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was conveyed; they were fostered by scholastic devoted to, and often founded for, their exclusiv virtue of the principle, inherent in all endo perpetuating that for the support of which they originally bestowed, or subsequently applied; th only studies with which the majority of the le acquainted, and consequently they were the only they were disposed, or indeed able, to teach. were propagated from generation to generation of they had the advantage of possession, and in tin prestige which the tradition of long-continued p all the associations and prejudices connected there fail to give a prestige which inclines people to even in that of which they do not quite approve enlisted on their sides the best minds of each ag ardent feelings of able and zealous votaries; and i matter of wonder that what had thus been the g of the men of any one generation, and of their fa forefathers for many previous ones, should not at an dethroned from its position but after a hard and struggle.

But while it is easy to account for the commanding which classical studies have so long held in our ed system, the real question for us to decide is, how position is at the present time tenable. For it remembered that the circumstances of our age a different from those of the sixteenth century. T Classics contained the only philosophy, history, poet oratory worthy of the name; but now that philosopl many respects superseded by the deeper and truer phi which the enlarged speculations and wider experi modern times have produced; that history is, if no gether supplanted, yet rendered less valuable by rea

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the far wider range of facts, differing often in kind from those of the classical records, which modern history unfolds; and that poetry and oratory, if unsurpassed, can still be equalled, or nearly so, by the productions of modern authors. The point for our decision, then, is—whether, in the present condition of society, and the existing state of knowledge, classical studies ought to fill the exclusive and exalted position in education which they have hitherto done; and if not, what place, if any, they ought to be permitted to occupy. This is the question which has been so long and keenly debated, and to the solution of which we hope, in the present paper, to contribute something.

Before proceeding to discuss the proposed subject, we shall find it convenient for our purpose to fix our ideas upon two preliminary points.

First, then, it will be useful for us to determine the proper object of education, because this is a point which lies at the foundation of our present inquiry, and will subsequently help us in the investigation of one of the most common objections to classical studies. This matter has formed the subject of an earnest controversy between those, on the one hand, who advocate the training and development of the faculties as the aim and end of education, and those, on the other hand, who maintain that education should rather have as its object professional training, or the imparting of knowledge which can be directly turned to account in the business of after life. Now we may take it as a fundamental principle, that the object of general education is not so much to impart information, as to call into exercise, and develop, and discipline faculties; not so much to store with knowledge, as to awaken the desire, and supply the power, of acquiring knowledge; not to afford special training for particular pursuits in life, but to furnish general culture; not to train a man for his

future calling, but to make him fit for any calling him the power of taking up any subject that pres comprehending its principles, and mastering its by making his intellect broad, clear, vigorous, an by imparting to him a sound and accurate judgme decide aright the various questions which occur in or ordinary life;—in short, by educing and train powers and habits of mind which enable a man in and business capacity to deal successfully with h men, and to exert a wholesome and useful infl all within his sphere of action. To confine educati within the limits afforded by the imparting of the pr knowledge, or training, necessary for a profession, or is grievously to narrow its limits, and to impair the of its ultimately bringing forth the desired fruit. must remember, a man has other duties to perform those of his profession, trade, or calling; he has to ruler and counsellor of a home circle, to whom w children and domestics will look for advice and direct has to meet his fellow-creatures in social intercourse; perhaps to take some part in political, or civic, affair for all these duties, domestic, social, and politic education ought to fit him, as well as for his profess trade. Now it is obvious that so wide a culture as which we have been speaking, which has to influence the man in all his capacities, faculties, and feelings, can effected by the mere acquisition of knowledge, as knowl no attainable amount of knowledge can enable him to gra the subjects, and grapple successfully with all the difficu which meet him in his ordinary life; nothing short o vigorous and healthy action of all his faculties, as far as be, will stand him in good stead in the great world-batt which every true man has to engage. General culture, t is the best preparation for a man's special work in

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whatever that work may be, and should therefore be the primary object aimed at in his education.

We must be careful, however, to guard against any misapprehension in this matter; though it be true that the imparting of knowledge for its own sake is not the primary object of education, yet it must be remembered that education must be based on knowledge, and cannot be carried on without it; intellectual grasp and acuteness can only be attained by exercising the faculties in the acquistion, the contemplation, and the comparison of the various branches of human learning; education is not instruction indeed, but without instruction education is impossible.

The second preliminary point upon which it seems desirable to say something is the distinction between the different kinds of education. Now there are three kinds of education1st, Primary; 2nd, Secondary; 3rd, the Higher.

1st. Primary Education consists in the imparting of the mere elements of learning, or rather of those branches of knowledge which are indispensable for every one in civilised life, or which are necessary for the subsequent acquisition of all knowledge, I mean-Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Under proper methods of teaching these elements, some amount of intellectual discipline may be imparted; but that discipline is not very considerable in amount, nor is it of a very high quality. This, however, is all the mental culture attainable by the great mass of our population, who are forced at an early age to forego all systematic education, and engage in hard manual toil for the sustenance of life. 2nd. Secondary Education is that of the vast majority of our middle classes, who are enabled to stay longer at school than our working population, say until their fourteenth, fifteenth, or sixteenth year, and have therefore the opportunity of receiving a more thorough mental discipline, and acquiring a higher

intellectual culture. They have time and opportu pursuit of many of the higher branches of study, a which are the most efficacious for the training and of the mind; and the great object in educating first of all securing their acquisition of those e knowledge which are necessary, or eminently use successful carrying on of the ordinary business their position of life, should be to educe and disc various powers of their minds. 3rd. The Higher is that of those who have the means, opportunity, of prolonging their studies up to the period of early Its object is the complete and harmonious developmen calling forth into healthful, vigorous action, of all th faculties-in short, the general cultivation of the wh ligence; and this is to be effected by the stud higher, more refining, and more recondite branches ledge.

Leaving out of sight Primary Education, as not c with our present subject of discussion, we have to only the Secondary and the Higher. We assume, essential conditions, first, that in both, the branches which appertain specially to Primary Education ha secured; next, that in both, so much extra informa been imparted as is necessary, or useful, for a man wh occupy a position above that of the mechanic, or day-la and earn his living in any other way than by the worl hands; and we assert that afterwards, in both ali object in view should be mental discipline and culture only difference between the two being, that in Sec Education this discipline and culture can only be car to a certain point, and must stop at a much lower leve the one attainable in the Higher Education. The dif then between the Secondary and Higher Education rather of degree, than of kind; the instruments used