,a   ,,practical ,,enquiry   ,,into     
,,the ,,philosophy   ,,of   ,,education4
    ,,by ,,james ,,gall1   ,,inventor   
,,of ,,the ,,triangular ,,alphabet ,,for
 ,,the ,,blind2 ,,and  ,,author ,,of    
,,the ,,end ,,and ,,essence ,,of        
,,sabbath  ,,school ,,teaching1 c4      
,the ,works of the ,lord are great1     
sought out of all them that have        
pleasure therein4--,,psal4 cxi4 #b4     
,,edinburgh3  ,,james ,,gall  ,,son1    
#bd1 ,,niddry ,,street4  ,,london3      
,,houlston  ,,stoneman1 #fe1            
,,paternoster-,,row4  ,,glasgow2        
,,george ,,gallie4 ,,belfast3 ,,william 
,m',,comb4   ,,mdcccxl     ,printed by  
,j4 ,gall  ,son4 #bb1 ,niddry ,street4  
,,preface4   ,the ,author of the        
following pages is a plain man1 who has 
endeavoured to write a plain book1 for  
the purpose of being popularly useful4  
,the philosophical form which his       
enquiries have assumed1 is the result   
rather of accidental circumstances than 
of free choice4 ,the strong desire which

 he felt in his earlier years to benefit
 the ,young1 induced him to push forward
 in the paths which appeared to him most
 likely to lead to his object2 and it   
was not till he had advanced far into   
the fields of philosophy1 that he first 
began dimly to perceive the importance  
of the ground which he had unwittingly  
occupied4 ,the truth is1 that he had    
laboured many years in the ,sabbath     
,schools with which he had connected    
himself1 before he was aware that1 in   
his combat with ignorance1 he was       
wielding weapons that were comparatively
 new2 and it was still longer1 before he
 very clearly understood the principles 
of those ,exercises which he found so   
successful4 ,one investigation led to   
another2 light shone out as he          
proceeded2 and he now submits1 with full
 confidence in the truth of his general 
principles and deductions1 the results  
of more than thirty years' experience   
and reflection in the great cause of    
,education4  ,he has only further to    

observe1 that the term ,,nature1 which  
occurs so frequently1 has been adopted  
as a convenient and popular mode of     
expression4 ,none of his readers needs  
to be informed1 that this is but another
 manner of designating ,,the ,,god ,,of 
,,nature1 whose laws1 as established in 
the young mind1 he has been endeavouring
 humbly1 and perseveringly to imitate4  
,myrtle ,bank1 ,trinity1 ,edinburgh1    
#hth ,may1 #ahdj4     ,,contents        
,,part ,i4   ,,on ,,the ,,preliminary   
,,objects ,,necessary ,,for ,,the       
,,establishment ,,and  ,,improvement    
,,of ,,education4    ,,chap4 ,i4        
,page   ,on the ,importance of          
establishing the ,science of ,education 
on a  solid ,foundation1                
#ac    ,,chap4 ,,ii4   ,on the          
,cultivation of ,education as a         
,science1                         #af   
,,chap4 ,,iii4   ,on the ,improvement of
 ,teaching as an ,art1                  
#be    ,,chap4 ,,iv4   ,on the          
,establishment of ,sound ,principles in 

,education1                #cb    ,,part
 ,,ii4   ,,on ,,the ,,great ,,design    
,,of ,,nature',s ,,teaching1 ,,and ,,the
 ,,methods ,,she  ,,employs ,,in        
,,carrying ,,it ,,on4    ,,chap4 ,i4    
,a ,comprehensive ,view of the several  
,educational ,processes  carried on by  
,nature1                                
#cg    ,,chap4 ,,ii4   ,on the ,method  
employed by ,nature for cultivating the 
,powers of  the ,mind1                  
#de    ,,chap4 ,,iii4   ,on the ,means  
by which ,nature enables her ,pupils to 
acquire  ,knowledge1                    
#eb    ,,chap4 ,,iv4   ,on ,nature's    
,method of communicating ,knowledge to  
the ,young by  the ,principle of        
,reiteration1                           
#ef    ,,chap4 ,v4   ,on the            
,acquisition of ,knowledge by the       
,principle of  ,individuation1          
#fe    ,,chap4 ,,vi4   ,on the          
,acquisition of ,knowledge by the       
,principle of ,association1  or         
,grouping1                              

#gb    ,,chap4 ,,vii4   ,on the         
,acquisition of ,knowledge by the       
,principle of ,analysis1  or            
,classification1                        
#hc    ,,chap4 ,,viii4   ,on ,nature's  
,methods of ,teaching her ,pupils to    
make use of their  ,knowledge1          
#ie    ,,chap4 ,,ix4   ,on ,nature's    
,methods of ,applying ,knowledge by the 
,principle of  the ,animal1 or ,common  
,sense1                                 
#aja    ,,chap4 ,x4   ,on ,nature's     
,method of applying ,knowledge1 by means
 of the  ,moral ,sense1 or ,conscience1 
#aaa    ,,chap4 ,,xi4   ,on ,nature's   
,method of ,training her ,pupils to     
,communicate  their ,knowledge1         
#abi    ,,chap4 ,,xii4   ,recapitulation
 of the ,philosophical ,principles      
developed  in the previous ,chapters1   
#ada    ,,part ,,iii4   ,,on ,,the      
,,methods ,,by ,,which ,,the            
,,educational ,,processes ,,of ,,nature 
,,may ,,be  ,,successfully ,,imitated4  
,,chap4 ,i4   ,on the ,exercises by     

which ,nature may be imitated in        
cultivating  the ,powers of the ,mind1  
#adh    ,,chap4 ,,ii4   ,on the ,methods
 by which ,nature may be imitated in the
 ,pupil's  ,acquisition of ,knowledge2  
with a ,review of the ,analogy between  
the ,mental and ,physical ,appetites of 
the ,young1                      #agj   
,,chap4 ,,iii4   ,how ,nature may be    
imitated in ,communicating ,knowledge to
 the  ,pupil1 by the ,reiteration of    
,ideas1                                 
#agg    ,,chap4 ,,iv4   ,on the ,means  
by which ,nature may be imitated in     
,exercising the  ,principle of          
,individuation1                         
#aib    ,,chap4 ,v4   ,on the ,means by 
which ,nature may be imitated in        
,applying the  ,principle of ,grouping1 
or ,association1                        
#bjd    ,,chap4 ,,vi4   ,on the ,methods
 by which ,nature may be imitated in    
,communicating  ,knowledge by           
,classification1 or ,analysis1          
#bah    ,,chap4 ,,vii4   ,on the        

,imitation of ,nature in ,teaching the  
,practical ,use of  ,knowledge1         
#bcc    ,,chap4 ,,viii4   ,on the       
,imitation of ,nature in ,teaching the  
,use of ,knowledge  by ,means of the    
,animal1 or ,common ,sense1             
#bde    ,,chap4 ,,ix4   ,on the         
,imitation of ,nature in ,teaching the  
,practical ,use of  ,knowledge by means 
of the ,moral ,sense1 or ,conscience1   
#beg    ,,chap4 ,x4   ,on the           
,application of our ,knowledge to the   
,common ,affairs of  ,life1             
#bgd    ,,chap4 ,,xi4   ,on the         
,imitation of ,nature1 in training her  
,pupils fluently to  communicate their  
,knowledge1                             
#bhh    ,,part ,,iv4   ,,on ,,the       
,,selection ,,of ,,proper ,,truths ,,and
 ,,subjects ,,to ,,be ,,taught ,,in     
,,schools ,,and ,,families4    ,,chap4  
,i4   ,on the ,general ,principles which
 ought to regulate our choice  of       
,truths and ,subjects to be taught to   
the ,young1                    #cjf     

,,chap ,,ii4   ,on the particular       
,branches of ,education required for    
,elementary  ,schools1                  
#cag    ,,chap4 ,,iii4   ,on the        
,easiest ,methods of ,introducing these 
,principles1 for  the first time1 into  
,schools already established1           
#cbf    ,notes1                         
#cca      ,,practical ,,enquiry1 c4     
,,part ,i4   ,,on ,,the ,,preliminary   
,,objects ,,necessary ,,for  ,,the      
,,establishment ,,and ,,improvement     
,,of ,,education4      ,,chap4 ,i4   ,on
 the ,importance of establishing the    
,science of  ,education on a solid      
,foundation4   ,education is at present 
obviously in a transition state4 ,the   
public mind has of late become alive to 
the importance of the subject2 and all  
persons are beginning to feel awake to  
the truth1 that something is yet wanting
 to insure efficiency and permanence to 
the labours of the teacher4 ,the public 
will not be satisfied till some decided 
change has taken place2 and many are    

endeavouring to grope their way to      
something better4 ,it is with an earnest
 desire to help forward this great      
movement1 that the writer of the        
following pages has been induced to     
publish the result of much study1 and   
upwards of thirty years' experience1 in 
the hope that it may afford at least    
some assistance in directing the        
enquiries of those who are prosecuting  
the same object4  ,on entering upon this
 investigation1 it will be of use to    
keep in mind1 that all the sciences     
have1 at particular periods of their    
history1 been in the same uncertain and 
unsettled position1 as that which       
,education at present occupies2 and that
 each of them has in its turn1 had to   
pass through an ordeal1 similar to that 
which education is about to undergo4    
,they have triumphantly succeeded2 and  
their subsequent rapid advancement is   
the best proof that they are now placed 
on a solid and permanent foundation4 ,it
 is of importance1 therefore1 in        

attempting to forward the science of    
education1 that we should profit by the 
experience of those who have gone before
 us4 ,they succeeded by a strict        
observation of facts1 and a stern       
rejection of every species of mere      
supposition and opinion2--by an         
uncompromising hostility to prejudice   
and selfishness1 and a fearless         
admission of truth wherever it was      
discovered4 ,such must be the conduct of
 the ,educationist1 if he expects to    
succeed in an equal degree4 ,the history
 of astronomy as taught by astrologers1 
and of chemistry in the hands of the    
alchymist1 should teach both the lovers 
and the fearers of change an important  
lesson4 ,these pretended sciences being 
mere conjectures1 were of use to nobody2
 and yet the boldness with which they   
were promulgated1 and the confidence    
with which they were received1 had the  
effect of suppressing enquiry1 and      
shutting out the truth for several      
generations4 ,similar may be the effects

 of errors in education1 and similar the
 danger of too easily admitting them4   
,the adoption of plausible theories1 or 
of erroneous principles1 must lead into 
innumerable difficulties2 and should    
they be hastily patronized1 and         
authoritatively promulgated1 the        
improvement of this first and most      
important of the sciences may be        
retarded for a century to come4  ,the   
other sciences1 during the last half    
century1 have advanced with amazing     
rapidity4 ,this has been the result of a
 strict adherence to well established   
facts1 and their legitimate             
inferences4--,a docile subjection of the
 mind to the results of experiment1 and 
a candid confession and abandonment of  
fallacies1 have characterized every     
benefactor of the sciences2--and the    
science of education must be advanced by
 an adherence to the same principles4   
,the ,educationist must be willing to   
abandon error1 as well as to receive    
truth2 and must resolutely shake off all

 conjecture and opinions not founded on 
fair and appropriate experiment4 ,this  
course may appear tedious2--but it is   
the shortest and the best4 ,by this mode
 of induction1 all the facts which he is
 able to glean will assuredly be found  
to harmonize with nature1 with reason1  
and with ,scripture2 and with these for 
his supporters1 the ,reformer in        
education has nothing to fear4 ,his     
progress may be slow1 but it will be    
sure2 for every principle which he thus 
discovers1 will enable him1 not only to 
outrun his neighbours1 but to confer a  
permanent and valuable boon upon        
posterity4  ,that any rational and      
accountable being should ever have been 
found to oppose the progress of truth1  
is truly humiliating2 yet every page of 
history1 which records the developement 
of new principles1 exhibits also the    
outbreakings of prejudice and           
selfishness4 ,the deductions of         
,galileo1 of ,newton1 of ,harvey1 and   
innumerable others1 have been opposed   

and denounced1 each in its turn2 while  
their promoters have been vilified as   
empyrics or innovators4 ,nor has this   
been done by those only whose self love 
or worldly interests prompted them to   
exclude the truth1 but by good and      
honourable men1 whose prejudices were   
strong1 and whose zeal was not guided by
 discretion4 ,such persons have         
frequently been found to shut their eyes
 against the plainest truths1 to wrestle
 with their own convictions1 and        
positively refuse even to listen to     
evidence4 ,the same thing may happen    
with regard to education2--and this is  
no pleasing prospect to the lover of    
peace1 who sets himself forward as a    
reformer in this noble work4--,change is
 inevitable4 ,teaching is an art2 and it
 must1 like all the other arts1 depend  
for its improvement upon the            
investigations of science4 ,now1 every  
one knows1 that although the cultivation
 of chemistry1 and other branches of    
natural science1 has1 of late years1    

given an extraordinary stimulus to the  
arts1 yet the science of education1 from
 which the art of teaching can alone    
derive its power1 is one1 beyond the    
threshold of which modern philosophy has
 scarcely entered4 ,changes1 therefore1 
both in the theory and practice of      
teaching1 may be anticipated2--and that 
these changes will be inconvenient and  
annoying to many1 there can be no doubt4
 ,that individuals1 in these            
circumstances1 should be inclined to    
deprecate and oppose these innovations  
and improvements1 is nothing more than  
might be expected2 but that the         
improvements themselves should on that  
account be either postponed or          
abandoned1 would be highly injurious4   
,an enlightened system of education is  
peculiarly the property of the public1  
on which both personal1 family1 and     
national happiness in a great measure   
depends4 ,these interests therefore must
 not be sacrificed to the wishes or the 
convenience of private individuals4 ,the

 prosperity and happiness of mankind are
 at stake2 and the welfare of succeeding
 generations will1 in no small degree1  
be influenced by the establishment of   
sound principles in education at the    
present time4 ,nothing1 therefore1      
should be allowed to mystify or cripple 
that science1 upon which the spread and 
the permanence of all useful knowledge  
mainly rest4     ,,chap4 ,,ii4  ,on the 
,cultivation of ,education as a         
,science4   ,from numerous              
considerations1 it must be evident1 that
 education claims the first rank among  
the sciences2 and1 in that case1 the art
 of ,teaching ought to take precedence  
among the arts2--not perhaps in respect 
of its difficulties1 but most certainly 
in respect of its importance4  ,the     
success of the teacher in his labours1  
will depend almost entirely on the      
extent and the accuracy of the          
investigations of the philosopher4 ,the 
science must guide the art4 ,experience 
shews1 that where an artist in ordinary 

life is not directed by science1--by    
acknowledged principles1--he can never  
make any steady improvement4 ,in like   
manner1 when the principles of education
 are unknown1 no advancement in the art 
can be expected from the teacher4 ,every
 attempt at change in such circumstances
 must be unsatisfactory2 and even when  
improvements are by chance accomplished1
 they are but partial1 and must be      
stationary4--,when1 on the contrary1 the
 teacher is directed by ascertained     
principles1 he never can deviate far    
from the path of success2 and even if he
 should1 he has the means in his own    
power of ascertaining the cause of his  
failure1 and of retracing his steps4 ,he
 can1 therefore1 at his pleasure1 add to
 or abridge1 vary or transpose his      
exercises with his pupils1 provided only
 that the great principles of the       
science be kept steadily in view1 and be
 neither outraged1 nor greatly          
infringed4 ,no teacher1 therefore1      
should profess the art1 without making  

himself familiar with the philosophical 
principles upon which it is founded4 ,in
 the mechanical arts1 this practice is  
now generally followed1 and with the    
happiest effects4 ,the men of the       
present generation have profited by the 
painful experience of thousands in      
former times2 who1 trusting to mere     
conjectures1 tried1 failed1 and ruined  
themselves4 ,the mechanics of our day1  
instead of indulging in blind theories  
of their own1 and hazarding their money 
and their time upon speculation and     
chance1 are willing to borrow light for 
their guidance from those who have      
provided it4 ,they slowly1 but surely1  
follow in the path opened up to them by 
the discoveries of science1--and they   
are never disappointed4  ,the unexampled
 success of the mechanical arts1 would1 
upon the above principles1 naturally    
lead us to conclude1 that the sciences1 
from which they have derived all that   
they possess1 must have been cultivated 
with corresponding energy4 ,and such is 

the fact4 ,since the adoption of the    
inductive method of philosophizing1     
nearly all the sciences have been       
advancing rapidly and steadily2 and the 
cause of this is to be found in adhering
 to the rules of induction4 ,no science 
has been allowed to rest its claims upon
 mere theory1 or authority of any kind1 
but upon evidence derived from facts4   
,mere opinions and suppositions have    
been rigidly excluded2 and that alone   
which was acquired by accurate          
investigation1 has been acknowledged in 
science as having the stamp of truth4   
,the inductive philosophy takes nothing 
for granted4 ,every conclusion must be  
legitimately drawn from ascertained     
facts1 or from principles established by
 experiment2 and the consequence has    
been1 not only that what has been       
attained is permanent1 and will benefit 
all future generations1 but the amount  
of that attainment1 in the short time   
that has already elapsed1 is actually   
greater than all that had been          

previously gained during centuries4 ,in 
this general improvement1 however1 the  
science of ,education has till lately   
formed an exception4 ,the principles of 
true philosophy do not appear to have   
been brought to bear upon it1 as they   
have upon the other sciences2 and the   
consequences of this neglect have been  
lamentable4 ,in every branch of natural 
philosophy1 there are great leading     
principles already established4 ,but    
where were there any such principles    
established by the philosopher for the  
guidance of the teacher8 ,by what1      
except their own experience1 and        
conjectures1 were teachers directed in  
the training of the young8--,thirty or  
forty years ago1 what was called        
education in our ordinary week-day      
schools1 was little more than a         
mechanical round of barren exercises4   
,the excitement of religious            
persecution1 which had been the means of
 disciplining the intellectual and moral
 powers of ,scotsmen for several        

previous generations1 had by that time  
gradually subsided1 and had left        
education to do its own work1 by the use
 of its own resources4 ,but these were  
perfectly inadequate to the task4 ,the  
exercises almost universally employed in
 the education of the young1 had neither
 been derived from science1 nor from    
experience of their own inherent power2 
and they would1 from the beginning1 have
 been found perfectly inefficient1 had  
they not been aided1 as before noticed1 
by the stimulant of religious           
persecution4--,the state of education1  
at the time we speak of1 is still fresh 
on the memory of living witnesses who   
were its victims2 and some of the       
absurdities which were then universal1  
are not even yet altogether extinct4    
,soon after the period above stated1 an 
important change began to take place in 
the art of teaching1--but still unaided 
and undirected by science4 ,some of the 
more thinking and judicious of its      
professors1 roused by the flagrant      

failures of their own practice1 made    
several noble and exemplary efforts to  
place it on a better footing4 ,had these
 efforts been guided by scientific      
research1 much more good would have been
 done than has been accomplished1 and an
 immense amount of misdirected labour   
would have been saved4 ,but although    
many of the attempts at a change failed1
 yet some of them succeeded1 and have   
gradually produced ameliorations and    
improvements in the art of teaching4    
,still it must be observed1 that        
philosophy has had little or no share in
 the merit4 ,her labours in this        
important field have yet to be begun4   
,valuable exercises have no doubt been  
introduced2 but the principles upon     
which the success of these exercises    
depends1 remain in a great measure      
concealed from the public               
generally3--,and the reason of this is1 
that the public have been indebted for  
them to the art of the teacher1 and not 
to the science of the philosopher4      

,that this is not the position in which 
matters of so much public importance    
should continue1 we think no one will   
deny4 ,education must be cultivated as a
 science1 before teaching can ever      
flourish as an art4 ,the philosopher    
must first ascertain and light up the   
way1 before the teacher can1 with       
security1 walk in it4 ,experiment must  
be employed to ascertain facts1         
investigate causes1 and trace these     
causes to their effects4 ,by fair and   
legitimate deductions drawn from the    
facts thus ascertained1 he will be      
enabled to establish certain principles1
 which1 when acted upon by the teacher1 
will invariably succeed4 ,but without   
this1 the history of all the other arts 
and sciences teaches us1 that success is
 not to be expected2--for although      
chance may sometimes lead the teacher to
 a happy device1 there can be no steady 
progress4 ,even those beneficial        
exercises upon which he may have        
stumbled1 become of little practical    

value2 because1 when the principles upon
 which they are based are unknown1 they 
can neither be followed up with         
certainty1 nor be varied without danger4
  ,there will no doubt be a difficulty  
in the investigation of a science which 
is in itself so complicated1 and which  
has hitherto been so little understood2 
but this is only an additional reason   
why it should be begun in a proper      
manner1 and pursued with energy4 ,the   
mode of procedure is the chief object of
 difficulty2 but the experience and     
success of investigators in the other   
sciences1 will be of great advantage in 
directing us in this4 ,in the sciences  
of anatomy and physiology1 for example1 
the investigations of the philosopher   
are designed to direct the several      
operations of the physician1 the        
surgeon1 and the dentist2 in the same   
way as the investigations of the        
,educationist are intended to direct the
 operations of the ,teacher4 ,now the   
mode of procedure in those sciences for 

such purposes is well known1 and forms  
an excellent example for us in the      
present case4 ,the duty of the          
anatomist1 or physiologist1 is simply to
 examine the operations of ,nature in   
the animal economy1 and the plans which 
she adopts for accomplishing her objects
 during health1 and for throwing off    
impediments during disease4 ,in         
conducting his investigations1 the      
enquirer begins by taking a general view
 of the whole subject1 and then         
separating and defining its leading     
parts4 ,pulsation1 respiration1         
digestion1 and the various secretions   
and excretions of the body1 are defined1
 and their general connection with each 
other correctly ascertained4 ,these form
 his starting points2 and then1 taking  
each in its turn1 he sets himself to    
discover the principles1 or laws1 which 
regulate its working in a healthy       
state2--what it is that promotes the    
circulation or stagnation of the blood1 
the bracing or relaxing of the nerves1  

the several processes in digestion1 and 
the various functions of the skin and   
viscera4 ,these are all first           
ascertained by observation and          
experience1 and then1 if necessary1     
established by experiment4  ,these      
principles1 having thus been established
 by science1 are available for direction
 in the arts4 ,the physician acts under 
their guidance2 and his object is simply
 to regulate his treatment and advice in
 accordance with them4 ,in other words1 
he endeavours to imitate ,nature1 to    
remove the obstructions which he finds  
interfering with her operations1 or to  
lend that aid which a knowledge of these
 principles points out as necessary4    
,the surgeon and the dentist follow the 
same course1 but more directly4 ,in     
healing a wound1 for example1 the       
surgeon has to ascertain from science   
how ,nature in similar cases proceeds   
when left to herself2 and all his       
cuttings1 and lancings1 and dressings1  
are nothing more than attempts to       

imitate her in her healing operations4  
,so well is this now understood1 that   
every operation which does not at least 
recognise the principle is              
denounced--and justly denounced--as     
quackery2 and the reason is1 that       
uniform experience has convinced        
professional men1 that they can only    
expect success when they follow with    
docility in the path which ,nature has  
pointed out to them4  ,precisely similar
 should be the plan of operation pursued
 by the ,educationist4 ,he should1 in   
the first place1 take a comprehensive   
view of the whole subject1 and endeavour
 to map out to himself its great natural
 divisions2--in other words1 he should  
endeavour to ascertain what are the     
things which ,nature teaches1 that he   
may1 by means of this great outline1    
form a general programme for the        
direction of the teacher4 ,his next     
object ought to be1 to ascertain the    
mode1 and the means1 adopted by ,nature 
in forwarding these several departments 

of her educational process2 the powers  
of mind engrossed in each2 the order in 
which they are brought into exercise2   
and the combinations which she employs  
in perfecting them4 ,in ascertaining    
these principles which regulate the     
operations of ,nature in her educational
 processes1 the same adherence to the   
rules prescribed by the inductive       
philosophy1 which has crowned the other 
sciences with success1 must be rigidly  
observed4 ,there must be the same       
disregard of mere antiquity2 there must 
be the same scrupulous sifting of       
evidence1 and strict adherence to facts2
 there must be a discarding of all      
hypotheses1 and a simple dependence upon
 ascertained truths alone4 ,adherence to
 these rules is as necessary in         
cultivating the science of education1 as
 it has been in the other sciences2 and 
the neglect of any one of them1 may     
introduce an element of error1 which may
 injure the labours of a whole lifetime4
  ,we have some reason to fear1 that    

although all this will be readily       
admitted in theory1 it will be found    
somewhat difficult to adopt it in       
practice4 ,the reason of this will be   
obvious when we reflect on the deep     
interest which the best and most        
philanthropic individuals in society    
take in this science4 ,the other        
sciences are in some measure removed    
from the busy pursuits of life2 they are
 the concern of certain persons1 who are
 allowed to investigate and to          
experiment1 to judge and to decide as   
they please1 without the public in      
general caring much about the           
matter4--,but education is a science of 
a different kind4 ,its value is         
acknowledged by every one1 and its      
interests are dear to every benevolent  
heart4 ,the individual who undertakes to
 examine1 and more especially to        
promulgate1 any new principle upon which
 education rests1 will have a harder    
task to perform1 and a severer battle to
 fight1 than the philosopher who        

attempts to overturn a false conclusion 
in chemistry1 or an erroneous principle 
in mechanics4 ,among the learned        
community1 not more than one in a       
thousand perhaps is personally          
interested either in mechanics or in    
chemistry2 and few others will enter the
 lists to oppose that which appears     
legitimate and fair4 ,the enemies and   
opponents of the chemical reformer in   
that case may be zealous and even       
fierce2 but they are few1 and he enjoys 
the sympathy and the countenance of the 
great majority of those whose           
countenance is worthy of his regard4    
,but when we calculate the number of    
those who take an interest in the       
subject of education1 and those who do  
not1 the above numbers will be reversed4
 ,nine hundred and ninety-nine among the
 educated public will be found who take 
a real interest in the progress of      
education1 for one who cares nothing    
about it4  ,this is a fearful odds where
 there is a likelihood of               

opposition2--and opposition may be      
expected4 ,for there will be influences 
in many of the true friends of          
education1 derived from old prejudices  
within1 combined with the pressure of   
conflicting sentiments in their friends 
from without1 which will render the task
 of establishing new and sound          
principles in this first of the sciences
 an irksome1 and even a hazardous       
employment4 ,coldness or opposition from
 those whom we honour and love is always
 painful2 and yet it should be endured1 
rather than that the best interests both
 of the present and future generations  
should be sacrificed4 ,the opinions of  
all good men deserve consideration2--but
 when they are merely opinions1 and are 
not founded on reason1 they are at best 
but specious2 and when they are opposed 
to truth1 and are contrary to           
experience1 a zealous adherence to them 
becomes sinful and dangerous4 ,such     
persons ought to commend1 rather than   
blame1 the reformer in education1 when  

he declines to adopt ancient dogmas     
which he finds to be useless and        
hurtful3 ,and at all events1 if all have
 agreed to disregard the authority of an
 ,aristotle or a ,newton1 when opposed  
to new facts and additional evidence1   
the ,educationist must not allow himself
 to be driven from the path of fact and 
experience by either friends or enemies4
 ,no authority can make darkness        
light2--and although he may be opposed  
for a time1 and the public mind may be  
abused for a moment1 it will at last    
correct itself1 and truth will prevail4 
,but the friends of education ought in  
no case to put the perseverance of those
 who labour for its improvement to so   
severe a trial4 ,they ought in justice1 
as well as charity1 to cultivate a      
forbearing and a candid spirit2 and they
 will have many opportunities of        
exercising these virtues during the     
progress of this science4 ,education is 
confessedly but in its infancy2 and     
therefore it must grow much1 and change 

much1 before it can arrive at maturity4 
,but if there be an increasing          
opposition to all advance1 and if a     
stumbling-block be continually thrown in
 the way of those who labour to perfect 
it1 the labourers may be discouraged1   
and the work be indefinitely postponed4 
,let all such then guard against a blind
 opposition1 or an attempt to explain   
away palpable facts1 merely because they
 lead to principles which are new1 or to
 conclusions which are at variance with 
their pre-conceived opinions4 ,if they  
persevere in a blind opposition1 they   
may find at last that they have been    
resisting truth1 and defrauding their   
neighbour4 ,truth can never be the enemy
 of man1 although many inadvertently    
rank themselves among its opponents4    
,the resistance which has invariably    
been offered to every important         
discovery hitherto1 should be a beacon  
to warn the inconsiderate and the       
prejudiced against being over-hasty in  
rejecting discoveries in education2 and 

the obloquy that now rests on the memory
 of such persons1 should be a warning to
 them1 not to plant thorns in their own 
pillows1 or now to sow the wind1 lest   
they at last should reap the whirlwind4 
,,chap4 ,,iii4  ,on the ,improvement of 
,teaching as an ,art4   ,as ,education  
on account of its importance takes      
precedence in the sciences1 so ,teaching
 should rank first among the arts4 ,the 
reasons for this arrangement are        
numerous2 but the consideration of two  
will be sufficient4--,the first is1 that
 all the other arts refer chiefly to    
time1 and the conveniences and comforts 
of this world2 while the art of teaching
 not only includes all these1 but       
involves also many of the interests of  
man through eternity4--,and the second  
is1 that without this art all the other 
arts would produce scarcely any         
advantage4 ,without education of some   
kind1 men are1 and must continue to be  
savages1--it being the only effectual   
instrument of civilization4 ,it is the  

chief1 if not the only means for        
improving the condition of the human    
family1 and for restoring man to the    
dignity of an intelligent and virtuous  
being4  ,as ,science is the             
investigation and knowledge of          
principles1 so an art may be defined as 
a system of means1 in accordance with   
these principles1 for attaining some    
special end4 ,teaching is one of the    
arts2 and it depends as entirely for its
 success upon a right application of the
 principles of the science of education1
 as the art of dying does upon the      
principles of chemistry4 ,as an art1    
therefore1 teaching must be subjected to
 all those laws which regulate the      
improvement of the other arts1 and      
without which it can never be           
successfully carried on1 far less       
perfected4 ,these laws are now very     
generally understood2 and we shall      
briefly advert to a few of them1 which  
are necessary for our present purpose1  
and endeavour to point out their        

relation to the art of teaching4  #a4   
,one of the first rules connected with  
the improvement of the arts is1 that the
 artist have a specific object in view1 
for the attainment of which all his     
successive operations are to be         
combined4--,the manufacturer has his    
cloth in prospect1 before he has even   
purchased the wool of which it is to be 
composed2 and it is the desire of       
procuring cloth of the most suitable    
quality1 and by the easiest means1 that 
compels him to draw liberally and       
constantly from the facts ascertained1  
and the principles developed1 by the    
several sciences4 ,from the science of  
mechanics he derives the various kinds  
of machinery used in the progressive    
stages of its production2 and from the  
science of chemistry he obtains the     
processes of dying1 and printing1 and   
dressing4 ,but he never troubles himself
 about the science of mechanics or of   
chemistry in the abstract2 he thinks    
only of his cloth1 and of these sciences

 as means to assist him in procuring it4
 ,he is careful of his machinery1 and is
 constantly alive to the mode of its    
working1 and is thus prompted to adopt  
such improvements as observation or     
experience may suggest2 but it is not   
the machinery of itself that he either  
cares for1 or thinks about4 ,no2 it is  
still the cloth that he keeps in view2  
and his machinery is esteemed or        
slighted1 adopted or abandoned1 exactly 
in proportion as it forwards his object4
 ,the processes necessary in the        
different departments of his            
establishment1 are complicated and      
various1 and to a stranger they are both
 curious and instructive2 but it is     
neither the labour nor the variety that 
he is seeking4 ,his is a very different 
object2 and of this object he never     
loses sight2 for the varied operations  
of stapling and carding1 of spinning and
 weaving1 are nothing more than means   
which he employs for accomplishing his  
end4 ,he knows the uses of the whole    

complicated operations2 and he sees at a
 glance1 and can tell in a moment1 how  
each in its turn contributes to the     
great object of all1--the production of 
a good and marketable cloth4  ,now this 
law ought to be applied with the utmost 
strictness to the art of teaching4 ,for 
if teaching be really an art1--that is1 
a successive combination of means1--it  
should undoubtedly be a combination of  
means to some specific end4 ,nothing can
 be more obvious1 than that a man who   
sits down to work1 should know what he  
intends to do1 and how he is to do it4  
,such a line of conduct should be       
imperatively demanded of the teacher1   
both on account of the importance of his
 work1 and of the immense value of the  
material upon which he is to operate4   
,the end he has in view1 whatever that  
end may be1 ought to be correctly       
defined before he begins2 and no        
exercise should upon any account be     
prescribed or demanded from his pupils1 
which does not directly1 or indirectly  

at least1 conduce to its attainment4 ,to
 do otherwise is both injudicious and   
unjust4 ,for if the operations of the   
husbandman during spring have to be     
selected and curtailed with the         
strictest attention to time and the     
seasons1 how carefully ought the        
energies and the time of youth to be    
economized1 when they have but one short
 spring time afforded them1 during which
 they are to sow the seed which shall   
produce good or evil fruit for eternity8
 ,as to what this great end which the   
teacher ought steadily to contemplate   
should be1 we shall afterwards enquire2 
at present we are desirous only of      
establishing this general law in the art
 of teaching1 that there should be an   
end accurately defined1 and constantly  
kept in view2 and for the attainment of 
which every exercise prescribed in the  
school should assist4 ,the teacher who  
does otherwise is travelling in the     
dark1 and compelling labour for labour's
 sake2--like the manufacturer who would 

keep all his machinery in motion1 not to
 make cloth1 but to appear to be busy4  
#b4 ,another law adopted in the         
successful prosecution of the arts is1  
to use the best known means for         
attaining any particular end4--,this law
 is well known in all the other arts1   
and success invariably depends upon its 
adoption4 ,the fields are not now tilled
 by the hoe1 nor is cotton spun by the  
hand4 ,these modes of operating have no 
doubt the recommendation of antiquity2  
but here antiquity is always at a       
discount1 and no one doubts the         
propriety of its being so4 ,the arts are
 advancing2 and they who would impede   
their progress on the plea of not       
departing from the usages of antiquity1 
would be pitied or laughed at4  ,the art
 of teaching1 like the other arts1      
depends for its success on a strict     
adherence to this law2 and the fear of  
departing in this case from the         
particular usages of our ancestors is   
equally unreasonable4 ,soft ground in   

the valleys compelled them to travel    
their pack horses right over the hills1 
and the want of the ,jenny made them    
spin their yarn by the hand2 but still1 
the same principle which guided them in 
the adoption of those methods1 was      
strictly the one which we are here      
recommending1 that of using the best    
known means for accomplishing the       
particular end4 ,those who adopt the    
principle do most honour to their       
sagacity2 while their shallow admirers1 
by abandoning the principle1 and        
clinging to their necessarily imperfect 
mode of applying it1 at once libel their
 good sense1 and dishonour those whom   
they profess to revere4 ,as society is  
rapidly advancing1 paternal affection   
would undoubtedly have prompted them to 
advise their descendants to take the    
benefits of every advance2--and it would
 be as reasonable for us to suppose1    
that if they were now alive1 they would 
advise us to travel over the hills on   
their old roads1 or make our cloth in   

