proceeded as follows:-"Pleasure of Science," Ashton Fletcher, Weston; British Empire in the East," T. F. Shoemaker, Oswego, N. Y.; "One Idea," Henry Tew, Paris; "Shem, Ham, and Japhet," W. R. Parker, Bradford; "Conquest of Mind," R. A. Montgomery, Etobicoke; "Valedictory," John W. Kerr, Ameliasburg. The formal conferring of the degrees granted by the Senate on the preceding day was then proceeded with. The following are the names of the candidates ranged, under their respective degrees : B. A.-Robert A. Montgomery, John W. Kerr. M. A.-Thomas Jaffrey Robertson, John Wilson, B.A., T.C.D., Professor of Classical Literature in Victoria College. M. D.-J. R. Agnew, F. L. Bailey, C. V. Berriman, R. C. Curry, W. N. Drake, J. Donnelly, J. Dixon, M.D.; Robert Emery, Byron Ghent, M.D.; W. B. Gowans, Henry R. Haney, M.D.; R. I. Hickey, A.B., M.D.; J. A. Mullen, D. C. McIntyre, Hiram Noble, Fred. Pritchard, John Reeve, G. C. Shannon, F. D. Stevenson, C. D. Tufford. Ad eundem.-John B. Selley, M.D.; John W. Corson, M.D.; Wm. C. Corson, M.D. Dr. Geikie, of Toronto, one of the Medical Faculty of the College, then delivered a most admirable charge, replete with the most judicious counsels to the young medical graduates, who could not but appreciate the affectionate earnestness of tone and gentlemanly feeling which characterized the address. The President then rose and said that he had anticipated the presence of Dr. Ryerson, but owing to the pressure of official duties he had been unable to remain. He (the President) next expressed his great thankfulness that a Session of unusual turmoil and anxiety had been brought to such an harmonious close. The interesting services of the evening then closed with the national anthem and the benediction.-Cobourg Star. At the late Wesleyan Conference held in the City of Toronto, the Rev. John Ryerson was appointed Governor and Treasurer of Victoria College, vice Rice; the Rev. W. H. Poole, Travelling Agent of the College East of Toronto, and the Rev. L. Warner, Travelling Agent, West. THOMAS MOLSON'S COLLEGE.-From the Gazette we learn that Thomas Molson, Esq., is about to erect a college and school in this city. The site selected is in the rear of St. Thomas' Church, in which building he has recently fitted up a clock and a fine chime of bells at an expense of £2,000. The college building will be built of brick, four stories high, with four towers. Its proposed frontage will be 230 feet, and its depth 40 feet. It is intended to devote this institution to the education of the poorer classes, and also for the preparation of young men desirous of studying for the ministry in connection with the Countess of Huntingdon's denomination, St. Thomas' Church now being occupied by that denomination, Mr. Molson having brought out a clergyman last fall. In the recent effort made in behalf of McGill College, it will be recollected that the Messrs. Molson founded a chair in that University, and when, therefore, we connect this act of Mr. T. Molson with the other, one cannot fail to admire the munificence which prompts this gentleman thus to seek to confer benefits on those around him.-Montreal Pilot. Degrees, McGill College, MONTREAL.-The following honorary and ad eundum degrees were announced as having been conferred by the corporation:-The honorary degree of LL.D., on Principal Dawson, Canon Leach, the Hon. P. J. O. Chauveau, Superintendent of Education, and E. Meredith, Esq., LL.B. The honorary degree of M.A., on D. Rodgers, E-q., of the High School Department. The ad eundum degree is of M.D., on Dr. Reddie, and of M.A., on B. Chamberlin, B.C.L. NOVA SCOTIA COMMON SCHOOL FUND.-The Legislative grant to Common Schools in Nova Scotia has been increased £4,000-from £11,000 to £15,000. BRITISH AND FOREIGN.. THE NEW EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENT.-Some days since it was announced that a new educational movement was to be inaugurated in London next month, under the presidency of Prince Albert, and that on the second day of meeting sections would be formed with a view to take into consideration various important aducational questions. The following arrangements have since been made :-The first section will be presided over by the Bishop of Oxford, and the Rev. F. Watkins, M.A., one of her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, will act as Secretary. The section will take into consideration the facts, causes, and results of the alleged early removal UNITED STATES. DE VEAUX COLLEGE.-This institution, located on the bank of the Niagara River, about a mile from the suspension bridge, was formally opened on the 20th inst. The College is designed for the maintenance and education of orphan children, and was built and is endowed from a legacy by Judge Samuel DeVeaux of Niagara Falls. The opening was an occasion of much interest. Addresses were delivered by Bishop De Lancy, Rev. Dr. Gregory, president of the College, and Hon. Washington Hunt, one of the trustees of the college fund, who paid a just tribute to the memory of the founder, whose life he briefly but felicitously sketched. NEW YORK COMMON SCHOOLS.