st make a formal application and put forward his
claims.

"What were his claims?" he said. "He was not even a Bachelor of Arts."

However, he set to work and produced a pamphlet, with the title, "The
People's Right to Instruction," but he could not finish it for want of
ideas.

He sought for easier subjects, and began several in succession. The
first was, "The Instruction of Children by means of the Eye." He wanted
gratuitous theaters to be established in every poor quarter of Paris for
little children. Their parents were to take them there when they were
quite young, and, by means of a magic-lantern, all the notions of human
knowledge were to be imparted to them. There were to be regular courses.
The sight would educate the mind, while the pictures would remain
impressed on the brain, and thus science would, so to say, be made
visible. What could be more simple than to teach universal history,
natural history, geography, botany, zoology, anatomy, &c., &c., thus?

He had his ideas printed in tract form, and sent a copy to each Deputy,
ten to each Minister, fifty to the President of the Republic, ten to
each Parisian and five to each provincial newspaper.

Then he wrote on "Street Lending-Libraries." His idea was to have
little carts full of books drawn about the streets, like orange-carts
are. Every householder or lodger would have a right to ten volumes a
month by means of a halfpenny subscription.

"The people," M. Caillard said, "will only disturb itself for the sake
of its pleasures, and since it will not go to instruction, instruction
must come to it," &c., &c.

His essays attracted no attention, but he sent in his application, and
he got the usual formal official reply. He thought himself sure of
success, but nothing came of it.

Then he made up his mind to apply personally. He begged for an interview
with the Minister of Public Instruction, and he was received by a young
subordinate, who already was very grave and important, and who kept
touching the knobs of electric-bells to summon ushers, and footmen, and
officials inferior to himself. He declared to M. Caillard that his
matter was going on quite favorably, and advised him to continue his
remarkable labors, and M. Caillard set at it again.

M. Rosselin, the Deputy, seemed now to take a great interest in his
success, and gave him a lot of excellent, practical advice. He was
decorated, although nobody knew exactly what he had done to deserve such
a di