390 Mr. Butler's Discourse. 



schools, with decided success. Its simplicity, and its admira- 

 ble method of illustration, realize all the principles on which 

 school books ought to be prepared. I might mention many 

 other manuals recently brought out, and admirably adapted to 

 every class of learners. 



But the improvements in school books, like those in the 

 modes of instruction, though generally adopted in academies 

 and in the select schools in our large towns, fail of reaching 

 our common schools. It appears from the last report of the 

 secretary of state, that there are now in use more than one 

 hundred different kinds of school books. This want of uni- 

 formity is much to be lamented ; but it is still more a subject 

 of regret, that so many inferior books should be retained in 

 common use. The idea has been indulged, that this evil 

 could be remedied by legislation ; and a set of books intended 

 to embrace a complete course of common school education, 

 has been actually prepared and submitted to the examination 

 of the legislature, by a meritorious instructor, with a request 

 that it might be adopted by the legislature, and recommended 

 to popular use. This request — which received countenance 

 from the fact that the work was stated to have been com- 

 menced under the auspices of the late Governor Clinton — w r as 

 seconded by the petition of many respectable citizens, and by 

 the strong recommendations of several of our most distinguish • 

 ed literary characters. The respect to which they are so em- 

 inently entitled, forbids the supposition that they can have re- 

 commended, without due consideration, a measure so impor- 

 tant. When, therefore, I express my decided disapprobation 

 of this project, I fear that I may incur the charge of self-confi- 

 dence and presumption. But he who can hesitate, from ap- 

 prehensions of this sort, to state what are the conclusions of 

 his deliberate judgment on a question of such vital interest, 

 would be unw T orthy the attention of an audience like this. 

 You will therefore permit me to state some of the objections 

 to this plan. 



In the first place, it is unsuited to the genius of our institu- 

 tions and the character of our citizens : the former proceed- 

 ing on the idea that the people are competent to decide for 

 themselves, on all questions which appeal directly to their 

 interest and intelligence ; and the latter, not only exemplify- 



