NATIONAL EDUCATION.
Terswould be a glorious country indeed, if there were a majority of operatives capable of writing, such a letter as the oue which fol- lows; and which we print, disregarding the wish of the writer: for it is very dear, that a man of his character would immediately surrender any little private flading of his own, for the sake of that which we must consider a public good.
With regard to the occasion of this letter, it is true we remarked that Mr. GASKELL had only described the evils of the present con- dition of the manufacturing population, and had not touched upon the remedy : by which remark we meant, not that we were mere- quainted with an efficient remedy, but that it would have been useful to bring both bane and antidote at once within the scope of the reader's view. Few public journals have dwelt with more earnestness and perseveramre than we have on the paramount im- portance of a sound National Education, pervading all milks and all ages. The books of WILDERSPIN we have carefully noticed; the system of PESTALOZZI has more than once come under our discussion ; and the Infant Schools generally we have very con- stantly recommended to the attention of public opinion. It is possible we might have done more, and more may still be done. The subject is the first of all in our minds; and we will try from time to time especially to awaken the attention of our readers to its importance. Indeed, it is not only the "lower orders' that need to be educated. One meets every day with vastly important and
pretending persons, who give parties and frequent Opora-boxes, and chatter with infinite complacency on grave subjects, and all the while are as thoroughly uneducated in any rational sense, and as incompetent to the duties of good citizenship, as the most brutal clodhopper or demoralized cottonspinner.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
SIR—Mr. GASKELL's picture of the lower orders of Manchester applls you, and yon lament that he gives no glimpse of a practical remedy. The chief re- medy for this and most, aye all the evils of the country, is a sound universal EDUCATION. And yet the subject has no apparent hold on the minds of our legislators: it is only touched upon incidentally—it is something by the way—. may be thought of "this day six months," or some other more convenient season. It has not the attention of our present ignorant popuhtee, and thert4re is not studied by our popular men, who, like some pm tion of the press, suit the supply of their political commodities to the vitiated taste of the demand. Right, good, sound education (not that of men, words, or hooks, lint an edu- cation in industrious, intelligent, moral and religions habits). will iemove all the difficulties of the country. It will deliver us from Dram-driulting, and all intermediates up to Housebreaking and Murder ; it will deliver us from Sine- cures, and all other pecuniary evils, to the abolition of the National Debt (pay- ing twenty shillings in the pound, and lawful interest) ; it will deliver us from Destructives and Agitators, from Political Unions and Mob Conventions, from inconsiderate Radicals, vacillating Whigs, and corrupt Tories. But then, to be set about, it must be understood ; and it is understood by many. Go, Sir, and see, if you have not already seen, the operation of Infant Schools, or read WILDERSPIN, PESTALORZI, and others. The basis is secure : it only wants a universal acting upon, and a national adaptation from infancy to maturity. Our population are always learning something—mostly : the means of evil only want to be replaced by the means of good ; and the good may be rendered more a source of enjoym n. than the evil. Provide thst for the care and in- struction of the infants ; next, for the instruction and employment of the youth ;' and thirdly, for the employment and rational occupation, amusement, aud im- provement of the mature. Ten years ago, the first would have been declared impossible : but it has been accomplished in iusulated spots, and Why not uni- versally ? and why not lead the present infants through the other tuo stages ? The partial attempts that are now made, are of very little more avail than Mrs. Partmgton's endeavours to mop out the ocean : we must have mechanical con- trivance, and employ the E t u pelt( ous power we may possess if united, trr drain the " mighty deep " of corruption, which is destroying our country. Mr. Spectator, I do not send yon this for publication. I ant a mere "ope- rative" myself, with small means and a large family, and beyond that family possessing neither leisure nor influence : but as I consider yours, gene- rally speaking, to be a stable, considerate, and, among those it is desirable to in- fluence, an influential publication, my motive in writing to you that if you consider the subject, as I do, to be of vital importance to the jut rest of this great though corrupted empire, to pray of you to urge its importance. Do not do it, as you libelled the Duke of Bits PCOnT, incidentally; InIt give line upon line and precept upon precept. The nation must be made to see its importance, or it never will be a national object.
I am yours respectfully, A. B. C.
P. S. If I may be allowed to suggest a hint or two as to the manner in which
this work may he promoted, I would say, as we spare not millions for the emancipation of the Colonies, nor commissions of inquiry upon various subjects, let us not grudge a few thousands in the establishment of model schools and in- stitutions, and in the employment of men well acquainted with the subject in principle and detail. The Infant system is comparatively mature: the further progress of education and employment wants developing, and a fresh supply of wholesome institutions for the new race of moral and intelligent beings thus educated. Let these establishments be first tried in the manufacturing towns of moderate size only.
Let also some regulation be made to prevent the congregation of small houses
in narrow streets and alleys ; and if possible, compel builders to provide garden- ground to every house. The majority of the working classes are all to pity an additional rent for them, if the means of wasting their strength and their sub- stance in other ways ate removed.
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