CHAPTER V.

THE ADVANTAGES AND DEFECTS OF THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM.

When men are striving for the discovery of truth in its various mani.
festations, they learn that it is by correcting the mistakes of preceding investigators
 that progress is made, and they have charity Jor criticism.
Hence persecution for difference of opinion becomes an absurdity, The
labours of scientific men are forming a great body of doctrine that can be
appealed to with confidence in all countries. Such labours bring people
together, and tend to break down national barriers and restrictions. The
scientific creed is constantly growing and expanding, and we have no
fears but rejoice at its growth. We need no consistory of bishops, or
synod of ministers, to tell us what to believe. Everything is open to investigation
 and criticism —PROF. AsaPH HALL.

SUCH a large proportion of the foregoing pages has been
devoted to adverse criticism that it is with a sense of
relief that one has an opportunity to emphasize the advantages
 of a system which, whatever its failings may be,
has produced a fine type of manhood in the world. = Although
 the system of education, in the narrow sense of
the word, needs drastic reform, there can be little doubt
but that all that goes towards the formation of character
is eminently desirable. It will repay us if we try to
analyse this so as to discover the points in the public
school system which are the essentials in the formation
of character, and which must be retained in any scheme
of reform.
The factors tending to the formation of character are
so diverse, and are so difficult to trace, that only a few of
them can be indicated here. The first salient point to
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