Her ancient glory would become dim. No historian, no orator, no poet, would rise up among her children. Her sons would cease, as now, to fill chairs in the halls of learning in more than half the States of the Union. Her jurists would no longer expound the laws of Nature, of nations, and of States, to guide the judicial tribunals of the country. Her skilled artisans and master-mechanics would not be sought for, wherever, throughout the land, educated labor is wanted. Her ship-captains would be driven home from every ocean by more successsful competitors. At home, a narrowing in the range of thought and action, a lowering of the tone of life and enterprise, a straitening in the means of living and of culture, a sinking in spirit and in all laudable and generous ambitions, the rearing of sons to obscurity and of daughters to vulgarity, would mark the incoming of a degenerate age, an age too ignorant to know its own ignorance, too shameless to mourn its degradation, and too spiritless even to rise with recuperative energy from its guilty fall. But little less disastrous would it be to stop where we now are instead of pressing onward with invigorated strength to a further goal. What has been done is not the fulfilment or consummation of our work. It only affords better vantage-ground from which our successors can start anew in a nobler career of improvement. And, if there is any one thing for which the frier ds of humanity have reason to join in a universal song of thanksgiving to Heaven, it is that there is a large and an increasing body of people in Massachusetts who cannot be beguiled or persuaded into the belief that our common schools are what they may and should be, and who, with the sincerest good-will and warmest affections towards the higher institutions of learning, are yet resolved that the education of the people at large-of the sons and daughters of farmers, mechanics, tradesmen, operatives, and laborers of all kindsshall be carried to a point of perfection indefinitely higher than it has yet reached.*

In the letter of the Hon. Abbott Lawrence, making a donation of fifty thousand dollars for the purpose of founding a scientific school at Cambridge (to which he has since added fifty thousand dollars more), the following expression occurs: "Elementary education appears to be well provided for in Massachusetts." And in the Memorial in behalf of the three colleges, Harvard, Amherst, and Williams,-presented to the legislature in January, 1848, and signed by each of the three presidents of those institutions, it is said, "The provision [in Massachusetts] for elementary education. ... seems to be all that can be desired or that can be advantageously done by the legislature." The average salaries of female teachers throughout the State, at the time when these declarations were made, was only $8.55 a month (exclusive of board), which, as the average length of the schools was only eight months, would give to this most faithful and meritorious class of persons but $68.40 a year. The whole value of the apparatus in all the schools of the State was but $23,826; and the whole number of volumes in their libraries was only 91,539, or an average of but twenty-five

Mr. Mann's services were so great in several different departments of his work that it would be difficult to say of any one of them, "In this he was greatest of all." But among his numerous educational writings we cannot hesitate to select his annual Reports as the most valuable and lasting. They were twelve in number, one for every year that he held the office. They were made nominally to the State Board of Education, but really to the people of Massachusetts and of the country at large. They were widely published in whole or in part, and still more widely read. Mr. George B. Emerson said of the great truths that the Reports contained: "They have already reached far beyond the limits of our narrow State. They are echoing in the woods of Maine and along the St. Lawrence and the Lakes. They are heard throughout New York and throughout all the West and the Southwest. A conviction of their importance has sent a Massachusetts man to take charge of the schools of New Orleans; they are at this moment regenerating those of Rhode Island. In the remotest corner of Ohio forty men, not children and women, but men, meet together to read aloud a single copy of the Secretary's Reports which one of them receives; thousands of the best friends of humanity of all sects, parties, and creeds in every State of the Union are familiar with the name of Horace Mann."

The general character of the Reports was determined by the law creating the Board of Education. They were devoted partly to reporting the existing state of things, including the progress that was made from year to year, but especially to the discussion of present and coming questions, with a view to creating public opinion and guiding public action. Since they were written, many hundreds of similar reports have been made, most of which are now found only in libraries and in lumber-rooms; but these have a perennial life. This is due especially to the great ability with which Mr. Mann treated his subjects, but partly to his fortunate position in the great column of common school reform. He dealt with the fundamental questions of this reform before they had lost any of the interest that grows out of novelty. He was a pioneer, and his work was the more interesting because a part of it consisted in creating interest. . . .

Mr. Mann says in his final Report that, when he first assumed the duties of the secretaryship, two courses lay open before him. One was to treat the school system of the State as though it were perfect;

volumes for each school. In accordance with the prayer of the Memorial, the Committee on Education reported a bill, making a grant of half a million of dollars to the colleges. The House of Representatives, after maturely considering the bill, changed the destination of the money from the colleges to the common schools, and then passed it. The donation of Mr. Lawrence will be highly beneficial to the few hundreds of students who will have the direct enjoyment of his munificence; and, through them, it will also benefit the State. So, too, would the contemplated grant to the colleges. Thus far, it is believed all liberal minds will agree. But what is needed is the universal prevalence of the further idea that there are two hundred thousand children in the State, each one of whom would be far more than proportionally benefited by the expenditure for their improved education of one-tenth part of sums so liberal.

