40 Middle-Class Education. 



he must have enough to occupy him, and he should be subjected 

 to competition with other lads of his age. It is a dangerous 

 plan to keep him about home. Few parents — I should say not 

 one in a thousand — are capable even of managing, much less of 

 teaching their sons, so as to ensure industry and improvement. 

 The discipline of a collegiate establishment seems the only safe- 

 guard for the lad who is leaving a middle-class school, such as I 

 have sketched. Having obtained his diploma at such a college 

 as Cirencester, and being possessed of character and steady prin- 

 ciples, he will, I conceive, now need only sufficient acreage and 

 sufficient cash to float him. 



Such an education as I have sketched may possibly be con- 

 demned by a few as being on a too ambitious scale ; but, in 

 drawing it up, I have had my eye on the successful career of 

 two young lads, sons of farmers in my neighbourhood, who have 

 been as distinguished for j^ractical skill in agriculture as for 

 other attainments. 



It may not perhaps be appreciated by, or acceptable to indolent 

 mediocrity, but it is such as the intelligent eager youth will 

 jump at, and such as shall satisfy his every requirement as an 

 agriculturist, although he will now have to compete, not as 

 formerly with some few neighbouring parishes, not merely with 

 all England, but with all the world — such an education as shall 

 fit him most thoroughly to make the earth yield him her increase 

 at least expense and with the most satisfaction to himself. 



NOTES, 



Having; arvanp;e{l and -written down my own tlionp:lits on the subject of 

 Middle-Class Education, I then went through and made certain extracts from 

 the official analysis of the evidence in the ' Keport of Her Majesty's Com- 

 missioners appointed to inquire into the Eevenues and Management of certain 

 Colleges and Schools, and the studies pursued and instruction given therein ' 

 (1864), bearing upon various points which I have discussed. These extracts I 

 append below. 



ScJioIarsJn'j) may he secured hj Economy of Time. 



Right Hon. Sir J. T. Colekidge. — " In a public-school system education 

 and instruction should be distinguished : the best teaching is that of the 

 classical languages : there is an absolute necessity of carrying on concurrently 

 a considerable amount of special insti'uction : regards natural history, mathe- 

 matics, and so on as essential : would add French or German and some amount 

 of music and drawing. Would not try at Eton to make a perfect soldier, or a 

 perfect doctor, or anything of the kind, but would bring the boy's mind into 

 such a state that he should be more rcadj^ to embrace the more perfect know- 

 ledge which would be given him afterwards. Would make scholarship as 

 perfect as possible, and carry on those other collateral branches of education by 

 economy of time in the mode of teaching." 



