1800 to 1824 the large number of 699 children eloped from the schools-about one-seventh of the whole number received in them, and these perhaps were happier and better in after life than those who remained. Those who go through the schools, and are apprenticed by the society, are stated to be helpless and ignorant, and too often the sport and derision of their associates.' At Ballycastle, in 1818, Mr. Thackeray found ten girls so ill taught, and so ill qualified, that not even the offer of a bounty would tempt the commonest farmer to receive them.' So difficult was it to place the unhappy children in the world, that in 1824 the society was maintaining 706 individuals, who had passed the age of apprenticeship, and of whom some were twenty years old. The total number of those apprenticed from the time when the society commenced its labours to 1824, was 12,745, and the commissioners say, that of these, 7905 cost a million sterling, or about 1307. each child. We may judge of the advantage which the state derived from these apprentices, educated at such a cost, from the fact ascertained by Mr. Nelson, an agent of the society, that of 1585 boys apprenticed from 1803 to 1814, 603 had either eloped or enlisted, or had been discharged for bad conduct.'

Looking back upon these charter-schools, nuisances of a century standing, it is satisfactory to know that government is gradually abolishing them. But it is also necessary to bear in mind, that till within the last twenty years there was no other gratuitous education in Ireland, with the exception of the Foundling Hospital. It is for this reason, amongst others, that we have dwelt upon the grievous failure of the attempt upon which more than a million and a half of money has been spent, to win the Irish people from Popery, by making a few hundreds of their children the most wretched in the land, under the pretence of converting them. It is necessary that the people of England generally should know how little had been done up to the period of the Union, and for some years after, for the education of Ireland. When we hear of the ignorance of the people of that country, we are too apt to exclaim,' Perverse, ungrateful race! what vast sums have we expended upon your instruction!'

III.—The Foundling Hospital.

This institution has cost the public, in parliamentary grants, 820,0051. 3s. 4d.* Large as the sum is, the mode of its expenditure sufficiently shows that the Foundling Hos

*Report of Committee of House of Commons, 1828.

a

pital forms no exception to the rule which existed, till within à very few years, of lavishing the public funds upon objects utterly worthless, as means of national education. The commissioners of 1824 describe the objects of this institution as twofold; the preservation of the lives of the foundlings, and their education in such a manner as to render them useful members of society*. It will be sufficient for us very briefly to direct our attention to the second of these objects.

The education of the foundlings up to the period when they are seven or eight years old, is left entirely to the nurses in the country, with whom they are placed, and who receive for their care of the infants 31. per annum each. Their education, in the usual acceptation of the term, commences by an act, which, of all others, is the most abhorrent to the feelings of an Irishwoman. Every one knows the attachment of these poor people to their foster-children. The Rev. Mr. Daly, rector of Powerscourt, says, that the unhappiest scenes he has ever witnessed were those of separating the children from the nurses who had taken care of them for eight or nine years. He has heard women say, "When that child is five years old I will not take it to the hospital-I will lose the money. Many children in this way remain where they were nursed, and swell the ranks of the many who pass through life in Ireland without any instruction-the creatures of impulse for good or for evil. But these, if we do not judge too harshly, are in a happier condition, and, it may be, a wiser, than those who return to the hospital for education. The number thus trained is usually about 1200. The hospital is conducted with regularity and cleanliness; but somehow a large number of the children, male and female, become profligate members of society when they escape from this prison, for a prison, in truth, it is. The Rev. Mr. Daly says, that no children turn out so ill as the children that have been sent from the Foundling Hospital.' Mr. James Digges La Touche considered them when coming forth from the hospital as overgrown children, totally unacquainted with the world, and totally unfit to deal with others.' Of 284 unhappy young women that have passed through the Dublin Penitentiary, 38 were from charity boarding-schools, and the largest portion of these from the Foundling Hospital. The commissioners recommended that attempts should be made to educate the children while they remain with their nurses. If Ireland had a national system of day-schools, and a vigilant resident * Third Report, 1826,

clergy, there could be no doubt of the practicability of such a plan.

IV.-Incorporated Association for Discountenancing Vice.

