The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-25
The Ma..aeha.es,. Q.ar,srIy Review.

We have received the second namber OF this
work, the exponent Of the views Of WALDO
EMERSON, THEODORE PARKER, and other gentle
men Of similar sentiments. Whatever one may
think of the peculiar doctrines Of these gentle
men, he must be struck with the vigor and
freshness Of their articles Whatever else they
may be doing, il is evident that they are not
sleeping. From an article on the "EdHe1tioa
of the People" We make a quotation:
"The Common schools, therefore are TIE
most important institutions Of New England
IL there had been none such for two hundred
years past, the mass Of men would have been
unable to read, and write, and calculate; those
attainments would be the monopoly Of a lev
men Of superior wealth OF superior natural
ability. As the natural consequence, Agricui-
ture would have been in poor state; Com
merce in a poor state; Manufactures a hundred
years behind their present condition. There
would not be the signs Of life, activity, Thrift
Of continual progress, visible all over the New
England States. The crowds which in Boston
now attend the lectures Of the Lowell Institute,
and other means Of instructive OF refined amuse-
ment. would seek their entertainment in a Bull
fight, or a Bear batting; perhaps in Man-hghi
Of Bruisers in a ring, or Soldier batting on the
Common. Public lectures would be a. rare "a
Boston, as in Montreal, Halifax, or even New
Orleans and Naples. The government would
not be Democracy, getting more ana more
democratic, but DespOtism in the form Of
Monarchy or Arstoeracy; government o'ts
all, but BY few, and against the interest OF the
many. The Few aud the Strong would own the
bodies Of the W eak and the Many in New ing
land, as well as in South Carolina and Morocco
There would not be a hundred churches IN Dos
ton, filled by, intelligent men of more thana
hundred different ways Of thinking on religious
matters-each claiming freedom Of conscience
but three or four magnificent and costly tenn
plies, in which the ignorant and squalid people,
agape for miracles, ridden by their rulers, and
worse ridden by their priests, met 20 adore some
relic of a Saint-the pocket-handkerehiei Of the
Mother Of God, and the nail from the cross, OF
from the horse the Queen of Sheba die not ride'
a hair from ST. Joseph's beard, or perhaps the
seamless coat Of Christ, The city would swsrm
with monks dedicated to Ignorance ana hiih-
ness. and religiously fulfilling at least that par
of their vow. There would be slaves IN Nes
England, not black slaves alone, but whi'e'
Freedom would be in few HANDS, Land IN lev
hands; Education in few hands; Power IN lev
hands; Comfort and Virtue in few hands NeS
England might then be the Heaven Of the k'eh
and the Noble, the Purgatory Of the Wise ana
the Good, but the He'll Of the Poor and ths
Weak.
"If there had never been any public schools
for girls in New England, then the majority Of
women would have had the monopoly Of igno-
rance. They would be the slaves Of the men,
not their companions. The hardest and mos
revolving work, in the streets, the seows, ana 'hs
drains, would be performed by the hands OF SIS
rers, wives, mothers. Woman would be m'
victim of Lust, Of lntemPeranee, OF every
crime-irod down into the dust, but poisoning
still the oppressive foot.