Church.'-Another school was founded in the same parish, under the same direction; and not only has the same principle been there likewise successfully applied, but the children, by uniting with their learning a profitable branch of industry, are almost enabled to support their own education. Another school, of which the children are now

'The very great success which has attended Dr. Bell's method in the parochial schools of Whitechapel, as also the readiness with which he undertook the charge, are thus described by the Trustees. Having observed in their Address to the inhabitants of the parish, dated April 3, 1806, "the advantages of Christian education in the principles of the Church of England," they proceed, in their report, dated April 7, 1807, at p. 4. to relate as follows. "They accordingly took the earliest opportunity of introducing into both schools (that of the boys and that of the girls) the valuable system of education recommended by the Rev. Dr. Bell, and practised by him with such distinguished success at Madras. The Trustees, hearing that Dr. Bell was in England, and would readily give them advice, applied to him by letter. Dr. Bell, with that zeal and philanthropy, which peculiarly mark his character, left his house in Dorsetshire, and hastened to Whitechapel; and has since from time to time given the Trustees and the Schoolmasters his personal assistance; and his system is now so far matured, as to command the approbation, and excite the admiration, of several eminent persons, both clergy and laity, many of them of high rank and the greatest respectability." And they add, in p. 6, "The disinterested and generous spirit of Dr. Bell allows of no recompense for all his labors: the Trustees can only therefore thus publicly express their high and grateful sense of the inestimable service he has rendered to mankind, and particularly his benevolent and indefatigable attention to the organizing of this institution." In their Report, April 11, 1809, they further say, "The plan of education recommended by Dr. Bell, has been now acted upon in this school a length of time, sufficient to enable the Trustees to determine decidedly upon its efficacy, and to speak positively of its success." This is again confirmed by the Report, April, 1810.

See p. 6, 7. of the "Third Report of the Free-School, Gower's Walk, Whitechapel, London, for training up children in the princi

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before us, has been modelled by the same director with equal success. And here I cannot but remark, that the new-modelling of this school was undertaken, not only at the general request of the Subscribers and Trustees, but by particular desire of our Metropolitan. Other schools in this great city and neighbourhood have already followed the example, through the aid of the same Director.* And as

ples of the Christian Religion, and in habits of useful industry; conducted under the system of the Rev. Dr. Bell. Printed at the School, 1811." The boys are employed in printing, the girls of course in needlework. In the parochial charity school at Whitechapel, the boys are employed in toy-making. See the last Report in the preceding note. It does not follow that the boys, when they leave school, must become either printers or toy-makers; the acquirement of a habit of industry is the great object, which may afterwards be applied, as circumstances require.

See the Sermon preached by Dr. Bell, in the parish-church of Lambeth in July, 1807; and page 32 of the Account of the Clergy Orphan School, dated April 11, 1811.

2 Both in the Marybone Charity School, and in the Marybone Day School of Industry, the new method was introduced by the intervention of Dr. Bell. See the evidence on this subject in the British Review, No. I. p. 200, 201. Dr. Bell has also very successfully introduced it into the Royal Military Asylum, and the Female Orphan Asylum. His system is likewise adopted in the Free School in Orchard-street, Westminster, which is well described in the work quoted, note 11. It has been adopted also in the Clergy Orphan School, and the Trustees in their Report, dated April 11, 1811, thus speak of it at p. 34. "The Committee has witnessed the greatest advantages, derived from the introduction of the Madras System into this School, and are anxious to make a public Declaration of their sentiments, being convinced of the necessity of a more extended system of National Education under the auspices of the Established Church, for the preservation of that Church, and the promotion of true Religion, and habits of useful industry among the lower classes; and that for these grand and interesting objects no plan has yet been proposed, from the general application of which, so much and such unmixed good can be ex

the benefits are incalculable, which must arise from the general adoption of the system thus directed, let us sincerely hope, that it will be adopted in all. " Nor can I be

2

pected, as that for which this country, and many other parts of the habitable globe, are indebted to the piety, philanthropy, and unexampled labors of Dr. Bell."