the old way1 as to think they would be  
gratified by our continuing to use      
exercises in education1 which sound     
philosophy and experience have shewn to 
be fallacious and hurtful1 or that they 
would be displeased by the use of those 
which extensive experiment has now      
proved to be natural1 easy1 and         
efficient4  ,these ancestral trammels   
have all been shaken off1 wherever the  
acquisition of money is concerned4 ,the 
mechanical processes of his forefathers 
have no charm for the modern            
manufacturer1 when he can attain his    
object more economically by a recent    
improvement4 ,neither does he go        
blindfold upon a mere chance1--seldom   
even upon a sagacious                   
conjecture1--unless there be some good  
grounds for its formation4 ,in every    
successive stage of his operations1 he  
is awake to the slightest appearance of 
defect2 and he hesitates not a moment in
 abandoning a lesser good for a greater1
 whenever he perceives it4 ,he husbands 

time2--he husbands expense2--he husbands
 supervision and risk4 ,every step with 
him is a step in advance2--every        
operation has a design2--every movement 
has a meaning2--and he makes all unite  
for the attainment of one common object4
 ,can we doubt that1 in like manner1 the
 most rigid economy of time and labour  
ought to be adopted in the art of       
teaching8 ,when the end has once been   
distinctly defined1 it ought steadily to
 be kept in view2 and no exercise should
 be prescribed which does not contribute
 to its attainment4 ,there should be no 
bustling about nothing2 no busy         
idleness2 no fighting against time2 no  
unnecessary labour1 nor useless         
exhaustion of the pupil's energies4 ,the
 time of youth is so precious1 and there
 is so much to be done during it1 that  
economy here is perhaps of more         
importance than in any thing else4      
,every book or exercise1 therefore1     
which has not a palpable tendency to    
forward the great object designed by    

education1 should by the teacher be at  
once given up4  #c4 ,another law which  
experience has established as necessary 
for the perfecting of any of the arts   
is1 a fair and honest application of the
 successive discoveries of science to   
its improvement4--,this has been the    
uniform practice in those arts which    
have of late been making such rapid     
progress4 ,the artist and mechanic are  
never indifferent to the various        
improvements which are taking place     
around them2 nor do they ever stand     
apart1 till they are forced upon their  
notice by third parties1 or public      
notoriety4 ,there is1 in the case of the
 manufacturer1 no nervous timidity about
 innovation2 nor does he ever attempt to
 deceive himself by ignorantly supposing
 that the change can be no              
improvement4--,nor will he suffer       
himself to be deceived by others4 ,his  
workmen are not allowed1 to save        
themselves future trouble1 to be        
careless or sinister in their trials of 

the improvement2 for he knows1 that     
however it may be with them1 yet if his 
neighbour succeeds1 and he fails1 it may
 prove his ruin4  ,such also should be  
the conduct of the teacher4 ,the time   
has now gone by when parents were       
ignorant1 either of what was            
communicated at school1 or the manner in
 which it was taught4 ,the improvement  
of their children by education1 has     
become a primary object with all        
sensible parents2 and they will never   
again be satisfied with a school or a   
teacher1 where solid instruction1 and   
the most useful kind of knowledge are   
not imparted4 ,ameliorations in his art1
 therefore1 is now as necessary to the  
teacher1 as improvements in machinery   
are to the mechanic and the             
manufacturer4 ,it will no longer do for 
him to say1 ,i can see no improvement in
 the change1 if the parents of his      
pupils have been able to discover it2   
and the teacher who stands still in the 
present forward march of society1 will  

soon find himself left alone4 ,the      
practical ,educationist1 like the       
mechanician1 ought no doubt to be       
cautious in adopting changes upon       
chance2 but wherever an improvement in  
his art has been sufficiently proved by 
fair experiment or long experience1 and 
particularly1 when the principle upon   
which its success depends has been fully
 ascertained1 his rejecting the change  
on the plea of inconvenience1 or from   
the fear of trouble1 is not only an act 
of injustice to the parents of his      
pupils1 but is a wrong which will very  
soon begin to re-act upon his own       
interests4 ,the effect of indifference  
to improvement in this1 as in other     
arts1 may not be felt for a time2 but as
 soon as others have made themselves    
masters of the improvements which he has
 rejected1 the successive departure of  
his pupils1 and the melting away of his 
classes1 will at last awaken him to a   
sense of his folly1 when it may be too  
late4 ,such has usually been the effect 

of remissness in the other arts2 and the
 present state of the public mind in    
regard to education1 indicates a similar
 result in similar circumstances4  ,in  
connection with this part of our        
subject1 it may here be necessary to    
remark1 that as the experience of all   
teachers may not be alike in the first  
working of a newly applied              
principle1--the principle itself1 when  
fully ascertained1 is not on that       
account to be either belied or          
abandoned4 ,there are many concurring   
circumstances1 which may make an        
exercise that succeeds well in the hands
 of one person1 fail in the hands of    
another2 but to refuse credence to the  
principle itself1 because he cannot as  
yet successfully apply it1 is neither   
prudent nor wise4 ,there are chemical   
experiments so exceedingly nice1 and    
depending on so many varying            
circumstances1 that they frequently fail
 in the hands of even good operators4   
,but the chemical principles upon which 

they rest remain unchanged1 although    
individual students may have not been   
able successfully to apply them4 ,if    
their professor has but once fairly and 
undoubtedly succeeded in ascertaining   
the facts on which the principle is     
based1 their failure for a thousand     
times is no proof that the ascertained  
principle is really a fallacy4 ,in like 
manner1 any important principle in      
education1 if once satisfactorily       
ascertained1 is a truth in the science1 
and will remain a truth1 whoever may    
believe or deny it4 ,if it has been     
proved to produce certain effects in    
certain given circumstances1 it will in 
all future times do the same1 when the  
circumstances are similar4 ,the         
inability1 therefore1 of a parent or    
teacher1 to produce equal effects by its
 means1 may be good enough proof of his 
want of skill1 but it is no proof of the
 want of inherent power in the principle
 itself4 ,the rings of ,saturn which my 
neighbour's telescope has clearly       

brought to view1 are not blotted from   
the heavens because my pocket glass has 
failed to detect them4  ,it has been by 
attention to these1 and similar rules1  
that all the secular arts have advanced 
to their present state2 and the art of  
teaching must be perfected by similar   
means4 ,there ought therefore to be a   
distinct object in view on the part of  
the teacher1--a specific end which he is
 to endeavour to arrive at in his       
intercourse with his pupil4 ,for the    
attainment of this end1 he must employ  
the best and the surest means that are  
in his power2 for the same purpose1 he  
ought honestly and fairly to apply the  
successive discoveries of science as    
they occur2 and should never allow      
himself to abandon an exercise founded  
upon ascertained principles1 merely     
because he at first finds difficulty in 
putting it in operation4     ,,chap4    
,,iv4  ,on the ,establishment of ,sound 
,principles in ,education4   ,the       
application of the foregoing remarks to 

our present purpose1 is a matter of     
great practical importance4 ,it has     
indeed been owing chiefly to their      
having been hitherto overlooked1 that   
education has been left in the backward 
state in which we at present find it4   
,but if1 as we have seen1 education must
 bend to the same rigid discipline to   
which the other sciences have had to    
submit1--and if teaching can be improved
 only by following the laws which have  
determined the success of the other     
arts--the question naturally arises1    
,what is to be done now for             
education8--,where are we to            
begin8--,how are we to proceed8--,in    
what manner are the principles of the   
science to be investigated1 so that they
 shall most extensively promote the     
success of the art8 and how is the art  
to be cultivated1 so that it may1 to the
 fullest extent1 be benefited by the    
science8 ,to these enquiries we shall in
 the present chapter direct our         
attention4  ,the method of investigating

 the operations of ,nature in the       
several sciences is very nearly alike in
 all4 ,for example1 in the science of   
chemistry1 as we have formerly noticed1 
the first object of the philosopher     
would be to take a comprehensive view of
 his whole subject1 and endeavour to    
separate the substances in ,nature      
according to their great leading        
characteristics4 ,he would at once      
distinguish mineral substances as       
differing from vegetables2--and         
vegetable substances as differing from  
animals2--thus forming three distinct   
classes of objects1 blending with each  
other1 no doubt1 but still sufficiently 
distinct to form what have been called  
the three kingdoms of ,nature4 ,the     
various objects included under each of  
these he would again subdivide according
 to their several properties2--and as he
 went forward1 he would endeavour1 by   
careful examination and experiment1 to  
ascertain1 not only their combinations1 
but also the characteristic properties  

of their several elements4 ,the chemist1
 in this method of investigating        
,nature1 almost always proceeds upwards1
 analytically1 advancing from the       
general to the special1 from the        
aggregate to its parts1 endeavouring to 
ascertain as he proceeds the laws which 
regulate their composition and          
decomposition1 for the purpose simply of
 endeavouring to imitate them4 ,by this 
means alone he expects to perfect the   
science1 and to benefit the arts4  ,in  
the science of ,botany1 ,zoology1       
,anatomy1 ,physiology1 and almost all   
the others1 the same plan has been      
adopted with invariable success4 ,the   
subject1 whatever it be1 is looked upon 
as a whole1 and then separated into its 
great divisions2--these again1 are      
subdivided into classes2 and these      
again1 into orders1 genera1 species1 and
 varieties1 by which means each minute  
part can be examined by itself in       
connection with the whole2 the memory   
and the judgment are assisted in their  

references and application2 and order   
reigns through the whole subject1 which 
otherwise would have been involved in   
inextricable confusion4  ,in education1 
as in the other sciences1 ,nature is our
 only sure teacher2 and the             
,educationist1 therefore1 who desires   
success1 must proceed in the            
investigation in a similar way4 ,he must
 first take a comprehensive view of     
,nature's educational processes2 divide 
them into their several kinds2 and      
subdivide these again when necessary1   
that each may be viewed alone4 ,he must 
then ascertain the nature and the object
 of these processes1 and observe the    
means and the methods employed for      
accomplishing them1 that he may1 if     
possible1 be enabled to imitate them4   
,in this way1 and in this way alone1 he 
is to perfect the science of education1 
and benefit the art of teaching4  ,that 
this is the best way yet known of       
proceeding in investigating and         
improving the science of education1     

experience has already proved2 and that 
it must theoretically be so1 we think   
can admit of little doubt4 ,the         
operations of ,nature exhibit the       
soundest philosophy1 and the most       
perfect examples of art4 ,the materials 
she selects are the most suitable for   
the purpose2 the means she employs are  
always the most simple and efficient2   
and her ends are invariably gained at   
the least expense of material1 labour1  
and time4 ,in the pursuit1 therefore1 of
 any object or end similar to that in   
which we find ,nature engaged1 man's    
truest wisdom is to distrust his own    
speculations1 and to learn from her     
teaching4 ,he should1 with a child-like 
docility1 follow her leadings and       
imitate her operations1 both as it      
respects the materials he is to employ1 
and the mode and order in which he is to
 use them4 ,were an artist to find      
himself at a loss for the want of an    
instrument to accomplish some particular
 purpose1 or some new material upon     

which to operate1 or some special1 but  
as yet unknown means for attaining some 
new and important object1--we are       
warranted by facts to say1 that the     
natural philosopher would be his best   
instructor4 ,for if he can be directed  
to some similar operation of ,nature1 or
 have pointed out to him some one or    
more of ,nature's pupils1--some animal  
or insect1 perhaps1--whose labour or    
object is similar to his own1 he will   
most probably find there1 or have       
suggested to him by their mode of       
procedure1 the very thing he is in      
search of4 ,by studying their methods of
 operating1 and the means employed by   
them for accomplishing their end1 some  
principle or device will be exhibited1  
by the imitation of which his own       
special object will most readily and    
most successfully be attained4 ,every   
day's experience gives us additional    
proof of the importance and soundness of
 this suggestion4 ,for it is a          
remarkable fact1 that there is scarcely 

a useful mechanical invention to which  
genius has laid claim1--and deservedly  
laid claim1--that has not its prototype 
somewhere in nature4 ,the same          
principles1 working perhaps in the same 
manner1 have been silently in operation1
 thousands of years before the inventor 
was born2 but which1 from want of       
observation1 or the neglect of its      
practical application to useful         
purposes1 lay concealed and useless4    
,this culpable neglect in practically   
applying the works and ways of ,god as  
he intended1 has carried with it its own
 punishment2 for thousands of the       
conveniences and arts1 which at present 
smooth and adorn the paths of civilized 
life1 have all along been placed within 
the reach of intelligent man4 ,if he had
 but employed his intelligence1 as he   
ought to have done1 in searching them   
out1 and had asked himself when he      
perceived them1 ,what does this teach   
me8 the very question would have        
suggested a use4 ,this accordingly will 

be found to be the true way of studying 
nature1 and one especial design for     
which a beneficent ,creator has spread  
out his works for our inspection4 ,in   
proof1 and in illustration of this fact1
 we may refer to the telescope1 which   
has from the beginning had its type in  
the human eye2--to the formation of     
paper1 which has been manufactured for  
thousands of years by the wasp2--to the 
levers1 joints1 and pulleys of the human
 body1 of which the mechanist has as yet
 only made imperfect imitations2--and to
 the saw of an insignificant insect1    
7the saw-fly7 which has never yet been  
successfully imitated by man4  ,in      
prosecuting our investigations into the 
science of education1 therefore1 our    
business is to study ,nature in all the 
educational processes in which we find  
her occupied1 and of which we shall find
 there are many2--to observe and collect
 facts2--to detect principles1 and to   
discover the means employed in carrying 
them out1 and the modes of their        

working2--to trace effects back to their
 causes1 and then again to follow the   
effects through their various           
ramifications1 to some ultimate end4    
,these are the things which it is the   
business of the ,educationist to        
investigate1 and to record for the      
benefit of the teacher and his art4     
,the duty of the teacher1 on the other  
hand1 is to apply to his own purposes1  
and to turn to use in the prosecution of
 his objects1 those facts discovered by 
the philosopher in the study of ,nature4
 ,he should by all means understand the 
principles upon which ,nature works1 and
 the means which she employs for        
attaining her ends4 ,he ought1 as far as
 circumstances will allow1 to arrive at 
his object by similar means2 chusing    
similar materials1 and endeavouring     
invariably to work upon the same model4 
,by honestly following out such a mode  
of procedure1 he must be successful2 for
 although he can never attain to the    
perfection of ,nature1 yet this is      

obviously the best1 if not the only     
method by which he can ever approximate 
towards it4     ,,part ,,ii4  ,,on ,,the
 ,,great ,,design ,,of ,,nature',s      
,,teaching1 ,,and ,,the ,,methods ,,she 
,,employs ,,in ,,carrying ,,it ,,on4    
,,chap4 ,i4  ,a ,comprehensive ,view of 
the several ,educational ,processes     
carried on by ,nature4   ,we have seen  
in the former chapters1 that the most   
probable method of succeeding in any    
difficult undertaking is to learn from  
,nature1 and to endeavour to imitate    
her4 ,the first great question with the 
,educationist then should be1 ,does     
,nature ever teach8 ,if he can find her 
so employed1 and if he be really willing
 to learn1 he may rest assured1 that by 
carefully studying her operations1 he   
will be able to detect something in the 
ends which she aims at1 and the methods 
which she adopts for attaining these    
ends1 that will lead him to the         
selection of similar means1 and crown   
him ultimately with similar success4    

,now we find that ,nature does teach2   
and in so far as rational beings are    
concerned1 whether angelic or human1 it 
appears to be her chief and her noblest 
employment4 ,in regard to the human     
family1 she no doubt1 at a certain      
period1 intends that the task should be 
taken up and carried on by parents and  
teachers1 under her controul2 but when  
we compare the nature and success of    
their operations with hers1 we perceive 
the immense inferiority of their best   
endeavours1 and are obliged to confess1 
that in many instances1 instead of      
forwarding her work1 they either mar or 
destroy it4 ,for in regard to the matter
 of their teaching1 it may be observed1 
that they can teach their pupils        
nothing1 except what they or their      
predecessors have learned of ,nature    
before2--and as to the manner in which  
it is taught1 it is generally so very   
imperfect1 that for their success1      
teachers are often indebted in no small 
degree to the constant interference of  

,nature1 in what is ordinarily termed   
the common sense of their pupils1 for   
rectifying many of their errors1 and    
supplying innumerable deficiencies4 ,of 
this we shall by and by have to advert  
more particularly4  ,the educational    
operations of ,nature are universal2 and
 she attaches large rewards to diligence
 in attending to them4 ,she evidently   
intends1 as we have said1 that the      
parent and teacher should take up1 and  
follow out her suggestions in this great
 work2 but even when this is delayed1 or
 altogether neglected1 her part of the  
proceedings is not abandoned4 ,nature is
 so strong within the pupil1 and her    
educational promptings are so powerful1 
that even without a teacher1 he is able 
for a time to teach himself4 ,in man1   
and even among many of the more perfect 
specimens of the lower creation1 ,nature
 has suspended the larger portion of    
their comforts and their security1 upon 
attention to her lessons1 and the       
practical application of that which she 

teaches4 ,the dog which shuns the person
 who had previously beaten him2 the     
infant that clings to its nurse1 and    
refuses to leave her2 the boy who       
refuses to cross the ditch he never     
tried before2 the savage who traces the 
foot-prints of his game2 the man who    
shrinks from a ruffian countenance2 and 
,newton1 when the fall of an apple      
prompted him to pursue successively the 
lessons which that simple event         
suggested to him1 are all examples of   
the teachings of ,nature1--specimens of 
the manner in which she enables her     
pupils to collect and retain knowledge1 
and stimulates them to apply it4        
,wherever these suggestions of ,nature  
are individually neglected1 there must  
be discomfort and danger1 and           
wretchedness to the person doing so2 and
 wherever they are not taken up by      
communities1 and socially taught by     
education of some kind or another1      
society must necessarily remain little  
better than savage4--,the opposite of   

this is equally true2 for wherever they 
are personally attended to1 the         
individual promotes his own safety and  
comfort2 and when they are socially     
taken up and followed out by education1 
however imperfectly1 then civilization1 
and national security1 prosperity1 and  
happiness1 are the invariable           
consequences4  ,the information which we
 are to derive from the ,academy of     
,nature1 is to be found chiefly in those
 instances where she is least interfered
 with by the operations of others4 ,in  
these we shall endeavour to follow her2 
and1 by classifying her several         
processes1 and investigating each of    
them in its order1 we shall assuredly be
 able to arrive at some first           
principles1 to guide us in imitating the
 modes of her working1 and which will   
enable us1 in some measure1 to share in 
her success4  ,when we take a           
comprehensive view of the educational   
processes of ,nature1 we find them      
arranging themselves under four great   

divisions1 blending into each other1 no 
doubt1 like the kingdoms of ,nature and 
the colours of the rainbow1 but still   
perfectly distinct in their great       
characteristics4  ,the first educational
 process which is observable in         
,nature's ,academy1 is the stimulating  
of her pupil to such an exercise of mind
 upon external objects1 as tends        
powerfully and rapidly to expand and    
strengthen the powers of his mind4 ,this
 operation begins with the first dawning
 of consciousness1 and continues under  
different forms during the whole period 
of the individual's life4  ,the second  
educational process1 which in its       
commencement is perhaps coeval with the 
first1 is ,nature's stimulating her     
pupil to the acquisition of knowledge1  
for the purpose of retaining and using  
it4  ,the third consists in the         
disciplining of her pupil in the        
practical use1 and proper application of
 the knowledge received2 by which means 
the knowledge itself becomes better     

understood1 better remembered1 and much 
more at the command of the will than it 
was before3--  ,and her fourth          
educational process consists1 in        
training her pupil to acquire facility  
in communicating by language1 his       
knowledge and experience to others4     
,the first of these four general        
departments in ,nature's educational    
process1 is the developement and        
cultivation of the powers of her pupil's
 mind4--,this part of ,nature's work    
begins at the first dawn of             
intelligence2 and it continues through  
every other department of her           
educational process4 ,for several months
 during infancy1 sensation itself is but
 languid4 ,the first indistinct         
perceptions of existence gradually give 
place to a dreamy and uncertain         
consciousness of personal               
identity4--,pain is felt2 light is      
perceived2 objects begin to be defined1 
and distinguished2 ideas are formed2 and
 then1 but not till then1 reflection1   

imagination1 and memory1 are gradually  
brought into exercise1 and cultivated4  
,it is the extent and strength of these 
faculties1 as we shall afterwards see1  
that is to measure the educational      
progress of the child2 and therefore it 
is1 that the first object of ,nature    
seems to be1 to secure their proper     
developement4 ,the child feels and      
thinks2 and it is these first feelings  
and thoughts1 frequently repeated1 that 
enable it gradually to extend its mental
 operations4 ,it is in this way only    
that the powers1 of the mind in infants 
are expanded and strengthened1 as there 
can be no mental culture without mental 
exercise4 ,while a child is awake1      
therefore1 ,nature prompts him to       
constant and unwearied mental exertion2 
by which means he becomes more and more 
familiar with external objects2 acquires
 a better command over his own mind in  
perceiving and remembering them2 and    
becomes more and more fitted1 not only  
for receiving constant accessions of    

knowledge1 but also for putting that    
knowledge to use4  ,the second part of  
,nature's educational process1 we have  
said1 consists in her powerfully        
stimulating her pupil to the acquisition
 of knowledge4--,this1 which we call the
 second part of ,nature's operations1   
has been going on from an early period  
of the child's history1 and it acts     
usually in conjunction with the first4  
,as soon as an infant can distinguish   
objects1 it begins to form ideas        
regarding them4 ,it remembers their     
shape2 it gradually acquires a knowledge
 of their qualities2 and these it       
remembers1 and1 as we shall immediately 
see1 is prompted to put to use upon     
proper occasions4--,it is in the        
acquisition of this kind of knowledge   
that the principle of curiosity begins  
to be developed4 ,the child's desire for
 information is increased with every new
 accession2 and for this reason1 its    
mental activity and restlessness1 while 
awake1 have no cessation4 ,every glance 

of the eye1 every motion of the hands or
 limbs made to gratify its curiosity1 as
 it is called1 is only an indication of 
its desire for information3--,every     
sight or sound calls its attention2     
every portable object is seized1        
mouthed1 and examined1 for the purpose  
of learning its qualities4 ,these       
operations at the instigation of ,nature
 are so common1 that they are scarcely  
observed2 but when we examine more      
minutely into their effects1 they become
 truly wonderful4 ,for example1 were we 
to hear of an infant of two or three    
years of age1 having learned in the     
course of a few months to distinguish   
each soldier in a regiment of ,negroes1 
whose features their very parents       
perhaps would have some difficulty in   
discriminating2 if he could call each   
individual by his name2 knew also the   
names and the uses of their several     
accoutrements2 and1 besides all this1   
had learned to understand and to speak  
their language2--we would be surprised  

and incredulous4 ,and yet this would be 
an accumulation of knowledge1 not much  
greater than is attained in the same    
space of time by many of the feeble     
unsophisticated pupils of               
,nature4--,infants1 having no temptation
 to depart from her mode of discipline1 
become in a short period acquainted with
 the forms1 and the uses1 and even the  
names1 of thousands of persons and      
objects1 not only without labour1 but   
with vast satisfaction and delight4     
,the training of her pupils to the      
practical use of their knowledge1 forms 
the third department in ,nature's       
educational process4--,this is the great
 end which the two previous departments 
were designed to accomplish4 ,this is   
,nature's chief object2--all the others 
are obviously subordinate4 ,the         
cultivation of the mind1 and the        
acquisition of knowledge were           
necessary2--but that necessity arose    
from the circumstance of their being    
preparatory to this4 ,nature1 in fact1  

appears to have stamped this department 
of her operations almost exclusively    
with her own seal2--repudiating all     
knowledge that remains useless1 and in a
 short time blotting it entirely from   
the memory of her pupils2 while that    
portion of their acquired knowledge1 on 
the contrary1 which is useful and is put
 to use1 becomes in proportion more     
familiar1 and more permanent4 ,it is    
also worthy of remark1 that the         
knowledge which is most useful1 is      
always most easily and pleasantly       
acquired4  ,the superior importance of  
this department of education is very    
observable4 ,in the previous departments
 of ,nature's educational process1 the  
child was induced to acquire new        
ideas2--in this he is prompted to make  
use of them4 ,in the former he was      
taught to know2--in this he is trained  
to act4 ,for example1 if he has learned 
that his nurse is kind1 ,nature now     
prompts him to act upon that knowledge1 
and he accordingly strains every nerve  

to get to his nurse2--if he has learned 
that comfits are sweet1 he acts upon    
that knowledge1 and endeavours to       
procure them2--and if he has once       
experimentally learned that the fire    
will burn1 he will ever afterwards keep 
from the fire4  ,last of all comes the  
fourth1 or supplementary step in this   
beautiful educational process of        
,nature4 ,it consists in gradually      
training her pupil to communicate the   
knowledge and experience which he has   
attained4--,it is probable that ,nature 
begins this part of her process before  
the child has acquired the use of       
language2--but as it is by language     
chiefly that man holds fellowship with  
man1 it is not till he has learned to   
speak that the mental exercise on which 
its success depends1 becomes            
sufficiently marked and obvious4 ,it    
consists1 not in the acquisition of     
language so much1 as in the use of      
language after it has been gained4 ,the 
pupil is for this purpose prompted by   

,nature to think and to speak at the    
same moment2--mentally to prepare one   
sentence1 while he is giving utterance  
to its predecessor4 ,that this is not   
the result of instinct1 but is          
altogether an acquisition made under the
 tuition of ,nature by the mental       
exertions of the infant himself1 is     
obvious from the fact1 that he is at    
first incapable of it1 and never        
pronounces three1 and very seldom two   
words consecutively without a pause     
between each4 ,this the child continues 
to do after he is perfectly familiar    
with the meaning of many words1 and     
after he can also pronounce each of them
 individually4 ,in giving utterance to  
the first words which he uses1 there is 
an evident suspension of the mind in    
regard to every thing else4 ,his whole  
attention appears to be concentrated    
upon the word and its pronunciation4 ,he
 cannot think of any thing else and     
pronounce the word at the same time2 and
 it is not till after long practice that

 he can utter two1 three1 or more words 
in a sentence1 without hesitation and a 
decided pause between them4 ,it is only 
by degrees that he acquires the ability 
to utter a phrase1 and at last a short  
sentence1 without interruption4 ,nature 
prompts the child to this exercise1     
which from the first attempt1 to the    
full flow of eloquence in the           
extemporaneous debater1 consists simply 
in commanding and managing one set of   
ideas in the mind1 at the moment the    
person is giving utterance to others4   
,this cannot be done by the child1 but  
it is gradually acquired by the man2 and
 we shall see in its proper place1 that 
this acquisition is entirely the result 
of a mental exercise1 such as we have   
here described1 and to which various    
circumstances in childhood and youth are
 made directly subservient4  ,here then 
we have the highway of education1 marked
 off1 and walled in by ,nature herself4 
,that these four great departments in   
her educational process will be much    

better defined1 and their parts better  
understood1 when experience has given   
more ample opportunities for their      
observation1 cannot be doubted2 and it  
is not improbable1 that future          
investigations will suggest a different 
arrangement of heads1 and a different   
modification of their parts also2 but   
still1 the great outline of the whole1  
we think1 is so distinctly marked1 that1
 so far as they go1 there can be little 
mistake2 and by following them1 we are  
most likely to obtain a large amount of 
those benefits which education is       
intended to secure4--,to excel ,nature  
is impossible2 but by endeavouring to   
imitate her1 we may at least approach   
nearer to her perfections4  ,it is not  
enough1 however1 for us to perceive the 
great outlines of ,nature's operations  
in education2 we must endeavour to      
follow her into the details1 and        
investigate the means which she employs 
for carrying them into practical effect4
 ,we shall therefore take up the several

 departments above enumerated in their  
order1 and endeavour to trace the laws  
which regulate her operations in each1  
for the purpose of assisting the teacher
 in his attempts to imitate them4       
,,chap4 ,,ii4  ,on the ,method employed 
by ,nature for cultivating the ,powers  
of the ,mind4   ,the first step in      
,nature's educational process1 is the   
cultivation of the powers of the mind2  
and1 without entering into the recesses 
of metaphysics1 we would here only      
recall to the recollection of the       
reader1 that the mind1 so far as we yet 
know1 can be cultivated in no other way 
than by voluntary exercise3--not by mere
 sensation1 or perception1 nor by the   
involuntary flow of thought which is    
ever passing through the mind2 but by   
the active mental operation called      
thinking1--the voluntary exertion of the
 powers of the mind upon the idea       
presented to it1 and which we have      
denominated reiteration1#a as perhaps   
best descriptive of that thinking of the

 presented idea over again1 by which    
alone1 as we shall see1 the mind is     
cultivated1 and knowledge increased4    
,it is also here worthy of remark1 that 
the cultivation of the powers of her    
pupil's mind1 as a preliminary to their 
acquiring and applying of knowledge1    
appears to be a settled arrangement of  
,nature1 and one which must be rigidly  
followed by the teacher1 wherever       
success is to be hoped for4 ,analogy1 in
 other departments of ,nature's         
operations1 proves its necessity1 and   
points out its wisdom2 for she is never 
premature1 and never stimulates her     
pupils to any work1 till they have been 
properly prepared for accomplishing it4 
,hence the consistency and importance of
 commencing the process of education1 by
 expanding and cultivating the powers of
 the mind1 preparatory to the future    
exertions of the pupil2 and hence also  
the wisdom of requiring no more from the
 child1 than the state of his mental    
powers at the time are capable of       

performing4 ,our object1 at present1 is 
to discover the means employed by       
,nature for accomplishing this          
preliminary object1 that we may1 by     
imitating her plans1 obtain the greatest
 amount of benefit4  ,in infancy1 and   
during the early part of a child's life1
 each of the thousands of objects and   
actions which are presented to its      
observation1 falls equally on the organs
 of sense1 and each of them might1 if   
the child had pleased1 have become      
objects of perception1 as well as       
objects of sensation4 ,but it is        
evident1 that till the mind occupy      
itself upon one or more of these        
objects1 there can be no mental         
exercise1 and1 of course1 no mental     
culture4 ,on the contrary1 if the mind  
shall single out any one object from the
 mass that surrounds it1--shall         
entertain the idea suggested by its     
impression on the organs of sense1 and  
think of it--that is1 review it on the  
mind--there is then mental exercise1    

and1 in consequence1 mental cultivation4
 ,from this obvious truth it necessarily
 follows1 that the cultivation of the   
mind does not depend upon the multitude 
of objects presented to the observation 
of a child1 but only on those which it  
really does observe1--which it looks at1
 and thinks upon1 by an active voluntary
 exercise of its own powers4 ,the child1
 no doubt1 might have smelt every odour2
 it might have listened to every sound  
that entered the ear2 and it might have 
looked upon every image that entered the
 eye2 but we know that it did not4 ,a   
few of them only were thought of1--the  
ideas which they suggested were alone   
reiterated by the mind1--and therefore  
they1 and they alone1 tended to its     
cultivation4  ,as this act of the mind  
lies at the root of all mental          
improvement1 during every stage of the  
pupil's education1 it becomes a matter  
of considerable importance1 that its    
nature1 and mode of operation1 should be
 thoroughly understood4  ,let us for    

this purpose suppose that a lighted     
candle is suddenly presented before a   
young infant4 ,he looks at it2 he thinks
 of it2 his mind is employed with the   
flame of the candle in a manner quite   
different from what it is upon any thing
 else in the room4 ,all the other images
 which enter the eye fail to make an    
impression upon the mind2 but this      
object which the child looks            
at1--observes1--does this2 and          
accordingly1 while it is passive as to  
every thing else1 the mind is found to  
be actively engaged with the candle4 ,he
 not only sees it1 but he looks at it4  
,this1 and similar reiterations of ideas
 by the mind1 frequently repeated by the
 infant1 gradually communicate to it a  
consciousness of mental power1 and      
enable him more and more easily to wield
 it4 ,every such instance of the        
reiteration of an idea1--of the         
voluntarily exercise of active          
thought1--strengthens the powers of the 
mind1 so that he is soon able to look at

 and follow with his eyes other objects1
 although they are much less conspicuous
 than the glare of a candle4  ,when we  
examine the matter a little farther in  
regard to infants1 we perceive1 that all
 the little arts used by the mother or  
the nurse1 to amuse the child1 as it is 
called1 are nothing more than means     
employed to excite this reiteration of  
ideas by the mind4 ,a toy1 for example1 
is presented to the infant1 and his     
attention is fixed upon it4 ,he is not  
satisfied with passively seeing the toy1
 as he sees all the other objects in the
 room1 but he actively looks at it4 ,nor
 is this enough2 the toy is usually     
seized1 handled1 mouthed1 and turned2   
and each movement prompts the mind to   
active thought1--to reiterate the idea  
which each of the sensations suggests4  
,these impressions are no doubt rapid1  
but they are real2 and each of them has 
been reiterated1--actively thought      
of1--before they could either be        
received1 or remembered2 and it is only 

by these impressions frequently         
repeated1 in which the mind is          
vigorously and delightfully engaged1    
that it acquires that activity and      
strength which we so frequently witness 
in the young4  ,at a more advanced      
period during childhood and youth1 we   
find the cultivation of the mind still  
depending upon the same principle4 ,it  
is not enough that numerous objects be  
presented to the senses of the pupil2 or
 that numerous words or sounds be made  
to vibrate in his ears2 or even that he 
himself be made mechanically to utter   
them4 ,this may be done1 and yet the    
mind may remain perfectly inactive with 
respect to them all3--,nay1 experience  
shews1 that during such mechanical      
exercises1 his mind may all the time be 
actively employed upon something else4  
,there must therefore1 not only be a    
hearing1 or a reading of the words which
 convey an idea1 but he must make the   
idea his own1 by thinking it over again 
for himself4 ,hence it is that mental   

vigour is not acquired in proportion to 
the number of pages that the pupil is   
compelled to read2 nor to the length of 
the discourses which are delivered in   
his hearing2 nor to the multiplicity of 
objects placed before him4 ,it is found 
entirely to depend upon his diligence in
 thinking for himself2--in reiterating  
in his own mind the ideas which he      
hears1 or reads1 or which are suggested 
to his mind by outward objects4 ,this is
 still the same act of the mind which we
 have described in the infant1 with this
 very important difference1 however1    
that a large portion of his ideas is now
 suggested by words1 instead of things2 
but it is the ideas1 and not the words1 
that the mind lays hold of1 and by which
 its powers are cultivated4 ,when this  
act therefore is successfully forced    
upon a child in any of his school       
operations1 the mind will be disciplined
 and improved2--but wherever it is not  
produced1 however plausible or powerful 
the exercise may appear to be1 it will  

on scrutiny be found to be totally      
worthless in education1--a mere         
mechanical operation1 in which1 there   
being no mental exertion1 there can be  
no mental culture4  ,in the adult1 as   
well as in the young and the infant1 the
 culture of the mind is carried on in   
every case by the operation of the same 
principle4--,however various the means  
employed for this purpose may be1 they  
all depend for their success upon this  
kind of active thought1--this           
reiteration of the ideas suggested in   
the course of reading1 hearing1         
observation1 or reasoning4 ,a man may   
turn a wheel1 or point pins1 or repeat  
words from infancy to old age1 without  
his mind's being in the least           
perceptible degree benefited by such    
operations2 while the mill-wright1 the  
engineer1 or the artist1 whose          
employments require varied and active   
thought1 cannot pursue his employment   
for a single day1 without mental        
culture1 and an acquisition of mental   

strength4--,the reason is1 that in mere 
mechanical operations there is nothing  
to induce this act of reiteration1--this
 active mental exercise of which we are 
speaking4 ,in the former case1 the      
individual is left to the train of      
thought in the mind1 which appears to   
afford no mental cultivation2--whereas1 
in the latter1 the mind is1 by the acts 
of comparing1 judging1 trying1 and      
deciding1 which the nature of his       
occupation renders necessary1 constantly
 excited to active thought1--that is1 to
 the reiteration of the several ideas   
presented to it4  ,these remarks may be 
thought by some to be exceedingly       
commonplace and self-evident4--,it may  
be so4 ,if they be admitted1 we ask no  
more4--,our purpose at present is       
answered1 if we have detected a         
principle in education1 by the operation
 of which the powers of the mind are    
invariably expanded and                 
strengthened2--an effect which1 so far  
as we yet know1 in its absence never    

takes place4 ,it is by means of this    
principle alone that ,nature            
accomplishes this important object1 both
 in young and old2 but its effects are  
especially observable in the young1     
where1 her operations not being so much 
interfered with1 we find her producing  
by its means the most extraordinary     
effects1 and that even during the most  
imbecile period of her pupil's          
existence4  ,in concluding this part of 
our investigation1 we would very briefly
 remark1 that the existence of this     
principle in connection with the        
cultivation of the mind1 accounts in a  
very satisfactory manner for the        
beneficial results which usually        
accompany the study of languages1       
mathematics1 and some other branches of 
education similar in their              
nature4--,these objects of study1 when  
once acquired1 may never afterwards be  
used1 and will consequently be lost2 but
 in learning them the pupil was         
compelled to think1--to exercise his own

 mind on the subjects taught1--to       
reflect1 and to reiterate the ideas     
communicated to him1 till they had been 
fully mastered4 ,the mental vigour which
 was at first forced upon the pupil1 by 
these beneficial exercises1 remains with
 him1 and is exercised upon other       
objects1 as they are presented to his   
observation in ordinary life4--,the mind
 in commencing these studies gradually  
emancipates itself from the mechanical  
tendencies which an improper system of  
teaching had previously formed1 and now 
gathers strength daily by this natural  
mode of exercising its powers4 ,it is   
the effects of this kind of discipline  
that constitute the chief element of a  
cultivated mind4 ,in this principally   
consists the difference between a man of
 liberal education1 and others who have 
been less highly favoured4--,his        
superiority does not lie in his ability 
to read ,latin and ,greek1--for these   
attainments may long ago have been      
forgotten and lost2--but in the state of

 his mind1 and the superior cultivation 
of the mental powers4--,he possesses a  
clearness1 a vigour1 and a grasp of mind
 above others1 which enable him at a    
glance to comprehend a statement2--to   
judge of its accuracy2--and1 without    
effort1 to arrange and communicate his  
ideas concerning it4 ,this ability1 as  
we have seen1 can be acquired only by   
active mental exercise1 and is not      
necessarily the result of extensive     
reading1 nor is it always accompanied by
 extensive knowledge4 ,it is the natural
 and the necessary product of mental    
discipline1 through which the above     
described act of reiteration1 like a    
golden thread1 runs from beginning to   
end4 ,it is the fire of intellect1      
kindled at first perhaps by classical1  
and mathematical studies2 but which now1
 collecting force and fuel from every   
circumstance of life1 glows and shines1 
long after the materials which first    
excited the flame have disappeared4  ,if
 then1 as we formerly explained1 the    

arts are to derive benefit from the     
investigations of science1 we are led to
 the conclusion1 that the wisdom of the 
,teacher will consist in taking         
advantage of the principle which has    
been here exhibited4 ,he should not     
speculate nor theorize1 nor go forward  
inconsiderately in using exercises1 the 
benefits of which are at least          
questionable2 but he ought implicitly to
 follow ,nature in the path which she   
has thus pointed out to him4 ,one chief 
object with him should be1 the          
cultivation of the minds of his pupils2 
and the only method by which he can     
attain success in doing so has now been 
stated4 ,he must invent1 or procure some
 exercise1 or series of exercises1 by   
which the act of reiteration in the     
minds of his pupils shall be regularly  
and systematically carried on4--,he must
 induce them to think for themselves1   
and to exercise the powers of their own 
minds deliberately and frequently1--in  
the same manner as we see ,nature       

operating in the mind of a lively and   
active child4 ,when he can accomplish   
this1 he will1 and he must succeed2     
whereas1 if he allow an exercise to be  
prepared where this act of the mind is  
absent1 he may rest assured that he is  
deceiving both himself and the          
child4--,the laws of ,nature are        
inflexible2 and while she will          
undoubtedly countenance and reward these
 who act upon the principles which she  
has established1 she will as certainly  
leave those who neglect them to eat the 
fruit of their own doings4--,but the    
pupil1 more than the ,teacher is the    
sufferer4 ,under the pure discipline of 
,nature in the infant and the child1    
learning is not only their business1 but
 their delight2 and it is only when her 
principles are unknown1 or violently    
outraged1 that education becomes a      
burden1 and the school-house a prison4  
,,footnotes3  #a ,note ,a4     ,,chap4  
,,iii4  ,on the ,means by which ,nature 
enables her ,pupils to acquire          

