596 LECTURES AND LEARNING AMONG 



Oh ! who could see her as she lay in her mild beauty dress'd, 

 Nor feel a wish to share with her that deep unbroken rest 

 That faultless loveliness which speaks a gentle seraph's birth 

 A star, if ever star there were, upon the dewy earth ! 



And now the mother looks for her, whene'er the silent night 

 Is gemm'd with countless stars serene, intensely, purely bright; 

 But to the eye of Faith alone, that vision fair is given 

 That mother may not see her child, until they meet in heaven ! 



W. G. T. 



LECTURES AND LEARNING AMONG THE HIGHEST 

 CLASSES IN GREAT BRITAIN. REMARKS ON 

 EDUCATING THE POOR. 



From the MS. Letters of a Distinguished Foreigner. 



BEING greatly lionized during my sojourn in Great Britain, the 

 ranks of the highest classes of society eagerly received me. My ob- 

 ject is not to describe manners, but to speak of the education and of 

 the peculiar style of literature most in repute among the different 

 grades of the community. I shall not therefore say one word on any 

 other point, except in so far as my subject may demand. 



I found it very fashionable to attend conversaziones, amongst the 

 ladies, where the parties were sufficiently exclusive; and, amongst 

 the gentlemen, lectures and scientific meetings, when distingue, were 

 much followed. My presence was courted by the getters up of these 

 affairs ; and I found myself not unfrequently in contact with men 

 celebrated both from their rank and their talents. It may be ob- 

 jected to my account of these literary reunions, that my being a 

 stranger to the peculiar genius of the country must incapacitate me 

 from giving a fair estimate of their value : it may be so, but as I am 

 unprejudiced, and had every facility afforded me for understanding 

 them, I feel that my sentiments are in accordance with common 

 sense a moral quality of equal growth in many nations. 



The first meeting I attended was in consequence of one of my 

 noble friends earnestly requesting me to accompany him, as a matter 

 of singular interest was that evening to occupy the attention of his 

 learned brethren. The society, so far as I was able to comprehend 

 its aim, was meant to preserve old buildings, old stones, old names, 

 and other antique things from being lost ; for which laudable purpose, 

 a kind of journal was published, in which their existence was re- 

 corded, and a museum established, into which such as were portable 

 were safely placed. The rooms were large and splendid ; there was a 

 noble library, and the company assembled of the most imposing cha- 

 racter. 



