The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-23
Education and Discomfort.

from the I'dU Mall Gazette.
One Of those writers who in the last CEN
tury explained, with infinite satisfaction to
themselves the whole theory Of the provi-
dental government Of mankind, expressed
his delight in contemplating the ignorance of
the poor. Those born to poverty and the
drudgeries of life found in it 'the only
opiate capable of infusing that insensibility
which can enable them to endure the miseries
of the one and the fatigues of the other.
''It is, he exclaims in rapture of pious
gratitude. "a cordial administered by the
gracious hand of Providence, of which they
ought never to be deprived by an l-judged
and improper education The frankness
with which this gentleman expressed
his holy Joy at the degradation of
his countrymen is scarcely in har-
mony with our modern sentiment: but
some remnant of a similar way of thinking
is not quite extinct among us. We no longer
Justify the ignorance of the poor by their
misery, and do not openly wish them to be
stupid in order that they may be contented.
But we may at times feel that there is some
danger in letting in the light too rapidly.
Give to every poor man the knowledge and
the sensibility common in the classes above
him, and we might have a social convulsion
from which. whatever its ultimate end, 1t is
not objectionable to shrink even in imagina-
tion. Mr. Roebuck the other day expressed
an opinion that it would have been better to
educate our masters before we invited them
to assume the Legislative power. The answer
which most people would make is obvious
So long as the poor were excluded from politi-
cal power there was no chance Of gaining for
them proper education. One reason alleged in
favor of the Reform bill was that it would
necessarily lead to an effort for the exten-
sion of education, and the prophecy has re-
ceived its fulflment even more speedily than
we could have expected. Education has
rapidly gained q prominent place in the
political platform, and though Government
is hanging back and unwilling to encounter
the difficulties which surround the question,
it is certain that in a very short time some
considerable measures mnst be passed. The
Reform bill has done what it was meant to
do; it has frightened even Tories and, what
is equally surprising, even the most deter
mined apostles of the tdtsseZ .fdtre school,
into the desire for rapid extension of edu-
ton, and, moreover, of compulsory educa-
ton.
Assuming, then, that the extension of edu-
cation is an unmixed good, the reformers
have an admirable justification. But, it is
still asked, though rather in private than on
platforms, is there not some danger in this
education mania? We have given the
people power; we are now going to give them
the strongest reason for discomfort. We are
about to make every artisan and every plough
man in the kingdom feel that he is above his
work, and, as some people add, we are about
to do this without taking any precautions for
encouraging that religious teaching which is
the best security for maintaining order and
morality. May we not anticipate that in
throwing such incentives among such
dangerous materials we are putting the
match to the magazine, to the imminent
risk of many respectable institutions? The
answer again is plain up to a certain point
Discomfort is so far from being an unmiti
gated evil that it is the necessary condition o.
all reform; if we could only teach the work
ing classes to be heartily discontented will
the ordinary national school they woulC
speedily have something better; if they ar,
to repose unlimited confidence in their spirit
ual and temporal rulers, they will remain
ignorant, stupid, and wretched till doomsday
The impulse to an effectual reform may come
from above; but, unless it is encouraged by
widely spread discomfort among the persons
most affected, it will be speedily and conclu
sively checked by the profound complacenc
of the comfortable classes. The dsconten
is necessary to supply the proper leverag
for reformers; or rather it is a force wit
which we cannot dispense, though it may b
directed with equal ease in an iniuriou
beneficial direction 1t may work simple
mischief, or it may lead to permanent re
moval of the causes by which it has been pro
duced. The test of good craftsmanship i
the power of using it for one or the othe
purpose; and Minister'S wisdom may
generally estimated by the degree in whic
he tries to buy off discomfort by some tempo
rary device, or to make it subservient to care
fully planned reforms. A characteristic ev
of English legislation is the impulsive eager
ness with which we rush off to remedy spe
cial evil, entirely disregarding all the NOR
remote consequences of our actions-a cours
which naturally involves our undoing hal
our work year or two after it has been az
complished. We first listen to the grievance
of paupers, and insist upon their bein
made superfuously' comfortable and the
find that we have forgotten all about the rat,
payers and have suffered our right hand
be in rather too complete Ignorance
what our left is doing. 1t is quite possib
to deal after the same impulsive, haphazai
fashion with education. And, after all, v
may remember that education is no mol
panacea than emigration or the poor law
or any other nostrum taken by itself; tn
people may learn to read and write witho
being really converted into civilized being
and moreover that we must be as we'll pr
pared for the discomfort of enlightenment
for the discomfort of mere ignorance and bI
humors. Education is only one among
many agencies which must combine to secu
the genuine improvement of the great ma
of the people.