The Press. — London, England, 1856-10-25 00:00:00

OCTOBER 25, 1856. Saxon population. They treat secondary in stead of primary causes ; they do not touch the root of the evil, and, like the teetotallers in Ireland, led by Father MATHEW, they will fail in the long run. Indeed, the failure of teetotalism in Ireland may be taken as a proof that the "United Kingdom Alliance " must fail. Ten years age, "Teetotalism" was enthusiastically embraced by the people of Ireland. It spread through all classes, and even O'CONNELL himself, in his " Repeal year," took the teetotal pledge. Public-houses were shut up ; coffee-shops were established; temperance bands paraded the streets ; and "an intemperate sobriety " pre vailad amongst the peasantry. The sanction of religion helped the precepts of teetotalism. The peasantry had a faith in teetotalism, and their superstition on the subject was as cogent as any " Maine Liquor Law." But the thing could not last. The bubble burst. Extrava gance was tamed down, and, though something of a public opinion against drunkenness was created, teetotalism proved a failure in Ireland. It will not do to reply that the Irish are excitable, enthusiastic, and not persevering. The causes which create a desire for fermented liquors operate as strongly in England as in Ireland, and they cannot be overlooked. First amongst these causes is climate. The same man who enjoys his port wine, or his " Guinness," in England, would not care much for either in sultry latitudes. The influence of climate on a variety of our social habitudes, and on our public spirit, has been much neglected by many observers. If MotirEs- QUIECT went too far in making climate the great master-cause of national and political diversities, BENTHAM, and our " Liberal philosophers, have erred in the opposite direction. So, also, the " United Kingdom Alliance" errs egregiously when it neglects to see how eagerly a stimulant is sought for in a humid climate, where the population is so overworked. On this point, also, we must observe that the tone of the " Alliance," without reference to its particular views, is extremely exagge rated. England is not that sink of pollution which its platform speakers describe. Tell us when or where was there ever so grand a spectacle seen as twenty-two millions of people crowded into one small island, and exhibiting so much strength and comfort and bodily health? We are not optimists, but we dislike and distrust pessimists. The tone of the "Alliance" in reference to morals is as morbid and exaggerated as the sentiments of the Chartists used to be in politics. The overwork of the population at large, both in England and America, has much to do with the popular demand for drink. Even medical men are constantly obliged to "fillip" their jaded patients. We are the richest and most powerful in the world, but we are alike the most hard-worked amongst the nations ; and there are many social reformers who look more wistfully to " Ten-Hours Bills " and to " Early-Closing Movements" as means for bettering the working community than to the empirical virtue produced by teetotalism or a Maine Liquor Law. COMMERCE AND CLASSICS. IN comparing the advantages to be derived from an education that aims at mental dis cipline with those of a system professedly based on the principle of accumulating facts, it is perfectly fair that the future profession or business of the pupil should be allowed due weight in our calculations. To give to a boy intended for a counting-house or a factory exactly the same style of education as one whose future studies are to be devoted to theology or law is manifestly a mistake. Such a system would aim at impossibilities. It is beyond the powers of man to unite in his own person the capacities of a Bentley and a Watt; and to demand from boys intended fur the business pursuits of life an exact critical acquaintance with the two dead lan guages, at the expense of losing that kind of THE PRESS. instruction by which their peculiar genius would be most benefited, is to bring a sound theory into contempt by pushing it to an ab surd extreme. Thus much may fairly be conceded to the arguments of the learned Dr. BOOTH, but they nevertheless fail to convince us that a classical education is not a very good pre paration for the commercial life. There is one point of view from which such education would appear even more valuable to the mer chant or tradesman than to members of the learned professions. These latter, throughout the whole course of their career, have always a more or less close connection with literce humaniores. Neither the clergyman nor the lawyer can do full justice to himself or his profession without keeping up a certain amount of classical knowledge, and to some extent maintaining himself abreast of the literature of the day. " These," says Mr• PLEYDELL, pointing to his classics, " are my " tools of trade. A lawyer without history or " literature is a mechanic, a mere working ma " chine ; if he possesses some knowledge of " them, he may venture to call himself an " architect." But the mercantile man is in perpetual danger of hardening into a mere machine for the manufacture of lucre. There may be nqble instances to the contrary. We only speak of the tendency. And wherever the union of gene rous feeling and liberal sentiment with good business habits is to be found, it will usually turn out to he the result of high educational training. It is desirable, then, that persons engaged in trade should, from some source or another, have acquired tastes which may be said, as it were, to keep the affections open. And if this salutary effect be produced most readily by literature, then there can be no doubt that the education of boys at commer cial schools should he in some shape literary. All the literature which a man devoted to trade, or the study of mechanical subjects, ever acquires, must necessarily be acquired in boyhood. Flom these few precious hours he is to draw the humanising influences of a whole life. Ought we then to debar him from the wholesome draught simply because this is his only opportunity of tasting it ? The present low state of commercial morality, which is the subject of comment in all circles, gives peculiar force to these considerations. Money-getting parents ask