Here, also, the rudiments of education can well be imparted, and as there is nothing to distract the attention, the lessons make an impression such as is never witnessed in the community at large, much less in the congregate system of imprisonment. Our visitors to the Penitentiary frequently witness examples of this, which are truly remarkable. Many who had grown up without any literary culture, not being able to write or even to read the simplest matter on entering the Prison, in the course of even a few months have become capable of writing quite a good hand, and of reading with facility. Some of them, who in their previous lives had felt the process of education to be altogether a repulsive task, and therefore had failed to make any advance, and had even been brought to believe that the ability to read and to write was a mystery, which was, and always must remain to be, beyond their power to fathom—here find themselves to be capable of comprehending the lessons presented to them; and as the curtain begins to rise before this supposed mystery, they see, as it were, a new world open before them—what was formerly a dreaded and repulsive task, becomes a pleasant privilege, and they pursue with avidity the path to knowledge which is thus opened to them. This change in their condition improves their whole moral character. Also, as time would hang heavily on the prisoners if without employment, they freely perform the work allotted them, accepting it rather as a _privilege and a blessing_, than as a _penalty_, as is the case under the congregate system, whether _silent_ or otherwise. And, as it is with regard to what may be called common school learning, so it is in respect to acquiring a knowledge of the mechanic arts there introduced, being necessarily a few only—such as shoemaking, cane-seating of chairs, cabinet making and weaving. They soon become masters of these, and the task allotted them being moderate—after the accomplishment of which they are credited with “overwork”—some individual prisoners, on their discharge, have been paid upwards of 250 dollars, which stood to their credit on the books. In a recent instance, a prisoner, on his discharge after a three years’ sentence, was so paid 213 dollars.