in England. We cannot but fear, however, that numerous instances may be met with even in our own country in which such discipline as that of Mettray would afford the only hope of reclaiming the lad whom natural infirmities of character, over-indulgence, or other untoward circumstances have rendered the bane of his family, to become at a later period a curse to society. It is this conviction which has elicited our remarks. We have been informed that M. Demetz would willingly admit English youths, and should their friends desire to conceal the fact of their being in a Reformatory it would not be difficult to do so, for as the custom already prevails amongst us of sending our sons abroad for education, there would be nothing to attract attention in thus placing a lad at school in France, supposing the name of the school were suppressed. Mettray is a Roman Catholic Institution, and a boy of that creed would doubtless feel more at home there than a Protestant. The religious education of the latter, however, would of course invariably be entrusted to a minister of his own faith; an arrangement for which the proximity of Tours, where not only a large number of English reside, but, we believe, a clergyman of the Anglican establishment officiates, affords probably peculiar facilities. That any attempt to proselytise would be permitted in an institution of which M. Demetz is at the head, no one acquainted with his character would for a moment believe.

REPORT OF M. DEMETZ,

Director of the Agricultural Colony of Mettray,
To the Société Paternelle.-1857.

GENTLEMEN,-After eighteen years of existence, and, we may add, of success, we might be excused from again coming before the public, in order to set forth the results obtained at Mettray; the more so that our institution, from the very day of its commencement, has always been open to those most competent to judge of it, with a view to its advantages being fairly appreciated.

Still, when the object of the enterprise under consideration is to throw light on one of the most complex problems of social economy -the improvement of the human race; when the most efficacious means of preparing a happier future for our country are being sought in arresting the progress of demoralisation, the last word can never be uttered. Scarcely is one evil obviated than another is discovered, to which a remedy must be applied. Thus it is that after devoting your attention to the poor and criminal children you found sunk in misery, you have resolutely undertaken the case-according to the plan indicated by the law, which decrees the establishment of Penitentiary Colonies of those young persons belonging

See the Law of August 5th, 1850, and the very remarkable Report of M. Corne which precedes it. This may be considered the most important document which has been published relating to young detenus, whose precise position is not fully understood by the public.

[In the law here alluded to, besides the above and various other

to the middle and upper classes who, without absolutely infringing the penal laws, are not the less deserving of correction. We speak of children detained by virtue of correction paternelle.

That spirit of resistance to all control which. spreading from one to another, has infected every rank of society, has penetrated from public life even into the domestic circle; and there are at this time parents among us who, to their astonishment, have encountered on the part of their children a degree of insubordination, often even of audacity for the expression is not too strong-of which their predecessors would never have dreamt. We cannot help quoting, in illustration of this opinion, an answer made to us very lately by one of our pupils whom we had reproved for most outrageous conduct towards his widowed mother. He replied- Why what could you expect?" My school-fellows always told me it was degrading to obey a woman.' The lad was scarcely sixteen years old, and the woman was his mother!

And if paternal authority is but too often despised, it must be admitted that the authority of mothers is still more disregarded; we mean of those widowed mothers whose children, aware that they will one day inherit a large fortune, think only of the time when they will be able to spend it. These are the individuals whom we more especially desire to deal with. They require, more than any other class, that some check should be applied to their spirit of insubordination; they imagine, poor children, that by their precocious depravity they raise themselves to the dignity of manhood. The mother

provisions, it is decreed that "Colonies Correctionelles," of a more penal character than the "Colonies Agricoles," shall be established for the reception of the worst class of juvenile offenders, including those who, after being admitted into a Reformatory School, prove themselves by their insubordinate conduct to be unworthy of its advantages, and are certain to exercise an evil influence over their companions. Unfortunately, no such colonies have yet been founded: but that the want of them is sorely felt may be inferred from the earnestness with which M. Demetz, in a report recently addressed to the Minister of the Interior, urges that the decree should be carried into execution.