,knowledge4   ,the second stage of the  
pupil's advance under the teaching of   
,nature is that in which she prompts and
 assists him in the acquisition of      
knowledge4--,the importance of this     
department of a child's education has   
uniformly been acknowledged2--so much   
so1 indeed1 that it has too frequently  
absorbed the whole attention of the     
,teacher1 as if the possession of       
knowledge were the whole of             
education4--,that this is a mistake we  
shall afterwards see2 because the value 
of knowledge must always be in          
proportion to the use we can make of it2
 but it is equally true1 that as we     
cannot use knowledge till we have       
acquired it1 its acquisition as a       
preliminary step is of the greatest     
importance4 ,our intention is at        
present1 to enquire into the means      
employed by ,nature1 for enabling her   
pupils to acquire1 to retain1 and to    
classify their knowledge2 so that1 by   
ascertaining and imitating her methods1 

we may in some degree share in her      
success4  ,for some time during the     
early years of childhood ,nature is the 
chief1 or the only ,teacher2 and the    
contrast between her success at that    
time1 and the success of the parent or  
teacher who succeeds her1 is very       
remarkable1 and deserves consideration4 
,when we examine this process in the    
case of infants1 we see ,nature acting  
without interference1 and therefore with
 undeviating success4 ,within a few     
months after the child has attained some
 degree of consciousness1 we find that  
,nature1 under every disadvantage of    
body and mind1 has succeeded in         
communicating to the infant an amount of
 knowledge1 which1 when examined in     
detail appears very wonderful4--,the    
child has been taught to know his       
relations and friends2 he has acquired  
the ability to use his limbs1 and       
muscles1 and organs1 and the knowledge  
how to do so in a hundred different     
ways4 ,he has become familiar with the  

form1 the colour1 the texture1 and the  
names of hundreds of articles of dress1 
of furniture1 of food1 and of amusement1
 not only without fatigue1 but in the   
exercise of the purest delight1 and with
 increasing energy4 ,he has begun to    
contrast objects1 and to compare them2  
and this capacity he evinces by an      
undeviating accuracy in choosing those  
things which please him1 and in         
rejecting those things which he         
dislikes4 ,but above all1 the infant1   
along with all this substantial         
knowledge1 has been taught to understand
 a language1 and even to speak it4 ,the 
fact of all this having been            
accomplished by a child of only two or  
three years of age1 is so common1 that  
the mysterious principles which it      
involves1 are too generally overlooked4 
,we thoughtlessly allow them to escape  
observation1 as if they were mere       
matters of instinct1 and were to be     
ranked with the spider's catching its   
prey1 or the sparrow's building its     

nest4 ,but the principles which regulate
 these different operations are         
perfectly dissimilar4 ,in the case of   
the spider and the sparrow there is no  
teaching1 and1 of course1 no learning4  
,their first web1 and their first nest1 
are as perfect as the last2 but in the  
case of the infant1 with only two or    
three exceptions1 there is nothing that 
he does1 and nothing that he knows1     
which he has not really                 
learned1--acquired by experience under  
the tuition of ,nature1 by the actual   
use of his own mental and physical      
powers4  ,the benefits accruing to      
education1 from successfully imitating  
,nature in this department of her       
process1 will be incalculable2 not only 
in adding to the amount of knowledge    
communicated1 but in the ease and       
delight which the young will experience 
in acquiring it4 ,all must admit that   
the pleasure1 as well as the rapidity1  
of the educational process in the young1
 continues only during the time that    

,nature is their teacher2--and that her 
operations are generally checked1 or    
neutralized by the mismanagement of     
those who supersede her work1 and begin 
to theorize for themselves4 ,the proof  
of this is to be found in the fact1 that
 although a child is much less capable  
of acquiring knowledge between one and  
three years of age1 than he is between  
eight and ten2 yet1 generally1 the      
amount of his intellectual attainments  
by his school exercises1 during the two 
latter years1 bears no proportion to    
those of the former1 when ,nature alone 
was his teacher4 ,in the one case1 too1 
his knowledge was acquired without      
effort or fatigue1 and in the exercise  
of the most delightful feelings2--in the
 other1 quite the reverse4  ,that we    
shall ever be able to equal ,nature in  
this part of her educational process1 is
 not to be expected2 but that1 by       
following up the principles which she   
has developed1 and imitating the methods
 by which she accomplishes her ends1 we 

shall become more and more successful1  
there can be no doubt4 ,the method1     
therefore1 to be adopted by us is1 to   
examine carefully the principles which  
she employs with the young1 through the 
several stages of her process1 and then1
 by adopting exercises which embody     
these principles1 to proceed in a course
 similar to that which she has pointed  
out4  ,in prosecuting this plan1 then1  
our object must be1 first1 to examine   
generally the various means employed by 
,nature1 in the acquisition of knowledge
 by the young1--and then to attend more 
in detail to the mode by which she      
applies the principles involved in each4
  ,these general means appear to consist
 of four distinct principles1 which1 for
 want of better definitions1 we shall   
denominate ,reiteration1 ,individuation1
 or ,abstraction1 ,grouping1 or         
,association1 and ,classification1 or   
,analysing4#b  ,the first is the act of 
,reiteration1 of which we have already  
spoken1 as the chief instrument in      

cultivating the powers of the mind1 and 
without which1 we shall also find1 there
 can be no acquisition of knowledge4    
,the second is the principle of         
,individuation1 by which ,nature        
communicates the knowledge of single    
ideas1 or single objects1 by            
constraining the child to concentrate   
the powers of its mind upon one object1 
or idea1 till that object or idea is    
familiar1 or1 at least1 known4 ,the     
third is the common principle of        
,grouping1 or ,association1 and appears 
to depend1 in some degree1 on the       
imaginative powers1 by which a child    
begins to associate objects or truths   
together1 after they have become        
individually familiar2 so that any one  
of them1 when afterwards presented to   
the mind1 enables the pupil at a glance1
 to command all the others which were   
originally associated with it4 ,the     
fourth is the principle of              
,classification1 or ,analysing1 by which
 the mind distributes objects or truths 

according to their nature1--puts every  
truth or idea1 as it is received1 into  
its proper place1 and among objects or  
ideas of a similar kind4 ,this          
classification of objects is not1 as in 
the principle of grouping1 regulated    
according to their accidental relation  
to each other1 by which the canary and  
the cage in which it is confined would  
be classed together2 but according to   
their nature and character1 by which the
 canary would be classified with birds1 
and the cage among other articles of    
household furniture4 ,all knowledge1 so 
far as we are aware1 appears to be      
communicated and retained for use1 by   
means of these four principles2 and we  
shall now proceed to examine the mode in
 which each of them is employed by      
,nature for that purpose4  ,,footnotes3 
#b ,note ,a4     ,,chap4 ,,iv4  ,on     
,nature's ,method of communicating      
,knowledge to the ,young by the         
,principle of ,reiteration4   ,we have1 
in a former chapter1 endeavoured to     

describe that particular act of the mind
 which generally follows simple         
perception1 and by which an idea1 when  
presented to it1 is made the subject of 
active thought1 or is reiterated again  
to itself4 ,we have found upon good     
evidence1 that it is by this process1   
whether simple or complex1 that the     
powers of the mind are cultivated2 and  
we now proceed to shew1 that it is by   
the same act1 and by it alone1 that any 
portion of knowledge is ever            
communicated4#c ,no truth1 or idea of   
any kind1 can make an effective entrance
 into the mind1 or can find a permanent 
lodgement in the memory1 so as to become
 knowledge1 until it has successfully   
undergone this process4  ,there are two 
ways by which we usually acquire        
knowledge3--,the one is by observation1 
without the use of language1 and which  
is common to us with those who are born 
deaf and dumb2 and the other is through 
the medium of words1 either heard or    
read4 ,in both cases1 however1 the      

knowledge retained consists entirely of 
the several ideas which the objects or  
the words convey2 and what we are now to
 shew1 is1 that these ideas thus        
conveyed1 can neither be received by the
 mind1 nor retained by the memory1 till 
they have undergone this process of     
reiteration4 ,while1 on the contrary1 it
 will be seen that1 whenever this       
process really takes place1 the idea    
thus reiterated does become part of our 
knowledge1 and is1 according to         
circumstances1 more or less permanently 
fixed upon the memory4 ,we shall for    
this purpose endeavour to trace the     
operation of the principle1 both in the 
case of ideas communicated by objects   
without language1 and in those conveyed 
to the mind by means of words4  ,that   
this act of reiteration of an idea by   
the mind1 must take place1 before       
objects of perception can become part of
 our knowledge1 will1 we think1 be      
obvious1 from a consideration of the    
following facts4--,when1 for example1 we

 are in a crowded room1 or in the       
fields1 numerous sounds enter the       
ear1--thousands of images enter into and
 impress the eye1 yet not one of these  
becomes part of our knowledge till it is
 thought of2--that is1 till the idea    
suggested by the sensation1 has not only
 been perceived1 but reiterated by the  
mind4 ,this will appear to many so      
plain1 that any farther illustration of 
the fact may be deemed useless4 ,but    
experience1 has shewn1 that the         
illustration of this important process  
in education1 is not only expedient1 but
 is really necessary2 as the overlooking
 of this simple principle has often been
 the cause of great inconsistencies on  
the part of teachers4 ,we shall         
therefore endeavour to exhibit the      
working of the principle in various     
forms1 that it may be fully appreciated 
when we come to apply it4  ,let us then 
suppose two children taken silently     
through a museum of curiosities1 the one
 active and lively1 the other dull and  

listless4 ,it would be found on         
retiring1 that the former would be able 
to give an account of many things which 
he saw1 and that the other would        
remember little or nothing4 ,in this    
case1 all the objects in the exhibition 
were seen by both2 and the question     
arises1 ,why does the knowledge of the  
one1 so much exceed that of the other8  
,the reason is1 that the mind of the one
 was active1 while the mind of the other
 was in a great measure inactive4 ,both 
saw the objects2 but only one looked at 
them4 ,the one actively employed his    
mind--fixed his eye on an object1 and   
thought of it2 that is1 he reiterated   
the ideas it suggested to him1 whether  
as to form1 or colour1 or movement1 and 
by doing so1 the ideas thus reiterated1 
were effectively received1 and given    
over to the keeping of the memory4 ,the 
other child saw the whole2 they were    
perhaps objects of perception2 but he   
allowed his sensations to die away as   
they were received2 and his mind was    

left to wander1 or to remain under the  
dreamy influence of a mere passive and  
evanescent train of thought4 ,his       
attention was not arrested2--his mind   
was not actively engaged on any of the  
articles he saw2 in other words1 the    
ideas which they suggested were not     
reiterated4#d  ,now1 that it was the    
want of this mental reiteration which   
was the cause1 and the only cause1 why  
this very usual means of acquiring      
knowledge failed to communicate it1 may 
be proved we think by a very simple     
experiment4 ,for if we shall suppose    
that the child who was obtaining no     
knowledge by means of the various       
curiosities around him1 had been asked  
at the time a question respecting any of
 them1--a stuffed dog1 for example1--his
 attention would have been arrested1 and
 his mind would have been roused to     
active thought4 ,the words1 ,what is    
that8 from his teacher1 or companion1   
would have made him look at it1 and     
reiterate the ideas of its form and     

colour1 so far as to enable him to give 
an answer4 ,and if he does so1 it will  
be found afterwards1 on leaving the     
place1 that although he might have      
remained unconscious of the presence of 
all the other objects in the museum1 he 
will remember the stuffed dog1 merely   
because1 by the question1 the idea it   
suggested was taken up1 and reiterated  
by the mind2 while the sensations caused
 by all the rest1 were allowed to pass  
away4  ,there is another circumstance of
 daily occurrence1 which adds to the    
evidence that it is this principle which
 we have called reiteration1 which forms
 the chief1 if not the only avenue1 by  
which ideas find access to the mind2 and
 it is this3--,that when at any time we 
bring to recollection some former       
circumstance of life1 however remote1 or
 when we recall any part of our former  
knowledge or experience1 it comes up to 
the mind1 accompanied with the perfect  
consciousness1 that1 at the time we are 
thinking of1 this act of reiteration had

 taken place upon it2 that we most      
assuredly have thought of it before4 ,we
 are not more certain that it occupies  
our thoughts now1 than we are that it   
did so when it occurred2--that the      
operation of which we are at present    
speaking1 did actually then take place2 
and that it was by our doing so then1   
that it is remembered now4 ,this        
circumstance1 when duly considered1 is  
of itself1 we think1 a sufficient proof1
 that no part of our knowledge1--not a  
single idea1--can be acquired1 or       
retained on the memory by any other     
process1 than by this act of            
reiteration4  ,hence then it is plain1  
that all the knowledge which we receive 
by observation1 without the use of      
language1 is received and retained on   
the memory by the operation of this     
principle2 and we will now proceed to   
shew1 that the same process must also   
take place1 when our ideas are received 
by means of words1 whether these be     
spoken or read4  ,it is of great        

importance for us to remember1 that the 
only legitimate use of words is to      
convey ideas2 and that ,nature rigidly  
refuses to acknowledge any other use to 
which they may be put4 ,hence it is1    
that in conversation1 we are quite      
unconscious of the words which our      
friend uses in communicating his ideas4 
,nature impels us to lay hold of the    
ideas alone2 and in proof of this we    
find1 that we have only to attempt to   
concentrate our attention upon the words
 he uses1 and then we are sure to lose  
sight of the ideas which the words were 
intended to convey4 ,hence it is1 that  
our opinion of the style1 and the       
language1 and the manner of a speaker1  
when the subject itself is not familiar1
 are formed more by indirect            
impressions1 than by direct attention to
 these things while he speaks2 and      
oftener by reflection afterwards1 than  
by any critical observation during the  
time4 ,the reason of this1 we may remark
 once for all1 is1 that what the mind   

reiterates it remembers1--but nothing   
more4 ,if during the hearing1 it        
reiterates the ideas1 it will then      
remember the ideas2 but if it reiterates
 the words without the ideas1 it will   
remember nothing but words4 ,those      
therefore who sow words in the minds of 
the young1 hoping afterwards to reap    
ideas1 are as inconsistent as those who 
seek to gather grapes of thorns1 or figs
 of thistles4#e  ,knowledge is received 
by the use of words in two ways1--either
 by oral speech1 or by written language2
 but in both cases1 the reception of the
 ideas is still governed by reiteration4
 ,we shall endeavour to examine the     
operation in both cases4  ,let us       
suppose that a teacher announces to a   
class of young children1 that ,cain     
killed his brother ,abel1--and then     
examines the state of each child's mind 
in regard to it4 ,all of them heard the 
words1 but some only perhaps are now in 
possession of the truth communicated4   
,those who are so1 followed the teacher 

in his announcement1 not so much in     
reiterating the words1 as in reiterating
 the idea1--the truth itself2 and       
therefore it is1 that they are now      
acquainted with the fact4 ,of those who 
heard1 but have failed to add this truth
 to their stock of knowledge1 there may 
be two classes2--those who attended to  
what was said1 but failed to interpret  
the words2 and those whose attention was
 not excited at all4 ,those who failed  
to interpret the words1 or to extract   
the idea from them1 reiterated the words
 to themselves1 and would perhaps be    
able to repeat the words again1 but they
 do so in the same manner that a person 
reads or repeats words in an unknown    
tongue4 ,the idea1--the truth1--is not  
yet perceived1 and therefore cannot be  
remembered4 ,the others who remember    
nothing1 have reiterated nothing2 their 
minds remained inactive4 ,they also     
heard the words1 but they failed to     
listen to them2 in the same way as they 
often see objects1 but do not look at   

them4 ,here it is evident that every    
child who reiterated the idea in his own
 mind1 is in possession of the fact     
communicated2 and all who did not do so1
 even although they reiterated the      
words1 have no addition made to their   
knowledge2 which shews that it is only  
by this act of the reiteration of the   
ideas1 that any portion of our knowledge
 is ever acquired4  ,that this is a     
correct exhibition of the principle1 and
 a legitimate inference from the        
phenomena1 may be still farther proved  
by an experiment similar to one formerly
 recommended4 ,let the teacher1 in the  
middle of a story1 ask some of the      
inattentive pupils a question respecting
 some of the persons or things he is    
speaking about1 and force the           
reiteration of that part of the         
narrative in the child's mind by getting
 an answer1 and it will be found at the 
close1 that although he may remember    
nothing else of all that he heard1 yet  
he will most perfectly remember that    

part about which he was questioned1 and 
respecting which he returned an answer4 
,the same thing may be ascertained by   
our own experience1 in hearing a lecture
 or sermon1 or even in conversation with
 a friend4 ,in these cases1 as long as  
our attention is kept up1--that is1 as  
long as we continue to reiterate the    
ideas that we hear1--we may remember    
them2 but when our minds flag1 or       
wander2 in other words1 when we cease to
 reiterate the ideas of the speaker1 the
 sounds enter our ear1 but the matter is
 gone4 ,all that has been said during   
that period of inattention has been     
lost2 it never has formed1 and never can
 form1 part of our knowledge4  ,thus we 
see1 that in the act of hearing oral    
communications1 the principle of        
reiteration of the ideas is obviously   
necessary for the acquiring of          
knowledge2 and we shall now shew1 that  
it is equally necessary in the act of   
reading4  ,many persons must have       
witnessed children reading distinctly1  

and fluently perhaps1 who yet were not  
made one whit wiser by what they read4  
,the act of reading was correctly       
performed1 and yet there was no         
accession to their knowledge4 ,the cause
 of this is easily explained4 ,the ideas
 conveyed by the words have not been    
reiterated by the mind1--perhaps they   
were never perceived4 ,for as long as   
the act of reading is difficult1 the    
words undergo this process first1 and   
the ideas must be gleaned afterwards4   
,hence it is1 that children1 when       
hurried from lesson to lesson before    
they can read them so easily as to      
perceive and reiterate the ideas while  
reading1 acquire the habit of           
decyphering the words alone1 and the eye
 from practice reads mechanically1 while
 the mind at the moment is usually      
wandering1 or is engaged in attending to
 something else4 ,nature1 as we have    
before shewed in the act of hearing1    
does not intend that the mind should pay
 attention both to the words and the    

ideas at the same time2 and reading     
being only an artificial substitute for 
hearing1 is made subject to the same    
law4 ,it is the ideas that ,nature      
induces us to grapple with2 and the     
reading of words like the hearing of    
language1 is merely the means employed  
to get at them4 ,hence the necessity of 
children being taught to read fluently1 
and with perfect ease1 before they leave
 the school2 and the neglect of this is 
the reason why so many after leaving    
school1 derive so little instruction    
from the use of books4 ,of these        
individuals1 experience shews1 that     
many1 who on leaving school could not   
collect ideas by their mode of          
mechanical reading1 yet persevere1 and  
at last teach themselves by long        
practice to understand what they read2  
while there are not a few who1 in       
similar circumstances1 become           
discouraged1 abandon the practice of    
reading1 and soon forget the art        
altogether4  ,of the correctness of     

these facts1 every one may be convinced1
 by recollecting what must often have   
taken place with himself4 ,when at any  
time the mind is exhausted while        
reading1 we continue to read on1 page   
after page1 and when we have finished1  
we find1 that not a single truth has    
made its way to the memory4 ,now this   
did not arise from any difficulty in    
comprehending the ideas in the book1    
because it does not make much difference
 whether the subject has been simple or 
otherwise2 neither did it arise from the
 want of all mental activity1 for the   
mind was so much engaged as to read     
every word and every letter in the pages
 upon which we were occupied4 ,but it   
arose entirely from the want of that    
principle of which we are here speaking4
 ,the words were read mechanically1 and 
the ideas were either not thought of1 or
 at least they were not reiterated by   
the mind1 and therefore it is that they 
are lost1--and no effort can ever again 
recall them4 ,the proof of the accuracy 

of these views will still be found in   
the circumstance1 that if1 while the    
person is reading1 this act of the      
reiteration of some one or more of the  
ideas be in any way forced upon him1    
these ideas thus reiterated will        
afterwards be remembered1 although all  
the others are lost4  ,here then we have
 arrived at a principle connected with  
the acquisition of knowledge1 by        
attending to which education may be made
 most efficient for that purpose2 but   
without which1 education must remain a  
mere mechanical routine of barren       
exercises4 ,no idea1 no truth1 we have  
seen1 can ever form part of our         
knowledge1 till it has undergone this   
particular mental process1 which we have
 called reiteration4 ,if the idea1 or   
truth1 intended to be communicated1 be  
reiterated by the mind1--thought over   
again1--it will then be remembered3--but
 if it be not reiterated by the mind1 it
 never can4 ,it is also worthy of       
remark1 that the tenacity with which the

 memory keeps hold of any idea or truth1
 depends greatly upon the vigour of the 
mind at the time1 and still more perhaps
 upon the frequency of its reiteration4 
,if a child1 however languid1 is forced 
to this act of reiteration of an idea   
but once1 it will be remembered for a   
longer or a shorter time2 but if his    
mind be vigorous and lively1 and more   
especially if he can be made repeatedly 
to reiterate the same idea in his mind  
at intervals1 he will on that account1  
retain it much more tenaciously1 and    
will have it at the command of the will 
more readily4 ,hence the vividness with 
which the scenes and the circumstances  
of youth arise upon the mind1 and the   
tenacity with which the memory holds    
them4 ,these scenes were of daily       
occurrence2 and the small number of     
remarkable circumstances connected with 
childhood and youth having few rivals to
 compete with them in attracting the    
attention1 were witnessed frequently    
with all the vigour and liveliness of   

the youthful mind1 as yet unburdened    
with care4 ,they were of course         
frequently subjected to observation1 and
 as frequently reiterated by the mind1  
and have on these accounts ever since   
been vividly pictured by the            
imagination1 and continue familiar to   
the memory4 ,it also accounts for       
another circumstance of common          
occurrence4 ,for when1 even in early    
infancy1 any event happened which made a
 deeper impression upon the mind than   
usual1 that simple circumstance will    
generally outlive all its neighbours1   
and will take precedence in point of    
distinct recollection to the close of   
life4 ,the reason of this is1 not only  
the deep impression it made upon the    
mind at the moment1 but principally     
because it had so strongly excited the  
feelings1 that it was oftener thought of
 then and afterwards2--in other words1  
this act of reiteration occurred more   
frequently with respect to it than the  
others1 and therefore it is now better  

remembered4  ,this is a principle then  
of which the ,educationist should take  
advantage4 ,for if ,nature invariably   
communicates knowledge by inducing her  
pupils to exercise their own minds on   
the subject taught1 it is plain that the
 teacher should follow the same plan4   
,his pupils cannot remain mentally      
inactive1 and yet learn2 neither can the
 mere routine of verbal exercises either
 cultivate the mind or increase         
knowledge4 ,these are but the husks of  
education1 which may tantalize and      
weaken1 but which can never satisfy the 
cravings of the young mind for          
information4 ,their mental food must be 
of a perfectly different kind1          
consisting of ideas1 and not of words2  
and these ideas they must receive and   
concoct by the active use of their own  
powers4 ,the teacher must no doubt      
select the food for his pupils1 and     
prepare it for their reception1 by      
breaking it down into morsels1 suited to
 their capacities4 ,but this is all4    

,they must eat and digest it for        
themselves4 ,the pupil must think over  
in his own mind1 and for himself1 all   
that he is either to know or remember4  
,the ideas read or heard must be        
reiterated by himself1--thought over    
again1--if he is ever to profit by them4
 ,without this1 no care or pains on the 
part of the teacher1 no exertion on the 
part of the pupil1 will be of any avail4
 ,all the knowledge that he seems to    
acquire in any other way is repudiated  
by ,nature2 and however plausible the   
exercise may appear1 it will ultimately 
be found fruitless and vain4            
,,footnotes3  #c ,note ,b4  #d ,note ,c4
  #e ,note ,d4     ,,chap4 ,v4  ,on the 
,acquisition of ,knowledge by the       
,principle of ,individuation4   ,nature1
 as we have seen1 has rendered it       
imperative that the act of reiteration  
should be performed upon every idea     
before it can have an entrance into the 
mind1 or be retained by the memory2 but 
as the individual cannot reiterate1 or  

think over1 all the ideas suggested to  
him by the innumerable objects of       
sensation with which he is surrounded1  
it next becomes a matter of importance  
to ascertain the means employed by      
,nature for enabling her pupils to      
receive and retain the greatest number  
of ideas1 so that they shall ever       
afterwards remain at the command of the 
will4 ,this she accomplishes by the     
operation of the three other principles 
to which we have adverted2 namely1      
,individuation1 or ,abstraction1        
,grouping1 or ,association1 and         
,classification1 or ,analysis4--,we     
shall in this chapter attend to the     
principle of ,individuation1 and        
endeavour to trace its nature and uses  
in the acquisition of knowledge by the  
young4  ,the first thing in an infant   
that will be remarked by a close        
observer of ,nature is1 that while      
adding to its knowledge by observation1 
it always confines its attention to one 
thing at a time1 till it has examined   

it4 ,before the period when this        
principle becomes conspicuous in an     
infant1 the eye1 and the other senses   
are in a great measure inactive1 so far 
as the mind is concerned2 and the first 
indication of the senses really         
ministering to the mind is the eye      
chusing an object1 and the infant       
examining that object by itself1 without
 allowing its attention to be distracted
 by any thing else4  ,this operation    
takes place as soon as an infant is     
capable of observation4 ,it fixes its   
eye upon an object1 generally one that  
is new to it1 and it continues to look  
upon it till it has collected all the   
information that this object can give1  
or which the limited capacity of the    
infant will enable it to receive4 ,hence
 with stationary objects this           
information is soon acquired2 but with  
moveable objects1 or toys1 or things    
which are capable of varying1 or        
multiplying the ideas received by the   
child1 the look is more intense1 and the

 attention is sustained without fatigue 
for a longer time4 ,till this           
information has been received1 the child
 continues to look on2 and if the object
 be removed1 the eye still follows it   
with interest1 and gives it up at last  
with reluctance4 ,that by this          
concentration of its mind upon one      
object1 the infant is adding to its     
knowledge1 appears evident from the     
fact1 that objects which have already   
communicated their stock of information1
 and have become familiar1 are less     
heeded than those that are new or       
uncommon4 ,every new thing excites the  
curiosity of the child1 who is not      
content till that curiosity be          
gratified4 ,this has been called the    
love of novelty2--but it is not the love
 of novelty in the very questionable    
sense in which many understand that     
term4 ,on the contrary1 it is obviously 
a wise provision of ,nature1 suited to  
the capacity and circumstances of       
children1 which is to be taken advantage

 of1 for conveying such crumbs and      
morsels of knowledge as their limited   
powers are able to receive2 and which   
should never be abused1 by presenting to
 them an unceasing whirl of names and   
objects1--a process which fatigues the  
mind1 and leaves them without any       
specific information4 ,it is the same   
principle1 and is to be considered in   
the same light1 as that which induces   
the philosopher to confine himself to   
the investigation of one phenomenon till
 he understands it4 ,the information    
which the child is capable of receiving 
from each of the impressions then made  
is no doubt small2 but it is still      
information--knowledge4--,this is what  
he is seeking2 and1 at this stage of his
 progress1 it is only acquired by the   
concentration of the powers of the mind 
upon one thing at a time4  ,the effect  
of this principle in the infant is      
worthy of remark4--,while the pupil     
remains under the teaching of ,nature1  
there is no confusion1--no hurry1--no   

failure4 ,the tasks which she prescribes
 for him are never oppressive1 and are  
constantly performed with ease and with 
pleasure4--,although there be no        
selection made by the parent or teacher 
for the child to exercise his faculties 
upon1 yet he instinctively selects for  
himself1 without hesitation1 and without
 mistake4 ,all the objects in a room or 
in a landscape are before him3 yet he is
 never oppressed by their number1 nor   
bewildered by their variety4--,his mind 
is always at ease4--,he chooses for     
himself2 but he never selects more for  
his special observation at one time than
 he can conveniently attend to4 ,when   
the objects are new1 his attention is   
restricted to one till it be known2 and 
then1 but not till then1 as we shall    
immediately see1 he is able1 and        
delights to employ himself in grouping  
it with others4  ,in early infancy this 
attention to one object is protracted   
and slow1 till he gradually acquires    
sufficient energy of mind by            

practice4--,every one must have observed
 how slowly the eye of an infant of two 
or three months old moves after an      
object1 in comparison with one of       
ten4--,but even in the latter case1 when
 the glance is lively and rapid1 the    
same principle of individuation         
continues to operate4 ,the information  
from an unknown object must still be    
received alone1 and without distraction1
 although by that time the child is     
capable of receiving it more quickly4   
,he is not now satisfied with viewing an
 object on one side1 but he must view it
 on all sides4 ,he endeavours by various
 means to acquire every one of the ideas
 which it is capable of communicating4  
,his new toy is viewed with delight and 
wonder2 and his eye by exercise can now 
scan in a moment its different          
parts4--,but this is not enough2 he has 
now learned to make use of his other    
senses1 and he employs them also1 for   
the purpose of becoming better          
acquainted with the object which he is  

contemplating4 ,his toy is seized1      
mouthed1 handled1 turned1 looked at on  
all sides1 till all the information it  
can communicate has been received2--and 
then only is it cast aside for something
 else1 which is in its turn to add to   
his stock of knowledge4  ,the           
circumstance to which we would          
especially call attention at present is1
 the singleness of thought exercised    
upon the object1 during the time that   
the child is amused by it4--,he attends 
to nothing else1 and he will look at    
nothing else2 and were his attention    
forced from it for a moment1 this is    
evidently done unwillingly2 and1 when   
allowed1 it immediately returns to the  
object4 ,it is also worthy of notice1   
that if1 while he is so engaged1 we     
attempt to teach him something else1 or 
in other words1 to induce him to divide 
his attention upon some other new       
object1 the distraction of his mind is  
at once apparent2 we perceive that it is
 unnatural2 and we find by experience   

that he does not profit by either4 ,now1
 from these indications it must be      
evident1 that any interference with this
 principle of individuation in teaching 
any thing for the first time1 must      
always be hurtful3--on the contrary1 by 
attending to the principle1 and acting  
upon it in the training of the young1 it
 must be productive of the happiest     
effects4--,while acted upon1 under the  
guidance of ,nature1 its efficiency and 
power are astonishing4 ,it is by means  
of this principle1 that the infant mind1
 with all its imbecility and want of    
developement1 acquires and retains more 
real knowledge in the course of a few   
months1 than is sometimes received at   
school afterwards during as many        
years4--,few things are more cheering in
 prospect than the knowledge of this    
fact2 for what may we not expect from   
the man1 when his education while a     
child shall have been improved1 and     
approximated to that of ,nature6  ,the  
operation of the principle of           

