ALLOTMENT SYSTEM. 103 



independently upon the fruits of their own labor, had been ten 

 ants of an alms-house, where their spirits were broken down, 

 their children separated from them, husband and wife divided, 

 and all power of mending their condition effectually taken away. 

 New life was imparted to them as soon as they were uncaged, 

 and an opportunity afforded of obtaining from the prolific earth, 

 by their own willing labor, that support which Heaven formed it 

 to yield to well-directed industry. Separate from all moral con 

 siderations, instead of being a burden and an expense, to the 

 community, they now became themselves aids to bear these 

 burdens and to share in these expenses. This was an immense 

 gain j and, regarded by a reflecting mind in all its various bear 

 ings upon the community and upon themselves, its value cannot 

 be overstated. 



There was another circumstance in the case, to which I cannot 

 help referring with peculiar pleasure ; and that is, the provision 

 made by the labor of the boys for their own education. The 

 education, it is true, is of a very limited description. It embraces 

 only reading, writing, the first principles or rules of arithmetic, 

 and instruction in the elements and formularies of the established 

 religion. Even this was a great gain. To be taught even the 

 use of their own minds, in the acquisition of knowledge, is a great 

 gain ; to have even a few scattered rays of intellectual light 

 poured into the darkened soul, may call into powerful exercise the 

 desire of knowledge, which will impatiently search for the means 

 of further gratification, and invent resources for itself. Its effect 

 must be to elevate a human being, from a mere senseless imple 

 ment or machine, into a consciousness of his own intellectual 

 nature, and bring with it a degree of self-respect, which, in its 

 humblest form, cannot but be favorable to good conduct and 

 virtue. But the children found at these schools, in addition to 

 mental instruction, that which many schools of a higher descrip 

 tion do not furnish. They were trained to habits of regular and 

 useful industry, instructed in the arts of husbandry, and in the 

 most intelligent and economical application of labor. To what 

 better school could they be sent ? Under what better discipline 

 could they be trained ? I can fully understand how much in 

 this case, as in all others, must depend upon the character of the 

 teacher ; and I can easily suppose that it may be necessary often, 

 especially in a first attempt like this, to work with very imperfect 