The managers of various Reformatories in our own country have latterly expressed a strong opinion in favour of the establishment of Penal Schools, to which they could send unmanageable children, to be dealt with more severely than the discipline of their own iustitutions permits. At present the only alternative to retaining inmates whose depravity and insubordination exercise a most injurious influ ence over their better disposed companions, is to send them to gaol, from which, after a short incarceration, the managers are compelled to receive them back, whether they have been benefited or further corrupted by their imprisonment; and when the utter unsuitableness of a gaol to the right treatment of children is remembered, it can scarcely be doubted that they usually come out worse than they go in.]-Trans.

of one of these, not long since, wrote to us, as mothers alone can write:"I see clearly that it is my weakness which has caused all the mischief, and that I deserve to be consigned to a cell by the side of that which my child occupies. Will you aid me to regain that authority which Providence entrusted me with, but which I knew not how to maintain?" We gladly acceded to such a request; and strengthened by this touching appeal we addressed her ungrateful son in these words, "You have cruelly treated her whom it was your duty to cherish and respect; you have shamefully abused her kindness. A mother's heart is far more deeply wounded by the bad conduct of her son than it could be even by stabs from a poniard; and yet yours would willingly have said to you, 'Strike but listen.' But now the time for indulgence is past. I am become the depository of that authority you have too long despised, and it is with me you will have to deal. I have two hands-the one wears a gauntlet of iron, the other a velvet glove. It depends upon your behaviour which I shall use. Do not attempt to struggle; you can ne. ver outdo me in strength. Besides, why struggle with your friends? I wage war with your faults only, not with yourself: but to bring you back into the right path I shall not hesitate to use the utmost severity should it be necessary; power and authority are combined in my hands."

This language, which indicates to our pupils the line of conduct we intend to pursue towards them, never fails to make an impression on their young minds; and we must admit that, with very few exceptions, we find they yield to our exhortations. It is true that we neglect no means of convincing them that we never exercise severity towards them but with regret. Without such a conviction our efforts would be fruitless. Thus no lad comes to us without our having written to him some time before, to urge him to alter his behaviour. This letter is transmitted by the President du Tribunal to his parents, who return it to us, that we may modify it to suit the character of the child. It is usually couched in some such terms as the following:

:

"I learn with regret that by your conduct you give your excellent family serious cause of complaint, and that the exhortations of your parents have produced no effect. The time for severity has arrived. An order issued by the President du Tribunal, will deprive you of your liberty, and in the cell to which you are about to be consigned, you will have to reflect upon the melancholy consequences which have resulted from forgetting your duty. Charged with executing this severe sentence, which will immediately be passed upon you, I earnestly wish to mediate between your family and yourself, and obtain for you a reprieve. Profit by the time afforded you, and implore from your parents pardon for your past conduct; as yet, disgrace attaches only to yourself, but hereafter it will recoil on a name you ought to honour. From the very day on which you receive this letter, cultivate industrious habits, be submissive and respectful, seek to revive in your heart those feelings of religion which were the joy of your early childhood, and which you have so soon forgotten; show yourself grateful to God, who has prompted me to

save you from the punishment awarded to your guilty coodat If neglecting this fatherly warning, you persist in the unhappy course you have adopted, do not reproach him who has done bis atmest to spare you the severe treatment which you will then fully deserve But there is yet time. Give me the gratification of having aided leading you back into the path of duty, and of restoring that happiness to your family which you ought never to have disturbed"

We have the satisfaction of informing you that in some instances this warning has sufficed to arrest the youth in his downward pro gress. If, notwithstanding this endeavour, be persist in his eril conduct, and he is brought here, we say to him, - My dear by, how is it that you are come here? I did all in my power to sale you from being sent to a place of punishment; but I warned you that if you persisted in grieving your family, I should treat you with severity. I must keep my word, or you would not believe me a future; but if you behave well, if you amend your babirs, if you exhibit the slightest symptom of repentance.and of returning to a right course, you may be assured of the eagerness with which I shall give you credit for a desire to improve." In general the success of in undertaking depends on the manner in which it is begun; and t consequently very important that the first impression made to lad's mind should be a favourable one.