individuation1 is not confined to the   
infant1 but continues to maintain its   
place during all the after stages of    
life1 whenever any thing new and        
uncommon is presented as an object of   
knowledge4 ,every thing is new to the   
infant1 and therefore this principle is 
more conspicuous during the early stages
 of education4--,but it is still equally
 necessary for the child or the youth in
 similar circumstances2 and ,nature     
compels him1 as it were1 still to       
concentrate the powers of his mind upon 
every new object1 till he has received  
and become familiar with the information
 it is calculated to furnish4--,every   
one must have observed the intensity    
with which a child examines an object   
which he has never seen before1 and the 
anxiety which he evinces to know all    
about it4--,it requires a considerable  
effort on his own part1 and still       
greater on the part of others1 to detach
 his mind from the object1 till it has  
surrendered the full amount of          

information which the young enquirer is 
seeking4 ,the boy with his new drum will
 attend to nothing else if he can help  
it1 as long as he has any thing to learn
 concerning it1 and the noises it is    
capable of producing4--,and even when he
 has tired himself with beating it1 he  
is not satisfied till he has explored   
its contents1 to find out the cause     
which has created the sounds4 ,the girl 
with her doll1 in the same way1 will    
voluntarily think of nothing else1 as   
long as it can provide her with mental  
exercise2 that is1 as long as it can add
 something new to her present stock of  
knowledge4 ,and it is here worthy of    
remark1 that the apparent exception in  
this case1 arising from the greater     
length of time that a doll and a few    
other similar toys will amuse a child1  
is in reality a striking confirmation1  
and illustration of the principle of    
which we are speaking4--,such toys amuse
 longer1 because it is longer before the
 variety of which they are capable is   

exhausted4--,the doll is fondled1 and   
scolded1 and cradled1 and dressed1 and  
undressed in so many different ways1    
that the craving for new ideas continues
 for a long period to be amply          
gratified2--but the effect would be     
quite different1 were the very same doll
 placed where it could only be looked   
at4 ,every new movement with the toy is 
employed by ,nature1 for the cultivation
 of the mental powers1 by reiterating   
the ideas thus imparted1 and on which   
the imagination delights to dwell2 and  
also in receiving a knowledge of        
individual objects and ideas1 which1    
when once known1 are to form the        
elements of future groupings1 and of an 
endless variety of information4  ,it is 
here of importance to recollect1 that   
almost all the information received by  
children1 is of a sensible kind4 ,they  
can form little or no idea of abstract  
truths4 ,the mind and the memory must be
 stored with sensible objects1--first   
individually1 and then by               

grouping1--before the child can arrive  
at a capacity for abstraction4 ,nature's
 first object1 therefore1 is to store   
the memory and imagination of the young 
with the names and images of things1    
which1 as we have seen1 are acquired    
individually1 and1 when once known1 are 
remembered for future use4 ,but those   
things which they have not yet seen1 or 
felt1 or heard1 or tasted1 are totally  
beyond their conception1 and cannot be  
of any service1 either in grouping1 or  
classification4--,hence the great       
importance of allowing the young mind to
 act freely in acquiring new ideas by   
this principle of individuation2 as     
without this1 all the lessons into which
 such ideas shall afterward be          
introduced1 must be in a great measure  
lost4 ,even adults can form no idea of  
an unknown object1 except by compounding
 it of something that they already know4
 ,and this is at least equally the case 
with children2 who1 till they can group 
and compare objects which they have     

seen1 can realize no idea of any thing1 
however simple1 that has not previously 
been subjected to the senses4--,hence1  
therefore1 the importance at this period
 of a child's education1 of confining   
the attention chiefly to sensible       
objects1 and of not confounding his     
faculties1 by too early an introduction 
of abstract ideas4  ,here then we have  
been able to detect the method by which 
,nature selects1 and enables her pupils 
to prepare the materials of which their 
future knowledge is to be compounded4   
,these materials are the ideas of       
sensible objects1 and their properties  
and uses2 which must be gathered and    
stored one by one4 ,by inducing them to 
attempt to seize even two at a time1    
they will most probably lose both1 and  
their powers of collecting and storing  
will1 by the same attempt1 be injured   
and weakened4 ,it is by means of this   
principle of individuation1 that1 with  
the most intense craving for            
information1 and while placed among     

innumerable objects calculated to       
gratify it1 the infant and the child    
remain perfectly collected1 without the 
slightest appearance of distraction of  
mind1 or confusion of ideas4 ,with his  
thirst of knowledge ardent and constant1
 it enables him with the greatest       
delight to add hourly to his stores of  
knowledge1 without difficulty1 without  
irritation1 and without fatigue4  ,the  
application of these truths to the      
business of education1 we shall attend  
to in its proper place2 in the meantime 
we may remark1 of how much importance it
 is1 that all knowledge communicated to 
the young be simple1 and that for some  
time it consist chiefly of sensible     
objects1 and their qualities2--objects  
which they either know1 or can have     
access to4 ,abstract subjects are not   
suited for children1 till they can      
group1 and classify1 and compare the    
sensible objects with which they are    
already acquainted4 ,the aim of the     
teacher1 therefore1 ought to be1        

strictly to follow ,nature in this early
 stage of her operations1 and to furnish
 food for his pupils1 of the proper     
kind1 and in proper                     
proportions2--keeping the thinking      
powers constantly in healthful exercise1
 by giving as many ideas as the mind can
 reiterate without fatigue2 but         
carefully avoiding all hurry or force1  
seeing that the powers of the mind are  
greatly weakened and injured by a       
multiplicity of objects1 particularly   
when they are presented so rapidly1 that
 the thoughts have not time to settle   
upon them1 nor the mind to reiterate the
 ideas which they suggest4     ,,chap4  
,,vi4  ,on the ,application of          
,knowledge by the ,principle of         
,association1 or ,grouping4   ,another  
principle which exhibits itself in the  
acquisition of knowledge by ,nature's   
pupils1 is that of grouping1 or         
associating objects together1 after they
 are individually known4 ,a child1 or   
even an infant1 who is frightened1 or   

alarmed1 or who suffers any severe      
injury1 remembers the several           
circumstances1 and has the place1 the   
persons1 and the things connected with  
the event1 all associated together1 and 
grouped into one scene or picture on the
 memory4 ,these objects may have been   
numerous2 but by the operation of this  
principle1 they have all been           
apprehended1 and united so powerfully   
with each other1 that no future effort  
of the child can either separate or     
obliterate any portion of them2 and so  
comprehensive1 that the recollection of 
any one of the circumstances instantly  
recalls all the others4  ,these         
groupings in the mind of a child1 formed
 chiefly by means of the imagination1   
are almost wholly compounded of sensible
 objects2 and the only necessary        
prerequisite for their formation appears
 to be a knowledge of the individual    
elements of which they are to be        
composed4 ,if an unknown object be      
presented to the mind in connection with

 the others that are known1 it is       
generally excluded1 and the things      
previously known retained4 ,for example1
 in the case supposed above1 of an      
accident occurring to a child1 there    
would be thousands of objects present1  
and all cognisable by the senses2 but   
not one of all these that were unknown1 
that is1 that had not previously        
undergone the process of individuation1 
is found to form part of the remembered 
group4  ,there is another circumstance  
connected with the operation of this    
principle in the young1 which is of     
importance4 ,almost the whole of a      
child's knowledge is composed of these  
groupings4 ,before the developement of  
the reasoning powers1 by which the      
individual is enabled to classify the   
elements of his knowledge1 there is no  
way of remembering these elements in    
connection with each other1 except by   
this principle4 ,if1 therefore1 we      
change the order or relative position of
 the elements or objects which compose  

the scene1 or group1 we draw the        
attention of the pupil altogether from  
the former1 and create another which is 
entirely new2--in the same way as the   
transposition of the figures in any sum1
 forms another of an entirely different 
amount4 ,the drawing-room1 for example1 
is seen by the children of the family   
with the fire-place1 the cabinet1 the   
sofas1 the tables1 and other stationary 
ornaments1 in certain relative          
positions1 and this grouping of those   
objects is to them in reality all that  
they know of the room4 ,any material    
change in shifting these objects to     
other places in the apartment1 would1 to
 the parent1 whose judgment is ripened1 
produce feelings comparatively slight2  
but1 to the younger branches of the     
family who group1 but cannot as yet     
classify1 it would appear like the      
complete annihilation of the former     
apartment4 ,the different arrangement of
 a few of the articles only1 would to   
them create another1 and an entirely    

different room4  ,this leads us to      
observe another circumstance connected  
with the operation of this principle1 in
 the instruction of the young1 which is 
the remarkable fact1 that1 by making the
 child familiar with a very few         
primitive elements1 a parent or teacher 
may communicate an almost infinite      
variety of groupings1 or stories1 for   
cultivating the mind1 and increasing the
 knowledge of his pupil4 ,hence it is1  
that hundreds of agreeable and useful   
little histories have been composed for 
children1 with no other machinery than a
 mamma and her child1 and the occasional
 introduction of a doll or a dog1 a cat 
or a canary bird4 ,to the child1 there  
is in these numerous groupings no       
appearance of sameness1 nor want of     
variety2 and although so much           
circumscribed in their original         
elements1 they never fail to amuse and  
delight4  ,the most important           
circumstance1 however1 connected with   
the working of this principle in the    

education of the young1 appears to be   
the necessity of a previous familiarity 
with the individual objects1 before the 
child is called upon to group them4 ,if 
this has been attended to1 the grouping 
of these into any combination will be   
easy and pleasant2--but if his attention
 be called from the group1 to examine   
exclusively even but one of its         
elements1 the operation is checked1 the 
mind becomes confused1 its powers are   
weakened1 and the grouping has again to 
commence under serious disadvantages4   
,to illustrate this point1 let us       
suppose a child introduced to the bustle
 and sports of a common fair4 ,here he  
sees thousands both of familiar and     
strange objects1 all of which are       
calculated to excite his mind to        
increased attention2 and yet the child1 
while greatly amused1 is still perfectly
 at his ease4 ,there is not the         
slightest indication of his being       
incommoded by the numerous objects about
 him2 no confusion of ideas1 no         

distraction of mind1 no mental distress 
of any kind2 but1 on the contrary1 in   
the midst of so much to see and to      
learn1 the young looker-on is not only  
at his ease1 but appears to be          
delighted4 ,the reason of this is1 that 
he is not by any external force         
compelled to attend to all that he sees2
 and ,nature within directs him to      
attend to no more than he is able to    
group1 or reiterate in his thoughts4 ,we
 shall endeavour to examine this        
condition of the child's mind in such   
circumstances a little more             
particularly4  ,the child in the        
circumstances supposed1 must either be a
 spectator in general1 or an examiner in
 particular2 in other words1 he must    
either employ himself with the principle
 of combination or grouping1 or with the
 principle of individuation1--but he    
never attempts to employ himself with   
both at the same time4 ,if he amuses    
himself as an observer in general1 he is
 engaged in grouping objects which are  

already familiar to him2 but while he is
 so engaged1 he never directs his       
attention to any one unknown object for 
the purpose of examining it for the     
first time by itself4 ,he passes over   
all the minute and unknown objects with 
a glance1 and attends only to the       
grouping or associating of those which  
are already familiar4 ,nature induces   
him1 while thus employed1 to pass by all
 these minute and unknown objects2      
because1 if he were to do otherwise1 his
 observation in general would instantly 
be recalled1 and his whole attention    
would be monopolized by the object which
 he had resolved to examine1 to the     
exclusion of every other for the time4  
,this1 however1 is not what he seeks2   
and he employs himself entirely in the  
grouping of things which are already    
known4 ,his mind is left at ease1 and in
 the possession of all its powers2 he   
looks only at those things which please 
him2 and he passes over all the others  
without effort or difficulty4  ,but if  

the boy shall come to something strange 
and new1 which he is desirous of        
studying more closely1 he immediately   
becomes an examiner in particular2 but1 
at the same moment1 he ceases to be an  
observer in general4 ,the extended      
business of the fair1 and the several   
groupings of which it is composed1 are  
lost sight of for the moment2--the      
principle of individuation begins to    
act1 and the operation of the principle 
of association1 or grouping1 is at the  
same moment brought to a stand4 ,the two
 are incompatible1 and cannot act       
together2 and therefore ,nature never   
allows the one to interfere with the    
other4  ,to shew the evil effects of    
overlooking this important law of       
,nature in the education of a child1 we 
have only to attend to the painful      
results which would be the consequence  
of acting contrary to it1 even in the   
vigorous mind of an adult4 ,let us for  
this purpose suppose a person of a      
powerful understanding1 and a capacious 

mind1 ushered for the first time1 and   
for only five minutes into a crowded    
apartment in some eastern caravansary1  
or eastern bazaar1 in which every thing 
to him was new and strange2 and let us  
also suppose that it was imperatively   
demanded of him1 that he should1 in that
 short space of time1 make himself      
acquainted with all that was going on1  
and be able1 on his retiring1 minutely  
to describe all that he saw4 ,the first 
moment he entered1 and the first strange
 object that caught his eye1 would      
convince him that the thing was         
impossible4 ,if1 without such a demand1 
he had been introduced into such a      
place1 and had seen various groups of   
strange persons differently employed1   
each engaged in a manner altogether new 
to him1 and the nature of which was     
wholly unknown1 he might look on with   
perfect composure1 and considerable     
amusement1 because he could attend1 like
 the boy in the fair1 either to the     
general mass1 to isolated groups1 or to 

individual things4 ,he would in that    
case attend to no more than he was able 
to understand2 and would placidly allow 
the other parts of the scene to pass    
without any particular attention4 ,but  
the imperative injunction here          
supposed1--this pressure from           
without1--this artificial and unnatural 
demand upon him1--entirely alters the   
case4 ,if he even attempted to make     
himself master of all the particulars of
 the scene in a circumscribed portion of
 time1 he would find himself bewildered 
and confounded4 ,the very attempt to    
individualize and to group so many      
various objects at the same moment1     
within such a limited period1 would be  
enough to prostrate all the powers of   
his mind4 ,he might perhaps be able to  
observe the persons and their costume1  
because varieties of persons and dresses
 are daily and constantly objects of    
observation1 and are grouped without    
difficulty2 but of their several        
employments1 of which he was previously 

ignorant1 he could know nothing1 and on 
retiring1 he would neither be able to   
remember nor to describe them4 ,in such 
an experiment1 it would be found1 that  
the more anxious he was to perfect his  
task and to answer the demand1 in the   
same proportion would he find himself   
harassed and distressed1 and the powers 
of his mind overstretched and weakened4 
,and if this would be the result of     
confounding the principles of           
individuation and grouping in an        
adult1--a person of good understanding1 
and of vigorous mind1--how much more    
hurtful must such a task be1 when       
demanded from children or youths of     
ordinary capacity1 during their         
attendance at school6  ,few we believe  
will doubt the general accuracy of the  
above results in the cases              
supposed2--but some may perhaps         
question1 whether they really do arise  
from the interference of these two      
antagonist principles during the        
experiment4 ,to shew that this is the   

real cause of the distress felt1 and the
 weakness and prostration of mind       
produced during it1 we have only to     
institute another experiment which is   
exactly parallel4 ,let us suppose the   
same person1 and for the same limited   
period1 ushered into the traveller's    
room in a well frequented hotel1 and let
 us also suppose1 that the very same    
demand is made imperative1 that he shall
 observe1 and again detail when he      
retires1 all that he sees4 ,let us also 
suppose1 that the number of persons here
 is equally great1 and that their       
employments are all equally diversified1
 but that each is familiar to him2 and  
we will at once see that the difficulty 
of the task is really as nothing4 ,a    
child could accomplish it4 ,his eye     
would be able to group the whole in an  
instant1 without effort1 and without    
fatigue4 ,if he saw one party at supper1
 another at tea1 another group at cards1
 and others amusing themselves at       
draughts and backgammon2 one minute     

instead of five1 would be quite enough  
to make him master of the whole4 ,on    
retiring1 he would be able to tell the  
employment of every group in the room2  
and if any of his acquaintances had made
 part of the number1 he would be able to
 tell who they were1 where they were    
sitting1 and how they were occupied4 ,in
 doing all this he would find no        
difficulty2 and yet the knowledge he has
 received is entirely new1 and so       
extensive1 that it would take at least  
ten fold more time to rehearse it1 than 
it took to acquire it4 ,the entire scene
 also would be permanently imprinted by 
the imagination upon the memory2 and the
 whole1 or any part of it1 could be     
recalled1 and reviewed1 and rehearsed1  
at any future period4 ,here then are two
 cases1 precisely similar in their      
nature1 and undertaken by the very same 
person1 where the results are widely    
different2 and we now see1 that the     
difference arises entirely from the     
principle of individuation having       

prepared the way in the one case1 while 
it was not allowed to operate in the    
other4  ,from these circumstances taken 
together1 we perceive1 that the grouping
 of objects1 when once they are         
individually familiar1 is never a       
difficult task1 but is rather one of    
gratification and pleasure2--and we also
 are taught1 that the amount of         
knowledge thus pleasantly communicated  
to a child may be most extensive and    
valuable1 while the materials necessary 
for the purpose1 being comparatively    
few1 may be previously rendered familiar
 with very little exertion4 ,it is the  
confounding of these two principles in  
the communication of knowledge1 that    
makes learning appear so forbidding to  
the young1 and prevents that cultivation
 of the mental powers by their exercises
 which these would otherwise infallibly 
produce4 ,by keeping each in its proper 
place1 a child will soon acquire a      
thorough knowledge of the few elements  
necessary for the purpose2 and these1   

when acquired1 may be grouped by the    
teacher into thousands of forms1 for    
extending the knowledge1 and for        
invigorating the mind of his delighted  
pupil4  ,the benevolence and wisdom of  
this beautiful arrangement in the       
educational process of ,nature1 are     
truly wonderful2 and in proportion as it
 is so1 every deviation from it on our  
parts will be attended with             
disappointment and evil4 ,if all our    
ideas were to be acquired and retained  
by the principle of individuation alone1
 the memory being without help or       
resting place1 would soon become so     
overpowered by their number1 that our   
knowledge would be greatly              
circumscribed1 and its use impeded4 ,of 
the benefits arising from attention to  
the principle we have many apt          
illustrations in ordinary life1 among   
which the various groupings of the ten  
numeral figures into sums of any amount1
 and the forming of so many thousands of
 words by a different arrangement of the

 letters of the alphabet1 are familiar  
examples4 ,when a child knows the ten   
numerals1 he requires no more teaching  
to ascertain the precise amount of any  
one number among all the millions which 
these figures can represent4 ,the value 
of such an acquirement can only be      
appreciated by considering the labour it
 would cost a child to gain a knowledge 
of all these sums individually1 and the 
overwhelming burden laid upon his memory
 if each of the millions of sums had to 
be remembered by a separate character4  
,by the knowledge and various groupings 
of only ten such characters1 the whole  
of this mighty burden is removed4  ,in  
the art of writing1 the same principle  
is brought into operation with complete 
success1 by the combination1 or various 
groupings of the twenty-six letters of  
the common ,roman alphabet in the       
formation of words4 ,the value of this  
adaptation of the principle will be     
obvious1 if we shall suppose1 that a    
person who is acquainted with all the   

modern ,european languages1 had been    
compelled to discriminate1 and continue 
to remember1 a distinct arbitrary mark  
or character for the many thousands of  
words contained in each4 ,we may not be 
warranted1 perhaps1 to say that such a  
task would be impossible2 but that it   
would be inconceivably burdensome can   
admit of no doubt4 ,we have1 indeed1 in 
the writings of the ,chinese1 although  
it is but one language1 a living        
monument of the evil effects of the     
neglect of this principle in literature1
 and the unceasing inconveniences which 
daily arise from that empire continuing 
to persevere in it4 ,there is           
comparatively but little combination of 
characters in their words1 and the      
consequences are remarkable4 ,in that   
extensive empire1 the highest rewards1  
and the chief posts of honour and       
emolument1 are held out to those who are
 most learned1 whatever be their rank or
 their station2 and yet1 amidst a       
population immersed in poverty and      

wretchedness1 not one person in a       
thousand can master even one of their   
books2 and not one in ten thousand of   
those who profess to read1 is able to   
peruse them all4 ,the reason of this    
simply is1 the neglect of this natural  
principle of grouping letters1 or the   
signs of sounds1 in their written       
language4 ,with us1 the elements of all 
the words in all the ,european languages
 are only twenty-six2 and the child who 
has once mastered the combination of    
these1 in any one of our books1 has the 
whole of our literature at his command4 
,the application of this principle to   
the elements of general knowledge is    
equally necessary1 as its application to
 written language4 ,the difficulty of   
remembering the many thousands of       
unconnected characters in ,chinese      
literature1 is an exact emblem of what  
will always be the case with children in
 respect to their general knowledge1    
when this principle of association1 or  
grouping1 is neglected4 ,adults acquire 

and retain a large portion of their     
knowledge1 as we shall afterwards see1  
by the principle of classification and  
analysis2 but children are not as yet   
capable of this2 and they must receive  
their knowledge by the grouping of a few
 simple elements previously known1 or   
they will not be able to receive and    
retain knowledge at all4 ,the amount of 
this knowledge also1 it should be kept  
in mind1 is not at all in proportion to 
the number or the variety of the        
elements of which that knowledge is     
composed4 ,we have formerly alluded to  
this1 and it may be farther illustrated 
by a circumstance of daily occurrence4  
,a seaman when he observes a vessel at a
 distance knows her class and character 
in an instant1 whether she be a sloop or
 a brig1 a schooner or a ship1 and he   
forms an instantaneous idea of all her  
parts grouped into a whole4 ,his memory1
 instead of being harassed in           
remembering the shape1 and place1 and   
position of each of its several parts1  

is relieved of the whole by the         
operation of this principle of          
association4 ,the whole rigging1 about  
which his mind is occupied1 is composed 
of only three elements1--ropes1 and     
spars1 and sails1--with each of which he
 has long ago made himself familiar4    
,all the remaining parts of this kind of
 knowledge are a mere matter of         
grouping4 ,by previously observing the  
varied arrangement of the spars1 and    
ropes1 and sails1 on the several masts  
of the different kinds of vessels1 he   
has already grouped them into one whole1
 and each is remembered by itself       
without effort1 and without mistake4    
,they are retained1 as it were1 painted 
by the imagination upon the memory1 and 
may at any after period be recalled and 
reviewed at pleasure4 ,hence the sight  
of a vessel in the distance calls up the
 former pictures to the mind1 and       
enables the practised eye of the mariner
 to decide at once as to the kind and   
character of what he so imperfectly     

sees4--,this helps also to explain the  
reason why children are so gratified    
with pictures when presented to the eye2
 and why they are best pleased when the 
figures are most simple and distinct1   
and particularly1 when the objects      
grouped in the picture have previously  
been familiar4 ,pictures are indeed a   
pretty close imitation of ,nature in    
this part of her work2 and they are     
defective chiefly on account of their   
want of motion and continuity4 ,these   
last are two great and inimitable       
characteristics in all the groupings    
painted upon the memory by the          
imagination4  ,from all this it is      
obvious1 that there is an essential     
difference between a child's acquiring  
the knowledge of things individually1   
and acquiring a knowledge of their      
several associations4 ,the two must     
never1 if possible1 be confounded with  
each other4 ,when they are kept distinct
 in the education of a child1 he has an 
evident pleasure in attending to either2

 but as soon as they are allowed to     
interfere1 and more especially when they
 are systematically blended together in 
the same exercise1 he experiences       
confusion1 irritation1 and fatigue4     
,there is no necessity1 however1 for    
this ever being the case4 ,all that is  
required is1 that the few individual    
elements that are to be grouped or      
associated in a lesson1 whether they be 
objects or ideas1 shall previously be   
made familiar to the pupil4 ,these1 when
 once known1 may be brought before the  
mind of the child in any variety of     
order or form1 and will be received     
readily and pleasantly1 and will be     
retained by the memory without          
confusion1 and without effort4 ,by      
attention to these two principles1      
keeping each in its proper place1 and   
bringing each to aid and uphold the     
other in its proper order1 it will be   
found1 that a child may be taught more  
real knowledge in one week1 than is     
often communicated in other             

circumstances in the course of a year4  
,,chap4 ,,vii4  ,on the ,acquisition of 
,knowledge by the ,principle of         
,analysis1 or ,classification4   ,there 
is yet another principle brought into   
operation by ,nature to enable her      
pupils to receive1 to retain1 and to    
make use of their knowledge4 ,this is   
the principle of ,classification1 or    
,analysis4#f ,the difference between    
this and the former principle described 
we think is sufficiently marked4 ,the   
principle of ,association1 or ,grouping1
 is carried on chiefly by means of the  
imagination1 and begins to operate as   
soon as the mind is capable of imagining
 any thing2 but the principle of        
,classification1 or ,analysis1 is more  
intimately connected with the judgment4 
,the consequence of this is1 that it is 
but very partially called into action   
during the early stages of a child's    
education1 and is never able to operate 
with vigour1 till the reasoning powers  
of the pupil begin to develope          

themselves4  ,the characteristic        
differences between the two principles1 
and their respective uses in education1 
may be illustrated by a circumstance of 
every-day occurrence4 ,for example1 a   
child who from infancy has been brought 
up in a house of several apartments1    
gets acquainted with each of the rooms  
by means of its contents4 ,he has been  
in the habit of seeing the heavy pieces 
of furniture in each apartment in a     
certain place and order1 and the room   
and its furniture1 therefore1 are       
identified together1 and remain painted 
upon his imagination exactly as he has  
been in the habit of seeing them4 ,in   
this case1 the articles of furniture in 
the room are grouped1 and not           
classified2 and are remembered together1
 not on account of their nature and     
uses1 but purely on account of their    
position1 and their relative arrangement
 in the room4 ,most of our readers      
perhaps1 will remember the strange      
feelings produced in their minds during 

some period of their childhood1 when in 
the house of their infancy1 some        
material alteration of this kind was    
effected in one or more of the rooms4 ,a
 change in the position of a bed1 or the
 abstraction or introduction of a chest 
of drawers1 a wardrobe1 or other bulky  
piece of furniture1 causes in the mind  
of the child an effect much deeper1 and 
more extensive1 than in the adult4 ,the 
former picture of the place never having
 been observed or contemplated in any   
other aspect1 is painted by the         
imagination1 and fixed upon his memory1 
by long continued familiarity4 ,but by  
this change it is suddenly defaced2 and 
the new group1 partaking as it will do  
of some of the elements of the old1     
produces feelings which are strange and 
unaccountable1 and entirely different   
from those of his parents1 who have been
 in the habit of contemplating the room 
and its furniture more by the exercise  
of the judgment1 than of the            
imagination2 that is1 more by their     

uses1 than by their appearance4  ,the   
cause of this strangeness of feeling in 
a child1 arises from the predominance of
 the principle of grouping1 over that of
 classification4 ,he has as yet no      
knowledge of any of the apartments in   
the house1 except what he has received  
by grouping their contents4 ,when1      
therefore1 their arrangement is         
materially altered1 the reasoning powers
 not being as yet able to soften down   
the effect1 the former apartment appears
 to the child as if it had ceased to    
exist4 ,he can scarcely believe it to be
 the same4 ,he never thinks of the uses 
of the articles in the apartment1 but   
only of their appearance2--the first    
being an act of the judgment1--the      
latter of the imagination4 ,in a similar
 manner he thinks of the kitchen and its
 furniture1 not as a part of the        
household economy1 but only in          
connection with the articles it         
contains4 ,the dresser1 the jack1 and   
the tin covers1 are never thought of in 

connection with their uses2 but are     
identified with the kitchen1 merely     
because they have always been seen      
there1 and seen together4 ,in like      
manner1 the seats1 the tables1 and the  
ornaments of the drawing-room1 are not  
connected in the child's mind because   
they are what are commonly called       
drawing-room furniture1 for that would  
imply a degree of reasoning of which he 
is as yet unacquainted2 but they are    
remembered together1 as they have always
 been observed in that particular place1
 and are now pictured on the mind1 in   
the position in which they are usually  
beheld4 ,their particular locality in   
the room1 and their relative position   
with respect to each other1 are of far  
more importance in assisting the memory 
of the child1 than any knowledge which  
he has as yet acquired of their         
respective uses4  ,though a child had in
 this way gained an exact knowledge of  
every apartment in a house1 it is       
obvious that there may not have been1   

during the whole process1 a single act  
of the understanding4 ,many of the lower
 animals are capable of collecting all  
the knowledge he has received2 and even 
infants are1 to a certain extent1 in the
 daily habit of acquiring it4 ,but the  
classification of objects1 according to 
their nature and uses1 is an operation  
of a perfectly different kind4 ,hence it
 is1 that a change in the arrangement of
 the furniture of a room acts so        
slightly on the feelings of the adult1  
and so powerfully on the young4 ,in the 
former1 the reasoning powers neutralize 
the effect produced2 to the latter1 the 
change appears a complete revolution4   
,this principle of classification1      
though peculiar to the mature mind1 is  
not restricted to any particular class  
of men4 ,it is found to be universal1   
wherever the reasoning powers are       
capable of acting4 ,it is no doubt      
conspicuous in civilized societies1     
because there it is more cultivated2 but
 it is not confined to them4 ,the savage

 is prompted to its exercise under the  
tuition of ,nature4 ,for example1 the   
various articles and arts which he      
employs in hunting1 are all regularly   
classified in his mind1 and retained    
upon his memory1 as perfectly distinct  
from those which he employs in fishing2 
and neither of these classes of articles
 are ever confounded with his implements
 and weapons of war4 ,his hooks and     
lines1 are as naturally classified in   
his mind with his nets and his canoe1 as
 his club or his tomahawk is with his   
other weapons used in battle4 ,it is by 
this means that ,nature aids the memory 
in the retention of knowledge1 and keeps
 all the successive accumulations of the
 individual at the command of the will4 
,when cultivated1 as ,nature designs    
that it should be1 it forms an extensive
 cabinet in the mind1 where every       
department of knowledge has its         
appropriate place2 and which1 when once 
systematically formed1 can be furnished 
at leisure4 ,when a new idea is         

acquired1 it is immediately put in its  
place1 and associated with others of the
 same kind2 and when any portion of the 
knowledge which we have accumulated is  
required1 we know at once the particular
 place where it is to be found4  ,the   
benefits of this principle in the above 
form are extensively felt and acted upon
 in society1 even where the principle   
itself is neither observed nor known2   
for in the family1 in the work shop1 and
 in the manufactory1 it is of the last  
importance4 ,it is upon this principle  
that a clergyman1 for the help of his   
own memory1 as well as for assisting the
 memory of his hearers1 arranges the    
subject of his sermons in a classified  
form2--his text is the root of the      
classification4 ,this he divides into   
heads1 which form the first branch in   
this table2 and these again he sometimes
 sub-divides into particulars1 which    
form a second branch depending on the   
first1 and all proceeding from the      
root1--the original text4 ,similar1 but 

more extensive1 is the plan adopted in  
the divisions and subdivisions of       
objects in the ,sciences1 such as       
,botany1 ,zoology1 ,chemistry1 c4 in all
 of which the existence of this         
principle in ,nature's educational      
process is acknowledged and exemplified4
 ,in these sciences1 the efficiency of  
the principle in facilitating the       
reception of knowledge1 and in assisting
 the memory in retaining it1 and in     
putting it to use1 is universally       
acknowledged4  ,but there is another    
form in which the same principle        
appears1 not so obvious indeed1 but it  
is one which is at least equally        
important in the education of the young4
 ,nature always brings it into operation
 when a teacher1 while communicating any
 series of connected truths1 such as a  
portion of history or of science1 gives 
more of the details than the mind of his
 pupil can receive1 or his memory retain
 at one time4 ,it may be desirable that 
the pupil should be made thoroughly     

acquainted with all the minute1 as well 
as with the general circumstances of a  
history or a science2 but if so1 it must
 be done1 not at once1 but by degrees1  
or steps4 ,it is usually done by        
repeating the course1--revising1 as it  
is called1--and that perhaps more than  
once2--going over all the exercises     
again and again1 till the several parts 
are perceived and remembered in their   
connection4 ,in these revisings1 the    
mind forms an analytical table of the   
subject for itself1 consisting of       
successive steps1 formed by the         
successive courses4 ,by the first       
course1 or hearing1 it is chiefly the   
great outlines of the subject that are  
perceived2 and these form the first     
branch of a regular analytical table1   
which every succeeding course of reading
 or hearing tends to fill up4 ,this will
 perhaps be best understood by an       
example4  ,let us suppose that a young  
person sits down to read a history for  
the first time1 and that he reads it    

with attention and care4 ,when we       
examine the state of his mind after he  
has finished it1 we find that1          
independently of what1 by the principle 
of grouping1 he has got in the form of  
episode1 he has been able to retain only
 the great outlines of the history1 and 
no more4 ,he remembers perhaps of whose 
reign he has been reading1 and the      
principal events that took place during 
it2 but the intermediate and minor      
events1 as connected with the history1  
he has not been able to remember4       
,nothing has been imparted by this first
 reading1 but the great landmarks of the
 narrative4 ,these are destined to form 
the first branch of a regular analytical
 table1 of which the reign of the       
particular monarch is the root4 ,this is
 the frame-work of the whole history of 
that period1 however numerous the minor 
circumstances may be2 and a second      
reading will only enlarge his knowledge 
of the circumstances under each of the  
heads4 ,in other words1 it will enable  

him to sub-divide them into more minute 
details or periods1 and thus form a     
series of second branches from each4    
,now it is quite obvious1 that when this
 analysis of the circumstances of that  
period is once formed in the mind1 no   
new event connected with it can ever    
come to his knowledge without being     
classed with some of the others4 ,it    
will be disposed of according to the    
relation which it bears to the parts    
already existing2 and thus the whole    
texture will be regularly framed1 and   
every event will have its proper place1 
and be readily available for future use4
 ,one part may be filled up and finished
 before another2 but the regular        
proportions of the whole remain         
undisturbed4 ,the pupil has1 by the     
original outline and its several        
branches1 got a date and a place for    
every new fact which he may afterwards  
glean1 either in his reading or his     
conversation2 and he has a place in     
which to put it1 where it can easily be 

found4 ,when placed there1 it is safe in
 the keeping of the memory1 and will    
always afterwards be at the command of  
the will4  ,the connection of these     
circumstances1 with the principle in    
education which we are at present       
endeavouring to illustrate1 may not to  
some be very apparent4 ,we shall        
therefore take another example from a   
circumstance similar to what occurs     
every day in ordinary life1 and in which
 the principle1 in the hands of ,nature1
 is abundantly conspicuous4 ,in the     
example we are here to give1 she forms  
the several steps of the classification 
in a number of hearers by once reading a
 subject1 very similar to what she does 
successively in the mind of one         
individual by repeated readings4  ,let  
us then suppose a teacher with two or   
three hundred pupils1 including every   
degree of mental capacity1 from the     
youngest child who is able to           
understand1 up to his own classical     
assistant2 and that he reads to them the

 history of ,joseph as given in the     
,book of ,genesis4 ,let us also suppose1
 that they all give him their best      
attention1 and that they all hear the   
narrative for the first time4 ,such an  
experiment1 let it be observed1 has its 
parallel every day1 in the church1 in   
the class room1 and in the seminary2 and
 similar effects to those we are about  
to describe invariably take place in    
each of them4  ,when the teacher has    
read and concluded this lengthened      
exercise1 it will be found1 that no two 
individuals among his hearers have      
acquired the same amount of knowledge4  
,some will have received and retained   
more of the circumstances1 and some     
less1 but no two1 strictly speaking1    
will be alike4 ,those whose minds were  
incapable of connecting the several     
parts of the narrative into a whole1    
will retain what they have received in  
disjointed groups and                   
patches1--episodes1 as it were1 in the  
narrative1--without being able very     

