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or by the Church, and he hates all bureaucratic ways, or, as he calls it,„red-tape business“. Then he possesses a profound respect for the Law and for the existing institutions of the State, as well as, in general, a true sense of religion, which sense is greatly fostered and enhanced by his family-life. Moreover, we find in the Englishman the singular inclination to ask first of all in everything he undertakes:„Of what use is it?“„Die Eng- länder können nichts leicht nehmen,“ says Karl Hillebrand in„Briefe aus England“,„sie können aber auch nichts idealistisch nehmen. Alles wird gleich ins Praktische übertragen. — Der englische Idealismus ist immer ein praktischer, im Gegensatz zu dem deutschen, der sich in künstlerischer Beschaulichkeit bekundet“. ¹ To this practical sense, the English partly owe their supremacy upon the seas, and we Germans who have, but a short time since, begun to acquire colonies, may learn very much in this respect from the practical Englishman.

These different peculiarities of the English character are distinctly expressed in the English schools; they exert a mutual influence upon each other and are mutually dependent upon one another.

As the whole life of the Englishman is chiefly based on the principle of utility, so also in his school-life he places this principle in the first rank. The average Englishman does not, as a rule, strive after knowledge, if he does not see his way to make practical use of it, in other words, he does not pursue knowledge for her own sake. This principle is very dangerous and pernicious to the intellectual progress of a people, and it is not to be wondered that a notion or true idea of the elements of science is unknown to the great masses.„Für die Sprache, die Literatur und die Geschichte anderer Völker“, Mr. Brennecke rightly says,„für die das innere Leben schmückenden und erheiternden Kunst- bestrebungen hat ausser den Dilettanten, den oberen Zehntausend und den Fachleuten der Engländer gewöhnlichen Schlags keine Zeit im Leben“, because, I add, he does not under- stand or appreciate them. We Germans are, however, only too easily inclined to lay too much stress upon the scientific side of things and, in so doing, to forget often the practical use of the results we obtain.

The English system cares little about the acquirement of manifold knowledge by the pupils and the scientific treatment of the subjects, but it tries, before all, to fulfil two tasks: Firstly to develop the physique of the pupil, to make him in all possible respects healthy and capable of resistance and to harden him against physical and moral injury. This having been accomplished, the teacher's aim is to develop in the vigorous body an independent, firm character; he will accustom the boys to absolute truth, candour and resoluteness; they must quickly and independently find the right thing and learn to execute it. In a word, the English master educates, the German, rather, instructs. I shall later on revert to this point and show, by what means the Englishman tries to attain this end.

A great difference between English and German school arrangements consists further- more in this: the English Government pays no attention to the Higher and Middle Schools. An organization and superintendence of the Schools by the State, as in Germany, does not, exist; these schools are either a private commercial speculation, or they have been founded by old and often very rich endowments or by corporations. The Englishman is far too in- dependent to allow the State the right of prescribing for him the education of his children. But there are already reasonable Englisnmen enough who believe that a firm organiz- ation of all Schools by the State can do much more for education, in general, than the doubtful trade of Private Schools, and they demand the same institution as in Germany. In Scotland, State superintendence was introduced in 1885.

Thus the State can give no prerogatives to schools, and that, at least, is very good, for the prerogatives given to our Schools do a great deal of harm in hindering their free development.

I will not, however, forget to mention that a certain supervision of schools is exer-

cised in England by the press and literature, and the power of the press over the masses is much greater in England than with us.

Karl Hillebrand, Aus und über England. Berlin, Oppenheim, 1876. Page 13 and 35. 1*