[24] In the report of the Endowed Schools Commission of 1858, p. 284,
there is an excellent letter of Baron Hughes on mixed education. Having
observed that in England Protestant bishops and noblemen are opposed to
it, he says: "I am convinced that the mixed system is wrong in
principle, and cannot, even if right, be carried out in Ireland. I
believe that the separate system is sound in principle; and if that is
doubted, I think it is worthy of being submitted to a fair trial, as the
only alternative the state can adopt".