SOURCE: “A Short View of Education,” in William Cowper: Humanitarian, Chapel Hill, 1938, pp. 162-205.

In the following essay, Hartley describes Cowper's view of education, arguing that although Cowper's ideas are based mainly on religion, they can still serve as general suggestions on the topic.

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Although in the eighteenth century continental Europe was the scene of much activity in the field of educational reform, England was notoriously backward in the development of her educational system.¹ One does not doubt that a great amount of the ignorance and depravity found in all levels of English society during the century is traceable to the inadequate instruction given in childhood and early youth. England had not lacked educational theorists or destructive critics of her deficient system. The preceding century had produced John Locke, whose influence on Rousseau was great, in spite of the fact that the French theorist discredited the disciplinary idea...