performed; the business of education creditably gone through; but that done, all is considered to be done. No desire of future improvement is stirring in the yet unsatisfied mind; no aspirations after higher perfection awakened. The wondering parent is delighted at the proficiency of the youth, who, he finds, has thus been perforce saturated with school-learning; but is too ignorant or too blind to take notice whether he ever after recurs to those books over which he has spent so many years of his young life, or whether he recurs, of his own accord, to any books at all. In short, we would put the plain question, whether what is technically called at the universities the cramming system, the results of which are sometimes, both at school and at college, so apparently flattering to the instructor and so complacently admired by the parent, answers, in the end, one real purpose of education? whether Jack, though by some good fortune, or as the reward of such incessant toil, he may have obtained school and university honours, is not as dull a boy as ever-perhaps conceited in his dulness? Even his habits of application, not being voluntary, are by no means settled and confirmed; no one of the faculties which are to be of use in public life has been quickened or rendered more acute; he has not acquired one taste which will give a polished tone to his mind; he has neither a scholar-like, nor a literary, nor a scientific turn.

It is certainly remarkable, and no favourable indication of the working of the system, that in proportion with the enforced acquisition of considerable classical knowledge in some schools and at the university, the classical taste of the community seems to be on the decline. We import from Germany all our best new editions of the classics, and works illustrative of ancient literature. The few which are published in this country above the rank of mere school books, whether of a philological character, or, like Mr. Henry Coleridge's Introduction to Homer, of a more general and tasteful class, find but a slow and precarious sale. This may, in part, be attributed to many concurrent causes. There is the secession of one considerable part of the educated classes into a kind of religious republic, which, if not openly hostile, is, in its influence, adverse to profane learning. With them scholarship is, at least, an unnecessary, if not a dangerous accomplishment. The extraordinary impulse given to scientific pursuits, and even to political economy, no doubt, by a still fairer rivalship, has withdrawn many vigorous minds from that which at one time was considered too exclusively the object of intellectual ambition. Yet these causes, and even the more engrossing anxieties of our political circumstances, the more laborious and difficult competition for success in the crowded state of the liberal professions, will scarcely,

scarcely, if we consider the great numbers who receive a highly classical education, account for this comparative indifference to all inquiries connected with manly and elegant scholarship. It is certainly remarkable, that the more favourite studies of the day are exactly those which men are left to study of their own free will; which they follow from the bias of their own minds, or for which they acquire a spontaneous taste from instruction which they have sought out for themselves. We may perhaps revert again to this topic.

Up to a certain period, the Eton system has certainly been singularly successful in attaching the scholars to the studies of the institution; but before we inquire into the system of education, it may be worth while to explain to the general reader the peculiar constitution of the school. Much animadversion has been thrown, from time to time, on the administration of the College-the original foundation. Some petulant, and it appears ill-grounded charges are advanced with the utmost confidence in one of the pamphlets before us; but, although we admit that countless difficulties embarrass the whole subject, some important alterations in the internal regulations, which regard the scholars, appear to be demanded, not by the discontented and revolutionary, but by the sober, rational, and improving spirit of the age. This part of the establishment is still essentially monastic in many of its forms and habits; in its origin it was like many of the same period, when there existed no considerable middle class, and when the children of the aristocracy only supplied the higher dignities of the church, a seminary intended to recruit the ecclesiastical order, with the more promising youths from the lowest classes.

The original foundation, as constituted in 1441, consisted of a provost, ten fellows (since reduced by royal dispensation, on occasion. of the reduced income of the college, to seven), ten chaplains (since reduced to two), as many clerks, and sixteen choristers, of an upper and under master, and seventy scholars. There was also provision for thirteen servitors, to be elected at the discretion of the provost, whose peculiar office was to assist the parish clerk in ringing the chapel bells, to keep clean the chapel, the college, and outhouses, and to wait on the provost and fellows in hall and in their chambers. Students also were admitted from any part of the kingdom, who, under the title of Oppidans, shared many of the advantages of the institution, though unattached to the foundation. I shall confine my observations to those parts of the establishment which are connected with the scholars on the foundation. They were ordered to be "poor and indigent boys," who had acquired a certain proficiency in reading and the first elements of singing. Candidates were disabled by illegitimacy, or any such physical deformity as incapacitated them for the clerical profession; and every scholar was bound to undergo the "first

tonsure"

tonsure" within a year of his election. They were admitted from all parts of England, though a preference was to be shown to the natives of certain districts; and there is a particular provision in favour of such choristers as should be considered most worthy of the distinction. The scholars and choristers were apparently of the same rank. The same qualifications were required of the candidates to both situations, and they were excluded by the same disabilities, and both orders were equally bound to qualify themselves for the clerical profession. The servitors also were to be prepared for taking holy orders at the age of twenty-five, when they were dismissed from the college. The three classes were educated together in the public schools, and instruction was afforded gratuitously to them all, as well as to the students unattached to the foundation.

All the members of the College were lodged in the quadrangle or cloisters. In the upper story, the provost, fellows, and masters had separate apartments; the other members were distributed in large chambers on the ground-floor. The number in each chamber is not expressly stated, but apparently two chambers at the most were apportioned to the scholars; and provision was made that three of the elder and most trustworthy boys should be placed in each, and made responsible for the conduct of the rest. Below the age of fourteen, two lay together in one bed. Each scholar made his own bed, during which operation they were to sing the morning hymn to the Virgin.'-Eton System Vindicated, pp. 47-54,

Different as the object of the founder was, it is singular, though undeniably true, that it would be difficult to devise a more complete and perfect machinery of education for the present period, than is furnished by the foundation at Eton.

