f the day, "an equal right on the world for a
living."

I ask if this is not a pretty fair and not overdrawn statement of the
case? You will bear in mind that all this time the free-and-easy social
intercourse of the sexes is going on; that while their studies and
exercises are strictly confined to dry, secular knowledge, or such other
pursuits as might excite their vanity, pride, or imagination, not one
line or lesson, caution or command, as stated before, is used or
administered to curb or control the natural, I might say inevitable, cry
of the youthful passions clamoring for their gratification.

CHAPTER V.

EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ON THE MALE PORTION OF
SOCIETY.

Let us now suppose the young men educated under the present Public
School system fairly launched into the world, and, for the first time,
thrown on their own resources. They are all well, indeed
_over-educated._ The greater part of their families are necessarily in
poor or moderate circumstances. Will their learned and accomplished sons
take the humble and laborious trades or occupations of their fathers? I
fear not. We should not expect more from human nature than there is in
it. All these fine young public school graduates cannot get nice
situations as clerks, professors, editors, teachers, etc., etc., and the
professions are all full to overflowing.

You must remember that, as I have said, not one of the boys have ever
been taught the first principle, prayer, or moral duty. They are, as far
as the Public School-training went, perfectly ignorant of the Divine law
as rule of our life; they are, in fact, but educated apes or animals.
How can this young man reconcile "poverty and wealth," "labor and ease,"
"sickness and health," "adversity and prosperity," "rich and poor,"
"obedience and authority," "liberty and law," etc., etc. All these are
enigmas to him, or, if he affects to understand them at all, he thinks
they arise from bad management or bad government, and can and ought to
be remedied by repression or sumptuary legislation. He will be a tyrant
or slave, a glutton or miser, a fanatic or libertine, a sneak-thief or
highway robber, as circumstances may influence him. Think you that the
common "fall back" on principle of self-interest--well or ill
understood--will ever restrain such a one from doing any act of impulse
or indulgence, provided he thinks it can be safely done? He will look on
life as a game of address or