New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-26


The following letter was addressed by
MIR CARLYLE to a great meeting in support Of the
National Public School Association, held in London
OF he 7th inst
CHELSEA May :, 1881.
DEAR SIR: | unfortunately cannot attend your
meeting this evening but will take the offered oppOr
tunity OF testifylng If It should be judged OF any
moment. that do altogether approve Of your enter
prise consider Il 10 be one of the most pressingly
needhil in our day, and with my whole heart wish 1t
speedy and complete success. think If ever there
was cause worth pleading before the pubic from
platforms yours falls under that description, IN the
present state Of matters among us. TO myself II
sorOw fully seems and has long seemed, one OF the
most singular and will add dsgra ceiul facts under
the sun that IN country so rich IN all human means
as England-and rch, too, IN heroic ancestors and
noble membranes, and admOnltlons toward what
ever Is hlghest-the mass OF the population should
remain at this day, not only ileducated according
TO the current insufficient notions and standard, but
not educated at al LETT TO 1--we ana 70 die, genera
ton after generation, as If there had no knowledge
ever come into the world, and the art OF thinking"
nav the very art of reading and spelling had not yet
been invented What Is the meaning of Church,
what Is the meaning OF state, or OF society az all If
this Is 10 be the practice OF II without educa-
ton saws Luther " men are a. bears and wolves"
Is IL not the ciearest duty, prescribed by nature her
self, under silent but real and awful penalties, on
governing persons IN every society, 70 see that The
people sd FAR as possible are taught that wherever
a citizen Is born some chance be offered HIM OF be
coming IL man." and not a bear or wolf " and
more care be had that the intellect OF such citizen,
which is the sacred lamp Of heaven, and On the
truest sense) Gods own revelation" 10 him, be not
left smothered under dark lgnoranceS senSualties,
and Sordld distractions but made 10 shine for him,
and guide his steps toward good goal TINS IS for
ever the duty Of governors and persons OF authority
IN human societies. This duty once neglected and
forgotten their part, II l. too fatally certain all
other duties Will gradually become impossible for
them, and prove nugatory and imaginary as per-
formed by them. In our present mode Of manage
ment in England, where the sO-caled governors
have neither honor nor will 10 attempt this ongn
lected and irnperaiTey needul enterprise OF getting
the people taught, II has become the duty Of every
good citizen to come forward and DO what IN HIM
hes that II might be neglected 70 longer. This Is
the sanction Of your meeting and agitation whatSO-
ever meetings and agitations may want proper sane
ton. YOU appear to me to have Il. HancS 70 the
work then and rest not TIL By such methods as
youhave, something efectual Is got done IN this most
pressing OF public causes. Shame upon Us, and upon
ali EngliShmen if England cannot al last, IN these
fftles OF the nineteenth century, SO much az teach
al her children the four-and-swenty letters. In
haste remain, yours very faithfully T. CARLYLE.
JoEN s. Smith, Esq, Sec, &c. &c.