The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-01 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

The Education of the People : a Practical Treatise on the
Means of Extending its Sphere and Improving its Cha-
racter. By J. Wiwi, Inspector of the Academy of
Strasburg. With a Preliminary Dissertation by .1. P.
Nictioc, LL.D., Professor of Astronomy in the Univer-
sity of Glasgow.—Olasitow . William Lang, 1847.
The appearance of this volume is an indication of
good promise. It leads the friend of education to
hope that the battle in behalf of its extension is
about to be fought again in a right catholic spirit.
The movement in favour of extended education con-
templated by the minutes in council, about which we
have of late heard so much, was a natural one on the
part of ministers. Having seen the hysterical passion
awakened by the mere suggestion of secular education
(as it is called), they proposed a mezzo !ermine.
The really intelligent friends of education—who
are inspired with an unhesitating faith in its efficacy—
though they would have preferred a bolder and more
uncompromising modeof advance, did not, therefore,
hold themselves entitled to stand aloof in pharisaical
ostentation of their own purity. Though averse to
the sectarian admixture, they knew that the combi-
nation of that element could only be temporary, and
that the worthier element of education would ulti-
mately expel it. They, therefore, threw themselves
frankly and cordially into the ministerial scale ; they
supported a grant for educational purposes under cer-
tain conditions for the year 1847.8, reserving to
themselves full liberty of choice as to the course they
were to adopt for the promotion of education in
1848-8. They were confirmed in their purpose by the
unreasoning clamour and narrow sectarian prejudices
upon which the opponents of the measure cast
themselves for support. It is the danger of all con-
troversies limited to a special practical measure of the
moment, that they are apt far the time to narrow the
intellect, and dull its perception of general principles
and comoreheneive ' • like,
• &SALL 111
•
that to which we have been referring, where
sectarianism may impel some to support, just as a
sectarianism of another shade impels others to oppose,
the measure, the danger is increased. The contest
about the education minutes in council has resulted
so far in victory, that it has ensured the means of
education to many who would otherwise have gone
without it; but this success has been gained at
the expense of accustoming many for a time to pay
undue regard to the crotchets of the clam who, from
before the Christian era, have been accustomed to
strain at gnats and swallow camels.
The importance of the minutes in council has
passed away with their sanction by the vote of parlia-
ment. That vote ensured the means of carrying on
and extending general education for another year.
Provision has been made for the education of the cur-
rent year as well as circumstances would admit. The
provident friends of education must turn themselves
to devise means of providing for the necessities of the
next and future years.
And in good time the joint work of a French
inspector of schools and a Glasgow professor
named at the head of this paper is put into
their hands. In so far as Rroleaffional opportunities
of acquiring A practical kno wage of their subject gc,
both are well qualified te. treat of it. We do not
know whether Mr. Willm has ever filled the office
of teacher; but in his capacity of inspector, his atten-
tion has for years been -kept fixed upon the details of •
management in a great number of schools, and their
results: he is rich in the fruits of an unbiassed,
watchful, protracted observation. Dr. Nichol, on
the other hand, has approved himself a successful
teacher in many spheres : in the elementary school of
a rural district, in the academy of a busy, moderately
wealthy, commercial town, as a lecturer to popular
institutions and as a teacher of high science in the uni-
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bscojhz:eisaverinhigawnimpregzitertattireno.ittorAnothe:d both
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Referring our readers to the book itself as the moat
exhauetive manual of practical education that has yet