It not being judged proper, at that time, to enlarge the family in Southwark, I boarded and clothed him in Bristol for twelve months; after which, I received him home to the Borough. In a short time he was placed as master at a school at Southgate, built and supported by my friend John Walker esq., to extend the bles sing of education to the poor children in that neighbourhood. My worthy friend speaks in the most pleasing manner of the ability and good conduct of this amiable and excellent boy. In this statement is the pleasing history of a boy, whose talents would have most likely been buried under the rubbish of ignorance, had not the facilities of this system developed them. This, however, is but one proof of many which might be adduced of the good done by it. An ignorant lad comes to school in 1807;-in about two years after, he is able to conduct the Institution in which he obtained his learning. In three years after a little instruction in the Borough Road, he proves himself qualified to conduct a large school, to the satisfaction of his immediate patron, and the delight of all that visit it.

To bring all the instances I might advance, would fill a volume, instead of a brief Report. I must not, however, omit one lad, James George Penney. About the year 1805, this boy attended the school in Southwark. He was fatherless, and his mother poor. At that time he would often come to school in the morning, and remain there till night without any dinner. This was soon disco vered by his feeling schoolfellows, some of whom dried up the tears which hunger occasioned, and supplied his wants by a contribution of bread and meat, which some of them were pleased to call " a parish dinner. " This circumstance coming to my knowledge, and knowing him to be an excellent boy, I took him into my house. At first he appeared dull, from habitual depression. The close of the year before last, he was sent into Shropshire, and spent about six months there, in the house of a most liberal and excellent clergyman. The first village school that he organized was for 250 children; and such was the progress made by the scholars, that, in one case, the clergyman was applied to by a man to inform him if such improvement could be made by any thing short of witchcraft. This worthy boy did not leave that part of the nation without organizing schools for near 1000 children, which number is likely to be doubled in the ensuing summer, many persons of influence in that part of the country having been convinced of the great good to be obtained by the universal diffusion of knowledge among the lower orders of society. This lad is now settled at Bath over a school of 300 children; and my accounts from Sir Horace Mann, Baronet, the President, speak highly of the state of the school, and conduct of the master.

An excellent lad, not fourteen, has just materially aided the organization of the school at Coventry for 400 children. The committee, to express their sense of his services, have voluntarily allowed for his board, &c. at the rate of 60l. per annum. This is not quoted as a precedent, but as a proof of the boy's activity and meA boy of seventeen keeps a school at Newbury for 200 chil

rits.

dren;

dren; another at Chichester, about eighteen, will soon have 300. These facts prove, that this system possesses the power of accomplishing considerable good with small means.

A young man, just turned of twenty, and educated in the Bo. rough Road, conducted a school at Bradley before he was sixteen, and had the thanks of the Duke of Somerset for his excellent conduct and usefulness. After this, he organized schools in Liverpool and several other places, with reputation and credit. He some time ago settled in Birmingham with a school of 400 children, which it is hoped will soon be extended to a thousand. The instances of real and extensive usefulness among my young men and boys are so numerous and interesting, that I purpose to take the first leisure opportunity to publish them as a sort of history of this system. ' Report, p. 9-11.

Such of our readers as have honoured the preceding pages with their attention, must have arrived at several conclusions upon which we must entreat them for a moment to rest. We have seen the amount of the debt which had been contracted, before the six gentlemen took Mr Lancaster's affairs into their hands. We have also seen, that those gentlemen took that debt upon themselves, and increased it by a considerable sum, in carrying on the concern for three years ending 1810. It has appeared, that the supplies from all quarters, including profits of printing, donations, and annual subscriptions, fell uniformly short of the regular demands of the establishment. In fact, to carry it on upon the same scale, would have required double the income, without making any provision for the liquidation of the debt. But we have also seen, that the chief expense, the training of schoolmasters, is of all others the most essential to the progress of the system; and that the Borough school is now so completely arrayed, as to furnish the easy means of educating all the poor children in the United Kingdoms, requiring only such supplies of money as may suffice to maintain the proper number of youths, while they are learning to act as schoolmasters wherever they may be wanted. Lastly, we have seen, that the six gentlemen so often mentioned, beside their unwearied and anxious labours, have advanced large sums of money, part of which indeed they always intended as a free gift; but the rest of the burden, it seems natural for the other friends of the cause to desire may be shared by them.

A knowledge of the facts already stated, had suggested these considerations to several wellwishers of Mr Lancaster's plan, about the beginning of last winter; and it appeared manifest to them, that steps should without delay be taken, for placing his affairs in a more regular train of management, and giving to his system all the efficacy of which it was susceptible. Motives of delicacy might prevent the six private friends from coming

forward

forward with a statement of their own proceedings; for that might have looked like a display of their claims to the lasting gratitude of their country; and a proposition, that the rest of the community should unite in supporting the system, might, if proceeding from them, be liable to misconstruction. It was therefore necessary that others should exert themselves, in order to prevent the encouragement of Mr Lancaster's plan from being confined to the very small circle of his private friends; and to give the country at large an opportunity of joining them in their enlightened and disinterested efforts for the benefit of mankind. After examining privately the state of the concern, and obtaining the full approbation, both of Mr Lancaster, and the principal branches of the Royal Family, and Nobility, who had shown themselves his steady supporters, they called a meeting about the middle of last December, which was respectably attended; and a number of resolutions were unanimously agreed to, the substance only of which it is necessary to state, as forming the basis of the establishment which is now carrying on the new system of education.

