third, while crime had augmented four-fold. He wished not for a moment to be understood as discouraging the diffusion of education; for when properly conducted, he was deeply impressed with its value. At the same time, he knew that according as it operated, it made the mind more susceptible of good and bad impressions. If well directed, it led to good practical results; but if the poor boy or girl was sent out to encounter poverty without a guide, the struggle would more affect the educated than the uncultivated mind, and more readily expose it to hasty and sanguine impressions."

NUMBER XXIX.

ON THE EDUCATION OF THE POOR,

'Tis education forms the tender mind;
Just as the twig is bent the tree's inclin❜d,
Children like tender osiers take the bow,
And as they first are fashion'd, always grow.

ALTHOUGH England, it is generally allowed, presents the most sublime examples of charity, benevolence, and attention to the poor; still might she take a few salutary hints from her continental neighbours to ameliorate their condition. The diffusion of useful instruction, the forming the mind to habits of industry, and attending to the morals, are considerations of the highest importance to the state and to the community at large; and yet, whilst the greatest activity prevails in the distribution of the Bible, and the most zealous exertions are employed in the dissemination of Christian knowledge, the inculcation of Christian virtues is lamentably neglected in the British seminaries. To behold the noble institutions and fine establishments that are supported

by the voluntary contributions of the good and great, fail in these mighty instances, is truly distressing. But in this pious and enlightened age, the domestic occupations and useful instructions so necessary for the lower class to be versed in, are not even admitted as secondary considerations. The labourers' children are no longer taught to knit or mend a stocking, to sharpen knives or brush a coat-no-they must away to school to learn to read and write. Masters and mistresses may instruct them in their household work and make good servants of them, if they can, after they enter their service; which, by the way, youngsters of the present age seldom engage in, without the proviso of being permitted to attend an evening school of some description or other, to finish their education. Sometimes to improve themselves in reading-sometimes in writing-but seldom in work, unless it be to hemstitch a frill, or trace a pattern for a flounce. To such a pitch has this mania for attainments arisen in some parts of the country, that even dancing schools are not only tolerated, but encouraged by the heads of some families, and are attended once or twice in the week by the blithsome Cinderellas and love-inspiring lackeys of the neighbourhood; who, for two or three hours

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trip it on the light fantastic toe," to the great astonishment of some, and annoyance of those, who, not employing more attendants than they have occasion for, would be much better pleased

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to see them foot it at home. Nor does the evil rest here; even the arts and sciences are threatened with invasion from the lower regions, and are most presumptuously encroached upon by the rude aspiring multitude. It will scarcely be be lieved that a most illiterate servant of all-work, to use the general term, on presenting herself the other day, to enter the service of a gentlewoman, before she finally agreed to undertake the place, inquired "if the lady would have any objection to let her play on the piony." Play on the piony!-what can you mean?" asked the mistress. "Yes, ma'am, please I should like to play on the piony, when I have done my work;-please, ma'am, on the music, I mean," continued the accomplished maiden, twiddling her fingers in graceful motion, to make her meaning the better understood. However, as the lady was not so very harmoniously inclined, she had no mind to indulge the ambition of Mopsy; and so they parted, ne'er to meet again.

The next upon the list of candidates for a kind and indulgent mistress, was a damsel of the most brilliant order. She could read and write with all the spirit of the times;-a perfect heroine, emerging from the studies of Greece and the Poets-stop Mr. Printer-grease and the pots, if you please, pray be correct in your orthography, the critics will have quite enough to do ;-so mind -from the study of grease, &c. she retired to the study of her master, "for pen, ink, and paper,

that she might, sometimes, her sorrows write;" and sometimes display her ingenuity by amassing matter for her scrap-book. But this was not till after she had dressed the dinner, and half dressed herself. It was then only that she went to gather scraps.

As to the Bible, she had been taught to read that—and that she thought sufficient. It enabled her to peruse compositions more adapted to her taste. So the sacred volume, with which she had been presented, was not yet, nor was it likely to be, a bit the worse for use.

Well would it be for society in general, if the evil of indiscriminate education rested here. But it is a melancholy fact, that whilst gospel information is spreading abroad, crimes seem to multiply at home a national calamity that must surely be attributed to the want of a due regard to the practical duties to which our attention is directed by the Great Author of our Religion.

Dr. Bell's national institution-Mr. Lancaster's benevolent plan and parochial schools, where so many thousands of the poor and needy are taught at a very trifling expense, must be considered of vast importance; as tending to the civilization of that class of individuals, which might otherwise be abandoned to a state of ignorance and barbarity. Yet do these great establishments, in many instances, fail in rendering that benefit to the community, which might reasonably be expected from the zealous exertions of philanthropy