36 THE NEW METHOD 



Not until 1830 did the government of France make 

 any attempt to introduce the new education, and her 

 public schools had fallen far behind those of Ger- 

 many. Then a vigorous movement was made in 

 France to raise public instruction to a better standard 

 by the appointment of Victor Cousin as minister of 

 education. He began his work by first making himself 

 acquainted with the best school systems of Europe. 



In his report he was emphatic in the statement that 

 the schools of Germany are far superior to all others 

 in Europe. He recommended the immediate recon- 

 struction of the schools of France on the German 

 models. He seemed almost to feel obliged to apologize 

 for studying and recommending the school system 

 of a rival nation. He told France that she ought 

 not to lose the experience of Germany — that 

 national rivalries and antipathies would here be 

 entirely out of place. He farther said: "I am as 

 great an enemy as any one to artificial imitations, but 

 let us not reject a thing because it has been thought 

 good by others. We constantly imitate England in 

 many ways, and to our great advantage. And why 

 should we blush to borrow something from kind, 

 honest, pious, learned Germany, in what regards 

 inward life, and the nurture of the soul.' 



But the system advocated by Cousin was only par- 

 tially carried out, and primary education in France 

 has never attained to the standard of Germany. 



