The Sun.
London, England, 1808-04-16 00:00:00

,(
[From the French Papers.]
Among the beneficent establishinents promised -to
France so loudly by her first refortners,-Was a syStem
of national education S upon which every party which
has successively excited and disappointed .t he hopes of
,a credulous public, has taken ,care to publish at least
some high-sounding declamations'. The defensive
War of the Revolution against all the Powers of
Europe, in the first instance, and subsequently the
offensive Wars generated by the vast project of en-
.slaving all those Powers, have equally impeded the
execution of any plans of public instruction. A
variety of incomplete institutions were made and
abrogated ;- central and other schools have been
distributed throughout the departments ; and some
'splendid establishments in the metropolis gave eclat
to krrner administratiens.

• At length, on the 17th ult. an Imperial Decree
completed this great struaure, by conneaing all the
schools and academies, or colleges, of France, to-
gether, under the title of The liniver,Yity, under the
authority and governMent.of which every establish-
ment for education of every descriptton is brought.
The Decree comprises 144 articles, and forms a mi-
nutely elaborate and well-organized system. Our
confined limits do not allow us to examine or even
state-this establishment in the detail of; its organiza7
and we are under the necessity of confining
our observations upon 'it to its general features, its
bearings upon civil liberty, and the marks it carries
of the mind of its founder, as influenced by his
liberal or illiberal habits.

The first chapter, " The general organization of
the University," may be given entire.
if ARTICLE 1. Public instruftion, throughout the
whole Empire, is confided exclusively to the Uni-
versity. ,

" No school, or establishment for instruiStion of
any kind, may be formed out of the Imperial Uni-
versity, and without the authority of its head.
" 3. No one can open a school, or teach publicly,
without being a Member of the Imperial Univetsity,
and graduated by one of its faculties. Neverthe-
less, instrusfilion in the seminaries is dependent upon
the Archbishops and liishops, each in his diocese.
They appoint 'and dismiss the Direaors and Pro-
fessors. They are merely bound to conform to the
rules for the seminaries, approved by us..
. " 4. The Imperial University shall be composed
of as many Academies' as there are Courts ot Ap-
peal.

" 5. The schools belonging to each academy shall
be arranged in the following order The ilicu/7
ties, for-the more profound sciences, 'and the con
ferring of degrees. 2. The Lyceums, for the antient
languages, history, rhetoric, logic, and the elements
of the mathematical and natural sciences. 3'. The
Colleges, (secondary schools of the Communes) for
the elements of the antient languages, the first prin-
ciples of history, and the sciences. 4. (Les Institu-•
tions) viz. Schools kept by private masterk,, in which
the instruction approaches that; of the
b. Eciarding Schools (Pensions), also belonging to
private masters, and devoted to studies less severe
than those of the Institutions, 6. The lower schdols,
or primary schools, whore residing, writing, and• the
first rules Of arithmeticlare taught."
Such is the general organization. There is one
'titlark which cannot fail to obtrple itself even upon
the most careless reader; 'and which will painfully
impress those who will tlatter themselves that the
immense misery which the revolution has brought
pon our generation, may be compensated by some
advantages fur succeeding races : it is this, thst by
this law, that mighty engine of evil or good; the edu-
cation of the rising race, is monopolised by the Statek
MI the benefits resulting from the free exercise of
individual judgment are, destroyed. The generous
and laudable contlia of emulatiOn, the expansion. of
mind arising from freedom, is repressed ; and all that
the Legislature can do, is done to introduce a Slavish.
uniformity of opinion, whose pernicious tendency
bas been recognized by all liberal minds in this
country. Lost this should not be apparent, we re-
utind the-reader, that by the existing laws of France,
it is a criminal Offence for ,any schoolmaster to use
in his school, any, book, though but a
.graMmar, a
spelling-book, or primer, which has not been sanc-
tioned by the sign manual of the Emperor.
As confirming this statement we add the Fifth
Chapter. .

OF TUE BASIS OF INSTRUCTION IN TIIR SCHOOLS OF
TUE UNIVEIISLTY.

