LANCASTER, Joseph, an educational reformer of much note, was the son of a retired private in the Foot Guards, and was born at London in 1778. When a mere lad he opened a school, on the principle of mutual instruction, for poor children, in the wretched parishes of Southwark. Before he was twenty-three he had more than 300 pupils, who, according to his system, were taught for almost nothing. His pamphlet on the Amelioration of Education had an immense success, and brought him under the notice of the Duke of Bedford, and finally of George III., whose encouragement gave a great impulse to the establishment of Lancasterian schools throughout the country. Extending his views, Lancaster set out in 1807 on a tour through the chief towns of England and Scotland. He was a devoted member of the Society of Friends; and the Anglican clergy, finding that he admitted children of every sect into his schools, began to cry out that the church was in danger, and opposed him with all their might. Lancaster was imprudent; his imprudence resulted in his ruin in Great Britain, and in 1818 he set off to try his fortunes in the new world. He was at first well received, but his zeal again outran his judgment, and in 1829 he emigrated to Canada. The Canadian parliament awarded him some small grants, with a view to giving his experiments fair play. Ill luck again attended him, and he was only saved from great distress by some kind friends, who purchased a small annuity for him. Retiring to New York, he died there in very reduced circumstances, October 24, 1838. Lancaster was the author of several small elementary text-books and pamphlets, in which he advocated his views of education. Whatever be the value of Lancaster's system of instruction, it must cheerfully be confessed that his labours gave a powerful stimulus to the education of the lower classes in England, where numerous schools on his plan still exist.