Neither do we think the plan proposed can seem chimerical to any fair-minded reader, unprejudiced against philanthropic schemes in general, and female projects in particular.

We have heard that a critic, in speaking of this book, remarked, "I wish women would let the French Revolution alone; they are not competent to meddle with such a mighty theme." The author of the appeal is probably quite aware, that a profound knowledge of history and of human nature is essential to any one who would go deeply into the " mighty theme;" that no single cause brought the curse of the Reign of Terror upon the fair land of France, and that it would be unwise and unfair to point out any solitary source of such a deluge of evil, as implying that none others existed. Miss Beecher, who is known as the author, does not do this, nor attempt to grasp the whole subject. We cannot see why one indubitable cause of that great historical event may not be treated of, and the event. itself used as an illustration of consequences, by a female pen, if the connection be distinctly shown. It does not seem to us that she has gone either beyond her province or her ability. She has not undertaken to give us a history of the reign of terror, with all that introduced or terminated it, but in a concise and striking sketch shows that "a people without education have not intelligence enough to know what measures will secure safety and prosperity, nor virtue enough to pursue even what they know to be right; so that, when possessed of power, they will adopt ruinous measures, be excited by base passions, and be governed by wicked and cruel men." She employs the French Revolution simply as an illustration of this truth. Could she have found a fairer or a stronger one? Has she not a right to use the warning it conveys?

The next point is, that our republic, like the French, is actually in danger from a people without sufficient intelligence and virtue. She exposes the hollowness of our boastings on this very subject of general education. She is willing to do justice to the past, for she opens her statements thus:

"What then, has saved our country from those wide sweeping horrors, that desolated France? Why is it that in the excitements of embargos, and banks, and slavery, and abolition, and foreign immigration, the besom of destruction has not swept

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over the land? It is because there has been such a large body of educated citizens, who have had intelligence enough to understand how to administer the affairs of state, and a proper sense of the necessity of sustaining law and order; who have had moral principle enough to subdue their own passions, and to use their influence to control the excited minds of others." - p. 31. None, we suppose, can doubt that when this state of things shall pass away, blessing and prosperity will pass with it. Our attention is then called to alarming facts.

--

"What, then, are our prospects in this respect?"—"Look at the indications in our census. In a population of fourteen millions, we find one million adults who cannot read and write, and two millions of children without schools. In a few years, then, if these children come on the stage with their present neglect, we shall have three millions of adults managing our state and national affairs, who cannot even read the Constitution they swear to support, nor a word in the Bible, nor any newspaper or book. Look at the West, where our dangers from foreign immigration are greatest, and which by its unparalleled increase is soon to hold the sceptre of power. In Ohio, more than one third of the children attend no school. In Indiana and Illinois scarcely one half the children have any schools. Missouri and Iowa send a similar or worse report. In Virginia, one quarter of the white adults cannot even write their names to their applications for marriage licenses. In North Carolina, more than half the adults cannot read and write. The whole South, in addition to her hordes of ignorant slaves, returns more than half her white children without schools." — p. 33.

Well may she exclaim, with these facts,

"My countrywomen, what is before us? Intelligence and virtue our only safeguards, and yet all this mass of ignorance among us, and hundreds of thousands of ignorant foreigners being yearly added to augment our danger!"-p. 34.

Symptoms of the perils of which we are thus warned already manifest themselves in various parts of the country. That there is great corruption in political life, and that party spirit rages like a frenzy, all parties allow. But nations flourish outwardly long after these diseases have begun to consume their vitals. Are there no tokens of other penalties, of sudden and violent convulsions that may rend the body politic, break up and ruin public and private prosperity? Men engrossed with the cares of each day as it comes, immersed in business, or whirled along by political excitements, pause not to examine, and inquire what - 4TH S. VOL. V. NO. I.

VOL. XL.

5

these tokens mean. But the timid, nay, the thoughtful and observing, with a wise courage, look out anxiously on the scenes enacted in various parts of these United States; and as dismal tidings of riots, disturbances, and violent proceedings come wafted in upon "paper wings "paper wings" from all quarters, they rise from the perusal with saddened hearts. They perceive that, if we have among us no titled nobility, education and wealth are fast constituting a privileged class, likely to be in a position every way as dangerous, objects of a jealousy which may be nourished into hatred and fury by demagogues, as soon as the majority of the ignorant and poor is large enough to supply engines of destruction. They need no prophet to come from the mountains and cry, "wo!" as did the ghastly prophet among the people of Granada. If benevolence will not do it, why will not interest rouse the educated to strain every nerve, that they may ever be an immense majority? Let them see to it, that the multitude have knowledge, religion and morals spread wide among them, and the poverty of that multitude will give them little trouble. Industry among the people follows intelligence and virtue as surely as day follows night, and leads worldly prosperity among them with a quiet, sure step. And yet how many who acknowledge this duty, think the acknowledgment enough; utter the truism, and then turn away as if saying, "I have no more to do with it."

