for educating the Feelings of the Laborious Classes. 249 



he has proposed. I allude to the formation of museums and 

 public gardens. That every town, not to say city, in the king- 

 dom should have its museum of curiosities, needs, I am con- 

 vinced, little more than the cordial concurrence of the clergy, 

 many of whom are men of the highest scientific research, as 

 well as the most active benevolence. Under this view of the 

 subject, I would propose that they should not only assist in the 

 forming of museums in their separate districts, but I would 

 also ask them to give, once or twice every week, a gratuitous 

 lecture upon their contents. I would have these museums open 

 to every one, without exception, and the popular as well as 

 scientific name written in a fair hand over each object, as also 

 some brief description intelligible to all. This, I am convinced, 

 would not only excite a general spirit of enquiry upon subjects 

 highly worthy of our attention, but also, when considered in 

 reference to natural history, be highly calculated to render 

 people both kind and benevolent in their dispositions : for what 

 man will ever behave with cruelty or neglect to any of his mute 

 dependants, when he is thoroughly informed as to the won- 

 derful conformation of even the least animal, or as to how many 

 striking resemblances there are between himself and the higher 

 ones ? When, also, his reflections are thus awakened, will he 

 ever consent to abridge the happiness of creatures for the most 

 part so useful to him, and who, unlike himself, can look 

 to no hereafter in consolation for the miseries they may suffer 

 here ? 



With reference to the formation of public gardens, you. Sir, 

 are more au fait than I am, as to the way in which such a 

 work should be commenced ; all I contend for is their utility, 

 in giving a taste for innocent and healthful pleasures, and, 

 above all, in giving a taste for botany, the effect of which pur- 

 suit, if one may judge from the manners of gardeners, is more 

 conducive to politeness and urbanity than either dancing or 

 music, or even the study of the belles iettres, properly so called. 

 Were I the clergyman of a parish, 1 would solicit even mj' 

 poorest parishioner to contribute to the formation of such a 

 garden. If he could not afford to give money, I would exhort 

 him to give a plant or a seed, or a few hours' labour at stated 

 periods from his over-hours ; for which his name should be re- 

 corded in a book kept to preserve the names of the benefactors 

 to the garden, and which should be read over every year on 

 some great day, in the church after the service. The state of 

 society produced by such improvements as those I have de- 

 scribed would be such as, I am disposed to think, Avould su- 

 persede the necessity of itinerant teachers ; indeed, I should 

 imagine that, in such a state of things, no man would consent 



