Matthew Arnold eBook

George William Erskine Russell
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 218 pages of information about Matthew Arnold.

Matthew Arnold eBook

George William Erskine Russell
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 218 pages of information about Matthew Arnold.
the fact that they were detached from the earlier ones might perhaps raise questions in enquiring minds; and in the preface he stated his personal belief that “the author of the earlier part of the Book of Isaiah was not the author of these last chapters.”  He most truly added that “there is nothing to forbid a member of the Church of England, or, for that matter, a member of the Church of Rome either, or a member of the Jewish Synagogue, from holding such a belief”; but probably clergymen and Dissenting ministers and pious laymen of all denominations looked rather askance at it; and the little book never got itself adopted as “A Bible Reading for Schools.”

Thus ended his one attempt to improve, positively and by construction, the curriculum of the Elementary Schools; and we return, at the end of this study of his Educational doctrine, to the point at which we began.

“Organize your Elementary, your Secondary, your Superior, Education.”  This was the burden of his teaching for five-and-thirty years; and, if the community has at length really set its hand to that great task, it is only right that we should remember with honour the Master who first taught us (when the doctrine was unpopular) that the primary duty of a civilized State is to educate its children.

[Footnote 9:  Thomas Arnold, D.D., Head Master of Rugby.  His eldest son, Matthew Arnold, Inspector of Schools.  His second son, Thomas Arnold, Professor in University College, Dublin.  His third son, Edward Penrose Arnold, Inspector of Schools.  His fourth son, William Delafield Arnold, Director of Public Instruction in the Punjaub.]

[Footnote 10:  See p. 135.]

[Footnote 11:  Reprinted in Irish Essays and Others.]

[Footnote 12:  This essay, unfortunately, was never reprinted.]

[Footnote 13:  It was published in 1850.]

[Footnote 14:  An Oxford man must write this word late with regret.  August 23, 1903.]

[Footnote 15:  In 1870.]

[Footnote 16:  For the width of his reading, see his Note-Books, Edited by his daughter, Mrs. Wodehouse.]

[Footnote 17:  Reprinted in Irish Essays, and Others.]

[Footnote 18:  On the Study of Celtic Literature, 1867.]

[Footnote 19:  Dr. Bradley.]

[Footnote 20:  The History and Literature of the Israelites. By C. and A. de Rothschild.]

CHAPTER IV

SOCIETY

“Culture seeks to do away with classes and sects; to make the best that has been thought and known in the world current everywhere; to make all men live in an atmosphere of sweetness and light, where they may use ideas, as it uses them itself, freely; nourished, and not bound, by them.  This is the social idea; and the men of culture are the true apostles of equality.”

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Matthew Arnold from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.