The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-18 00:00:00

If the existing constitution is not adapted to reform, and
if the proposed body would have no tendency to forward and
fatal power to obstruct it, it has been plausibly argued, and
it is not our purpose to deny, that an executive commission
is the sole alternative presented to your lordship. The ex-
perience afforded by the University Commissioners, the
approval of several high authorities, and the acquiescence to
a considerable extent of public opinion might all be men-
tioned in its favour. It is, however, our wish to notice some
of the objections which as yet have been ambiguously urged
against it. It has been said that an executive commission
would not provide for a better government of Eton than
that which now exists, and that a change in the governing
body is no less essential than a change in the instruction.
But why should not the executive commission frame a go-
vernment for Eton as well as regulate its revenues and
studies ? According to the precedent of the universities the
task would be clearly within its function. Were it, however,
thought right to limit the executive commission to direct
reforms, it would not in any manner interfere with a sub-
sequent reconstruction of the governing body. If not itself
permitted to form a governing body, a commission cannot
be appointed to prohibit its formation by the Legislature.
That an executive commission would in either case be
willing to perpetuate the defects which exist in the go-
vernment of the college—and this has been objected to it—
is a bold paradox. It cannot have been seriously urged ex-
cept to serve the momentary wants of a Parliamentary dis-
paragement. It is alleged that otherschools would be reduced
to uniformity of system if one executive commission were
brought to bear on all of them. It is true that such a
danger might attend a general commission. But no such
inconvenience would attach to the course of sending an
executive committee to deal with Eton singly. Nor need
it be accused of inconsistency. The special case justifies
the special agency. To give modern languages and science
their duo position is allowed to bo more difficult at Eton
than at other places. New statutes are required there to
overcome peculiar oomplications. The existing govern-
ment of Eton is less fitted to introduce reform than the
existing government of Harrow, Chartorhouse, or Rugby.
The Eton governing body proposed in the bill will have
stronger temptation to resist reform than the bodies which
are proposed for the other public schools. Eton can best
afford to risk a change in education from the greater
security of her position. Eton is the best field for a new
experiment, because the numbers of the school and the dif-
ferences of age are greater there than elsewhere. At Eton
modern languages will find a congenial soil, owing to the
encouragement the late Prince Consort gave them by his
prizes, and to the comparatively larger number of pupils
destined to those careers in which proficiency in them is
essential. Above all, to recapitulate the principal argu-
ment, the executive commission which raises the Eton
standard will indirectly raise the standard in other public
schools. Reform will thus be effected without danger of
producing an objectionable uniformity. The more real
though the less avowed objection, we conceive to be, that
a certain harshness towards the authorities at Eton would
seem to be implied in such a measure. Even if this
were, so, should thera be no other way of effecting the
necessary improvements, a commission ought not to be