clearly to perceive its general design4 
,this class1 upon whom the principle of 
association chiefly has been at work1 we
 leave out1 and confine ourselves to the
 state of knowledge possessed by those  
who are in a greater or less degree     
capable of classification1 and of taking
 some cognisance of the narrative as a  
connected whole4  ,among this latter    
class1 some will have retained no more  
than the bare outline of the history1   
interspersed with groupings1 as in the  
younger children4 ,they will remember   
little more than that ,joseph was at    
first a boy in his father's house2--that
 he was afterwards a slave1 and in      
prison2--and at last1 a great man and a 
governor4 ,here the whole history is    
divided into three distinct heads1 or   
eras1--the first branch of an analytical
 table of the whole story1 from one or  
other of which all the other            
particulars1 of whatever kind1 must of  
necessity take their rise1 and branch   
off in their natural order4 ,an advanced

 class of the auditors will have        
retained some of the more obvious       
circumstances connected with each of    
these three great divisions1 as well as 
the divisions themselves4 ,they will not
 only remember that ,joseph was a boy in
 his father's house1 but they will also 
be able to remember the more prominent  
subdivisions of the narrative regarding 
him while there2 such as his father's   
partiality1 his dreams1 and his         
brothers' hatred4 ,the second great     
division will be recollected as         
including the particulars of his being  
sold1 his serving in ,potiphar's house1 
and his conduct in prison2 and the third
 division will be remembered as         
containing his appearance before        
,pharoah1 his laying up corn1 his       
conduct to his brothers1 and his        
reception of his father and family4     
,these subdivisions1 it will at once be 
perceived1 form the second branch of a  
regular analytical table1 each of which 
has sprung from1 and is intimately      

connected with1 some one or other of the
 three great divisions forming the first
 branch1 of which the ,history of       
,joseph is the comprehensive root4  ,in 
like manner1 a third class of the       
pupils1 whose minds have been better    
cultivated1 and whose memories are more 
retentive1 will not only remember all   
this1 but they will also remember1 in   
connection with each of these           
subdivisions1 many of the more specific 
events included in1 or springing from   
them1 and which carry forward this      
regular analytical table one step       
farther4 ,as for example1 under the     
subdivision entitled ,joseph's conduct  
to his brethren1 they will remember the 
detention of ,simeon1--the feast in the 
palace1--the scene of the cup in the    
sack1 and ,joseph's making himself      
known4 ,even these again might be       
subdivided into their more minute       
circumstances1 as a fourth1 or even a   
fifth branch1 if necessary1 all of which
 might be exactly delineated upon paper1

 as a regular analytical table of the   
history of ,joseph4  ,here1 then1 we    
have an example of ,nature herself      
dividing an audience into different     
classes1 and that by one and the same   
operation1--by one reading1--forming in 
each class part of a regular analytical 
table of the whole history1 each class  
being one step in advance of the other4 
,the first has the foundation of the    
whole fabric broadly and solidly laid2  
and it is worthy of remark1 that there  
is not one of the ideas acquired by the 
most talented of the hearers1 that is   
not strictly and regularly derived from 
some one or other of the three general  
divisions possessed by the first and the
 least advanced2 and any one of the     
ideas may be regularly traced back      
through the several divisions to the    
root itself4 ,the additional facts      
possessed by the second class1 are      
nothing more than a more full           
developement of the circumstances       
remembered by the first2 and those      

obtained by the third1 are but a more   
extensive developement of the facts     
remembered by the second4  ,this being  
the state of the several classes into   
which ,nature divides every audience1 it
 is of importance to trace the means    
which she employs for the purpose of    
advancing each1 and of ultimately       
completing the analysis2 or1 in other   
words1 perfecting the knowledge of the  
narrative1 in each individual mind4     
,this is equally beautiful1 and equally 
simple4 ,it is1 if we may be allowed the
 expression1 by a regular system of     
building4 ,the foundation being laid1   
and the frame-work of the whole being   
erected1 in the knowledge of the great  
general outline1 confusion is ever after
 completely prevented4 ,every piece of  
information connected with the history1 
which may be afterwards received1 has a 
specific place provided for it4 ,it must
 belong to some one or other of the     
three great divisions2 and it is there  
inserted as a part of the general       

building4 ,it is now remembered in its  
connection1 till all the                
circumstances1--the whole of the        
information1--gradually1 and perhaps    
distantly received1 complete the        
narrative4  ,to follow out this plan of 
,nature regularly1 as in a school       
education1 the method must be           
exceedingly obvious2 for if the first   
class1 by once hearing the chapters     
read1 have received merely the          
outline1--the frame-work of the         
narrative1--it must be obvious1 that    
when this has by reflection become      
familiar1 a second reading would enable 
them to fill up much of this outline1 by
 which they would be on a par with the  
second4 ,another reading would1 in like 
manner1 add to the second1 and form a   
third2 and so forth of all the others4  
,each reading would add more and more to
 the knowledge of the pupil2 and yet1   
every idea communicated would be nothing
 more than a fuller developement of the 
original outline1--the frame-work1--the 

skeleton of the story which he had      
acquired by the first reading4 ,by      
successive readings1 therefore1 the     
first class will take the place of the  
second1 the second of the third1 and so 
on to the end4 ,this is ,nature's       
uniform method of perfecting her pupils 
in any branch of connected knowledge2--a
 method which1 therefore1 it should be  
the object of the ,educationist to      
understand1 and closely to imitate4     
,from the cases which we have in this   
chapter supposed as examples1 there are 
several important practical inferences  
to be derived1 to which we shall here   
very briefly advert4  ,in the first     
place1 we are led to infer1 from all the
 cases brought into notice1 that every  
kind of external force1 or precipitation
 in education1 is abhorrent to ,nature4 
,in each of the cases supposed1 we have 
a remarkable exhibition of the calm     
serenity of ,nature's operations in the 
education of the young4 ,for instance1  
in the last case supposed1 the children 

all listened1--they all heard the same  
words1--the mental food was the same to 
each1 however diversified their         
abilities might be2 and it was          
indiscriminately offered in the same    
form to all1 although all were not      
equally prepared to receive and digest  
it4 ,the results accordingly were1 in   
fact1 as various as the number of the   
persons present4 ,and yet1              
notwithstanding of all this1 there was  
no hurry1 no confusion1 no attempt to   
stretch the mind beyond its strength4   
,each individual1 according to his      
capacity1 laid hold of as much as his   
mind could receive1 and silently        
abandoned the remainder4--,but if there 
had been any external urgency or force  
employed1 to compel the child to        
accomplish more than his mind was       
capable of1 this serenity and composure 
would have been destroyed2 irritation1  
and confusion1 and mental weakness1     
would have been the consequence2 and    
altogether1 matters would not have been 

made better1 but worse1 by the attempt4 
,another inference1 which we think may  
legitimately be drawn from the above    
examples1 is this1 that although ,nature
 prompts the child silently to throw off
 or reject that which the mind at the   
time cannot receive1 yet it would be    
better for the child if no more had been
 pressed upon him than he was capable of
 receiving4 ,the very rejection of any  
portion of the mental food presented for
 acceptance1 must in some measure tend  
to dissipate the mind1 and exhaust its  
strength4 ,this we think is demonstrated
 by the fact1 that the child had to     
listen for an hour1 and yet retained on 
his memory no more than experience shews
 us could have been much more           
successfully communicated in five       
minutes4  ,this leads us to another     
remark1 almost equally important2 which 
is1 that the want of classification     
among the children1 will not only hurt  
them1 but tend to waste the time1 and   
unnecessarily to exhaust the strength of

 the teacher4 ,the teacher's success    
with any one child1 is not to be        
estimated by the pains he takes1 or the 
extent of his labour1 but by the amount 
of knowledge actually retained by the   
child4 ,to employ an hour's labour1     
therefore1 to communicate that knowledge
 which could with much better effect be 
given in five minutes1 is both          
unreasonable and improper2 and every one
 who will for a moment think on the     
subject must see1 that a lesson1 which  
in that short space of time conveyed the
 whole of the knowledge that the pupils 
had been able to pick up during the     
hour's exercise1 would leave the teacher
 eleven-twelfths of his time to benefit 
the other classes4 ,the nurseryman      
follows this plan with his trees1 and   
with evident success1 both in saving    
time1 and room1 and labour4 ,when he    
sows his acorns1 one square yard will   
contain more plants than will ultimately
 occupy an acre4 ,it is only as they    
increase in growth1 that they are       

thinned out and transplanted2 and such  
should be the case in communicating     
knowledge to children4 ,to attempt to   
teach the whole history at once1 is like
 sowing the whole acre with acorns1 and 
thinning them out during a quarter of a 
century4 ,the loss of seed in this case 
is the least of the evils2 for the      
ground would be robbed of its strength1 
nine-tenths of it would be rendered     
unnecessarily useless during a large    
portion of the time2 and much of the    
anxiety1 and care1 and labour of the    
nurseryman would be thrown away4        
,ultimately he would find1 that of the  
many thousands of oaks he had sowed1 he 
had been able to rear no more than the  
acre could carry4 ,by following out this
 principle in education1 and giving the 
child as much as he can receive1 and no 
more1 of the whole series of truths to  
be communicated1 his mind1 at the close 
of the exercise1 will be much more      
vigorous1 the ideas received will be    
much better understood1 more firmly     

rivetted upon the memory1 and much more 
at the command of the will1 while the   
quantity of knowledge really            
communicated1 is at least equal in      
amount4--,the only thing indeed that    
renders a contrary plan of procedure    
even tolerable to a child1 is the wise  
provision of ,nature1 by which she      
induces him to throw off1 with some     
degree of ease1 the superfluous matter2 
but had the reception and retention of  
the whole by each child been demanded by
 the teacher1 the very attempt to do so 
on the part of the pupil1 would not only
 have been irritating and burdensome1   
but it would have been extremely hurtful
 to the mind1 by stretching its powers  
beyond its strength4  ,,footnotes3  #f  
,note ,e4     ,,chap4 ,,viii4  ,on      
,nature's ,methods of ,teaching her     
,pupils to make use of their ,knowledge4
   ,we come now to another operation of 
,nature with the young1 to which she    
appears to attach more importance than  
she does to any of her previous         

educational processes1 and to which she 
obviously intends that a more than      
ordinary attention should be paid on our
 parts4 ,this is the training of her    
pupils to make use of their knowledge1  
and to apply the information they       
possess to guide them in the common     
affairs of life4 ,this is obviously the 
great end which she has all along had in
 view2 and to which the cultivation of  
the mind1 and the acquisition of        
knowledge are merely preparatives4 ,we  
shall first direct attention to a few of
 the indications of this principle as   
they actually appear in ordinary life2  
and then we shall endeavour to point out
 some of the laws by which she appears  
to regulate them4  ,in the early periods
 of infancy we can plainly distinguish  
between certain actions which depend    
upon instinct1 and which are performed  
by the infant perfectly and at once1    
without experience1 and without         
teaching2--and others of which the      
infant at first appears to be incapable1

 but which it gradually acquires by     
experience1 or more correctly1 which it 
learns by an application of the         
knowledge which it is daily realizing4  
,among the former1 or instinctive class1
 we may rank the acts of sucking1       
swallowing1 and crying1 which are purely
 acts of instinct2 while among the      
numerous class belonging to the latter1 
we include all those actions which are  
progressively improved1 and which are   
really the result of experience1 derived
 from the application of their acquired 
knowledge4 ,as an example of these1 we  
may instance the acts of winking with   
the eyelids on the approach of an object
 to the eye2 the avoiding of a blow2 the
 rejection of what is bitter or         
unpalatable2 the efforts made to possess
 that which has been found pleasant2 and
 the shunning of those acts for which it
 has been reproved or punished4 ,all    
these1 and thousands of similar acts1   
are really the result of a direct       
application of previous knowledge1 and  

which1 without the possession of that   
knowledge1 never are1 nor could be      
performed4  ,mankind in infancy being1  
in the intention of ,nature1 placed     
under the care of tender and intelligent
 parents are not provided with many     
instinctive faculties4 ,their physical  
welfare is at first left altogether to  
the care of the nurse2 but1 from a very 
early period of consciousness1 they     
intellectually become the pupils of     
,nature4 ,almost all their actions are  
the results of experience2--of knowledge
 acquired1 and knowledge applied4 ,their
 attainments at the beginning are no    
doubt few2--but1 from the first1 they   
are well marked1 and go on with         
increasing rapidity4 ,the acquisition of
 knowledge by them1 and especially the  
application of it1 are evident to the   
most cursory observer4 ,for example1 we 
see a child cling to its keeper1 and    
refuse to go to a stranger2--we see it  
when hungry stretch out its arms1 and   
cry to get to its nurse2--and when it   

has fallen in its efforts to walk1 it   
will not for some time attempt it again4
 ,these1 and many more which will occur 
to the reader1 are the results of       
,nature's teaching2--her suggestions to 
her pupil for the right application of  
its knowledge4 ,the child has been      
taught from experience that it is safe  
and comfortable with its keeper1 and it 
applies this knowledge by refusing to   
leave her4 ,it has learned how1 and by  
whom1 its hunger is to be satisfied2 and
 it applies this knowledge by seeking to
 be with its nurse4 ,it has learned by  
experience1 that the attempt to walk is 
dangerous2 and it applies that knowledge
 by avoiding the danger4 ,here the child
 is wholly as yet in the hands of       
,nature2 and it is quite evident1 that  
her design in first enabling the pupil  
to acquire those portions of knowledge1 
was1 that she might induce him to apply 
them for his safety and comfort4 ,no    
doubt the mental powers of the child    
were cultivated and disciplined by the  

acquisition of the knowledge1 and still 
more by its application2 but this       
disciplining of the mind1 and           
accumulation of knowledge1 were         
evidently a secondary object1 and not   
the primary one4 ,health and            
cheerfulness are gained by tilling the  
ground2 yet the ground is not tilled for
 the purpose of securing health and     
cheerfulness4 ,it is for the produce of 
the harvest4 ,so1 in like manner1 the   
cultivation of the child's mind1 and the
 reception of the seeds of knowledge1   
are merely means employed for a further 
end1--the harvest of comfort and        
usefulness to be afterwards reaped4     
,from all this we are directly led to   
the conclusion1 that it is the intention
 of ,nature1 that all the knowledge     
acquired should be put to use2 and      
therefore1 that nothing should be taught
 the young1 in the first place at least1
 except that which is really useful2    
while the proper use of all that they   
learn should be diligently pointed out4 

,it may appear to some1 that this truth 
is so plain and obvious1 as to require  
no further illustration or              
enforcement4--,we sincerely wish that it
 were so4 ,but long experience justifies
 us in being sceptical on the point4    
,and as the establishment of this       
principle1 and a thorough knowledge of  
its working1 are perhaps of more value  
than any other truth in the whole range 
of educational science1 we shall offer a
 few remarks on its validity and        
importance1 before proceeding to examine
 the means by which ,nature carries it  
into operation4  ,that knowledge1 when  
once acquired1 is intended by ,nature to
 be put to use1 is proved negatively by 
the well known fact1 that almost all our
 mental acquirements1 when not used1 are
 soon lost4 ,they gradually fade from   
the mind1 and are at last blotted from  
the memory4 ,hence the disappearance in 
after life of all the academical and    
collegiate acquirements of those youths 
who move in a sphere where their use is 

not required2 and of those portions of  
the early attainments of even           
professional men1 which are not         
necessary for their particular pursuits4
 ,by the universal operation of this    
principle1 ,nature gives fair warning of
 the folly of useless learning2 and     
plainly indicates1 that whenever the    
benefits which she confers are not put  
to use as she designed1 they will       
gradually1 but most certainly1 be       
withdrawn4  ,the same fact is also      
proved positively3--,for we find1 that  
the proper use of any portion of our    
knowledge1 is invariably rewarded by its
 becoming still more familiar4 ,the     
student who puts a principle in         
chemistry to the test of experiment1    
will understand it better1 remember it  
longer1 and be able to apply it to      
useful purposes1 much more readily than 
his companion who merely reflects upon  
it4 ,and of two individuals1 who by a   
lecture have been taught the duty and   
the delights of mercy1 that one will    

learn it best1 and remember it longest1 
who1 immediately on hearing it1 is      
prompted to relieve a fellow creature   
from distress1 or to save a family from 
ruin4  ,this principle of making every  
thing conduce to the promotion of       
practical good1 seems to pervade all the
 works of ,god2 and there is no         
department in ,nature1 mineral1         
vegetable1 or animal1 that does not     
afford proofs of its existence4 ,every  
thing that the ,almighty has formed is  
practically useful2 and is arranged in  
such a manner as to give the clearest   
indications1 that it was designed to be 
turned to some useful purpose by man4   
,the annual and diurnal motions of the  
earth in its orbit2 the obliquity of its
 axis2 the inequality of its surface1   
and the disposition and disruption of   
its strata1 all shew the most consummate
 wisdom1 and are severally a call to    
intelligent man to turn them to use4 ,on
 these1 and on every other department of
 ,nature's works1 there is written in   

legible characters1 that it is the use  
of knowledge1 and not the possession of 
it merely1 that is recommended4 ,this   
she teaches by every operation of her   
hand1 both directly1 and by analogy4    
,for could we suppose that the vegetable
 creation were capable of receiving     
knowledge1 we might conclude from       
various facts1 that this principle was  
not confined to the animal kingdom      
alone1 but that it regulated the        
operations of all organic existences4   
,the living vegetable has at least the  
appearance of acting under its          
influence2 for1 as if it knew that light
 was necessary for its health and       
growth1 it invariably turns towards the 
light2--as if it knew that certain kinds
 of decayed matter were better fitted   
for its nourishment than others1 it     
pushes out new fibrous roots in the     
direction of the spot where they are to 
be found2--and even when isolated on a  
rock1 or a wall1 at a distance from     
sufficient soil and moisture1 it        

husbands its scanty means1 and sends    
down from its elevation an extra root to
 the ground1 to collect additional      
nourishment where it is to be had4  ,in 
every department of animal life1 also1  
the principle appears to exist1 and     
exhibits itself in the conduct of all   
free agents1 from the insect to the     
elephant4 ,the dog that has been kindly 
treated in a particular house1 seldom   
fails to visit it again2 and when he is 
violently driven from another1 the same 
principle indisposes him to return4 ,it 
is upon record1 that a surgeon who had  
bandaged the broken leg of a dog1 was   
afterwards visited by his patient1 who  
brought another1 requiring a similar    
operation4 ,the horse1 in like manner1  
is proverbially sagacious in the        
application of his knowledge4           
,mismanagement in a groom in one        
instance1 may create a vice1 which may  
lessen his value during life4 ,this     
vice1 which is confirmed by practice1 is
 nothing more than the repeated         

application of his knowledge4 ,such a   
vice1 accordingly1 is best cured by     
avoiding the circumstances which        
originally gave rise to it1 till it dies
 from his memory4 ,many other instances 
of a similar kind in the lower animals  
will readily occur to the reader1 all of
 which lead directly to the conclusion1 
that1 even in the brute creation1       
,nature not only prompts them to collect
 information from what happens around   
them1 and to act in correspondence to   
its indications2 but that1 in fact1 all 
the knowledge they receive1 or are      
capable of acquiring above instinct1 is 
retained or lost1 exactly in proportion 
as it is1 or is not1 put to use4  ,in   
the case of rational creatures1 this    
great design of ,nature is still more   
distinctly marked1--is intended for more
 important purposes1--and is carried on 
by a separate system of internal        
machinery1 part of which at least is    
peculiar to man4 ,this system of mental 
machinery consists of two kinds1 one of 

which may1 we think1 with propriety get 
the popular name of the ,animal1 or     
,common ,sense1 and the other has       
already received the appropriate name of
 ,the ,moral ,sense1 or conscience4 ,to 
,nature's method of using these         
principles1 for prompting and directing 
us in the use of our knowledge1 we shall
 now shortly advert4     ,,chap4 ,,ix4  
,on ,nature's ,methods of ,applying     
,knowledge by the ,principle of the     
,animal1 or ,common ,sense4   ,when an  
infant1 by laying hold of a hot tea-pot 
burns its hand1 it refuses to touch it  
again2--when a child has been frightened
 from a park or field1 he will not      
willingly enter it a second time2--and  
when any thing is thrown in the         
direction of the head1 we instantly     
stoop1 or bend to one side1 to evade it4
 ,these are instances of the application
 of knowledge1 by the principle of      
common sense1 which do not belong to    
instinct2 and1 in many cases at least1  
anticipate the exercise of reason4 ,our 

object at present1 however1 is with the 
principle1 and not with its name4  ,when
 we analyze these operations1 together  
with their causes1 we find1 that there  
are certain portions of knowledge daily 
and hourly acquired by the senses1 which
 become so interwoven with our          
sentiments and feelings1 that they      
usually remain unobserved1 till some    
special occasion calls for their        
application4 ,now the principle we speak
 of1 if it indeed be a separate         
principle1 is employed by ,nature to    
apply this latent knowledge1 and to     
induce her pupil instantly1 and without 
waiting for the decisions of reason1 to 
perform certain actions1 or to pursue a 
certain line of conduct1 which we almost
 instinctively feel to be useful and    
safe4 ,no sane child1 for example1 will 
deliberately stand in the way of a horse
 or a carriage at full speed1--or walk  
over a precipice1--or take burning coals
 from the fire with his fingers2 were he
 to do so1 we would not dignify the act 

so far as to say that it was            
unreasonable1 for that would be too mild
 an epithet1--but we would pronounce it 
at once to be contrary to common sense4 
,in like manner1 were an adult to bemire
 himself in crossing a ditch1 instead of
 making use of the stepping-stones      
placed there for the purpose2 or if he  
were to stand till he were drenched with
 a thunder-shower1 instead of taking    
shelter for the time in the neighbouring
 shed1 we would not say that it was     
unreasonable1 but that it was contrary  
to common sense4 ,in short1 whenever any
 thing is done which universal          
experience shews to be hurtful to       
ourselves1 7not to others7 it is        
invariably denominated an act contrary  
to common sense2 but whenever it        
involves hurt to others1 it takes       
another character1 and becomes a breach 
of the moral sense4  ,it is not our     
design1 however1 to come out of our way 
at present1 to adapt the name to the    
principle in ,nature of which we are    

here speaking1 and far less shall we    
attempt to mould the principle into a   
form suitable to the name4 ,our business
 is with the principle itself1 as it    
appears in ourselves and others2 and we 
use the term common sense1 merely       
because at present we cannot find one   
more appropriate1 or which would suit   
our purpose so well4 ,if this name shall
 be found proper for it1 it is          
well2--but if not1 we leave it to others
 to provide a better4  ,we have said1   
that ,nature prompts to the use of      
knowledge by means of two distinct      
principles2 the one1 which may be       
denominated the ,animal1 or ,common     
,sense1 refers to actions of which we   
ourselves are the subjects2 and the     
other1 known by the term of the ,moral  
,sense1 or conscience1 refers to actions
 of which others are the subjects4 ,it  
is the former of these that we are at   
present to investigate4  ,we must all   
have observed the promptness with which 
we avoid any sudden danger1 or          

inconvenience1 before we have time to   
reason about the matter4 ,as1 for       
example1 when we stumble1 we instantly  
put forth the proper foot to prevent our
 fall4 ,this cannot be said to be an act
 of the reasoning powers1 because they  
have not had time to operate2 and it is 
equally clear that it is not an act of  
instinct1 because infants1 who have only
 begun to walk have not the capacity of 
doing it4 ,it is evidently another      
principle which1 availing itself of the 
knowledge which the person has          
previously acquired by experience1 now  
uses it specially for the occasion4     
,that this application of our knowledge 
arises neither from instinct nor from   
reason1 will be obvious from many       
circumstances of ordinary               
occurrence4--,for example1 when any     
object approaches the eye we instantly  
shut it2--when any missile is thrown at 
us1 we instantly turn the head aside to 
evade it2--or when in walking something 
destroys our equilibrium and we stumble1

 we instantly bend the body in the      
proper direction1 and to the precise    
point1 necessary to restore our balance1
 and to prevent our fall4--,now it is   
obvious1 that all these contingencies   
are provided for by one and the same    
principle1 whatever that principle may  
be2 and that they are acts which do not 
depend upon instinct1 properly so       
called1 is proved from the circumstance1
 that infants1 before they are taught by
 experience that the eye is so tender1  
and even adults who have but newly      
acquired the use of their sight1 neither
 shut their eyes at the approach of     
objects1 nor turn away their heads when 
a missile is thrown at them4--,and we   
think it is equally clear1 that it      
cannot be the result of reasoning1 in   
the sense in which we generally         
understand that term1 because the mind  
has no time for consideration1 far less 
for reasoning1 during the short moment  
that occurs between the cause and the   
effect4  ,the object which we have      

chiefly in view at present is1 to point 
out the great end designed by ,nature in
 all these actions1 which is simply the 
application of knowledge4 ,there is the 
knowledge that objects entering the eye 
will give pain1 and that the shutting of
 the eye will defend it4 ,this we have  
shown is not an instinctive operation1  
but must have been acquired by          
experience2--and it is this principle1  
into the nature of which we are now     
enquiring1 that prompted the child in   
the special case to apply its knowledge 
by shutting the eye4 ,in like manner1 in
 the case of the missile thrown at the  
head1 there is a previous knowledge of  
the effect which it will produce1 and a 
knowledge also of the means by which it 
is to be avoided1--and it is            
avoided2--and in the case of losing the 
equilibrium1 there is nothing more than 
the application of a latent knowledge1  
now suddenly brought into use on the    
spur of the moment1 that by the movement
 of the foot the body will be supported4

 ,the principle1 whatever it be1 which  
instigates children and adults to do all
 this1 is the subject of our present    
enquiry1 and which for the present we   
have denominated the ,animal1 or ,common
 sense4 ,we shall therefore a little    
more particularly attend to its various 
indications4  ,the operation of this    
principle in the infant has already been
 pointed out4 ,when it has learned by   
experience that its nurse is kind1 it   
stretches forth its little hands1 and   
desires to be with the nurse2--when in  
its first attempt at walking it         
experiences a fall1 it applies this     
knowledge1 by refusing again for some   
time to walk2--and when it burns its    
finger at the flame of the candle1 the  
application of that knowledge induces it
 ever after to avoid both fire and      
flame4  ,in after life the same         
principle continues to operate both     
independently of reason1 and in         
conjunction with it4 ,in encountering   
the air of a cold night1 we1 without    

reasoning on the matter1 wrap ourselves 
closer in our cloak4 ,when we turn a    
corner1 and meet a sharp frosty wind1 we
 lower the head to protect the uncovered
 face4 ,when we emerge from the house1  
and perceive that the dulness of the day
 indicates rain1 we almost instinctively
 return for a cloak or an umbrella4 ,and
 the mariner at sunset1 when he sees an 
opening in the sky indicating a storm1  
immediately takes in sail1 and makes all
 snug for the night4 ,in all these cases
 we perceive a principle within us1     
frequently operating along with reason1 
but sometimes also without it1 which    
prompts us to apply our previous        
knowledge for our present comfort and   
advantage4#g ,the constant operation of 
such a principle in our nature1 no      
matter by what name it is called1 leads 
us1 as plainly as analogy and natural   
phenomena can do1 to conclude1 that it  
ought to be carefully studied1 and      
assiduously cultivated in the young1    
during the period usually assigned for  

their education4  ,when we carefully    
trace the operation of this principle in
 common life1 it appears that1 in fact1 
the greater portion of our physical     
comforts depends upon it4 ,experience is
 but another name for it4 ,we find some 
substances warmer1 softer1 harder1 or   
more workable than others1 and we apply 
this knowledge by substituting one for  
another4 ,the savage finds the wigwam   
more convenient1 or more easily come at1
 than a cave or a crevice in a rock1 and
 he builds a wigwam2--he finds a hut    
more durable than a wigwam1 and he      
substitutes a hut2--he at last finds a  
cottage still more convenient1 and he   
advances in his desires and his         
abilities by his former experience1 and 
he builds one4--,in every advance1      
however1 it is the application of his   
previous knowledge that increases his   
comforts1 and tends to perpetuate them2 
and accordingly1 as a proper and a      
general application of the moral sense1 
leads directly to national virtue2 so   

the proper and general application of   
this principle of common sense goes to  
promote every kind of personal and      
family comfort1 as well as national     
prosperity4 ,its ramifications pierce   
through every design and action of      
industry and genius4 ,it is the exercise
 of this principle alone which1 in the  
worldly sense1 distinguishes the wise   
man from the fool2 and which gives all  
the superiority which is possessed by a 
civilized1 over a savage community4 ,it 
is the chief guardian of our safety1 and
 the parent of every personal and       
domestic comfort4 ,it is1 in short1     
familiarity with its exercise that      
imparts confidence to the philosopher1  
decision to the legislator1 dexterity to
 the artificer1 and perfection to the   
artist4 ,in each case it is the         
accumulation of knowledge put to use1   
which makes the distinction between one 
man and another2 and it is by the       
aggregation of such men that a nation   
becomes prosperous4 ,it must never      

therefore be forgotten1 that it is not  
the possession of knowledge1 but the use
 which we make of it1 that confers      
distinction4 ,for no truism is more     
incontrovertible than this1 that        
knowledge which we cannot or do not use1
 is really useless4  ,there is no wonder
 then that ,nature should be at some    
pains in training her pupils to an      
exercise on which so much of their      
happiness and safety depends2 and it is 
of corresponding importance1 that we    
should investigate the means1 and the   
mode by which she usually accomplishes  
her end4 ,if we can successfully attain 
this knowledge1 we may be enabled to    
pursue a similar course in the training 
of the young1 and with decided          
advantage4  ,when we take any one of the
 numerous examples of the working of    
this principle in the adult1 and        
carefully analyze it1 we can detect     
three distinct stages in the operation1 
before the effect is produced4 ,the     
first is the knowledge of some useful   

truth1 present to the mind1 and at the  
command of the will2--there is1         
secondly1 an inference drawn from that  
truth1 or portion of our knowledge1 or  
the impression of an inference which was
 formerly drawn from it1 and which1 as  
we have seen in the infant1 may remain  
long after the circumstance from which  
the lesson was derived has been         
forgotten2--and there is1 thirdly1 a    
special application of that inference or
 impression to our present              
circumstances4 ,for example1 in the case
 of the person leaving the house1 and   
suddenly returning to provide himself   
with an umbrella1 there is first the    
knowledge of a fact1 that the sky is    
lowering2 then there is an inference    
drawn from this fact1 that there will   
most probably be rain2 but the          
comfort--the whole benefit arising from 
this knowledge1 and from this reasoning 
upon it1--depends on the third stage of 
the operation1 which is therefore the   
most important of all1 namely1 the      

application of the inference1 or lesson1
 to his present circumstances4 ,a mere  
knowledge of the fact that the sky      
lowered1 would have remained a barren   
and a useless truth in the mind1 unless 
he had proceeded to draw the proper     
inference from it2 and the inference    
itself1 after it was drawn1 would have  
done him no good1 but must rather have  
added to his uneasiness1 had he not     
proceeded to the third step of the      
operation1 and applied the whole to the 
regulation of his conduct1 in providing 
himself with an umbrella or a cloak4    
,in like manner1 in the supposed case of
 the mariner expecting a storm1 there   
was first the knowledge of the fact1    
that the sky was in a certain state4    
,now of this knowledge every person on  
board might have been in possession as  
well as the master himself1 without the 
slightest benefit accruing to themselves
 or the ship1 unless they had been      
trained1 or enabled to draw the proper  
inference or lesson from it4 ,the mere  

possession of the knowledge1 therefore1 
would have been of no advantage4 ,but   
the practised eye1 and the previous     
experience of the master1 enabled him to
 draw the inference1 that there will be 
a storm4 ,even this1 however1 would not 
have saved the ship and crew1 without   
the third1 and the most important step  
of all1--the application of that        
inference or lesson to their present    
condition4 ,it was that which induced   
him to give the necessary orders to     
prepare for the storm1 and thus to      
secure the safety both of the ship and  
of all on board4  ,again1 in the case of
 the infant burning its finger1 there   
appears to be something like a similar  
process1 which we can trace much better 
than the child itself4 ,the child puts  
its finger to the flame of the candle1  
and it feels pain2 from which it learns1
 for the first time1 that flame burns4  
,this is the knowledge which it has     
acquired4 ,but there is also an         
inference drawn from that knowledge1 not

 by reasoning1 but by the operation of  
the principle under consideration1 an   
inference of which it is probable the   
child itself at the time is unconscious1
 but the existence of which is          
sufficiently proved by its uniform      
conduct afterwards4 ,by the operation of
 this principle in the child's mind1    
before he can reason1 he has inferred1  
that if he shall again touch flame1 he  
will again feel pain4 ,he will very     
probably forget the particular          
circumstance in which his finger was    
burned1 but the inference then          
drawn1--the impression made upon the    
mind1 and which corresponds to an       
inference1--still remains1 and is made  
the chief instrument which ,nature      
employs in this most important part of  
all her valuable educational processes4 
,the child accordingly is found ever    
after1 not only preserving the          
particular finger that was burned1 but  
all its fingers and members1 from a     
burning candle2 and not from a candle   

only1 but from fire and flame of every  
kind4  ,this appears to be the natural  
order of that process of which we are   
here speaking2 and before leaving it1   
there are two or three circumstances    
connected with it1 that we ought not to 
omit noticing1 more particularly1       
because the whole of them appear to hold
 out additional evidence of the little  
value which ,nature attaches to         
knowledge for its own sake1 and of her  
decided approval of its acquisition1    
only1 or at least chiefly1 when it is   
reduced to practice4  ,the first of     
these circumstances is1 that ,nature1 in
 all cases1 teaches popularly--not      
philosophically2 that is1 she does not  
refuse to teach one part of a connected 
series of phenomena1 because the whole  
is not yet perceived2 nor does she      
neglect the use of the legitimate       
application of an ascertained truth1    
because the principle or law by which it
 acts remains as yet undiscovered4 ,her 
object evidently is1 the attainment of  

the most useful part of the knowledge   
presented to her pupil1 and the         
practical use of that part2 leaving the 
investigation of the other parts to the 
will or convenience of the person       
afterwards4 ,the infant accordingly made
 use of its knowledge1 although it knew 
nothing about the nature of flame2 and  
the man and the mariner would have done 
as they did1 although they had known    
nothing at all about the science of     
meteorology4  ,the second remark which  
we would here make is1 that ,nature1 in 
most cases1 appears to put much more    
value on the inferences1 or lessons1    
drawn from the knowledge we have        
acquired1 than she does upon the        
knowledge itself4 ,for example1 in the  
case of the infant burning its finger1  
the circumstance itself will soon be    
forgotten2 but the inference1 or the    
impression acquired by its means1 will  
remain4 ,and when at any subsequent     
period it avoids fire or flame1 its mind
 is not so much occupied by the abstract

