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December 24,185^]| THE LEADER, ¦' ¦ 1229
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LETTERS FROM PARIS. ~ ¦ Letter CIV. Pari...
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CONTINENTAL NOTES. The Journal des Dcbat...
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Practicax Edua&Ftolt For The'poor Last W...
• i , or irkaoineness ; there came the pleasurable development ( skill and ingenuity . Why should wo not , then , put the i hourer and the mechanic in the case of developing his skill A inflenuity , and thus enable him to s * reeten sO & b his daily f 'l ? At present he drudged throogh his allotted task mnre Hbeaaiaach ^ ne than an intelligent being . He just did hat others had done before him , he knew not wihy ; but MFhrm his jriin < l , ¦ 'bring his head to bear as w . ell as his \ n & s to the Measurable excitement of developed ingenuity S'contrivance add the still more pleasurable coMcious-< ss of excited ipower ; let him feel that & e was , out of his * n resoarcea , mastering difficulties and inventing new ° rocesses and thai man would raise his head more proudly , Tip would feel tha self-respect of a higher occupation , he « nuld out his heart into his work , he would do what he did
hptter he would . earn not only more for himself , but more for his master and for his country , through bis increased skill and lastly , he waMild thereby be-. enabled to meet the foreigner ' in that free-trade competition which our ignorant listlessness so Kttle fitted us at present to engage in . The operatives of our great . towns had long felt the degradation of the mechanjcal drudgery to which they thought themselves condemned , they fejit # craving for some intellectual nursuit which should heguile its monotony , but their struggles for relief had taken a wrong direction . They bad sought to develope their understandings in something out of and above , their daily occupation ; instead of first mastering the principles which govern its exercise , they had thought only of quitting their own sphere under the notion lu ~ i . % u ov i-rtiiM onlv raise themselves bv doing that which
those above them did , and learning that which those above them learned ; whereas that which really elevated a man was the cultivation of mind , which followed upon its en-Ushfcened application to his work . They were like Naarnsn the Syrian , who scorned the little stream at his feet , and would fain go off to Abana and Pharpbar fivers of the distant Damascus , to find a remedy for his affliction . Having given them this inadequate exposition of the advantages to be derived from the knowledge of common things , he would now proceed to inform them why he had distinguished , in the assignment of prizes , the merits of the scholar and of the teacher . He had done so in order to familiarise to the youngest among them this important , truth—that no knowledge , however
profound , could constitute a teacher . A teacher must have knowledge as an orator , must have knowledge as a builder must have the materials with which he was to build ; but , as in choosing the builder of his house he did not select the man who had most materials in his yard , but having satisfied himself that he had enough for his purposes , proceeded to select him by reference to his skill , ingenuity , and taste , so also in testing an orator or a teacher he satisfied himself that he fulfilled the comparatively easy condition of possessing sufficient materials of knowledge with which to work , and he looked then to those high and noble qualities which were the characteristics of his peculiar calling . There were hundreds at Athens who knew more than Demosthenes : thousands that
knew more at Rome than Cicero ; but there was but one Demosthenes and one Cicero . Who , in speaking of these great men , spoke of their knowledge ? For these _ reasons neither would men speak of knowledge as the essential attribute of the teacher . Their business included an important part of oratory ; they had not , indeed , to work on the passions ; they had not to snbdue an antagonist , but they liad to reduce their ideas into the simplest and most elementary form ; they had to cultivate the power of illustration ; they must be fluent , simple , graphic , animated , judicious , patient ; they must , moreover , have an intimate knowledge of the class they addressed . It was not enough that they should rear a new edifice of fresh knowledge on the surface of the child ' s mind such as they found it . Before they attempted
to build they must probe that surface , ascertain its nature , clear away rubbish , if any such existed , with the view of working on a sure and lasting foundation . Again , they must not build too fast , lest the work crumble as they proceeded . The mere scholar had no perception of all this ; he possessed , indeed , the materials , but ho knew neither where , nor how , nor when to use them ; his knowledge was confined to himself alone , while the teacher p laced himself at once , b y instinctive faculty , in mental relation with every child of his class . Ho was anxious , therefore , to impress on their minds that an acquaintance with the subjects they had to teach formed but a small part of the qualifications which , as teachers , they had to acquire . He wished to warn them against the mistake of expending upon unnecessary attainments
time which ought to be devoted to the essential attributes of their especial calling . It remained for him only to inform them that a syllabus of topics for the iirst examination would bo furnished to all who were qualified to compete for the prizes . They would observe that ho asked for "o facts ; ho asked for the principles which were to govern action . His object was also to stimulate tlio pupil to observe a »« Collect facts for himself , which , however trifling they ) nifil » t bo in intrinsic value , would still have exercised and Jlnl > rovcd the mind by tho exertion their acquisition had «» Hed forth . They were all , however , too much disposed to f
« spiKo little gains , yet , little money gains store most wealth ; little moral gains triumph over petty temp tations—made lllo firmest characters ' . So , also , little intellectual gains , { "ado hour by hour , and minute by minute at every step in liJc ~ tbo result of early habit and wise education —< iid more to ripen . the intellect , and oven to mature the . character , than Jlny instruction that could lio hammered in from without . » t was g iven td the teachers of tho rising generation to bond 'heir minds in thia direction . Tho misery which could bo remedied by tho charity of rich men whs purely physical ; "Jo relief could extend only to few , it neither olevutcd those M'o received it nor their children after them ; but tho
misery which tho teacher could avert by substituting eclf"upport and Belf-rcspect for dependence and beggary had no 'units to , its amount—it multiplied blessings both on tho present and on succeeding generations . " Thia eloquent address was listened to with eager attention ; and tho reverend gentlemen present rose
in succession and uttered warm commendations ; and Mr . Clark , one of the students , thanked Lord Ashburton in a brief speech . It is certainly an event in the educational movement .
