If any representative of the
once large and powerful party, which, in former days, proclaimed this
opinion, still exists in the semi-fossil state, he keeps his thoughts
to himself. In fact, there is a chorus of voices, almost distressing in
their harmony, raised in favour of the doctrine that education is
the great panacea for human troubles, and that, if the country is not
shortly to go to the dogs, everybody must be educated.
The politicians tell us, "You must educate the masses because they are
going to be masters." The clergy join in the cry for education, for they
affirm that the people are drifting away from church and chapel into
the broadest infidelity. The manufacturers and the capitalists swell
the chorus lustily. They declare that ignorance makes bad workmen; that
England will soon be unable to turn out cotton goods, or steam engines,
cheaper than other people; and then, Ichabod! Ichabod![50] the glory
will be departed from us. And a few voices are lifted up in favour of
the doctrine that the masses should be educated because they are men and
women with unlimited capacities of being, doing, and suffering, and that
it is as true now, as it ever was, that the people perish for lack of
knowledge.
These members of the minority, with whom I confess I have a good deal of
sympathy, are doubtful whether any of the other reasons urged in favour
of the education of the people are of much value--whether, indeed, some
of them are based upon either wise or noble grounds of action.
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