 truth that flame will burn1 as by the  
lesson learned from that truth1 that it 
should not meddle with it4 ,this        
inference it now practically applies to 
its present situation4 ,that the        
abstract truth1--the knowledge          
originally derived from the fact1--is   
included in the lesson1 may be quite    
true2 but what we wish at present more  
particularly to point out is1 that it is
 seldom adverted to by the infant4 ,the 
inference1--the lesson which the truth  
suggested1--is all that the child       
thought of4 ,that alone is the fabric   
which ,nature has been employed in      
rearing2 and the original truth has been
 used merely as scaffolding for the     
purpose4 ,the edifice itself1           
accordingly1 having been completed1 the 
scaffolding is allowed to fall1 as      
having answered its design4  ,the same  
conclusion may be come to1 by attending 
to the circumstances connected with the 
operation of the principle in           
adults4--,the person who returned for   

his great-coat or umbrella after having 
drawn the inference from the appearance 
of the sky1 thought only of the coming  
shower2 and we could easily suppose a   
case1 where the original indication of  
the sky might be totally forgotten1     
while the full impression that it would 
rain might still continue4 ,in like     
manner1 the mariner1 in the bustle of   
preparation1 thinks only of the dreaded 
storm1 while the original               
circumstance1--the knowledge from which 
the inference was drawn1--is now        
unheeded1 or entirely forgotten4  ,the  
other circumstance to which we would    
here solicit attention1 as proving the  
same thing1 is one to which we formerly 
alluded4 ,it is the remarkable fact1    
that knowledge1 of whatever kind1 when  
it is practised1 becomes more and more  
familiar and useful2 while that which is
 not acted upon1 is soon blotted from   
the memory and lost4 ,writing1          
arithmetic1 and spelling1 not to speak  
of grammar1 geography1 and history1 when

 not exercised in after life1 are       
frequently found of no avail1 even at   
times when they are specially           
required4--,why is this8 ,they were once
 known4 ,the knowledge was communicated 
at a time when the mind and memory were 
best fitted for receiving and retaining 
them4 ,but ,nature in this1 as in every 
other instance1 has been true to        
herself2 and the knowledge which is not 
used has been blighted1 and at last     
removed from the memory and lost4  ,from
 all these circumstances taken together1
 we are led to conclude1 that ,nature   
never conveys knowledge without         
intending it to be used2--that by a     
principle in our constitution1 which we 
have denominated common sense1 ,nature  
prompts even infants to employ their    
knowledge for their own special         
benefit2--that this principle continues 
invariably to act1 till it is assisted  
or superseded by reason2--and that the  
process consists in drawing inferences1 
or lessons1 from known facts1 and in    

practically applying them to present    
circumstances4 ,all which points the    
,educationist directly to the           
conclusion1 that the communication of   
knowledge is one of the means1 but not  
the end1 of education2--that the lessons
 derived from the knowledge             
communicated1 are infinitely more       
valuable than the knowledge itself2--and
 that the great design of education is1 
and ought to be1 to train the young to  
know how to use1 and to put to use1 not 
only the knowledge communicated at      
school1 but all the knowledge which they
 may acquire in their future journey    
through life4  ,,footnotes3  #g ,note   
,f4     ,,chap4 ,x4  ,on ,nature's      
,method of applying ,knowledge by means 
of the ,moral ,sense1 or ,conscience4   
,nature enables her pupils to apply     
knowledge by means of the moral sense1  
or conscience1 as well as by the animal1
 or common sense4 ,there is however this
 great difference in the manner in which
 they operate1--that whereas every      

infringement of the natural or physical 
laws which regulate the application of  
knowledge by what we have called the    
common sense1 is invariably followed by 
its proper punishment1--the consequences
 of infringing the laws which regulate  
the moral sense1 are neither so         
immediate1 nor at the time so apparent4 
,the child knows1 that by putting his   
finger to the candle1 burning and pain  
will instantly follow2--but the evil    
consequences of purloining sweet-meats1 
or telling a lie to avoid punishment1   
are not so obvious4 ,does ,nature then  
put less value on moral integrity1 than 
on worldly prudence8 ,certainly not4    
,but in the latter case she deals with  
man more as a physical and intellectual 
being2 and in the former1 as a moral1 a 
responsible1 and an immortal being4 ,the
 lower animals to a great extent        
participate with us in the benefits     
arising from attention to the laws which
 govern physical enjoyments2 but they   
know nothing of a moral sense1 which is 

peculiar to intelligent and accountable 
creatures4 ,from this we may safely     
conclude1 that the application of       
knowledge by means of the moral sense1  
or conscience1 is of infinitely more    
importance to man than the application  
of his knowledge by the animal1 or      
common sense4  ,for the purpose of      
arriving at accurate conclusions on this
 subject1 in reference to education and 
the application of knowledge1 we shall  
endeavour to investigate a few of the   
phenomena connected with the moral      
sense1 as these are exhibited in the    
young and in adults2 and shall1 in doing
 so1 attempt to trace the laws by which 
these phenomena are severally guided4   
#a4 ,the first thing we would here      
remark1 is1 that the operations of the  
moral sense appear to be resolvable into
 two classes1 which may be termed its   
legislative and its executive powers4   
,when conscience leads us merely to     
judge and to decide upon the character  
of a feeling or an action1 whether good 

or evil1 it acts in its legislative     
capacity2 but when it reproves and      
punishes1 or approves and rewards1 for  
actions done1 it acts in its executive  
capacity4 ,these two departments of the 
moral sense seem quite distinct in their
 nature and operations2 and1 as we shall
 immediately see1 they not only exist   
separately1 but they sometimes act      
independently of each other4  #b4       
,another circumstance connected with    
conscience is1 that her legislative     
powers do not develope themselves1 nor  
appear to act1 till the reasoning powers
 of the person begin to expand4 ,then1  
and then only does the pupil of ,nature1
 who has not had the benefit of previous
 moral instruction1 begin to decide on  
the merit or demerit of actions4        
,infants1 and children who are left     
without instruction1 appear to have no  
distinct perception that certain actions
 are right1 and others wrong4 ,in       
infancy1 we frequently perceive the most
 rebellious outbreakings of ungoverned  

passion1 with tearing1 and scratching1  
and beating the parent1 without any     
indication of compunction1 either at the
 time1 or after it has taken place4     
,even in children of more advanced      
years1 while they remain without moral  
instruction1 and before the reasoning   
powers are developed1 the injuries which
 they occasion to each other1 or which  
they inflict upon the old1 the decrepit1
 or the helpless1 are matters of        
unmingled glee and gratification1       
without the slightest sign of conscience
 interfering to prevent them1 or of     
giving them any uneasiness after the    
mischief is done4 ,instead of sorrow1   
such children are found invariably      
delighted with the recollection of their
 tricks2 and never fail to recapitulate 
them to their companions afterwards1    
with triumph and satisfaction4--,but it 
is not so with the adult4 ,as soon as   
the reasoning powers are developed1 the 
legislative functions of conscience     
begin to act1 enabling and impelling the

 person to decide at once on actions1   
whether they are right or wrong1 good or
 evil4 ,such a person1 therefore1 could 
not strike nor abuse his parents1       
without knowing that he was doing wrong2
 nor could he tantalize or injure the   
aged or the helpless1 without conscience
 putting him upon his guard1 as well as 
reproving and punishing the crime by    
compunctious feelings after it was      
committed4  ,from this we perceive1 that
 the legislative powers of conscience   
are usually dormant in the child1 and do
 not1 when left to ,nature1 act till the
 reasoning powers have exhibited        
themselves2 from which we are led to    
conclude1 that it is by an early        
education1--by moral instruction        
alone1--that the young are to be guarded
 against crime1 and prepared and        
furnished to good works4  #c4 ,this     
leads us to observe another remarkable  
circumstance1 corroborative also of the 
above remark1 which is1 that although   
the legislative powers of conscience are

 but very imperfectly1 if at all        
developed in children1 yet the executive
 powers are never absent1 where moral   
instruction has previously been         
communicated4--,a child of very tender  
years1 and even an infant1 may be       
taught1 that certain actions are good   
and should be performed1 while others   
are evil and must be avoided4 ,this is  
matter of daily experience2 and a little
 attention to the subject will shew1    
that moral instruction in the case of   
the young1 acts the same part that the  
legislative powers of conscience do in  
the adult4 ,but what we wish at present 
more particularly to remark is1 that    
whenever such moral instruction has been
 communicated1 ,nature at once sanctions
 it1 and is ever ready to use the       
executive powers of the conscience for  
the purpose of rendering it effective4  
,when therefore good actions have been  
pointed out as praiseworthy and         
deserving of approbation1 there is a    
strong inducement to practise them1 and 

a delightful feeling of satisfaction and
 self-approval after they have been     
performed4 ,and when1 on the contrary1  
certain other actions have been         
denounced as wicked1 and which1 if      
indulged in1 will be punished either by 
their parents or by ,god1 the child     
feels all the hesitation and fear to    
commit them1 that is observable in      
similar cases among older persons2 and1 
when committed he experiences the same  
remorse1 and terror1 and self-reproach1 
which in the adult follow the           
perpetration of an aggravated crime4    
,this is a circumstance which must be   
obvious to every reader2 and it         
distinctly intimates1 that the ,god of  
,nature intends that the legislative    
powers of conscience should in all cases
 be anticipated by the parent and       
teacher4 ,the moral instruction or the  
young is to be the rule2 the neglect of 
it1 although in some measure provided   
for1 is to be the exception4 ,the lesson
 is as plain as analogy can teach us1   

that1 while there is written on the     
heart of man such an outline of the     
moral law as will leave him without     
excuse when called to judgment1 yet it  
is not the design of the ,creator that1 
in a matter of such vast importance as  
the moral perfection of a rational      
creature1 we should trust to that1 and1 
like savages1 leave our children to     
gather information respecting moral good
 and evil solely from the slowly        
developed and imperfect dictates of     
their own nature4 ,the whole phenomena  
of the natural conscience shew1 that    
although ,god secures the operation of  
the legislative powers of conscience to 
direct the actions of the man when they 
are really required1 yet he intends that
 they should be anticipated by moral    
instruction given by the parent4 ,and   
this is proved by the remarkable fact1  
that when this instruction is           
communicated1 the executive powers of   
conscience immediately come into        
operation1 and homologate this          

instruction1 by approving of it1        
adopting it1 and acting upon it4  #d4   
,this is still farther obvious from a   
fourth consideration1 which is1 that    
wherever moral instruction has been     
communicated to the young1 the          
legislative powers of conscience are    
either altogether superseded1 or left   
dormant4--,every person who in youth has
 received a regular moral and religious 
education1 and who retains upon his mind
 the knowledge then communicated1 is    
found through life to act upon that     
knowledge chiefly1 if not entirely4 ,he 
seldom thinks of the dictates of his    
natural conscience1 and but rarely      
perceives them4 ,in every decision to   
which he comes as to what is right or   
wrong1 reference is generally made in   
his mind1 either to the declarations of 
,scripture1 or to the moral instructions
 which he has formerly received2 and    
upon these he invariably falls back1    
when any action of a doubtful character 
is presented for his approval or        

rejection4 ,from this very remarkable   
circumstance1 we at once ascertain what 
are the intentions of ,nature4 ,she very
 plainly requires the early moral       
instruction of the young1 by those into 
whose hands she has placed them2 because
 she is here found to encourage and     
acknowledge this instruction at the     
expense of her own legislative powers1  
which not being now required1 are       
allowed to lie idle4  #e4 ,another      
circumstance connected with this        
subject1 is the well known fact1 that   
children are found capable of moral     
instruction long before the time that   
,nature usually begins to develope the  
legislative powers of the               
conscience4--,a child1 almost as soon as
 he can be made to know that he has an  
earthly father1 may be taught that he   
has another ,father in heaven2 and when 
he can be induced to feel that a certain
 line of conduct is necessary to secure 
the favour of the one1 he may also be   
led to comprehend that certain          

dispositions and actions will please the
 other4 ,now1 that a child can be taught
 and trained to do all this with respect
 to his parents1 is matter of daily     
experience4 ,as soon as he can          
understand any thing1 and long before he
 can speak1 he may be enabled to        
distinguish between right and wrong1 as 
well as to do that which is good1 and to
 avoid that which is evil2 and in every 
case of this kind1 ,nature sanctions the
 moral instruction communicated1 by     
invariably following it up with the     
practical operation of the executive    
powers of conscience1 which always      
approve that which the child thinks is  
good1 and reprove that which he supposes
 to be wrong4 ,the triumphant gleam of  
satisfaction which brightens the        
countenance of a child1 and the laughing
 look and pause for approval when he has
 done something that he knows to be     
right1 are abundant proofs of the truth 
of this observation2 while his cowering 
scowl1 and fear of reproof or           

punishment1 when he has done that which 
is wrong1 are equal indications of the  
same thing4 ,nature1 therefore1 that has
 given the capacity of distinguishing   
between good and evil when thus         
communicated1 and that invariably       
approves of the operation1 and assists  
in it1 has most certainly intended that 
it should be exercised4 ,this           
consideration1 taken in connection with 
its advantages to the family1 to the    
child1 to the future man1 and to        
society1 plainly points out the value   
and the importance of early religious   
instruction and moral training4  #f4    
,another circumstance1 in connection    
with the application of knowledge by    
means of the conscience1 should not be  
overlooked4 ,it is the remarkable fact1 
that ,nature has implanted in the mind  
of the young a principle1 by which they 
unhesitatingly believe whatever they are
 told4--,a child who has not been abused
 by frequent deceptions1 is a perfect   
picture of docility4 ,he never for a    

moment doubts either his parent or his  
teacher when he tells him what is right 
and what is wrong4 ,if he be taught that
 it is a sin to eat flesh on ,fridays1  
he never questions the truth of it2 and 
if told that he may kill spiders1 but   
should not hurl flies1 he may wonder at 
the difference1 but he never doubts the 
correctness of the statement4 ,this     
disposition in children is applicable to
 every kind of instruction offered to   
them2--but the superior importance of   
moral1 to every other kind of truth1 and
 the beneficial effects of the principle
 when applied to moral and religious    
training1 shew that it is chiefly       
designed by ,nature for aiding the      
parent and teacher in this most         
important part of their labours4  #g4   
,another circumstance connected with    
this subject is1 that the executive     
powers of conscience always act         
according to the belief of the person1  
and not according to what would have    
been the dictates of conscience in the  

exercise of her legislative             
functions4--,this of itself is a        
sufficient proof of the separate and    
independent agency of these two         
principles4 ,the legislative powers1 as 
at first implanted in the heart of man1 
there is reason to believe1 would1 if   
allowed to act freely1 never have been  
in error2 and even still1 they are      
generally a witness for the purity of   
truth2--but the executive powers        
invariably act1 not according to what is
 really the truth1 but according to what
 the person himself believes to be right
 or wrong4 ,the child who was told that 
it was a sin to eat flesh on a ,friday1 
would be reproved by his conscience were
 he to indulge his appetite by doing    
so2--and the conscience of the zealous  
,musselman1 which would smite him for   
indulging in a sip of wine1 would       
commend and reward him by its approval1 
for indulging in cruelty and injustice  
to the unbeliever in his faith4 ,the    
executive functions of conscience then  

act independently of the legislative1   
and frequently in opposition to them4   
,there must be a feeling of wrong1      
before the executive powers will        
reprove2 and there must be a sense of   
merit1 before they will commend2--but a 
mistake in either case makes no apparent
 difference4 ,this is another1 and a    
powerful argument for the early moral   
instruction of the young2 and it shews  
us also1 the greater value which ,nature
 puts upon the application and use of   
knowledge1 than upon its possession4    
,she not only encourages this           
application in all ordinary cases2 but  
here we find her1 for the purpose of    
maintaining the general principle1      
lending her assistance in the           
application and use of the knowledge    
received1 even when the knowledge itself
 is erroneous1 and the application      
mischievous4  #h4 ,another important    
circumstance which is worthy of especial
 notice1 is1 that conscience is much    
more readily acted upon by examples1    

than by precepts4--,in communicating a  
knowledge of duty1 this principle in    
,nature has become proverbial2 but it is
 not less true with respect to the      
executive powers1 in approving or       
reproving that which is right or wrong4 
,it is the prerogative of conscience to 
excite us to approve or condemn the     
conduct of others1 as well as our own2  
and this is regulated1 not by strict    
truth1 but by our belief at the time1   
whether that belief be correct or the   
contrary4 ,now the precept1 ,thou shalt 
not kill1 would be sufficient to make   
the executive powers of conscience      
watchful1 in deterring the individual   
from the crime1 or in reproving and     
punishing him if he committed it4 ,but  
the mere precept would have but little  
effect in exhibiting to him the full    
atrocity of the sin1 in comparison with 
an anecdote or a story which detailed   
its commission4 ,but even this would not
 be so powerful as the effect produced  
by a murder committed in a neighbouring 

street1 and still more were it          
perpetrated in his own presence4 ,the   
necessary inference to be drawn from    
this remarkable fact is1 that moral     
truth is much more effectively taught by
 example than by precept2 and           
accordingly we find1 that at least      
four-fifths of scripture1 which is      
altogether a moral instrument1 consist  
of narrative1 and are given specially1  
that the man of ,god may be perfect1    
thoroughly furnished to every good work4
  #i4 ,another circumstance worthy of   
observation is1 that the executive      
powers of conscience appear to be       
exceedingly partial when exercised upon 
actions done by ourselves1 in comparison
 of its decisions upon the same actions 
when they are committed by              
others4--,when we ourselves perform a   
good action1 the approval of our        
conscience is more lively and more      
extensive1 than it would have been had  
the good action been that of another4   
,on the contrary1 it would be more ready

 to perform its functions1 and more     
powerful in impressing upon our minds   
the demerit or wickedness of an action  
committed by another1 than if we        
ourselves had committed it4 ,the reason 
of this is obviously self-love1 which   
partly overbears the natural operations 
of this principle4 ,violence of passion 
and strong desire1 when we are tempted  
to commit a crime1 are hostile movements
 against the dictates of conscience2 and
 they too frequently1 by their excess1  
stifle and drown the still small voice  
which does speak out1 but which1 for the
 moment1 is not heard within us4--,but  
nothing of this kind takes place when   
the crime is committed by others4 ,we   
are then much more impartial2 and       
conscience is permitted to utter her    
voice1 and to make her impressions      
without opposition4 ,this impartial     
decision on the conduct of others1 is   
found to be a great means of preventing 
us from the future commission of a      
similar crime2 and this affords us      

another powerful argument in favour of  
early instruction and moral training4   
,by attending early to this duty1 the   
mind of the child is made up1 and       
sentence has been pronounced on certain 
acts1 before selfishness or the passions
 have had an opportunity of blinding the
 mind1 or silencing the conscience4 ,by 
proper moral training the pupil is      
fortified and prepared for combating his
 evil inclinations when temptations     
occur2 but without this1 he will have to
 encounter sudden temptations at a great
 disadvantage4  #aj4 ,another           
circumstance connected with this subject
 is1 that the moral sentiments and      
feelings above all others1 are improved 
and strengthened by exercise2 and are   
weakened1 and often destroyed by        
disregard or opposition4--,every        
instance of moral exercise or moral     
discipline1 invigorates the executive   
powers of conscience1 and renders the   
moral perceptions of the person more    
acute and tender4 ,every successful     

struggle against a temptation1 implants 
in the mind of a child a noble          
consciousness of dignity1 and confers a 
large amount of moral strength1 and a   
firmer determination to resist others4  
,in this respect1 the good derived from 
the mere knowledge of a duty and its    
actual performance is immense4 ,a child 
who is merely told that a certain action
 is praiseworthy1 is by no means so     
sensible of the fact1 or of its value1  
as he is after he has actually performed
 it2 and when1 on the contrary1 he is   
told that a certain action is wrong1 he 
is no doubt prepared to avoid it2 but it
 is not till he has been tempted to its 
commission1 and has successfully        
overcome the temptation1 that he is     
fully aware of its enormity4 ,when he   
has successfully resisted the first     
temptation1 he is much better prepared  
than any exhortation or warning could   
make him for resisting and repelling a  
second2--while every successive victory 
will give strength to the executive     

powers of the conscience1 and will      
render future conflicts less hazardous1 
and resistance more easy4 ,for the same 
reason1 an amiable action frequently    
performed does not pall by repetition1  
but appears more and more amiable1 till 
the doing of it grows into a habit2 and 
the approval of conscience becoming     
every day more satisfactory1 the person 
will be stimulated to its frequent and  
regular observance4  ,but the opposite  
of this is equally true4--,the continued
 habit of suppressing the voice of      
conscience will greatly weaken1 and will
 at last destroy its executive powers4  
,when a person knows that a certain     
action is wrong1 and is tempted to      
commit it1--conscience will speak out1  
and for the first time at least it will 
be listened to4 ,but if this warning be 
neglected1 and the sin be committed1 the
 conscience will be proportionally      
weakened1 and the self-will of the      
individual will acquire additional      
strength4 ,when the temptation again    

presents itself1 it is with redoubled   
power1 and it meets with less           
resistance4 ,it will invariably be found
 in such cases1 that the person felt    
much more difficulty in resisting the   
admonitions of conscience in the case of
 the first temptation1 than in that of  
the second2 and he will also feel more  
during the second than he will during   
the third4 ,frequent resistance offered 
to the executive powers of conscience   
will at last lay them asleep4 ,the      
beginning of this downward career is    
always the most difficult2 but when once
 fairly begun1 it grows every day more  
easy1 till the habit of sin becomes like
 a second nature4  #aa4 ,there is yet   
another feature in the exhibition of the
 moral sense in adults1 which ought not 
to be overlooked by the ,educationist in
 his treatment of the young4 ,we here   
allude to the remarkable fact1 that the 
conscience scarcely ever refers to      
consequences connected merely with this 
world and time1 but compels the man1 in 

spite of himself1 to fear1 that his     
actions will1 in some way or other1 have
 an influence upon his happiness or his 
misery in another world1 and through    
eternity4--,the mere uneasiness arising 
from the fear of detection and          
punishment by men1 is a perfectly       
different kind of feeling1 and never is1
 and never ought to be1 dignified with  
the name of conscience4 ,it is the      
consequence of a mere animal calculation
 of chances2--similar to the feelings   
which give rise to the cautious prowling
 of the hungry lion1 or the stealthy    
advances of the timorous fox4 ,but the  
forebodings1 as well as the gnawings of 
conscience1 extend much farther1 and    
strike much deeper1 than these          
superficial and animal sensations4      
,conscience in man1 as long as it is    
permitted to act freely1 has always a   
reference to ,god1 to a future judgment1
 and to eternity1 and is but rarely     
affected by worldly considerations4 ,the
 valuable lesson to be drawn from this  

circumstance obviously is1 that the     
parent and teacher ought1 in their moral
 training of the young1 to make use of  
the same principle4 ,the anticipated    
approbation or displeasure of their     
earthly parents or teachers1 or even the
 fear of the rod and correction1 is not 
enough4 ,children are capable of being  
restrained by much higher motives1 and  
stimulated to duty by nobler and more   
generous feelings4 ,the greatness1 the  
holiness1 the unwearied goodness1 and   
the omnipresence of their heavenly      
,father1 present to the rational and    
tender affections of the young1 a       
constantly increasing stimulus to       
obedience and self-controul2--while the 
fear of mere physical suffering will be 
found daily to decrease1 and may perhaps
 in some powerful minds at last         
altogether disappear4 ,the horse and the
 dog were intended to be trained in the 
one way2--but rational and intelligent  
minds were obviously intended to be     
trained in the other4  ,of these facts1 

connected as they are with the          
application of knowledge by means of the
 moral sense1 the ,educationist must    
make use for the perfecting of his      
science4 ,they are the most valuable1   
and therefore they ought to form the    
most important branch of his            
investigations4 ,all the other parts of 
,nature's teaching were but means2--this
 is obviously the great end she designed
 by using them1 and therefore it ought  
to be his also4  ,in regard to the      
practical working of this important part
 of ,nature's educational process1 we   
need only remark here1 that the         
application of the pupil's knowledge    
connected with the moral sense1 is      
precisely the same in form1 as in that  
connected with the common sense4 ,there 
is always here first1 as in the former  
case1 some fundamental truth1 generally 
derived from ,scripture1 or founded on  
some moral maxim1 and presented in the  
form of a precept1 a promise1 a         
threatening1 or an example2--there is   

next a lesson or inference drawn from   
this truth2--and there is1 lastly1 a    
practical application of that lesson or 
inference to present circumstances4     
,for the purpose of illustrating this1  
let us suppose that a boy who has been  
trained in imitation of ,nature1 is     
tempted by some ungodly acquaintances to
 join with them in absenting himself    
from public worship1 and in breaking the
 ,sabbath4 ,the moment that such a      
temptation is suggested to him1 a       
feeling arises in his mind1 which will  
take something like the following       
form3--,i ought not to absent myself    
from public worship2--,i ought not to   
break the ,sabbath2--,i ought not to    
keep bad company4 ,here are three       
distinct lessons suited to the occasion1
 obviously derived from his previous    
knowledge1 and which he has been trained
 either directly or indirectly to draw  
from the only rule of duty1 the ,bible4 
,when1 accordingly1 the temptation is   
farther pressed upon him1 and the       

reasons of his refusal are regularly put
 into form1 they appear in something    
like the following shape and order3--,i 
must not absent myself from public      
worship2 for thus it is written1        
',forget not the assembling of          
yourselves together2' and1 ',jesus1 as  
his custom was1 went to the synagogue on
 the ,sabbath day4'--,i must not profane
 this holy day2 for thus it is written1 
',remember the ,sabbath day to keep it  
holy1'--,and1 ,i must not go with these 
boys2 for thus it is written1 ',go not  
in the way of the ungodly2' and ',evil  
communications corrupt good manners4'   
,whoever will investigate the subject   
closely1 will find1 that the above is a 
pretty correct picture of the mental    
process1 wherever temptation is opposed 
and overcome by means of religious      
principle2--but it is also worthy of    
remark1 that the form is still nearly   
the same by whomsoever a temptation is  
resisted1 and whether they do or do not 
take the ,scriptures for their text-book

 and directory4 ,the only difference in 
such a case is1 that their lessons have 
been drawn from some other source4 ,for 
example1 another boy exposed to the     
above temptation might successfully     
resist it upon the following grounds4   
,he might say1 ,i must not absent myself
 from public worship2 because ,i shall  
then lose the promised reward for taking
 home the text2--,i dare not profane the
 ,sabbath2 because1 if ,i did1 my father
 would punish me2--,i will not go with  
these boys2 because ,i would be ashamed 
to be seen in their company4 ,in this   
latter example1 we have the same        
lessons1 and the same application1      
although these lessons have been derived
 from a more questionable1 and a much   
more variable source4 ,in both cases1   
however1 it is the same operation of    
,nature1 and which we ought always to   
imitate therefore upon scriptural and   
solid grounds4  ,these examples might be
 multiplied in various forms1 and yet   
they would in every case be found       

substantially alike4 ,the application of
 knowledge1 whether by the common or the
 moral sense1 is carried forward only in
 one way1 in which the truth1 the       
lesson1 and the application1 follow each
 other in natural order1 whether they be
 perceived or not4 ,to this process1    
therefore1 every branch and portion of  
our knowledge ought to be adapted1 as it
 is obviously the great end designed by 
,nature in all her previous endeavours4 
,the parent1 therefore1 or the teacher1 
who wilfully passes over1 or but        
slightly attends to these plain         
indications1 is really betraying his    
trust1 and deeply injuring the future   
prospects of his immortal charge4  ,the 
several circumstances enumerated in the 
previous part of this chapter1 as       
connected with the moral sense1 are     
capable of suggesting many important    
hints for the establishment of          
education2 but there are one or two     
connected with the subject as a whole1  
to which we must very shortly allude4   

,in the first place1 from the foregoing 
facts we are powerfully led to the      
conclusion1 that all kinds of physical  
good1 such as health1 strength1 beauty1 
riches1 and honours1 and even the higher
 attainments of intellectual sagacity   
and knowledge1 are1 in the estimation of
 ,nature1 not once to be compared with  
the very lowest of the moral            
acquirements4 ,with respect to the      
former1 man shares them1 though in a    
higher degree1 with the brute           
creation2--but morals are altogether    
peculiar to higher intelligences4 ,to   
man1 in particular1 the value of moral  
discipline is beyond calculation3--,for1
 however much the present ignorance and 
grossness of men's minds may deceive    
them in weighing their respective worth1
 yet it would be easy to shew1 that the 
knowledge and practice of but one       
additional truth in morals1 are of more 
real value to a child1 than a whole     
lifetime of physical enjoyment4 ,nature 
has accordingly implanted in his        

constitution1 a complete system of moral
 machinery1 to assist the parent in this
 first and most important part of his   
duty1--that of guiding his children in  
the paths of religion and virtue4 ,the  
executive powers of conscience are      
always alive and active1 stimulating or 
restraining both young and old1 wherever
 the action proposed partakes of the    
character of right or wrong4 ,and1 even 
where the parental duties in this       
respect have been neglected1 ,nature    
has1 in part1 graciously provided a     
remedy4 ,in all such cases1 during the  
years of advancing manhood1 the law is  
gradually and vividly written upon the  
heart4 ,its dictates are generally1 no  
doubt1 dimmed and defaced by the natural
 depravity and recklessness of the      
sinner2 but even then1 they are         
sufficiently legible to leave him       
without excuse for his neglect of their 
demands4  ,the preference which ,nature 
gives to moral acquirements1 is         
demonstrated also by another feature in 

her different modes of applying         
knowledge by the common and the moral   
senses4 ,in the attainment of physical  
good1 ,nature leaves men1 as she does   
the lower animals1 in a great measure to
 themselves1 under the guardianship of  
the common sense2 but1 in respect to    
actions that are morally good or evil1  
she deals with them in a much more      
solemn and dignified manner4 ,a         
transgression of the laws of the natural
 or common sense1 is1 without           
discrimination and without mercy1       
visited with present and corresponding  
punishment2 plainly indicating1 that    
with respect to these there is to be no 
future reckoning2--while the trial and  
final judgment of moral acts are usually
 reserved for a future1 a more solemn1  
and a more comprehensive investigation4 
,another inference which legitimately   
arises out of the above considerations1 
as well as from the facts themselves1   
is1 that religion and morals are really 
intended to be the chief object of      

attention in the education of the young4
 ,this is a circumstance so clearly and 
so frequently pointed out to us1 in our 
observation of ,nature's educational    
processes1 that no person1 we think1 of 
a philosophic turn of mind1 can         
consistently refuse his assent to it4   
,the facts are so numerous1 and the     
legitimate inferences to be drawn from  
them are so plain1 that pre-conceived   
opinions should never induce us either  
to blink them from fear1 or deny them   
from prejudice4 ,these facts and        
inferences too1 it should be observed1  
present themselves to our notice in all 
their own native power and simplicity1  
invulnerable in their own strength1 and1
 in one sense1 altogether independent of
 revelation4 ,they are1 no doubt1       
efficiently supported in every page of  
the ,christian ,record2 but1 without    
revelation1 they force themselves upon  
our conviction1 and cannot be           
consistently refuted4 ,we state this    
fearlessly1 from a consideration of     

numerous facts1 to a few of which1      
selected from among many1 we shall1     
before concluding1 very shortly advert4 
,in the first place1 it is obvious to   
the most cursory observer1 that moral   
attainments and moral greatness are more
 honoured by ,nature1 and are1 of       
course1 more valuable to man1 than the  
possession of either intellectual or    
physical good4--,nature has1 to the     
possessor1 made virtue its own reward1  
in that calm consciousness of dignity1  
self-approval1 and peace1 which are its 
natural results2 while1 even from the   
mere looker-on1 she compels an approval4
 ,on the contrary1 we find1 that the    
highest intellectual or physical        
attainments1 when coupled with vice1    
lead directly and invariably to         
corresponding depths of degradation and 
misery4 ,no one1 we think1 can deny this
 as a general principle2 and if it be   
admitted1 the question is settled2 for  
no person acting rationally would seek  
the lesser good for his child1 at the   

expense of the greater4  ,another proof 
of the same fact is1 that ,nature has   
provided for the physical and           
intellectual education of the young1 by 
means of the animal or common sense2    
while morals are1 in a great measure1   
left to the education of the parents4   
,the principle of common sense1 as we   
have seen1 begins its operations and    
discipline in early infancy1 and        
continues to act through life2 but the  
culture of the moral sense1--by far the 
most important of the two1--is left     
during infancy and childhood very much  
to the affections of the natural        
guardians of the child1 and to the      
results of their education4 ,hence it   
is1 that while ,nature amply provides   
for the neglect of this duty1 by the    
developement of the legislative powers  
of conscience towards manhood1 they are 
comparatively feeble1 and in ordinary   
cases are but little thought of or      
observed1 wherever this duty has        
timeously been attended to4 ,from all   

these circumstances we infer1 that it is
 the intention of ,nature1 that the     
establishment and culture of religion   
and morals should in every case form the
 chief objects of education1--the main  
business of the family and the          
school2--an intention which she has     
pointed out and guarded by valuable     
rewards on the one hand1 and severe     
penalties on the other4 ,when the duty  
is faithfully attended to1 ,nature lends
 her powerful assistance1 by the early  
developement of the executive powers of 
conscience1 and the virtue of the pupil 
is the appropriate reward to both       
parties2 but1 when this is omitted1 the 
growing depravity of the child becomes  
at once the reproof and the punishment  
of the parents1 for this wilful         
violation of ,nature's designs4  ,in    
conclusion1 it may be necessary to      
remark1 that from these latter          
circumstances1 another and a directly   
opposite inference may be drawn1 which  
we must not allow to pass without       

observation4--,it may be said1 that the 
very postponement of the legislative    
powers of conscience till the years of  
manhood1 shews1 that religion and morals
 are not designed to be taught till that
 period arrive4 ,now1 to this there are 
two answers4--,first1 if it were        
correct1 it would set aside1 and render 
useless almost all the other indications
 of ,nature on this subject4 ,in        
accordance with the view taken of the   
circumstances as above1 these           
indications are perfectly harmonious and
 effective2 but1 in the view of the case
 which this argument supposes1 they are 
all inconsistent and useless4--,but1    
secondly1 if this argument proves any   
thing1 it proves too much1 and would    
infer the absurd proposition1 that      
physical and intellectual qualities are 
superior in value to moral              
attainments2--a proposition that is     
contradicted1 as we have shewn1 by every
 operation and circumstance in ,nature  
and providence4 ,it is in direct        

opposition also to all the              
unsophisticated feelings of human       
,nature4 ,no thinking person will       
venture to affirm1 that the beauty of   
the courtezan1 the strength of the      
robber1 or the intelligence and sagacity
 of the swindler1 are more to be        
honoured than the generous qualities of 
a ,wilberforce or a ,howard4 ,and       
therefore it is1 that from a calm and   
dispassionate consideration of these    
facts1 and independently altogether of  
revelation1 we cannot see how any       
impartial philosophic mind can evade the
 conclusion1 that the chief object to be
 attended to in the education of the    
young1 and to which every thing else    
should be strictly subservient1 is their
 regular and early training in religion 
and morals4     ,,chap4 ,,xi4  ,on      
,nature's ,method of ,training her      
,pupils to ,communicate their           
,knowledge4   ,there is yet a ,fourth   
process in the educational system of    
,nature1 which may be termed            

supplementary1 as it is not intended    
solely1 nor even chiefly1 for the good  
of the pupil himself1 but for the       
community4--,this process of ,nature    
consists in the training of her pupil to
 communicate1 by language1 not only his 
own wishes and wants1 but also1 and     
perhaps chiefly1 the knowledge and      
experience which he himself has         
attained4 ,the three previous processes 
of ,nature were in a great measure      
selfish1--referring to the pupil as an  
individual1 and are of use although he  
should be alone1 and isolated from all  
others of his species2 but this is      
characteristically social1 and to the   
monk and the hermit is altogether       
useless4  ,that this ability to         
communicate our sentiments is intended  
by ,nature1 not for the sole benefit of 
the individual1 but chiefly as an       
instrument of doing good to others1     
appears obvious from various            
circumstances4 ,its importance in       
education1 and in the training of the   

