But, their name. This practice is universal, thinkers to read. It is undeniably a book of mysteries, and is it, I ask any man who will speak sincerely, possible for those who can barely read words, to derive any real profit from the perusal of such a book? No: it is from the expositions and applications of the contents of the Bible, given by learned men, or by others who make use of those expositions and applications, that the people in general are to profit; these expositions and applications they will hear at Church and, for my part, I cannot perceive how the capacity of reading would tend to make them either more attentive or more docile. But, if I doubt of the advantages of reading and writing, amongst those of the common people who are destined to labour in the fields, on the shop-board, or in the manufactory, I am quite certain, that, generally speaking, they are worse than useless in the army and the navy Scoto has a bright idea about the Sons of Mars and of Neptune" rising, in virtue of their school ing, from the lowest to the highest ranks; but, besides the notoriety of the fact, that this is not the case now, is it not evident, that allien cannot so rise, that all soldiers and sailors cannot become officers, either commissioned or non-commissioned? And, this being the case, would not the " education”, as it is called, of nine tenths of them tend to create discontent rather than a cheerful obedience ?. Upon this part of the subject I can speak with some little experience; and, I appeal to any commanding officer, who has continued long settled with his regiment, or to any captain of a man of war, whether "scholars", as they are called, are not in general the worst of soldiers and sailors. The conceit makes them sancy;, they take the lead in all matters of mischief; they are generally dirty and drunkards; and, the lash drives them to desert. So true it is, that "scholars" are not the best soldiers, that, though one third part, at least, of the men of every regiment can implication," said the judge, "what an read and write, yet you will find, in every ignorant fellow you must be."" Well," regiment, men chosen for non-commisssi- continued the sailor, after the interruption, oned officers who can neither read nor write. as I was saying, he took hold of the Reading and writing and honesty and good "painter.".. "The painter!" interbehaviour are all wanted in a non-commissi-rupted the judge, "what's the painter?" your oned officer! but, as the two latter are absolutely necessary, the commander is frequently compelled to appoint men who can ether write nor read; though he has hundreds of "scholars" in his regiment or his ship; and, it is curious to observe, that scholars" become the clerks of the ignorant" non-commisioned officers, make out their reports and accounts for them, leaving them the trouble of merely scrawling the " was Oh, lord! exclaimed the sailor, **not know what the painter is what an ignorant man you must be!" If this story be true, the sailor, doubtless, committed to jail; but, that did not make his conclusion more erroneous than that of the judge. According to the notion of Scoto-Britannus; a man may first become completely skilled in all the business of husbandry; he may next learn to fell and hew 3 nearly as follows: a cabbin built of mud and timber, and convert the several woods of the coppices into hoops, staves and shingles; then he may take the corn into the mill and go through the several stages of making it into flour; next he may become a soldier, may learn all the laborious duties of that profession, marching, shooting, riding, sapping and mining, transferred from the army to the fleet, he may learn to hand, reef, and steer, to sound the sea, and to man the guns in battle; in the course of his life, he may see all the quarters and countries of the world, the manners of all the different nations, and may feel the effects of all the climates; and, yet, when he comes home, with his mind necessarily stored with ideas, of which that of his neighbour must be totally destitute, he is to be called ignorant, in comparison with that neighbour, if he cannot read in a book, and if that neighbour can read in a book. Such a notion never, surely, could have entered the mind of a man, whose trade it was not to teach reading, and who did not view what he calls education through the deceitful medium of self-interest. Having now replied to every thing which this writer has said in answer to what I offered respecting the poorschool project; and having, as I verily be-burgh, that emporium of learning and of lieve, given substantial reasons for the rejection of that project, I shall now proceed to reply to what my correspondent has said. respecting the state of Scotland. And, here I must beg the reader to bear in mind, that my former observations were provoked; that the labourers of Scotland had been, in the preamble to an act of parliament, re-, presented as better members of society than the labourers of England; and that herein was contained a challenge, on the part of Mr. Whitbread's instructors, against the people of England. A thousand instances of arrogance like this I have seen in Scotch publications, and have passed them over in silence as the effects of that nationality, for which the people of Scotland are so renowned, and which, though a fault, is cércainly a fault upon the right side; but, when I found that this feeling was operating in a way to become the foundation of a law ma terially to alter the parochial laws and the manners of England, it was impossible to remain any longer silent. --Scoto-Britan-nus begins by giving us a description