School by confiding its management to the Religious Communions; for to enforce religious doctrine by law, would be to interfere with conscience. The traditional claims for the maintenance of the religious government of Schools are mingled with others of recent origin, which it is one of my chief objects to set forth. Such Schools as now exist have been established by the Religious Communions, aided, of late years, by the State. The character and number of elementary Schools, if abandoned to voluntary support, may be inferred from the condition of public education in 1833, and its subsequent progress and improvement, especially since 1846. To define the province of voluntary agency, in the creation and maintenance of a system of National Education, is, therefore, one main part of my design. I neither join those who would repudiate such aid, nor those who would reject that of the State; but I would earnestly co-operate with all who desire to rescue from neglect or abuse the endowments founded by the piety of our ancestors. Worn with work, scathed by former controversies, and slowly restored to life after four years of suffering, I am conscious that I tread on the ashes and scoriæ of unexhausted fires, and that it may seem vain to desire to convert this crater into a garden. But I remember the warning, that "no man, having put his hand to the plough, look back." The Schools of the Church and other Religious Communions.- The Augmentation of the Income of Schools connected with the The Augmentation of the Income of Schools connected with Testimonies of Inspectors to the Character of Pupil-Teachers; their Demeanour; Religious Education; Attainments; Know- Examination Papers used at the General Examination of the Tables referred to in Chap. III. Synopsis of Cases referred to in the "Second Report of the Commissioners for inquiring into those Cases which were investigated and reported upon by the Charity Commis- 430 |