driven a plough, the highest offices in the State would be open to him. He believed the brightest genius was often among the lower classes, if room was made for their advancement. He also should like to see education requiring no extraneous assistance, when the people would have no Government grant and no charity; when the people would pay for the education of their children, and feel it was worth paying for. He knew that this could not be done all at once, and if the next generation did not carry out that principle, perhaps the succeeding one would. With children in taking medicine a little coaxing had to be used, and a large piece of sugar promised after; but when people grew up they swallowed their dose manfully. So it was with education; the people had now to be coaxed with Government grants, and England would not be sufficiently well educated till all the present and useful aids were entirely removed, from there being no need for them. To say, however, he would not educate a child on the week-day because it did not attend his place of worship on Sunday, was something excessively mean, and showed those persons could not have much of an opinion of their own religion. He was a Calvinistic Baptist himself, and intended to remain so all his life, but he felt, and he believed the Independents and other evangelical Christians felt the same, that the more education children received, the more likely they were to choose their own sects, because each sect felt its own to be most in accordance with scriptural truth. (Cheers.) He entirely concurred in what the Rev. Newman Hall had said on this matter. Not to teach a person two and two made four, or a proposition in Euclid, because he did not attend a particular church or chapel, was something he could not understand, and a feeling he abhorred.

At this stage of the proceedings EARL GRANVILLE rose, and said that he had to make two apologies, and he was anxious to do so at once, because he was afraid he should not be able to stay till the close of the meeting, having an appointment that he must attend to. The first was for having been a little late; but this arose from his having at first thought that the meeting was held in another part of the building; but he perceived that others, well known to the meeting for their personal exertions in the cause of education, and for their great eloquence, were late also like himself, and yet they had received the kind indulgence of the meeting. His other apology was for being there at all. It was not necessary that he should apologize for the absence of Lord Russell, because he was perfectly certain they well knew the immense amount of labour and responsibility thrown upon him at that moment, and which prevented him from taking part in those subjects and duties in which he felt a great and deep interest. He had come there to take his place, because the committee knew his entire sympathy with Earl Russell on the great question of education, and the principles upon which it ought to be administered, and perhaps also from his official position connected with the education of the country. He could not help seeing that in this matter he stood in a difficult position, being connected with a department which had received the censure of one branch of the Legislature. That position would be intolerable if he did not feel that the resolution was come to under a misapprehension, and quite certain that

the House of Commons would correct it when all the circumstances were explained. He believed that one imperfection in popular education was the want of teaching scientific elements, and he could not help thinking that teaching this subject would tend very much to the removal of the great evil which Mr. Spurgeon had mentioned, the gross superstition existing among the lower classes. He must, however, say with regard to this, that he could not look down upon poor John Chaw-bacon, as he had been so graphically described, struggling with a large family and a small income, when he remembered that the higher and middle classes had given way to the absurd and ridiculous impostures of spirit-rapping, table-turning, and the like. He thought this a proof that a little more scientific education could have nothing but a beneficial result upon all classes. They had heard no doubt of an allusion in a training school of the advantages of pain to the human body, and he was suffering at that moment from one of those useful and disagreeable lessons. He remembered a story of Lord Brougham, one of the greatest advocates of popular education of the age, who through a long life, the time of which was devoted to his profession and politics, had still found time to devote to the cause of education and social science. Lord Brougham was once asked how he accounted for it in a mutual friend, that he had black hair and white whiskers. Lord Brougham replied that it was the simplest thing in the world. The man never gave his brains anything to do, but what with eating, drinking, and talking, his brains never had any rest. (Laughter.) During the last fortnight he had been suffering from a pain which had reminded him of the meeting that day. He wished to congratulate the Society on the proceedings of the day, but more particularly upon the very interesting report that had been presented. He could not conceive anything more satisfactory, showing as it did, an increase in the labours in every direction. Not only had new schools been established, but the mode of education had been improved in its details. He thought, further, that all philanthropic Christians must feel proud in being associated with a Society which had so long exercised such a beneficent influence on the popular education of the country. There was also an indirect advantage of this extension of education among the lower classes; it had caused an inquiry as to the mode of education among the middle and upper classes. He was perfectly satisfied that upon the direction of education the great welfare and happiness of the country for the future depended. Fifty years ago these subjects were new matters to any large assembly gathered together; now in all directions they had become perfectly trite. With some of the observations made that day he had been much struck. Upon some other questions he should not speak,-for instance, how far the Legislature should go in the education of the people, and the restraints which ought to be imposed to secure temperance; but he entirely concurred with Mr. Hall and Mr. Spurgeon, that education was the great fulcrum to meet the evils now prevailing; not only so, but he believed that it was owing to the great spread of education why the vice of drunkenness among the upper and middle classes had been removed, and sobriety was now the rule and not the exception, as was the case some years ago. He thought also the great masses must be moved by human as well as