of a Scotch labourer's dwelling, family, fare, and manders; and, I canno: positively swear that this description is false, because I have never been in Scotland; but, as he refers me to the testimony of those who have been there, I will tell him, that the description which I have received from such persons is virtue, the lower classes of the people throw from their windows into the street all that we send away without offending any one of the senses; and that, if it be unhappily your lot to ascend their stair cases, which are very lofty, you must take 'special care to tread precisely in the middle, each corner of each step being loaded with filth. The old sayings, too, about that tormenting disorder of the skin, which for the sake of Scoto-Britannus, shall here be nameloss, seem to correspond with this account of a want of cleanliness in Scotland When a term of reproach is taken up. it is generally much strained in its application. but, it seldom prevails to any extent, and for any length of time, if it has not some foundation in truth. Iremember also, that, when Scotch recruits were brought up to Chath.in Barracks, it was the invariable practice to send them to a particular ward in the hos pitul, there to be anointed and rendered clean, before they were permitted even set their foot in the Barrack rooms. In never saw this precaution taken with respect to "recruits of any other country; and. I am compelled to believe, that there was,soice solid reason for the distinction.--But, i it be really true, that the state of the lhe bourer in Scotland is what Scot has described it to be, how happens it, that we hear of po emigration to that country? a' to We hear of emigration from it, indeed, relative population, of England and Scotland, and of that we will speak by-and-by; but, is a fair one; for, says he, many of my how comes it, that we hear of no emigra- countrymen, pay taxes in London. To be tion to it; plenty and happiness being com- sure they do, but, will you attempt to per modities which are, of all others, the surest suade me, that it is from Scotch labour that to draw customers? The Picts' wall is sure they acquire the means of paying those ly not standing? No: that cannot be, be- taxes? This is the point to keep in view; cause the Scotch emigrate in great dumbers for we are discussing, not whether the pato England, that is to say, according to rish-school education tends to make good Scoto and Mr. Whitbread, from plenty and getters of money, but whther it tends to virtue to poverty and vice, a practice wholly make good labourers, and to make a counat variance with the theory, except we sup- try productive. As this is all that Scotopose, that they who emigrate hither are all Britannus has offered in answer to argu school-masters coming from motives of pure ment, founded on the relative amount of philanthropy, to teach us how we may ob- the taxes, compared with the population, I tain plenty and banish poverty and vice. think I may leave that argument as it stood Scoto Britannus tells me, that there before. As to the instance, founded on are as many Scotchmen as Europeans of all the fact of Scotch emigration to America, other nations in the West Indies, and more Scoto ascribes that emigration to Sir John in Hindostan, and this he produces as Sinclair's scheme of moulding small farms proof of the enterprize of his countrymen, into large ones; but, insists, at the same owing, as he says, in great part, to their time, that emigration is a proof of enter plan of education. I admit it all, without prize and industry. Well, then, as ten the least reserve; and, in order to convince times as many Irish emigrate, the Irish must me, that a similar plan of education is de- be still more enterprizing and industrious! sirable for England, he has only to prove, Be it so, for argument's sake, but, again, that England would derive strength from the I say, that Mr. Whitbread's plan was not inemigration of her most able-bodied sons, or tended to prepare the people for the exerthat, remaining at home, slaves could, cise of industry in foreign countries; but t somehow or other, be found to work for make them good labourers at home, One them. But, he seems here to have forgot- observation of mine, and that the most imten, that Mr. Whitbread's intention was portant of all, Scoto Britannus has quite not to educate men for the East or West- overlooked; and that was, that at the very Indies, not to educate them for East India time, that a law is proposed to be passed to collectors or West-India overseers, but for educate the poor of England upon the Scotch English labourers, upon whom he was for affix-plan, with a view of making them as moing badges. This remark of Scoto confirms, in ral, as industrious, and as happy as the poor a great degree, what I have said about the of Scotland, large sums are annually granttendency of book education disinclining men ed out of the fruit of the labourers of Engto labour; for, while, as I before observed, land expressly to prevent the Scotch from we can be shewn no colony composed of enigrating, by making work for them at Scotch labourers, we know of many com- home. It is truly surprizing, that Scotoposed, from their first settlement, cf Eng- Britannus should have overlooked so matelish, of hish, and of Germans; and, it is rial a fact; because, without some very sanotoriously true, that, of the American tisfactory reasons against it, we must conStates, those only where the cultivation is clude from this fact, that the flourishing carried on by slaves, have, for proprietors of the soil, any considerable number of Scotchmen, or the descendants