contemptuously, " What is the good of my " son learning Greek? I am getting old. I " want his assistance at the ledger. Will " Greek help him to know a bad bill from a " good one ?" Possibly not. But "Greek," used as it is by such persons to denote a liberal education, will prevent him from passing bad bills of his own ! By cultivating his taste it will show him the absurdity of false preten sions, and the ridiculous aspect of those who habitually live beyond their means. If it does not conduct him to the fortunes of a Roths child, it may, at least, save him from trans portation or the hulks. There are, of course, natures which no amount of cultivation will be able to ameliorate. The passions may be so violent as to defy the control of ethics, or the intellect so barren that all attempts to impregnate it are like sowing corn upon the sand. But instances of this kind are few and far between ; and it is no answer to the argu ment to point out certain notorious offenders, and say that these, too, were educated men. The assertion that commercial pursuits require no logic is a somewhat astounding one. Readiness at forming just deductions from facts is one of the most valuable faculties in a merchant; and this is obviously developed by the study either of logic itself, or of such subjects as must. be approached by a logical method. Dr. BOOTH'S analogy of the labourer is erroneous. He does not require gymnastics because his work is gymnastic. Felling a tree strengthens the muscles as well as climbing a pole. But mere practice will never make a man a good reasoner, or the world would not be so full of fools as it is. Where, however, it is granted that literature should form the basis of even a commercial education. it is somaimes urged, as by Dr. BOOTH, that equally good results may be pro duced by the study of SHAKESPEARE and MILTON 1011 as by the study of lEselmus and HOMER. But no one, be he man or boy, will ever be induced to study the rules of grammar with the same accuracy in a living lan guage as a dead one—for the best of all reasons, that he can get at all he wants without it. In the Greek or Latin, to estimate an author's meaning, especially in poetry or philosophy, it is necessary to possess a minute acquaintance with all those various shades of meaning which a particular tease, case, or particle may have the power to indicate. Without. this there can seldom be any certainty that the beauty of a poetical image, or the exact weight of a metaphysical distinction is fully comprehended. It is idle to contend that any thing of this sort is required to enable a man to understand or to enjoy the works of modern writers. The difference is not one of degree, but of kind. The subject-matter of an English writer can be wholly and effectually dissevered from the study of the language in which it is written. In this one fact then, that in classical studies alone are the cultiva tion of the taste and the habit of grammatical analysis of necessity united, consists the main ground of their superiority as channels of education. It may be added that a study of what is known as the classical school of literature should precede the study of the romantic, if we desire to secure sim plicity and chasteness of thought, and a sound basis for the formation of correct taste. The long passage in which Dr. Boon( descants on the requirements of our material progress, and contends that all other wants must be sacrificed to its imperious demands, is founded on that common mistake which is the besetting sin of the age. Civilisation is not an end, but a means. There is a certain pertinent question in the New Testament which believers in that volume cannot wholly ignore, and which implies that material wealth may, at a certain cost, prove a very worthless possession. We may " gain the whole world,' but what when we have got it? There is something else still to be provided for. " Good," in fact, does not mean " good to eat," as Mr. EMERSON SO wittily defines MACAULAY'S idea of that adjective. Briefly, if the require ments of mind and matter come into collision, which is to give way? That is the question, and we wish Dr. BOOTEE and his admirers would seriously address themselves to the so lution of it. THE PRINCIPALITIES. A letter from Vienna of the 18th, in the &Me, sums up the three arguments adduced by the Aus trian Cabinet for still occupying the Danubian principalities. It says :—" I have it on good autho rity that the reply of our Cabinet to the note of Count Walewski, on the prolongation of the military occu pation of the two Danubian principalities, has been decidedly sent off to Paris, after its contents had been communicated to Baron Bourqueney by our Minister of Foreign Affairs. As the note of the French Cabinet is specially couched in an interroga tory diplomatic style, requesting the Austrian Govern ment to explain itself as to the duration of the con tinued stay of our corps-d'armee in Moldavia and Walla.;hia, Count de Buol is said to have clearly replied to the three points which form the object of the French despatch—namely, that our occupation being legitimatised and rendered necessary in conse quence of a special treaty with the Sublime Porte, the Emperor cannot give orders to his troops to evacuate until Turkey should demand that course ; and that, as England is equally desirous with Turkey that the Austrian troops should remain in occupation, Count Buol recommends Count Walewski to address himself to those powers in order to put an end to it. The Austrian Cabinet states that it has no motive for hesitating to declare that it wilt order the evacuation of the provinces the moment the Western powers shall direct the withdrawal from Greece of their sea and land forces." THE EARL OF CARLISLE and suite left Kingstown on Wednesday night at nine o'clock by special steamer for Liverpool, en route to Castle lio,vard, Yorkshire. His Excellency's sojourn in England will extend to some weeks. MR. MARX PErtats, son of Judge Perrin, has been appointed secretary to the Lord Chancellor, in the room of Mr. Maziere Brady, who is appointed clerk of affidavits, in succession to Mr. Hoban, who retires on two-thirds of his salary. The emoluments of Mr. Brady's new office amount to 600 i. the situation is one for life. I a year, and •