7,905 children apprenticed, cost just a million sterling." p. 30. This is enough to make our readers jump up from their chairs, and stalk up and down the room to recover their tempers. But it is evident, that the principle upon which the business was conducted was essentially bad; indeed the Commissioners tell us, that it would cost twenty millions per an-, num to carry the plan into general operation; and that, if done, it may be doubted, whether it would be sensibly felt or gratefully acknowledged. P. 29. Sensible people can, however, be only led into blunders by unfortunate circumstances. The Charity Schools of England (where the children were not only educated, but clothed and boarded) were set up to counteract the efforts of the Papists in the reign of James II.-It was found necessary by providing for their support, to insulate the children totally from their relatives; and the same plan was adopted for Ireland, but both were founded upon uncertain data. We have no idea, that children in the way of bad example will be so well educated as those who see nothing but what is good; but few parents are so infamous and unprincipled, as not to entertain an anxiety for the good conduct of their children; and if so, children will attend to them, infinitely more than to masters and mistresses; indeed, there. is something more than unnaturalsomething that makes us shudder, in tearing infant children from mothers; and we may be satisfied that, though Nature in maternal fondness will condescend to allow us to humour her into numerous pretty arts, yet if we attempt to draw her teeth or amputate her limbs, the mama of the nursery is changed into the stern schoolmistress, who will support her authority. Accordingly the Commissioners say, "However great and numerous the instances of mismanagement and abuse, which prevail in those establishments, it appears to us, that the main objection arises from the mistaken principles on which they are founded. A system of education, which separates children from their kindred, and which turns them out into life, when just arrived at maturity, without friends or relations, and without that practical experience which children under ordinary circumstances insensibly acquire, by witnessing the realities of life around them, does not appear to us likely to attain the benefits expected from these establishments." "We are convinced, that if a thousand children educated in Charter Schools were to be compared with an equal number who had remained in the apparently wretched cabins inhabited by their parents, but who had attended orderly and well-regulated that the latter had passed their years of inDay Schools, it would be found, not only struction far more happily to themselves, but that when arrived at the age of manhood, they would, upon a general average, be in every respect more valuable and better instructed members of society; they would have improved in knowledge, under circumstances which would have strengthened and confirmed their connection with all those to whom they must naturally look for protection and assistance, and would enter upon life with their affections awakened, their principles confirmed, and their character raised by the reliance they would have learnt to place in their own exertions, and in the practice they would have acquired of controlling and conducting themselves." "It is very different in the instance of a boy let loose from a Charter School, who had lived in a state of existence entirely artificial. All his wants having been supplied by the care of others, he has become peevish, fretful, and impatient, if not supplied according to rule. His mind is impressed by a feeling of sullenness resulting from a system of severity and terror. His expectations have been unduly raised, as to his own future prospects, though the habits of indolence and apathy, which have appeared to us peculiarly to characterise these children, render them altogether unsuited to the active, patient, persevering exertions, which are necessary to their success in life." Pp. 30, 31. It appears, that the Roman Catholics will tolerate no system of education whatever which does not include their own faith. The London Hibernian Society proposes no other object, than the mere fundamentals of Christi anity, only a religious and moral transformation of character, not an exchange of the mere ceremonial of one Church for that of the other. P. 70. This is opposed by the Catholics, who wish to have Schools of their own, and for that purpose to have pecuniary aid from Government. Upon this point, the Commissioners thus express themselves: "Were we to recommend a grant of money in aid of such Schools, the result would be, that they would be eagerly supported by the Roman Catholic Body, their numbers would increase, and the masters would be better paid, the Schools better supplied, and the instruction rendered more effective; but its character would still remain the same. The Roman Catholic children would also, no doubt, universally withdraw from every other description of Schools, and from every opportunity of being associated with Protestants: and after a short time two systems would be established in the country, in which the children of the two persuasions would be so educated, as to be more than ever estranged from each other. "The evils with which separate education is evidently pregnant, necessarily fixed our attention on the benefits which would result from a contrary course. A system of united education, from which suspicion should if possible be banished, and the causes of distrust and jealousy be effectually removed, under which the children might imbibe similar ideas, and form congenial habits, would tend rapidly to diminish, instead of increase, the distinctness of feeling which is now but too prevalent." P. 91. Here our limits compel us to close the account of this valuable Report. In an age, when in the fanatical trash of the day, the Bishop of London is invoked to place field-preachers in our streets as thickly as watchmen (a measure which would in an educated coun try cause religion to be made an object of universal contempt and ridicule), it is refreshing to see that common sense is not absolutely extinct; that all our countrymen are not raving mad; and that the excellent under standing for which the country has been famed, has guided this wise and philanthropic measure of Government-this very excellent Commission. 