-We learn that Governor King has appointed W. H. Neilson. T. B. Stillman, Charles C. Nott, Robert A. Adams, and Charles Tracy, a Commission to examine into the condition of the school system of the city, and report to the uext Legislature, with a bill to amend the school law. The Legislature at its recent session passed a bill providing for the appointment of this Commission. Literary and Scientific Intelligence. EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH WEST.-The British Government is fitting out an exploring expedition for the North West, or Hudson's Bay Territory. It is under command of Mr. Palliser, with Dr. Hector as Geologist, Naturalist and Surgeon; Lieut. Blackstone to take magnetical observations, and a Botanist not named. The expedition may be expected in Canada in a few days, and will proceed from the west of Lake Superior as a starting point, to the Saskatchawan, examining the capabilities of the habitable portion of this great region. Another of its duties will be to endeavor to discover a practicable road through the Rocky Mountains as a means of communication between Vancouver's Island and Canada. The prompt action of the British Government in this matter shows that it has fully awakened to the value of this domain; and we may shortly expect an accurate description of a country which the monopoly of a trading Company has hitherto made a sealed book. The troops about to be sent to Red River are probably intended to assist in or aid this survey.--Montreal Advertiser. ROUTE TO RED RIVER.-The Canadian Parliament has lately appropriated $20,000 toward opening up a communication with the Red River by way of Lake Superior, &c. SCIENTIFIC MEETING AT MONTREAL.-At the Meeting of the French Academy of Sciences at Paris, April 27, was read the invitation of the American Association for the Advancement of the Sciences, to their meeting at Montreal, August 12. The invitation was accompanied by three passage tickets from Havre to New York, put at the disposal of the American Association by the company owning the line of steamers. CANADIAN BOARDS OF ARTS AND MANUFACTURES.—A bill was introduced into the Legislative Council by the Hon. P. M. Vankoughnet. It provides among other things, for the formation in each section of the Province of a Board of Arts and Manufactures, to consist of the Minister of Agriculture, Professors of and lecturers on the physical sciences, in the chartered Universities and Colleges, the President and one Delegate from eacl. Board of Trade, and the President of, and delegates from each Mechanics' Institute, qualified as in the Bill mentioned,-in Upper and Lower Canada respectively:-Such Boards also, and the President of all legally organised Horticultural Societies to form part of the "Agricultural Association" of their respective sections of the Province. It also provided for the formation at Toronto and Montreal respectively, of a museum of min erals and other substances used in the arts and manufactures, models of useful inventions, (unconnected with agriculture,) a library of reference, &c., &c, and connected therewith, schools of design for women, and schools or colleges for mechanics. -THE LIVERPOOL FREE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.-The foundation stone of the new building in Shaw's-brow, opposite St. George's Hall, was recently laid by the founder, Mr. William Brown, M. P., who after defraying the entire cost of its construction, estimated at about £30,000, will present it as a free gift to the people of Liverpool. The Free Public Library was opened in October, 1852, in temporary premises in Duke street, where the collection in natural history belonging to the late Earl of Derby, by whom it was bequeathed to the town, was removed. The library was opened with 10,000 volumes, which number had increased to 21,021 in August, 1856, exclusive of 13,524 books in two free lending libraries, one in the North and the other in the South district. The proceedings of the day commenced with the presentation of addresses to Mr. Brown, at the Town Hall, after which that gentleman, the guests, visitors, and others, went in procession to the site of the building. After the ceremony of laying the stone a banquet was held in St. George's Hall. ART TREASURES EXHIBITION, MANCHESTER.-No fewer than 200 general meetings have been held by the Executive Committee, and the weight of their responsibility may be imagined when it is stated that the marketable value of the property under their charge is estimated at the enormous sum of £4,000,000, or double the value of the whole contents of the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park. In order to make the undertaking remunerative at the low prices of admission already fixed, it is necessary that during the period the Exhibition will remain open no fewer than between 2,000,000 and 2,500,000 visits should be paid to it. Many, of course, will go more than once, but, after making a liberal reduction for season tickets and repeated visits, nearly, if not quite, 2,000,000 persons must enter the Exhibition to insure its financial success. 