of Scotchmen; whence comes the saying in America, that Scotchmen make bad soles but "good upper-leathers ;" and, as Mr. Whitbread's manufactory was professedly intended for soles only, the Scotch plan seems to have been the very worst that he could have adoptedMy two instances of undeniable facts (see p. 336 and 337), have, as I anticipated, greatly puzzled the advocates of Scotch examp Scoto denies, however, that the writerion, founded upon the relative the faxes, as compared with the ral, 10 state of Scotland," about which so much has been said, is a pure fiction; or that, from motives none of the best, the several sets of ministers have been guilty of partiality the most shameful. In the year 1806, there was granted, out of the taxes, of which Scotland pays one seventeenth part, 70,000 pounds to make work upon bridges and canals, in order to prevent the labourers from emigrating; and 17,000 pounds to send food to others of them. This is nearly a thirtieth part of the whole of the taxes that Scotland pays; and, observe, that these grants have been going on for years, and are likely to go on for years to come: Now, I should Sir, it is not their parish-schools and their politically appointed pedagogues that have made them thus. This was their character long before those schools were thought of;' and, while my anxious wish is, that those schools may not adulterate that character, I shall use the utmost of my endeavours to prevent their example, in that respect, from being followed in that part of the kingdom, to which I more immediately belong. DANISH WAR,- -If there be any thing, connected with the Copenhagen enterprize, which I see with pain, it is that great honours and rewards are, as is reported, to be bestowed upon the persons intrusted with the command of it. It was an enterprize requiring neither great skill nor bravery, and merely a very moderate share of discretion. To rank it, in point of honour, with the achievements of Lord Nelson or of Lord St. Vincent, would be like giving the Fox's brush to be worn by a man who had catched the poor animal at the mouth of his hole, when worried out by terriers. It is evident, that the selection of officers was peculiar; and, the rewarding of them, in the distinguished manner talked of would certainly give rise to a suspicion, that will not uperate much in favour of the motive. It was like to see Mr. Malthus apply his principles to this practice of ours; or, to see the Edinburgh Reviewers with Mr. Whitbread in their rear, endeavouring to persuade us, that the labourers of a country, who cannot support themselves without.aid from the fruit of English labour, are proper to beheld up as an example for English labourers. Nothing, surely, but folly bordering upon idiocy, urged on by importunity and impudence unparalleled, could have produced the insult, of which I complain, and which I should be ashamed of myself not to resent.When we, the lazy and vicious English, want bridges, roads, and canals, we are obliged to make them at our own private expence, and to pay for acts of parliament authorizing us so to do; but, the industrious, and virtuous Scotch are to be paid out of the taxes, that is to say, out of the fruit of Englishmen's labour for making these things for themselves, while others of them have, from the same source, food sent them to induce them to remain in their country; and to prevent a diminution in its population. Oh, wise system of political economy! A system much more closely connected with that of the Scotch boroughs (where, too, virtue is most conspicuous) than many persons seem to be aware. But, Mr. Whitmorally certain that the thing would succeed; bread must have had knowledge of these grants; not possibly have been ignorant of them; and, ought he not, then, to have stopped until he could have reconciled them with the assertion contained in his preamble, "before he had advanced that assertion? Was it for a projector of great alterations in the manners of the people; was it for a deep reformer of morals and dispositions was it for a law-giver, whose ambition stopped at nothing short of a radical revolution in the public mind, to expose the very basis of his schemes to the hostility of facts such as these, here produced and ap-his losses and for his no-losses, and yet this plied by an obscure individual? Believe "me, Mr. Cobbett," says Scoto, in conclusion, the Scotch are an industrions, an in"genious, and an enterprizing people." I do believe it; Sir; I know it to be so I am well acquainted with the talents and the virties of great numbers of them, and I have always regarded the whole of them as an excellent people. I scarcely ever knew a Scotchman, whose word might not be safely. relied upon; I have generally found thein, in very trying times, bold, amongst the bitterest enemies, in defence of the character of their country. They are acute, prudent, sober, faithful; though in general, not adventrous, yet never cowards; and, though cold in their manners, kind in their natures. But, and, if it was intended to reward the officers with high honours, such as had been distinguished for long and arduous services, both in the army and the navy, should have had the command. see, too, that a new set of Commissioners are to be appointed to take account of Danish ships and property. I hope this commission will not, like the famous Dutch Commission, become perpetual. The Dutch ships and property have, long ago, ceased to exist, as such; the Dutch are become subjects of a king of the Buonaparté race; we have paid the Stadtholder for all Commission sits; sit, too, it did, observe, as quietly as ever, under the administration of the all-reforming Whigs! For this, amongst other things, the Whigs are justly punished. They took good care to touch no abuse; but let every one remain, hoping to turn them to the same account that their applauded predecessor had turned them. They set the wishes as well as the interests of the people at nought; they mocked their mortification; and now they are justly loaded with their contempt. 