a new view of society-第16章

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　the　instruction　itself　another；　and　no　two　objects　can　be　more　distinct。　The　worst　manner　may　be　applied　to　give　the　best　instruction；　and　the　best　manner　to　give　the　worst　instruction。　Were　the　real　importance　of　both　to　be　estimated　by　numbers；　the　manner　of　instruction　may　be　compared　to　one；　and　the　matter　of　instruction　to　millions：　the　first　is　the　means　only；　the　last；　the　end　to　be　accomplished　by　those　means。　　　　　If；　therefore；　in　a　national　system　of　education　for　the　poor；　it　be。　desirable　to　adopt　the　best　manner；　it　is　surely　so　much　the　more　desirable　to　adopt　also　the　best　matter；　of　instruction。　　　　　Either　give　the　poor　a　rational　and　useful　training；　or　mock　not　their　ignorance；　their　poverty；　and　their　misery；　by　merely　instructing　them　to　become　conscious　of　the　extent　of　the　degradation　under　which　they　exist。　And；　therefore；　in　pity　to　suffering　humanity；　either　keep　the　poor；　if　you　now　can；　in　the　state　of　the　most　abject　ignorance；　as　near　as　possible　to　animal　life；　or　at　once　determine　to　form　them　into　rational　beings；　into　useful　and　effective　members　of　the　state。　　　　　Were　it　possible；　without　national　prejudice；　to　examine　into　the　matter　of　instruction　which　is　now　given　in　some　of　our　boasted　new　systems　for　the　instruction　of　the　poor；　it　would　be　found　to　be　almost　as　wretched　as　any　which　can　be　devised。　In　proof　of　this　statement；　enter　any　one　of　the　schools　denominated　national；　and　request　the　master　to　show　the　acquirements　of　the　children。　These　are　called　out；　and　he　asks　them　theological　questions　to　which　men　of　the　most　profound　erudition　cannot　make　a　rational　reply；　the　children；　however；　readily　answer　as　they　had　been　previously　instructed；　for　memory；　in　this　mockery　of　learning；　is　all　that　is　required。　　　　　Thus　the　child　whose　natural　faculty　of　comparing　ideas；　or　whose　rational　powers；　shall　be　the　soonest　destroyed；　if；　at　the　same　time；　he　possess　a　memory　to　retain　incongruities　without　connection；　will　become　what　is　termed　the　first　scholar　in　the　class；　and　three…fourths　of　the　time　which　ought　to　be　devoted　to　the　acquirement　of　useful　instruction；　will　be　really　occupied　in　destroying　the　mental　powers　of　the　children。　　　　　To　those　accustomed　attentively　to　notice　the　human　countenance　from　infancy　to　age；　in　the　various　classes　and　religious　denominations　of　the　British　population；　it　is　truly　an　instructive　although　melancholy　employment；　to　observe　in　the　countenances　of　the　poor　children　in　these　schools　the　evident　expression　of　mental　injury　derived　from　the　well…intentioned；　but　most　mistaken；　plan　of　their　instruction。　　　　　It　is　an　important　lesson；　because　it　affords　another　recent　and　striking　example　to　the　millions　which　previously　existed；　of　the　ease　with　which　children　may　be　taught　to　receive　any　sectarian　notions；　and　thence　acquire　any　habits；　however　contrary　to　their　real　happiness。　　　　　To　those　trained　to　become　truly　conscientious　in　any　of　the　present　sectarian　errors　which　distract　the　world；　this　free　exposure　of　the　weakness　of　the　peculiar　tenets　in　which　such　individuals　have　been　instructed；　will；　at　first；　excite　feelings　of　high　displeasure　and　horror；　and　these　feelings　will　be　acute　and　poignant　in　proportion　to　the　obvious　and　irresistible　evidence　on　which　the　disclosure　of　their　errors　is　founded。　　　　　Let　them；　however；　begin　to　think　calmly　on　these　subjects；　to　examine　their　own　minds　and　the　minds　of　all　around　them；　and　they　will　become　conscious　of　the　absurdities　and　inconsistencies　in　which　their　forefathers　have　trained　them；　they　will　then　abhor　the　errors　by　which　they　have　been　so　long　abused；　and；　with　an　earnestness　not　to　be　resisted；　they　will　exert　their　utmost　faculties　to　remove　the　cause　of　so　much　misery　to　man。　　　　　