105 "men of Manchester" have become responsible for £73,000 of the expenses. The Form of Application should be as follows: SIR, The School Trustees [or Reeve of Municipal Council] of-being anxious to supply the Section (Township, &c.) with suitable books for school prizes, hereby make appli cation for the books enumerated in the accompanying list, in terms of the Departmental notice, relating to Prizes in Schools. The books selected are, bona fide, for distribution as prizes in the school [or schools of the municipality, &c.] and the school [or municipal corporation hereby pledges itself and its successors in office, not to dispose of these books, nor permit them to be disposed of to any private party or for any private purpose whatsoever; but that they shall be distributed exclusively as prizes in the school, [or schools of the municipality, &c.] in terms of the Regulations granting one hundred per cent. on the present remitance of $ In testimony whereof, the Trustees [Reeve, or Chairman of above mentionedBoard of Trustees] of the hereto affix their names and seal of office this--day of185-, at [Name of Trustees, &c.] [Seal.] We hereby authorise-to procure for us the above mentioned books, in terms of the foregoing [Name.] application. TO THE CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, TORONTO. NOTE. A Corporate Seal must be affixed to the foregoing application, otherwise it is of no legal value. Text-books cannot be furnished on the terms mentioned above. They must be paid for in full at the net catalogue price. The 100 per be remitted in one sum. cent. will not be allowed on any sum less than $5, which must Annual Examination of Common School Teachers for the County of York. N TOTICE is hereby given, that Meetings of the Beard of Public Instruction for the County of York will be held on Monday and Tuesday, the 17th and 18th of August next, at 9 a.m., at the Court House, in the City of Toronto, at Richmond Hill, on the same days and hour, and at Newmarket on the same days and hour, for the examination of Common School Teachers whose certificates will expire on the 30th September, 1857, and also for all who intend becoming Teachers during the ensuing year. By virtue of a Resolution of the Board, unanimously adopted, to the effect that, in order to raise the standard of Common School Education, all Teachers now holding First Class Certificates are required to present themselves for re-examination, at the time above stated, and all Teachers presenting themselves for examination, are required to produce Certificates of Moral Character from their respective Ministers, and from the Trustees of the Schools in which they were last engaged. JOHN JENNINGS, City of Toronto, 4th July, 1857. ILLUSTRATED HAND BOOK Chairman. OF THE GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF BRITISH AMERICA. A kitchen, in which GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF BRITISH NORTH AMER N PRESS and will be published shortly, a HAND BOOK OF THE dinners for 20,000 persons may be cooked in one day, has been established in connexion with the exhibition. The value of the paintings and articles of vertu about to be exhibited at Manchester is estimated at £7,000,000. Insurances are to be effected with a nun.ber of offices. "We have," says the Manchester Guardian, "made a rough calculation of the superficial extent of wall space in the Great Hall, the six picture galleries, and the four ante-galleries, destined for the reception of pictures-that is, oil paintings exclusively; and if we are correct (and we have endeavoured to be within the mark), the aggregate space is not less than 4,400 square yards, or very nearly an acre of paintings, the aggregate money value of which would certainly reach some fabulous amount." Prince Albert opened the Exhibition on Monday, the 5th of May. ICA. This Hand Book is designed to accompany two Maps of the British Provinces, prepared by the author under the authority of the Chief Superintendent, for the use of the Public Schools of Upper Canada, and published in the Irish National, and W. & A. K. Johnston's, Series of Maps. In addition to the usual Geographical information, this Hand Book will contain a summary of the history of each of the British Provinces, and a short sketch of the Indian Tribes of Canada, and of the lives of those individuals whose names are associated with our earlier Colonial history, &c., &c. With numerous illustrations. Cloth, gilt, lettered. pp. Price 50 cts. per copy. Toronto, May 18th, 1857. SCHOOL FURNITURE. JACQUES & HAY continue