With the chartered schools and the Foundling Hospital in some activity, and with the parochial schools which the clergy were bound to establish,' without any funds provided for their maintenance, it is not surprising that a society was established in 1792, and incorporated in 1800, to counteract the rapid progress which infidelity and immorality are making through the kingdom.' The original object of the society was to distribute Bibles, Prayer-Books, and religious tracts; but after its incorporation it resolved to lend aid towards establishing and maintaining parochial schools, by building school-houses, and granting salaries to teachers. The school master, a member of the established church, was to be appointed by the clergyman of the parish, and was to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, and to such of the scholars as were members of the established church the church Catechism. The schools are open to children of all persuasions, conforming to the rules of reading the Scriptures. The association does not give books, &c.; but the scholars either provide for themselves, or are furnished by subscription. Though the schools have been principally for the education of children of the established church, they appear to have been originally attended as numerously by Catholics as Protestants, and they are still numerously attended by such. In a list, dated November, 1819, in 119 schools then connected with the association, (with the exception of five, from which there were no returns,) there were 8828 scholars, of whom 4460 were Protestants, and 4368 Catholics. In June, 1822, in 164 schools, there were 6200 Protestants, and 5334 Catholics. In September, 1824, the number had increased to 15,922, 9578 being Protestants, and 6344 Catholics*. The returns do not distinguish the different classes of Protestants. A leading object of the association is to provide an extended system of catechetical instruction, for which purpose examinations are held by the ministers, and premiums given. The number of candidates in 1823 was 24,924; the number of premiums awarded 4187. The total number of books sold on account of the association (at a greatly reduced price to subscribers for the purpose of distributing) from 1800 to 1824 was as follows:

* The returns from the clergy to the commissioners, published in their second report (1826), only give 12,769 scholars.

The Incorporated Association for Discountenancing Vice has received from the public funds since 1800 the sum of 101,9917. 18s. 6d.*

When the first commission of inquiry was appointed in 1812, the Roman Catholic children of Ireland were left almost entirely for their instruction to the country payschools, known as hedge-schools.' ' hedge-schools.' At that period the Association for Discountenancing Vice educated a very few hundreds of that large class of the people, and we have seen what the charter-schools did. This association has the honour of being the first to think that Catholic children ought to receive instruction, without attempts being made to convert them. Their schools, however decidedly Protestant in character, were still open to all persuasions, under regulations to which the majority indeed might object, but to which many might conform. The commissioners of 1812 saw that the system of exclusion could no longer be upheld; and in their fourteenth and last report they stated, that they had applied their efforts to the framing of a system which, whilst it should afford the opportunities of education to every description of the lower class of the people, might, at the same time, by keeping clear of all interference with the particular religious tenets of any, induce the whole to receive its benefits as one undivided body, under one and the same system, and in the same establishment.' The report then recommended the establishment of a board to carry into effect the detailed plan. Government, however, declined appointing the board; but in the session of 1814-15, a grant of 6,980l. was made to the Society for promoting Education in Ireland,' in order to try the principles recommended. Of this establishment, we are about to detail the progress under its more common name of

V.-The Kildare Place Society.

The parliamentary grants for the first two or three years, appear to have been principally expended upon building, and preparing their premises in Kildare Place, of which they took possession in 1817, from which period the commencement of their present system is to be dated. The objects of the society were :

* Report of Committee of House of Commons, 1828,

1st. To assist by pecuniary grants, as well the founding and establishment of new schools, as the improvement of schools already in existence, upon condition that the principles of the society be adopted for their regulation.

2d. To maintain two model-schools in Kildare Place, in which to exhibit the plan recommended; and to train masters and mistresses of country schools.

3d. To receive masters and mistresses from the country, in order to qualify them for carrying the plans of the society into effect.

4th. To publish moral, instructive, and entertaining books, fitted to supplant the objectionable works then in use.

5th. To supply to schools in connexion with the society gratuitously, and to all purchasers at cost prices, spellingbooks, stationery, and other school requisites.

6th. To maintain a system of annual inspection of all schools in connexion with the society.

7th. To encourage by gratuities, but not by salaries, such masters and mistresses as should appear deserving.

The number, both of schools and scholars, since 1817, when the society began to carry into effect these objects, has increased with great rapidity. In 1825, the returns were, of schools, 1490; of scholars, not fewer than 100,000; but the committee of 1824 suspect that the latter number is that of names on the roll, and not that of those in actual attendance*. In their tours of inspection, the commissioners found the schools convenient, cleanly, and in good order, and the instruction given extremely efficient. The model-schools in Kildare Place were well conducted. They were attended by 400 boys, of whom 156 were of the established church, 17 Protestant dissenters, and 225 Roman Catholics; and by 297 girls, of whom there were 79 of the established church, nine Protestant dissenters, and 209 Roman Catholics. The children are generally those of mechanics, labourers, and the lower order of trades-people; each child pays one penny per week. The system of instruction is a union of whatever has from time to time appeared to the committee most deserving of adoption in the systems of Bell, of Lancaster, and of Pestalozzi. The proficiency attained in the arithmetical system of Pestalozzi, by many of the elder boys, is very remarkable. Great resort is made to Kildare Place, for children as apprentices†.

The training of masters and mistresses is a principal object with the society, and they invite masters properly recommended, to visit the model-school. In order to enforce dis* See p. 258. 1st Report, p. 40.