The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 06 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
Philosophy
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 06 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
In every state, next to the care of the life and properties of the
subject, the education of their youth has been a subject of attention.
In the Irish laws this point has not been neglected. Those who are
acquainted with the constitution of our universities need not be
informed that none but those who conform to the Established Church can
be at all admitted to study there, and that none can obtain degrees in
them who do not previously take all the tests, oaths, and declarations.
Lest they should be enabled to supply this defect by private academies
and schools of their own, the law has armed itself with all its terrors
against such a practice. Popish schoolmasters of every species are
proscribed by those acts, and it is made felony to teach even in a
private family. So that Papists are entirely excluded from an education
in any of our authorized establishments for learning at home. In order
to shut up every avenue to instruction, the act of King William in
Ireland has added to this restraint by precluding them from all foreign
education.
This act is worthy of attention on account of the singularity of some of
its provisions. Being sent for education to any Popish school or college
abroad, upon conviction, incurs (if the party sent has any estate of
inheritance) a kind of unalterable and perpetual outlawry. The tender
and incapable age of such a person, his natural subjection to the will
of others, his necessary, unavoidable ignorance of the laws, stands for
nothing in his favor. He is disabled to sue in law or equity; to be
guardian, executor, or administrator; he is rendered incapable of any
legacy or deed of gift; he forfeits all his goods and chattels forever;
and he forfeits for his life all his lands, hereditaments, offices, and
estate of freehold, and all trusts, powers, or interests therein. All
persons concerned in sending them or maintaining them abroad, by the
least assistance of money or otherwise, are involved in the same
disabilities, and subjected to the same penalties.
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