December 24,185^]| The Leader, ¦' ¦ 1229
December 24 , 185 ^]| THE LEADER , ¦' ¦ 1229
Letters From Paris. ~ ¦ Letter Civ. Pari...
LETTERS FROM PARIS . ~ ¦ Letter CIV . Paris , Thursday Evening , Dec . 22 , 1853 . The Bourse has been in consternation for the last three days . The report of the entrance of the combined fleets into the Black Sea determined a considerable fall . The tenth ' of this , mo nth is the day named as that on which the decisive step was taken . Now it was precisely on the 10 th inst . that Bonaparte despatched his famous courier , the tenor of whose despatches nobody knows . If that courier , as everybody assumes here , was charged with orders to the fleet to advance , he will find his orders already in the course of execution . But if , as I still persist in believing against all the world , his instructions are to arrest the fleet , he will still be in time to give counter orders : in that case , the fleet will have to return to Constantinople , to the disgrace of France and England , but to the infinite satisfaction of the bankers and the stockjobbers . The old Bonapartists are all for war : they mean mischief . Persigny , and the rest , taking their wishes for realities , publish their hopes as if they were ' accomplished facts : they proclaim aloud that orders have been sent to bum Sebastopol . They assert that Bonaparte has quite made up his
mind to act , and that when he was asked whether the fleet would move , he made no secret of replying yes . Now , on the other hand , I know pertinently that he lately said to a person whose name I need not mention , only three days since , " I can't go to war : war would be the revolution let loose over all Europe : war would be my ruin . " What I know equally well is , that for the last ten days there have not been the least symptoms of preparing for war . I wrote to a friend of mine , a captain in the 45 th , at Marseilles , and
this morning have received his answer : he says there have been no orders received at Toulon nor at Marseilles , nOr at any of the neighbouring garrisons . The army is , I-believe , profoundly indignant at not receiving marching orders . At Lyons the officers crack their jokes publicly enough about the " Napoleon of Peace ; " they shower sarcasms upon the Emperor , and this too in the presence of General Castellane , at his own table . Not only does General Castellane not punish these ribald scoffers , he is the first to laugh at their pleasantries .
M . de Kisselelf , too , who was said to be packing up , is doing nothing of the kind . On Monday last he was received by the Emperor in private audience . If he remains at his post , surely it is because he has received assurances from Bonaparte that the fleets will be recalled , or at all events that they are forbidden to attack the Russians . Meanwhile , everybody here , in Paris , believes in the reports of energetic resolutions , while nothing but imbecility is going on . Another fact confirms me in my opinion . Government
It is now known that the Austrian , the first to learn the disaster of Sinope through the Russian Ambassador at Vienna , stopped the news until through the telegraph they bad received satisfactory assurances from the French and English Cabinets of their pacific dispositions—until , in fact , Bonaparte and Lord Aberdeen had assured them that the massacre of the Turks would not at all modify their disposition to peace . Franco and England have given their word that they will not act . be the truth about thaffair at
Whatever may e Sinope , there are people here who think it astonishing that the Russians should attack the Turks , burn a squadron , and destroy a port . For my own part , I consider the Russians acted very naturally . War is war ; it does not consist in sending invitations to balls to the enemy , but simply of sheila and bullets . If the Russians were to take advantage of tho departure of the fleets from Constantinople to advance to the capital , and bombard the city in the teeth of the half-a-dozen linc-of-battlo ships which we have been foolish enough , speaking in a military sense , to leave for its protection , I should be unable to protest ; it would simply appear to me an excellent the fleethave left
manoeuvre . If , indeed , s Constantinople , unless they have only gone 1 to make a ridiculous * ' demonstration / ' they must have moved for one of two purposes : to protect tlio Turks , or to punish the Russians . In eitber case there may bo a collision . In cither case tho combined fleets ought to act with their whole forces . If , while the two fleets were searching for it , tho Russian fleet were to sneak into tho Bosphorus , attack and sink tho nix ships left for a defence , and then proceed to Constantinople , burn it , and land 30 , 000 moil , which would bo tho winner then ? What all history from tho creation of tho world proves ineflaceably is , that half measures , conceived by dwarfish men , arc over disastrous ; that in tho
present emergency it were better at once to recal the fleets to Malta and Toulon—by this means the financial world would still have fifteen years of peace , and England fifteen years existence before Russia devours her with all the Continent—or to make war at once- and in earnest with all the forces of which England and France united can dispose . Now neither will be done ; instead of mastering and commanding events , the pigmy Governments will float down the stream , like straws on the current , to be swept away at last . And thus the two Powers , who pursue peace at all price , are dragged into war unwittingly and unwillingly .
