The National Register.
London, England, 1816-07-28 00:00:00

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No. 1-12.—VoL. IX.

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

ON GENERAL EDUCATION.
" What constitutes a state?
Not high-raiscd hattlement, or labour'd.mound,
Or this deep trench profound :
But Man, -high-minded M.tn."

A SITIIJECT NO important and interesting as National
Education, cannot be an improper one for the remarks of
a Political Disquisitor. We feel, too, that there is some-
thing in it that excites in us sensations the most plea-
surable ; and, if the delightful views which our minds
have formed to themselves on this question should never
be fully realised, yet we shall never regret the enjoyment
we have experienced. Not long ago, " wars and rumours
of wars" were the dreadful subjects of our contemplation ;
and, though " our cause was just, and our quarrel ho-
nourable,"—yea, though our country has been honoured
by a most perfect triumph, and has received back her
colours from the same valiant hands into which they were
delivered, yet there is something of dread and terror
connected with such seasons, which even these pleasing
considerations cannot wholly efface from our minds.—
Thank God, an honourable peace has at last been pro.
cured tar us ; and these pages, which not long ago were
stained with blood, shall resound with the sweet warb-
Logs of the communication of that instruction to every
British youth, which Cicero beautifully describes as "
ornament of prosperity, the refuge and solace ofadversie ,
the best nourishment of youth, and the noblest pleasure
of age."

Whether this knowledge should be communicated or
not ; whether our young people should pine away their
joyless seasons like brutes, or live bonourible and useful
lives like men—like free men ; whether they should be
furnished in early life with the principles of virtue to de-
fend them from the seducing artifices of a wicked world,
or be left to suck down the seeds of vice with their mo-
ther's milk—to live the plagues and pestilences of society,
and, finally, to end their lives in a jail, or on a gibbet ?

church, together with the great ministers of the Crown,
and almost every member of our well organised Govern-
ment, are agreed that there is no means so likely to check
the progress of crime—to induce subordination among
the lower ranks of society—and, consequently, to pro-
mote public peace and prosperity, KS a general diftiision
of the blessings of education. With such sentiments on
our minds, it is impossible that we should refuse our mite
of applause to the wisdom of the legislature, in instituting
an enquiry on this subject ; and, especially, to that en-
lightened individual who first suggested the investi-
gation.

If, however, any among our readers should doubt of
the wisdom of educating the poor, let them take a view
of the state of Scotland, and this view shall decide the
question. There the poor can read, and vet arc honest :
they can write, and yet are loyal : they can calculate,
and yet arc virtuous. By the wise and salutary diffusion
of education, even in parts which appear to be impenetra-
ble to civilization, up,m the sides of frightful mountains,
or in dismal glens seldom visited by the rays of Heaven,
the astonished and admiring traveller beholds a sight, at
once gratifying and affecting, "In a hut of' branches
and vas," (says Sir John Carr), " when the hour of la-
bour ix over, the younf, enlightened by those institu-
tions wbigh do Iftmear to human nature, are seen instruct-
ing those who are younger, or consoling the last hours
of venerable and sightless age, by reading aloud the Scrip.
tures, or some pious book printed in their own language ;
yet, in this sorry dwelling, the benighted traveller may
rest in mtfety, amid howling storm and roaring thunder;
not a hand will be extended to him, but in kindness ; not
a voice will be raised, but to charm his ear with the song
of other times ; or, if he understuds the language, to
store his It3itfM ttith the wild ttottantie, and ueautiful
c.litsions of the Gaelic muse. &iclr arc the happy effects
of the general diftlision of the bierings td' education in
this country, that while in England due ctommitment
takes place in 2000 souls, and in Wales one in 800, our
more moral countrymen north of the Tweed afford an
example of only one in '20,000.
Bur it is not in Scotland only ,that we may look
for the advantages of education. The history of every
country affords the same example; and Europe, in parti-
cular, teachtitt the same troth in a manner more fiweilde.
To what, but to the influence of education, are we in-
debted our boasted superiority and civilization ? Why
.41 w we no longer hehbld around us the horrors of krocious
Itobarians or &walling superstitions ; the impious scenes
'idolatry, and the afflicting luiacrios of unmitigated