young1 would of itself1 we think1 be a  
sufficient proof of this2 but it is     
rendered unquestionable by the          
invariable decision of every unbiassed  
mind1 in judging of a person who is     
constantly speaking of and for himself2 
and of another whose sole object in     
conversation1 is to exalt and promote   
the happiness of those around him4 ,the 
one person1 however meritorious         
otherwise1 is pitied or laughed at2--the
 other is admired and applauded in spite
 of ourselves4  ,the benevolence of this
 arrangement in the educational process 
of ,nature is worthy of especial notice1
 as it leads us directly to the         
conclusion1 that learning1 of whatever  
kind1 is not intended to be a monkish   
and personal thing1 but is really       
designed by ,nature for the benefit of  
the community at large4 ,those connected
 with education1 therefore1 are here    
taught1 that the training of the young  
should be so conducted1 that while the  
attainments of the pupil shall in every 

instance benefit himself1 they shall at 
the same time be of such a kind1 and    
shall be communicated in such a way1 as 
shall advantage the persons with whom he
 is to mingle1 and the community of     
which he is to form a part4 ,unless this
 lesson1 taught us by ,nature1 be       
attended to1 her plan is obviously left 
incomplete4  ,in entering upon the      
consideration of this part of our       
subject1 we cannot but remark the value 
and the importance which ,nature has    
attached to the higher acquisitions of  
this anti-selfish portion of her        
teaching4 ,language is perverted and    
abused1 when it is generally and chiefly
 employed for the benefit of the        
individual himself2 and the decision of 
every candid and well-disposed mind     
confirms the truth of this assertion4   
,when1 on the contrary1 it is employed  
for the benefit of others1 or for the   
good of the public in general1 it       
commands attention1 and compels         
approval4 ,eloquence1 therefore1 is     

obviously intended by ,nature for the   
benefit of communities2 and accordingly1
 she has so disposed matters in the     
constitution of men's minds1 and of     
society1 that communities shall in every
 instance do it homage4 ,in proof of    
this1 we find1 in every age and nation1 
wherever ,nature is not totally debased 
by art or crime1 that the most powerful 
orator1 has almost always been found to 
be the most influential man4 ,every     
other qualification in society has been 
made to bend to this1 and even reason   
itself is often for the moment obscured1
 by means of its fascinations4 ,learning
 and intellect1 riches1 popularity1 and 
power1 have frequently been made to     
quail before it2 and even virtue itself 
has for a time been deprived of its     
influence1 when assailed by eloquence4  
,nay1 even in more artificial           
communities1 where ,nature has been     
constrained and moulded anew to suit the
 tastes and caprices of selfish men1    
eloquence has still maintained its      

reputation1 and has generally guided the
 possessor to honour and to power4      
,amongst the lower and unsophisticated  
classes of society its influence is     
almost universal2 and in most polished  
communities1 it is still acknowledged as
 a high attainment1 and one of the best 
indications that has yet been afforded  
of superior mental culture4  ,that this 
is not an erroneous estimate of the     
mental powers of a finished debater1    
will be evident from a slight analysis  
of what he has to achieve in the        
exercise of his art4 ,he has1 while his 
adversary is speaking1 to receive and   
retain upon his mind1 the whole of his  
argument1--separate its weak and strong 
points1--and call forth and arrange     
those views and illustrations which are 
calculated to overthrow and demolish it4
 ,this itself1 even when performed in   
silence1 is a prodigious effort of      
mental strength2 but when he commences  
to speak1 and to manage these1 with     
other equally important operations of   

his own mind at the same moment1 the    
difficulty of succeeding is greatly     
increased4 ,when he begins to pour forth
 his refutation in an uninterrupted flow
 of luminous eloquence2--meeting1       
combating1 and setting aside his        
opponent's statements and               
reasonings2--carefully marking1 as he   
goes along1 the effect produced upon his
 hearers1 and adapting his arguments to 
the varying emotions and circumstances  
of the audience2--withholding1          
transposing1 or abridging the materials 
he had previously prepared1 or seizing  
new illustrations suggested by passing  
incidents2--and all this not only       
without hesitation1 and without         
confusion1 but with the most perfect    
composure and self-controul2--such a man
 gives evidence of an energy1 a grasp1 a
 quickness of thought1 which1 as an     
exhibition of godlike power in a        
creature1 has scarcely a parallel in the
 whole range of ,nature's efforts4 ,all 
kinds and degrees of physical glory1 in 

comparison with this1 sink into         
insignificance4  ,it is but rare indeed 
that any country or age produces a      
,demosthenes1 a ,pitt1 a ,thomson1 or a 
,brougham2 and such persons have        
hitherto been considered as gifts of    
,nature1 rather than the legitimate     
production of educational exercises4    
,but this we conceive to be a mistake4  
,they may perhaps have been self-taught1
 and self-exercised1 as ,demosthenes    
confessedly was2 but that teaching1 and 
especially mental and oral exercise1 are
 necessary for the production of one of 
,nature's chief ornaments1 both analogy 
and experience abundantly shew4#h       
,fluency in the use of words is not     
enough1--copiousness of thought1 such as
 may be of use in the study1 is not     
enough2--for ,nature's work1 of which we
 are at present speaking1 consists      
chiefly in the faculty of forming one   
train of thoughts in the mind1 at the   
same time that the individual is giving 
expression to another4 ,every child1    

accordingly1 who holds conversation with
 his companion1 is practising on a      
limited scale the very exercise which1  
if carried out by regular gradations1   
would ultimately lead to that excellence
 which we have above described4 ,in     
every case of free unconstrained        
conversation1 the operation of this     
principle of ,nature is apparent2 for   
the idea is present to the mind some    
time before the tongue gives it         
utterance1 and the person is preparing a
 second idea1 at the moment he is       
communicating the first4 ,upon this     
simple principle the whole art of       
eloquence1 when analyzed1 appears to    
depend4 ,we shall therefore endeavour to
 trace its operation1 and the methods   
which ,nature adopts for the purpose of 
perfecting it4  ,that this ability is   
altogether acquired1 and depends wholly 
upon exercise for its cultivation1 is   
obvious in every stage of its progress1 
but especially towards its commencement4
 ,when ,nature first begins to suggest  

to an infant the use of language1 we    
perceive that it cannot think and speak 
at the same moment4 ,long after it has  
acquired the knowledge of words and     
names1 and even the power of            
articulating them1 it utters but one    
syllable1 or one word at a time4 ,its   
language1 for a while after it has      
acquired a pretty extensive acquaintance
 with nouns and adjectives1 is made up  
of single1 or at most double words1 with
 an observable pause between each1 as   
if1 after uttering one1 it had to       
collect its thoughts and again prepare  
for a new effort1 before it was able to 
pronounce the next4 ,this is the child's
 first step1 or rather the child's first
 attempt1 in this important exercise2   
and it is conspicuous chiefly by the    
want1 even in the least degree1 of that 
power of which we have spoken4 ,by and  
bye1 however1 the child is able to put  
two syllables1 or two words together1   
without the pause2--but not three4 ,that
 is a work of time1 and that again has  

to become familiar1 before four1 or more
 words be attempted4 ,these1 however1   
are at last mastered2 and he slowly     
acquires by practice the ability to     
utter a short sentence1 composed chiefly
 of nouns1 adjectives1 and verbs1       
without interruption1 and at last       
without difficulty4  ,in the process    
here described1 we perceive the         
commencement of ,nature's exercises in  
training her pupil to the acquisition of
 this valuable faculty4 ,it consists    
chiefly1 as we have said1 in enabling   
the child by regular practice to arrive 
at such a command of the mental         
faculties1 and the powers of            
articulation1 as qualifies him to       
exercise both apparently at the same    
moment4 ,his mind is employed in        
preparing one set of ideas1 while the   
organs of speech are engaged in giving  
utterance to another4 ,he thinks that   
which he is about to speak1 at the      
moment he is speaking that which he     
previously thought2 and if1 as is       

generally admitted1 the mind cannot be  
engaged upon two things at the same     
moment1 there is here an instance of    
such a rapid and successive transition  
from one to another1 as obviously to    
elude perception4  ,the various means   
which ,nature employs in working out    
this great end in the young are very    
remarkable4 ,we have seen that a child  
at first does not possess the power of  
uttering even a word1 while his thoughts
 are engaged on any thing else4 ,the    
powers of the mind must as it were be   
concentrated upon that one word1 till by
 long practice he can at last think on  
one and utter another4 ,the same        
difficulty of speaking and thinking on  
different things is observable in his   
amusements2 and ,nature appears to      
employ the powerful auxiliary of his    
play to assist him in overcoming it4    
,when a young child is engaged in any   
amusement which requires thought1 the   
inability of the mind to do double duty 
is very evident4 ,he cannot hear a      

question1 nor speak a single sentence1  
and go on with his play at the same     
time4 ,if a question be asked1 he stops1
 looks up1 hears1 answers1 and then     
perhaps collects his thoughts1 and again
 proceeds with his game as before2 but  
for a long time he cannot even hear1 far
 less speak1 and play at the same       
moment4 ,when a child is able to do     
this1 it is a good sign of his having   
acquired considerable mental powers4    
,the excitement of play1 we have said1  
is one chief means which ,nature employs
 for the cultivation of this faculty1   
and it is peculiarly worthy of attention
 by the ,educationist4 ,every one must  
have observed the strong desire which   
children have1 during their more        
exhilarating games1 to exercise their   
lungs by shouting1 and calling out1 and 
giving direction1 encouragement1 or     
reproof1 to their companions4 ,in all   
these instances1 the impetus of their   
play is not apparently stopt while they 
speak1 and every time that this takes   

place1 they are promoting their mental1 
as well as their physical health and    
well-being4 ,the accuracy of this remark
 is perhaps more conspicuous1 although  
not more real1 in the less boisterous   
and more placid employment of the young4
 ,the lively prattle of the girl1 while 
constructing her baby-house2 her playful
 arrogation of authority and command    
over her playmates1 and her serio-comic 
administering of commendation or reproof
 in the assumed character of mistress or
 mother1 are all instances of a similar 
kind4 ,a little attention to the matter 
will convince any one1 that every       
sentence uttered by a child while       
dressing a doll1 or rigging a ship1 or  
cutting a stick1 is really intended and 
employed by ,nature in advancing this   
great object4 ,and we cannot help       
remarking1 that the irksome silence so  
frequently enjoined upon children during
 their play1 or during any species of   
active employment1 is not only harsh and
 unnecessary1 but is positively hurtful4

 ,it is in direct opposition both to the
 design and the practice of ,nature4 ,it
 is obstructing1 or at least neglecting 
the cultivation and the developement of 
powers1 which are destined to be a chief
 ornament of life2 a source of honour   
and enjoyment to the pupil himself1 and 
ultimately a great benefit to society4  
,the cultivation of this faculty in     
adults1 after they have emancipated     
themselves from the discipline of       
,nature1 is advanced or retarded by the 
use or neglect of similar means4        
,accordingly we find1 that in every     
instance where the powers of the mind   
are actively1 7not mechanically7        
employed1 while the individual is at the
 same time called on to exercise his    
powers of speech and hearing on         
something else1 this faculty of         
extemporaneous speaking is cultivated1  
and rendered more easy and fluent4      
,whereas1 on the contrary1 the most     
extensive acquaintance with words1 even 
when combined with much knowledge1 has  

but little influence in making a ready  
speaker4 ,many of the most voluble of   
our species have but a very scanty      
vocabulary1 and still less knowledge2   
while men of extensive and profound     
learning1 whose habits have been formed 
in the study1 are often defective even  
in common conversation1 and utterly     
unable to undertake with success the    
task of public extemporaneous speaking4 
,from this cause it is1 that some of our
 ablest men1 and our greatest scholars1 
are necessitated to read that which they
 dare not trust themselves to speak2    
while others1 by a different practice1  
and perhaps with fewer real attainments1
 feel no difficulty in arranging their  
ideas1 and delivering them at the same  
time with ease and fluency4 ,hence it is
 also1 that travelling1 frequent        
intercourse with strangers1 debating    
societies1 and above all1 forensic      
pleadings1 sharpen the faculties1 and   
give an ease and accuracy in thinking   
and speaking1 which are but rarely      

acquired in the same degree in any other
 way4  ,there is one particular feature 
in this department of ,nature's         
teaching1 which is of so much importance
 both to the young and to adults1 that  
it ought not to be passed over without  
notice4 ,it is the important fact1 that 
the highest attainments in this valuable
 accomplishment are within the reach of 
almost every individual pupil1 by a very
 moderate diligence in the use of the   
proper means4 ,the counterpart of this  
is equally true2 for without culture1   
either regular or accidental1 no portion
 of it can ever be acquired4 ,this is   
abundantly proved both by experience and
 analogy4 ,experience has shewn1 that in
 every case1 perseverance alone1 often  
without system1 has made great and      
powerful speakers2 and the analogy      
between the expression of our feelings  
by words and by music1 shews what proper
 training may do in both cases4 ,every  
one will admit that it is easier to give
 expression to our feelings by the      

natural organs of speech1 than by the   
mechanical use of a musical instrument2 
and if by making use of the proper      
means1 and with a moderate degree of    
diligence and perseverance1 every man   
can be trained to play dexterously on   
the violin1 or the organ1 and at the    
same moment maintain a perfect command  
over the operations of his mind1--we may
 reasonably conclude1 from analogy1 that
 with an equal1 or even a smaller degree
 of diligence1 when the means have been 
equally systematized1 the most humble   
individual may be trained to manage the 
operations of his mind1 while he is     
otherwise making use of his tongue1 as  
the other is of his fingers4  ,but the  
opposite of this1 as we have stated     
above1 is equally true4 ,for1 although a
 man may1 by diligence and perseverance1
 attain a high degree of perfection in  
the exercise of this faculty2 yet1 even 
the lowest must be procured by the use  
of means4 ,the art of thinking and      
speaking different ideas at the same    

time1 as we have proved1 is not an      
instinctive1 but is wholly an acquired  
faculty1 and must be attained by        
exercise wherever it is possessed4 ,we  
have instanced as examples the case of  
the girl having at first to stop while  
dressing her doll1 and the boy while    
rigging his ship2 but what we wish to   
notice here is1 that the principle is   
not peculiar to children1 whose ideas   
are few1 and whose language is          
imperfect1 but applies equally to       
adults1 even of superior attainments1   
and well cultivated minds4 ,we have in  
part proved this by the frequent defects
 of even learned men in conversation2   
but there is good reason to conclude1   
that even these defects would have been 
greater1 if the few opportunities they  
have improved had been less numerous4   
,in short1 it appears1 that the         
successful uttering of but two          
consecutive words1 while the mind is    
otherwise engaged1 must be acquired even
 in the adult1 by education or by       

discipline4 ,this important fact in     
education1 might be demonstrated by     
numerous proofs1 deduced from acts which
 are commonly understood to depend      
altogether on habit1 and where the mind 
is obviously but little engaged4 ,we    
shall take the case already supposed1   
that of the fingering of musical        
instruments4 ,the rapidity with which   
the fingers in this exercise perform    
their office1 would lead us to pronounce
 it to be purely mechanical1 and to     
suppose that the mind was at perfect    
liberty to attend to any of the other   
functions of the body1 during the       
performance4 ,but this is not the case2 
for although by long practice1 the      
operator has acquired the art of        
thinking upon various other subjects    
while playing1 he finds upon a first    
trial1 that he is then totally unable to
 articulate two words in succession4    
,here then is a case exactly parallel   
with that of the children who had to    
stop to speak during their play2 proving

 that it does not arise from the lack of
 ideas1 or a deficiency in words1 but   
purely from want of discipline and      
practice2 because many musicians by     
practice1 and by practice alone1        
overcome the difficulty1 and become able
 both to speak and to play at the same  
time4  ,there is another circumstance   
connected with this part of our subject1
 which is worthy of remark4 ,a person   
who is playing on an instrument1 and who
 is desirous to speak1 finds himself1   
without long practice1 totally unable to
 do so2 but he may1 if he pleases1 sing 
what he has to say1 provided only that  
he modulate his voice to the tune he is 
playing4 ,the reason of this appears to 
be two-fold2 first1 that the mind1 by   
following the tune in the articulation  
of the words1 is relieved in a great    
measure from doing double duty2 and     
secondly1 and chiefly1 because the      
person has already acquired1 by more or 
less practice1 the faculty of singing   
and playing at the same time4 ,from this

 illustration1 we perceive the necessity
 that exists in education1 of           
cultivating in the young1 by direct     
means and special exercises1 this       
important faculty of managing the       
thoughts and giving expression to them  
at the same moment4 ,it must be acquired
 by a course of mental discipline1 which
 brings all the elements of the         
principle into operation2 the collecting
 and managing of ideas1 the chusing and 
arranging of words1 and the giving of   
them utterance1 at the same time4 ,that 
direct exercises of this kind are       
necessary for the purpose1 is obvious   
from the illustrations here given2 where
 we find1 that although a person1 while 
playing on an instrument1 may sing his  
words1 he is yet unable to make the     
slightest deviation from singing to     
speaking1 without a long and laborious  
practice4  ,here then we have been      
enabled to trace this supplementary     
process of ,nature in the education of  
her pupils1 and to detect the great     

leading principle or law1 by which it is
 governed4 ,the attainment itself is the
 ready and fluent communication of our  
ideas to others2 and the mode employed  
by nature for arriving at it1 appears to
 be the training of her pupils to       
exercise their minds upon one set of    
ideas1 while they are giving expression 
to another4 ,that the mind is actually  
engaged in two different ways1 at the   
same moment of time1 it is not necessary
 for us to suppose4 ,it is sufficient   
for our purpose1 that the operations so 
rapidly succeed each other1 as to appear
 to do so4 ,the ability to accomplish   
this1 we have proved to be in every case
 an acquired habit1 and is never        
possessed1 even in the smallest degree1 
without effort4 ,it is1 in fact1 the    
invariable result of exercise and       
education4 ,the most gifted of our      
species are frequently destitute of it2 
while very feeble minds have been found 
to possess it1 when by chance or design 
they have employed the proper means for 

its attainment4 ,what is wanted by the  
,educationist therefore1 is an exercise1
 or series of exercises1 which will     
enable him to imitate ,nature1 by       
causing his pupil to employ his mind in 
preparing one set of ideas1 while he is 
giving expression to another4 ,such an  
exercise1 upon whatever subject1 will   
always produce1 in a greater or less    
degree1 the effect which ,nature by this
 supplementary process intends to       
accomplish2 that of giving the pupil    
ease and fluency in conversation1 and a 
ready faculty of delivering his         
sentiments2 while we have seen1 by      
numerous illustrations1 that it is at   
least highly improbable that it ever can
 be acquired in any other way4 ,we have 
also demonstrated the impropriety of all
 unnecessary artificial restrictions    
upon children while at their play1 and  
of preventing their speaking1 calling   
out1 and giving orders1 encouragement1  
or commendation to their companions     
during it4 ,these illustrations and     

examples have also pointed out to us the
 importance of encouraging the young to 
speak or converse with their teachers or
 one another1 while they are actively   
employed at work1 in their amusements1  
or in any other way in which the mind is
 but partially engaged4 ,exercises of   
this kind in the domestic circle1 where 
they could be more frequently resorted  
to1 would be of great value in          
forwarding the mental capacities of the 
young1 and might be at least equally and
 extensively useful1 as similar         
exercises employed in the school4 ,the  
consideration of suitable exercises for 
advancing these ends1 by which ,nature  
may be successfully imitated in this    
important part of her process1 belongs  
to another department of this ,treatise1
 to which accordingly we must refer4    
,,footnotes3  #h ,note ,g4     ,,chap4  
,,xii4  ,recapitulation of the          
,philosophical ,principles developed in 
the previous ,chapters4   ,before       
proceeding to the third and more        

practical part of this ,treatise1 it    
will be of advantage here1 shortly to   
review the progress we have made in     
establishing the several educational    
principles1 exhibited in the operations 
of ,nature1 as it is upon these that the
 following practical recommendations are
 to be entirely founded4 ,in doing this1
 we would wish to press upon the        
attention of the reader the important   
consideration1 that however much we may 
fail in what is to follow1 the          
principles which we have already        
ascertained1 must still remain as       
stationary landmarks in education1 at   
which all future advances1 by whomsoever
 made1 must infallibly set out4 ,the    
previous chapters1 therefore1 in so far 
as they have given a correct exposition 
of ,nature's modes of teaching1 must    
constitute something like the model upon
 which all her future imitators in      
education will have to work4 ,there may 
be a change of order1 and a change of   
names1 but the principles themselves1 in

 so far as they have been discovered1   
will for ever remain unchanged and      
unchangeable4--,it is very different1   
however1 with what is to follow1 in     
which we are to make some attempts at   
imitation4 ,the principles which        
regulate the rapid movements of fish    
through water is one thing2 and the     
attempt to imitate these principles by  
the ship-builder is quite another thing4
 ,the first1 when correctly ascertained1
 remain the unalterable standard for    
every future naval architect2 but the   
attempts at imitation will change and   
improve1 as long as the minds of men are
 directed to the perfecting of          
ship-building4 ,in like manner1 the     
various facts in the educational        
processes of ,nature1 in so far as they 
have been correctly ascertained in the  
previous part of this ,treatise1 must   
form the unalterable basis for every    
future improvement in education4 ,these 
facts1 or principles1 will very probably
 be found to form only a part of her    

operations2--but as they do really form 
a part1 they will become a nucleus1     
round which all the remaining principles
 when discovered will necessarily       
congregate4 ,we shall here therefore    
endeavour very shortly to recapitulate  
the several principles or laws employed 
by ,nature in her academy1 so far as we 
have been able to detect them2 as it    
must be upon these that not only we1 but
 all our successors in the improvement  
of education1 must hereafter proceed4   
,we have seen in a former chapter1 that 
the educational processes of ,nature    
divide themselves distinctly into four  
different kinds4 ,first1 the cultivation
 of the powers of the mind3--,second1   
the acquisition of knowledge3--,third1  
the uses or application of that         
knowledge to the daily varying          
circumstances of the pupil3--and        
,fourth1 the ability to communicate this
 knowledge and experience to others4    
,the first department of ,nature's      
teaching1 that of cultivating the powers

 of her pupil's mind1 we found to depend
 chiefly1 if not entirely1 upon one     
simple mental operation1 that of        
reiterating ideas2 and from numerous    
examples and experiments it has been    
shewn1 that wherever this act of the    
mind takes place1 there is1 and there   
must be1 mental culture2 while1 on the  
contrary1 wherever it does not take     
place1 there is not1 so far as we can   
yet perceive1 the slightest indication  
that the mind has either been exercised 
or benefited4  ,the second department of
 ,nature's teaching1 we have seen1      
consists in inducing and assisting her  
pupils to acquire knowledge4--,this     
object we found her accomplishing by    
means of four distinct principles1 which
 she brings into operation in regular   
order1 according to the age and mental  
capacity of the pupil4 ,these we have   
named the principle of ,perception and  
,reiteration1 which is the same as that 
employed in her first process2--the     
principle which we have named           

,individuation1 which always precedes   
and prepares for the two                
following2--there is then the principle 
of ,association1 or ,grouping1 by which 
the imagination is cultivated1 and the  
memory is assisted2--and there is1      
lastly1 the principle of                
,classification1 or ,analysis1 by which 
all knowledge when received is regularly
 classified according to its nature2 by 
which means the memory is relieved1 the 
whole is kept in due order1 and remains 
constantly at the command of the        
will4--,these four principles1 so far as
 we have yet been able to investigate   
the processes of ,nature1 are the chief1
 if not the only1 means which she       
employs in assisting and inducing the   
pupil to acquire knowledge2 and which of
 course ought to be employed in a       
similar way1 and in the same order1 by  
the teacher in the management of his    
classes4  ,the third1 and by far the    
most important series of exercises in   
,nature's academy1 we have ascertained1 

by extensive evidence1 to be the        
training of her pupils to a constant    
practical application of their knowledge
 to the ordinary affairs of             
life4--,these exercises she has         
separated into two distinct classes2 the
 one connected with the physical and    
intellectual phenomena of our nature1   
and which is regulated by what we have  
termed the animal1 or common sense2 and 
the other connected with our moral      
nature1 and regulated by our moral      
sense1 or conscience4 ,in both of these 
departments1 however1 the methods which 
,nature employs in guiding to the       
practical application of the pupil's    
knowledge are precisely the same1       
consisting of a regular gradation of    
three distinct steps1 or stages4 ,these 
steps we have found to follow each other
 in the following order4 ,there is      
always first1 some fundamental truth1 or
 idea--some definite part of our        
knowledge of which use is to be         
made2--there is next an inference1 or   

lesson1 drawn from that idea1 or        
truth2--and there is1 lastly1 a         
practical application of that lesson1 or
 inference1 to the present circumstances
 of the individual4 ,this part of       
,nature's educational process1--this    
application1 or use of knowledge1 we    
have ascertained and proved to be the   
great object which ,nature designs by   
all her previous efforts4 ,this part of 
her work1 when completed1 forms in fact 
the great ,temple of ,education1--all   
the others were but the scaffolding by  
which it was to be reared4--,this is the
 end2 those were but means employed for 
attaining it4 ,in proof of this         
important fact we have seen1 that when  
this object is successfully gained1 all 
the previous steps have been homologated
 and confirmed2 whereas1 whenever this  
crowning operation is awanting1 all the 
preceding labour of the pupil becomes   
useless and vain1 his knowledge         
gradually melts from the memory1 and is 
ultimately lost4  ,the fourth1 or       

supplementary process in this           
educational course as conducted by      
,nature1 we found to consist in the     
training of her pupils to an ability to 
communicate with ease and fluency to    
others the knowledge and experience     
which they themselves had               
acquired4--,this ability1 as we have    
shewn1 is not instinctive1 but is in    
every instance the result of education4 
,it is not always the accompaniment of  
great mental capacity2 nor is it always 
at the command of those who have        
acquired extensive knowledge4 ,persons  
highly gifted in both respects1 are     
often greatly deficient in readiness of 
utterance1 and freedom of speech4 ,on   
careful investigation we have seen1 that
 it is attained only by practice1 and by
 one simple exercise of the mental      
powers1 in which the thoughts are       
engaged with one set of ideas1 at the   
same moment that the voice is giving    
expression to others4 ,this faculty has 
been found to be eminently social and   

benevolent1 and intended1 not so much   
for the benefit of the individual       
himself as for the benefit of society4  
,nature1 accordingly1 constrains mankind
 to do homage to eloquence when it is   
employed for others1 or for the         
public2--but strongly induces them to   
look with pity or contempt on the person
 who is always speaking of or for       
himself4 ,these facts accordingly have  
led us to the important conclusion1 that
 learning and the possession of         
knowledge are not intended merely for   
the person himself1 but for the good of 
society2 and therefore1 that education  
in every community ought to be conducted
 in such a manner1 that the attainments 
of each individual in it1 shall either  
directly or indirectly benefit the      
whole4  ,in these several departments of
 our mental constitution1 and in the    
principles or laws by which they are    
carried on1 we have the great           
thoroughfare1--the highway of           
education1--marked out1 inclosed1 and   

levelled by ,nature herself4 ,hitherto1 
in our examination of the several       
processes in which we find her engaged1 
we have endeavoured strictly to confine 
ourselves to the great general          
principles which she exhibits in        
forwarding and perfecting them4 ,we have
 not touched as yet on the methods by   
which1 in our schools1 they may be      
successfully imitated2 nor have we made 
any enquiry into the particular truths  
or subjects which ought there to be     
taught4 ,these matters belong to another
 part of this ,treatise1 and will be    
considered by themselves4 ,and it is    
only necessary here to observe1 that as 
it is the use of knowledge chiefly which
 ,nature labours to attain1 it is       
therefore useful knowledge which she    
requires to be taught4 ,this is a       
principle so prominently held forth by  
,nature1 and so repeatedly indicated and
 enforced1 that in the school it ought  
never for an hour to be lost sight of4  
,the whole business of the seminary must

 be practical2 and the knowledge        
communicated must be useful1 and such as
 can be put to use4 ,if this rule be    
attended to1 the knowledge communicated 
will be valuable and permanent2--but if 
it be neglected1 the pretended          
communications will soon melt from the  
memory1 and the previous labours of both
 teacher and pupil will be in a great   
measure lost4  ,the existence of these  
several principles in education has been
 ascertained by long experience and slow
 degrees2--and the accuracy of the views
 which we have taken of them1 has been  
rigorously and repeatedly tested4 ,no   
pains has been spared in projecting and 
conducting such experiments as appeared 
necessary for the purpose2 and it has   
been by experience and experiment alone 
that their efficiency has been          
established4 ,many of these experiments 
were conducted in public1--some of them 
have for years been in circulation1--and
 the decisiveness of their results has  
never been questioned4 ,the several     

principles in education which it was the
 object of these experiments to         
ascertain1 are here for the first time1 
collected and exhibited in their natural
 order2 and they are now presented to   
the friends of education with some      
degree of confidence4 ,judging          
historically1 however1 from the         
experience of others in breaking up new 
ground in the sciences1 there is good   
reason to believe1 that the present     
,treatise goes but a short way in       
establishing the science of education4  
,there is yet much to be done2 and      
others1 no doubt1 will follow to        
complete it4 ,but if confidence is to be
 placed in history1 it appears evident1 
that they must follow in the same       
course1 if ever they are to succeed4    
,nature is our only instructress2 and   
however much she may have hitherto been 
neglected1 it is only by following her  
leadings with a child-like docility1    
that improvement is ever to be expected4
 ,by so following1 however1 success is  

certain4 ,the prospects of the science  
at the present moment1 both as to its   
spread and its improvement1 are         
exceedingly cheering4 ,the field1 which 
is now being opened up for the labours  
of the ,educationist1 is extensive and  
inviting2 and the anticipations of the  
philanthropist become the more          
delightful1 on account of the           
improvements likely to ensue for        
carrying on the work4 ,the errors and   
failings of former attempts will warn1  
while every new discovery will direct in
 the labour4 ,the virgin soil has even  
yet in a great measure to be broken up2 
and if we shall be wise enough to employ
 the implements provided for us by      
,nature herself1 the present generation 
may yet witness a rapid and abundant    
ingathering of blessings for the world4 
,this is neither a hasty nor a          
groundless speculation4 ,there are      
already abundant proofs to warrant us in
 cherishing it4 ,numerous patches of    
ground have again and again1 under      

serious disadvantages1 been partially   
cultivated2 and each and all have       
invariably succeeded1 and produced the  
first fruits of a ripe1 a rich1 and an  
increasing harvest4     ,,part ,,iii4   
,,on ,,the ,,methods ,,by ,,which ,,the 
,,educational ,,processes ,,of ,,nature 
,,may ,,be ,,successfully ,,imitated4   
,,chap4 ,i4  ,on the ,exercises by which
 ,nature may be imitated in cultivating 
the ,powers of the ,mind4   ,in the     
educational processes of ,nature1 her   
first object appears to be the          
cultivation of her pupil's mind2 and    
this1 therefore1 ought also to be the   
first concern of the parent and         
teacher4--,the wisdom of this           
arrangement is obvious4 ,for as success 
in a great measure depends upon the     
vigour and extent of those powers1 their
 early cultivation will render the      
succeeding exercises easy and pleasant1 
and will greatly abridge the anxiety and
 labour of both teacher and scholar4    
,there is no doubt a great diversity in 

the natural capacities of children2 and 
phrenology1 as well as daily experience 
shews1 that children who are apt in     
learning one thing1 may be exceedingly  
dull and backward in acquiring others4  
,but after making every allowance for   
this variety in the intellectual powers 
of children1 it is well established by  
experience1 and repeated experiments    
have confirmed the fact1#i that the very
 dullest and most obtuse of the children
 found in any of our schools1 are really
 capable of rapid cultivation1 and may1 
by the use of proper means1 be very soon
 brought to bear their part in the usual
 exercises fitted for the ordinary      
children4 ,a large proportion of the    
dulness so frequently complained of by  
teachers arises1 not so much from any   
natural defect1 or inherent mental      
weakness in the child1 as from the want 
of that early mental exercise1--real    
mental culture1--of which we are here   
speaking4 ,whenever this dulness in a   
sane scholar continues for any length of

 time1 there is good reason to fear that
 it is owing to some palpable           
mismanagement on the part of the parent 
or teacher4 ,on examination it will most
 likely be found1 either that the pupil 
has had exercises prescribed to him     
which the powers of his mind were as yet
 incapable of accomplishing2 or1 if the 
exercises themselves have been suitable1
 there has been more prescribed than he 
was able to overtake4 ,in either case   
the effect will be the same4 ,the mind  
has been unnaturally burdened1 or       
overstretched2 confusion of ideas and   
mental weakness have been the           
consequence2 and if so1 the very attempt
 to keep up with his companions in the  
class only tends to aggravate the evil4 
,hence arises the propriety of following
 ,nature in making the expansion and    
cultivation of the powers of the mind   
our first object2 and our design in the 
present chapter is to examine into the  
means by which1 in the exercises of the 
school1 she may be successfully imitated

 in the operations which she employs for
 this purpose4  ,we have in our previous
 investigations seen1 that the          
cultivation of the mental powers is a   
work of extraordinary simplicity1       
depending entirely upon one act of the  
mind1--the reiteration of ideas4 ,we    
have proved1 by a variety of familiar   
instances1 that wherever this act takes 
place1 the mind is1 and must be         
exercised1 and so far strengthened2     
while1 on the contrary1 wherever it does
 not take place1 there is neither mental
 exercise1 nor any perceptible accession
 of mental strength4 ,it does not depend
 upon the particular form of the        
exercise1 whether it consists of        
reading1 hearing1 writing1 or speaking2 
but simply and entirely upon the reality
 and the frequency of the reiteration of
 the included ideas during it4 ,this    
makes the cultivation and strengthening 
of the powers of the mind a very simple 
and a very certain operation4 ,for if   
the teacher can succeed by any means in 

producing frequent and successive       
repetitions of this act of the mind in  
any of his pupils1 ,nature will be true 
to her own law1 and mental culture1 and 
mental strength will assuredly          
follow2--but1 on the contrary1 whenever 
in a school exercise this act is        
awanting1 there can be no permanent     
progression in the education of the     
pupil1 and no amelioration in the state 
of his mind4 ,the mechanical reading or 
repeating of words1 for example1 like   
the fingering of musical instruments1   
may be performed for months or years    
successively1 without the powers of the 
mind being actively engaged in the      
process at all2 leaving the child       
without mental exercise1 and            
consequently without improvement4  ,in  
following out the only legitimate plan  
for the accomplishment of this          
fundamental object1 that of imitating   
,nature1 the first thing required by the
 teacher is an exercise1 or series of   
exercises1 by which he shall be able at 