to make School Desks and Chairs of the most approved patterns, and can execute orders promptly and at moderate prices. Toronto, March 3, 1857. ADVERTISEMENTS inserted in the Journal of Education for one penny per word, which may be remitted in postage stamps, or otherwise. TERMS: For a single copy of the Journal of Education, 5s. per annuma back vols. neatly stitched, supplied on the same terms. All subscriptions to commence with the January number, and payment in advance must in al cases accompany the order. Single numbers, 74d. each. All communications to be addressed to Mr. J. GEORGE HODGINE, Education Office, Toronto TORONTO: Printed by LOVELL & GIBSON, corner of Yonge and Melinda Streets CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. RELIGIO.SCIENTIA LIBERTAS EDUCATION, TORONTO: JULY, 1857. PAGE 97 I. Great English Educational Conference... V. MISCELLANEOUS.-1. Little by Little. 2. The Wandering Sheep. 3. VI. EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.-1. Canada-(1) University of Trinity VII. Literary and Scientific Intelligence.-(1) The New Reading Room of the British Museum; (2) A Noble Donation to the New York State Library; (3) The Indian Materia Medica VIII. Departmental Notices 106 107 107 110 112 112 112 GREAT ENGLISH EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE. On 22nd June, the first of the three general Conferences for fully discussing the English Educational question in all its bearings, especially in relation to the early age at which the children of the working classes are removed from schcol, was held at Willis' rooms, under the presidency of his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and a number of distinguished noblemen and gentlemen. Long before the hour fixed for the Prince to take the chair, the room was completely crowded, and the reception accorded to his Royal Highness on his arrival was most warm and flattering. He was supported by the Bishops of Oxford, London, St. Asaph, Manchester, Sir J. Shuttleworth, Sir J. Packington, Lord Ward, Earl Granville, the Bishop of Durham, Lord Brougham, the Bishop of Winchester, Archdeacon Sinclair,. Lord Calthorpe, Lord Ingestre, and other noblemen and gentlemen. ment. Canada. No. 7. While upon the parish organization and forming part of parish which met the wants of their day, and had in it a certain un and completeness which we may well enr; at the present mu But in the progress of time our wants have outstripped that system, and the condition of the country has so completely changed even within these last fifty years, that the old parochial division is no longer adequate for the present population. This has increased during that period in England and Wales from, in round numbers, 9,000,000 to 18,000,000, and, where there formerly existed comparatively small towns and villages, we now see mighty cities like Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, Leeds, Birmingham, and others, with their hundreds of thousands, springing up almost, as it were, by enchantment, London having increased to nearly two and a half millions of souls, and the factory district of Lancashire alone having aggregated a population of nearly 3,000,000 within a radius of thirty miles! This change could not escape the watchful eye of a patriotic public; but how to provide the means of satisfying the new wants could not be a matter of easy solution. zeal for the public good, a fervent religious spirit, and true philanthropy are qualities eminently distinguishing our countrymen, the love of liberty and an aversion from being controlled by the power of the State in matters nearest to their hearts, are feelings which will always most powerfully influence them in action. Thus the common object has been contemplated from the most different points of view, and pursued often upon antagonistic principles. Some have sought the aid of Government, others of the Church to which they belong; some have declared it to be the duty of 'che State to provide His Royal Highness, who, on his rising, was received with elementary instruction for the people at large, others have prolonged cheering, immediately proceeded to address the seen in State interference a check to the spontaneous exertions meeting as follows: "Gentlemen, we have met to-day in the of the people themselves, and an iaterference with self-governsacred cause of Education-of National Education. This ment; some, again, have advocated a plan of compulsory eduword, which means no less than the moral and intellectual de- cation based upon local self-government, and others the volunvelopment of the rising generation, and, therefore, the national tary system in its widest development. While these have been welfare, is well calculated to engross our minds, and opens a some of the political sub jects of difference, those in the religiquestion worthy of a nation's deepest interest and most anxious field have not beer, less marked