Reflections on the present crisis of publick affairs, with an enquiry into the causes and remedies of the existing clamours, and alleged grievances, of the country, as connected with population, subsistence, wages of labourers, education, most respectfully submitted to both houses of Parliament, on occasion of their assembling on the 18th of April, 1831, for the further consideration of the question of reform / by Sir Gilbert Blane.

  • Blane, Gilbert, Sir, 1749-1834.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reflections on the present crisis of publick affairs, with an enquiry into the causes and remedies of the existing clamours, and alleged grievances, of the country, as connected with population, subsistence, wages of labourers, education, most respectfully submitted to both houses of Parliament, on occasion of their assembling on the 18th of April, 1831, for the further consideration of the question of reform / by Sir Gilbert Blane. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    59/86 (page 51)
    cerned. It has been alleged, that by giving them certain high notions, it creates a discontented and seditious disposition. This seems sufficiently an- swered by stating, that when knowledge comes to be diffused it is no longer that distinction which gives them any pretence to an exemption from the most ordinary duties of their station.* Nor is it found that any of the modern disturbances have been accused of any such tendency; on the contrary, the most ignorant have been the most mischievous. And both reason and experience plead that a certain share of knowledge tends to humanize the mind. Ingenuas didicisse. . . . emollit mores . .Why should not this apply to all ranks, with the understanding that great exercise of judgment should be employed in selecting and limiting that species and degree of knowledge which is respectively adapted to the several gra- dations of Society. To say that there is no neces- sity for a ploughman to be taught algebra is an objection which cannot be brought but in the spirit of affectation and flippancy. But there are certain innocent tracts, combining morality and religion with recreation within the reach of the most early age and the lowest rank. We hear of book- clubs among the mechanics and labourers of Scot- land without any injury to their morals ; on the contrary, they are thereby kept from the ale-house, nor have we heard that this country has been guilty of the late dreadful and disgraceful outrages of the * See this well stated in the Edinburgh Review, Vol. 17, p. 60.