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Leader (1850-1860), 16th June 1860, Edition 2 of 2, Page 15, M. GUIZOT'S MEMOIRS.* I N dealing with t...

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      International Exhibition Ov Ism. Riu-Ie ...

      facturin ° - and commercial country , must in future do so by increasingand perfecting herself in steam power , and mechanical as ' well-as artistic skill;—and this she is doing . The direction in which these powers must be applied will in future be most readily ascertained by periodical exhibitions , in which her productions will be ranged side by side with those of her foreign competitors . But our intention is not now to enter upon the discussion of the question of whether Exhibitions are wanted , and how far England would be able to compete with her rivals in trade , but rather to inform our readers that the Society , having already secured the necessary funds to cover the costs of the proposed Exhibition , has taken the next step for ensuring : the holding of futui-e Exhibitions . The Society has , we understand , applied to the Royal Commissioners for the necessai-y site upon which to erect the

      building , a portion of which it proposes shall be of a permanent character ; and in order to justify the necessary expenditure , it requires , and will no doubt obtain , a ninety-nine years' lease of the sixteen acres of land which appear to be reserved by the Commissioners for the purpose of exhibitions , a reservation most judicious , for , unless the land purchased by them out of the surplus funds of the Exhibition of 1851 is thus applied , it is difficult to see in what way they could publicly justify themselves before the contributors of the £ 67 . 000 of money subscribed and paid by the jmblic in 1819 to 1850 , and which forms a portion of the surplus of which they are the trustees , in entering upon a land speculation .

      The Society of Arts , in 1851 , forbore to press its claims for a portion of the profits to which , as the originators of the Exhibition , they were in equity fully entitled , and the Koyal Commission bearing in mind that fact , will doubtless be most anxious to co-operate with and assist the Society in carrying to a successful issue the plans which it has now put forward .

      June 16, I860.] The Leader And Saturday ...

      June 16 , I 860 . ] The Leader and Saturday Analyst . 571

      M. Guizot's Memoirs.* I N Dealing With T...

      M . GUIZOT'S MEMOIRS . * I N dealing with the stibject of public instruction ; , M . Guizot insists much oil its laic character , as qualifying the existing state of intelligence and science . The clergy no longer possess undisputed control of individual minds . Lay-students now cultivate the field of moral science not less effectively . M-. Guizot states that in Ei-ance tliey iiiive almost entirely appropriated mathematics and natural philosophy . : Learning has become secular . Greater liberty has been required and acquired by the masters of thought in return for the new powers they had placed at the disposal of society . It is the . opinion of M . Gnizot , that intelligence and science will never again become essentially ecclesiastical . ' Never again can they be subjected to direct and positive authority . Governments must trust to simple " influence , and should seek to draw towards them the powers devote-l-to literary labour , with the leaders of science and literature .

      The possibility of establishing in England a , Minister of Public Instruction was debated in LS-i-S . Our public : seminaries , elementary schools , colleges , and universities were passed in review . Tiiese were so many accomplished facts ,- —existing tilings . The proposed institutions are as yot only organized on paper , and might never rise above . it . The question , whether tiiey would increase , fructify , and last ., could not be .. satisfactorily answered . The variety and

      isolation of our existing eatnblishiiients ensures tlic liberty to which tUey owe their origin . Tho -religious element in them was also defended-, on the ' ground-that the excellence of intellectual instruction consisted in its intimate connection with moral development . In France no such argument is possible ; for . there the ancient establishments of public instruction have disappeared j—the donors and the property , the corporations and the endowments . There , accordingly , a general system , founded mid supported by the State , is an absolute necessity . Tho legislators of France regard public instruction as M . de Talleyrand regarded it , —as " a power which embraces everything , from the games of infancy to tho most imposing fates of the nation ; everytiung calls for a creation in- this branch ; its essential characteristic ought to b ' u ' univvi ' ttultlij , whether in persons or thinga . The State must govern theological studies as well as all others . Evangelical morulity is the noblest present which the Deity haa bestowed on man ;—the French nation does honour to itself in rendering this homage . "

      Such are tho distinctive traits which distinguish France and England in this particular . This subject of public instruction , and tho question of education , continues to bo debated in the present volume . They , run like golden threads through the" entire fabric of the book . Wo sliall , therefore , select them for tho topics of this article . It wua found ditlicult in Franco to replace tho departed establishments . It is true tho Institute was founded , but there was no great and effective combination of public teaching . Napoleon , notwithstanding * tho creation of Lyceum . ' ! , ' recognised the diflioulty . JJo felt that , in tho present day , tho educational department . should bo that , in tho present day , tho educational department . should bo

      laical , social , connected with family interests and property , and intimately united , save only in their special nmsion , with civil order « ud -the mass of thoir follaw-ciLizwus .. With this Hcnlim » Mit , ho fouiujud tlic university . It was onco connected with the Church ; but when M . Ghu / . ot accented the Ministry of Public Instruction , l » e required , as a Protestant , that it should bo separated from thut of worship , and ; donmndod for it itti natural privileges and limits . But the Flno Art a wore not suuu ' . iently regarded . ' Art and literature , " aaya M . Guizot , " are naturally and necessarily linked together . It is only by this intimate and habitual intercourse , that they can bo

