Page:A Plea for the Middle Classes.djvu/8

 well-being of the country depend upon the middle classes, and that by neglecting them you can neither have sound legislation, peaceable parishes, or the children of the poor successfully instructed, (notwithstanding the millions spent in national education,) why then we are bound to make a grace of necessity, and seek to educate them, if we wish for peace and even national prosperity. Much as there is in this consideration, there is a good deal more behind; and that of a nature to move, it is hoped, the sympathies and affections of those who feel that the love of is the soul of existence to a rational creature, and that the best employment of a sincere Christian is, next to his love of, that pure love of our neighbour, which is exhibited in an unceasing effort to rescue souls from error, and to train them up in "the  truth." I think a very cold-hearted man might see the evils of leaving the middle classes—the strength of England—to their present uncertain mode of gaining information, secular and religious; and might desire some plan for counteracting those evils; but the same evils pointed out to one imbued with Christian philanthropy could scarcely do less than engage him heart and soul in a diligent and never-tiring effort to remedy the innumerable evils of our present neglect. This is the design of my school: a design, as might have been expected, which has met with the hearty and substantial concurrence of all to whom it has been mentioned.

But before giving you a rough draft of my plan for accomplishing our object, it will be necessary (as copies of this letter will be circulated amongst those likely to promote it,) briefly to review the real state of the middle classes at this moment.

And first, as the condition of gentlemen of small incomes, solicitors and surgeons with limited practice, unbeneficed Clergymen, naval and military officers, &c., &c., is well known, and the difficulties they have to contend with in educating their children in a suitable way, likely to come home to many who read this, I shall leave this large portion of what may be denominated the middle class, to tell their own tale in the thoughts of every educated person who reflects on the object of this letter; and shall turn to that portion which may be designated the "trades-class." This comprises persons of very different grades, from the small huckster, who obtains his livelihood by his dealings with the poor, up, step by step, through third and second rate retail shops, publicans, gin-palace keepers, &c., to the highly influential and respectable tradesman, whose chief dealings are with the higher ranks of