The same effect is exhibited by tables showing the relative numbers of newspapers published in each State; the more numerous these are, the higher the voluntary death-rate; and in States where the literature is of the higher type, scientific and critical, we find, mutatis mutandis, a higher rate than where the journals simply contain news and politics.
Brierre de Boismont gives a classification of 4,595 French suicides, in respect to education; a résumé follows:─
| ── | Male. | Female. | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Well instructed | 467 | 106 | 573 |
| Read and write well | 601 | 188 | 789 |
| Read, but write ill | 1,145 | 511 | 1,656 |
| Read, but do not write | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Illiterate | 36 | 29 | 65 |
| Data unknown | 969 | 540 | 1,509 |
In respect to England, the Report of the Registrar General for 1880 contains a statement, which I subjoin, of the effect of education on the proportion of voluntary deaths, calculated on the averages of the ten years 1869-78, with regard to the numbers of adults who were able to sign their names in the marriage registers.
| Counties where 27% were unable to sign the register | 57·5 million of inhabitants. | |
| Counties where less than 27% but more than 17% were unable | 69·2 per million of inhabitants. | |
| Counties where less than 17% were unable | 80·2 per million of inhabitants. |
But, on the other hand, the proportions of crime against the person were the lowest on record, and the better educated counties showed the minimum.
The rule that suicide rate increases with the amount of education is more generally observed than almost any other tendency which we have to consider; and it is probably an accurate statement without any reservation; however unpalatable such a dictum may be, I am not aware of any state where the reverse holds good. The general opinion has always been that this rule is only true when the form of education is faulty; the pages of many authors will show the argument that secular knowledge must be judiciously combined with religious teaching, or else such a result may appear; but the facts seem to lead us to the awkward dilemma, that either the religious teaching is seldom duly administered, or else that even piety is unavailing as a deterrent. Prophets have not been lacking for several years past, who have never ceased to warn us that our present system of removing Christian teaching from the necessary curriculum of our public schools, will inevitably increase crime and suicide in the rising generation.
And I fear there can be no doubt that this coming generation will show a higher rate, but whether the diminution of religious instruction will be the cause, will be open to question.
Personally, and speaking with reference to the masses of the population, I think it is likely to cause such an increase; because, although it may be preferable for well-educated men and women to confess to honest doubt, in preference to acquiescence in a form of faith which they cannot heartily hold; still, in minds of less development, for whom a thorough education is impossible, greater stability of character is ensured by an early inculcated religious conviction of the sanctity of life, and an idea of the duty of waiting on Providence to guide our concerns.