The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-23 00:00:00

EMORNING CIIRONICLE.

The Fourth Report on the State of Ireland.
embraces, like the others, .so many points, that in
noticing it we must confine our attention to one
of them only at a time. The subject of Educa-
tion was more particularly discussed in the Report
of the Parliamehtay Commissioners. It is im-
possible, however, to enter on any investigation
into the evils of Ireland with 'a view to a remedy
without bestowing attention. on Education, and
accordingly we have some important evidence on
this matter from the witnesses examined by the
Committee. It is greatly to be lamented that
many of those who have interested themselves in
diffusing education in Ireland have very narrow
and confined views on the subject. The
great object with them seems to be to teach
the. Irish, peasantry to read the Bible, as
if this comprehended all the education necessary
for them. An outcry was raised against the Ca-
tholic Priests, because they objected to the Bible
as a School Book. We observed at the time _when
the Bible discussions were carried on with the.
greatest heat, that the Bible seemed to us extreme-
ly iil adapted for a School Book, and that a great.
deal was necessary besides Bible reading to make
the education of the people what it ought to be. It
is curious enough that at the time when the Pres-
byterian Clergy of Scotland were most liable to
the charge of religious entinisiasm, they never
endeavoured to narrow the education of the pe-
ple. They never ceased their exertions for the
establishment of Schools, but their views were
more elevated than that of the patrons of edu-
cationplace within the reach of every man, how-
of the present day. They wished to
ever humble his condition, the means of ob-
taining instruction for his children. in all
branches of knowledge
.which might further
their progress in life. They were honest men,
who had not the smallest wish to cramp the facul-
ties of the people from any dread of over-education,
and the doctrine of the Bishop of London, that
religion was to be used as a countervailing
power to knowledge, never once entered their
heads. The'Parish Schools accordingly, under
their guardianship, assumed as liberal a form as
was compatible with the age, the circumstances
of the country, and the state of the population.
They 'were not alarmed on account of the religion
of the people ; they knew that religions parents
would see the religious instruction of their chil-
dren. The parents, on the other hand, were
Chiefly anxious that their children should make a
great proficiency in knowledge useful for this
world during their s.tay at school. Mr. i'j'Culloch
states truly, in his evidence before the Committee,
that the children of the poor in Scotland, may in.
almost all situations, obtain a knowledge of prac-
tical mathematics, as land surveying, and men-
suration, trigonometry, and so forth, though of

course many of them do not obtain more than a
knowledge of reading and writing. There is
some mystery in the aversion which the reli-
gious enthusiasts of the country seem to have
a more comprehensive education than mere Bible

LON DON MARKETS,

PRICE OE BREAD.

The highest price of Bread in the Metropolis, is 10y. for
the 41b. loaf—there are th,rs who sell from a halt/a:mitt&
three halfpence below that rate.