327 
of Edinburgh, Session 1870 - 71 . 
In all the departments of higher instruction, Prussia seems to 
me to be distinctly ahead of England, and still more so of Scotland. 
But I have already take up so much of your time, that I mnst now 
confine myself to a few aphorisms on this subject. In Prussia 
education is considered to be so completely a matter of national 
concern, as always to call for the supervision of the State. No man 
may start a private school, whether primary, middle, or higher, 
without a license from the educational office. And this license is 
only given after the passing of prescribed examinations. The too 
common charlatanry of private schoolmasters in England is thus 
avoided. A useful censorship of schoolbooks is exercised by the 
minister of instruction. By this the crotchets of schoolmasters in 
the use of eccentric and useless hooks are checked. 
The minister of instruction is not only a man of science or 
learning himself, hut he has the advice of councillors of the highest 
scientific and literary reputation. The opinions of such a central 
board on questions of higher instruction are not merely bureau- 
cratic edicts, but constitute a valuable intellectual guidance. 
With regard to resources, the following distinction is to be 
observed in Prussia. The elementary schools get very little money 
from Government, only a small contribution from school fees, and 
the great bulk of their expenses from parish and municipal rating. 
The support of the higher schools of all kinds appear to be as 
follows : — 
From Fees, a proportion of 
5A 
From Municipal assignments, 
2 
From Grants by Government, 
1-6 
From Endowments, 
1- 
Thus the fees of scholars pay considerably more than half the 
cost of the higher schools. Municipal contributions amount to 
one-fifth, and grants from general taxation to nearly one-fifth, 
endowments to one-tenth. Fees in the high schools are often 
remitted wholly or partially on the ground of the circumstances of 
the parents. Out of about 90,000 scholars attending the superior 
schools of Prussia, about 20,000 appear to be wholly or partially 
free scholars. 
The higher education goes in Prussia, the more entirely does it 
