The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-11-30
Mr.. Buckingham's Lecture on the Middle
Ages.

Ages.
Mr. LEIcEsrERF +. A. BucKrNG HAM delivered, on Tues
day at Clinton Hail. the third lecture Of his course
literature learning and religion in the middle ages
The highly favorable impression produced by the pre-
cedng lectures evidenced itself in the augme nted
number of the auditory present on this occasion, and
the intense interest with which the lecturer was lis
tened to- and the warm applause which greeted him.
when he concluded gave ample proof of the gratica-
ton afforded by his discourse. Having discussed in
the last lecture the which existed for pro-
duction of books in the middle ages aud the abors Of
the monks in their multiplication, Mr.. Buckingham
proceeded consider their exerons In the dissemna
ton Of knowledge, and the nature Of the facitie,
which then existed for the diffusion of education
among the public. He noticed the statement
CT Halam that the church placed no restrictions
on the ordination of illiterate persons and
proved. by the citation. of the DEGREES of va
rious councils, that this assertion Is whslly in
accurate, and that the most careful vigilance
exercised to the possession of a competent
share of learning by those who admitted to the
priesthood The obligation of learning was equally
Incumbent upon the monks. The various mo nastic
rules declared most emphatcsy that knowledge was
quafcat in dispe Dsable to those who uned the
monastic history prove that the rule thus prescribed
was constantly and vigorously enforced. The stand.
ard Of literary excellence, too, was then far higher
who fulfilled the requirements embodied in mo nastc
rules and canoncal DEGREES, must have arrived ut
high degree Of intellectual cultivation. In reference
to this point, Mr.. buckingham noticed some Of the
false statemen ts put forward by various moden his
toriaps with regard to the monks and clergy of the
middle ages, and clearly demonstrated their entire
opposition to historic truth. Dr. Robertson has
declared that, from the seventh to the eleventh CEN
fury, the clergy ignorant that they could not
ad the revary the fact being that the Brevinry it.
self did not then exist, having been compiled about
the end ofthe eleventh century; and ample evidence
remaining to show that not only the power of reading
but the possession Of a very extensive amount of
knowledge ard DR. Henry, illustration of epis.
copal has recorded very funny story CON
corning the blunders Of Meiniverc Bishop of Pader
borer, every word of which Is proved to be false by
simple reference to the writer whom he cites as his
authority while the Bishop himself is proved to have
been Of considerable learning, patron
Of educ alton, liberal founder Of schools and warm
epcourager oflearnDg in all within the circle Of bis
influence In answer to the assertion constantly reit-
Grated that the monks not learned Mr. Bucking.
ham to draw attention to two circumstances
having upon this division of the
fuhject In the first place 1t must not be forgotten that
the monateres not originally established 70
as academies of human earning They we're designed
rather for purposes Of religion and charity than
the promotion of education and the monks would
have been guilty Of deviation from the rule their
founders if they had been little versed in secular
knowledge has been asserted by their antagonists
And In the second place. must be remembered that
the views of learning prevalent among the monks
were very different from those which accepted at
the present day. The classics which so highly
esteemed, and acquaintance with which regarded
as an indispensable part of learned education,
looked upon by them with aversion they deemed them
not only useless but positively pernicous in their
dency and they neglected them altogether that they
might devote their time and energies to other matters
Of far greater interest and importance But that the
monks did really encourage learning according to the
views which they entertained of its real character,
Mr.. buckingham clearly demonstrated by Q
facts sttested by the records of authentic his.
invariably q school for the education Of youth
In the earliest monastc establishments founded by
later ages this custom everywhere retained and
encouraged and mended by the oanops as a most
laudable and necessary practice al these monastic
sought 1t and the monasc libraries freely open
to the public and students permitted not only
to read the books in the libraries but also to convey
them to their own homes. The parish priests too
instructed to receive all children whom the pa
ents might desire to commit to their charge edu
csten, and to train them in all useful knowledge
and they were strictly prohibited from demanding any
schools too besides those In the monasteries not only
cities and towns, but the smaller hamlets appear
to have possessed such establishments and Pope Alex
H. directed the French bishops to prevent
of these schools from making any charge for tuition
since knowledge ought TO be freely given to all who
them boosted number Of students which prese ats
q most striking contrast to their present
and the clergy and temporal rulers
both by precept and by practical ecton In promoting
the spread Of knowledge among the people-fou ding
colleger, endowng schools becoming teach
diligent pursuit Of learning In coneiusion INF Buck
ipghsm noticed the objections made by Mr. Hallam
and Dr. Henry to this favorable view Of the means of
education in the middle ages. Mr. Hallam asserts that
the schools exclusively religious; but an examina.
ton Of their history shows that the course Of educs
ton pursued in them embraced q vast variety of
branches of secular knowledge and DR. Henry affrms
that earning did not promote the of those
who possessed IT. but to the page. of his ewn
history affords numerous examples of the mt
Of dignity, in both church and State on account of
superior learning and such instances are abundant
in the history Of the middle ages We have BEEN Of
nnIu hoY nnt1,p ~ H.
maintained in MIR Buckingham's lecture It would be
vain to attempt to place before aders the vast
amount of curious evidence by which he sustained his
various propositions The testimony which he adduced
was clear and convincing and amply demonstrated
the accuracy Of his conclusions and those who lis
tened to his able and eloquent lee will be inclined
hereafter to smile at the stale OF monk
ifh darkness and ignorance which have been hitherto
much in favor with certain class Of fanstca and
ill-iDformed historians.
On Friday evening, Mr.. Buckingham will proceed
to the consideration Of the diffusion the scriptures
much opposed to popular prejudice on the other
questions which he has already discussed. The re-
lgous public will feel assured mu oh curiosity
to hear the evidence by which is proposed to prove
studied by the monks and clergy and rendered by
them accessible to the peoples and the
student cannot fail to be grathed by the discussion
Of question Of go much Importance affecting our
views Of the character and position Of
Mr.. Buckingham has already shown that be Ia a per.
1ect master of the subject which he has
TO treat and we shall look with much curiosity to
his succcss in demonstrating the positions which he
Is to maintain on Friday evening.
REVENUE OF CANADA.-The Canada GJectfe of
the 18th instant furnishes an abstract OF the returns
Of the gross revenue for the year ending October TO-
1S4S The following table will com pare the result with
that of the preceding year -