The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-30 00:00:00

It is a strange fact, and not less true than strange,
that the office of a schoolmaster, instead of being
regarded as one of the most important that a human
being can assume, has commonly been considered
in a light just the reverse of this. AS in London
we find. every broken and bankrupt tradesman of
the ThWer order, looking .to a coal-shed, or a pe-
destrian commission in the tea trade as 'his
final refuge, so, in the country, the, rejected of all
trades and
.of all services proposes to solace him-
self with a school, and thus it is, that the very
name of teacher carries with it an . association of
ideas, in which we scarcely know whether contempt
England, .;boasting herself
orspuitryeipreyitdo,mi,..snantoets.f9r
the Queen of Nations, .and for civilization, intelli-
gence, and skill, a model to all the world, to
wait for the example of other nations in removing
the stigma which popular prejudice has fling
about the most interesting and important of all pro-
fessions. Unhappily, however, such is the case, and
even at this late period we are only starting in a
career in which almost every kingdom Oftnippe,is
far advanced The 'first'object of all. speculations on
thesubject— or .edUdition ought to be to raise to its
proper dignity the office of the instructor of youth.
This can only: be.ac.CoinpliShed biSecuring to the
person who holds that office such an amount of
knowledge, both as. respects the, subject matter of
instruction; and the method of communicating it, as
will secure respect for his acquirements and obe-
dience to his precepts. He must learn the great
lesson of government by.love instead of fear.
He must so conduct , himself, that his
pupils, shall come bounding to his presence
with happy faces, instead of " creeping like
snails unwillingly to school." To the old pedants
of the rod and ferule system this may seem impos-
sible, but to. those who have visited some of the

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LONDON:
THURSDAY, MAY 30, 1839.

RAt present the number-of .extreme Radicals in the
ouse of Commons, though sufficient, when they
desert the Ministers, to make the balance turn
against them, is so small that, when united, the ma-
10fity gives no confidence to the Government. As
the House of Commons is now constituted it is
itipossible, as we said on Tuesday, for the Govern-
Ildent to undertake anything decisive in the way of
legislation with the least chance .of success. Nor
14 'there at present, as far as we can see, unless
the
House of Commons be speedily renewed, much
trObability of the Ministerial majority increasing.
rfact, the single elections which take place seem
114, general, like that of Ayr, to go against the Mi-
ters, and the more such vacancies occur, the
beeaker, we are afraid, are the Ministers likely to
iive,(mie. On this ground we conclude, that it is of
pthe or no use preaching up union to the Liberal
eTV in Parliament, which can only give
grority for a short period ; and that the
at aim of the Liberal party ought to be, as
he have already stated, to strengthen themselves in
of
Country. Unless that be done, the day is not
oft distant when the Tories must retake possession
th the Government, and impose their own laws on
e QUEEN.
4 Bnrely those by whose advice her MAJESTY
feted in declining to accept Sir ROBERT PEEL'S
lei.`us, and who took on themselves the responsi-
to of the answer she gave the Right Hon. Ba-
jenet) are bound, by all the feelings of loyal sub-
:4 and high-minded gentlemen, to use
1,1,437 means in their power to protect her MAJES-
Ive,from that painful contingency. We earnestly
to", therefore, to see some steps taken by Ministers
ill strengthen themselves and strengthen their party
, the country, and so ultimately increase their
Zwer in Parliament. " It requires says," the Tyne
;;Trcury, " but the exertion of the Government en-
esgetieally in the right way to bring out the force of
ittloion that is ready to array itself in their favour—
thtternands but the Ministry to set themselves against
of' Tory aristocracy to show that in the Toryism
he these times there is nothing but inherent weak-
Vs." As yet, though they are assailed by the
h,taots in every part of the empire, and
e'e every possible motive that can influ-
Ina honourable minds to set themselves
hit the Tory aristocracy, they have not exhi-
v ted those symptoms of vigour which we an-
toated.
4„:
We will not, however, be impatient,
gh we must say that those who preach only
t'enee and confidence to the Radicals, and
I:,l3reeate urging the Ministers to exertion, perform
tl:t half their duty, and are not the best friends of
elle Ministers. We are certainly disposed to trust
peeta, and Jes to the consideration of hat the
shouilds do to strengthen the Liberal cause.
lt„.4e means by which the middle classes gained the
l'Otri Bill was by a union with the lower classes.
ate" the bulk of the people were united. The
Present
source of the weakness of the Liberal party at
1:eot is the disunion between the middle and the
r classe
4es. Satisfied with their success, the be-
i4 of which all belonged to them, the middle
tio'es, after the passing of the Reform Act, used A numerously-attended meeting of members of
Itevxertions whatever to confer any benefits on the the Established Church was held on Tuesday at
er classes. They neither procured, when they Willis's Room, for the purpose of promoting the
Society for Educating the
teehlsht, the repeal of the Corn-laws, the establish- objects of the National
tett:t of good schools, the free and cheap adminis- Poor in the Principles o. the Church. This
le4 of justice, nor any other thing which could Society, as our readers are aware, was. established
forme6t their fenow.hihourers in the cause of Re- nearly thirty years ago, and owed its origin to
the They were anxious, and exertions of the Dis-
re nobly bestirred the jealousy which the
the selves, to procure Negro Emancipation, but senters in the cause of education had • roused
114 interfered not for the factory slaves. Compen- lin the breasts of the Established Clergy. While
kive°ll, taken from the labourers of. England, was the schools under the superintendence of the
4:les!' to the deprived planters, but the destitute hand.
friends of civil and religious liberty were open to
leer weavers were rather insulted than relieved. These,
~
acts of harshness on the all without distinction of sect, who stood in need of
several similar circumstances, with some un- •
°vet
instruction, and were increasing with a rapidity
'antable
iv4rl
wholly without•example, the Clergy taking alarm
tiele 'neat,
.carrying out Tory laws on Tory prin- ;at the fatal consequences likely to ensue to a"State-
g ,
tlktss, Made a deep impression on the lower bolstered system of religion teeming
with all sorts
e
of abuses, from the general diffusion of knowledge,
e steadfast denial of any further reform awoke from the lethargy of centuries, and • exerted
fate ito ;embitter their feelings and exaspe- • their energies to neutralize, as they could not
tilem -against the middle classes, and pot down, the popular enthusiasm on the subject of

