idle and dissolute. He will soon know, that with the temperature, the constitution, and the other natural and political advantages of Britain, no region on earth affords such benefits to the general mass of the people, as this happy island. Favoured in soil, in climate, in religious toleration, in political freedom,-placed in a country where the child of the meanest peasant may look to the highest honours* which he can deserve, -and where equal laws protect him in the possession of whatever industry and talent can earn,—what can he wish, except kindness to himself and EDUCATION for his children? what, except that Christianity shall be in the hearts, as it is in the mouths, of the other classes of society? IN order to make the poor fully compre Its demand upon the rich. hend their duties and advan tages, let us shew them that we understand our own.-If superiority of Patere honoris scirent ut cunctis viam, PHÆDR. condition is to be respected * as the appointment of GOD, it must be maintained on the ground of the functions it implies. THE DE LIVERY OF THE TALENT IS THE INJUNCTION OF THE DUTY; and he, who possesses wealth and power, occupies a public station; and is bound to make those possessions the means of good to others, not the instruments of avarice, ostentation, or sensuality to himself. THE establishment of endowed charity schools, in the beginnning Endowed charity of the preceding century, schools. does infinite honour to the piety and huma nity of that age. In general however, they are insufficient; and, in many instances, the benefit of the original source of instruction is diminished, for want of proper channels, through which the stream of benevolence should be conducted. The gross abuses + Dr. Paley's Assize Sermon. t I had once began a list of them. But I found my number increase so fast, and that accurate information as to the particular facts was so difficult to obtain, that I discontinued an unpleasing enquiry, which did not which have existed in some of our endowed schools (as to which you can hardly meet a new person, or visit a new country, without hearing of fresh examples) are chiefly confined to the more ancient endowments, and do not generally apply to those schools, which have been established since the beginning of Queen Anne's reign. ber of scholars. WITH regard, however, to these latter Diminution of num- schools, there is another circumstance on which I think it proper to offer some observations, having in a former instance* only slightly referred to it. I mean, what the trustees periodically state in the annual publication of the Society for promoting Christian knowledge,—that they have thought fit to lessen the number of "children taught in them, that the rest may be entirely supported; which is the reason, the "number now taught is short of what it was "formerly." How far this is a breach of appear to promise to be useful in my hands, but to require more potent means of investigation. In the introductory Letter to the fourth volume of the Society's Reports. trust, I shall not now presume to inquire. Reserving, however, the right of entertaining doubts about the legality, I shall take the liberty of considering its wisdom and policy. THE usual reason for giving a preference to the suppporting of a few scholars, instead of in structing many, is, that Reason given for boarding charity children. "the morals of the pupils are corrupted at "at home; and that no dependence can be placed on the conduct of children, while they have any communication with their parents."-Weak and imperfect, indeed, must that system of education be, which will not, without contamination, admit of a few hours every day, spent by a child in its parent's cottage. If the short interval between school hours is so suddenly to obliterate all the traces of religious and moral discipline, what is to be the result of the commerce of the world, when they quit the school? what the present effects of those examples and of that language, with which our streets are disgraced, from the infection of which our charity children, in their hours of play, are not generally protected? BUT I cannot persuade myself that this is the real objection.-The Another reason. fact is, that whilst instruction extended to many, confers extensive benefits, a school which entirely supports a few, supplies useful patronage.-If a servant's child is admitted, the parent can afford to be satisfied with less wages: if that of a needy dependant, our own contribution to our poor friend, becomes less necessary; and if a parish child is the object, the school endowment comes opportunely in aid of the parish rate. THE proper inquiry is not how convenient patronage may be Answer to them. obtained, but how the most extensive and permanent good can be done. Considering, therefore, the question with this view, I shall observe, in the first place, that removing children from their parents for several years, and educating them in a sepa |