Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-11-29
Of the Masses in Eng-
land.

A
A late article in the London Times, on
the moral and intellectual condition oil
the labouring classes in England, speaks
in very desponding terms of the almost
hopeless ignorance which characterizes
the masses in that great kingdom. The
deplorable picture of degration and ig-
norance which this account exhibits, is
an eloquent commentary OIL the Govern
ment ard politics of that country. If q
potion Of those immense revenues which
are appropriated to the maintainance OF
her magnificent naval and military es-
tablishmenis, so frequently the mere
agents of her injustice and lawless am
bition, and Of those enormous sums
squandered to pamper the bloatea luxury
of her effeminate p nces and nobility,
were devotedtto the diffusion of intelli-
gence among her poor benighted millions,
aud the increase of educational facilities,
how much more true glory, would shed
lis lustre round her royal diadem, than is
reflected from the blood stained trophies
of her proudest victoriesl How the
naughty and far-shning glories of the
British name wanes and fades in its
splemlour, when we come to examine
her at home! The Times says: 1--WE
speak not as politicians, philosophers or
religionisss, much less as partisans,
when we record our sorrowful expert
ence, that the labouring classes are more
ignorant than It would be decent or even
possible to describe. What they know
of religion it is not easy to say, for they
are little in the habit OF expressing their
thoughts, and are least of all able to Co
so under scrutiny. What may be called
their professional knowledge, is highly
respectable. The British laborer is the
best fUing tool in the world. Blu, here
all his knowledge and intelligence ends.
Beyond his workshop he generally
knows nothing. There is no amount of
ignorance or of error of which he is not
capable. He knows nothing Of the
face of this globe-nothing Of the history
or constitution of his couniry--nothing
of It's poets, its philosopher and its di
vines. The enthusiastic young clergy
man who enters on the care of an agri-
cultural parish, fresh from the studies
and honours of the University, finds as
great gulf between himself and the
minds of his flock, as if they were newly
converted natives of New Zealand.-
Shakespeare, Million, Pope, Gray, and
Goldsmith, in fact all our other national
names are as utterly unknown to the
mass of our people, as they are to the
population of China. Ii man is old
enough to remember George the 4th, he
may be possibly shrewd enough TO con.
clude that there was also George lst.,
but beyond that he knows nothing; and
in general if he were informed by gem
tleman that George lst was established
in his kingdom by Caesar or Alexander,
or Abraham, he would swallow it with
out the slightest hesitation, just as he
would any other absurdy in history or
science. In truth so far as regards all
these things he is an utter barbarian -
1t will be seen that the latter portion of
the above remarks apply to the better
order OF the middle classes of British
population. In that portion of the peo-
pie known as the .ioUer orders there
does NOT exist even this degree of illu.
mination,