and potent. We find, on ous consideration. Gentlemen, the nation is alive to its importance, and our presence here to-day gives further evidence [if such evidence were needed] of its anxiety to give it that consideration. [Hear, hear.] Looking to former times, we find that our forefathers, with their wonted piety and paternal care, had established a system of national education, based the one hand, the wish to see secular and religious instruction separated, and the former recognised as an innate and inherent right, to which each member of society has a claim, and which ought not to be denied to him if he refuses to take along with it the inculation of a particular dogma to which he objects as unsound; while we see, on the other hand, the doctrine asserted L that no education can be sound which does not rest on religious instruction, and that religious truth is too sacred to be modified and tampered with, even in its minutest deductions, for the sake of procuring a general agreement. [Much cheering.] Gentlemen, if these differences were to have been discussed here to-day, I should not have been able to respond to your invitation to take the chair, as I should have thought it inconsistent with the position which I occupy and with the duty which I owe to the Queen and the country at large. I see those here before me who have taken a leading part in these important discussions, and I am happy to meet them upon a neutral ground; happy to find that there is a neutral ground upon which their varied talents and abilities can be brought to bear in communion upon the common object; and proud and grateful to them that they should have allowed me to preside over them for the purpose of working together in the common vineyard. I feel certain that the greatest benefit must arise to the cause we have all so much at heart by the mere free exchange of your thoughts and various experience. You may well be proud, gentlemen, of the results hitherto achieved by your rival efforts, and may point to the fact that, since the beginning of the century, while the population has doubled itself, the number of schools both public and private has been multiplied 14 times. In 1801, there were in England and Wales, of public schools, 2,876; of private schools, 487-total, 3,363. In 1851 [the year of the census] there were in England and Wales, of public schools, 15,518; of private schools, 30,524-total, 46,042; giving instruction in all to 2,144,378 scholars; of whom 1,422,982 belong to public schools, and 721,396 to the private schools. The rate of progress is further illustrated by statistics which show that in 1818 the proportion of day scholars to the population was 1 in 17; in 1833, 1 in 11; and in 1851, 1 in 8. These are great results, although I hope they may only be received as instalments of what has yet to be done. But what must be your feelings when you reflect upon the fact, the inquiry into which has brought us together, that this great boon thus obtained for the mass of the people, and which is freely offered to them, should have been only partially accepted, and, upon the whole, so insufficiently applied as to render its use almost valueless? [Hear.] We are told that the total population of England and Wales of children between the ages of three and fifteen being estimated at 4,908,686, only 2,046,848 attend school at all, while 2,861,848 receive no instruction whatever. At the same time an analysis of the scholars with reference to the length of time allowed for their school tuition shows that 42 per cent. of them have been at school less than one year, 22 per cent. during one year, 15 per cent. during two years, 9 per cent. during three years, 5 per cent. during four years, and 4 per per cent. during five years. Therefore, out of the two millions of scholars alluded to, more than one million and a-half remain only two years at school. I leave it to you to judge what the results of such an education can be. I find further, that of these two millions of children attending school, only about 600,000 are above the age of nine. Gentlemen, these are startling facts, which render it evident that no extension of the means of education will be of any avail unless this evil, which lies at the root of the whole question, be removed, and that it is high time that the country should become thoroughly awake to its existence and prepared to meet it energetically. To impress this upon the public mind is the object of our conference. Public opinion is the powerful lever which in these days moves a people for good and for evil, and to public opinion we must therefore appeal if we would achieve any lasting and beneficial-result. You, gentlemen, will richly add to the services which you have already rendered to the noble cause if you will prepare public opinion by your inquiry into this state of things, and by discussing in your sections the causes of it as well as the remedies which may