, 1873-01-08

OuidtlOu' GudG L SuOUlu l00L IIk0 lnCEOuuC~
ing Liliputians to Brobdingnagians. Suf-
fee it to say that the Budget presents a
fair balance of income and expense, and
bears proofs of the national prosperity fol-
lowing upon the heavy blows and still re-
serted disasters of 1864, and enabling the
little kingdom of Denmark, as left by the
Vienna Peace, to vie in more respects than
one with, nay, to outiank, the former
Danish Monarchy reaching to the Elbe.
Neither the estimates nor the income side
OF the Budget have offered to the Opposi-
ton any sufficient matter of charge against
the Government. | am confirmed in nv
belief that not before February or March
shall we see any decisive attempt made at
turning out the Government from our Par
liamentary Opposition, which has not, as
by a clerical error I am made to say in my
last letter, a majority of 60 to 70 voices,
but commands about 60 votes as against
40 in a House of 102 members.
Among the Bills introduced by the Gov
ernment there is one concerning public in
struction, which will, no doubt, occupy a
considerable share of this Sessions time
a0d work, and may claim some interest
IN other countries where the same question
is agitated. Denmark is one of the best
instructed countries in Europe. For Sc
vcral generations, since 1914 if a distinct
date is to be named, a system of obligato-
ry and gratuitous public instruction has
been organized as well in the couatry as in
the towns, the children having to be sent
to school from their seventh to their four
teenth year, and receiving there from pub
Ilcly appointed teachers elementary know
ledge, comprising, besides "the three R's.'
religion, biblical history, Danish history,
geography, and a short abridgement of uni
verSal history. In the towns the children
OF the poorer classes only have frequented
the public schools, other people preferring
to send their children either to the gram
mar schools preparing pupils for the Uni
YerSlty or to private institutions of more
elevated character, but in the country the
formers and the cottagers' children meet
ON equal conditions in the sch ool-room,
and this community in childhood has much
contributed to keeping up the intellectual
equality between these classes, though d.
ylded socially and matrimonially by as deep
a gulf as any two Indian castles. Since
the introduction in 184S of the free charter
and the manhood suffrage, the necessity
has been telt OF improving the public in
structiOn of the people, aud several impor-
tant reforms in this respect have been
made, especially by the energy of Mr.. Hall,
the present Minister of Public Instruction,
and by Bishop Monrad, who before becom-
ing Prime Minister directed with great
skill the same Department. A most inn
portant feature in this progress is, how
ever, due to private enterprise opening all
over the country popular high schools,
where tor a winter, or for a year, or for
two winters, as they can afford it young
fellows OF the peasant class attend a course
OF tree lectures, where the different parts
OF human knowledge are treated in such a
way as to be understood by hearers who
bring with them only the standard of in
struction to be obtained in the public
schools, while opening for them, at the
same time, the doors of higher insight.
When in the beginning of September J
wrote to you about the venerable poet and
preacher Bishop Grundtvig. who died at
the age OF almost 80 years, and was buried
with impressive demonstrations from his
numerous followers, I pointed out as one
of his chief merits the impulse given by
him to the opening of these popular high
schools, and which now bears fruit not on
w IN Denmark. but also in Cuodan ond