truth. Truth is opposed to error, and upon error depend the barbarity and the crimes which desolate the world.

Our object is to examine the moral, philosophical, political, and religious questions which concern man, and to bring them back to truth, by submitting them to an immutable authority.

Thus we shall arrive at the most important part of this book-the moral study of the Gospel. I say the most important, for all education, which has not religion for its basis, renders man incomplete, and succeeds at best but in forming an intelligent animal. It is a mistake to suppose that man is great by means of science; he is only greathe is only man, by the knowledge of God. Beyond this we only see his circumscribed life, and a philosophy without light.

Wherefore does such universal egotism exist? Whence arises the love of gold? the love of power? the love of vengeance, instead of the love of humanity? Whence arises so much ambition, which engenders so many crimes? Whence so many murders and adulteries? and so much ingratitude, calumny, and depravation? From two causes, error and misery; and there is only one remedy-religion.

You may well agitate and torment yourself, work your brains, to supply the place of this divine power. You may vainly interrogate all the sciences of which you are so proud; the figures of algebra, and the lines of geometry, these vast unfoldings of the intellect will bestow on you nothing more than the knowledge of a learned man. In order to form a man, the soul must be developed, and whenever the soul appears it seeks its God. Thus we always return to this so much despised thing-religion. The idea of God alone renders man complete.

Such is the sketch of the plan of these studies. We address it to mothers, not that they may merely intrust its princi

ples to the memory of their children, but that they should impress them freely and deeply into the soul: their mission is not a teaching, it is an influence; it is not merely knowledge which they should impart, it is inspiration and direction which they should give. In the bosom of his family the child receives a certain number of ideas which belong to his age, his nation, and the position which he holds in it. These ideas are more or less elevated, more or less true,—some only express political or religious passions, others are only prejudices or superstitions; no matter; while immersed in this atmosphere, he is impregnated with it: he becomes whatever he sees or hears, a royalist or jacobin, a fanatic or an atheist; just as in former times one was of the Armagnac or Bourguignon party, of that of the League or of the Navarrese. The impressions of childhood may render one enthusiastic for a party, for an interest, rarely for truth.

Do you not perceive that here lies the source of all our errors, and that from hence also may originate all our virtues?

It is, then, into the family that education should be carried truth ought to appear to us in the same light as duty did at Sparta, and the love of country at Rome. Truth, this great mover of modern nations, the whole world is promised to it; and, as we have seen a people of heroes produced by the love of country, so shall we see the civilization of the human race produced by the more vast and sublime love of truth.

CHAPTER X.

OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN, AND OF

ITS PROGRESS.

"C'est merveille combien Platon se montre soigneux eu ses lois, de la gayeté et passe-tems de la jeunesse, et combien il s'arrete a leurs courses, jeux, chansons, saults et danses: desquelles il dit que l'antiquité a donné la conduite et le patronage aux dieux mêmes."

MONTAIGNE, Essais.

At the moment of commencing the education of mothers of families, I perceive that their solicitude is awakened. They inquire what instruction I intend for their sons? how, and by whom this instruction will be imparted to them? shall they go to college? learn Greek and Latin, mathematics and chemistry? shall they follow the ancient or the new methods? In the present state of their minds, all is perilous, ignorance as well as science, the austerity of masters as well as the laxity of principles,-all, even teaching which threatens to introduce into the schools the violent doctrines by which society is divided.

Before answering these questions, it is important to ascertain the changes which have taken place at the same time in the discipline of families and of colleges. The times are not very remote when the severity of fathers encouraged the severity of the teachers; the pupil then saw nothing around him but severe countenances, and hands armed with rods. Everywhere there existed the abuse of force, and the forgetfulness of humanity. All the forms of

despotic governments, and even its infamous punishments, were applied to education. Colleges had then official

floggers, and thus an executioner was introduced among the classes of children.

The

But at the present day all is changed: rods are no longer scattered about our schools; the gifts of sovereigns no longer serve to procure instruments of torture.* rod and starvation have ceased to be the moral powers of education, and the professors, who are now chosen from among fathers of families, no longer treat our children in the same way as criminals are treated in the public square.

The source of these reforms springs altogether from the ameliorations in domestic life. In proportion as paternal severity has diminished, scholastic cruelties have ceased. Under our new regime, the tyrannical power of fathers has decreased, like that of kings, of which it was the image; but what we have lost in despotism we have regained in happiness. Husbands are no longer despots, kings are no longer absolute, and fathers deign to love their children! Is it, then, so great a misfortune that austerity should disappear, and that we should find in its stead the laugh, the games, and the songs of love?

Would you wish to enjoy all the delights of so sweet a scene, enter the garden of the Tuileries on a summer's day at noon. A few solitary loungers appear here and there, and are soon lost sight of in the avenues; but, then, on all sides are seen groups of children, commodiously and gracefully dressed, running, dancing, singing, or skipping with the lively and simple grace which belongs only to our early years. Charming creatures! they fill with joy these long avenues, in which they appear near their mo

Louis XI. having placed his name at the head of the subscribers to the college of Navarre, his subscription was appropriated to the purchase of rods.

thers, like happy souls beneath the light of the Elysian fields.

Ah! enjoy these moments so sweet, while you may. Good mothers! Providence of your dear children! allow beneficent nature to develope their delicate limbs-others will soon adorn their minds and cultivate their intellects, but it is your charge to arm them for the world which already calls for them. From beneath these refreshing shades listen for a moment to that continued noise, which might be compared to the distant rolling of the ocean; it is the city which growls; it is its voice which threatens you. Alas! poor children. Yet a little while, and they will be cast upon the tempestuous world of which you hear the formidable agitation!

CHAPTER XI.

THE FATHER.

"La puissance paternelle est devenue amie de tyrannique qu elle etoit."

ETIENNE JOUY.

It has been asked why we do not call upon the father for the education of the child. Our answer is plain: viz. that in the present state of things, and with a few rare exceptions, the concurrence of the father is almost impossible. How seldom can he find time to watch over these