autobiography and selected essays-第13节

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whether；　indeed；　some　of　them　are　based　upon　either　wise　or　noble

grounds　of　action。　　They　question　if　it　be　wise　to　tell　people　that

you　will　do　for　them；　out　of　fear　of　their　power；　what　you　have

left　undone；　so　long　as　your　only　motive　was　compassion　for　their

weakness　and　their　sorrows。　　And；　if　ignorance　of　everything　which

is　needful　a　ruler　should　know　is　likely　to　do　so　much　harm　in　the

governing　classes　of　the　future；　why　is　it；　they　ask　reasonably

enough；　that　such　ignorance　in　the　governing　classes　of　the　past

has　not　been　viewed　with　equal　horror？



Compare　the　average　artisan　and　the　average　country　squire；　and　it

may　be　doubted　if　you　will　find　a　pin　to　choose　between　the　two　in

point　of　ignorance；　class　feeling；　or　prejudice。　　It　is　true　that

the　ignorance　is　of　a　different　sortthat　the　class　feeling　is　in

favour　of　a　different　class　and　that　the　prejudice　has　a　distinct

savour　of　wrong…headedness　in　each　casebut　it　is　questionable　if

the　one　is　either　a　bit　better；　or　a　bit　worse；　than　the　other。

The　old　protectionist　theory　is　the　doctrine　of　trades　unions　as

applied　by　the　squires；　and　the　modern　trades　unionism　is　the

doctrine　of　the　squires　applied　by　the　artisans。　　Why　should　we　be

worse　off　under　one　regime　than　under　the　other？



Again；　this　sceptical　minority　asks　the　clergy　to　think　whether　it

is　really　want　of　education　which　keeps　the　masses　away　from　their

ministrationswhether　the　most　completely　educated　men　are　not　as

open　to　reproach　on　this　score　as　the　workmen；　and　whether；

perchance；　this　may　not　indicate　that　it　is　not　education　which

lies　at　the　bottom　of　the　matter？



Once　more；　these　people；　whom　there　is　no　pleasing；　venture　to

doubt　whether　the　glory　which　rests　upon　being　able　to　undersell

all　the　rest　of　the　world；　is　a　very　safe　kind　of　glorywhether　we

may　not　purchase　it　too　dear；　especially　if　we　allow　education；

which　ought　to　be　directed　to　the　making　of　men；　to　be　diverted

into　a　process　of　manufacturing　human　tools；　wonderfully　adroit　in

the　exercise　of　some　technical　industry；　but　good　for　nothing　else。



And；　finally；　these　people　inquire　whether　it　is　the　masses　alone

who　need　a　reformed　and　improved　education。　　They　ask　whether　the

richest　of　our　public　schools　might　not　well　be　made　to　supply

knowledge；　as　well　as　gentlemanly　habits；　a　strong　class　feeling；

and　eminent　proficiency　in　cricket。　　They　seem　to　think　that　the

noble　foundations　of　our　old　universities　are　hardly　fulfilling

their　functions　in　their　present　posture　of　half…clerical

seminaries；　half　racecourses；　where　men　are　trained　to　win　a　senior

wranglership；＇51＇　or　a　double…first；＇52＇　as　horses　are　trained

to　win　a　cup；　with　as　little　reference　to　the　needs　of　after…life

in　the　case　of　a　man　as　in　that　of　the　racer。　　And；　while　as　zealous

for　education　as　the　rest；　they　affirm　that；　if　the　education　of　the

richer　classes　were　such　as　to　fit　them　to　be　the　leaders　and　the

governors　of　the　poorer；　and；　if　the　education　of　the　poorer

classes　were　such　as　to　enable　them　to　appreciate　really　wise

guidance　and　good　governance；　the　politicians　need　not　fear　mob…

law；　nor　the　clergy　lament　their　want　of　flocks；　nor　the

capitalists　prognosticate　the　annihilation　of　the　prosperity　of　the

country。



Such　is　the　diversity　of　opinion　upon　the　why　and　the　wherefore　of

education。　　And　my　hearers　will　be　prepared　to　expect　that　the

practical　recommendations　which　are　put　forward　are　not　less

discordant。　　There　is　a　loud　cry　for　compulsory　education。　　We

English；　in　spite　of　constant　experience　to　the　contrary；　preserve

a　touching　faith　in　the　efficacy　of　acts　of　Parliament；　and　I

believe　we　should　have　compulsory　education　in　the　courses　of　next

session；　if　there　were　the　least　probability　that　half　a　dozen

leading　statesmen　of　different　parties　would　agree　what　that

education　should　be。



Some　hold　that　education　without　theology　is　worse　than　none。

Others　maintain；　quite　as　strongly；　that　education　with　theology　is

in　the　same　predicament。　　But　this　is　certain；　that　those　who　hold

the　first　opinion　can　by　no　means　agree　what　theology　should　be

taught；　and　that　those　who　maintain　the　second　are　in　a　small

minority。



At　any　rate　〃make　people　learn　to　read；　write；　and　cipher；〃　say　a

great　many；　and　the　advice　is　undoubtedly　sensible　as　far　as　it

goes。　　But；　as　has　happened　to　me　in　former　days；　those　who；　in

