in estimating the results that must accrue to society from a system of spiritual, intellectual, and moral culture, becoming universal, and worked out by minds who will, I am sure hereafter, be able fully to develope, from study, and practice of the art of teaching, the great principles of spiritual truths, intellectual vigour, and the moral strength of the coming generations, which have been allowed to remain in a state of torpor in the present.]

I have hitherto only being considering the prudential motives which should induce us to promote the education of the poor.  I have shown, that it will be for the benefit of society, inasmuch as it is likely to decrease the number of those who transgress its laws—­that it will prove a greater security to our persons and property than laws or prisons afford.  But there are other motives which, if these selfish ones were wholly wanting, might be sufficient to advocate, in every humane heart, the same course of conduct.  If the duty of promoting honesty amongst the labouring classes did not exist, that of increasing happiness and piety amongst them would not be the less imperative.  That there is much room for an augmentation of both, few, I think, will be inclined to deny; the less so in proportion as they have had the greater opportunity of ascertaining their actual condition.

Let us now for a few moments consider how great a blessing an infant school is, even when regarded as a mere asylum to take charge of the child’s bodily welfare.  I have mentioned before, that the poor are unable to take that care of their children which their tender age requires, on account of their occupations; and have shewn, that it is almost certain, that the children of such persons will learn every species of vice.  But there are other kinds of dangers which more immediately affect the body, and are the cause of more accidents than people in general imagine.  I shall here notice some of the most prominent, and hope to be able to convince the unprejudiced mind, that it would be a charity to take charge of the infant poor, even leaving the idea of their learning any thing good at school entirely out of the question; and surely those persons, who disapprove of educating the poor at all, will see the propriety of keeping, if possible, their children safe from accidents, and preserving the lives of many little ones, who would otherwise be lost to their country, from their falling a prey to surrounding dangers.

It is well known that many poor people are obliged to live in garrets, three or four stories high, with a family of six or seven children; and it will not appear improbable that, when the children are left by themselves, they should frequently meet with accidents by tumbling down stairs; some breaking their backs, others their legs or arms; and to this cause alone, perhaps, may be traced a vast number of the cripples that daily appear as mendicants in our streets.  When the poor parents return from their daily labour,