giving them a taste for industrial occupation, and a chance of beginning life anew under better auspices. No objection would be taken to any law for the remodelling of all our prisons, on such a system as to make them Schools of discipline as well as places of confinement. Money spent upon such objects as these, whether drawn from the exchequer or raised by local rate, it would be universally felt, would be money saved. Let all possible pressure, then, from without be brought to bear upon Parliament in this direction. Neither the religious or any other element, in all probability, would be found to stand in the way of the State undertaking to educate all vagrant children, and giving all necessary aid to the philanthropic endeavours now so general for the reformation of young criminals. Half a loaf is better than no bread. And if we cannot agree about the education of all, let us, at least, without a moments' delay, rescue from hopeless ignorance and vice, those about whom we are all agreed.

To turn, however, from the vagrant to the industrious classes. Nothing can be more fallacious than the ordinary statistics with regard to these. For while, on the one hand, the number of those reported as being under education is not so much amiss, on the other hand it is a notorious fact that a very large proportion of the industrious population is very ignorant. The fallacy lies in school buildings being assumed to be one and the same thing as schools. Whereas the truth is, that in order to constitute a school, there must be, over and above convenient school buildings, competent teachers, sufficient apparatus, a good system, and an adequate number of scholars sent regularly and for a sufficient time. Now, when it is borne in mind that, out of the whole number of school buildings in the kingdom, there are comparatively only a few in which all the other requisites for a school, as above stated, are found, there will be no difficulty in seeing how it happens that, while a large number of the industrious classes are reported as being under education, only a few comparatively are really educated. In some school buildings the teachers are incompetent. In others there is a scarcity of books and other apparatus. In others the children come very irregularly, or stop only a very short time. Under any of these circumstances, the being at school and being educated are as different as light and darkness. The Committee of Council on Education, the organ of Government in this matter, has effected, since 1839, a large measure of improvement; quite as large as perhaps, under the circumstances, could have been expected. By gradually developing and carrying out the able views of Sir James Kay Shuttleworth, who was in reality the chief agent in the whole movement, not only have a large number of good school buildings been erected, but many school buildings have become efficient schools.

After all, however, not more than one-fourth of the existing school buildings are in connexion with the Committee of Council. Of those which arę, it cannot by any means be said, even on the showing of her Majesty's Inspectors, that all are really schools: and of the three-fourths not yet in connexion very few probably. Of schools in connexion with the Committee of Council, but still inefficient, the cause of inefficiency is chiefly the small, irregular, and short attendance of the children; while want of funds to satisfy the conditions of being brought into connexion with the Committee of Council, and so being rendered efficient, is the chief cause of about three-fourths of the school buildings erected for the use of the industrious classes, being still undeserving of the name of schools. Hence it appears, that the two great obstacles to the efficient education of the industrious classes at present existing, are deficiency of funds for the annual maintenance of schools, and a deficiency of scholars. Any one who takes the trouble of reading the Annual Reports of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, which are well worth a careful perusal, will find abundant matter-of-fact proof of the above assertions. These then, namely, deficiency of maintenance-fund and deficiency of scholars, are the main points to which must be turned the attention of those who desire to see the industrious classes better educated. Whether the deficiency of funds can be successfully met by any other expedient than a local educational rate, by voluntary agency, for instance, combined with an accommodation and extension of the present system of the Committee of Council, and a relaxation of the conditions on which grants are made, remains yet to be seen. It remains also to be proved, whether the indifference of parents about sending their children to school, and the pressing inducements of the labour market, are to be overcome by prize schemes or any other of the various voluntary measures discussed and recommended at the Educational Conference; or, whether legislative interference in some such shape as a general compulsory half-time scheme, like that in cotton mills, or a certificate of a certain amount of information, in order to employment of any kind, will not be requisite. One thing is certain. It is this. If the industrious classes are to be really educated, some means must at once be adopted, for turning all existing school rooms into really efficient schools, and for filling them with those children with whom they ought to be filled. It is no use to flatter ourselves any longer with the pleasant illusion, that the industrious classes of this country are well educated, because there are plenty of school-rooms, shutting our eyes meanwhile to the stern reality, that a large majority of these school-rooms are destitute of competent teachers and books, and without children. The subject of really efficient night schools likewise, and of well lighted and warmed reading rooms for the industrious classes, in which the

education commenced in childhood may afterwards be carried out to some practical purpose, deserves the careful attention of the Committee of Council on Education, and of every well-wisher to the industrious classes of this country. There ought to be no village throughout the length and breadth of the land, without a night school as carefully maintained as the day school, and a reading-room with such comforts and inducements as would not fail of throwing the public-house and beer-shop into the back ground.

