inviting or coercing; let our system embrace both discipline and attractiveness, and we shall soon, very soon, find that energies will have been brought into active co-operation, productive of the greatest good.

If we would have our system extensively beneficial, it must possess efficiency, and command uniformity. To render it efficient, religion must continue to form its ground-work; and to render it uniform, a class of books must be introduced worthy its high pretensions, and a better qualified body of teachers to communicate instruction. Very intelligent teachers are to be met with in some of the large towns, but not often in rural districts, where talent is most wanted, because the teachers are left very much to themselves. It is perfectly clear that secular instruction cannot be introduced into our schools. By secular, we understand, as the word imports, something worldly and remote from religious instruction. If secular, however, be applied, as it seems it must have been by some of our parliamentary debaters, to arithmetic, history, geography, music, grammar, &c., no objection can be made to its use, if its signification be thus understood; but, if it be taken in its legitimate sense, there are many insurmountable objections to its adoption. In a report recently laid before the Poor Law Commissioners, secular is used in the latter sense; the scheme, neverattend my Sunday school; and in a parish in the diocese of Norwich, of which I was the perpetual curate, not only were the greater part of the children the children of dissenters, but the master and mistress were dissenters also. It would not be consistent for us to form a system of instruction for dissenters, although I think it would be politic not to exclude them.

theless, with which it is associated, although ingenious, is monstrously Utopian, and cannot by any possibility come within the range of universal adoption.* Its proposed mode of communicating instruction, borrowed from the Scotch Sessional system, is exceedingly good, and deserving attention.

Having made these introductory remarks, we will proceed to treat of

I. Our system of admission;—the qualification of teachers; and the superintending department.

II. An improved method of governing the training department, with a view to the advancement of teachers.

III. An improvement in the plan of communicating instruction, as well as in the books used.

IV. The best method of governing, conducting, and supporting district Day and Sunday schools.

V. Suggestions relative to the elementary and other works, designed for the use of our schools.

* There is an establishment at Norwood, in Surrey, I occasionally visit, in which secular instruction is carried out under the direction of the Poor Law Commissioners, well worthy notice; and which I consider well adapted for the children there, most of whom were born in the metropolis. They average about eleven hundred in number. I think too, the same kind of instruction very suitable for pauper children in large towns, such as Bristol, Bath, Liverpool, Birmingham, &c., but in small unions can never be adopted,—for if most of the boys were made tailors, tinmen, blacksmiths and shoemakers, it would be difficult to know where to locate them, for all the towns are duly supplied, and country parishes could not find work for them. The same reasoning will apply to a union of unions. It is very desirable that children in such establishments should be trained to order and discipline, many of them having passed the infant period of their existence in the midst of insubordination and bad example.

I. Excellent as is the plan upon which our schools are conducted, they may nevertheless be rendered more efficient, both as it respects the admission of children, the qualification of teachers, and by improving the superintending department.

§ 1. The system of instruction best adapted to meet the circumstances of the times, must, whilst it sustains a national character in the truest sense of the expression, be less exclusive. It is necessary that rules and regulations should be laid down, to secure an uniformity in the government of our schools; but these regulations should be so constructed as to admit of occasional exceptions; which exceptions, when adopted, should always be reported, and so exercised as not to violate the fundamental laws by which the schools are governed. Discipline cannot be too strongly enforced, because upon it the efficacy of instruction. mainly depends. It has been, and is still I believe, the rule, that a child shall produce a certificate of baptism, previously to being admitted into our schools; this is perfectly consistent, as our own children, from being members of the Established Church, are instructed in the Church Catechism. But the child of the Baptist could not furnish such a certificate, nor the child of any dissenter, although baptised, take part in some portions of the Catechism. There are many instances of dissenters being so far removed from schools, to which they would prefer sending their children, that were it not for the exclusive restriction alluded to, would thankfully send them to the National school. Surely, it would be desirable to

make an exception, when such an instance occurred, and permit a child to be received into any school, upon the written recommendation of the clergyman of the parish in which such child resided. And, with respect to the Catechism, I believe that no dissenter, except Socinians and Quakers, could or would object to the use of the Catechism, if those portions were excepted which would not apply to the child.*

§ 2. As something more is required from teachers than a mere mechanical acquaintance with the rudiments of National instruction, they should be well qualified, and better paid. If these two points were strictly attended to, we should obtain the services of a superior class of instructors. It is almost proverbial, that any person who can pass the ordinary ordeal, will do for a preceptor. This is very erroneous. If improvements are to be made, we must commence with this class of individuals. No person should be admitted into the Training school without a previous examination by a committee appointed for that purpose, to whom testimonials should be addressed, signed by not less than two respectable persons, members of the Established Church, and countersigned by the clergyman of the parish in which such applicant resided. The male candidates should, as a sine quá non, be acquainted with arithmetic, as far as Practice and Vulgar Fractions inclusively; write a good hand, and pass a satisfactory viva voce examination on moral and religious subjects, including Scripture history, Scripture doctrines, the Church Catechism,

* I have frequently baptised young persons who, as children, had attended my Sunday school, and on one occasion a family of eight.

and such other works as the examiners should recommend. Females, should be good workwomen, write a good hand, be well acquainted with the first four rules of arithmetic, and pass through the same examination upon moral and religious subjects, as male candidates. Numerous instances have come under my notice, in which teachers have gone into training when they had almost every thing to learn. If the Training school be efficiently conducted, the teachers may always be advancing, although very much of their time must of necessity be occupied in perfecting themselves, in the discipline and management of a school.*

§ 3. An improved method of superintending teachers in the Training and District schools, should be resorted to; which superintendence, in either case, should devolve upon the clergy. The Central or Training school should be presided over by a clergyman, whose office it should be to class, instruct, examine, and lecture the teachers; and if assistance were given, it should be in the subordinate departments alone, viz. in writing and arithmetic-not independent of, but assistant to the superintendent, who should be held responsible for the conduct and advancement of both

* There would be no difficulty in getting persons tolerably educated, if they were suitably remunerated. And if our schools are to be conducted in a superior manner, our teachers ought to be persons of mental attainments, whose talents should be rigidly put to the test whilst in training, Such individuals would become a blessing to the community, and materially forward the views and exertions of the clergy. As now, they should pass through every grade in the Central school, and by turns conduct the teaching department, according to the respective classes.