Enough　surely　has　now　been　said　of　the　manner　and　matter　of　instruction　in　these　new　systems；　to　exhibit　them　in　a　just　and　true　light。　　　　　The　improvements　in　the　manner　of　teaching　children　whatever　may　be　deemed　proper　for　them　to　learn　…　improvements　which；　we　may　easily　predict；　will　soon　receive　great　additions　and　amendments　have　proceeded　from　the　Rev。　Dr　Bell　and　Mr　Lancaster；　while　the　errors　which　their　respective　systems　assist　to　engrave　on　the　ductile　mind　of　infancy　and　childhood；　are　derived　from　times　when　ignorance　gave　countenance　to　every　kind　of　absurdity。　　　　　Mr　Whitbread's　scheme　for　the　education　of　the　poor　was　evidently　the　production　of　an　ardent　mind　possessing　considerable　abilities；　his　mind；　however；　had　been　irregularly　formed　by　the　errors　of　his　early　education；　and　this　was　most　conspicuous　in　the　speech　which　introduced　the　plan　he　had　devised　to　the　House　of　Commons；　and　in　the　plan　itself。　　　　　The　first　was　a　clear　exposition　of　all　the　reasons　for　the　education　of　the　poor　which　could　be　expected　from　a　human　being　trained　from　infancy　under　the　systems　in　which　Mr　Whitbread　had　been　instructed。　　　　　The　plan　itself　evinced　the　fallacy　of　the　principles　which　he　had　imbibed；　and　showed　that　he　had　not　acquired　a　practical　knowledge　of　the　feelings　and　habits　of　the　poor；　or　of　the　only　effectual　means　by　which　they　could　be　trained　to　be　useful　to　themselves　and　to　the　community。　　　　　Had　Mr　Whitbread　not　been　trained；　as　almost　all　the　Members　of　both　Houses　of　Parliament　have　been；　in　delusive　theories；　devoid　of　rational　foundation；　which　prevent　them　from　acquiring　any　extensive　practical　knowledge　of　human　nature；　he　would　not　have　committed　a　plan　for　the　national　education　of　the　poor　to　the　sole　management　and　direction　of　the　ministers；　churchwardens；　and　overseers　of　parishes；　whose　present　interests　must　have　appeared　to　be　opposed　to　the　measure。　　　　　He　would　surely；　first；　have　devised　a　plan　to　make　it　the　evident　interest　of　the　ministers；　churchwardens；　and　overseers；　to　co…operate　in　giving　efficacy　to　the　system　which　he　wished　to　introduce　to　their　superintendence；　and　also　to　render　them；　by　previous　training；　competent　to　that　superintendence　for　which　now　they　are　in　general　unprepared。　For；　trained　as　these　individuals　have　hitherto　been；　they　must　be　deficient　in　the　practical　knowledge　necessary　to　enable　them　successfully　to　direct　the　instruction　of　others；　and　had　an　attempt　been　made　to　carry　Mr　Whitbread's　plan　into　execution；　it　would　have　created　a　scene　of　confusion　over　the　whole　kingdom。　　　　　Attention　to　the　subject　will　make　it　evident　that　it　never　was；　and　that　it　never　can　be；　the　interest　of　any　sect　claiming　exclusive　privileges　on　account　of　professing　high　and　mysterious　doctrines；　about　which　the　best　and　most　conscientious　men　may　differ　in　opinion；　that　the　mass　of　the　people　should　be　otherwise　instructed　than　in　those　doctrines　which　were　and　are　in　unison　with　its　peculiar　tenets；　and　that　at　this　hour　a　national　system　of　education　for　the　lower　orders；　on　sound　political　principles；　is　really　dreaded；　even　by　some　of　the　most　learned　and　intelligent　members　of　the　Church　of　England。　Such　feelings　in　the　members　of　the　national　church　are　those　only　which　ought　to　be　expected；　for　most　men　so　trained　and　circumstanced　must　of　necessity　acquire　these　feelings。　Why；　therefore；　should　any　class　of　men　endeavour　to　rouse　the　indignation　of　the　public　against　them？　Their　conduct　and　their　motives　are　equally　correct；　and　therefore；　equally　good；　with　those　who　raise　the　cry　against　and　oppose　the　errors　of　the　church。　