The Sun.
London, England, 1835-07-18 00:00:00

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COCHRANE'S FOREIGN QUARTERLY
REVIEW
Whittaker, and Co.

The expediency of diffusing political and moral in-
struction among all classes of the people, and the
means by which the diffusion of such instruction may
he most effectually retarded, are subjects which now
engross some portion of the attention of every Govern-
ment in Europe. The conflict is not one of opinion,
but of interest. Evil doers have always preferred
darkness to light, for no man chooses the sun for a
companion when his back is burthened with his
neighbour's property. The glimmer of a lamp is
then too much for him ; and if he exhibits no terror
when a lonely watchman holds up a lantern to
his countenance, it is because he is conscious of
strength to knock him down, if he attempt to impede
his progress, or insinuate aught reflecting upon his
integrity. "If the peasant knew the luxurious, indo-
lent, useless life I lead," internally exclaims the Peer,
" if he were aware that, instead of devoting myself to
the study of the principles of legislation, my days are
spent in the stable and the kennel, and my nights at
routs, revelries, and debaucheries, the very idea of
which would fill his unsophisticated mind with horror,

is it to be expected that he would look up to me with
awe and reverence, as a kind of superior being, whom
he is bound by his religion to respect, honour, and
obey ? Did he but know the way in which my an-
cestors obtained their estates, and the tenure by which
I hold them, is it not to be feared that he might think
himself justified in withholding my rents, more espe-
cially as he would then have learned the infamous
purposes to which I very often apply them ? Might
he not take it into his head that his children were of
more importance to society than my horses and hounds,
and that my lady would be more creditably employed
in feeding and instructing destitute Orphans of her own.
sex and species, than in educating parrots, and keep-
ing a troop of pampered domestics to wait upon lap-
dogs ? Might he not be tempted to question the jus-
tice of claims by which a system is maintained which
devotes horses, carriages, and liveried attendants to the
service of dogs, parrots, and monkeys, while the living
images of the God of nature—the producers of all
wealth and luxury—arc spurned and condemned—
plundered in health and starved in sickness ? lam
confident education would produce such an effect, were

it extended to the serfs of the soil ; and, therefore, I
maintain the people are better, because more contented
as they are. Let them imitate us by treading in the
footsteps of their forefathers. It is enough for them
to know their catechism and their prayers, which are
sure passports to the only world in whose affairs they
ought to be allowed to take any interest." This is in
short the sum and substance of all that has ever been
urged against the education of the labouring classes.
The Aristocracy are apprehensive that the co-existence
of political knowledge and political abuses is impossi-
ble. Did the abuses affect their interests, they would
be among the first to advocate general instruction ;
but as they merely oppress the people for the benefit
of the privileged classes, then they are up in arms to
prevent the scales from dropping from the eyes of the
deluded multitude.

In the very few cases in which the opponents of
popular instruction are actuated by principle, it is
strange the miserably distorted view which they take
of this question. They fear that the people, if edu-
cated, would not yield obedience to the laws, and yet
they arc very frequently living evidences of the fallacy
of all such fears. In their whole intercourse with
society, they evince their disbelief in their own doc-
trine, by placing every reliance upon the good faith,
honesty, industry, and integrity of the more educated,
to the exclusion of those who have no such internal
monitor to direct them either for good or evil. The
higher aristocracy are perhaps ten times more raised
above them than they arc above the common labourer,
and yet they, though educated, never think of insti-
tuting a scramble for property, or invading the legal
right of those above them. They also seem not to
be aware, that a system of universal education would
produce almost as beneficial an effect upon the ha-
bits of the very highest classes, as it would upon those
of the lowest ; for knowledge in the people would
command a conciliatory and humane bearing in the
aristocracy. This is a truth with which, to some ex-
tent, every great man must be familiar. The greatest
tyrant in a state would find himself obliged to bear
himself very differently in the presence of a scholar,
from what he would in that of a mere serf, ignorant of
the first sentiments of political knowledge. All ap-
peals would be made to the reason of mankind, instead
of being directed to their prejudices and passions, as is
now, and must be the case, as long as the working
population are denied the means of obtaining an edu-
cation which shall comprehend a familiar acquaintance
with the laws and constitution of the country.
In ti'e promotion of popular instruction, the second
mo'.3t active state in Europe is France since the Revo-
lution of 1830. The system of national education
adopted in that country is the subject of the opening
able and lucid article in Cochrane's Review, the writer
of which takes a most masterly and comprehensive
view of the whole question. We confess that before
reading the extracts from Guizot, the French Minis-
ter's Report, which arc given in this paper, we had a
very imperfect idea of the zeal, clear-sightedness, and
Statesman-like comprehensibility with which the pre-
sent Government of France has propounded its plans
for the general education of the working people. The
French Minister has kept two great objects in view—
principle and practicability. The Government sets out
with the felicitous announcement, that " a country
which will be free must be enlightened, or its best feel-
ings become a source of peril to it ; and its rights sur-
passing its knowledge, it is to be feared that it will err
even in the lawful exercise of them." After this ge-
neral proposition, it strews that in the case of France,
where the power of the Government rests upon the
publicity and universal discussion of its acts, the edu-
cation of the people is a solemn duty, which even
self-preservation renders imperative upon the higher
authorities. To effect this, the Minister proposes to
elevate the character of schoolmasters by dignifying
the profession and declaring it a branch of the public
service ; and likewise by throwing such obstacles in
the way of entering upon it, that none but men of
talent, industry, and high moral character, shall have
the privilege of opening schools. He further pro-
poses that the salary to be paid to each master shall
be fixed, and that where the sum cannot be raised
from the scholars, the surplus shall be paid out of the
public treasury. The details of M. Guizot's system
are highly curious, instructive, and interesting ; but
we have not space to enter upon them. The most
important part is what relates to the government of
the schools, the mode of instruction in the infant and
normal establishments, the regulations for preventing
sectarian animosities, and the kind of books which
ought to be put into the hands of the children ac-
cording to their several ages and capacities. Greatly
as we have.bcen disgusted with the conduct of Louis
Philippe since his accession to the throne of France—
decply as we deplore the infatuation •of his Govern-
ment in pursuing with unrelenting severity the un-
happy prisoners of April—yet we must admit, that as
far as regards education, the French Cabinet has
evinced a wisdom, a firmness, and an integrity,