was,

It was the universal opinion, both of the gentlemen present, and of a vastly greater number who had given them authority to act in their names, that an Institution should be formed for the encouragement and extension of education on Mr Lancaster's plan;-that it should be open to all persons, of every rank and description in the community,-of every political or religious sect or denomination. Such, in general, were the views of this meeting. But it appeared evident, from the previous history of the system, that a more specific mode of promoting it, and consequently a more definite object for the proposed Institution, might easily be pointed out. All that seemed wanting that a sufficient fund should be provided for liquidating the lebt already contracted, and a sufficient annual income raised for enlarging the seminary in the Borough, so as to afford the means of training whatever number of schoolmasters the provincial establishments might require. The present annual income was stated at about a thousand pounds. It was desirable that this should be raised, by yearly subscriptions, to at least three thousand. The debt of the concern, amounting to about 5000l., might be liquidated by occasional payments out of the donations received from time to time. It was plain, that the regular management of Mr Lancaster's affairs, would best be left in the hands of the six gentlemen already mentioned, who had been constituted his trustees, and possessed the entire confidence both of himself and the friends to his plan. A cominit

tee

tee of forty-seven respectable Noblemen and Gentlemen were chosen, to superintend the general concerns of the Institution, and to receive, at stated' meetings, the Reports of the trustees. The first and steady friends of the system, the Duke of Bedford and Lord Somerville, were nominated Presidents. And it was agreed, that as soon as the lamentable malady under which the Sovereign then suffered was removed, his Majesty should be entreated to place himself at the head of its patrons. It was finally understood, that a general meeting should be held, as soon as public affairs appeared somewhat more settled. *

The committee being thus constituted, held several meetings for the despatch of business; but delayed calling together the friends of the Institution, in the hopes that, by waiting for some time, they might enjoy the gratification of commencing under the immediate auspices of their Royal Patron. The unhappy turir which his Majesty's disease took, is too well known; and it was not deemed expedient to defer the meeting any longer, as the termination of the Session now approached. Accordingly, it was held on the 11th of May, at the Freemasons' Tavern, by public advertisement; and was attended by a large concourse of the most eminent and respectable persons, both in public and private life. The Duke of Bedford was in the chair, and was supported by their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of Kent and Sussex. The Prince Regent was prevented from attending by etiquette; but his worthy and learned Chancellor, Mr Adam, was sent by his Royal Highness to communicate to the meeting a gracious message, expressive of his warm approbation and good wishes towards the Institution;-his unalterable resolu tion to protect and support it by every means in his power ;and his desire that they would accept a considerable sum of money, by way of donation, and enter his name as a yearly subscriber to a large amount. The Duke of Bedford opened the business of the mecting in a most able and impressive speech of which we shall not attempt to convey any other outline than by saying, that it fulfilled the expectations of those who knew his Grace; and excited the liveliest admiration among such as believed the whole eloquence and sense of the country were to be looked for among the regular conductors of parliamentary contests. A number of resolutions were adopted by this meeting, with which we shall not venture to load our text; though

their

* The Institution suffered serious obstructions and delays, from the discussions respecting the arrangement of the Regency, at this period, added to the temporary loss of the Sovereign, who had always proved so warm a friend to its objects.

*

their importance is such as to induce us to annex them below; and earnestly to recommend the whole of this interesting docu

ment

* At a very numerous and highly respectable Meeting of the Subscribers and Friends of the ROYAL LANCASTERIAN SYSTEM for the EDUCATION of the Poor, held at the Freemasons' Tavern, Saturday, May 11th, 1811,

His Grace the DUKE of BEDFORD in the Chair.

• On the Motion of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, and seconded by his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex,

Resolved Unanimously, 1st, That from a consideration of the salutary effects of Knowledge upon the human mind, the habits of order which education creates, and the personal acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures which it produces; this Meeting anticipates, from the general Education of the Poor, the happiest results to society, by the diminution of crimes, and in the promotion of the usefulness of the great body of the people.

• On the Motion of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, seconded by his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex,

Resolved, 2d, That the System of Education invented by Mr Joseph Lancaster, enables one master to teach reading, writing and arithmetic to any number of children by the agency of his scholars alone; at the same time that the most perfect state of discipline is preserved; to which must be added, the reduction of the price of instruction, according to the number educated, to 10s., 7s., and even 3s. 6d. per annum for each child; rendering it, in the whole, an invention worthy of the most distinguished approbation and universal adoption.

On the Motion of the Marquis of Lansdowne, and seconded by William Adam esq. M. P.,

Resolved, 3d, That it is with the most lively satisfaction this Meeting contemplates the sanction and support which the Lancasterian System, for the Education of the Poor, has received from their Majesties, and every branch of the Royal Family; and his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent is most respectfully solicited to represent to the whole of the Royal Family, the high sense which this Meeting entertains of a patronage no less important to the prosperity of the undertaking, than indicative of the affection of the House of Brunswick for the truest interests of the people.

On the Motion of the Marquis of Lansdowne, and seconded by Lord Keith,

Resolved, 4th, That Mr Adam be requested by this Meeting, humbly and respectfully to express to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, the sense which they entertain of the gracious communication his Royal Highness has been pleased to make to them, and their gratitude for his continued countenance and support to the Lancasterian System of Education.

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