And　let　it　ever　be　remembered；　that　an　establishment　which　possesses　the　power　of　propagating　principles；　may　be　rendered　truly　valuable　when　directed　to　inculcate　a　system　of　self…evident　truth；　unobstructed　by　inconsistencies　and　counteractions。　　　　　The　dignitaries　of　the　church；　and　their　adherents；　foresaw　that　a　national　system　for　the　education　of　the　poor；　unless　it　were　placed　under　the　immediate　influence　and　management　of　individuals　belonging　to　the　church；　would　effectually　and　rapidly　undermine　the　errors；　not　only　of　their　own；　but　of　every　other　ecclesiastical　establishment。　In　this　foresight　they　evinced　the　superiority　of　their　penetration　over　the　sectaries　by　whom　the　unexclusive　system　is　supported。　The　heads　of　the　church　have　wisely　discovered　that　reason　and　inconsistency　cannot　long　exist　together；　that　the　one　must　inevitably　destroy　the　other；　and　reign　paramount。　They　have　witnessed　the　regular；　and　latterly　the　rapid　progress　which　reason　has　made；　they　know　that　its　accumulating　strength　cannot　be　much　longer　resisted；　and；　as　they　now　see　the　contest　is　hopeless；　the　unsuccessful　attempt　to　destroy　the　Lancastrian　system　of　education　is　the　last　effort　they　will　ever　make　to　counteract　the　dissemination　of　knowledge　which　is　now　widely　extending　itself　in　every　direction。　　　　　The　establishment　of　the　Rev。　Dr　Bell's　system　of　initiating　the　children　of　the　poor　in　all　the　tenets　of　the　Church　of　England；　is　an　attempt　to　ward　off　a　little　longer　the　yet　dreaded　period　of　a　change　from　ignorance　to　reason；　from　misery　to　happiness。　　　　　Let　us；　however；　not　attempt　impossibilities；　the　task　is　vain　and　hopeless；　the　Church；　while　it　adheres　to　the　defective　and　injurious　parts　of　its　system；　cannot　be　induced　to　act　cordially　in　opposition　to　its　apparent　interests。　　　　　The　principles　here　advocated　will　not　admit　the　application　of　any　deception　to　any　class　of　men；　they　countenance　no　proceedings　in　practice；　but　of　unlimited　sincerity　and　candour。　They　give　rise　to　no　one　sentiment　which　is　not　in　unison　with　the　happiness　of　the　human　race；　and　they　impart　knowledge；　which　renders　it　evident　that　such　happiness　can　never　be　acquired　until　every　particle　of　falsehood　and　deception　shall　be　eradicated　from　the　instructions　which　the　old　force　upon　the　young。　　　　　Let　us　then　in　this　spirit　openly　declare　to　the　Church；　that　a　national　unexclusive　plan　of　education　for　the　poor　will；　without　the　shadow　of　doubt；　destroy　all　the　errors　which　are　attached　to　the　various　systems；　and　that；　when　this　plan　shall　be　fully　established；　not　one　of　the　tenets　which　is　in　opposition　to　facts　can　long　be　upheld。　　　　　This　unexclusive　system　for　the　education　of　the　poor　has　gone　forth；　and；　having　found　a　resting　place　in　the　minds　of　its　supporters；　it　will　never　more　return　even　to　the　control　of　its　projectors；　but　it　will　be　speedily　so　improved；　that　by　rapidly　increasing　strides　it　will　firmly　establish　the　reign　of　reason　and　happiness。　　　　　Seeing　and　knowing　this；　let　us　also　make　it　equally　evident　to　the　Church　warn　it　of　its　actual　state　…　cordially　and　sincerely　assist　its　members　quietly　to　withdraw　those　inconsistencies　from　the　system；　which　now　create　its　weakness　and　its　danger；　that　it　may　retain　those　rational　principles　alone　which　can　be　successfully　defended　against　attack；　or　which　rather　will　prevent　any　attack　from　being　attempted；　or　even　meditated。　　　　　The　wise　and　prudent；　then；　of　all　parties；　instead　of　wishing　to　destroy　national　establishments；　will　use　their　utmost　exertions　to　render　them　so　consistent　and　reasonable　in　all　their　parts；　that　every　well…disposed　mind　may　be　induced　to　give　them　their　hearty　and　willing　support。　　　　　For　the　first　grand　step　towards　effecting　any　substantial　improvement　in　these　realms；　without　injury　to　any　part　of　the　community；　is　to　make　it