Lord Colambre
conversed with the shopkeepers, with the cottagers; and, without making
any alarming inquiries, he obtained all the information he wanted. He
went to the village school--a pretty, cheerful house, with a neat
garden and a play-green; met Mrs. Burke; introduced himself to her as
a traveller. The school was shown to him: it was just what it ought
to be--neither too much nor too little had been attempted; there was
neither too much interference nor too little attention. Nothing for
exhibition; care to teach well, without any vain attempt to teach in a
wonderfully short time. All that experience proves to be useful, in
both Dr. Bell's and Mr. Lancaster's modes of teaching, Mrs. Burke had
adopted; leaving it to 'graceless zealots' to fight about the rest.
That no attempts at proselytism had been made, and that no illiberal
distinctions had been made in this school, Lord Colambre was convinced,
in the best manner possible, by seeing the children of Protestants and
Catholics sitting on the same benches, learning from the same books, and
speaking to one another with the same cordial familiarity. Mrs. Burke
was an unaffected, sensible woman, free from all party prejudices, and,
without ostentation, desirous and capable of doing good.
Pages:
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241