      assured of maintaining their suitable and elevated character , —the worship of the Beautiful , and its manifestation in the eyes of men . If Leonardo da Vinci and Michael-Angelo had not been scholars , passing their Hvesia the learned world of their age , their influence , and even their genius could -never Jiave displayed themselves with , such pure and powerful eSecft . " M . Guizot has an entire chapter devoted , to- " Elementary Education . " A force is comprised in national education which" will not suffer itself to be strangled , and which ., therefore , the Government sought to turn to its own advantage . Between 1 S 21 and 182 G , eight royal decrees , countersigned by M . Corbier , minister of the Interior , authorized in fourteen departments religious associations , honestly devoted to elementary instruction , and thus established , in point of fact , a certain number of new schools . The great question

      at last was , whether such instruction should be compulsory , should be an obligation imposed by law on parents , and supported by specific j > enalties in case of neglect , as adopted in Prussia aiid in the greater portion of the German States . In England no such compulsion is even thought of ; it is , however , practised in the United States of America , M . Guizot adhered to the English practice Then came the question of free primary instruction . ; but on this there could be no . doubt . The State , says M . Guizot , is bound to offer elementary instruction to all families , and to give it to those who have not the means of paying for it . Within certain limits the sentiment of ambition ' should be encouraged , aspiring spirits should be honoured . The ambition for intelligence should be provided for ; but the education of the teachers themselves is an important point . Hence the system of primary normal schools .

      In elementary schools , the sentiment of religion ought to be habitually present . The public , however , dreaded above all things the-influence of the priests and of the central -power . ButM . Guizot adheres to his proposition , that direction is required for instruction , and a restraint within due bounds , which only the Church and State can impose . The education of the people has become an absolute necessity ; tho more expedient therefore , in his opinion , that it should be regulated by constituted authority ., He was resisted by Count de la , ' Montaleinbert and the Abbe Lacordaire , who Opened a public school without requiring any authority from the minister of Public Instruction , the head master of the University . _ They were accusedand condemned for their -presumption , but their trial and defence made a sensatioii- —very inconvenient t <> M . Guizot ,, who has lip-very gracious terms for the Abbe , whom he suspects of having been possessed by an inward demon . It is some what " . amusing to see how -heartily a . man of talent can abuse a man of genius .- There are also some interesting remarks on M . Auguste Corbte .

      As minister of Public- Instruction , there can be no doubt that M . Guizot pursued an -upright and conscientious course , as' became a Protestant , and set van . One . of his merits consists in the importance which he-attached to historical studies . Special professors were named in the University for history and geography . Though security was taken against the introduction * politics , historical teaching nevertheless became . suspected . M . Guizot , however , pursued his object ' with •• ardour , and gave his influence to sill similar undertakings . ¦ ¦ Thus ho lent his assistance at once to the Society of tho History of France * whose labours have been of immense importance to the archaeologist . The latter half of this volume is occupied with lrfetrororl-dOTn « Trente-w 4 !^ The-translation is well accomplished by Mr . Cole , whose style has all the elegance of the original .

      * Memoirs To Illustrate The Wticorj/ Of ...

      * Memoirs to Illustrate the WtiCorj / of )» . ' / Time . By F . GuiZOT . Translated by J . W . Colb . Vol . III . KielmrdUnntloy .

      Godwix's Iiistoiu" Of France.* Here We I...

      GODWIX'S IIISTOIU" OF FRANCE . * HERE we i . ave a History of Franco written by an American , such a work bem . T more wanted in the United States than in this country , wheve the French language is bettor cultivated , ^ The work is . projected ' on an extended scale . The largo , closely printed volume of nearly five hundred pages before us , is occupied exclusively with Au' -ienL Gaul , and each future volume will have its own period or evelo , thus dealing fully and scientifically with its own peculiar topic . The stylo of the writer is eloquent , and . soiniphilosophic , and . suggests sometimes where it docs not express the rationale of tho facts that he relates . One of these glimpses into the reason of things is oontaine . l in the « tntc ' nieut , that . while ancient Gaul whs well organized within ami well defended outwardly , yet " it wus not wholly . secured by the mountain and river barriers of its cnutorn lines from ( he two mighty nnd opposing forces of the ancient world , Italy and Germany . " In this fragment of a

      sentence , we have thy history of Franco foreshadowed . Mr . Godwin adds in a note , that •' it iu not nu-ro national viiuily in tho French , I think , which loads them to consider their country n-s tho fucus ot Europe . History will quite justify everything that is claimed by Guizot on this head . " Thus , also , in regard to the extent of territory , we find that ancient Gaul was one-fourth larger thun modern Franco . " From tlio old ideographical Gaul , we must deduct a part of Sardinia , formerly tho Duchy of Savoy , tho Cantons of Stvilzerland , tho Jlhcnfeh province * went of tho Rhine , the whole of Belgium , and part of ILillaiid , in order to forin Fvanci ' . For a while , under the Empire of Napoleon , the French recovered llio unoiont limits of thoir fathers , with something bayond , but they hnvo never succeeded , much a * they yearn for it ; and talk about it , in making the Rhine a permaiu-. iit boundary . " Hero wo hnvu the iwst and luture of tho French empire , liignilienntly indicated , llicao stntonientH

      * The History Of F.-Oncc. , By Tauic God...

      * The History of F .-oncc . , By Tauic Godwin " . Vol . I . "Ancient Gaul /'' uidin , , S . W , So .. ; and , Co . ; Now York ; Harper and Brothers .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 16, 1860, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16061860/page/15/