41. Observations on Paper-money, Banking and Over-trading; including those parts of the Evidence taken before the Committee of the House of Commons, which explain the Scotch System of Banking. By Sir Henry Parnell, Bart. M.P. 8vo. pp. 177. THE jet of this Pamphlet (and it is a very luminous one) is to expose the presumed bad consequences of leaving the whole currency at the disposal of the Bank of England. The Directors (says the Hon. Baronet) prefer the interest of their concern to that of the public, in order to augment the dividends and bonuses. For the effectuation of this purpose, they inundate the country with paper, when they ought to narrow the stream, and so forth. In remedy of this grievance, Sir Henry proposes a dissolution of the Bank monopoly, and an open trade in Banking upon the Scotch plan, security vested in the Funds, &c. because, he says, "The over-issuing of Paper, and the depreciation of its value in Scotland, are prevented by the practice that all the Banks adopt, of exchanging each others notes twice a week, and paying the balances of the exchanges with bills, at ten days' sight, on London." P. 153. Sir Henry is certainly supported in this position by the evidence before Parliament, on the subject of the Scotch Banks. As to those of England, nothing is better known, than that the English Country Banks exchange their bills once a week, or at short periods, and pay their balances in the national currency; yet we do not recollect, that this custom of exchanges has, in England, checked over-issue, or prevented bankruptcy; where they have had distrust, they have been known to change bills every night. If they have not a distrust, or collect the bills of another house from rivalry, and pour them in at once, the balance, if they have not sufficient cash in the country, is paid by a consignment on a London House. This we believe is the usual mode of conducting the exchanges of Country Banks; but, as do not open any accounts with Banks, the majority of residents in the country the notes to far the largest amount lie out, and only those go in which fall into the hands of customers of the reThese amount to spective Banks. such small sums that no difficulty is experienced in making up the balances upon exchange. Of course, the fear of the exchanger does not operate to any extent, in check of over-issue; but in Scotland, where we presume the majority of the notes is paid into some one or other of the Banks, the competition may produce the check described. At all events, the knowledge that these exchanges have not in England prevented either over-issue or failure, is sufficient to justify us, in not committing ourselves upon the subject; indeed, that subject is a Parliamentary concern of the first moment. Sir Henry, however, has laid before the public such statements, concerning the mode of doing business by the Bank of England (which, as he says, while it enriches the firm injures the public), that it is certainly incumbent either upon that opulent Society to disprove the charges, or upon Parliament to investigate them. The book we have said is luminous, and this we attribute to its having no more to do with the pretended science of political economy, than what is sound and just in it; we therefore extract passages of uncommon utility to the commercial world. "When trade is either in a very depressed state, or in a very prosperous state, every thing is contributing to produce a change, and to bring it back to its ordinary or natural state. Thus, for instance, when trade is in a depressed state, the making and importing of goods are lessened, and capital is withdrawn from being employed in these transactions; the supply of commodities is thus reduced, in a short time it ceases to exceed the demand, and prices rise. When trade, on the other hand, is in a very prosperous state, new capital is embarked in making and importing goods; and every effort is employed to render the labour of the workmen as productive as possible; the supply of commodities is thus increased, in a short time it equals the demand, and prices fall." It is when trade is in an unusually prosperous state, that the temptation to increase productions to an excess is so strong, that it is seldom suffered by merchants and manufacturers to revert quietly and gradually to an ordinary state, without first passing into a state of over-trading. It is, therefore, just, when trade is in the most prosperous state, that there exists the greatest danger of excessive speculation, and of its being exceedingly depressed; and it depends wholly on the judgment and conduct of the merchants and ma nufacturers whether it takes its natural course of quietly and gradually reverting to an ordinary state of price and profit, or whether it goes forward into a state of ruinous over-trading. P. 42. Some lucid illustrations follow, but we have not room for