Next come the middle classes. Under this head are included all young persons employed in counting-houses, warehouses, shops, and such like. It is clear that these are chiefly to be found in towns. The early education of this class of persons is principally carried on in grammar, commercial, and private schools. Up to the present time, probably, less progress has been made in these than in any other kind of educational institution. The old beaten track, with little adaptation to the altered circumstances of society, has been pursued. Modern languages, history, and physical science, together with some knowledge of the laws and constitution of the country, have been only sparingly cultivated. The increased urgency of demand, however, is insensibly creating a supply of a better article even in this description of schools. And the newly-adopted scheme of permitting the middle classes to compete for some sort of university certificate, the adoption of which redounds to the honour of Oxford and Cambridge, cannot but exercise a most beneficial influence upon Grammar and Commercial Schools. It is perhaps the easiest and very best means of elevating their tone and making their system more comprehensive. But to carry this system out to any really valuable practical issue, the aid of such institutions as the Bristol Athenæum is indispensable. It matters not what these institutions are called; whether, for instance, Athenæum, or Mechanics' Institute, or Young Men's Society be the adopted title; spacious and well-appointed rooms, in which the middle classes at dinner-time and in the evening can have at a moderate cost the advantage of reading the daily papers, reviews, and other periodical literature of the day, can have access to a good library, interesting lectures on popular subjects, and attend classes in language, science, and art, are a most important instrumentality in their education. Do the higher classes wish to find in the middle classes intelligent, faithful, trustworthy clerks and servants? Let them assist in closing the doors of Theatres, Casinos, and Taverns, by contributing liberally to the support of those literary institutions which, while they provide rational amusement for the long winter evenings, contribute at the same time to refine and elevate the taste and improve the mind. Do the young men of the middle classes themselves wish not to be outstripped

by the class below them; not only to keep their own but to go a-head; to qualify themselves, if not for a higher position in life, at least for properly fulfilling the daily increasing requirements of that position in which they are born? Let them remember, that this will best be done by availing themselves diligently of the varied educational advantages which these public institutions offer; and cannot be done by wasting money, time, and even health and strength both of body and mind, in levity and dissipation. The broader and more comprehensive the basis on which such institutions are formed the better.

And now, lastly, a few words about the upper classes. Under this head are included, not only the aristocracy and gentry, but all who are engaged in the liberal professions or in the higher branches of trade and mercantile pursuits. Our great public schools, proprietary schools, and some large private establishments first, and afterwards the universities, are the principal educational instrumentalities provided for this class. No one who remembers what these were twenty or thirty years ago, but must be delighted at the beneficial change which has now come over the spirit of their dream. One almost shudders at the recollection of the twenty best years of life being almost wholly spent in learning, but often after all without attaining to anything approaching even to the acquisition of, the learned languages, and not one single thing else beside. It is delightful to know that, under a more enlightened system, equal or greater proficiency in the learned languages is attained, and, in addition, a fair knowledge of modern languages, history, mathematics, and general literature. Though there is still much room for improvement, as well in public schools as in the universities, still the improvement which has been made is marked, decided, practical, and plainly reflected in the improved tone, tastes, habits, and deportment of the upper classes themselves. The ignorant, drunken, selfish brute who, a century or two ago, and, to a certain extent, even at the commencement of this present century, passed current under the stamp of a coronet or an esquire, is now, like wigs and pigtails, almost a matter of history. Such things are a very glaring exception-the general rule is quite in the opposite direction. The upper classes are quite alive to the fact, that if they would keep their own they must march at the head of the universal progress. An ignorant aristocracy in the midst of an educated nation would fall of its own weight. Let all young men of station and family bear this in mind. Let them study to improve with commensurate diligence the very great advantages to which they are born. If, while the labourers in their own employment are spending their spare time usefully in the village reading-room, and the clerks in their counting-houses are in the evening to be found in the reading and class-rooms of the Athenæum

and Mechanics' Institute; and even the vagrant is learning to be industrious, and the criminal becoming reformed; they are loitering away hour after hour at the theatre or the ball-room, over the bottle, the card-table, or the cigar, not only regarding the fine old family library as rubbish, but too indolent almost to look at the last new volume which has issued from Murray's, or to cast their eyes over the leading article of the Times, what must be the inevitable result? It is true, that the base of the pyramid must be broad, or the ornament on the summit will be in danger. It is equally true however, that if, after great care has been spent upon laying the basis broad and firm, the top stone be found mean and tawdry, it will be indignantly and by universal consent cast down. The improvement of the industrious, middle, and even vagrant and criminal classes is the broad basis, on which alone the aristocratic topstone can in this free country securely rest. But what, if this top stone be found unworthy of its place? E. G.