Nevertheless the Russians do not seem to feel at all sure that France and England may not-be roused to avenge the massacre of Sinope . They endeavour by every means to mystify and mislead public opinion as to the causes of that catastrophe . They preteud that they knew perfectly well that the Turkish squadron was destined to make a descent upon the Crimea , and therefore that in destroying that squadron they only acted in self-defence . They even spread the report that there has been an insurrection in Crimea in favour of the Turks .
En attendant , they are chanting Te Deums in all their churches , and redoubling their attacks on the banks of the Danube . They have simultaneously " attacked Kalafat on their right , Routscoruk iu their centre , and Matschin , opposite to Brailow , on their left . At the last point they were repulsed j but it is stated that the attack on Routscoruk , or rather on an island between Giurgevo and that town was successful , that they threw a bridge across , and were preparing to cross the Danube at that spot on the 18 th inst . If the Danube is frozen , as is affirmed , the passage will , of course , be an easier affair . Important events may , I think , be expected in that direction . In France the crisis continues . Failures are
beginning to be heard of at Paris . It could scarcely be otherwise in the present state of trade . Little or no business , reduced discounts , exorbitant liabilities , excessive expenses , and extravagantly high rent , such is the state of every house of business in Paris . The advance in the prices of grain has resumed again ; and that is a bad sign enough . For instance , the | 30 th ' of November ( St . Andrew ' s-day ) is the customary agricultural rent-day in France . To find cash for their landlords , the farmers are in the habit at this season of the year of throwing large quantities of wheat on the market . This year nothing of the kind has occurred . Instead of wheat falling in price at St . Andrew's-day , it has been rising . Hence it is concluded that a considerable deficit in production must exist .
There have been more arrests again this last fortnight . They have all fallen on clerks of offices , and shopmen . I cannot conceive the cause of such arrests . Those poor creatures have seldom anypolitical opinions to curse themselves with . All I can say is , that about fifty of them have been lately arrested—for the salvation of poor Society we must needs presume . ^»
Continental Notes. The Journal Des Dcbat...
CONTINENTAL NOTES . The Journal des Dcbats and . the Patrie give , the following as the text of the protocol signed on Dec . 5 , at Vienna , by the representatives of the Four Great Powers : — " The undersigned , representatives of Austria , Franco , Great Britain , and Prussia , in conformity with the instructions of their Courts , have assembled at a conference for the purpose of seeking out means of arranging tho difference which has arisen between the Court of Kussia and the Sublime Porte . Tho proportions which tlmt difference has assumed , und the war which iias burst out between tho two empires , in spito of the efforts of their allies , have become for all Europe the object of most serious pro-occupations ; m consequence , tho Emperor of Austria , tho fcmporor ot the ¦ Krenc i . the Oucon of Croat Britain , and tho Kmgot Prussia , end to
equally penet ruled with tlio necessity or putting an those hostilities , which cannot bo prolonged without affecting tho interests of tlmir own states , lmvo resolved to oiler thengood ofllccH to tlio two belligerent parties , in tho hope that they would not themselves incur tlio responsibility of a conflagration , when by an exchange of loyal oxp anations they may still prevent it , in again placing their relations on tho footing of peace and of u good understanding . 1 he assurances civen on « ov « ral occasions by the Lmperor of Kusbia exclude fho idoa that that august sovereign entertains any wish to interfere with the integrity of tho Ottoman Empire . The oxi . stcnco of ' Turkey , in the limits which treaties Iiavo iiHsiinipd to her , Iiiih in fact become ono of tho necessary condiiioiw ©* tho'European equilibrium , and tho «»«« isicned plenipotentiaries declare with satisfaction that the im'Hcntwa r cannot in any case involve modifications in tho { .... ' . ¦ itnrml circuKismnLions of the two empires , calculated to
alter tho state of possession which time has consecrated in tlio oast , and which is equally necessary for tho tranquillity of all tho other powers . Tho Emperor of Kussiu , besides , bun not confined himself to uuch assurances , but lias ^ declared that his intention had never been to impose on tbo Porto now obligations , or miy that were not oxactly in conformity with tho treaties of Kutchudc Jiainardji and Adrianople , according to whioh the bublimo Porto has promised to protect in the whole extent
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 24, 1853, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24121853/page/5/
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