The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-17 00:00:00

NAT LITERATURE.
I(:)=VAL EDI:CA.IION ; WHAT 1T IS,
AND WHA 7' 17' SHOULD BE.
tit Ale very
a able and judicious pamphlet, bearing the above
en,, has just prow eded from the pun of the Reverend
Y" Dutton Rector of Warehorne, Tee subject
aztteelii
education itself falls peculiarly within the province of
ton of ministerall, of religion; and at the present moment the
of our r *dl who are really interested in ths sselfare
y increasing industrial classes, seems to be
earnestly fixed upon this great question. Nor can We
wonder that it should be so. In a country, End in an
like ours, of high civilization and progressive
"ieccei where the value of mere brute labour is every
Year being depreciated, the only lever by which the in-
dustrial classes can be raised to a more favourable posi-
tion. in society is the lever of education. Without edu-
cation those classes, constituting as they do a vast pro-
portion of our whole population, must gradually sink
lower and lower, until they become little better than so
many beasts of burden," hewers of wood and drawers of
:ateri" as hopelessly doomed, from youth to old age, to
ne unvarying round of toilsome drudger, and as com-
pletely
excluded from all possibility of amelioration in '
..their social conaition, as the manacled felon of Norfolk
-Leland. The stupid booby, staring in am.az. ment as the
rushing train is. hurried past by the irresistible power of
steam, is only a fair illustration of the way in which the
efforts of the ignorant labourer are outstripped by me-
chanical force scientifically applied. And, unless his
hands and sinewy limbs be aided and directed
by the improved intelligence of an educated mind,
the labourer's exertions to earn his daily bread will
every year Fe less availing. We cannot wonder, there-
fore, that the philanthropist should have his attention
especially attracted by education. It is folly to talk
about feeding and clothing the people, and then educat-
ing them. It is madness to attempt to stem the torrent
of increasing crime by building prisons and multiplying
Penal statutes. Educate the people, and they will be
all the better able to clothe and feed themselves; whilst
Statistical returns abundantly prove the close connexion
existing betwixt ignorance and vice. We hail Mr.
aeufton's pamphlet as a most well-timed production,
calculated to render invaluable service to this important
cacao. It is the successful endeavour of a man of clear
and comprehensive intellect to grapple with a really
difficult subject. In supporting his own views he ex-
hibits a rare oegree of talent combined with moderation;
and the measures which he suggests are alike indicative
ef sound judgment and of much practical experierce.
We will attempt a brief outline of this el. ver pamphlet.
Mr. Dufton begins with showing that the question at
issue is not betwixt education and non-education, but
betwixt a good education and deprevt d knowledge. We
have not to inquire, Shall we, or shall we not educate
the people? but, Shall we educate the rising generation
to be useful members of society? or allow them to
be trained and instructed by the zealous agents of
vice P Vice," says Mr. Dufton, opens schools as
well as virtue ; crime has rewards for the zealous, and
punishments for the refractor}, quite as efficecious as
those at the disposal of rectitude. Let thiesgreat truth
be once tborougnly apprehended ; let it once be under-
atocd that we have net to choose between education end
non-education, for the simple reason that non-education
is an utter imptessibility ; let it be not only known, hut
felt, that our choice is confined to education or mis-
education—that we have to decide between possible
good and positive. evil—and nine-tenths of the con-
troversies which have been raised on the sub-
ject will be dismissed as Otter impertiut noes."
Our author next describes some of the lamentable con-
sequences flowing from that di prayed knoe ledge, com-
monly called ignorance, and by indisputable facts esta-
blishes the necessity of national education. This may
be considered the first part of Mr. Duften's pamphlet.
In the second part he enters upon delicate ground,
namely, the insufficiency- and inadequacy of all existieg
educational systems to meet the exigencies of the case.
