England and the English Volume 1-2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1833 Excerpt: ... to call Religion to our aid, were it only a matter of finance." If M. Cousin, a philosopher, once persecuted by the priesthood, thus feels the practical necessity of enlisting religion on the side of education in Francethe necessity is far greater in England. For here Christianity is far more deeply rooted in the land; here the church is a more wealthy friend or a more powerful foe; here, too, the church is ready to befriend education--there, to resist it. possess, let their parenjs and guardians teach them out of school, according to their several theories." Would the philosopher agree to this? No, indeed, nor I neither. Why then should we ask a greater complaisance from the ecclesiastic; he cannot think, unless he be indeed a mercenary and a hypocrite, the very Swiss of teligion, that religious knowledge is. less necessary than civil instruction. He cannot believe that the understanding alone should be cultivated, and the soul forgotten. But, in fact, if we were to attempt to found a wholesale national education, in which religious instruction were not a necessary and pervading principle, I doubt very much if public opinion would allow it to be established; and I am perfectly persuaded that it could not be rendered permanent and complete. In the first place, the clergy would be justly alarmed; they would redouble their own efforts to diffuse their own education. In a highly Christian country, they would obtain a marked preference for their establishments; a certain taint and disrepute would be cast on the national system; people would be afraid to send their children to the national schools; the ecclesiastical schools would draw to themselves a vast proportion--I believe a vast majority--of children; and thus in effect the philosopher, by tryin...