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Graduates who officiate as private Instructors or Tutors, and who form the most essential part of an English university system of education. The distance at which the remoter parts of the kingdom are placed, the expence of attendance, together with the want throughout the country of all parochial education, is sufficient to explain this fact, and to perpetuate that boorish ignorance and provincial rusticity, by which so many of the remoter districts of England, in particular, are rendered a fit and an inexhaustible subject of stage ridicule.

It is not our intention to enter upon a comparative view of the national systems, widely different as they are; and generally as the knowledge of their respective peculiarities is diffused. We shall not agitate the question, whether the private reading, conversations, and tutorage of Oxford and Cambridge, be preferable to our Scottish method of public lecturing, and whether something better than either might not be concerted out of the advantages of both; our wish is to give a very concise sketch of "the present state of education" in our Scottish Universities, considered in reference to the great purposes of their establishment; and with this ob. ject in view, we shall begin, following the chronological order of "foundation" with the University of St Andrew's.

The plan of education which is pursued in this University, is, we believe, in some degree, though not in any very essential particular, peculiar. In the United College, which consists of a Principal, with eight Masters, or Professors, if we place the logic, the moral philosophy, and, perhaps, the chemistry, under a very slight shade of exception, by far the greater part of the business is managed, not so much through the instrumentality of public lectures, as by means of examinations

and exercises, and in all, still more directly by means of that kindly and most effective intercourse betwixt Student and Professor, which places the latter in the attitude of a parent in the midst of his family, and the former, under all obligation to a willing and affectionate attention to his instructions and advice. The number of students has of late years increased far above all precedent even in more ancient and more favoured times; yet still the numbers attendant upon some classes do not amount to twenty, and in none do they exceed a hundred and fifty. Thus circumstanced in regard to numbers, the Professor has an opportunity of making himself personally acquainted with every Individual who attends his class, and the least relaxation in point of application, or deviation in regard to moral conduct, is almost sure to be observed, and reprehended ere it has amounted to an inveterate habit. Here every boy, however much inclined to trifle, however dull from nature, or incapable from previ ous mismanagement, is obliged to do something, and it is matter of astonishment to every stranger, on the days of examination, with which the business of the United College is anpually closed, to observe, not only the advance which has been accomplished by genius, but still more, the progress which even comparative inability has been enabled to make. In St Mary's, or the New College, which consists of a Principal, whose office is by no means a sinecure, and of three Professors, the study of divinity is prosecuted under many advantages, not only in respect of the present teachers, but likewise from the ready access which is had, to one of the most extensive and valuable collections of divinity books which is to be met with in the kingdom. Indeed, were we entitled to institute a comparison upon the subject, we should

be inclined to say, that in all cases where from youth, or from unsteadiness, or from any of those causes, which, in larger towns, are so apt to operate the ruin of the giddy and inexperienced, it may be dangerous to risk a young man with the management of himself, this University presents not only a peculiarly safe asylum, but the most likely chance, at the same time, of promoting his present advancement in useful learning, and his future respectability, arising from correct conduct.

The University of Glasgow is most favourably situated, not only in reference to a very large city, and an extremely populous vicinity, but likewise to the Western Highlands of Scotland, and to the northern Counties of Ireland. It is very numerously at tended, not less than fifteen hundred being yearly matriculated. There are Names here, as well as in the other Universities, which are altogether independent of our notice, and which, besides, it is neither consistent with our present object, nor with our feeling of propriety, to particularize. It is with the system rather than with the Men that we are dealing, and we cannot express in terms too strong and unqualified our approbation of the plan of education, which, for some years back, has been here very generally pursued. Our universities were founded in times of comparative ignorance, and when the human mind was altogether unconscious of the powers of which it was possessed-of those powers, which were destined, in a few ages, to unfold themselves in a direction and to an extent then inconceivable. Of this, the present Professor of Logic seems, about fifty years ago, to have been fully sensible, and during a long and a most

*

active incumbency, has originated, and verified improvements in the old system of education, which entitle him to the gratitude of his country. Instead of giving lectures by the hour to students, who might or who might not attend or comprehend, according to inclination or capacity, he instituted a method of teaching, principally by means of examinations, themes, and prizes, which, though it necessarily subjects the teacher to additional labour, promotes greatly the improvement of the student. Under the operation of this method, a spirit of emulation is kept up, and altogether independent of acquired knowledge, the mental faculties are strengthened, sharpened, and disciplined. Mr Locke, in his Essay on the Conduct of the Human Understanding, has well observed, that "nobody has made any thing by the "hearing of rules, or laying them up "in his memory; practice must settle "the habit of doing without reflecting on the rule; and you may as well

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expect to make a good painter or "musician extempore, by a lecture or "instruction in the arts of music and

painting, as a coherent thinker or "strict reasoner by a set of rules show"ing him wherein right reason con"sists." And accordingly every student at this class in particular, is kept constantly employed in thinking or in writing-in arranging the ideas he has already acquired, or in rendering them a pleasant and convenient subject of apprehension by others.

