Retrospective Criticism. 219 



— Sir, As you have kindly allowed my remarks on the propriety of instructing the labouring 

 classes in music and dancing, and I would now add singing, to appear in the last Number of your 

 Magazine, I intend troubling you again with a few lines, should you deem my observations 

 worthy of your notice. Did I stand alone in my objections to this system of education, I would 

 not, indeed, have ventured for a moment to obtrude myself on your attention ; but, knowing it 

 to be the unprejudiced opinion of many of your sober-minded and intelligent readers, that this, as 

 well.as every other blessing, is liable to be misused and misapplied, I speak with the greater con- 

 fidence, and hope you will yet bear with me a little longer. The object of education I conceive 

 to be to enable a man to occupy, with the greatest credit to himself and benefit to his fellow-crea- 

 tures, that station in life which it has pleased Providence to assign to him ; neither holding him- 

 self as superior to his employment, which must necessarily cause neglect ; nor yet sinking into 

 that abject state of servitude which is only compatible with an uncivilised state of society. The 

 question then is, what sort of education is best calculated to promote this our mutual desire ? 

 Doubtless the mind must be matured and cultivated by education, as the body is by nourishment 

 and clothing; and we may add, that it must be cultivated with the utmost discrimination, and 

 such food only administered as shall produce a healthy and vigorous understanding; carefully 

 avoiding whatever may tend to vitiate the taste or corrupt the appetite. The analogy between the 

 growth and perfection of the body and the increase and developement of the mind is exceedingly 

 striking. As the body requires food and clothing in order to its perfection, so the mind must be 

 nurtured by instruction in order to the developement of its powers; and, as according to the 

 quality of the food will be the strength of the body, so according to the propriety of the education 

 will be the strength and activity of the mind. Would you then introduce the superfluous luxu- 

 ries of the rich into the humble cottage of the poor ? Would you attempt to satisfy the cravings 

 of his appetite with those unsubstantial dainties, which rather weaken and debilitate than 

 strengthen and confirm the constitution ? Oh, no ! Neither then should his intellectual appetite 

 be pampered with vain accomplishments, which would cloy rather than satisfy, would impede 

 rather than promote his progress. His mind should be clothed with the simple but durable gar- 

 ment of common sense, and finished with the " ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in 

 the sight of God of great price." We should do well to remember that there is a "modus in 

 rebus." Consistency should govern all our actions, nor should we suffer ourselves to be car- 

 ried away by an immoderate flow of generous feelings into any dangerous extremes. Reason 

 should bridle affection, and thus prevent zeal from running into intemperance. The mind, if it 

 is to be productive of real and lasting comfort, must be plentifully supplied with the wholesome 

 food of substantial knowledge : if it is contained within a body destined to fill an inferior station 

 in society, then its improvement must be regulated by the circumstances of its proprietor; un- 

 necessary ornaments and useless embellishments must be neglected, and the attention directed to 

 those things only which shall yield abundantly the happy fruits of an enlightened understanding. 

 However innocent these accomplishments may be in themselves, they most commonly have a 

 baneful influence on the mind ; they hold out a strong temptation to waste time, and to associate 

 with bad company. By these means evil habits are contracted ; the mind, even of the virtuous, 

 becomes contaminated, the morals corrupted, and the relish for intellectual enjoyment destroyed. 

 Thus are the avenues of vice carefully strewed with flowers ; the unsuspecting are easily drawn 

 into them, and, allured by the gay scenery that surrounds them, pass on, ignorant that they are 

 in the high road to destruction. Youth are too apt to judge of tilings from appearances, and to 

 regard only present enjoyment without casting a glance at their future comfort. They naturally 

 prefer whatever is easiest of acquisition, and it requires no strong arguments to persuade them 

 to follow where they so soon find the " labor ipse voluptas." The leisure hours of the labourer 

 are but few; I would not then that a moment of this precious fleeting blessing should be wasted 

 in trifling amusements, but rather that his occupations should be such as would stand the strict 

 test of a scrutinising conscience. Whilst we are thus boldly emerging from the gross darkness 

 of utter ignorance, let us not b3 dazzled by the delusive glare of empty knowledge, lest we become 

 blind to our best interests, and in the pursuit of trifles lose sight of the very fundamental princi- 

 ples of a good education. 



As the pleasures to be derived from the fashionable diversions are of a far lower cast than what 

 are to be obtained from study and meditation, so are they of an infinitely more transient character. 

 As soon as the dance is finished the enjoyment is at an end, and the mortifying reflections of mis- 

 spent time immediately ensue. Nor is it for lack of subjects worthy his attention that the poor 

 man must thus fill up his vacant hours. Let him be thoroughly instructed in whatever tends to 

 elevate the mind without filling it with vanity ; let the whole range of the useful arts and sciences 

 be opened to him, and let him learn the practice of the various necessary trades, that he may not 

 be so totally dependent on his fellow- men for the needful furniture of life. Such is the know- 

 ledge requisite for him whose bread depends on the labour of his own hands ; such information 

 would be really useful to him, and might be turned to his great advantage throughout life. — 

 P. R. Guildford, Jan. 26. 1830. 



Washing Salads in Sea Water, I found, completely destroyed all the crispness of 

 the lettuce, and left it as if it had been frosted. — W. M. Argyleshire, Nou.6. 1828. 



Designs for laying out Flower- Gardens. — Sir, In p. 570. of the Fifth Volume 

 of your Magazine I read that you intend publishing designs for laying out flower-gardens on the 

 natural system, which I think is rather unfair dealing with your correspondents ; for I sent you a 

 communication on the subject of laying out gardens on the natural system, Dec. 28. 1828, and 

 likewise another, April 10. 1829, wishing you to state the advantages of systematic arrangement as 

 far superior to the mixed disordered plans we generally see ; which had you done [They are both 

 inserted : see List of Correspondents.], and invited botanists and gardeners to have sent in their 

 plans, as you did landscape-gardeners (Vol. IV. p. 537.), I make no doubt but you would have 

 received a great many plans before this time. But if neither botanists nor gardeners were to be 

 found qualified to commence the task, then, Sir, you would be justifiable in publishing your 

 designs, and free yourself from that self-arrogant monopoly which is the most conspicuous cha- 

 racteristic of a body of self-acting, or rather self-serving, pretended friends to gardeners. Before 

 you proceed any further with your plans try the abilities of gardeners, &c, and give all your cor- 

 respondents a fair chance, or else a sufficient reason in your next Number. — J. P. Oct. 14. 1829. 

 We shall be particularly happy to receive the description of plans alluded to by J. P., who 

 need be under no fear of our anticipating him. — Cotid. 



The Gardener s House in Bagshot Park. — Sir, From your well-known liberality, 

 and your generous invitation to receive correction whenever inaccuracies occur, which must, in 



