196 Instinct and Intelligence 



mained poor he would have only himself to 

 blame for it. These "radical philosophers" 

 gained their object, and board schools were 

 established throughout England, conducted on 

 the principles advocated by those who brought 

 them into existence. The system of instruction 

 thus established, with certain modifications, has 

 now been at work for forty years, with a result 

 such as that above indicated. We cannot, how- 

 ever, altogether agree with those who blame the 

 teaching provided in the board schools as being 

 mainly responsible for the existing state of 

 things ; nor does it seem to us that a system of 

 " compulsory continuation of education " after 

 a lad has passed through an elementary school 

 is likely to improve matters, so long as these 

 young people are obliged to live in homes such 

 as those in which a large majority of our labour- 

 ing classes are, from economical and other 

 causes compelled to reside. The home and its 

 environment is at the root of much of the evil 

 complained of ; let the training followed in ele- 

 mentary schools be ever so perfect, but little 

 can be done, so long as most of the children 

 have to dwell in filthy sunless houses, towards 



