702 Outline of a Plan for 



chance ; what may be overcome, and what is inevitable. It will be an im- 

 measurable advance in the happiness of the lower classes, to know that in 

 the rank of mind they are on a level with the higher classes, or even nearly 

 so. When men once know exactly what they are, they will know what 

 they have a right to expect, and how to realise and maintain these rights. 



So far from knowledge and refinement of manners unfitting men and 

 women for being servants, and for filling the very humblest situations in 

 life, it is a fact not to be disguised, that all cultivation of this kind tends to 

 tame, humanise, and domesticate; and in consequence of this quality in 

 education, and the great difference which exists in the natural capacities of 

 individuals, our conviction is, that if all were highly and equally educated 

 till the age of puberty, there would be a greater difference in the qualifi- 

 cations and capacities of men and women for employment than at present, 

 and, in consequence, a greater number of persons fit only to become docile 

 domestic servants, and common out-of-door labourers, than at present. As 

 a proof that this theory is correct, we may refer to the effect of high and 

 equal education among those classes of society where it obtains. Of 500 

 country gentlemen, and 500 country ladies, who have all gone through 

 the same education, are there not a number who, if they had had their 

 bread to gain in the world, would not have succeeded in trade or me- 

 chanics? What could these have done but become servants? At all 

 events, let none suppose that people labour hard, or are servants, because 

 they are ignorant; it is because they cannot help it. 



2. Teaching no jmrticular Religion. — This will not hinder parents from 

 teaching their children whatever religion they choose. As children of all 

 sects and parties are to be taught in these schools, it would evidently be 

 wrong to infuse into them the peculiar tenets of any. This principle, in- 

 deed, is recognised by the School Society of Ireland (p. 84.), and by various 

 other domestic and foreign institutions. Natural theology we would certainly 

 teach them, and this is the firmest foundation for true religion. Morality 

 would be taught on the principle of utility; because its rewards and punish- 

 ments, though confined but to this life, are certain and immediate, and 

 admit of neither doubt nor escape. 



3. Forcing Parents lo send their Children to School. — This, it will be said, 

 is contrary to the spirit of liberty which prevails in this country. We admit 

 that it has this appearance, but we deny that it is so much so in reality as 

 several other existing laws. All civilisation is founded more or less on an 

 infringement of liberty ; and the infringement we propose, as compared with 

 others, may be called one of the most salutary that ever were made. It has 

 been mentioned to us that it would be less obnoxious to pass a law, ren- 

 dering it illegal, after a certain year, to employ any person who could not 

 prove that he had been at school till the age of puberty, or who had not a 

 certificate indicating that he had attained a certain degree of school edu- 

 cation; but though we should prefer this law to none at all on the subject, 

 yet we think the preventive system of legislation greatly to be "preferred. 

 We know that this system has worked well for thirty years in Germany; 

 and we know also, that the comparative absence of crime in the great cities 

 on the Continent, is very much owing to the exercise of this system in the 

 police. At the same time, let it be recollected that our object, in recom- 

 mending an obligatory law, is merely to give an impulse to the scheme at 

 its commencement, and that we do not consider it an essential part of our 

 system, but only an essential part of its commencement. 



Such is a mutilated outline of our plan, which will be found more at 

 length in a separate tract, a few of which we have distributed among our 

 friends. We ardently desire that the government of the country would take 

 this subject into consideration; but as we can form some idea of the difficul- 

 ties which any minister who attempted to introduce our plan would have 

 to contend with, our chief reliance is on the public press. The actual pro- 