despair　of　getting　anything　better；　advocate　this　measure；　are　met

with　the　objection　that　it　is　very　like　making　a　child　practise　the

use　of　a　knife；　fork；　and　spoon；　without　giving　it　particle　of

meat。　　I　really　don't　know　what　reply　is　to　be　made　to　such　an

objection。



But　it　would　be　unprofitable　to　spend　more　time　in　disentangling；

or　rather　in　showing　up　the　knots　in；　the　ravelled　skeins　of　our

neighbours。　　Much　more　to　the　purpose　is　it　to　ask　if　we　possess

any　clue　of　our　own　which　may　guide　us　among　these　entanglements。

And　by　way　of　a　beginning；　let　us　ask　ourselvesWhat　is　education？

Above　all　things；　what　is　our　ideal　of　a　thoroughly　liberal

education？of　that　education　which；　if　we　could　begin　life　again；

we　would　give　ourselvesof　that　education　which；　if　we　could　mould

the　fates　to　our　own　will；　we　would　give　our　children？　　Well；　I

know　not　what　may　be　your　conceptions　upon　this　matter；　but　I　will

tell　you　mine；　and　I　hope　I　shall　find　that　our　views　are　not　very

discrepant。





Suppose　it　were　perfectly　certain　that　the　life　and　fortune　of

every　one　of　us　would；　one　day　or　other；　depend　upon　his　winning　or

losing　a　game　of　chess。　　Don't　you　think　that　we　should　all

consider　it　to　be　a　primary　duty　to　learn　at　least　the　names　and

the　moves　of　the　pieces；　to　have　a　notion　of　a　gambit；　and　a　keen

eye　for　all　the　means　of　giving　and　getting　out　of　check？　　Do　you

not　think　that　we　should　look　with　a　disapprobation　amounting　to

scorn；　upon　the　father　who　allowed　his　son；　or　the　state　which

allowed　its　members；　to　grow　up　without　knowing　a　pawn　from　a

knight？



Yet　it　is　a　very　plain　and　elementary　truth；　that　the　life；　the

fortune；　and　the　happiness　of　every　one　of　us；　and；　more　or　less；

of　those　who　are　connected　with　us；　do　depend　upon　our　knowing

something　of　the　rules　of　a　game　infinitely　more　difficult　and

complicated　than　chess。　　It　is　a　game　which　has　been　played　for

untold　ages；　every　man　and　woman　of　us　being　one　of　the　two　players

in　a　game　of　his　or　her　own。　　The　chessboard　is　the　world；　the

pieces　are　the　phenomena　of　the　universe；　the　rules　of　the　game　are

what　we　call　the　laws　of　Nature。　　The　player　on　the　other　side　is

hidden　from　us。　　We　know　that　his　play　is　always　fair；　just；　and

patient。　　But　also　we　know；　to　our　cost；　that　he　never　overlooks　a

mistake；　or　makes　the　smallest　allowance　for　ignorance。　　To　the　man

who　plays　well；　the　highest　stakes　are　paid；　with　that　sort　of

overflowing　generosity　with　which　the　strong　shows　delight　in

strength。　　And　one　who　plays　ill　is　checkmatedwithout　haste；　but

without　remorse。



My　metaphor　will　remind　some　of　you　of　the　famous　picture　in　which

Retzsch　＇53＇　has　depicted　Satan　playing　at　chess　with　man　for　his　soul。

Substitute　for　the　mocking　fiend　in　that　picture　a　calm；　strong

angel　who　is　playing　for　love；　as　we　say；　and　would　rather　lose

than　winand　I　should　accept　it　as　an　image　of　human　life。



Well；　what　I　mean　by　Education　is　learning　the　rules　of　this　mighty

game。　　In　other　words；　education　is　the　instruction　of　the

intellect　in　the　laws　of　Nature；　under　which　name　I　include　not

merely　things　and　their　forces；　but　men　and　their　ways；　and　the

fashioning　of　the　affections　and　of　the　will　into　an　earnest　and

loving　desire　to　move　in　harmony　with　those　laws。　　For　me；

education　means　neither　more　nor　less　than　this。　　Anything　which

professes　to　call　itself　education　must　be　tried　by　this　standard；

and　if　it　fails　to　stand　the　test；　I　will　not　call　it　education；

whatever　may　be　the　force　of　authority；　or　of　numbers；　upon　the

other　side。



It　is　important　to　remember　that；　in　strictness；　there　is　no　such

thing　as　an　uneducated　man。　　Take　an　extreme　case。　　Suppose　that　an

adult　man；　in　the　full　vigour　of　his　faculties；　could　be　suddenly

placed　in　the　world；　as　Adam　is　said　to　have　been；　and　then　left　to

do　as　he　best　might。　　How　long　would　he　be　left　uneducated？　　Not

five　minutes。　　Nature　would　begin　to　teach　him；　through　the　eye；

the　ear；　the　touch；　the　properties　of　objects。　　Pain　and　pleasure

would　be　at　his　elbow　telling　him　to　do　this　and　avoid　that；　and　by

slow　degrees　the　man　would　receive　an　education　which；　if　narrow；

would　be　thorough；　real；　and　adequate　to　his　circumstances；　though

there　would　be　no　extras　and　very　few　accomplishments。



And　if　to　this　solitary　man　entered　a　second　Adam　or；　better　still；

an　Eve；　a　new　and　greater　world；　that　of　social　and　moral

phenomena；　would　be　revealed。　　Joys　and　woes；　c