Our attention has of late been strongly directed to the complete system of popular education for all classes established in the Prussian dominions, and in other parts of Germany. The instruction of the whole population, distributed in their different schools of primary instruction for the lowest orders, of burgher schools for the commercial classes in the towns, in the gymnasia and the universities for the higher orders, is administered, by the beneficent despotism of the state, with the regularity and uniformity of military discipline. Some excellent persons are desirous that a scheme of this kind should be introduced into this country; to which there is this one insuperable objection-its total impracticability. Education may eventually form, but it must first adapt itself to the national character. Every sectarian jealousy must be allayed, every party-feeling quenched, the sturdy spirit of independence compressed by the strong hand of power, before the mass of the people would consent to receive an education established by the government. It would retard for an incalculable period the progress of education. Old Falstaff was not more resolutely determined against giving, than the whole po

pulation

pulation would be against being taught reason by compulsion.' The valuable public servant-whom the author of the 'Bubbles from the Brunnens' describes as driving the whole population of pigs to their forest pastures, through the street of a German town-would have an easy task to the constable who should have to enforce the attendance of all the children of a village at a school established by the state. This, however, by

the way.

One of the most admirable parts of the Prussian system is the establishment of the Normal Schools for the instruction of masters it is impossible not to appreciate the security which is thus obtained for the knowledge of the system, as well as for the talents and character of the instructor; while, from the lowest schoolmaster to the highest professor, ability and success are sure of their reward; and the servant of the state is never left without a respectable provision for his life. Now, the Eton foundation contains within itself the means of educating its future masters in the best discipline for an accurate acquaintance, and perfect familiarity with the details of its system, the school itself; while it has the power of offering a liberal remuneration for its retired servants, whose character and exertions may have deserved well of the institution. The scholars at Eton pass in a certain succession to King's College, in Cambridge; and from that college it has been customary (though there appears no statutable regulation to that effect, and in one instance we know that the custom has been infringed) to select the under-masters of the establishment. One of the undermasters has been, we believe, invariably advanced to the head-mastership. The dignities of the college, the provostship and fellowships, offer a liberal reward and an honourable retreat for some of the masters, after a certain period of labour. The fellowships, indeed, are by no means invariably filled up from the under-masters; it is, perhaps, scarcely desirable that it should be so, lest a kind of claim should be established, which might limit the proper freedom of election; but at present five out of the eight, including the provost, have gained the reward of comparative ease by many years of hard service in the tuition of the school. Thus there is a constant succession of teachers well versed in all the practical details, and deeply imbued with the spirit of the system; pledged by all their old delightful associations, and bound by gratitude, by generous pride, and (no unworthy motive) stimulated perhaps by the hope of obtaining an honourable retirement after a proper period of service. In the frequent election of the under-master to the fellowship, there is another great advantage, that the succession of masters is more rapid-new life and energy is continually infused into the system. Instead of lingering on to unrewarded old age, when all

the

the spring and buoyancy of life have languished away, and the business of the school sunk by long habit into a dull and formal routine, the under-master at Eton rarely continues in his situation beyond what may be considered the active and ambitious period of life; he either obtains or despairs of obtaining some reward, from the college or in church preferment, and makes room for some fresh and enterprising successor.

But the beauty of this whole complete and progressive system will be marred if the fellowships of Eton and the church preferment, which is fairly tenable with such a situation, be not a liberal provision for a gentleman. We should be jealous of any reform in the establishment which would either diminish, to any considerable amount, the power of the college to maintain a liberal hospitality, or trench materially on the comforts of the individual members. At first sight it might appear, that in a foundation like that of Eton, the seventy scholars were intended to enjoy a more ample proportion of the common funds than the fellows, originally ten in number, but reduced to seven. The Vindicator,' however, has made a strong case in favour of the present distribution, which appears to have the sanction of a law of the land, and, according to our view, is justified, at least to a certain extent, by the expediency of the case. Still the re-organization of the whole plan of the college, as regards the scholars, is imperiously required. It would be the most ungenerous, and, we are convinced, unjust impeachment upon the liberality, the good sense, the grateful attachment of the members of the present foundation, to the well-being of the whole institution, if we did not suppose them willing to make every sacrifice compatible with the comfort and proper dignity of their own situation. The College at Eton might be made the most splendid, according to our view the most useful, establishment of the kind in the whole kingdom. Introduce a fairer competition for its advantages; obtain, if possible, the concurrence of King's College in the honourable career of improvement; let the members of that establishment disdain the disgraceful privilege of obtaining a degree in the University of Cambridge without passing the usual examination, or being permitted to contend for the University honours.* Above all, remove whatever is offensive to the

* This dishonourable distinction is claimed also by the members of New College, Oxford. We remember a pamphlet, written by an elegant scholar and an excellent man, who has recently been cut off without attaining the literary or professional distinction, which his talents might well have commanded, the Rev. Augustus Hare, which in vain attempted to persuade the members of his College to disdain this exemption. The pamphlet was written with so much ability, that one of the most distinguished scholars of the University pronounced it to be fatal to its own argument; for if the existing system could produce men capable of such performances, it needed no reformation.

decency