/() EDUCATION OF THE WORKING CLASSES. 



to make room for those improvements which tlie progress thus far 

 made imperatively demands. In short, to every one who may with 

 justice be called the lover of his species, the investigation of a subject 

 of this nature must present in-esistihle claims to his attention, for 

 the result must tend more and more to convince him that under the 

 banner of education are found piety, truth, and obedience to the laws; 

 where education is wanting, vice, profligacy, and theft must of 

 necessity abound. 



In order to be properly introduced to the subject, as well as to 

 form an idea of the progress made, I ])ropose to take a glance at the 

 state of education at diiferent periods, commencing at the time of the 

 Refoi-mation. All Who have made history their study must have 

 formed a general idea of the state of education at that period. It 

 may be considered the starting point of civilization, in the most 

 enlarged acceptation of the word. Previous to this period knowledge 

 had been almost entirely confined to the religious orders ; being 

 studiously kept from the mass of the people, in order, if an opinion 

 may be given, that they might the better exert an undue influence 

 over the national mind. At this period, however, something had 

 been done — commerce with its civilizing influence had acquired an 

 importance to which it had never before arrived ; colonization upon 

 a large scale had taken place — much had been done to shew of what 

 mind is composed — for man had commenced thinking for himself. 



At this period, Mons. Guizot, in his " History of Civilization," 

 says, " The activity of the human mind displayed itself in every 

 way — in the relations of men with each other ; in their relations with 

 the governing powers ; in the relations with states ; and the intel- 

 lectual labours with individuals ; — in short, it was the age of great 

 men and of great things. The events were more numerous, varied, 

 and important than in any of the preceding ages. A vast cflbrt was 

 now made b)^ the human mind to achieve its freedom ; it was a new- 

 born desire which it felt to think and judge freely and independently 

 of facts and opinions, which till then Europe received, or was con- 

 sidered bound to receive, from the hands of authority. It was a 

 gi-eat endeavour to emancipate human reason, and to call things by 

 their right names ; it was an insurrection of the human mind against 



