was at a very low ebb at that time.* He was pleased with my proposals, and invited me to attend the next meeting of the society.

I attended, and found a respectable number of both sexes assembled at the house of one of the members. They were engaged in reading, by turns, from Whelpley's Compend of General History; and the president put questions to them, as they pro ceeded, which made it interesting. At the close of this exercise, he asked me how I liked it. "Very well," was my reply. I then inquired what other exercise they had. He told me that was all, except an annual address, which he delivered himself. I asked him if it would not be well to try the debating of questions, and familiar lectures on science and the arts. He said he thought well of it, but they felt very cautious how they ventured from shore, lest they should get into deep water. I told him I thought they need not be afraid; for I had seen persons engaged in such exercises, whose opportunities for intellectual improvement were inferior to theirs. I was asked if I could give them a lecture. I said I would try; and prepared myself accordingly. I had brought a small air-pump with me from Russia, which I made of a piece of gastubing, with a ground brass plate, on a mahogany stand. I bought a few glass articles, which I ground, to fit the pump-plate, with a little sand and water, on the hearth-stone of my room. I procured a sinall wash-tub, and fitted a shelf to it, for a pneumatic cistern. In this way, I succeeded, with a very simple apparatus. in explaining the mechanical, and some of the chemical properties of air.

This put new life into the society. Their constitution was revised, to make provision for a library and apparatus. Debating was also introduced with success; and the ladies handed in compositions, which were read at the meetings. The reading exercise was pursued only occasionally. Several of the members were prevailed upon to give lectures on subjects connected with their professions, unless some particular branch of knowledge had been studied by them. It required considerable effort on the part of the more active members to bring those forward who were very diffident. More than one case occurred, however, in which gratitude was felt by those who had thus been roused to action.

I served as vice-president of the society during the remainder of my stay in the town, and took an active part in its exercises.

The society continued to meet at the members' houses, until it became too large to be thus accommodated. They then tried the school-house, and the hall at the tavern; but, not being satisfied with either of these, they built a two-story building for their own accommodation, at an expense of twelve hundred dollars, of which I furnished my full share. The building was completed within two years from the time I was introduced to the society. The hall was let to another society; and there were two mechan. ics' shops under it.

Since this time, the society has been quite prosperous. The exercises were weekly, in the following order-1. Reading by all the members; 2. Reading by one member, selected for the purpose; 3. An original lecture; 4. Discussion. This monthly course was continued for one year after the new hall was completed.

In October, 1826, Mr. Claxton removed to Boston, where, in 1829, he engaged in making and selling apparatus for illustrating the various sciences.

After I had been in Boston three or four years, Mr. Josiah Holbrook, a gentleman much engaged in the establishment of lyceums, came to me to see about apparatus, as he was trying to introduce such cheap and simple instruments into schools, and other seminaries of learning, as would come within their means. He had already several articles for illustrating geometry, astronomy, &c. ; but air-pumps were not then simplified enough to form a part of the lyceum apparatus. At this interview, I introduced to his notice a small air-pump for exhausting and condensing, and several articles of apparatus to be used with it, which I had made for the amusement of myself and my friends. He frankly acknowledged to be the very thing that was wanted in the smaller establishments for education. He wished me to make some for sale, and promised to recom. mend them, which he did not fail to do From this interview I may date the commencement of my making philosophical instruments as a regular business.

In the summer of 1835, his shop and ware-rooms were destroyed by fire; but, as he was fully insured, he resumed business promptly, taking into partnership his principal workman, Mr. J. M. Wightman, who had been, from the first, his "right-hand man."

The first meeting of the Methuen Literary Society was held December 7th, 1819, when it was voted to accept a constitution which had been prepared; and the persons present constituted themselves a society, for the purpose of reading and the promotion of useful inform ation, with the title of "The Methuen Social Society for Reading and General Inquiry," A number of useful and interesting works were read by the society, in succession. Not long after the formation of the society, it contained between forty and fifty members, male and female. Afterward, the interest abated, and the number of members diminished. Finally, in the autumn of 1-23, there were but four or five regular attendants; and a consultation was held on the subject of dissolving the society.

During this period, Mr. Claxton was active and influential in improving the means of popular education in Boston. He says:—

On my arrival in Boston, my first object was, to make inquiries respecting mechan⚫ics' societies; but I was surprised to learn that no society existed to which a mechanic could resort, and hear lectures on subjects calculated to aid him in his vocation. There had been some talk of building a mechanics' hall, &c.; but that project was abandoned. 1 conversed with several persons on the subject, who were willing to assist in forming a society for mutual improvement. I put a notice in the newspaper, stating where names would be received, and finally called a meeting, which was attended by nine persons; and a second, which was attended by only seven. At this meeting it was determined to make the thing more popular, by advertising it in the daily papers, and hiring a hall in a central situation. The next meeting was held at Concert Hall, and was very well attended. The result was the formation of the Boston Mechanics' Institution. This was in 1826.

set.