Their authority is, for a time at least, placed in our hands by the parents, who give their word of honour to leave us to act points as we shall deem best. We require this concession he tri reasons. First:-We are testing an entirely new system of ea cation. If we are hampered in its application by interpost the part of the family, it will not be possible to discover whet system has been ill applied, or whether it is bad in itself, and pub opinion will proscribe it for ever. Secondly:-In sening is regards the child the whole responsibility of the rigorous measures adopted towards him, we avoid the risk of destroying what affection for his family may yet survive in his heart. What me affection: Painful indeed must these words be to parents when ther feel but too often that it is the very excess of their tenderness whi has brought about this miserable result: truly instrative are they fir the future! Bat were we to attempt to trace effects to their cases, we might, Gentlemen, publish a volume instead of a report. leave it to time to supply as with fresh arguments.

You may, perhaps, be surprised that we should have, t extent, thrown into a dialogue form, the narrative we have lated, instead of contenting ourselves with a single anajis believed, however, that this was the best method of ery ang system. In thus bringing it into operation before you so to speak you could better appreciate both its advantages and now retrains for us only to state a few details wi light upon this de, artment as a whole.

The approach of the holl days increases the number of applicat

from parents for admission—a fact easy explained.

1:

It is obvices to the beads of fames that at such a seasid there a risk of rewarding the old whose conduct during the win * pari

year has been bad, for it is impossible to change home into a place of punishment at a time when all is joy and festivity, especially where there are other children who deserve nothing but praise. On the other hand, at some schools pupils are not permitted to remain during the holidays; and in all the discipline, at this period of rest from work, is sure to be relaxed. Removing to Mettray obviates all these difficulties; one inconvenience alone remaining, namely, that at this season we cannot arrange for our lads to compete in writing exercises with the lads of the [neighbouring] Public School, as they are accustomed to do during the session. We must acknowledge that in so far they lose a motive to emulation; but at the same time our discipline is the more felt at this period of the year, when the child's thoughts uaturally revert to the enjoyments from which he is cut off.

But though we can thus deprive those lads of their holiday who do not deserve it, we reserve the means of enabling such among our pupils to enjoy it as during their stay with us have shown a desire to do well.

It is by this potent alternative-everything to hope if they behave well, and everything to fear if they behave ill-that men are kept in the path of duty, and à fortiori the child.

We have met with much sympathy and aid from some excellent clergymen in our neighbourhood. Desiring to promote our undertaking, they agree to receive our pupils as boarders, whenever we are of opinion that the strict discipline of Mettray has sufficiently operated on their young hearts. Thus we afford these lads an opportunity of exercising their liberty under certain restrictions.

In this intermediate stage we can judge how far we have influenced their disposition. It is a species of moral quarantine, which indicates what we have to hope or to fear from the future.

We will conclude this explanation of our system by an observation which we trust may bear fruit in making parents understand how important it is not to delay entrusting their children to us, until they have become utterly unmanageable. Hitherto success has crowned our efforts, even when we had to deal with individuals from sixteen to eighteen years old; though we must confess that we had serious misgivings with respect to them. Our task, however, has been far easier, and attended with the happiest results when our pupils have been under fourteen years of age.

It is easy to understand why, when the only alternative was to consign the child to gaol, the step was delayed until the case became extreme, just as amputation is adopted only when gangrene has set in. But now the remedy consists in sending the youth not to prison, but

We must not omit to express our sincere gratitude to the Principal and the Professors of the Lycée at Tours, who have been good enough to permit our pupils to write exercises with theirs, they informing us of the subject of the composition. Our pupils never sign their names to their exercises, in order that their incognito may be preserved. Thus they are benefited by the spirit of emulation, without the seclusion in which it is desirable to keep them, for a time at least, being interrupted.