To rouse the wealthy and educated classes from their "selfish apathy," Miss Beecher makes a bold appeal. She rises, too, nobly beyond sectarian principles, and we rejoice especially to hear from such a quarter such a suggestion as this: "When the same influence and efforts are directed to educate our two millions of American children, as are now directed to establishing missions among the Heathen, our country may escape the yawning abyss now gaping to destroy."

The liberality which seems to characterize the author of this volume has a strong claim upon all enlightened minds, and we do pray that narrower and more timid counsels may never affect any who, in native strength or under holy influences, have risen above them. Let such not be ashamed of their own Christian charity and freedom from sectarian prejudice, nor anxious about its consequences. It

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is too full of Christ's own spirit not to be followed by his blessing. If they are confident that the work in which they seek human cooperation is God's work, let them rejoice in all who are prompted to take an interest in it, and banish distrust, jealousy, and scorn of those who would be their fellow-laborers. We repeat our strong hope, that those who are disposed to act with liberality as regards sectarianism, in this enterprise, will not shrink in consequence of an outcry among those who have not yet reached so high a standard, fearing that the cause may lose popularity and suffer. They know that their own ground is the high, the true, the Christian ground; and there let them plant their cause, with a rational hope of success. Instead of falling back to the multitude, let them have the moral courage to summon the multitude up to them. They have the opportunity of doing a double work of usefulness, for they can hardly confer a greater blessing on the community than by making the members of various religious denominations know each other better and love each other more. We are convinced that much of the religious intolerance and uncharitableness which grieve pious hearts, does honestly proceed from misapprehension. Those that work together for holy objects will learn to understand each other, and as they draw nearer each other, will also approach their common Master.

And now we introduce the paragraphs which we consider among the most important in the book.

"Look then at the work to be done. Two millions of destitute children to be supplied with schools! To meet this demand, sixty thousand teachers, and fifty thousand schoolhouses are required. Or if we can afford to leave half of them to grow up in ignorance, and educate only the other half, thirty thousand teachers and twenty-five thousand school-houses must be provided, and that too within twelve years. The census calculates the children between four and sixteen, and in twelve years most of these children will be beyond the reach of school instruction, while other millions, treading on their heels, will demand still greater supplies."

"Where are we to raise such an army of teachers? Not from the sex which finds it so much more honorable, easy, and lucrative, to enter the many roads to wealth and honor open in this land. But few will turn from these to the humble, unhonored toils of the school-room and its penurious reward."

"It is woman who is to come in at this emergency, and meet this demand; woman, whom experience and testimony have shown to be the best, as well as the cheapest guardian and teacher of childhood, in the school as well as the nursery."

Women, then, are to be educated for teachers, and sent to the destitute children of this nation by hundreds and thousands. This is the way in which a profession is to be created for woman, a profession as honorable and lucrative for her as the legal, medical, and theological for men. This is the way in which thousands of intelligent and respectable women who toil for a pittance barely sufficient to sustain life, are to be relieved and elevated." —pp. 62, 63.

Here is the double action of this most benevolent project. Who that has taken any interest beyond his own household, has not lamented that there were so few occupations above the menial, by which a female might support herself? Who cannot point out, perhaps among his own kindred, more than one "poor lady," terms which convey the image of a position most awkward, painful, and hopeless! A blessing indeed will it be when a fitting channel is opened, in which may flow the tide of female activity, benevolence, and talent, now stagnating in many a town or village, and when the industrious minds and hands now reluctantly idle, may find a fresh field of useful occupation thrown open, and escape the horrors of dependence.

It has been shown that female teachers are wanted by thousands in this country. In this country also are vast numbers of women who not only might use, but do absolutely need this opportunity of employment. And the difficulty has been, how to fit the angles and corners of these two great wants together, so that both may be supplied. It is precisely this work which the plan now introduced is to accomplish, and we rejoice that an experiment has already been commenced in Cincinnati. There, as we understand, the work of preparing females to become teachers in places barren of all other sources of education, is actually begun; and when prepared, these courageous young women are to be placed wherever the superintendents of the work may consider them most likely to be useful. On these superintendents will devolve great labor and responsibility, and it is right that they should be selected from well-known individuals, in whom the public may reasonably be expected to place confidence.