The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-05-31
England VS.. America.

Tom" mania we commend the following from
Dickens Household words:
at has been calculated that there arc in Eng
land and Wales 100000 persons who can nei-
ther read nor write-that is to say, about one.
third of the population, including, of course, in
fsnts but of all the children between five and
fourteen, more than one half attend no place of
public instruction. These statements, compiled
by Mr.. Kay from official and other authentic
sources, for his work on the Social Condition and
Education of the Poor in England and Europe
would be hard to believe, if we had not to en-
counter in our every day life degrees Of literacy
which would be startling, if we were not thor
ouchly used to it. Wherever we turn, igno.
rance not always allied to poverty, stares US in
the face If we look in the Gazette at the list
of partnerships dissolved, not a month passes but
some unhappy man, rolling perhaps in wealth,
but wallowing in ignorance, is put to the erper-
iimentum crusis of his mark The number of
petty Jurors, in rural districts, especially, who
can only sign with cross, is enormous. 1t Is
not urusual to see parish documents Of great To-
cal Importance defaced with the same humia-
ting symbol by persons whose office not only
shows them to be 'lnen Of mark, but men of sub
stance. We have printed already specimens Of
the partial ignorance which passes under the pen
of the post Office authorities, aud we may ven
ture to assert that such specimens Of penman-
ship and photography are not to be matched in
any other country in Europe. A housewife in
humble life need only turn to the file of herhus
bands bills to discover hieroglyphics which ren-
der them so many arithmetical puzzles. In
short, the practical evidences of the low ebb to
which the plainest rudiments of education in
this country has fallen, are too common to bear
repetition. We cannot pass through the streets,
we cannot enter place of public assembly, or
ramble in the fields, without the gloomy Shadow
of ignorance sweeping over us. The rural pop
ulation is indeed in worse plight than the 9th
er classes
Taking the adult of agricultural laborers, it is
almost impossible to exaggerate the Ignorance
in which they live and move, and have their be-
ing. As they work in the fields, tie external
world has some hold upon them through the
medium of their senses; but TO all the higher ex-
ercises of intellect, they are perfect Strangers
You cannot address one Of them without being
at once painfully struck with the intellectual
darkness which eiIshrouds him. There is in gen
era neither speculation in his eyes, nor intelli
gence in his countcnance. The whole expression
is more that of an animal than of man. lie
is wanting, too, in the erect and independent
Bearing Of man. When you accost him, if he
is not insolent (which he seldom is-he is tinid
and shrinking, his whole manner showing that
he feels himself at distance from you greater
than should separate any two classes of men.-
He is often doubtful when YOU address, and sus-
picious when you question him; he is seemingly
oppressed with the interview, while it lasts, and
obviously relieved when it is over. These are
the traits which can affirm them to possess as
class, after having come in contact With many
hundreds Of farm laborcrs They belong to
generation for whose intellectual culture little or
nothing was done. As a class they have no
amusements beyond the Indulgence Of sense. In
nine cases out of ten recreation is associated in
their minds with nothing higher than sensualty.
l have frequently asked clergymen and Others, if
they often find the adult peasant reading for his
own or others amusement? The invanable an
swcr is, that such a sight is seldom or never wit
nesscd:' In the first place the great bulk Of the
people cannot read In the next q large proper
ton of those who can, so do with too much DIFF
fculty to admit of the exercises being an amuse
ment to them. Agan, few of those who can
read with comparative ease, have the taste for
doing so.
The WALDESsEs-The New York Evan
gelist says in relation to this interesting people,
The Rev. Mr. Ravel, an honored pastor Of the
Waldenses, is now in this country on brief
visit for the purpose of promoting the better
acquaintance of our churches with the venera-