General Notices. 479 



The Secretaries of the " London Society for the Diffusion of Cooper- 

 ative Knowledge," No. 2. Jerusalem Passage, Clerkenwell, will give further 

 information when desired to do so. I am, Sir, &c. — J, C. Pe?in, London, 

 August 20. 1829. 



From the insulated situation of gardeners in comparison of mechanics 

 and manufacturers, they are less likely to benefit from cooperation ; but we 

 have no doubt that, in different situations, by joining with their neighbours, 

 they might benefit to some extent; for instance, in the price of provisions. 

 At the same time, we are not fully satisfied in our own mind that the 

 cooperative system, as described in the above letter, is truly founded in 

 nature, and likely to maintain a permanent footing in communities. We 

 have not been able to bring ourselves to the belief that the annihilation of 

 individual interests is in the order of nature ; but we are not sure that we 

 understand what is meant by it. It seems to us that cooperation is at 

 least an excellent discipline to the cooperators ; and that, if they continue 

 to cooperate for a length of time, they must in the end acquire capital. "We 

 confess we doubt the continuance ; but we most sincerely wish, as we have 

 already observed (Vol. V. p. 388.), a fair trial to the system. We there- 

 fore again recommend to all our readers the penny tracts on cooperation 

 before named. — Cond. 



Cooperation in Education and Travel in Foreign Countries. — " Several 

 months ago it was announced in the French papers that Count Alexander 

 de Laborde had issued proposals for educating a certain number of pupils, 

 under competent masters ; the distinguishing feature being, that the pupils 

 should acquire the living languages in the different countries ; of which, at 

 the same time, they could attain a competent knowledge of the laws, cus- 

 toms, institutions, arts, sciences, &c. We now find that the young per- 

 sons who had been got together on this travelling scheme have already 

 visited Turin, Genoa, Florence, and Rome, and they are said to have made 

 great progress in the different branches of education. As they travel on an 

 economical scale, parents, who are anxious for their sons to see the world, 

 have thus an opportunity of sending them out without the exclusive expense 

 of a travelling tutor." {Literary Gazette, March 6.) 



This is an excellent idea, and we have no doubt it will in time be gene- 

 rally adopted in every civilised country., Travelling, as a means of educa- 

 tion, was formerly only within the power of the wealthy; by applying to 

 it the cooperative principle, it is brought within the reach of the mid- 

 dling classes, tradesmen and farmers. By Dick's raised railroads and 

 locomotive engines it may in a few years become as easy to make the tour 

 of Europe as it is now to make the tour of Britain, and as easy to visit all 

 the principal cities of the world as it is now to visit the principal cities of 

 Europe. Such a state of things could not exist long without one language 

 prevailing over every other. When Britain and France shall be self- 

 governed for the good of the whole, as in America, the inhabitants of the 

 three countries will know each other better, and will cooperate for the 

 establishment of the same weights, measures, monies, and language through- 

 out the world. But why suppose that travelling will be limited to the 

 independent classes, or to children supported by their parents ? By Mr. 

 Dick s railway, and manual locomotive power, half a dozen gardeners or 

 mechanics might move themselves all over Europe, working now and then 

 when they chose, as the gardeners and mechanics now walk on foot through 

 Germany, and recruit their finances by a few weeks' work every now and 

 then. Thus, with the spread of knowledge and its application, all, even - 

 the most refined enjoyments of the highest classes, may be brought within 

 the reach of the lowest, viz. those who live by the commonest descriptions, 

 of manual labour. — Cond. 



' A Stove with an open Fire Place, the object of which is to cure smoky 

 chimneys, has been patented in France by M. Fonzi, an Italian dentist, and' 



