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CENTRAL SOCIETY OF EDUCATION. 



Sixteen years have elapsed since Lord Brougham, then a mem- 

 ber of the House of Commons, called the attention of the legisla- 

 ture and the country to the subject of the education of the working 

 classes ; and although, from that time to this, little has been done 

 towards supplying the deficiencies then, in a measure, discovered, 

 one good has, at any rate, resulted ; the minds of people have 

 become habituated to the subject, and the idea that all classes of 

 men should receive such an education as will lit them for perform- 

 ing their duties as members of society, has almost ceased to wear 

 that badge of revolution — novelty. In a little while, John Bull 

 may persuade himself that he is convinced, and he will then move 

 towards the attainment of the object with all that determination, 

 boldness, and liberality, which characterizes his other undertakings. 



The ridicule that was cast upon all who advocated the emanci- 

 pation of the slaves, is still fresh in the memory of the youngest 

 amongst us. The common sense of England seemed offended at the 

 mention of such an absurdity : but those who undertook to plead 

 the cause persevered ; they knew that what they required was 

 practicable, was reasonable, was right ; and all that they had to do 

 was to exhibit the subject, for a sufficient length of time, before the 

 eyes of the public to convince it that such was the case. It is re- 

 corded of Sir James Scarlett that, when once addressing a jury, he 

 repeated the same argument over, and over, and over again. "What 

 were you about ?" said one of his friends to him, when he had 

 gained his cause, ie you repeated that argument, at the least, twenty 

 times." "Did you not observe/' replied the practised advocate, 

 ,f that yonder stout farmer, to whom the rest of the jury greatly 

 defered, was determined not to have a new idea put into his head 

 against his own consent ? How sturdily he put his hands into his 

 pockets ! how I repeated my argument to him until he got accus- 

 tomed to it — until I ascertained, by his countenance, that he said 

 to himself ' Aye ; that 's just what I was thinking myself!' I 

 then knew that my cause was won." The Central Society of 

 Education, at whose head we perceive Lord Denman, has been or- 

 ganized at a happy moment, for it has no longer the novelty of 

 the subject to contend with ; and it may now apply its efforts to the 

 consideration of the subject itself. The Prospectus of the Society 

 is now before us, and from it we find that it is proposed " to col- 

 lect, classify, and diffuse information concerning the education of 

 all classes in every department, for the purpose of ascertaining 

 by what means individuals may be best fitted, in health, in mind, 

 and in morals, to fill the stations which they are destined to occupy 

 in society." The subjects for investigation are divided into five 

 principal heads : — 1. Primary education ; 2. Secondary education ; 

 3. Superior or university education ; 4. Special or professional edu- 

 cation ; 5. Supplementary education. 



