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    Some congratulation may fairly be given to the friends of education in this and the sister country on the appearance of so bold an attempt as this to infuse into the public mind a fresh spirit of zeal in the cause ; to inform that zeal , moreover , and to make it a more sensible and praiseworthy thing . —

    There are some points on which we cannot but differ from Mr . Bryce , yet on one important subject he is so useful an auxiliary , that we must not be hard upon him on any . He has made no new discovery : the impossibility of effectually carrying on the education of the people without a better educated set of teachers , is daily becoming more apparent to all who concern themselves about the matter . To meet the difficulty , Mr . Bryce ' s idea is , that of erecting Teaching into a fourth learned profession , by establishing a

    professor of the art in every university ; by requiring from those who stud y under him a good previous education , and , in particular , an acquaintance with the science of mind ; and by making a certificate of attendance on his instructions an indispensable qualification for every public charge connected

    with the education of youth , from the presidencies of our richest and most illustrious colleges , to the masterships of our humblest village schools . Mr . Bryce , who is President of the Belfast Academy , writes , it is true , for Ireland , and conceives it to be clear that all which he proposes , even to the establishment of three more universities , might be accomplished for one half of the

    sum which has already been expended in well-meant , but utterly inefficient , endeavours to improve education in Ireland . With regard to religious differences , his opinion is , that the plan recommended by the late Committee of the House of Commons is both objectionable in principle and impracticable in detail .

    s < As far , " says he , " as the south of Ireland is concerned , the plan of having two separate days for religious instruction , one for Catholics and one for Protestant ? , may do very well . It is liahle to this objection , however , that it loses one day in every week . Only four days are employed in the work of ordinary teaching *; of the remaining- two , one is given up to Roman Catholics , the other to Protestants . * * * But in the north of Ireland it would never do . . The divisions of Protestants among themselves would , in some places , render three days at least necessary for them alone . The Protestants of the Established Church , the various bodies of Presbyterians , and tlie Independents , ( who , however , are few and rare , ) would never submit to the same system of instruction . * * * Besides , the religious instruction is to be given l > y the clergyman ; and how are we sure of him ? It is bis duty to instruct the people , it is true ; but what if he chooses not to perform it ? Is he to be paid by government an extra salary for this ? Surely not ; and if not , how does the system of education lay bold on him ?" " But we confess we despair of the success of any scheme for combining religious and common education in Ireland at present . It is much to be regretted ; but what then ? Because we cannot get all done , shall we refuse to do any thing ? Let us give ordinary education as a temporal benefit , as the means of . helping the wretched population to earn their bread , on the same principle that we are commanded to feed the hungry and to clothe the naked . " P . 48 . Again : "We are inclined to believe that , at present , by far the best way of

    proceed-* Sketch of a Plan for a System of National Education for Ireland , &c . By R . J . Bryce , A . M ., Principal of the Belfast Academy .

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    ( 240

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    NATIONAL EDUCATION FUR IRELAND . *

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1829, page 240, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2571/page/16/