The society soon became popular, which induced others to follow the example thus Being the first society in Boston that introduced popular lectures on various branches of science, it would seem rather strange that it did not continue longer. I have formed my own ideas as to the causes of its decline. Not the least of these, I should say, was its unsocial character. A course of lectures merely, during the winter, was all that the managers ever attempted: no library, reading-room, nor classes. A class on mechanical science was indeed formed, by members of the institution, with the expectation that the managers would give it encouragement, and own it as a branch of the institution; but they merely appointed a committee to consider the subject, with power to furnish a room for the class. They decided, however, that it was inexpedient; and some of the board thought it wrong to take the funds of the society for the purpose. The class might have supported itself, if persons could have been admitted who were not members of the institution; but the rules of the class forbade it. In fact, the class adhered too closely to the rules of the parent for its own benefit; and was finally discontinued, for want of a little of that fostering care which the managers might have bestowed, with advantage to the parent institution as well as to the class. The plan of classes in connection with a large institution is better, in some respects, than so many small, independent societies, which are generally of short duration, as the removal of one or two active members is often sufficient to discourage the others, and sometimes to break up the society. The classes, on the other hand, can be filled up, from time to time, as long as they take an interest in the subject; and, when that fails, other classes may be formed, on subjects in which an interest is taken. By the concentration of talent and energy, with the various facilities afforded by a popular institution, the classes can be conducted with more economy, and greater benefit, than can in general be secured by the smaller societies for mutual improvement. Still, I would not depreciate the latter, which will do much good wherever they are carried on with the proper spirit; and there are many places where no other kind will succeed.

Among the many kindred societies that had adopted measures similar to those of this institution, may be named, as its greatest rival, the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. This was an old and powerful society, with plenty of funds; but the members were very careful how these funds were spent. For a long time, individual members had been trying to introduce something of an improving nature into the society; but, when the lectures were named, there were always a host against any such thing. The following has been related to me, as a specimen of the kind of opposition the liberal members had to contend with:

A proposition was made for a course of lectures on chemistry; on which a sensible member exclaimed, "What good will chemistry do us? If we want medicine, the cheapest way is to get it at an apothecary's shop." And, strange to say, such remarks, the offspring of very contracted views, had more weight with the majority than any thing that could be urged in favor of the proposed measure.

The association remained in this state when the Mechanics' Institution was formed; but the popularity of the latter soon brought the members of the former to their senses, and they actually voted one hundred dollars to a gentleman for a course of twelve lectures, which were delivered simultaneously with the second course given by the institution. From that time, the association has been progressing steadily; and there is some reason to hope that it will do much good in the end; for I have recently been informed that they are going on bravely in the work of improvement. "Mirabile dic tu!" says my American correspondent, in 1837, "what can you guess has happeneda new comet discovered, caught, and analyzed, or one of the men in the moon fallen off and alighted among us, to prove the moon-story of last summer a hoax? No; not quite equal to that, but quite as improbable. The Mechanic Charitable Association have actually appropriated five thousand dollars, Boston currency, to get up a fair, like the New Yorkers and Philadelphians, next October. This is the consequence of a drubbing given them by their orator, Mr. Homer, at their last triennial celebration."

The Mechanics' Institution commenced on a liberal plan, paying twenty-five dollars for each of their lectures, which were so well attended that a repetition of them was

practiced for some time, when forty dollars were paid for each lecture delivered twice. By such a course, the managers were enabled to procure several good lectures, from regular professors, and to afford encouragement to other gentlemen of talent to prepare themselves. In this way lectures were supplied for several years; and it is to be regretted that they could be no longer kept up. But it is some consolation to those who were the means of setting this intellectual and moral machinery in motion, in the capital of New England, to remember that it was effected by the Boston Mechanics' Institution, in the winter of 1826-7.

In the summer of 1829, I took part in the formation of the Boston Lyceum. I was elected one of its curators; gave several lectures during the two first seasons, and assisted in conducting some of the classes. After that time, my attention to the society was relaxed, in some degree, by the formation of the Boston Mechanics' Lyceum, and my appointment as its president, which office I held from February, 1831, until the termination of the fifth course of exercises, in 1835. These exercises consisted of lectures, debates, declamations, and, occasionally. extemporaneous speaking-that is, speaking on a subject as soon as it is proposed. They were conducted on the mutual instruction principle, by the members alone, who were enabled to pursue this plan to advantage, after being well drilled to it in small classes.

This society has been often referred to, as a specimen of what mechanics and others might do for themselves, by suitable efforts. It has furnished speakers for other societies, engaged in various pursuits; and I might refer to one of the members, who used frequently to speak at temperance and other meetings, with good effect. One evening, I heard it remarked of him that he learned to speak at the Mechanics' Lyceum, which made me feel gratified, especially as this member had expressed a doubt of the success of the lyceum at its formation. I had been speaking encouragingly to the members, when he remarked, "That is all very well, if we can make it go." I devoted some of my best. efforts to this society; and we did make it go-better, in fact, than many had anticipated.

The members had the privilege of introducing ladies to the exercises, who were permitted to hand in pieces of composition, which were read at the meetings.