spiritual means, and the more they convinced the people that they bettered themselves and children by education, the more would be the impetus given to the good work. Another advantage was given by education, that of selfcontrol. With regard to what had been stated concerning religious toleration, he agreed with every syllable of it, and his own belief was also that all education should have a religious basis. Although in theory those principles were much opposed, yet he was confident that practically great progress was being made in them every day; especially that all instruction should be free from imposing upon others any destructive religious teaching. He thanked the meeting for the kind reception they had given him, and he again warmly congratulated them upon the proceedings of the day.

The noble Earl then left the meeting, whilst a vote of thanks to him was carried by acclamation.

The Rev. J. BAKER moved, and the DEAN of DROMORE seconded the following resolution, which was carried with loud applause :

"That the thanks of this Meeting be most respectfully offered to her Majesty the Queen, for the continuance of her royal patronage and support."

THE "REVISED LESSON BOOKS."

A NEW SERIES, ADAPTED TO THE "STANDARDS" OF THE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL. ADOPTED BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN SCHOOL SOCIETY.

THE "Revised Code" of the Committee of Council on Education, which fixes, as our readers well know, certain "standards" for the guidance of the Inspectors in their official examinations of schools, is so far satisfactory, that it lays down definite rules by which the proficiency of the children is to be judged, and the amount of aid awarded to each school decided.

One effect, however, of these regulative ordinances, has been to call into existence a class of Lesson Books specially adapted to their requirements, and therefore more convenient than other books for the use of schools under Government Inspectors.

To meet this case the "REVISED SERIES OF LESSON BOOKS" has just been published, and to these we are now desirous of calling the attention both of teachers and committees.

The series consists of six books, intended and adapted to meet the require ments of the six "standards."

We propose to notice them separately.

"REVISED LESSON BOOK" adapted to STANDARD I. This book, consisting of 64 pages, and square in size, is printed in a clear and bold type, on excellent paper, and strongly bound. It is written, for the most part, in monosyllables, and consists of prose and poetry of the simplest kind. Yet every sentence conveys a useful truth, and every lesson is profitable. The special value of the book, however, is, that while it contains everything necessary to enable the pupil to acquire the knowledge demanded by their Lordships' Minute, it is

unencumbered by anything more. A series of introductory writing lessons in script type will teach the child how to form both letters and figures, while simple Addition and Subtraction Tables are not forgotten. With the assistance rendered by this little manual it will be easy for a pupil teacher to impart the first steps in the art of reading; to give the required lessons in FORM on the blackboard or slate; to enable the child to write letters, whether capital or small, from dictation; to compute figures up to 20; to name them at sight; and to add or subtract figures up to 10 orally or on the board.

This first book, published at 4d., is now on sale at the Depository for 2s. 9d. a dozen to schools.

The "REVISED LESSON BOOK" for STANDARD II. This book also is square, and consists of 64 pages. Like that prepared for Standard I., it is entirely original, the lessons being especially written in order to meet the requirements of the Revised Code. It has also been prepared on the same general principle as the former one, viz., that of providing everything necessary to enable the child to prepare for the Inspector's examination, and of keeping out all extraneous matter.