This, undoubtedly, is delicate ground. But Mr. Dufton
writes in a kindly and conciliatory spirit. He is in ear-
and expresses his opinions strongly and with can-
dour ; yet the tone and temper of his pages are far
from being offensive. He may convince ; he cannot
annoy ; and our prejudices are net roused even when
Our prepossessions are opposed. With the utmost im-
Partiality he lays bare the imperfections of the National
Society on the one hand ; and on the other lie adduces
the testimony of- Dr. Vaughan to demonstrate the
inability of Dissent, to supply the universally-admitted
deficiency. In short, se luntaryism—whether it be the
'Voluntaryism of the National Society, or of the British
and Foreign Schools ; whether it be the voluntat yism of
the Established Church or of Dissent—he holds to be
Utterly inadequate to provide an enlarged system of
national education, co-extensive with the national wants.
Re therefore invokes the assistance and interference
of the State. "For the same reasons," says he, "that
State intervention is necessary in the dispensing of na-
tional charity, in establishing national security, and in
enforcing general rights, we hold that State interven-
tion is necessary in national education, not to supersede,
but to aid individual and voluntary exertion. The
strongest advocate of poor-laws never recommended the
destruction of asylums, hospitals, and infirmaries; the
firmest supporter of a police force would net advise us
to dispense with bolts, bars, watchdogs, and watchmen;
the greatest admirer of law will not withhold his praise
from private arbitration; and in the same way the ad-
vocates of State intervention would not recommend a
ajngle individual to withhold his subscription or contribu-
Xrfrom the erection and maintenance of schools."
again, " We invoke the assistance of the State, be-
citZde it can alone interfere efficiently and beneficially,—
one can escape the imputation of mixed and un-
e-"3' motives. We trust the cause of national
vuucation to the State, because the State is the nation."
In the remaining part of his pamphlet Mr. Dufton
brings forward the details of the measure which he
Submits for the adoption of the State. For these details
we must refer our readers to the pamphlet itself, merely
observing that the proposed plan is at once simple and
comprehensive, practicable and efficient. Many other
subjects, to which we have not space for alluding, are
admirably discussed in these pages; such as the fallacy
of the cuckoo cry, " Will you separate religion from
education?" and the paramount importance of giving
such an education as shall have a direct bearing on the
future career of the pupils. In conclusion, we beg to
recommend this pamphlet most cordially to all who feel
an interest in this important question, whatever their
peculiar views may be, and to tender our warmest thanks
to air. Dufton for his labours in this great cause.

SUPPOSED SUICIDE OF CAPT. G. B. DOWNES, R.E.
'Z'A melancholy occurrence took place on board the General
'team Navigation Company's ship Ramona, plying on the
Ramona left Yarmouth at five P.M. on Wednesday even-
dig) under the charge of Captain Dawson, with a general
Cargo of merchandise and several passengers, among whom
*vas Captain Downes, of the corps of Royal Engineers The
night turned out rough and squally, a heavy sea rolling
during the early part of the passage; but nothing particular
occurred calculated to direct the attention of those on board
After letile Gallant Officer whose death this paragraph announces.
aving Yarmouth he took tea in the chief cabin, at
the "me table with several other passengers. Mr. Wood,
the steward of the vessel, believes that he partook of no
other refreshment during the evening ; but about half-past
one o'clock on Thursday morning he observed the Gallant
Ptaill parading the deck and smoking a cigar. Shortly
Tons
he addressed the steward's boy, requesting
TO to make up his bed for the night on the sofa.