In 1832, I was appointed one of the committee of the Franklin Lectures, got up for the benefit of those who were prevented from attending other courses, on account of their expense, and the early hour at which they commenced. These lectures, beginning an hour later, and being afforded at one-fourth of the usual price, (which was accomplished by having most of the lectures gratuitous, and by the ready sale of the tickets, which, in some seasons, amounted to a thousand or more,) gave to the class they were intended to benefit a most valuable opportunity. The duty which I performed was merely that of assisting the committee in their deliberations, and giving an occasional lecture.

In June, 1836, Mr. Claxton left Boston, and visited England. There, his zeal for popular improvement led him to assist in getting up lyceums, and lecturing before mechanics' institutions; and, finally, to an engagement with the Central Society of Education, to superintend the manufacture of school apparatus, similar to what he had been making in Boston.

XIII. THE PUBLIC OR FOUNDATION SCHOOLS OF ENGLAND.

In place of an article for which we have gathered material in our reading, we subjoin some valuable extracts and statistics from a paper "On the Foundation Schools of England," read before the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science, in 1857, by Rev. John Day Collis, M. A., head-master of Bromsgrove School, which we shall follow up with interesting and instructive notes from Timbs' "Sketches of the Progress of Education in England."

"Where is it that our rising legislators receive their first lesson in cheerful obedience to lawful authority-and I may add, in jealous watchfulness against the excess of lawful authority, or against the growth of tyranny-but in our public schools? Where do they so surely learn to curb their tongues, control their angry passions, conquer their temptation to selfishness, overcome the fear of each other, and learn to speak out boldly in defence of the weak, or in the cause of truth? Where do they acquire habits of self-reliance and manly independence? Where do they learn that submission to lawful discipline is perfect freedom, and that law is a kind though (when they kick against it) a stern master? Where do they learn first to govern themselves, and then to govern others, and so become trained for the onerous duties of magistrates, legislators, instructors of others, as at our public schools? Where do they learn gradually the use of money, the use of time, the responsibility of strength, (mental or bodily,) the responsibility of influence, the necessity for long-sustained and well-regulated exertion? Where do they acquire habits of industry, habits of thoughtfulness, habits of close application, as in the scholastic contests of their boyhood?

Where can be joined such a thorough freedom of play for all that is in a boy of good and noble as in our public schools? Where such a judicious mixture of liberty and restraint? Where is a boy so thrown upon his own good principle and firmness, and yet protected from the rougher and coarser forms of temptation, as in the guarded, and yet free, atmosphere of a public school? When we look at these noble and distinguishing institutions of our country, can we wonder at the Duke of Wellington's watching the boys of Eton in their playing-fields, and thinking that it was there Waterloo was won-that such training as there exists, and has existed for centuries, matures the heroic and manly temper of Englishmen into stern fulfillment of duty, stern defence of the injured and the weak, stern repression of the unjust aggressions of other nations.

Can we wonder at the large share Montalembert gives to the public school-life of English boys in the acknowledged superiority of England?

Can there be a more striking contrast than that which exists between the cramped and confined and constantly-watched training of a foreign school-boy, and the free and healthy play of life and vigor and self-reliance in an English school-boy? Where such results are visible and undeniable, there must be some potent influence at work, to have first established and then maintained it in such vigor for so long a time.

To what can we attribute this traditional training of all our public men, our legislators, our clergy, our barristers and judges, our physicians, our county magistrates, our country gentlemen, but to the fact of the strong impress which our school education-with its wholesome mixture of freedom and restraint, of lessons and games, of internal self-government under the authority of a responsible head-has stamped upon successive generations of Englishmen?

Of the importance which has ever been attached in England to such traditional training we can have no stronger proof than in the great number and variety of our Foundation Schools. Until one looks closely into the matter, it would scarcely be believed how rich England is in such institutions, and their number is hardly more surprising than their inherent vitality. Years pass on-generations die out, dynasties change, revolutions are accomplished-but, through lapse of time, and change of circumstance, here last these wondrous schools of England: one, like Wantage, claiming, with every appearance of truth, Alfred for its founder; others founded but as yesterday, and gaining success just so far as they keep up with the main traditional type of grammatical training. While so much changes around, "these most English institutions in England," as they have been called by the "Times" in a recent review of that racy school-book, "Tom Brown's School-Days," "these most English institutions in England" have shown a tenacity of life and a vivaciousness such as could only have resulted from the wise system on which they are conducted, as well as from the wise forethought that founded and endowed them. * * *

A few statistics as to the dates and numbers of our grammar schools may be interesting.

Of course both the invention of printing and the breaking up of the Greek empire, on the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, in 1453, and the consequent spread of the culture of the Greek language in the south and west of Europe, had an immense effect upon education, amongst other ways, in stimulating the foundation of schools; but far beyond these two causes in efficacy must we place the Reformation, with its attendant breaking up of the monastic system. The dissolution of the monasteries gave both an incitement to the foundation of free grammar schools, in order to supply the place of the monastic schools which were thereby broken up, and furnished large pecuniary means for their endowment.

Of schools whose date is ascertained, and which were antecedent to the foundation of Eton College, in the reign of Henry VI., there are but eight-Derby, Huntingdon, Newbury, Ashburton, Wisbeach, Hereford,