34 
The profeffors of each fchool hold, every 
month, a public fitting, in which con- 
ferences are held relative to fubjeéts con- 
nected with the 1mprovement of letters, 
the {ciences, and the arts, which are the 
moft beneficial to fociety. 
The obje& in the eftablifhment of the 
‘primary and central {chools was, the ge- 
neral inftruction of all claffes of the citi- 
zens; and it being incompatible with the 
perfect completion of that important 
purpofe, to expect from them the propa- 
gation of particular branches of {cience, 
it became neceffary to cftablith other lite- 
rary and fcientific academies. 
Accordingly, the French government 
have founded, 1f. Schools of health (LES 
ECOUVES DE SANTE), in Paris, Straf- 
burgh, and Montpelier, where medicine 
and iurgery are ftudied ; which {cheols 
are univerfally allowed te be the moft per- 
feS&t of their kind, as well as new and 
unparalleled models for fuch inftitutions. 
2d. Ivo fchocls for Criental languages, 
in the national library, and in the college 
of France. 
3d. The Polytechnic He in Paris, or 
ceniral fchool tor the direCtion of public 
works. This eftablithment is alfo uni- 
verially admired and confidered as a mo- 
del for imitation. It contains more than 
400 ‘young perions, previoufly educated 
in the mathemaatics,. and the majority of 
them intended for engineers in various 
lines; and they labour under the imme- 
diate dire€&tion of their tutors nine hours 
every day. It occupies the principal 
part of the Palais de Bourbon, in Paris, 
‘and ts furnifhed with a large collection of 
infruments and models, Lhe journal of 
the Polytechnic fchool, which is publifh- 
ed by the bookfellers REGENT and BrErR- 
TRAND, at Paris, 1s a perfectly original! 
work, and admirably calculated to con- 
vey ufeful information. 
Tt is unneceflary to enlarge on the Na- 
tional Enftitute, the object and whole 
conftitution of which were fo. amply 
defcribed in the fecond number of the 
‘¢ Monthly Magaxeme.’ ‘This extenfive 
{cientific eftablifament, perhaps the meft 
complete literary body in the world, is 
equally remarkable for its fimplicity and 
its arrangements. It comprifes al] the 
branches of the feven academies that ex- 
ifted under the monarchy, and: is con- 
ducted with admirable precifion and re- 
gularity. Ine members are divided into 
claffes and feétions ; each of which con- 
ftitutes u feparate body, but intimately 
conneéted with the whole. The idea of this 
lnftitute originated with the truly illuf- 
French Syftem of Public Inftru€tion. 
[Aug. 
trious, but unfortunate Condorcet. fts 
important benefits to fociety, and to the 
progrefs of human knowledge, are abun- 
dantly evident from the intereiting memo- 
rials, and the important proceedings of 
the public quarterly fittings: notices of 
which have regularly appeared in the 
‘© Monthly Magazine.” 
The meafures adopted by the govern- 
ment of France in the economy of their 
public fchools, are not lefs wife and juft, 
than are the inftitutions themfelves. The 
primary and central {chools are placed 
under the controul of the Jury of Public 
Inftruction (LeFuryCentral d Infiruétion ). 
This jury appoints the profeffors, and ex- 
amines and {uperintends their conduct: 
It is (fomething like the legiflative body) 
renewed by a third every half year. 
When they have chofen a profeflor for a 
central fchool, they fubmit their choice to 
-the department ; and, in cafe of difap- 
probation, they make another appoint- 
‘ment. To this Jury of Public Inftruc- 
tion the profeffors in the central fchools 
are amenable for all mifcondu& conneéted 
with the offices ; it may expel them, but 
all its decifions muft be fubmitted for 
confirmation to the tribunal of the des, 
partment. 
There is alfo eftablifhed, at Paris, a 
fupreme council, called The Commiffion of 
Public Inftvudiion, to which is entrufted 
the whole executive department. The 
prefident of the: fir commiffion was the 
-celebrated GaraT ; he was fuccteded by 
GINGUENE, {ent forme months fince am- 
baflador at Turin; the name of whofe 
fucceflor is not known in England. ‘The 
prefervation of the national monuments, 
of public libraries, mufeums, cabinets, 
and.valuable collections; the fuperintend- 
ence of all the fchools and the modes of 
inftru€tion; all new inventions and. fci- 
entific difcoveries: the regulation of 
weights and meafures; national ftatiftics 
and political economy, are all placed 
under the authority of this fupreme com- 
miilion. For the commodious and regu- 
lar execution of fo many complicated 
branches of bufinefs, there is a large - 
office, called Le Secretariat, which 1s di- 
vided into three departments. : 
1. For the regulation of the different 
kinds of inftruétion; of the modes of 
education in the fchools; and for the 
choice of elementary books. 
2. For weights and meafures ; inven- 
tions and difcoveries ; libraries and bih- 
liography; mufeums, works of art, and 
literary rewards and encouragements. 
3. For theatres, national feafts, repub- 
lican 