The lessons are chiefly narrative; but seldom in words of more than two syllables. At the head of every page stand two lines of writing, one large, the other small; and at the end of the book will be found the Numeration Table; Exercises in Numeration, Addition, and Subtraction; a well-arranged Multiplication and Division Table, and a very useful page of Arithmetical Definitions.

With this book in use the teacher will find no difficulty in preparing his scholars for examination under Standard II.

The retail price is 5d., and it may now be had at the Depository, for 38. 3d, a dozen.

The "REVISED LESSON BOOK " for STANDARD III., 96 pp., square, embodies under a new arrangement, according to grades of difficulty, most of the valuable lessons found in "Home and Common Things," enlivened by some brief tales and easy poetry. THE DWELLING and its associations first come under notice. This leads naturally to the consideration of the various things which surround us in common life; and then as naturally to the means by which they are procured, whether by home manufacture or by foreign importation. The writing lessons are here interspersed, and the whole is so constructed as fully to meet the wants of those who have to be examined by the Inspector according to the Third Standard of the Code.

This book, published at 6d., is now on sale at 4s. 3d. per dozen.

The "REVISED LESSON BOOK" for STANDARD IV., 128 pp., square, embodies in like manner all the best lessons in the third "Daily Lesson Book," but without the Analysis, and also without the pages there devoted to Illustrations or Gallery Lessons. The pieces in this volume are more difficult, being intended for those who are supposed to have overcome, to a considerable extent at least, the mechanical difficulty of reading. An important change has, however, been made in the arrangement. The easier lessons now precede the others, in larger type, under the head "Grade i." The next in order of difficulty form "Grades ii. and iii. ;" while more advanced lessons, which

relate to the elements of Political Economy, Laws, Health, Cottage Comforts and Savings Banks, form "Grade iv."

This book, published at 9d., is now on sale for 6d.

The "REVISED LESSON BOOK" for STANDARD V., is, in fact, a reproduction in another form of the "Prose and Poetry," and under a new and improved arrangement. Graduation of difficulties has again received attention, yet without interference with the classification of authors. The poetry, instead of being all thrown together, is intermingled with prose. The elocution, lessons and exercises, abridged, instead of being introductory, now form a sort of Appendix. As now presented, in this new and cheaper form, the volume will prove well adapted to the requirements of Standard V.

Its retail price has been reduced to 1s. 6d., and it is now on sale at the Depository for 18.

The "REVISED LESSON BOOK" for STANDARD VI. is but the "Daily Lesson Book," No. IV., under a new name. No object would have been gained by its being superseded by any other. It meets all the requirements of the Revised Code; and its continued use is essential to the carrying on of those higher departments of instruction which the progress of physical science in this age so imperatively demands. Its retail price, as heretofore, is 2s. 6d., and it can be had at the Depository for 1s. 6d.

On this set of books, which we have now great pleasure in introducing to the notice of teachers, we have only to add, that while the various subjects introduced are all intended to convey some portion of useful knowledge, care has been taken that every lesson shall be brought level to the comprehension of the particular class for which it is intended; and that every book proceeds on the assumption that-keeping adaptation to age, and other circumstances, constantly in view-the object of education is to communicate useful and improving thought, and to form, as far as may be found possible, a sound moral and religious character.

In relation to this all-important aim-the communication of religious truth in schools,—it should never be forgotten that if it be an axiom, as it certainly is, that "As is the teacher, such is the school," it may with equal certainty be affirmed that As is the lesson book, such is the instruction. According as the two-the teacher and the book-combine, will be the force or the feebleness of the means adopted for promoting the highest interests of the children of the poor.

THE EDUCATIONAL ESTIMATES FOR 1864-5.

THE vote for public education in Great Britain falls, from £804,002 last year, to £705,404 this year. The estimate is that the grants to elementary schools in England and Wales under the Revised Code will be for 870,559 day scholars at 9s. 3d., in Scotland for 177,904, and in Great Britain for 40,000 night scholars at 7s. 6d. Provision is made for five additional inspectors and ten additional assistants to help in conducting the examination of individual children under the Revised Code. It appears to be estimated that the grants to endowed schools will be reduced by at least £20,000 if