ings, their resolutions, all of which are promulated in the newspapers; and very often the young men's societies are called upon by the newspapers to come forward with their opinions. Here is opposition. Mr. Cooper says, in his "Democrat" (p. 152)—

"The defects in American deportment are, notwithstanding, numerous and palpable. Among the first may be ranked, insubordination in children, and a great want of respect for age. The former vice may be ascribed to the business habits of the country, which leave so little time for parental instruction, and, perhaps, in some degree to the acts of political agents, who, with their own advantages in view, among the other expedients of their cunning, have resorted to the artifice of separating children from their natural advisers by calling meetings of the young to decide on the fortunes and policy of the country."

But what is more remarkable, is the fact that society has been usurped by the young people,

the married and old people have been, to a

A young

certain degree, excluded from it. lady will give a ball, and ask none but young men and young women of her acquaintance; not a chaperon is permitted to enter, and her father and mother are requested to stay up stairs, that they may not interfere with the amusement. This is constantly the case in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and I have heard bitter complaints made by the married people concerning it. Here is control. Mr. Sanderson, in his "Sketches of Paris," observes

66

They who give a tone to society should have maturity of mind; they should have refinement of taste, which is a quality of age. As long as college beaux and boarding-school misses take the lead, it must be an insipid society, in whatever community it may exist. Is it not villainous, in your Quakerships of Philadelphia, to lay us, before we have lived half our time out, upon the shelf? Some of the native tribes, more merciful, eat the old folks out of the way."

However, retribution follows: in their turn

they marry, and are ejected; they have children, and are disobeyed. The pangs which they have occasioned to their own parents are now suffered by them in return, through the conduct of their own children; and thus it goes on, and will go on, until the system is changed.

All this is undeniable; and thus it appears that the youth of America, being under no control, acquire just as much as they please, and no more, of what may be termed theoretical knowledge. This is the first great error in American education, for how many boys are there who will learn without coercion, in proportion to the number who will not? Certainly not one in ten, and, therefore, it may be assumed that not one in ten is properly instructed.*

Now, that the education of the youth of America is much injured by this want of control on

* The master of a school could not manage the gals, they being exceedingly contumacious. Beat them, he dared not; so he hit upon an expedient. He made a very strong decoction of wormwood, and, for a slight offence, poured one spoonful down their throats: for a more serious one, he made them take two.

the part of the parents, is easily established by the fact that in those States where the parental control is the greatest, as in Massachusetts, the education is proportionably superior. But this great error is followed by consequences even more lamentable: it is the first dissolving power of the kindred attraction, so manifest throughout all American society. Beyond the period of infancy there is no endearment between parents and children; none of that sweet spirit of affection between brothers and sisters; none of those links which unite one family; of that mutual confidence; that rejoicing in each other's success; that refuge, when we are depressed or afflicted, in the bosoms of those who love usthe sweetest portion of human existence, which supports us under, and encourages us firmly to brave, the ills of life-nothing of this exists. In short, there is hardly such a thing in America as "Home, sweet home." That there are exceptions to this, I grant; but I speak of the great majority of cases, and the results upon the character of the nation. Mr. Cooper, speak

ing of the weakness of the family tie in Ame

rica, says

"Let the reason be what it will, the effect is to cut us off from a large portion of the happiness that is dependent on the affections."

The next error of American education is, that in their anxiety to instil into the minds of youth a proper and ardent love of their own institutions, feelings and sentiments are fostered which ought to be most carefully checked. It matters little whether these feelings (in themselves vices) are directed against the institutions of other countries; the vice once engendered remains, and hatred once implanted in the breast of youth, will not be confined in its action. Neither will national conceit remain only national conceit, or vanity be confined to admiration of a form of government; in the present mode of educating the youth of America, all sight is lost of humility, good-will, and the other Christian virtues, which are necessary to constitute a good man, whether he be an American, or of any other country.