re on the part of guardians or
relatives; to keep them from withdrawing him from the school, or
interfering with his instruction whilst he is in the school, in any
manner whatever.

The school or college is to be surrounded by high walls; there are to be
two gates in these walls, and no more; they are to be of iron within,
and iron bound or covered without; thus answering more to the
description of a castle than a school-house. The children are to be thus
guarded for twelve years in this, I do not mean to say a prison, nor do
I mean to say that this is exactly close confinement; but it is much
closer confinement than ordinarily is met with, under the rules of any
institution at present, and has a resemblance to the monastic
institutions of past ages, rather than to any school for instruction at
this period, at least in this country.

All this is to be within one great enclosure; all that is done for the
bodily or mental welfare of the child is to be done within this great
wall. It has been said that the children could attend public worship
elsewhere. Where is the proof of this? There is no such provision in the
devise; there is nothing said about it in any part of Mr. Girard's will;
and I shall show presently that any such thing would be just as adverse
to Mr. Girard's whole scheme, as it would be that the doctrines of
Christianity should be preached within the walls of the college.

These children, then, are taken before they know the alphabet. They are
kept till the period of early manhood, and then sent out into the world
to enter upon its business and affairs. By this time the character will
have been stamped. For if there is any truth in the Bible, if there is
any truth in those oracles which soar above all human authority, or if
any thing be established as a general fact, by the experience of
mankind, in this first third of human life the character is formed. And
what sort of a character is likely to be made by this process, this
experimental system of instruction?

I have read the two provisions of Mr. Girard's will in relation to this
feature of his school. The first excludes the Christian religion and all
its ministers from its walls. The second explains the whole principles
upon which he purposes to conduct his school. It was to try an
experiment in education, never before known to the Christian world. It
had been recommended often enough among those who did not belong to the
Christian world. But it was ne