lie within our reach. [Cheers.] This will be no easy matter; but even if your labors should not result in the adoption of any immediate practical steps, you will have done great good in preparing for them. It will probably happen that, in this instance as in most others, the cause which produces the evil will be more easily detected than its remedy, and yet a just appreciation of the former must ever be the first and essential condition for the discovery of the latter. You will probably trace the cause of our social condition to a state of ignorance and lethargic indifference on the subject among the parents generally; but the root of the evil will, I suspect, also be found to extend into that field on which the political economist exercises his activity-I mean the labor marketdemand and supply. [Hear.] To dissipate that ignorance and rouse from that lethargy may be difficult, but with the united and earnest efforts of all who are the friends of the working classes, it ought, after all, to be only a question of time. What measures can be brought to bear upon the other root of the evil is a more delicate question, and will require the nicest care in handling, for there you cut into the very quick of the working man's condition. His children are not only his offspring, to be reared for a future independent position, but they constitute part of his productive power and work with him for the staff of life; the daughters especially are the handmaids of the house, the assistants of the mother, the nurses of the younger children, the aged, and the sick. To deprive the laboring family of their help would be almost to paralyse its domestic existence. [Cheers.] On the other hand, carefully collected statistics reveal to us the fact that while about 600,000 children between the ages of three and fifteen are absent from school, but known to be employed, no less than 2,200,000 are not at school, whose absence cannot be traced to any ascertained employment or other legitimate cause. You will have to work, then, upon the minds and hearts of the parents, to place before them the irreparable mischief which they inflict upon those who are entrusted to their care by keeping them from the light of knowledge, to bring home to their conviction that it is their duty to exert themselves for their children's education, bearing in mind at the same time that it is not only their most sacred duty, but also their highest privilege. Unless they work with you, your work, our work, will be vain; but you will not fail, 1 feel sure, in obtaining their co-operation if you remind them of their duty to their God and Creator. [Cheers.] Our Heavenly Father, in his boundless goodness, has made his creatures that they should be happy, and in his wisdom has fitted his means to his ends, giving to all of them different qualities and faculties in using and developing which they fulfil their destiny, and, running their uniform course according to his prescription, they find that happiness which he has intended for them. Man alone is born into this world with faculties far nobler than the other creatures, reflecting the image of Him who has willed that there should be beings on earth to know and worship Him, but endowed with the power of self-determination, having reason given him for his guide. He can develope his faculties, place himself in harmony with his divine prototype, and attain that happiness which is offered to him on earth, to be completed hereafter in entire union with Him through the mercy of Christ. But he can also leave these faculties unimproved, and miss his mission on earth. He will then sink to the level of the lower animals, forfeit happiness, and separate from his God, whom he did not know how to find. [Much cheering.] Gentlemen, I say man has no right to do this, he has no right to throw off the task which is laid upon him for his happiness; it is his duty to fulfi his mission to the utmost of his power; but it is our duty, the duty of those whom Providence has removed from this awful struggle and placed beyond this fearful danger, manfully, unceasingly, and untiringly to aid by advice, assistance, and example, the great bulk of the people, who, without such aid, must almost inevitably succumb to the difficulty of their task. They will not cast from them the aiding hand, and the Almighty will bless the labors of those who work in his cause. [His Royal Highness concluded amid continued and enthusiastic cheering ] The Rev. J. G. Lonsdale, the Secretary, then read the report. which was to a large extent an echo of His Royal Highness's speech. It also pointed out in detail the course which the business of the Conference was to take. It stated that there had been expended, since 1839, through local voluntary agency, aided by the State, a sum of more than £2,000,000 in the erection of new school buildings, &c., which had afforded the means of education to half a million more children