- Art. 38,". All the Schools of the Imperial Uni-
versity take as the basis of their instruction, I . The
precepts of the Catholic religion. Q. Fidelity to the
Emperor, to the Imperial Monarchy,
,the depository •
ot the felicity. of nations (du touheur des peupks, in
the plural number), and to the Napoleon Dynasty, as
the preserver of the unity of France, and of all the
liberal litias f!!) proclaimed by. the constitutions.
3. Obedience to the statutes of the instriVting body,
whose objets is uuifarmity of instruClion, and which
tend to form for the state citizens attached to their
religion, their prince, their country, and their family.
4. All the pruleAsor% of theology are.Lbound to con-
tort), the provisions of the edtet of 168; con- .
the four' propositious contained' in the de
claration of the clergy of FranCe of the same year."
It is bitter irony to bring together in this manner
"liberal, ideas" and " unitbrinity' of inlirnaion ;"
there is but one idea which is truly and universally
liberal, and that is, rjlowing others to have ideas
as Well as ourselves. We might
.refer to the
etTeas produced
...in this country by the famous.
4EI of Uniformity, of CHARLES 11. without mean.
itig to consider the cases as 'the same. There are,
at any rate, plausible_reasens for insisting on uni-
formity in a religious establishment, where the State
atithorises dissent ; but to demaudieuniformitd de tin-
struelion Upon all points of science, and art, anddoc
trine, where no dissent is tolerated, and all > the
means of resistance are taken away, proclaims an
insolence and arrogance of tyranny which we were
not prepared to eve& even from themaster of Eu.
rope, when addressing the lowest and most abject of
his slaves. If there be any remaining in this coun-
try.who still fondly cling to the belief that there is,
on
,the part of the present Sovereign of the Con-
tinent, some priniiples. -of liberality Wjacif may.
mitigate the evils of his despotism; we trust tltiig
aa of tyre plus ultra tyrannical ucurpation over 'the
rights ot independent thought, as %veil as naion,
at length twee awakened from their When.
Nye
.bear persons of the class we alltideto,
cite

cne 110StrI1C1

e manitesteu uy roDONAPARTE aga

the Pope, and the removal of much subordinate ty-
ranny, and many real -evils in the- former Gwent
ment of France, all b( which, however, preceded
his Government, -we ate reminded of the satirical
couplet—.

" So when small humours gather to a gout,
The doctor fancies he h:id driven them out."
But we' must return to some other particulars of this

Imperial Establishment.
Though Universities originated in France, they
have for many years been declining in that country;
being in their nature better suited to the administra-
tion of little independent Princes, who were emu-
lons of the honour of promoting literature, as in Ger-
many, than to the government of a large kingdom.
Hence, while the Universities ot Germany have been
the means of dispersing all the learning and science
of that great collet‘lion of States, the Colleges of
France were scarcely beard of ; they became little
more than Grammar-schools for larger boys. Aca-
demical titles too were not-frequent, nor much re-
speiited. Now, however, BUONAPARTII has resolved
to outdo even Gqrmany in the number of his gra-
duates.

CHAP. 2.—OF THE FAcut.ms.—They are in-
creased to the ,number of five. —; . Theology ; 2.
Law; 3. Medicine; 4. The Mathemalical and
Physical Sciences ; 5. Literature (Lettres). These
two latter, faculties are great innovations on the an
-
'dent. scholastid establishments, far out-doing the
anomalous degree of Doaor of Music, at Oxford.—
Doubtless the sciences and literature should give
high honours to the professors of them in a certain

degree; but the line between vulgar attainment, and
what is properly learning, is not easy to be drawn }n
these departments.
The Bishopl and Archbishops present the D. D.'s
to the Grand Master of the University. There are
as many theological faculties are there are metropo•
litan churches ; and there will be one at Strasburgh
and one at Geneva, for the Calvinists, pour la reli-
gion reformde. The term prigendu, formerly so care-
fully introduced, is however left out. BtYONAPARTI
has the politeness of his people. _ _

