Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-09-30
Masbinaton Sentinsl.

/
SCHOOLS N CHIyA-One of the favorite
maxims of the Chinese is, "By learning, the
sons of the poor become great without, learn
ing, the sons of the great are mingled with the
common people," The beneficial influence OF
this maxim is observable in the village schools
! which are generally well attended, since il Is
| natural for every father to hope that one of his
children, at least, may distinguish himself by a
superior capacity, and thus make his own for
tune, as well as that Of his family; for, rs pa
rents are frequently degraded in consequence
of the misconduct of IL son, so they are often
honored and rewarded on account of his yir-
| tues.
| 1t is somewhat remarkable, that in coun-
| try where the system OF instruction IS entirely
regulated by the laws and forms so material
| part Of the constitution, there should be no
free schools supported by government, nor any
establishment for education founded by the
muniicence of those who, in every age, have
acquired fame and riches by their literary at.
tainments. The master of district school is
paid at the rate of ten shilngs year for each
bow vet even this small sum cannot very easi-
ly be spared by laboring man, whose wages
are not more than fourpence day; SO that
many families of the poorer classes send only
one son to school, selecting, of course, him who
shows the most promising genius. The boys
are incited to industry and good behavior by
the hope of prizes, which are distributed at
stated periods, and consist of pencils, Indian
ink, paper, and little palettes for grinding the
ink, which are all much priced by the Chinese,
who call them the "four precious materials,
and teach the children to keep them in very
neat order.
In most of the country villages, and in all
large cities, there are evening schools for boys
| rhn oIli 10 q
the children of the poor are Injured to labor
from very tender age, so that little fellows OF
five or six years of age may be seen trudging
along the roads. with stick across their Shout
ders carving loads, and they are set to work
in the fields almost as soon as they can walk.
1t is the usual practice, now, for persons or
rank and wealth to engage private tutors Tor
their children: but whether the latter are edu-
Gated at home or at public school, they must
undergo the regular examinations before they
are eligible to office, nor are they taught IN
any way differently from the boys at the village
eminares.-Descriptire China, Pictorial ana
c Historical.
THE GREAT CANADIAN RAILWAY, for the con
structon and equipment of which the contrac
has been taken by wealthy firm in England
will be 900 miles long-commencing at q
point on the st. Lawrence l2O miles below
Quebec, and terminating at point opposite
Detroit The road will pass through or neal
Quebec, Montreal. Kingston, Belleville, Co
: bourg, Toronto and Hamilton, terminating a
, the waters of Lake Huron, near Detroit. lti
to be constructed with the wide guage, and II
every respect to be made in the most substan
tial manner The river ST. Lawrence is to b!
spanned by a hugo iron bridge, on the teasl
:, biity of which favorable opinion has bee,
: given by Mr.. Stephenson, the celebrated engl
d neer. The capital has been subscribed in Eng
i land, and the contract for the entire work, III
cluding the right of way, bridges, construction
l. rails, locomotives, cars, station houses, ware
: houses, &c. is 5000 mile, amounting alto
i gether to from forty to forty-6ye millions Q
dollars.
I The LOVE OF HoME.-It is only shallow
minded ,pretenders who either make dlstin
{ guished origin matter Of personal merit, O
obscure origin matter of personal reproach
. Taunt and scoffing at the humble condition 0
early life affect nobody in this country but those
who are foolish enough to indulge in them, ano
they are generally sufficiently punished by the
published rebuke. A man who is not ashaE.ee
of himself need not be ashamed of his early
condition. 1t did not happen to me to be borr
in a log cabin, but my elder brothers and SIS
ters were born IN log caDll ralseu alhois
the snow drifts of New Hampshire at a periot
so early that, when the smoke first rose from
its rude chimney, and cured over the frozer
hill, there was no similar evidence OF white
t mans habitation between it and the settlements
on the rivers of Canada. Its remains still eN
list: | make it an annual visit. / carry my
children to it to teach them the hardships Ell
dured by the generations which have gone
before them. ! love to dwell on the tender
recollections, the kindred ties, the early atfec
tons, and the narrations and incidents which
mngle with oil know Of this primitive famil,
abode. weep to think that none OF those
who inhabited it are now among the hvlng
and if ever | fail in afectiohate veneration To-
| him who raised it, and defended it agains
savage violence and destruction, cherished al
: the domestic virtues beneath its root, ane
through the fire and blood of seven years revo
lutionary war, shrunk from no toll, no sacrihc'
to serve his country and to raise his children
to a condition better than his own, may m.
r name and the name of my posterlty be blotte'
forever from the memory of mankind.
.. Daniel Hebster.
s Nou,, AnvrpTIsISG-In the city OF New