Social Problems And Their Peaceful Solution.

useful boyish acquirements , desire an acquaintance Avith higher branchesof learning , rely upon it , that he will make it for himself especially if there be such a thing within his reach as a leading-room , with its useful library ; and of one thing we may be quite certain that the knowledge thus

acquired for the veiy love of learning Avill be thorough of its kind , whereas the jumbled smattering of things far past the comprehension of the boyish brain into which they were in school-days forced , -will at the best remain a smattering to the end of the

chapter ; or , Avhat is still more likely , soon be forgotten altogether , leaving the mind not only an empty blank , but a blank so disgusted with the nauseous dose that has been crammed into it , as to ahvays retain a repugnance for any after study whatever .

Of Avhat use , again , are so-called accomplishments to the cottager ' s child Avho is to be hereafter the domestic servant or the poor man's wife ? Teach her to make and mend

the family clothing ; to turn to the best account the food-supplies that fall to her lot ; train her voice , if you Avill , to sing the lullaby to the future little ones ; inculcate in her habits of cleanliness and

thrift . ; and you will produce Avhat is sorely needed , a good sen-ant , an honest Avoman , a good housewife , a fitting mother of our sturdy English youth . Accomplishments ! It would hardly be believed , but it is a fact , that aAvhile back a child was taken to task in Sunday-school for a neglected

lesson , when the excuse given Avas '' no time , because of home lessons ;'' "home lessons , " said the teacher , " Avhy you have none from our day-school ; " "No !" said the child , " but ' There ' s me Latin and me French I '" Is any comment

necessary 1 Are Ave not right in describing tlie world as upside down , Avhen we see the poor man ' s child and future poor man ' s wife thinking she must know other languages , but cannot speak her own ; Avho can crochet , but not cook a potato ;

can dance , but not darn stockings ; scribble any number of letters , but cannot scrub a floor ; in short , will do anything except make her mistress comfortable when in service ; and can do anything Avhen married , except make her husband a happy home . Now , on the contrary , take up the other course of training Ave have pointed out and

see Avhat you will have accomplished ; you Avill have ready to your hand a poor man ' s Avife that AVILI make her husband's house his home , aud Avho will thus cheat the public-house of its victim and rob the gaol of its prey . Butone will perhaps objectAvhat about

, , the brilliant genius you may thus cramp and confine by depriving it of obtaining that knoAvledge Avhich is its very food ? AVhat about the intellect that might do good service to the state , if carefully nurtured and trained ? A question by way

of reply : what about NeAvton , Franklin , Stephenson , Watt , ArkAvright , Harrison , Opie , and a host of others too numerous to mention : —

"Look well , look close , look deep , look long , On the changes ruling earth ; And ye'll find God's rarest , holiest throng Of mortal wonders—strange and strong-Arose from noteless birth" : —

How have these all pushed their Avay to the front ? By sheer force of intellect , and indomitable energy and perseverance . True genius Avill always make its way in spite of eveiy obstacle , and it is this very bar to indiscriminate progression , that strains out your sage from your smatterers .

The effect , then , of our present plan of education is to push all alike to that dangerous pitch of learning Avhere there exists the overweening conceit engendered by a too superficial knowledge , a knowledge that has stopped just short of that point

where its possessor begins to realize IIOAV little he really knows ; tlie consequence of all this being that our population have been , and are still more , becoming practically useless as members of society . Where then is the remedy ? Simply iu

restoring to education its true meaning . Train the young in such a way as to fit them for their future lot in life , and whilst giving them a solid foundation on Avhich to build up future acquirements , to tin ' s end note carefully the expanding germ of

intelligence and watch its gradual development , nurture its growth , mark its bent , and then direct it into its proper channel , and then , and not till then , shall Ave have no more of the square men in the round holes , or the round men in the square . Should any scholar show particular ap-H