The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-18 00:00:00

MR. DISRAELI ON EDUCATION.

Some National Schools which have just been
completed on Naphill Common, near Hughenden, Bucks,
were opened on Thursday evening by the Venerable Arch-
deacon Bickerstetb.

The formal proceedings having been gone through,
The Right Hon. B. Diensem, H.P., addressed the meet•
ing. He said—l must congratulate theism present on the
completion and opening of a building for one of the most
important object' that you could possibly have en view.
You have at last the mean■ of education secured to you, and
the opportunity of meeting in a permanent and certain
dwelling. We have not, in this pariah, hitherto been
without the means of education, but those means have de-
pended on sources upon which we could not always rely,
and we necessarily met wider roofs that we could not corn.
mend ; bat you hays this day completed a building which
belongs to the pariah, and which is to day opened for one
of the highest and holiest purposes that can influence
man. I need not impress upon you the importance of
education. To "thin up ► child in the way he should go"
is a perfect education—to teach him those truths of religion
and principles of moral conduct which shall govern hia
throughout this life, the importance of which has already
been impressed on you by the touching and impressive see.
mon which our archdeacon has delivered in the parish
church. Masai:ion is important, not only to you now, but
in reference to your conduct and future condition in the
world. Twenty years ago, if 1 had been addressing an
audience like the present, I might have endeavoured to per.
evade you of the advantage of education ; but that mode of
considering the subject is now entirely past ; we have got
further than that—it is not merely the advantage of edo.
cation that I have to impress upon you, but the necessity
for it. You have no longer a choice if you wish to meet
fair fortune in this world. There is no longer a choice
between ignorance and knowledge. Such is the pro.
peen of improvement in all the conduct of man in the pre.
mot day, that the time is rapidly approaching when
what was formerly the rudest labour of this pariah will
be conducted only by men of intelligence, and this
consideration should influence you all. The population
of our parish is very peculiar ; its means of employ.
meat are derived from two sources—from the cultiva•

