ion
in which Providence has placed him, or that he should be taught to
believe that because the humblest, it is therefore the least happy and
desirable condition of humanity. This is, indeed, a very common notion
among the working classes of the people, and a very natural one; and it
has been encouraged by many of their superiors, who have interested
themselves in the cause of popular improvement, and have undertaken to
direct and stimulate their exertions. Examples have constantly been held
up of men who by unusual ability and proficiency in some branch of
science had raised themselves above the condition of their birth, and
risen to eminence and wealth; and these instances have been dwelt upon
and repeated, in a manner, that, whether intentionally or not, produces
the impression that positive and scientific knowledge is the summum bonum
of human education, and that to rise above our station in life, should be
the great object of our exertion. This is not my creed. I am satisfied
that it is an erroneous one, in _any_ system of education for _any_ class
of men. Our object ought to be, not to produce a few clever individuals,
distinguished above their fellows by their comparative superiority, but
to make the great mass of individuals on whom we are operating, virtuous,
sensible, well-informed, and well-bred men." And again he states that
his object is "to show to his people and to others, that there is nothing
in the nature of their employment, or in the condition of their humble
lot, that condemns them to be rough, vulgar, ignorant, miserable, or
poor:--that there is nothing in either that forbids them to be
well-bred--well-informed, well-mannered--and surrounded by every comfort
and enjoyment that can make life happy;--in short, to ascertain and to
prove what the condition of this class of people might be made--what _it
ought to be_ made--what is the interest of all parties that _it should
be_ made."

* * * * *

Before concluding this chapter, I must say a few more words on the
general subject of interference. No one can be more averse than I am to
unnecessary interference, or more ready to perceive the many evils which
attend it. There is, however, the danger of carrying non-interference
into inhumanity. Mankind are so accustomed to the idea that government
mainly consists in coercion, that they sometimes find it difficult to
consider interference, even as applied to benevolen