north america-1-第85章
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。 That women should have their rights no man will deny。 To my thinking； neither increase of work nor increase of political influence are among them。 The best right a woman has is the right to a husband； and that is the right to which I would recommend every young woman here and in the States to turn her best attention。 On the whole； I think that my doctrine will be more acceptable than that of Mrs。 Dall or Mr。 Wendell Phillips。
CHAPTER XIX。 EDUCATION。
The one matter in which； as far as my judgment goes； the people of the United States have excelled us Englishmen； so as to justify them in taking to themselves praise which we cannot take to ourselves or refuse to them； is the matter of Education。 In saying this； I do not think that I am proclaiming anything disgraceful to England； though I am proclaiming much that is creditable to America。 To the Americans of the States was given the good fortune of beginning at the beginning。 The French at the time of their revolution endeavored to reorganize everything； and to begin the world again with new habits and grand theories； but the French as a people were too old for such a change； and the theories fell to the ground。 But in the States； after their revolution； an Anglo…Saxon people had an opportunity of making a new State； with all the experience of the world before them； and to this matter of education they were from the first aware that they must look for their success。 They did so； and unrivaled population； wealth； and intelligence has been the result； and with these； looking at the whole masses of the peopleI think I am justified in saying unrivaled comfort and happiness。 It is not that you； my reader； to whom in this matter of education fortune and your parents have probably been bountiful； would have been more happy in New York than in London。 It is not that I； who； at any rate； can read and write； have cause to wish that I had been an American。 But it is this： if you and I can count up in a day all those on whom our eyes may rest and learn the circumstances of their lives； we shall be driven to conclude that nine…tenths of that number would have had a better life as Americans than they can have in their spheres as Englishmen。 The States are at a discount with us now； in the beginning of this year of grace 1862； and Englishmen were not very willing to admit the above statement； even when the States were not at a discount。 But I do not think that a man can travel through the States with his eyes open and not admit the fact。 Many things will conspire to induce him to shut his eyes and admit no conclusion favorable to the Americans。 Men and women will sometimes be impudent to him； the better his coat； the greater the impudence。 He will be pelted with the braggadocio of equality。 The corns of his Old World conservatism will be trampled on hourly by the purposely vicious herd of uncouth democracy。 The fact that he is paymaster will go for nothing； and will fail to insure civility。 I shall never forget my agony as I saw and heard my desk fall from a porter's hand on a railway station； as he tossed it from him seven yards off on to the hard pavement。 I heard its poor； weak intestines rattle in their death struggle； and knowing that it was smashed； I forgot my position on American soil and remonstrated。 〃It's my desk； and you have utterly destroyed it；〃 I said。 〃Ha！ ha！ ha！〃 laughed the porter。 〃You've destroyed my property；〃 I rejoined； 〃and it's no laughing matter。〃 And then all the crowd laughed。 〃Guess you'd better get it glued；〃 said one。 So I gathered up the broken article and retired mournfully and crestfallen into a coach。 This was very sad； and for the moment I deplored the ill luck which had brought me to so savage a country。 Such and such like are the incidents which make an Englishman in the States unhappy； and rouse his gall against the institutions of the country； these things and the continued appliance of the irritating ointment of American braggadocio with which his sores are kept open。 But though I was badly off on that railway platform； worse off than I should have been in England； all that crowd of porters round me were better off than our English porters。 They had a 〃good time〃 of it。 And this； O my English brother who has traveled through the States and returned disgusted； is the fact throughout。 Those men whose familiarity was so disgusting to you are having a good time of it。 〃They might be a little more civil；〃 you say； 〃and yet read and write just as well。〃 True； but they are arguing in their minds that civility to you will be taken by you for subservience； or for an acknowledgment of superiority； and looking at your habits of lifeyours and mine togetherI am not quite sure that they are altogether wrong。 Have you ever realized to yourself as a fact that the porter who carries your box has not made himself inferior to you by the very act of carrying that box？ If not； that is the very lesson which the man wishes to teach you。 If a man can forget his own miseries in his journeyings； and think of the people he comes to see rather than of himself； I think he will find himself driven to admit that education has made life for the million in the Northern States better than life for the million is with us。 They have begun at the beginning； and have so managed that every one may learn to read and writehave so managed that almost every one does learn to read and write。 With us this cannot now be done。 Population had come upon us in masses too thick for management； before we had as yet acknowledged that it would be a good thing that these masses should be educated。 Prejudices； too； had sprung up； and habits； and strong sectional feelings； all antagonistic to a great national system of education。 We are； I suppose； now doing all that we can do； but comparatively it is little。 I think I saw some time since that the cost for gratuitous education； or education in part gratuitous； which had fallen upon the nation had already amounted to the sum of 800；000l。； and I think also that I read in the document which revealed to me this fact a very strong opinion that government could not at present go much further。 But if this matter were regarded in England as it is regarded in Massachusetts； or rather； had it from some prosperous beginning been put upon a similar footing； 800；000l。 would not have been esteemed a great expenditure for free education simply in the City of London。 In 1857 the public schools of Boston cost 70；000l。； and these schools were devoted to a population of about 180；000 souls。 Taking the population of London at two and a half millions； the whole sum now devoted to England would； if expended in the metropolis； make education there even cheaper than it is in Boston。 In Boston； during 1857； there were above 24；000 pupils at these public schools； giving more than one…eighth of the whole population。 But I fear it would not be practicable for us to spend 800；000l。 on the gratuitous education of London。 Rich as we are； we should not know where to raise the money。 In Boston it is raised by a separate tax。 It is a thing understood； acknowledged； and made easy by being habitualas is our national debt。 I do not know that Boston is peculiarly blessed； but I quote the instance； as I have a record of its schools before me。 At the three high schools in Boston； at which the average of pupils is 526； about 13l。 per head is paid for free education。 The average price per annum of a child's schooling throughout these schools in Boston is about 3l。 for each。 To the higher schools any boy or girl may attain without any expense； and the education is probably as good as can be given； and as far advanced。 The only question is； whether it is not advanced further than may be necessary。 Here； as at New York； I was almost startled by the amount of knowledge around me； and listened； as I might have done to an examination in theology among young Brahmins。 When a young lad explained in my hearing all the properties of the different levers as exemplified by the bones of the human body； I bowed my head before him in unaffected humility。 We； at our English schools； never got beyond the use of those bones which he described with such accurate sc