is was the last that was seen or heard of the unfor-
the
"nate gentleman. Some two hours subsequently one of
sailors discovered a hat lying in the starboard fore
Vonson, and on conveying it into the cabin it was shortly
ascertained to have belonged to Captain Downes. A close
search was immediately made for the Gallant Officer, but it
Was soon found that he was not ou board the vessel. The
first impression was that he must have thrown himself over-
board,. shortly after having been seen by the steward ; and
this presumption was afterwards strengthened by the fact of
:us manner having been remarked to have been particularly
aeserved during the voyage by several of his fellow-pas-
ttigers. His carpet-bag was opened by the captain, to dis-
cover his identity, and in it were discovered three letters,
Which gave the desired information. The only other things
*contained in the bag were a night-shirt, and a brush and
comb. On the arrival of the Ramona off the Custom House
on Thursday morning information of the melancholy occur-
rence was given at the office of the company by Captain
Dawson, and we understand, from inquiries which have been
'stride, little doubt appears to exist, that the Gallant Captain
must have thrown himself overboard while labouring under
mental alienation. The weather, it should be stated, bad
moderated before the Gallant Captain was missed, and there
was scarcely any swell on. The spot is supposed to have
been near the Mouse Light, twenty miles below Gravesend.
THE LATE LOSE OF LIFE ET FIRE IN MARTLE-
NONE.—Yesterday Mr. Wakley, M.P.' held an inquest at
'the St. Marylebone Workhouse, on the body of Anne Wilson,
aged. 74, the unfortunate female burnt to death in her bed on
the morning of Wednesday last. It appeared from the state-
ment of Henry Wilson, a little boy nine years of age, that he
resided with the deceased, who was his grandmother, at No.
10, Marylebone-court, and slept in the same bed with her.
On the night of Tuesday last, when they went to bed, the
deceased, as was her custom, placed her lighted candle on a
chair near the bed-side. About twenty minutes after twelve
On the Wednesday morning he was awoke by a sense of suffo-
cation' and on getting up and finding the room full of smoke
and the bed. on fire, he ran to the door and called for the
assistance of the lodgers, but before they arrived the bed and
bedding was in flames, and his grandmother still lying upon
it. The candlestick was found under the bed, and it had, uo
doubt, fallen from the chair, and having ignited some articles
under the bed, aaused the conflagration. Other evidence
Showed that before the unfortunate deceased could be rescued
fions the bed she was burnt in a frightful manner in various
parts of the body. She was conveyed to the infirmary of
zdarylebone Workhouse, where she expired from the injuries
received about three o'clock the same morning. Verdict,
"Accidental death."

lionnutuus..—Yesterday'a Government Police Ga-
zette contained inf. mation of the following robbsries:—
tolen horn the shop of Mr. Myers, silversmith, &c., No. 27,
-•deware-road, between the hours of eleven at night and six
in the morning, 58 valuable gold watches, about 20 second-
hand watches, of which no description can be given several
silver milk-pots and sugar-basins, a variety of gold guards
and other chains, &c. A reward of 100/. has been offered.
On the 14th, from the house of Mr. Dippie, No. 4, Little Col-
lege.street, Westminster, a cash-box, containing 221. in gold
and 2/. in silver, an I 0 U for 91., and a variety of hills and
Memorandums. Absconded from the service of Mr. Skinner,
grin
Warren-street, Clerkenwell, the potman, taking with
Min 20 sovereigns, and some silver moneys; and from the
Person of Mrs. Gray, of No. 6, Watt's-buildings, Kingsland-
read, a silk purse, containing a 5!. note and some silver.
Tan UNCERTAINTY OP HUMAN LlFE.—Yesterday
VI inquest was held by Mr. Carter, at the Fentimore Arms,
Fentimore-road, Clapham-road, as to the death of John Han-
BleY. Esq., aged seventy six, which occurred in a most sudden
Manner. It appeared that the deceased was a gentleman of
Independent property, and resided at 4, Fentimore-road. lie
bad not enjoyed good health for some time, and on Monday
morning, having staid a considerable time in the water-
closet, a young man of the name of Cartwright went after
h and found him apparently dead. A surgeon was sent
tor, but it was discovered by him that life was quite extinct.
Verdict, " Natiiral death."
THE CORN RIOTS AT BUZANCAIS—EXECUTION Or
'x petsoNEas.—The three men condemned to death for
ha •
I.,,Ting. during the corn riots at Buzangaii, fallen upon arc
'"Led a person who attempted to defend his property, were
`2"ftted os Monday.