tion of the soil and from manufacture ; and it is 6,
combination not usual in the parishes of our country.
It has hitherto always been considered that if any
person gave himself up to manufacture, • degree of
intelligence was required superior to that of • lad who
followed the plough. That time has pared, and but a
short time will elapse before the intelligence required
by the lads who follow the plough will be greater, if
possible, than that at present required of the mane.
facitimer, who now obtains • much higher rate of
wages than the ploughman. Yon will not therefore
have the opportunity of choosing, as yet; did years ago, is
this parish, between the clam of labour you will have to
follow. Boys used to say, "I am no scholar, I will Mem
face follow the plough." But that time has pared, and in
another year, perhaps. no person will be able to follow the
plough ludas he has • large amount of intelligence. You
ems, therefore, that it is absolutely necessary that the po.
isolation of every parish, and even of • scattered district
like that in which we live, should most seriously consider
the importance of being educated, and the necessity of the
means by which that education should be obtained. Now,
to read, write, and cypher will be three things
absolutely neemsary for the next generation, whatever
may be their occupation, and therefore I pram on you
the great importance of taking advantage of the school,
and of the opportunities now within your reach. I
know that it is the custom for boys to leave school at
au early age in order to obtain wages for their labour, arid
that on this account it is difficult for them to remain long
enough to obtain that degree of education which is nacesenry
to qualify them for success in life, and give them that Ea.
cient amount of intelligence which is neceaaary for the open.
potent performance of their duties hereafter. I know that
it is thought most unreasonable to suppose that • lad who
can support himself by his earnings should make what
seems at first a very peat sacrifice, and remain at school
when he might earn wages ; but he would in the end re.
eeive much larger wages had he taken advantage of the
means. At the same time, I know that the sacrifice is a
real and • great one to remain at school when you an
obtain • reward for your labour, but I hope we may
by other means saaist those who are in this painful
situation. I trust that we shall be able to establish
night schools, open at least in the summer mouths,
when an opportunity will be given to lads who have not
pursued their studies, end also to • generation before them,
who never had these advantages, but who may thin;
keep abreast with the other generations. Instance* me
always much more valuable than general advice and obser-
vations, and I cannot help calling to your notice the
cases of two boys who have been educated within the last
twelve or fifteen years at the parish school of Hughendea,
without the advantaged which we shall experience in the
present establishment, and with as great disadvantages from
our uncertain income and dwelling-place as probably my
parish school ever yet experienced. The first was • boy,
who, I believe, has brothers now in our school, of very
fair intelligence, great industry, and great integrity of cow
duct—as necemary as intelligence and industry ;he availed
himself of the advantages afforded by oar little school,
which then met in a hired room on the green ; he learned
to read, write, and cypher; he progressed in arithmetic
so well that he obtained a place as clerk, in which situation
he deported himself with great correctness, and his cha-
racter was mentioned in that way which was most satis-
factory to all who knew him. After he had been two or
three years employed, and bad risen in society by his in•
duatry and intelligence, be lost his clerkship, but from no
fault of his own. I was acquainted with him and he
merits, and introduced him into the civil service, sod that
boy, now • young man, occupies a very distinguished
post in her Majesty's service. He is an offioer of
civil rank, an officer highly esteemed, and enjoying • at.
eiderable income, likely to rise even to an eminent position,
and the only education he ever received was obtained frost
our school on the village-green. That is a very encoursging
ease, sad there is not the least reason why others should net
be equally fortunate. The second truths son of a farmer,
bus his education was the same es the sou of the labouring
man. He was intelligent, most industrious, and equal
distinguished for his moral conduct sod integrity. That
young man is at this moment the head of • large mercantile
establishment, and likely to rise to high civil dignity. Bab
these men are now very young, and both of them I hare
frequently seen in smock froths when boys on the peen.
They obtained no other education than that afforded here,
but now both of them are fully competent to conduct
affairs of the greatest moment, and with men of the
highest importance. I should be extremely sorry if we
should in this school be cut out by the pupils of our much
humbler schools in days gone by. I hope to find such so
attendance here, devotion of purpose and emulation and
exertion among the scholars, that they will rival, and sr
cessfully, those two instances I have mentioned. Yes
have great advantages here. I feel myself greatly oblige/
to the Venerable Archdeacon for coming to oar humble
building and giving importance to this undertaking. Ix
have the advantage of • parish priest who is regarded iact.
respected by all, even them who may not beloog to his
communion, and their children may enter ibis school.
Always see him with • welcome look. He is one who
enters every cottage, not from a feeling of intrusion, but
from a friendship which I believe is universally felt.
hope that this undertaking will conduce, not only to the
intelligence, but to the happiness and future welfare of the
inhabitants of this parish.

THE ARCHBISHOPRIC OF YORIL—WO (Yorkshire
Gazette) are unable to communicate officially the
rasa' for the see at York. The advanced age of Dr. Sim'
ner makes it improbable be will quit Winchester for Yorks
and it is thought that Lord Auckland, Bobo° olßith
and Wells, will be the new archbishop. We believe in
lordahip's appointment would be generally acceptable.
THE CLOSED MUSIC HaLut—The refusal to iv-
new the licenses of various halls has had the effect of
throwing upwards of • hundred professionals sod °Mere
suddenly out of their engagements. The loss to some of
these is serious, as they had opportunities of airungiug for
other places now filled up. The Lord Nelson, which hePh
up a capital and eilloient company, is closed entirely. Tk,
Pantheon, in Oxford-street, has merged into so harmoutS
meeting, Mr. Tom Roberta presiding. The atteodiuse his
been good, with platy of amateur talent to The
Lansdowne, however, still pursues its tenor. as though ne
misfortune had cud its shadow over the hell or its pre
genius. To-morrow evening a strong muster of professionals
is expected at Bate Collins's to consider various matters re
Wive to the panting of licenses, Re.—/fra.
A DIZIF PROJECTED METROPOLITAN RsiLßAsr
Amoog the applications intended to be made for mortice to
railway projects during the next seados is one for relive
communication between the towns of Woolwich,
with, and Deptford, to join the junction statiou c,9_21.7
Brighton and Chatham and Dover Railways, (New
Paso* line), at Ryelane, Peckham.