to praise teachers for a skill they had no chance of acquiring and did not possess; to applaud towns for the munificence they had not shown; in a word, to lull with flattery a community that was already sleeping. The other course was to advocate an energetic and comprehensive system of education; to seek for improvements both at home and abroad; to expose justly but kindly the incompetence of teachers; to inform and stimulate school committees in respect to their duty; to call for money adequate to the work to be done. He said the one cause would for a time have been ignobly popular; the other was imminently perilous. Horace Mann saw all this, but he did not hesitate. Duty left him no option; the only way to end prosperously was to begin righteously. The story of his experience is disheartening in parts; but, taken together, it is a mighty stimulant to all teachers and school officers to do their duty. Moreover, teachers and school officers should not miss the spirit in which he did his work. "The education of the whole people in a republican government," said he, "can never be attained without the consent of the whole people. Compulsion, even if it were desirable, is not an available instrument. Enlightenment, not coercion, is our resource. The nature of education must be explained. The whole mass of mind must be instructed in regard to its comprehension and enduring interests. We cannot drive our people up a dark avenue, even though it be the right one; but we must hang the starry lights of knowledge about it, and show them not only the directness of its course to the goal of prosperity and honor, but the beauty of the way that leads to it."-B. A. Hinsdale.

Horace Mann's complete works are published, accompanied by a biography by his wife, in five volumes. His twelve annual reports to the Massachusetts State Board of Education, 1837-48, occupy nearly half of the space in these volumes. A brief outline of the twelve reports is given in a chapter especially devoted to them, by B. A. Hinsdale, in his admirable little book on "Horace Mann and the Common School Revival in the United States"; also in Dr. William T. Harris's address at the Mann Centennial, printed in the Report of the Commissioner of Education, 1895-6 vol. i. Dr. Hinsdale properly pronounces the Twelfth Report, from which the extract printed in the present leaflet is taken, in some respects the magnum opus." An extract from the Tenth Report, "The Ground of the Free School System," was printed in Old South Leaflet No. 109. See the notes to that leaflet. Read also Leaflet No. 135, James G. Carter's account of the schools of Massachusetts in 1824, to understand the condition of public education at that time, which it was the work of Horace Mann and his associates to reform.

The character of the young ladies, who shall become members of this Seminary the first year, will be of great importance to the prosperity of the Institution itself, and to the cause of female education. Those, who use their influence in making out the number, will sustain no unimportant responsibility. It is very desirable, that the friends of this cause should carefully consider the real design of founding this Institution, Lefore they use their influence to induce any of their friends and acquaintances to avail themselves of its privileges.

This institution is to be founded by the combined liberality of an enlarged benevolence, which seeks the greatest good on an extensive scale. Some minds seem to be cast in that peculiar mould, that the heart can be drawn forth only by individual want. Others seem best fitted for promoting public good. None can value too much the angel of mercy, that can fly as on the wings of the wind to the individual cry for help as it comes over in tender and melting strains. But who does not venerate those great souls-great by nature-great by education-or great by graceor by all combined, whose plans and works of mercy are like a broad river swallowing up a thousand little rivulets. How do we stand in awe, when we look down, as on a map, upon their broad and noble plans, destined to give untold blessings to the great community in which they dwell-to their nation to the world. As we see them urging their way forward, intent on advancing as fast as possible, the renovation of the whole human family and on hastening the accomplishment of the glorious

promises found on the page of inspiration, we are sometimes tempted to draw back their hand, and extend it forth in behalf of some traveller by the wayside, who seems to be overlooked. But we look again, and we behold the dearest personal interests of the traveller by the wayside, and those of a thousand other individuals included in their large and warm embrace.

This is the class of benevolent men who will aid in founding this Seminary; these the men who are now contributing of their time and money to carry forward this enterprise.

It is ever considered a principle of sacred justice in the management of funds, to regard the wishes of the donors. The great object of those, who are enlisting in this cause, and contributing to it, as to the sacred treasury of the Lord, cannot be misunderstood. It is to meet public and not private wants. They value not individual good less, but the public good more. They have not been prompted to engage in this momentous work by a desire to provide for the wants of a few of the daughters of our land for their own sakes as individuals, but by a desire to provide for the urgent necessities of our country, and of the world, by enlisting in the great work of benevolence, the talents of many of our daughters of fairest promise. This Institution is expected to draw forth the talents of such, to give them a new direction, and to enlist them permanently in the cause of benevolence. We consider it as no more than a due regard to justice, to desire and pray, that a kind Providence may send as scholars to this Seminary, those who shall go forth, and by their deeds, do honor to the Institution, and to the wisdom and benevolence of its founders. The love of justice will also lead us to desire and pray, that the same kind Providence may turn away the feet of those, who may in after life dishonor the Institution, or be simply harmless cumberers of the ground, though they should be our dearest friends, and those who for their own personal benefit, need its privileges more than almost any others.

The grand features of this Institution are to be an elevated standard of science, literature, and refinement, and a moderate standard of expense; all to be guided and modified by the spirit of the gospel. Here we trust will be found a delightful spot for those, whose heart has stirred them up' to use all their talents in the great work of serving their generation, and of advancing the Redeemer's kingdom.

In the same manner, we doubt not, that the atmosphere will be rendered uncongenial to those who are wrapped up in self,