than were previous to that time educated; that the sum of £1,250,000 was annually expended upon the working classes; and that, in addition to those amounts. large sums had been expended for building and maintaining schools, of which no precise return had been procured. The Secretary concluded by calling upon Lord Brougham, who, he said, had been for forty-six years taking an active part in educational movements to address the meeting. Lord Brougham was very ethusiastically received by the necessity which so many of the parents had for the early labour of audience. He gave a species of historical resumé of the educa- the children. He believed there was another, and, if possible, even tional efforts of the last half century, in most of which, as is well a wider cause, striking its roots deep into the evil, and that was, the known, he has taken an energetic and conspicuous part. His lordship want of a certain authority on the part of the parents, and the said his Royal Highness had shown how much had already been done want of a proper yielding obedience on the part of the children. to promote the great cause of education; but his Royal Highness had [Hear, hear.] This was one of the great causes of evil which also pointed out how much yet remained to be accomplished. Their they all deplored. The parents were so much engaged in their maxim ought to be Nil actum-he begged pardon of the ladies daily toils that they had not time to look after their children, and for wandering into a Latin quotation in their presence-[laughter] to induce those who were indisposed to incur the labour and self-"Counting nought done, while aught remains to do." That, he denial indispensable in all true education. [Hear.] There ought could assure the ladies, was a very literal rendering of the maxim also to be, on the part of the parents, a settled belief that the he was about to have quoted. [Cheers and laughter.] The education which was offered to them was worthy of their acceptance; question was, what was it that "remained to do?" He was glad and the great hindrance to this was the differences which existed that the Conference had been wisely confined to one specific object, amongst the various parties who furnished the means of education. instead of going at large into all the matters connected with public [Hear.] He believed that such conferences as that which they and national education,-[hear,]-because of the unhappy differ- were then about to hold would do a great deal towards lessening ences and controversies of various kinds which existed. [Hear, those unhappy divisions which at present existed amongst the hear.] He quite agreed with his Royal Highness in thinking that, various parties who were desirous of promoting the education of even if they did not arrive at any very satisfactory solution of the the working classes of this country. He believed that but for problem, the mere inquiry, and the information which must be gain- those differences, there would be one strong assertion of the moral ed by the evidence placed before them, would be no light addition sense of the people in this direction, which would remove the to their triumphs in this great cause. [Hear, and cheers] His difficulties which stood in their way. [Hear, hear.] Their friendreverend friend the Secretary had reminded him that he took partly discussions would tend to remove many of the difficulties with in the very small beginnings of the movement in favour of popu- which this question was now surrounded. [Hear, hear.] It was lar education forty-six years ago. The Bell and Lancaster intended that the various sections should have papers read to them, schools had then been established to a considerable extent; but and that resolutions embodying the result of those discussions should it was necessary that a greater impulse should be given by a better be presented to the general meeting on Wednesday. On such an plan of association. Accordingly, towards the latter end of 810, occasion as that, when there might be differences of opinion he recollected presiding over a meeting somewhere in that neigh- arising, it would be obviously inconvenient that his Royal Highness bourhood, composed of men whose merits deserve to be held in last- should preside-[hear, hear]-but as his Royal Highness desired ing remembrance, amongst whom were William Allan and Joseph to render what they were doing as practical as possible, he had Forster, and their friends, who by their pious and persevering given them his aid that day in his general statement of their case labours, and their boundless generosity, had done a great deal to [hear, hear]-and he would leave them, on the Wednesday, to promote popular education. [Hear.] Then came his late lament- come to the best conclusions they could after they had had the ed friend, Dr. Birkbeck-[hear, hear]-to whose generosity and opportunity of discussion. [Hear.] In conclusion, the right labours