"The chief advantages of Dr. Bell's plan are, I. It completely fixes and secures the attention of every scholar; the indolent are stimulated; the vicious reclaimed; and it nearly annihilates bad behaviour of every sort. II. The children make a regular progress in their learning, which is daily noticed and registered; no lesson being passed over, till it be correctly studied. III. It saves the expense of additional instructors, the eye of one intelligent master or mistress alone being required to see that their agents, the senior good boys and girls, do their duty in teaching their juniors. IV. It not only possesses excellent mechanical advantages in communicating instruction generally; but it is particularly adapted to instil into and fix practically in the mind the principles of our Holy Religion; whilst it materially secures the moral conduct of the children, both in and out of school; and V. By economising time, hitherto so lamentably wasted in charity schools, conducted on the old plan, it affords ample and very inviting opportunity to add to the ordinary establishment a School of Industry."-This is the testimony of men, who speak from an intimate acquaintance with the subject, the Trustees of the parochial schools in Whitechapel, to whom we are under the highest obligations, next to Dr. Bell himself. See p. 5 of their Report, dated April 7, 1807. See also the Preface, by T. Bernard, Esq. to the first part of a Digest for bettering the condition of the poor, containing a selection of those articles, which have a reference to Education. 1809.

2

Though the parochial schools in Whitechapel, were the first which were modelled in London by Dr. Bell in person, yet the system itself, so early as 1797," was partially adopted with good success in the oldest charity school in London, that of Aldgate." See Dr. Bell's Madras School, p. 1. It was introduced there "by a Trustee of most distinguished and exemplary zeal for the educa tion of the poor, D. P. Watts, Esq. of Portland Place." See the Report of the Clergy Orphan School, p. 32. It was adopted also in

silent on the merit of another eminent Prelate, whose muni. ficence, as well as personal exertion, has given rapid and successful extension to the new system in the Bishopric of Durham, under the guidance and immediate inspection of the Inventor, whom he has enabled to withdraw from his parochial duties, that he might devote himself entirely to education. And, what is of great importance, the same distinguished Prelate has founded a seminary for Masters in the new system, that there never may be wanting a supply of fit and able men.*

I

1799, at the recommendation of Dr. Briggs, in the schools of industry at Kendal, and with great success. See the account, by T. Bernard, Esq. in the 3d Volume of the Reports of the Society for bettering the condition of the poor, p. 184-201.

'After Dr. Bell was presented by the Bishop of Durham to the Mastership of Sherburn Hospital, he resigned his Living of Swanage in Dorsetshire.

2

This seminary is founded at Bishop's Auckland. Of the other schools, which have been established or new modelled in the Bishopric, the principal are those at Bishop's-Wearmouth, Sunderland, and Gateshead, where Dr. Bell has had great success. See the British Review, No. I. p. 202: also Dr. Bell's Instructions for conducting a school through the agency of the scholars themselves. 2d ed. London, 1809. In the city of Durham the Rev. G. Bouyer, Prebendary of that Cathedral, has instituted a school "in the hope (which there is a fair promise of realising) of proving experimentally, that schooling on the Madras System two hours a day for three years, will suffice to give the lower orders of children that instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic, and religion, which is thought requisite." Ib. p. 16.-The Bishop, with the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, have established a school on Dr. Bell's system. The same has been done at Lichfield; and the Dean, as Archdeacon of Salop, has, in a late charge, strongly recommended it to his Clergy. The importance also, which the late Bishop of London attached to Dr. Bell's exertions, appears from his "Letter to the Governors, Legislators, and Proprietors of plantations in the British West India Islands."

IV.

We have the choice therefore of the new system in two different forms. In the one form it is a Church-of-England education: in the other form it is not so.' Both forms are alike accessible: both forms are equally practicable. We have also books of instruction, as well for the

Such examples of encouragement, on the part of the Bishops and other Clergy, bestowed on the new method of instruction, afford sufficient answer to the reproach, which has been made to those, who object to Mr. Lancaster's plan, as if their objection proceeded from a desire to keep the people in ignorance. If this was their desire, they would not encourage Dr. Bell. It is not the mechanical part to which they object; for it is the same as Dr. Bell's. It is only the religious part, to which they object. And if the Clergy do not object to the religious part of Mr. Lancaster's plan, their conduct is very inconsistent with their duty.

'That Mr. Lancaster's mode of education is not a Church-ofEngland education, is evident from his own account of it. And this is the point, on which the question hinges, whether his education should be promoted by Churchmen. The question, therefore, what the religion really is, which Mr. Lancaster teaches, is of inferior moment in the present inquiry. Indeed, it is much easier to say what it is not, than what it is: for, though called at present a British education, it teaches not Christianity, under any of the forms, which are practised within the British dominions. It appears, however, to be more favorable to Unitarianism, than to any other form of religion, at least if the Report be accurate, which was printed in the Morning Chronicle of June 6th last, relating to the meeting of the Friends of the Unitarian Fund. For, according to that Report, one of the speakers said, " that Instruction and Unitarianism were in his opinion the same, and he could not help, therefore, looking on the endeavours of Mr. Joseph Lancaster in the most favorable point of view, because his enthusiasm was merely directed to education."