these, and go on to p. 46. "As these facts prove, that the evil of over-trading arises from calculating on the continuance of high prices at the very time when every thing is contributing to make the supply equal to the demand, and to lower price, it seems to be indispensable, as one step towards preserving the country from the recurrence of this evil, that all persons engaged in trade should make it a rule to consider a very prosperous state of trade, after it has lasted for some time, as a certain indication that the period is not distant when an altered ratio of supply to demand will lower prices, and thus render it unsafe to extend their dealings." "As to the forming of a tolerably correct opinion, while trade is prosperous, in respect to the period when it may cease to be so, no person in extensive business can have any great difficulty, if he seriously makes the attempt, to learn those facts, which will enable him to calculate what the demand for commodities. existing ratio is that the supply bears to the By examining price-currents, and lists showing the importations of raw materials and other goods, and the exportations of manufacturers, and by making diligent inquiries respecting stocks in hand, and respecting the measures in pro gress for increasing productions, persons conversant with trade will acquire abundance of facts for forming a correct conclusion in respect to the probable state of prices." P. 47. It is evident, that this book may save hundreds from ruin; and we hope that we have given enough to prove this affirmation; but, as there are many other things about paper-money, and other important subjects, for which we have not room, we solicit our readers to peruse the whole work; and are confident, that it will be their own fault if they are not highly instructed by it. The Golden Violet, with its Tales of Romance and Chivalry, and other Poems, by L. E. L. Longman and Co. 1827. OF this accomplished head of the Initial School we have had frequent occasion to speak, and almost always in the language of warm approbation. There is scarcely a periodical of any poetical reputation whose pages she has not adorned; on one, indeed, that one which "taught the infant shoot to climb," she has lavished, with a pious and generous prodigality, her varied and costly fragrance. Here her first and latest blossoms have spread; ances, and here, with grateful tenacity she has clung, repaying the supporter of her early lay by the luxuriant richness of her maturer genius and talents. Of her two more elaborate perform The Improvisatrice," and "The Troubadour," we spoke kindly, and we anticipated greatly. Once, indeed, we ventured a whisper, that the injudicious praise of her friends was hurrying her along somewhat too rapidly for her strength-"Neque arcum semper tendit Apollo"--and we seemed to require a breathing space not less for her than for ourselves. We are now to speak of the performance before us-" The Golden Violet." The plan of which, though possessing no claim to novelty, is simple and effective; it is a kind of "festival of poets,-a trial of skill between the gifted spirits of all nations-the invitation is a general one "Bidding the Bards from wide and far Bring song of love or tale of war." They are assembled— "England had sent Her harp across the blue element; It must at once be obvious that great scope is here afforded for variety; and we cannot sufficiently praise the good keeping, the appropriate costume, if we may apply the word, observable in the subjects, and the treatment of them, by the several Bards. There is an ad libitum adjudication of the prize, very delicately worded by Miss Landon; and, without assisting the judg ment of our readers, we shall leave each of them (after the perusal of the_volume) to present the violet to the Bard of her choice. Our limits prevent us following the arrangement prescribed by L. Ë. L. We shall content ourselves with the following specimens of poetry, and will not mar this admirably told tale by a mutilation :— The Young Avenger: The Spanish Minstrel's Tale. The aged chieftain took the sword, in vain his hand essay'd Now weep, for here is cause for tears; alas! mine own are dry." I have waited for my vengeance; but now, alive or dead, I swear to thee by my brothers' graves that thou shalt have his head." It was a glorious sight to see, when those two warriors met: And eye to eye, and hand to hand, in deadly strife they stood, And smoked the ground whereon they fought, hot with their mingled blood; While fiercer from the combat still the youthful Christian grew. Nourreddin falls, his sever'd head, it is young Lara's prize: But dizzily the field of death floats in the victor's eyes. His cheek is as his foeman's pale, his white lips gasp for breath: He raised him on his arm, "My page, come thou and do my will; Now strip me of my armour, boy, by yonder river's side, That river wash'd his natal halls, its waters bore him on, GENT. MAG. Marek, 1827. But we must not close our remarks with the semblance of censure. We regard Miss Landon as an ornament to her sex, and to the literature of her country. She has been, doubtless, surpassed by many females in the strength and solidity of acquired knowledge; but in genius fertile, inventive, and in all the higher requisites of the divine art, she has no superior, and with reference to her age no equal. To the "Giver of All" she is deeply responsible for the high talents with which she has been so lavishly endowed. On her has fallen, perhaps, the most dangerous gift of Providence; our best wishes for her are, that it may lead her to honourable fame, and promote the glory of the Bestower. |