by being, taught to look the lniz,arde Of a Soldier's life in the face, and by being habituated to the use Of the instruments of death; they steqmre manners of courtesy by their relations with theirand gain that manly and self-confident keeling which is the consequence eipeac- ties -in the use of arms. Habits thus acquired become a second neturew-hich can seldom be shaken off afterwards. - The dissemination of --suoh habits among the people Must be productive. of .greet good. The disperSiOn Of Cromwell's army diffused among thern English .people a leaven of Mealy vigour, dctitie industry, intelligent subenimation, and courageous indeftend- ence. 'In Germany and Switzerland, tbki:oonstant diffusion among the pee- ple:eftieldiersatiseao with such habits as these .1 have mentioned; ionilS in-
conceivably to raise the character. of, the lower orders of society. . •*•
tends also &MY much to improve the.race of the lower eleases,-Of the citizens. A soldier accustomed to geia dress, to great deantinesai 'and to gentlemanly associates, seeks a better-looking and more ladylike lstyle of wife than a poor boorish peasant, who has been brought up all his life with- out any or with very'liale instruction, in dirt, and among the lowest classes of the farm girls of a country village. - Where the testes of the men im- prove, _the girls will always strive to raise themselves up to the standard which the men require; - and so it happens, that the school and army train- ing of the peasants of Germany and Switzerland tends most remarkably to ' civilize the women of the lowest classes of society. An Englishman, taken- to'tlie markets, fairs, and village festivals of these countries, would scarcely credit his eyes were he to see the peasant girls who meet there to join in the festivities; they are so much more ladylike in their appearance, in their manners and in their dress, than those of our country parishes."
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It is this confident onesided tone that more especially detracts from the value of Mr. Kay's book, as the extreme amount of its quotations, wheneesoeVer procured, affects its literary eharficter.
important
subject, most interesting part as it is decidedly the most inipOrtant
eubjeet, is' that *hie relates to the condition Of the peasantry' and the urban peer of Greet Britain and Ireland. The materials, in- 'deed, are not new, for Many are drawn from the correspondents of 'the daily journals, or publications equally familiar ; but the whole is selected and brought together with considerable effect; 'though we suspect that there is also the untruth -Which result..4'-' om a confined vision and the representation of -a part for the whole.
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