Aberdeen is placed in rather unfavourable circumstances, as the seat of an university, and accordingly it is not very numerously attended. The Professorst here seem to have adopted-whether previous to, or in consequence of the Glasgow improvements,

* Vide "Outlines of a Philosophical Education, by Professor Jardine, Glasgow.” Vide" Dr Gerard's Outlines."

we know not-Mr Jardine's method of teaching, and a most laudable at tention is paid to the enforcement of self-exertion on the part of the Student. But it cannot, and it ought not to be concealed, that this university is miserably deficient in arrangements for the teaching of Greek and Latin. During one session only is Greek made a regular study, and Latin seems to be still less attended to. This arrangement, whether originating in the constitution, or from the adjustment of the Professors themselves, or from both causes united, is manifestly a bad one. The degree of classical knowledge, with which boys generally come up to our Scottish Universities, is very limited indeed, and such a deficiency in our college system of education serves to convince them, that even this scanty portion is superfluous. We are happy, however, in having it in our power to accompany this censure with a more than compensating measure of praise, in regard to that wholly peculiar, but in our apprehension most judicious arrangement, under which logic does not come as in the other Universities, to be taught immediately after the languages, but gives place for two years to history and natural philosophy. This appears to us to be the course pointed out by nature, who, at a very early period of life, makes natural or experimental philosophers of us all, whilst she reserves the higher speculations about mental powers and moral principles to the more aged and experienced.*

The University of Edinburgh is decidedly the best attended of all the four, having matriculated last session upwards of two thousand students. This university enjoys many advantages, arising not only from its more

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recent, and consequently more liberal foundation, but still more immediately from its seat in the midst of a very general and favourite winter resort, and from the extensiveness of its provisions for conducting the studies of students. As a medical school, it has long stood unrivalled, but we are not aware of any very decided superiority it has obtained in other respects. The truth seems to be, that notwithstanding the eminent names which are to be found amongst the list of Professors, names which attract Students from every country in the civilized world-the system of education here pursued, is almost universally aknowledged to be faulty in the extreme, and altogether unsuitable to the age, and the acquirements of by far the greater number of students. In the logic, natural, and moral philosophy classes, in particular, lectures are delivered at the rate of one hour per day, of which no regular account is taken from the student, and which he may, in fact, either attend to or not, as suits his inclination or convenience. In the language classes, indeed, the students are examined, tasks are assigned, and exercises, accompanied by the excitement of a very few trifling prizes, are prescribed; but from the limited previous proficiency of the students here, as well as in the other Scotch universities, the Professor becomes, in fact, a

schoolmaster, under peculiar and very disqualifying circumstances.

Thus have we endeavoured to fulfil our original design of laying before our readers, a general view of "the present state of Education in Scotland;" and, in doing this, we have been led to consider many and peculiar advantages of which Scotland is, in this respect, possessed. We have

Vide "A View of the System of Education at present pursued in the Schools and Universitics of Scotland, by the Rev. Mr Russell, M. A. Leith."

seen that Education, in some one of its forms, is not only accessible to all, but almost unavoidable by any. That it commences at a very early period, originating not in any direct legislative enactment, or state contrivance, but emanating from a peculiar and felicitous arrangement of society-and that it extends its influence not only to the great and the powerful, but still more effectually and extensively over the middle and lower orders that it opens a door of ambition within the view of the most unaspiring and excites to excellence the more spirited and generous.

But the facilities which such arrangements present, have likewise been discovered to be very capable of abuse. Boys, from the easy access which they have to early education, are pushed on at an early period of life into advanced studies our parish schools are, in many instances, conducted with so little classical spirit, or advantageous arrangement, that many parents are glad to hurry their halfeducated sons up to College, that they may repair, under a Professor, their school deficiencies; and in all cases, the period allotted to school acquirements appears to be too limited, and

altogether inadequate to the object proposed. And hence our Universities are crowded with pigmy philosophers, who, although they think themselves much beyond submitting to any more humble species of study, are in truth quite incapable of reaping any solid advantages from the prelections and metaphysical disquisitions of a Professor. The foundation being thus superficially, because hastily and prematurely laid, the superstructure becomes insecure, and betrays more of the frost work of hasty and ostentatious acquirement, than of the solidity and security, which well arranged and carefully digested knowledge discovers.

When praise has been in our power, we have given it, we admit, with something like a feeling of patriotic pride-but where censure has been necessary, we have endeavoured to bestow it in dispassionateness and charity; and our suggestions of improvements have been made with an unassumed deference to that public opinion, under the enlightened judgment, and to the unbiassed awards of which, we now willingly leave the whole subject.

FRENCH BIOGRAPHY.

As a great number of persons are mentioned in the narrative of French events for this year, of whose previous lives our English readers can have had no opportunity of gaining any very accurate knowledge-persons, indeed, of whom the greater, or at least a very considerable number, had rarely been mentioned in any histories of our times, tilk after the restoration of King Louis-we have thought that we might be rendering an agreeable service, by collecting. from various French works which have fallen into our hands, the most authentic notices of them. Our obligations have chiefly been to the excellent book lately published, under the name of "Biographie des Hommes Vivants," the writers of which deserve infinite credit for the exertions they have made to collect materials, with regard to the eminent individuals of this and of many other countries, as well as of their own.

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DUC DE. FITZ-JAMES.

This nobleman was born in the year 1776. He is descended from the royal house of Stuart, being the great-grandson of the famous Marshal Berwick, grandson of Marshal Fitz-James, and grand-nephew of the

Bishop of Soissons. After having received an admirable education, he chose to leave France, where the Revolution had commenced, and retire to Italy. In that classical country he did not idle away his time, but ac

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