The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-14 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

OUR OWN TIMES. Illustrated by George
Cruikshank.
The frontispiece to this number is an admirable serio-
comic etching of the interior of the Ragged School,
West-street, Smithfiell From a descriptive paper on
ragged schools, we extract the following observations,
which are worthy the study of all who take an interest
in the advancement of real education :
"Despite the cheering sytrptorns observable amidst the
noise, confusion, and ignorance of the 'Ragged Schools,' we
left the place impressed with a conviction that their founders
were courageous and zealous, warm-hearted and enthusiastic.
but feeble pioneers. Their conduct deserves all encourage-
ment, all praise. It is lack of aid and backing, not of heart
and good-will, which prevents them from doing more than, indicating the path, to tread which we must have 'skilful
organisation and a formable power. Moreover, the con-
ductors of the, Ragged Schools ' are too sectarian, and not
suffi3iently practical. It is not enougk to teach neglected
children chapters from the New Testament end hymns front
Dr. Watts. Many of them cannot afford to be honest.
They must steal, or if they would rather not starve, become
inmates of our workhouses. What we should recomend
and like to see established, would be practical work- sCmhools.,
We should teach the children trades as well as indoctrinate
them with dogmas. We should make them good carpenters
or blacksmiths as well as attempt to render them zealous
Methodists or strict Episcopalians. We shoilld have a child
taught honesty, and then enabled to pursue it. What is the
use of telling an urchin that theft is wrong, when he wilt
starve if he does not thieve F No; tell him certainly that to
steal is a crime, but teach him how to live without stealing.
To do all this, we know, demands great resources and power-
ful influence, Why cannot we have both ? Hundreds of
thousands are annually subscribed for educational and mis-
sionary purposes.
"Let Abe the merit and the praise of the Ragged Schools'
that they have indicated a class; that they have pointed out
an outcast grade of helots—of home savages—at once our
terror and our disgrace—a class, than on the reclaiming and
educating of which money could not. be more beneficially
or more wisely bestowed—a class for the accommodation of
which the more schools we build we shall simply have to
erect the fewer prisons."

One of the most humourous papers in the presmt
number is " The British Lion," by Alfred Cro►, quill,
the illustrations to which are very good ; and George
Cruikshank's illustration to the paper ou Spoons is one
of the most quaint Epseimens of rietorial fun we have
seen for many x IoH day.

THE PATRICIAN. No. I. Editf.d by John Eurite
Esq., Author of the " Peerage."
This is the first number of a refit/aka' devoted to
genealogy, antiquities, heraldry, and gen. r,l literature.
One of the most novel features of the Putrieiau is an
annotated obituary of the month. The Patrician is
well got up, and the name of Mr. Burke is a sufficient
voucher for its scrupulous accuracy in all matters relat-
ing to genealogy or titles of honour. It vbid henceforth
be the authority on the subjects on which it treats.