2 BUENOS AYRES.The following aniele, which has appeared in all the pubic prints, demands the immediate and earnest attention of the public: "The conduct "of the Heroes of La Plata, it is feared, "will prove as detrimental to the mercan"tile interest of the country, as it has been "universally felt to be disgraceful to our military character. Under that impres"sion, an application has been made to the "Chancellor of the Exchequer, to ascertain "whether government was disposed to "grant any accommodation to the mer"chants, who have made such large ship"ments to that settlement, Mr. Perceval "declined giving any answer, until a state"ment be laid before the Treasury, of the "grounds upon which relief is solicited. "Snch a statement has accordingly been prepared and submitted to the considera"tion of government; and the merchants "interested in it have received an answer to "the following effect:-"That all the at"tention would be paid to the statement "which the important nature of it, both in respect to the facts which it alleges, and shall we stop? What set of merchants, or what single merchant, might not ask for "accommodation" upon the same ground? Observe, too, that this accommodation, if granted, like the arrears due from the East India Company, and like the accommodation to the Grenada merchants and planters, creates a new set of dependents upon the ministry of the day, who can, whenever they please, demand the repayment of the loan; so here is another glorious source of silent corruption. Let the public have their eye upon it. The Morning Chronicle says, "the accommodation may be proper enough;" but, it has had a taste of the good things; it belongs to the regiment; and one must confess, that, as towards the public, the whole of that honourable body do most harmoniously agree. I think, however, that the ministers will not make this scandalous grant, though promised, beforehand and uncalled for, the approbation of the Morning Chronicle. The swords and heir-looms, which the Lloyds' men (whom the cowardly Whigs suffered to remain combined) gave to Sir Home Popham and his associates, should first be given back, and brought to the hammer. It will be too scandalous to attempt a grant of this kind! POOR LAWS. SIR, -I had formerly the honour of ad the principle on which it proceeds, appear "to require; but he declined still to give any opinion whatever at present upon any part of the case, to avoid raising expectations which possibly the ultimate decision "of government may disappoint."--This, it will be seen, comes from a ministerial paper; but, as to the sneer at the "heroes of La Plata," I would ask the Morning Post, if he has never heard of any other hero that was beaten, and that made a disgraceful capitulation? What! has he lived till now, to disco-dressing you on the Learned Languages," ver, that such events as this are disgraceful to our military character ?" Oh, the baseness, the incomparable baseness of these prints? Is it, indeed, Mr. Whitbread, from increasing the capacity of reading these, that you expect to produce public good? That you expect to improve the morals of the people?--But, what attracted my attention, in this article, was the apparent indecision of the minister upon the subject of "granting accommodation" to the Buenos Ayres Speculators. I hope, the answer ascribed to him may be considered as a refusal ;for, if any attempt be made to grant the request, it will be one of the most shameful and unjust measures that ever was adopted; because it will be nothing short of rubbing the people of England to make up for the losses of those, who, if they had gained, would have kept all the gain to themselves. By" accommodation" they mean, lending them money out of the taxes; that is to say, giving them part of the taxes, as Pitt did, secretly, to Boyd and Benfield. And, upon what ground can they ask this, other than that, upon which every unsuccessful canal or road company might ask for accommodation? If this be granted, when or where under the name of Scoto-Britannus; and I find it now incumbent upon me to address you again, on a subject far different, but Puch more applicable to my title, and to the country to which it and I myself belong. In your last number you have inserted a letter from a correspondent, on the "Internal State of Ireland," and from what you have said in the same sheet, it is absolutely necessary to make some communications to you on the internal state of Scotland. You will excuse me for saying, because you have shewn your idea of Scotland to be so egregiously erroneous, that unless this letter or something equivalent be published, by parts, in whole, or at least in substance, you will evince yourself to be no longer the dispassionate Cobbett; and, although, by profession, not per sonally, yet to be, in reality, nationally prejudiced, which is so much the more intoler able, and dangerous, and which will make you appear, if not a party, at least a public hireling.-Scotland, generally speaking, is, and has, for some years, been in a very flou rishing condition. Erudition of all sorts, arts, liberal and mechanical, agriculture and commerce; and, in short, every advanta geous national or political concern, are ma |