of our religion) the CHRISTIAN DUTY of cultivating these amiable and excellent virtues,and of forgiving, as you hope to be forgiven. We shall therefore conclude, by intreating you to be PIOUS AND HUMBLE,-to be HONEST, SOBER, INDUSTRIOUS, PRUDENT, KIND HEARTED, AND

FORBEARING. These are the qualities, by which we call on you, to testify your gratitude to your benefactors.-PROSPER, THRIVE, AND BE USEFUL IN THE WORLD.-BE VIRTUOUS. -BE HAPPY.-And we shall thereby receive an abundant reward for every care and attention, which we have bestowed upon you.

27th April, 1803.

X

No. XXVII.

PROPOSED INQUIRY AS TO SCHOOLS.

In order to the extension of a general system of religious and moral education among the it is submitted that a previous Inquiry

poor,

into the present state of charity and other schools will be requisite, in order to ascertain, 1. The places in which those schools are entirely adequate to the object;

2. The places where a greater extension of their benefits is wanted, and such extension is practicable; and

3. Those where new schools for the poor are necessary or expedient.

For this purpose it is proposed, that (with exception of the great classical schools, and of private seminaries receiving no support from charitable foundation, public aid, or private subscription) a parliamentary return be made from all the charity schools+ in the kingdom, under the following heads:

• Reports, Appendix to Vol. IV.

This would make a valuable supplement to the returns very recently made under Mr. Rose's Act, 43d George III.

1. The nature and amount of their respective income, annual or contingent, and arising from fines or otherwise, for five years last past.

2. The average number of children educated in each of the said schools during the five last years; specifying the number of those children which have been clothed, and those which have been not only clothed but boarded.

3. The dates of the respective foundations of such schools; and by whom, or in what manner, they were established.

4. The will, deed, or other regulation, by

--We find by those returns, comprising very nearly the whole of England and Wales, that the number of children (out of the workhouse) between five years and fourteen years of age, who have been the subject of parish relief, is 188,794; whereas the number of those, who have had the benefit of schools of industry and receiving education, have amounted only to 20,336; being not so much as one-ninth of the number receiving parish relief.-The poor's rate actually returned for one year, ending Easter 1803, considerably exceeds FIVE MILLIONS STERLING. Of this it appears by the returns, that only the sum of 10,9271. 6s. 6d. has been expended in materials for employing the poor out of the workhouse; and 38,760%. 18s. 2d. in materials for employing them in the workhouse or house of industry; two sums, which do not together amount to ONE HUNDREDTH PART of the money actually raised. The earnings of all the poor, in and out of the workhouse, amount to 87,2727. 10s.; or about one-sixtieth of the money raised for them.-4 June, 1804.

which they are governed, and where deposited, proved, or registered..

5. Whether any, or what, practicable improvement, or extension, can be safely and pro. perly adopted, as to the beneficial effects of their respetive schools.

This return may be made to the Clerk of the House of Commons: but it is conceived, that it would be better that it should be made to the Privy Council; and that the arrangement and application of the evidence to be obtained, and the report upon it, should be prepared by, or under the direction of a Special Committee of the Privy Council. The object of the report would be to point out any measures proper to be adopted for extending, either by the exist ing means, or by additional establishments, a proper and useful system of education for the benefit of all the lower classes.

The education of all the children of the poor may, it is conceived, be provided for ;

t

1. By opening the charity schools, or those established on charitable foundation, to all the original objects of the founder.

2. By engrafting on them day schools for the admission of all the other poor children of

the vicinage, on limited terms; such as those adopted in West-street, Seven Dials, of threepence per week, or in Chester.

3. By opening parochial schools (where wanted) for admission of the children of the poor, on terms of similar limitation.

4. By official application to the Lord Chancellor, where uncorrected abuses of charity schools are continued.

5. By enabling the magistrate (in certain cases and ages, when the parent is not able to pay the three-pence a week for his child's schooling) to order the payment of it, as an act of parish relief.

The whole system of education in this coun try may be thus completed with a trifling alteration of the mode, and with very little if any increase in the parochial charges.

10th Jan. 1804.