replied a little girl of four years old.  “Why not?” “Because,” said the child, “it would be thieving.”  “Well, but suppose no one saw you?” Before I could speak another word, a number of the children answered, “God can see everything that we do.”  “Yes,” added another little boy, “if you steal a cherry, or a piece of pencil, it is wicked.”  “To be sure,” added another, “it is wicked to steal any thing.”

I cannot do better than introduce in this place the opinion of Judge Bosanquet, on the subject of the education of the infant poor; and some valuable hints will likewise be found in his remarks on prison discipline.  It is an extract from a charge to the jury delivered at the Gloucester assizes for April, 1823.  “Gentlemen, I have reason to believe, that the offences for trial on this occasion, are rather less than usual at this season, and, to whatever the diminution of crime may be ascribed, I cannot forbear earnestly to press upon your attention, a constant perseverance in two things, which, above all others, are calculated to diminish crime,—­the first is an unremitted attention to the education of the children of the poor, and of all classes of society, in the principles of true morality and sound religion; the next is the constant and regular employment of such persons as may be sentenced to imprisonment, in such labour as may be adapted to their respective ages and conditions.  I believe that these observations may be considered as quite superfluous in this county, and therefore I have taken the liberty of using the word perseverance, because I believe your attention is already strongly drawn to that subject, and it requires no exhortation of mine to induce your attention to it.  I am not quite sure whether in the gaol for this city, the same means are provided for the employment of those persons sentenced to terms of imprisonment, which are provided in the gaol for the county.  The magistrates for the city are equally desirous of promoting the education of all the poor under their care, I have no doubt; and I do hope and trust, if the means of labour have not been provided in their gaol, that no time will be lost in providing those means by which imprisonment may be made a real punishment, by which offenders may be reformed during their imprisonment, and by which the idle and dissolute may be prevented from any inclination to return there."[A]

[Footnote A:  From the time the judge referred to made the above remarks, other judges, down to the present time, have added similar sentiments.  From 1823, until 1852, proof upon proof, has been added, to show us the advantage of early training; and though much has been cramming, and not training, still the results have been good.  What would they have been had the schooling given, really been training? and what, if the training of children had been studied as art, if the public looked on the teachers as artists, and treated them with the consideration they deserve?  Anticipations cannot be too sanguine