366 Moral Statistics of France. 



With what success a national system of a far superior character to any 

 with which wo arc familiar can be established and worked, is shown in the 

 admirable report of Victor Cousin on the Prussian system of education, — 

 a system beyond doubt, though not perfect,* the most vigorous and com- 

 plete that has hitherto been put in operation on an extensive scale.f VVe 

 are bound therefore to anticipate that in due time its results will be pro- 

 portionately beneficial, and that an improved state of public morals will be 

 shown even by the criminal records of that country. 



But, in judging of the value of education by the state of crime in any 

 community, it must be recollected that we are supplying at best but a 

 negative test. It is almost impossible to appreciate the influence of the 

 other causes simultaneously operating on public morals, and which may 

 either neutralize the good effects of education, or positively outweigh them 

 on the opposite side. Thus education may appear in some instances to 

 have exercised little influence on the state of crime, where nevertheless, 

 could we abstract that influence, other circumstances being unchanged, the 

 moral condition of the people would have been even worse than we find 

 it. We have seen that in the northern region of France, where instruction 

 is far more prevalent than in the centre, the crimes agz^ust properly rela- 

 tively to the population are at least twice as numerous j but it is in the 

 northern region also, although most abounding in wealth (and of course in 

 temptations and opportunities for theft) that pauperism is most prevalent j 

 and it is fair to conclude, that indigence and misery are the chief causes of 

 its disproportionate share of crimes, which, under such circumstances, 

 might be even more numerous were not instruction so generally diflfused as 

 it is. On the other hand, criminal statistics aflbrd us no direct means of 

 judging of the influence of education in civilizing and refining the manners, 

 in creating new sources of occupation and enjoyment, and in repressing 

 many vicious habits which materially interfere with the happiness and wel- 

 fare of a community, though they may not be considered in our estimate of 

 crime. The influence of instruction in this way is quiet and unnoticed, 

 but we cannot doubt that it is powerful and extensive. This is true of 

 even the first elements of education, as he that can read is at once made 



use of which however he must learn as he may. ... If a national system of education 

 is to stop here, it would save much trouble and after disappointment not to attempt 

 it at all." — Simpson, pp. 34, 35. 



* See Mr. Simpson's strictures on the too exclusive importance allotted to the 

 machinery, &c. pp. 215, 224. 



t France is proceeding rapidly in the establishment of a similar system, with such 

 modifications as to the enlightened superintendence of M. Guizot seem desirable. 

 The gi-ant of 1833 for national education was ^600,000. The British legislature in 

 the same year voted ^20,000 for the same purpose, — a sum, as Mr. Simpson well 

 remarks, only valuable as " an e\'idence of the animus of the government, and as a 

 test of the feelings of the public." — p. 263. 



