The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-25 00:00:00

and such amusement as they could not relish but
for that education.

Mr. Fox, at the meeting to which we have re-
ferred,
was undoubtedly right when he attributed
much of the ill success attending mechanics' insti-
tutes to their limited objects ; to the " low and
narrow views taken by their founders." By no
means denying the great utility of science in con-
nection with the practical engagements of the
mechanic, yet, if pursued "to the exclusion of
works of taste, works of imagination, and works
of general literature, a great mistake is made ;
imagination has made its discoveries as well as
learning and logic, in fact we owe to imagination,
perhaps, more discoveries than to any other
faculty," in this view we thoroughly concur.
There has been a hard dry character about nearly
all the school and institute instruction yet given.
We are a nation naturally grave enough, in all
conscience, and there is no reason why our educa-
tional system should increase that tendency. The
effort is, we fear, to debar young persons unna-
turally from that kind of reading which appeals
chiefly to the imagination ; it should be to train
that faculty as well as others ; to teach the dis-
tinction between the truly beautiful and the
tawdry attempts at imitation, and thus to furnish
to the adult through life the means of enjoyment
without dissipation. We know that we, as well
as Mr. Fox and Lord STANLEY, are dealing some-
what in generalities, but the truth is that specific
suggestions would be of little service. The right
conception is what is wanted. The means are at
hand in every library, almost in every book-stall.
Mr. Fox was also right in boldly confronting a
part of the otherwise able speech of Sir J. B.
SHIITTLEWORTH, by objecting on principle to the
basis of the present Government plan of educa-
tion. It is a premium on sectarian education ;
on training Episcopalian boys, Congregationalist
boys, Methodist boys, and the boys of any sect,
to regard the sectarian differences of their parents
as sacred, if'their own—contaminating, if those
of others ; to separate in good-will those who
should be trained from infancy to regard each
other only as fellow-citizens, neighbours, and
brothers ; their mutual differences being thus felt
to be of the most trivial consequence compared
with their points of agreement. Bigotry is tena-
cious of life enough, without being unnaturally
prolonged and fostered by our training of our
boys and girls. It would be of the happiest ten-
dency if, in childhood and youth, the time when
life-long tendencies and attachments are formed,
the school was untangled with the sectarian
bigotry which disgraces our land—than have
actually, as things aro, to learn in later life that
their religious differences make no difference be-
tween them in the sight of their MAKER, and
ought to be no cause whatever for alienation.

The contingency so valorously contemplated
by Sir JOHN FALSTAFF in Windsor Forest, to
wit, the heavens " raining potatoes," would hardly
be paralleled in extravagance if we said the
heavens have of late years been dropping mile-
stones on the track of the agricultural interest.
Easily moved, but slow to move, our agricultural
friends have really been " moving on," as a per-
usal of the reports of their annual society meet-
ings would abundantly testify, were their pro-
gression not, as it is, too patent to render the
infliction, as some might deem it, unnecessary.
Not only have they set their shoulders to the
agricultural wheel, but they have taken to fill. up
the ruts of Protection, and supply themselves with
less cumbrous vehicles for carting their produce.
The AD glo- S axon blood so long slumbering in them
has undergone the process of oxygenisation, and
pulses through their veins with something like
pristine vigour. Depending more and more on
themselves, they have learnt the wisdom of self-
reliance, and acquired the thews and muscles,
and, to a more limited extent, the intelligence
and the enterprise, to turn their experience to
good account. Wo are heartily glad of it, and
in proof of our good-will recommend them not to
loiter, but to set up the milestones on their way
with all reasonable despatch.
The reader has but to turn to another column
to find a fresh proof of the progress being made
by the agricultural community. In our report
of the proceedings at the Herta Agricultural So-
ciety's Annual Meeting, which was honoured, it
will be seen, by the presence of the American
Minister to the English Court, he will find the
distinguished chairman, Sir E. B. LYTTON, Bart.,
administering some good advice to his bucolic
hearers in relation to agricultural statistics.
Nothing, it may be said, is easier given, and few
things seldomer taken, than the article in ques-
tion. True ; but the proof of progress to whioh
we refer is not the administration of good advice
by the chairman—though that is something—but
the manner in which it was received. Granted,
the pill was coated with sugar and otherwise
adroitly exhibited, and excited no tumultuous
expressions of gratitude ; but there were notice-
able marks of approval, unaccompanied by any of
disapproval ; and this, when the sturdy resolu-
tion of the farmer in defence of his real or sup-
posed interests is taken into account, must be
regarded as significant of decided progress. It i•
something to find the farmers of Herts, who, we take
it, are not in advance of their brethren elsewhere,
listening, after this fashion, to a denial of their
being:opposed to "a good, judicious, and concilia-
tory system of agricultural statistics", though that
denial was couched in a vindication of their in-
telligence. It may, however, be deemed invidi-
ous in us to draw more attention to this subject,
since to dwell on it is to bring to recollection the
facts that in Ireland and Scotland no difficulty is
found in obtaining agricultural statistics, while
the need for them is palpable to any intramural
intelligence. Among the more salient points of
the bucolic speech of the hon. baronet may be
noticed his frank endorsement of the dictum of
Lord LONSDALE ;" that the two great problems
which agriculturists had to solve were—first, the
degree to which mechanical inventions might be
applied in cheapening human labour ; and, se-
condly, the degree to which the sewage of towns
might be used to cheapen the cost of those,
manures with which they were already familiar.'
A dictum, let us say creditable to the utterer,
being characterised by much practical good sense.
Not less noticeable are the comments of Sir E.
B. LYTTON on "the precious peace," and the
declaration of his opinion that "we ought care-
fully to cherish that militia (for the most par t
taken from the class of agricultural labourers) of
which they were so proud as a nursery for the
regular regiments of the line." We have left
ourselves but little space to notice the CHAIR,
MAN'S generously-conceived and happily-worded
speech, by which the health of the American
Minister was prefaced, nor ;that high-class
gentleman's reply ; suffice it to say generally of
both they were worthy of each, and admirably
calculated to promote good feeling between the
two countries at a time when such feeling is
likely to be of essential service to the cause of
liberty.