The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-02 00:00:00

The Emperor of Mexico on Education.

The Emperor of Mexico has addressed a letter to
his Minister of Education and Public Worship, in
which he says :—" It is my firm will to place public
education in the Mexican empire, profiting therein
by the experience gained by the most advanced
peoples, upon a footing which will place us in the
rank of the foremost nations. As principal guide
of your propositions, you should bear in mind that
education must be accessible to all, must be public,
and (at least so far as regards primary instruction)
gratuitous and obligatory. Secondary instruction
must be so organised as to offer, nu the one hand,
to the middle class of citizens fitting general educa-
tion ; on the other, to serve as a necessary basis for
superior and special studies. The study of classical
and living languages, as well as of the natural
sciences, must be considered as one of its most
essential branches. Languages, which are the basis
of all humanising education, constitute at the same
time an intellectual exercise impossible to overrate.
The study of living languages is further, nowadays,
absolutely indispensable to a people which desires
to take part in the events of the world, and to keep
up active relations with other peoples, especially if
we take into account the exceptional geographical
position of the country. Lastly, the culture of
the natural sciences is the characteristic
sign of an epoch which applies itself to reality, for
it teaches us to see the things which surround us in
their veritable aspect, and to employ all the powers
of the universe in the service of the human will.
Further, I wish that attention should be carefully
directed to physical education and the harmony of
its development. With regard to superior and pro-
fessional studies, I consider that special schools are
necessary to their advantageous development. That
which in the middle ages was called a university
has come now to be devoid of sense. In establish-
ing these special schools, you should-take-care that
in the diversity of professional studies all the
branches of theoretical and practical sciences and
of the arts are represented. It is important tkat
your attention should be directed to the study of a
science very little known in our country, i.e., of
philosophy, because it exercises the intellect, teaches
man to know himself, and to recognise a conse-
quence emanating from the study of himself in the
moral order of society. I wish also to point out to
you my ideas upon the subject of religious instruc-
tion. Religion is a matter of every man's consci-
ence, and the less the state interferes in religious
questions the more does it remain faithful to its
mission. We have given liberty to the Church and
to consciences. I wish to secure to the former the
full use of the legislative rights, and at the
same time entire freedom in the education and
formation of its priests according to its own rules,
and without any interference of the state ; but
duties, of which religious instruction forms part, are
also incumbent upon the church, in which the clergy
of the country have hitherto unfortunately scarcely
participated at all. You will consequently be guided
in your plans and your proposals by the principle
that religious instruction in primary and secondary
schools must be given by the curate of the respective
parish, according to the text-books accepted by the
Government, Examinations in all educational esta-
blishments must be regulated upon the new plan,
carried out with strict exactitude, and always abso-
lutely public ; but if, upon the one hand, we wish
henceforth to require solid and true education from
our studious youth, this imposes upon us, on the
other hand, the duty of furnishing them with good
professors and good means of instruction. You will,
consequently, be especially mindful of the necessity
of forming distinguished professors for the establish-
ment of normal schools, to which you will call the
greatest intellects in the country and from abroad.
As the second necessity, I desire you to procure for
the schools good books of instruction, which I com-
mend specially to your care.'?