ESTABLISHMENTS FOR THE PURPOSES OP EDUCATION AND SCIENCE Education, before the Revolution, was conducted in schools, colleges, and other establishments of old date, at the head of which stood the University of Paris. The provincial universities, twenty-two in number, were of far inferior note, a few only, such as Montpelier, Dijon, Strasburg, Caen, possess ing a reputation above mediocrity. Boarding-schools (pensionnats) were established in the towns, but in much smaller number than in England, female edu cation being managed chiefly in convents. There existed throughout France a number of foundations attached to monasteries, schools, and universities, for the purpose of education, the collective income of which was said to amount to L. 1,000,000 Ster ling. These funds were involved at the Revolution in the same vortex as those of the church, but with a pledge on the part of government, to take on it self to provide for the national education on an im proved footing. This object, interesting under any circumstances, and at that time doubly so, from the necessity of attaching the rising generation to the new doctrines, was delayed, amidst the confusion of public affairs, until 1796, when there was passed an act, which, along with many other provisions, di rected that schools of two kinds, primary and cen tral, should be established throughout the country. But new troubles retarded the execution of this plan, particularly in regard to the primary or elementary schools. Hence the very defective education of the youth of the lower orders in the interval that e lapsed between withdrawing the gratuitous aid of mo nasteries, and establishing schools on the new plan. Next came the reign of Bonaparte, who, consider ing Education merely as an engine for consolidating his power, placed, by a special act, all the semi naries of the empire under the control of le Grand Maitre et Conseil de l' University de Paris, who de legated this important charge to a board called Com mission d'Instruction Publique. This board is main
tained by the Bourboes, and it is remarkable that the opposition in the French Parliament acquiesces in the principle of placing the superintendence of education in Governraent,—a principle as contrary to their tenets as to the established usage in Eng land ; but admitted by them from a dread that educa tion, if uncontrolled, would fall into the hands of the clergy, and the rising generation be trained in the prejudices of their forefathers.
Though the name of University has been of late years exchanged by the French for the more unas suming title of Academy, we prefer using it, as their Academies are in fact similar to our universities. Their number (26) is nearly equal to that of the Cours Royaks (see in the sequel the section on Law), and the towns where they are situated are, with very few exceptions, the same, viz.
The University of Paris is on a large scale, and comprises a greater variety of classes than any other seminary in Europe, whether we look to medicine, law, science, belles lettres, or theology. Of the pro vincial universities, some are on a more extensive plan than others, and appropriated, by preference, to the study of particular professions ; but, on the whole, they approach nearer to the comprehensive aim of the Scotch, than to the simplicity and unifor mity of the English colleges.
Dijon Paris Of Theology there are familia at the following places: Aix Lyons Rouen Bordeaux . Paris Toulouse.