Star.
London, England, 1826-08-28 00:00:00

EVILS OF FOREIGN RESID&NCE, AND
EDUCATION.—No. IIL •

TO THE EDITOR OP THE STAR.
Sta--.. Another of the evils, and one of those most ge-
nerally overlooked, resulting from the mania of foreign
residence, and all its anti-national tendencies, is that of
the love of exotic education. Considering the number
of establishments for the education of our children on
the Continent, formed by and under the conduct of na-
tional teachers, this may not, at first, be thought the evil
it really is. As might be presumed, perhaps, from the
circumstance of the multiplicity of English schools now
existing. abroad, and the apparent facility with which
the foreign Governments are influenced to afford their
sanction to their introduction and establishment, that
those evils contemplated by some of our ablest of sena-
tors and economists, in the absence of so many of the
rising generation from the land of their fathers, have at
least a counterpoising influence in these institutions.—
But is this the fact ? In what way are such establish•

ments to counteract the many imperceptible impressions
produced by foreign residence out of their reach, either
to controul or obviate? In female establishments, what
effective restraint can they have over the influence of
servants brought into continual contact with the chil-
dren, by their necessary attendance in their private
rooms, or over teachers having opportunities at all hours
of imperceptibly poisoning their pupils minds, an
leading them to imbibe opinions adverse to their reli-
gion, to say nothing of their morals ? for all these, it
must be remembered, are natives purposely selected,
that the naive I inguage may be spok-n. How are
they either to controul the contaminating influence of
the foreign habits on the Sabbaths, spent as they univer-
sally are, in every idle and derniralizing dissipation?
however they may be regi icied by their own private re-
gulations, confining them to the walls of their establish-
ments from actually participating in such pleasures,
will those restrictions defeat the influence, if their regu-
lations be acted upon, which is by no means the univer-
sal case, arising from the known and observed existence
of such a mode of passing the Sunday with others, ten-
dering them more impatient under and disgusted with
their own exclusion. But it is far from an unfreqnent
occurrence that by the inconsiderately requested indul-
gence of friends and relatives to gain them holidays on
this day, they do too often intermix in these profane
reveliies, and thus does the foundation become laid for
life of that lamentab!e discontent and distaste so often

visible now amongst us, for the reverent and decorous
abstinence from every incompatible occupation of this
sacred day, observed in our own country.
These are some of the evils of even our own Schools
abroad. And yet what are they compared with those
resulting from the native institutions? It will not, it is
presumed, require many words to satisfy any reasonable
mind, that of all the evils to which a Protestant parent
Can expose his child, having either his moral interest at
heart, or the desire of bringing hint up in any spirit of
affection or patriotism for the land of his birth—the
greatest must be that of risking the principles he is
to imbibe to a foreign and Catholic establishment. Too'
many lamentable proofs of the irreparable injury of
such infatuated disregard to their best welfare are
remaining now standing proofs of this folly.
Whatever may be alleged in asse►tion of the non-
interference of the heads of Convents or Colleges, or
of the chefi•dinstitsrtien of their private Seminaries,
in the-religious feelings or opinions of their Protestant
eleves, that mind must be seared to more than ordi-
nary credulity, that could for a moment sappose it
probable that the conductors of a Catholic institution
would forego their influence over the minds of rising
Protestants I ! The fact is the reverse I And they would

neither be consistent, nor be deemed good Catholics, by
neglecting—nor would their Confessors absolve them for
the neglect of such golden opportunities of proselyesm
and conversion. 14 Verbal?, sat sapienti."—So counselleth
yours, truly, PHILO-PATRIS.