There are to be twelve faculties for law, and five
for medicine. At Paris, the faculty of the Sciences
will consist of an 'union of the professors of the
great establishments there, viz. .Le College de'.l4-ance,
L'Ecole Polytecluliyut, Le Musdunt et Histoire Ara.
ticrelle, Les Lyafes: The faculty of letters is com-
posed in a similar
CHAP. 3,.-410P THE DEGEEES.7—In each 'faculty
there are Bachelors, Licenciates, and Dad Ors. It is
sufficient to notice the qualifications for a Doetor'S
hat. Thee Doaor of Literature must support two
theses, one on rhetoric and logic, the other on an-
dent literature; and, singularly enough, the for Mer
only must be in, Latin. The Doelot of Sciences.
Must support two theses, it his option, on topics of
mechanics and astronomy, or chemistry, or natural
history, in nee of its three branches. The degrees
in Law and Medicine retnaitt according to existing
.regulations. A Doelor in Divinity must be•tiventy
years old at least, and have maintained several theses,
one in Latin. Very minute regidations are made
concerning the rank and titles of the Officers ache
University.
The 6th Chap. " On the obligations contralled
by the Members of the University," contains several
provisions establishing the absolute authority of the
Government over all the Protessors, Tutors, and
Venaionaries of the Universities, for such only ap-
'pear to be designated by the term Member. They,
to use the terms of the Law," promise obedience to
the Grand Master in all that he shall command them
for our service,, and for the benefit of insnuaion."
They are piohibiled leaving the instructing body
(le ,Corps Enseignant) and their fun&ions, without
his permission (which, on certain terms, he' is
obliged to, grant). They are subjea to the regu-
lations ofa kind of correaional censorship, in which
it is remarkable that the same sort of discipline
which is applied to the Students of our Universities
is here employed towards the Motet's. They may
be suspended,in their funiStione, that is rusticated,
and their names may be struck off the University'
roll : this latter punishment brings with it the inca-
pacity of being employed in any public administra-
tion ; and they can accept no public or private em-
ployment for which a salary is received, Without
the authenticated permission of the Grand Master.
Ater. 46. " The Members of the University will
be hound to inform -the • Grand Master and his
Officers of whatever may come to their knowledge
in the Establishments of Public ilmstrudion, which
is contrary to the dolyines and'principles of the In-
structing;
The-Grand Master nominates of course to all the
high offices of the University, and is himself nu-
*fated by, and removable at the will of, the Em-
peror. Among other ads of preroptive, he may
remove the Principals of the Colleges and Professors
of the Lyceums from one Academy to another (as
is done hire to Excisemen), taking the advice of
three Members of the Council ; and he also fixes
the Regulations for the ditferent Schools. He is
assisted by a Council of 30 Members. Each Aca-
demy has its Re&or and Council.
The greater part of the Laws respell the several
details of their formation, which have no general in-
terest.' Many of their Regulations are good and
useful ; and certainly as far as the Establishment of
the'University may contribute to the extension of
any education to the lower classes, it may be view-
ed with pleasure. Unfortunately, this part is the most
vague and' indeterminate; we see no provision for
securing to all . the inestimable attainments of read-
ing and writing.—Eight hundred thousand kivres
are assigned for the support of the University, be-
'sides the fees on taking degrees, examinations, &c.
in the Academies, and a twentieth of the sum paid
by every Scholar for his education, in every• School
of the,Empire.
It would be uncandid to deny that some benefi-
cent effects may, and probably will, result from this
Establishment, though impure and essentially vicious.
Thus much. has at all times been acknowledged in
respea to that too famous Society of Catholic Edu-
cators, the abolishing of which the Abbe BAR-
RV E[. considers as the. principal cause of the cala-
, mities of the age-e-if the portentous revolution of
.littrope be dated from the annihilation of the Jesuits,
_the counter-revolution, as tar as affects the Regal
and Church Establishments, is certainly confi7ed
by the establishment of the Imperial University.

art,/,111
A.% (7 IIV A AUL L, 1 1.7 LIP V •14 •

''NOttBROOK RACES -WCFORDSI4I4tE.

WEDNESDAY, 6.
i'he Farmers' Cult of cogs value, iu..t is as for the. second
horse, given by the Gentlemen of Sir "fhoritiis Mo4tyn's
Hunt, rode. by Farmers, the best of three two-mile heats.
hlr. b, g. Tekeli, 4 yrs old
'Mr. SalMon'sW. g. Experiment, 3! yrs old . . 3
An easy Race. Six others started, but were ,not pl.iced.
The Sweepstakes Of 145 each, for Hunters, the prriperty of,
and rode by. Gentlemen of the Mutt, one three--T,ile heat.
Mr. Dorrien's bl. g. Kitigsfistaer. by Curricle
Mr. Copes b. g. Nettle, by 'dm Bull, •
Mr. Pryse's ch. m. Rosa, aged • .
• A good Race--; tot against the winner.
The Sweepstakes of sgs rach, t3st. the best or three one-
mile heats, rode by Gentlemen of the Hunt.
Mr. Cope's b. g. Fly-by-Night - a I
Mr. Dorrien's ch. g. Plenty a t a
Three good heats—After the second heat, Plentythe favourite.
The company on the ground was numerous, notwithstand-
ing the unfavourable weather

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