them to support themselves in a decent and
comfortable manner, and to become respected and respectable citizens;
nor would it in any way prevent their improving and raising themselves
to a higher condition, should they be the fortunate possessors of genius
or talent of any kind, for these more energetic intellects usually show
such indications at a very early age, and proper provision should be
made, enabling them to pursue those studies which might perhaps be the
means of making them men whom England would be proud to acknowledge. But
these highly endowed minds are few and far between, compared with the
medium, fairly intelligent thousands of men and women who run great
risks of starvation by being lifted out of their proper sphere; the
market for the employment of such is already over-crowded, while good
artisans, workmen, and servants are in great demand. Yet at present we
afford no training to supply this want, and by over-educating the masses
and spoiling them for their proper vocation, we unconsciously increase
the difficulties which go far to fill our cities with those unfortunate
beings, to whom life is one long struggle to keep body and soul
together. The evils of this system having now become apparent, it is to
be hoped a change will soon be made. There is no doubt that both our
Poor Law and Board Schools stand in urgent need of reform. But the
greatest and most necessary reform of all should be in making a
religious education the foundation of all true and useful knowledge;
mere secular education will but probably tend to make a poor lad more
cunning and maybe a more clever rogue; but not necessarily a good,
industrious, and loyal citizen, as religion must do; then poverty even
might be borne with contentment and some sense of happiness. A single
reflection on the present condition of irreligious France should be
warning enough.

In the Refectory of the old Dominican Friary attached to the church of
Santa Maria delle Grazie, we saw Leonardo da Vinci's famous fresco of
the _Last Supper_. It is on the wall of a large, bare, whitewashed room,
this celebrated work being almost the only furniture and decoration.
Although in a very bad state of decay and dilapidation, it is yet
sufficient to draw hither artists from all quarters of the world, who
are always busily copying the great work, aspiring to fill up the flaws
of decay and age in the best way they can imagine the master's hand had
originally painted it. But,