it was impossible that any language of his could do justice. rev. prelate expressed his gratification at the hopeful aspect of the His lordship next referred to a private meeting, presided over by educational movement at the present moment, and appealed to his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, and to the great exertions Lord Brougham as to whether matters had ever before appeared of his late lamented friend the Duke of Bedford, and this naturally so cheering. "And," said the right reverend prelate, “ may the brought him to the formation of the British and Foreign School blessing of our God, the giver of every good and perfect gift, Society, and in the labours of the "much calumniated" Education be vouchsafed to this endeavour, and, with his blessing, it shall not Committee. Out of their labours arose the present system which be fruitless." [Cheers.] had been so happily applied under his noble friend, the president [the Earl of Granville,] and his right hon. friend behind him, the vice-president. The committee of Privy Council grants began with £30,000, and now happily amounted to half a million. [Hear.] The number of schools had increased from 5,000 or 6,000, in 1801, to 40,000 or 50,000. In olden times when he proclaimed that "the schoolmaster was abroad-[laughter]-he had no expectation that he should ever meet with the second master--the employer of the labour of poor people's children-against whom their present struggle was directed. They wanted to get employers to adopt some system of certificates to be required from children previous to giving them employment. They did not want the continental compulsory system, but they wanted some system of "gentle violence"-[laughter]-towards parents, to induce them to give their children the necessary education. [Cheers.] The Rev. Canon Moseley, having long been connected with the educational movement, could bear testimony that a large portion of what was required towards a good system of national education had already been accomplished, and what had been done was that which properly should have been first done. It was necessary that schools should be erected-it was necessary that competent and well-instructed masters should be secured-it was necessary that their talents and acquirements should be tested-it was necessary that they should be provided with adequate stipends-and it was necessary that their efficiency should be insured by inspection. All this had been done; and what they had now to do was to impress upon the poor the value of the instruction offered them. His Royal Highness had alluded to the statistics of education as taken from the census of 1851, and which, until they were proved wrong, he [Canon Moseley] would assume to be correct. It appeared, from The Bishop of Oxford said that, as one of the first to whom these statistics, that out of 5,000,000 children who ought to be at this movement had been suggested by his friend Canon Moseley, school only 2,000,000 were there; and of the remaining 3,000,000 and one of the first who had acquiesced in the proposition, he beg- only one-third were at work, leaving 2,000,000 who were either at ged to thank his Royal Highness for the part he had taken in home or in the streets. But the great misfortune was the youthfurthering the objects of the conference. He believed that under fulness of those who were at school. It was found that between the blessing of God, this great cause of education would be seven and eight the parents began to take them away, and that very promoted by the conference which it was now proposed to hold, few children of the labouring classes remained at school after The great difficulty that now met them, was not to provide schools twelve, the average age at which they left being 10. Now he for the children, but children for the schools. [Cries of "Hear would ask them how it was possible that at such an age children hear."] This being the case, it became them, as practical men, to could have attained a knowledge of even the elements of education; address themselves mainly to the remedy of that evil; and in order and yet, if there was an outbreak of the people the enemies of to do this, they should first ascertain what was the cause of it-education would cry out and say, "See what your education has [hear]—and how a remedy could best be applied. It was in vain done;" whereas they should rather say, "See what the want of to administer a medicine for a fever if there was some miserable education has produced." He asked those present, more especially gutter beneath the window of the patient's sleeping apartment, those who had children at the age of 10, to consider, however sending forth the seeds of some new disorders. [Hear, hear,] good the principles inc alcated in a child-however much he might One of the difficulties with which they had to deal, was the have been taught--hov vever docile he might be--what would be 1 |