in.] A LIBERAL EDUCATION. 27 



and I believe we should have compulsory education in the course 

 of next session, if there were the least probability that half a 

 dozen leading statesmen of different parties would agree what 

 that education should be. 



Some hold that education without theology is worse than none. 

 Others maintain, quite as strongly, that education with theology 

 is in the same predicament. But this is certain, that those who 

 hold the first opinion can by no means agree what theology 

 should be taught ; and that those who maintain the second are 

 in a small minority. 



At any rate &quot; make people learn to read, write, and cipher,&quot; 

 say a great many ; and the advice is undoubtedly sensible as far 

 as it goes. But, as has happened to me in former days, those 

 who, in despair of getting anything better, advocate this measure, 

 are met with the objection that it is very like making a child 

 practise the use of a knife, fork, and spoon, without giving it a 

 particle of meat. I really don t know what reply is to be made 

 to such an objection. 



But it would be unprofitable to spend more time in disen 

 tangling, or rather in showing up the knots in, the ravelled skeins 

 of our neighbours. Much more to the purpose is it to ask if we 

 possess any clue of our own which may guide us among these 

 entanglements. And by way of a beginning, let us ask our 

 selves What is education ? Above all things, what is our ideal 

 of a thoroughly liberal education ? of that education which, 

 if we could begin life again, we would give ourselves of that 

 education which, if we could mould the fates to our own will, 

 we would give our children. Well, I know not what may be 

 your conceptions upon this matter, but I will tell you mine, and 

 I hope I shall find that our views are not very discrepant. 



Suppose it were perfectly certain that the life and fortune of 

 every one of us would, one day or other, depend upon his winning 

 or losing a game at chess. Don t you think that we should all 

 consider it to be a primary duty to learn at least the names and 

 the moves of the pieces ; to have a notion of a gambit, and a 