best conducted establishments for poor children
(and more especially Infant Schools) not only the
possibility but theJacility of such a 'thing is suffi-
ciently manifest. To accomplish this, however,
the master must be properly trained. Any igno-
ramus who has strength to wield a cane can govern
children by fear, but to govern them by love is
a matter which can only result from proper discip-
line and careful experience in the best methods of
instruction. Could the question of National Edu-
cation be separated from party prejudice, there is
not a right-minded man in the three kingdoms who
would refuse to aclrnowledge that the establishment
and support by Government of good schools for
schoolmasters, is an excellent appropriation of
public money, because productive of a great amount
of 'happiness.
We quite agree, then, with Dr. KAY, that the
establishment of the proposed Normal School
will promote the extension of the benefits of a
useful education among the poorer classes more
rapidly than if a much more considerable sum were
expended on the extension of the education given in
the existing schools." We probably should be dis-
posed to find fault with the smallness of the grant,
did we not clearly perceive the difficulty of the posi-
tion in which the Government is placed. The clamour
of the Tory press throughout the country, and the
strenuous opposition of so powerful a majority of
the Clergy, are matters against which it is not easy
to contend. We trust, however, that Ministers
will tug vigorously at the oar in spite of all oppo-
sition. They may rely upon it that the people of
England will cheer them in their course,, and heart-
i!y rejoice in a successful issue to their exertions.
Let the experiment have a fair trial, and we feel
assured that the misrepresentations of interested
assailants will be dissipated like the unwholesome
vapours of early morning. The most superficial
railer may cast doubt upon a mere prospective
scheme. He may either deny its practicability—
or, admitting it to be practicable, may denounce it
as injurious. He may arraign the motives and
objects of its propounders, and throw in their path
the slime of his vituperation. But if, in spite of all
detractive prophecies, and interested abuse, they
calmly pursue the path they have chosen, and de-
monstrate, by actual experience, that it leads to
public benefitS of the highest order, their triumph
will be complete, and the shafts of ignorance and
slander will recoil upon those who launched them.

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