The Enquirer

Copy of a letter from an enlightened Magistrate of the City of London, on a subject highly interesting to the community.

London, November 30th, 1803.

Dear Sir,

As among other benevolent pursuits I perceive your attention is devoted to the education of youth, upon which so much depends as it relates to the morals of the rising generation I cannot resist the impulse I feel to send you the enclosed pamphlet, written by my friend Joseph Lancaster, one of the society of Friends, who, as yet only twenty-four years of age, has already worked wonders with respect to the education of youth.

His method of teaching I consider to be a great and important discovery, which ought not to be concealed from the world, and therefore I do not (in the circles in which I move) omit a single opportunity of making his talents, his merits and great usefulness known to the higher circles, and already he begins to attract notice, and his school has been visited not only by some of the most opulent Peers of the realm, but also by many respectable persons of all persuasions.

I am satisfied, from having visited his Seminary, that this extraordinary young man can accomplish the education of one thousand boys almost with as much ease as he at present instructs three hundred, which are (at present) under his tuition. By his method the progress is extremely quick, while the pupils are well grounded in the branches of education, to which their attention is directed.

I have been so fascinated by his mode of teaching, that I have established a school in Westminster upon the same plan; and I trust and hope they will become universal all over Great Britain, & particularly Ireland, where they are most wanted. It is possible that some of the Friends here may have already communicated to you the discovery of Mr. Lancaster, who deserves every thing from his country, by his extraordinary ingenuity, and for his perseverance under all those difficulties which persons of narrow and contracted minds, of different religious persuasions, have opposed to his efforts in this good and useful work, which appears in a peculiar degree to have been fostered by Providence, whereby he has been enabled to surmount nearly all his difficulties.

I shall be very happy to learn that schools upon the same plan have been established in the principal towns in America. The advantage to society to be derived from such Seminaries are too obvious to require illustration.

I am, with great esteem,

Dear Sir,

Yours very sincerely,

P. COLQUHOUN.

Mr. Thomas Eddy.
New-York.

*a* The work mentioned in the above letter is now for sale by Emmor Kimber, No. 170, south Second street Philadelphia.