his own will to enforce upon his pupils 
this important act of the mind4 ,if this
 object can be successfully attained1   
then the proper means for the           
intellectual improvement of the child   
are secured2 but as long as it is       
awanting1 his mental cultivation is     
either left to chance1 or to the        
capricious decision of his own          
will2--for experience shews1 that       
although a child may be compelled to    
read1 or to repeat the words of his     
exercises1 they contain no power by     
which the teacher can ensure the        
reiteration of the ideas they contain4  
,the words may correctly and fluently   
pass from the tongue1 while the mind is 
actively engaged upon something else1   
and as much beyond the reach of the     
teacher as ever4 ,but if the desiderated
 exercise could be procured1 the power  
of enforcing mental activity upon a     
prescribed subject would then remain1   
not in the possession of the child1 but 
would be transferred to the teacher1 at 

whose pleasure the mental cultivation of
 the pupil would proceed1 whether he    
himself willed it or no4  ,in the       
catechetical exercise1 as it has been   
called1 and which has of late years been
 extensively used by our best teachers1 
the desideratum above described has been
 most happily and effectively supplied  
to the ,educationist4 ,this valuable    
exercise may not perhaps be new2--but   
certainly its nature1 and its importance
 in education1 till of late years1 has  
been altogether overlooked1 or unknown4 
,it differs from the former mode of     
catechising1 7or rather of using        
catechisms7 in this1 that whereas a     
catechism provides an answer for the    
child in a set form of words1--the      
catechetical exercise1 having first     
provided him with the means1 compels him
 to search for1 to select1 and to       
construct an answer for himself4 ,for   
example1 an announcement is given by his
 teacher1 or it is read from his book4  
,this is the raw material upon which    

both the teacher and the child are to   
work1 and within the boundaries of which
 the teacher especially must strictly   
confine himself4 ,upon this announcement
 a question is founded1#aj which obliges
 the child1 before he can even prepare  
an answer1 to reiterate in his own mind1
 not the words1--for that would not     
answer his purpose1--but the several    
ideas contained in the sentence or truth
 announced4 ,all these ideas must be    
perceived1--they must pass in review    
before the mind1--and from among them he
 must select the one required1 arrange  
it in his own way1 and give it to the   
teacher entirely as his own idea1 and   
clothed altogether in his own words4    
,in the common method of making use of  
catechisms1 the words of the answer may 
be read1 or they may be committed to    
memory1 and may be repeated with ease   
and fluency2 while the ideas1--the      
truths they contain1--may neither be    
perceived nor reiterated4 ,in this there
 is neither mental exercise1 nor mental 

improvement2--and1 what is worse1       
without the catechetical exercise1 the  
teacher has no means of knowing whether 
it be so or not4 ,by means of the       
catechetical exercise1 on the contrary1 
there can be no evasion1--no doubt as to
 the mental activity of the pupil1 and  
his consequent mental improvement4 ,its 
benefits are very extensive2 and in     
employing it the teacher is not only    
sure that the ideas in the announcement 
have been perceived and reiterated1 but 
that a numerous train of useful mental  
operations must have taken place1 before
 his pupil could by any possibility     
return him an answer to his questions4  
,we shall1 before proceeding1 point out 
a few of these4  ,let us then suppose   
that a child either reads1 or repeats as
 the answer to a question1 the words1   
,jesus died for sinners4--,at this point
 in the former mode of using a          
catechism1 the exercise of the pupil    
stopped2 and the parent or teacher      
understanding the meaning of the        

sentence1 and clearly perceiving the    
ideas himself1 usually took it for      
granted that the child also did so1 or  
at least at some future time would do   
so4 ,this was mere conjecture2 and he   
had no means of ascertaining its        
certainty1 however important4 ,it is at 
this point that the catechetical        
exercise commences its operations4 ,when
 the child has repeated the words1 or   
when the teacher for the first time     
announces them1 the mind of the child   
may be in a state very unfavourable to  
its improvement2 but as soon as the     
teacher asks him a question founded upon
 one or more of the ideas which the     
announcement contains1 and which he must
 answer without farther help1 the state 
of his mind is instantly and materially 
changed4 ,hitherto he may have been     
altogether passive on the subject2--nay1
 his mind while reading or repeating the
 words1 may have been busily engaged on 
something else1 or altogether occupied  
with his companions or his play2--but as

 soon as the teacher asks him ,who died8
 there is an instant withdrawal of the  
mind from every thing else1 and an      
exclusive concentration of its powers   
upon the ideas in the announcement4 ,he 
must think1--and he must think in a     
certain way1 and upon the specific ideas
 presented to him by the                
teacher1--before it is possible for him 
to return an answer4 ,it is on this     
account that this exercise is so        
effective an instrument in cultivating  
the powers of the mind2--and it is to   
the long series of exercises which take 
place in this operation1 that we are now
 calling the attention of the reader1   
that he may perceive how closely this   
exercise follows in the line prescribed 
by ,nature1 in creating occasions for   
the successive reiteration of different 
ideas suggested by one question4  ,when1
 in pursuing the catechetical exercise1 
a question is asked from an             
announcement1 there is first a call upon
 the attention1 and an exercise of mind 

upon the question asked1 the words of   
which must be translated by the pupil   
into their proper ideas1 which          
accordingly he must both perceive and   
understand4 ,he has then to revert to   
the ideas 7not the words7 contained in  
the original announcement1 the words of 
which are perhaps still ringing in his  
ears2 and these he must also perceive   
and reiterate in his mind1 before he can
 either understand them or prepare to   
give an answer4 ,at this point the child
 is necessarily in possession of the    
ideas--the truths--conveyed by the      
announcement2 and therefore at this     
point one great end of the teacher has  
in so far been gained4 ,but the full    
benefit of the exercise1 in so far as it
 is capable of fixing these truths still
 more permanently on the memory1 and of 
disciplining the mind1 has not yet been 
exhausted4 ,after the pupil has         
reiterated in his mind the ideas        
contained in the original sentence1 or  
passage announced1 he has again to      

revert to the question of the teacher1  
and compare it with the several ideas   
which the announcement contains4 ,he has
 then to chuse from among them1--all of 
them being still held in review by the  
mind1--the particular idea to which his 
attention has been called by the        
question2--and last of all1 and which is
 by no means the least as a mental      
exercise1 he has to clothe this         
particular idea in words1 and construct 
his sentence in such a way as to make it
 both sense and grammar4 ,in this last  
effort1 it is worthy of remark1         
children1 after having been but a short 
while subjected to this exercise1 almost
 invariably succeed1 although they know 
nothing about grammar1 and may perhaps  
never have heard of the name4  ,but even
 this is not all4 ,there has as yet been
 only one question asked1 and the answer
 to this question refers to only one    
idea contained in the announcement4 ,but
 it embraces at least three several     
ideas2 and each of these ideas1 by the  

catechetical exercise1 is capable of    
originating other questions1 perfectly  
distinct from each other1 and each of   
which gives rise to a similar mental    
process1 and with equally beneficial    
results1 in exercising and strengthening
 the powers of the mind4  ,it is also   
here of importance to take notice of the
 additional benefits that arise from the
 multiplying of questions upon one      
announcement4 ,the first question       
proposed from the announcement1 brought 
the mind of the child into immediate    
contact with all the ideas which it     
contained4 ,they are now therefore      
familiar to him2 and he is perfectly    
prepared for the second1 and for every  
succeeding question formed upon it2 and 
he fashions the answers with readiness  
and zest4 ,every such answer is a kind  
of triumph to the child1 which he gives 
with ease and pleasure1 and yet every   
one of them1 as an exercise of the mind1
 is equally beneficial as the first4    
,when the teacher therefore asks1 ,what 

did ,jesus do8 and afterwards1 ,for whom
 did ,jesus die8 a little reflection    
will at once shew1 that a similar mental
 exercise must take place at each       
question1 in which the child has not    
only to reiterate the several original  
ideas1 but must again and again compare 
the questions asked1 with each one of   
them1 choose out the one required1      
clothe it in his own language1 and in   
this form repeat it audibly to his      
teacher4  ,before leaving this enquiry  
into the nature and effects of the      
catechetical exercise1 there are two    
circumstances connected with it as a    
school-engine1 which deserve particular 
attention4 ,the first is1 that ,nature  
has made this same reiteration of ideas1
 for the securing of which this exercise
 is used1 the chief means of conveying  
knowledge to the mind2 and the second   
is1 the undissembled delight which      
children exhibit while under its        
influence1 wherever it is naturally and 
judiciously conducted4 ,with respect to 

the former of these circumstances1 it   
falls more particularly to be considered
 in another chapter1 and under a        
following head2 but with respect to the 
latter1--the delight felt in the        
exercise by the children themselves1--it
 deserves here a more close examination4
  ,every one who has paid any attention 
to the subject must have observed the   
life1 the energy1 the enjoyment1 which  
are observable in a class of children1  
while they are under the influence1 and 
subjected to the discipline of the      
catechetical exercise4 ,this will       
perhaps be still more remarkable1 if    
ever they have had an opportunity of    
contrasting this lively scene with the  
death-like monotony of a school where   
the exercise is as yet unknown4 ,many   
can yet remember instances when it was  
first introduced into some of the       
,sabbath schools in ,scotland1 and the  
astonishment of the teachers at its     
instantaneous effects upon the mind and 
conduct of their children4 ,the whole   

aspect of the school was changed2 and   
the children1 who had but a few minutes 
before been conspicuous only for their  
apathy1 restlessness1 or inattention1   
were instantly aroused to life1 and     
energy1 and delight4 ,similar effects in
 some children are still witnessed2 but1
 happily for education1 the first       
exhibition of it to a whole school is   
not so common4 ,one striking proof of   
the novelty and extent of its effects   
upon the pupils1 and of the vivid       
contrast it produced with that to which 
the teachers had at that time been      
accustomed1 is afforded by the fact1    
that serious objections were sometimes  
made to its introduction1 by            
well-meaning individuals1 on account of 
its breaking in1 as they said1 upon the 
proper devotional solemnity of the      
children2--as if the apathy of languor  
and weariness was identical with        
reverence1 and mental energy and joyous 
feelings were incompatible with the     
liveliest devotion4 ,these opinions have

 now happily disappeared2 and the       
catechetical exercise is not now1 on    
that account1 so frequently opposed4    
,christians now perceive1 that by making
 these rough places smooth1 and the     
crooked ways straight for the tottering 
feet of the lambs of the flock1 they are
 following the best1 as it is the       
appointed means1 of making ready a      
people prepared for the ,lord4  ,to the 
teacher1 especially1 it must be a matter
 of great practical importance1 to      
perceive clearly the cause why this     
exercise is so fascinating to the young1
 as well as so beneficial in education4 
,the cause1 when we analyze all the     
circumstances1 is simply this1 that it  
resembles1 in all its leading           
characteristics1 those amusements and   
pastimes of which children are so fond4 
,in other words1 the prosecution of the 
catechetical exercise with the young1   
produces in reality the same effects as 
a game would do if played with their    
teacher4 ,it brings into action1 and it 

keeps in lively operation1 all those    
mental elements1 which1 in ordinary     
cases1 constitute their play2 and the   
effects of course are nearly similar4   
,we shall direct the reader's attention 
to this curious fact for a moment4  ,it 
is easy to perceive1 that the pleasure  
and happiness experienced by a child    
during his play1 arise altogether from  
the state of his mind1 to which the     
physical exercises and amusements only  
conduce4 ,when this mental satisfaction 
is examined1 we find it to consist      
chiefly of two elements1--that of active
 thought1 and that of self-approbation4 
,the first1--that of active thought1 or 
the reiteration of ideas1 we have before
 pointed out and explained1 as it is    
illustrated in their play1 and in the   
pleasure they take in hearing stories1  
reading riddles1 dressing dolls1 and    
similar acts2 and it is only here       
necessary to add1 that their desire of  
congregating together for amusement has 
its origin in a similar cause4 ,new     

ideas stimulate more powerfully to      
active thought2 and children soon find1 
and insensibly draw the lesson1 that the
 aggregate of new ideas is always       
enlarged by an increase of the number of
 persons who supply them4 ,two children 
will play with the same number of toys  
for a longer time1 without tiring1 than 
if they were alone2--and three or four  
would1 in the same proportion1 increase 
the interest and prolong the season of  
activity4 ,but as soon as the           
reiteration of the ideas suggested by   
their game becomes languid or difficult1
 their play for the time loses its      
charms1 and the fascination is gone4    
,that it is the cessation of active     
thought1 which is the chief cause of    
their play ceasing to please1 is proved 
from the circumstance1 that if another  
interesting companion shall be added to 
their number1 or if any thing shall     
occur to renew this operation1--the     
reiteration of ideas1--upon the mind1   
the same degree of interest1 and to a   

corresponding extent1 is immediately    
felt1 and the play is resumed4 ,now1 the
 catechetical exercise is in reality the
 same operation in another form4 ,the   
questions of the teacher excite the     
pupil to the same kind of active thought
 as that which gives relish to his play2
 and1 while the teacher confines himself
 within the limits of the announcement1 
the mental excitement is active1 but    
moderate1 and always successful4  ,this 
leads us to observe the influence which 
the catechetical exercise exerts in     
affording means for that                
self-approbation1 or sense of merit1    
which constitutes another element of    
delight to a child during his play4 ,all
 must have observed the beneficial      
effects of this principle in children1  
as an incitement to emulation and good  
conduct4 ,it is not only perceptible in 
the love of approbation from their      
superiors1 but in their desire to excel 
at all times4 ,we see it in the pleasure
 felt by the child when he outstrips his

 fellows in the race1--when he catches  
his companion at hide and seek1--when he
 finds the hidden article at seek and   
find1--in winning a game1 expounding a  
riddle1 or gaining a place in his class4
 ,in all these instances there is a     
feeling of pure satisfaction and        
delight2--a feeling of self-estimation1 
which is at once the guardian and the   
reward of virtue4 ,now1 when the        
catechetical exercise is conducted in   
its purity1--that is1 when the teacher  
keeps strictly to the announcement1     
without wandering where the child cannot
 follow him1--the answers are invariably
 within the limits of the child's       
capacity2--they are answered            
successfully2 and every answer is a     
subject of triumph4 ,he has a delightful
 consciousness of having overcome a     
difficulty1 deserved approbation1 and   
made an advance in the pathway of merit4
 ,when properly conducted1 therefore1   
the catechetical exercise becomes to the
 pupils a succession of victories2 and  

it imparts all that delight1 softened   
and purified1 which he experiences in   
excelling his companion1 or in winning a
 game4--,these are the reasons why the  
catechetical exercise is so much        
relished by the young1 and why it has   
succeeded so powerfully1 not only in    
smoothing the pathway of education1 but 
also in shortening it4  ,from a careful 
consideration of all these              
circumstances1 we are led to conclude1  
that the catechetical exercise does1 in 
a superior degree1 fulfil all the       
stipulations required for imitating     
,nature1 in exciting to the reiteration 
of ideas by children1 and thus          
disciplining and cultivating the powers 
of their minds4 ,we might also have     
remarked1 that another advantage arising
 from persevering in this exercise1 is  
the arresting of the attention of the   
children1 and successfully training them
 to hear and understand through life the
 oral communications of others2--but we 
hasten to consider the time and the     

order in which this exercise should be  
made use of in schools4  ,nature        
intends1 that the cultivation and       
strengthening of the powers of the mind 
shall in every case precede those       
exercises in which their strength is to 
be tried4 ,in infants and young children
 we perceive this cultivation and       
invigorating of the mind going on1 long 
before these powers are to be taxed even
 for their own preservation4 ,the child 
is no doubt putting them to use2 but in 
every such case it is voluntary1 and not
 compulsory1--a matter of choice on the 
part of the child1 and not of necessity4
 ,the infant1 or even the child1 is     
never required to take care of itself1  
to clothe itself1 to wash itself1 or    
even to feed itself4 ,to require it to  
do so before the mind could comprehend  
the nature and the design of the        
particular duty1 would be both          
unreasonable and cruel4 ,this being the 
case1 the exercises of the nursery and  
the school must be regulated in a       

similar manner1 and follow the same law4
 ,the due cultivation of the mind1 like 
the due preparation of the soil1 must   
always precede the sowing of the seed4  
,if this principle in ,nature be duly   
attended to1 the seeds of knowledge     
afterwards cast into the soil thus      
broken up and prepared1 will be readily 
received and nourished to perfection2   
but if the soil be neglected1 both the  
seed and the labour will be lost1 the   
anticipations of the spring and summer  
will end in delusion1 and the folly of  
the whole proceeding will be shewn by a 
succession of noxious weeds1 and at last
 by an unproductive harvest4  ,the evils
 which must necessarily result from thus
 running counter to ,nature in this     
first part of her educational           
proceedings1 may be aptly illustrated by
 the very common custom of beginning a  
child's education by teaching it to     
read4 ,it would perhaps be difficult to 
convince many that this custom is either
 unnatural or improper4 ,we shall not   

attempt here to argue the matter1 but   
shall merely state a fact which they    
cannot deny1 and which will answer the  
purpose we think much better than an    
argument4--,to teach the art of reading 
was wont to require the labour of       
several months1 sometimes years1 before 
the perusal of a book could be managed  
by the child with any degree of         
ease1--and even then1 without any thing 
approaching to satisfaction or pleasure4
 ,and even yet1 although the error has  
in some measure been perceived of late  
years1 yet the art of reading by the    
young1 still requires several months'   
attendance at school1 with corresponding
 labour to the teacher1 and great       
irritation and unhappiness to the child4
 ,but experience has established the    
fact1 that1 by acting on the principle  
of previous preparation which we are    
here enforcing1 and by calling into     
operation the principle of individuation
 formerly explained1 the whole drudgery 
of teaching a child to read is got over 

in a week1--sometimes in a day2 and this
 with much more ease and satisfaction1  
than could have been done by a thousand 
lessons while his mind was              
unprepared4#aa  ,the accumulation of    
labour1 and the loss of precious time by
 this non-observance of the dictates of 
,nature1 are in themselves serious      
evils2 but they are not by any means so 
great as some others which almost       
invariably accompany this unnatural mode
 of proceeding with the young4 ,many who
 have nominally been taught to read1 are
 still quite unable to understand by    
reading4 ,those who have heard chapters 
read by families in the country1 verse  
about1 will at once understand what we  
here mean2 and even in towns and cities 
where newspapers and low-priced books   
are more numerous and more tempting1 it 
often requires long practice before the 
emancipated child can read these        
publications so readily and             
intelligently as they are intended to   
be4 ,it is another1 and an entirely     

different course of learning to which he
 subjects himself1 when he labours to   
acquire the capacity of understanding   
the words that he reads1 as readily as  
the words that he hears4 ,where the     
inducements to this are sufficiently    
powerful1 the ability is no doubt at    
last acquired2--but where these         
stimulants are awanting1 the difficulty 
of understanding by reading has by the  
previous habit become so great1 that    
reading is gradually disused1 and at    
last forgotten4  ,many are at a loss to 
account for this2 but it is easily      
explained on the above principles4 ,to  
teach a child to read1 before his mind  
is capable of understanding1 or of      
reiterating the ideas conveyed by the   
words he is reading1 is to train him to 
this habit of reading                   
mechanically2--that is1 of reading      
without understanding4 ,he gradually    
acquires the habit of pronouncing the   
words which he traces with the eye1     
while the mind is busily engaged upon   

something else2 in the same manner that 
a person acquires the habit of thinking1
 and even of speaking1 while knitting a 
stocking1 or sewing a seam4 ,this habit 
is confirmed by constant practice2 and  
then1 the difficulty of getting off the 
habit is all but insurmountable4 ,this  
difficulty will be best understood by   
the experience of those who have been   
during some time of their life compelled
 to abandon a habit after it was        
thoroughly confirmed2--or by those who  
will but try the difficulty of          
persevering to do something with the    
left hand1 which has hitherto been done 
with the right4 ,a very little          
consideration will shew1 that when this 
habit of reading mechanically has once  
been established1 it will require1 like 
an improper mode of holding the pen in  
writing1 ten-fold more labour and       
self-denial to remedy the evil1 than it 
would have taken at first to prevent it1
 by learning to do the thing properly   
and perfectly4  ,much therefore depends 

upon the early and persevering use of   
the catechetical exercise for           
cultivating a child's mind1 before      
beginning to teach it the art of        
reading1 or requiring it to make use of 
the powers of the mind on subjects which
 these powers are as yet incapable of   
comprehending4 ,by proper preliminary   
exercises1 the powers of the mind will  
be gradually expanded2 ideas of every   
different kind1 both individually and in
 connection with each other1 will become
 familiar2 the design of language in    
receiving and communicating truth will  
by degrees be practically understood2   
and1 by means of the catechetical       
exercise1 it will be gradually and      
successfully practised4 ,these are      
obviously the means by which the present
 crooked ways in the child's early      
progress in education are to be made    
straight1 and the rough and difficult   
paths which he has had so long to tread1
 may now be made both easy and          
smooth4#ab  ,the effects of the         

catechetical exercise1 and its uniform  
beneficial results1 have given          
sufficient evidence of its being a close
 imitation of ,nature in this part of   
her educational process4 ,its success   
indeed has been invariable1 even when   
employed by those who remained          
unconscious of the great principles by  
which that success was to be regulated4 
,the observations and experiments       
employed to ascertain in some measure   
the extent of its efficiency1 have      
uniformly been satisfactory1 and to a   
few of these we shall here very shortly 
advert4  ,the first case of importance1 
which came under our notice1 and to     
which we think it advisable to allude1  
is that of ,mary ,l4 who1 about the year
 #ahbj1 resided in ,lady ,yester's      
parish in ,edinburgh4 ,this girl1 when  
her name was taken up for the ,local    
,sabbath ,schools in that parish1 was   
about seven or eight years of age1 and  
in respect to mental capacity1 appeared 
to be little better than an idiot4 ,she 

could not comprehend the most simple    
idea1 if it related to any thing beyond 
the household objects which were daily  
forced upon her observation1 and which  
had individually become familiar to the 
senses2 and was unable to receive any   
instruction with the other children1    
however young4 ,the catechetical        
exercise was adopted with her1 as with  
the other scholars2 and although1 for a 
long period1 she was unable to collect  
knowledge1 yet the constant discipline  
to which the powers of the mind were    
thus subjected1 had the happiest effect 
in bringing them into tone1 and at last 
giving her the command of them4 ,the    
comprehending of a simple truth when    
announced1 became more and more         
distinct1 and the answering of the      
corresponding questions1 became         
gradually more correct and easy4 ,at a  
very early period she began to relish   
the exercises of the school2 and        
although these occurred only on the     
,sundays1 she continued rapidly to      

improve2 till1 in the course of a few   
years1 she was able to join the higher  
classes of the children1 and made a     
respectable appearance among her        
companions1 at those times when they    
were submitted to examination4--,when   
these schools were broken up1 no        
stranger could have remarked any        
difference between ,mary ,l4 and an     
ordinary child of the same age4  ,a     
similar instance occurred more recently 
in the case of two sisters1 7,margaret  
and ,mary ,j47 the condition of whose   
minds originally was better1 although   
not much1 than that of ,mary ,l4 ,at the
 respective ages of six and eight years1
 these sisters could scarcely receive or
 comprehend the simplest idea not       
connected with their daily ordinary     
affairs4 ,for some years they had no    
more teaching1 or regular mental        
exercise1 than two hours weekly on the  
,sundays1 and during that period they   
were1 in regard to mental capacity1     
advancing1 but still nearly alike4 ,the 

eldest 7,margaret17 was then removed to 
another class1 the teacher of which     
dedicated another evening during the    
week for the benefit of her scholars4   
,the consequence of this apparently     
slight addition to the mental exercise  
of this girl soon became apparent2 and  
in the course of a short time1 the      
powers of ,margaret's mind not only     
advanced beyond those of her sister's1  
but equalled at least those of children 
of the same age1 who had not enjoyed    
similar opportunities of improvement4   
,her sister ,mary1 who continued to     
enjoy only the two hours on ,sunday1    
advanced proportionally in mental       
strength2--and before she left the      
district in which the school was        
situated1 her original incapacity could 
scarcely have been credited by a        
stranger4 ,in proof of this1 it may be  
added1 that long after she had left the 
parish1 the writer found her by accident
 in the school which she attended after 
removing1 examined her with the other   

children1 and made some strict and      
searching enquiries concerning her4 ,the
 report of her teacher was exceedingly  
satisfactory2 and1 without knowing the  
reason of these enquiries1 declared1    
that ,mary ,j4 was one of her best      
scholars4 ,before leaving this notice of
 these two children1 there is a         
circumstance which may perhaps be worthy
 of recording4 ,in ,margaret's          
countenance there had gradually         
appeared1 latterly1 that which to a     
stranger gave all the ordinary          
indications of intellect1 and rather    
superior intelligence2 while in ,mary's 
case1 at the same period1 there         
continued to be much of that vacancy of 
look1 and stupid stare1 indicative      
rather of what she was1 than of what she
 had become4 ,that also1 however1 was   
gradually disappearing4  ,we shall      
advert only to one other instance1 less 
remarkable perhaps1 and certainly not so
 decisive1 on account of the shortness  
of the time during which the experiment 

was continued4 ,in the opinion of the   
honourable and venerable examinators1   
however1 it was considered as           
sufficiently decisive1 and of much      
public importance4 ,its application to  
prison discipline may ultimately be of  
value1 where prisoners are confined but 
for short periods1 and where the        
cultivation of the mind1 and the growing
 capacity to receive and retain         
religious truth are objects of          
importance4  ,in the experiment in      
#ahbh1 made before the ,lord ,provost1  
,principal1 ,professors1 and ,clergymen 
of ,edinburgh1 in the ,county ,jail1 a  
class of criminals which had been formed
 three weeks before1 and exercised one  
hour daily1 were thoroughly and         
individually examined without           
intermission during nearly three hours4 
,our present extract from the ,report of
 that ,experiment refers1 not to the    
amount of knowledge acquired by these   
persons during these three weeks1 but to
 the capacity which1 at the end of that 

time1 they were found to possess of     
acquiring every sort of knowledge4 ,this
 experiment was so far imperfect1 as the
 ,examinators had no means of           
ascertaining the true state of their    
minds1 previous to the commencement of  
their exercises4 ,but having1 upon      
enquiry found from the governor of the  
prison1 that there had been no          
selection1 that all the individuals in  
the ward had been taken1 and that at the
 commencement of the experiment1 they   
formed a fair sample of the prisoners   
commonly under his charge1--the progress
 of this mental cultivation during that 
short period1 became a special object of
 examination by the ,reverend and       
learned individuals who conducted it4   
,their ,report of the ,experiment bears1
 that these individuals had been taken  
without any regard to their abilities1  
and former acquirements1 and formed a   
fair average of the usual prisoners4 ,in
 endeavouring to ascertain the grasp of 
mind which these individuals possessed1 

and the readiness with which they       
received and retained whatever was1 even
 for the first time1 communicated to    
them1 it was mentioned1 that a gentlemen
 on the previous day1 in order to try   
the capacity of mind which they had     
attained1 desired ,mr ,gall to catechise
 them upon a section1 consisting of     
fourteen verses1 which they had not seen
 before1 and that1 after just ten       
minutes' examination1 one woman1 who    
could not read1 repeated the whole      
distinctly in her own words4 ,dr        
,brunton proposed1 for a similar        
experiment1 the parable of the          
'talents1' with which none was          
acquainted except one woman1 who was    
consequently not permitted to answer4   
,with its being only read to them1 and  
with a few minutes' catechising1 they   
perceived its various circumstances1 and
 were able to enumerate them in detail4 
,this exercise demonstrated the capacity
 of attention1 and the power of         
analyzing and laying hold of            

circumstances1 which they had reached1  
as well as the indisputable superiority 
of this ,system1 in unfolding and       
strengthening the mental faculties1 even
 in adults4  ,the writer of the ,report1
 it is added1 was not acquainted with   
the extent of their acquirements when   
,mr ,gall commenced his operations2 but 
judging from the examination1 and from  
his knowledge of the contents of the    
books taught1 he has no hesitation in   
averring1 that the answers which they   
gave1 arose entirely from information   
communicated by them4 ,and when he      
reflects that their answers1 being      
clothed in their own words1 guaranteed  
the fact1 that it was the ideas upon    
which they had seized1 and that their   
knowledge participated in no degree of  
rote1 the conviction to his mind is     
irresistible1 that the universal        
application of the ,lesson ,system to   
,prison ,discipline1 and to adults      
everywhere1 would be followed by        
effects1 incalculably precious to the   

individuals themselves1 and to the      
improving of society in general4        
,numerous other instances might be      
adduced in proof of the efficiency of   
this method of attempting to imitate    
,nature in this first part of her       
educational process1 who will always be 
faithful in adhering to her own laws1   
and countenancing her own work4 ,these  
however may suffice2--and it ought not  
to escape observation1 that in two of   
the cases first alluded to1 the young   
persons enjoyed only two hours'         
instruction in the week1 and these not  
divided1 but continuously given at one  
time4 ,for this reason1 it might have   
been feared1 that the benefits then     
received would have been lost1 or       
neutralized1 by the variety of objects  
or amusements which must have intervened
 during the week between the lessons4   
,but it was not so4 ,and we may here    
remark1 that if with all these          
disadvantages1 so much good was really  
done in cultivating the powers of the   

mind by this exercise1 what may we not  
expect by the enlightened1 regular1 and 
daily application of the same powerful  
principles in our ordinary schools1 when
 the teacher shall know where the virtue
 of the weapon which he wields really   
lies1 and when the nature of the        
material he is called to work upon is   
also better understood4 ,every exercise 
and every operation in the school will  
then be made to tell2 and every moment  
of the pupils' attendance will be       
improved4 ,in these circumstances1 we   
are far within the limits of the truth  
when we say1 that more real substantial 
education will then be communicated in  
one month1 than it has been usual to    
receive by the labours of a whole year4 
,from what has been already ascertained1
 we are fully warranted in making the   
following remarks4  #a4 ,from the above 
facts we can readily ascertain the      
cause1 why some exercises employed in   
education are so much relished by the   
young1 and so efficient in giving       

strength and elasticity to the mind2    
while others1 on the contrary are so    
inefficient1 so irksome1 and sometimes  
so intolerable4 ,every exercise that    
tends to produce active thought1--the   
reiteration of ideas1--is natural1 and  
therefore1 not only promotes healthful  
mental vigour1 but is also exciting and 
delightful2 while1 on the contrary1     
whenever the mind is fettered by the    
mere decyphering of words1 or the       
repeating of sounds1 without reiterating
 ideas1 the exercise is altogether      
unnatural1 and must of course be        
irritating to the child1 and barren of  
good4  #b4 ,by a due consideration of   
the above principles1 we see the reason 
why mental arithmetic1 though it may not
 communicate any knowledge1 is yet      
productive of considerable mental       
vigour4 ,these exercises compel the     
young to a species of voluntary thought1
 the reiteration in the mind of the     
powers of numbers2 and although the     
result of the particular calculations   

which are then made1 may never again be 
of any service to the pupil1 yet the    
consequent exercise of mind is          
beneficial4 ,it should never be         
forgotten1 however1 that this exercise  
of mind upon numbers is altogether an   
artificial operation1 and is on this    
account1 neither so efficient nor so    
pleasant as the reiteration of moral or 
physical truths4 ,the same degree of    
mental exercise1 brought into operation 
upon some useful fact1 where the        
imagination as well as the              
understanding1 can take a part1 would at
 once be more natural1 more efficient1  
more pleasant1 and more useful4  #c4    
,from the nature and operation of the   
above principle1 also1 we can perceive  
in what the efficiency of ,pestalozzi's 
,exercises on ,objects1 consists4--,when
 a child is required to tell you the    
colour and the consistence of milk1     
qualities which have all along been     
familiar to him1 it conveys to him no   
knowledge2 but it excites to observation

 and active thought1--to the reiteration
 of ideas2--and for this reason it is   
salutary4 ,but it is still equally true1
 as in the former case1 that the same   
degree of mental exercise1 brought into 
operation upon some useful practical    
truth1 would be at least equally useful 
as a mental stimulant1 and much more    
beneficial as an educational exercise4  
#d4 ,from the nature of this great      
fundamental principle in mental         
cultivation1 as consisting in the       
reiteration of ideas1 and not of words1 
we have a key by which we can           
satisfactorily explain the remarkable1  
and hitherto unaccountable fact1 that   
many persons who1 in youth and at       
school1 have been ranked among the      
dullest scholars1 have afterwards become
 the greatest men4 ,an active mind1 in  
exact proportion to its vigour1 will    
powerfully struggle against the         
unnatural thraldom of mere mechanical   
verbal exercises4 ,the mind in a        
healthful state will not be satisfied   

with words1 which are but the medium of 
ideas1 because ideas alone are the      
natural food of the mind4 ,till the     
powers of the mind1 therefore1 are      
sufficiently enfeebled by time and      
perseverance1 it will struggle with its 
fetters1 and it will be repressed only  
by coercion4 ,minds naturally weak1 or  
gradually subdued1 may and do submit to 
this artificial bondage1--this unnatural
 drudgery2 but the vigorous and powerful
 mind1 under favourable circumstances1  
spurns the trammels1 and continues to   
struggle on4 ,it may be a protracted    
warfare1--but it must at last come to a 
close2 and it is not till the pupil has 
emerged from this mental dungeon1 and   
has had these galling fetters fairly    
knocked off1 that the natural elasticity
 and strength of his mind find          
themselves at freedom1 with sufficient  
room and liberty to act4 ,the impetus   
then received1 and the delight in the   
mental independence then felt1 have     
frequently led to the brightest results4

 ,hence it is1 that the reputed dunce of
 the school1 has not unfrequently become
 the ornament of the senate4  ,lastly1  
we would remark1 that from the facts    
here enumerated1 we derive a good test  
by which to try every new exercise      
proposed for training the young1 and for
 cultivating the powers of the mind4 ,if
 the exercise recommended compels the   
child to active thought1--to the        
voluntary exercise of his own mind upon 
useful ideas1--that exercise1 whatever  
be its form1 will1 to that extent at    
least1 be beneficial4 ,and if1 at the   
same time1 it can be associated with the
 acquisition of knowledge1 with the     
application of knowledge1 or with the   
ready communication of knowledge1--all  
of which1 as we have seen1 are          
concomitants in ,nature's process1--it  
will1 in an equal degree1 be valuable   
and worthy of adoption4 ,but if1 on the 
contrary1 the exercise may be performed 
without the necessity of voluntary      
thought1 or the reiteration of ideas by 

the mind1 however plausible or imposing 
it may appear1 it is next to certain1   
that although such an exercise may be   
sufficiently burdensome to the child1   
and cause much labour and anxiety to the
 teacher1 it will most assuredly be at  
least useless1 if not injurious4        
,,footnotes3  #i ,see the ,fifth ,public
 ,experiment in ,education1 conducted   
before ,sir ,thomas ,kirkpatrick1 and   
the clergy and teachers of ,dumfries1 in
 the month of ,october #ahcc4  #aj ,note
 ,k4  #aa ,note ,h4  #ab ,for the       
methods of employing this exercise and  
the books best adapted for it1 see ,note
 ,i4     ,,chap4 ,,ii4  ,on the ,methods
 by which ,nature may be imitated in the
 ,pupil's ,acquisition of ,knowledge2   
with a ,review of the ,analogy between  
the ,mental and ,physical ,appetites of 
the ,young4   ,the second step in the   
progress of ,nature's pupil is the      
acquisition of knowledge4--,this has    
always been considered a chief object in
 every system of education2 and the     

discovery of the most efficient means by
 which it may be accomplished1 must be a
 matter of great importance4  ,in our   
remarks upon this subject in a previous 
chapter1 we have shewn1 that ,nature in 
her operations employs four distinct    
principles for accumulating knowledge1  
for retaining it upon the memory1 and   
for keeping it in readiness for use at  
the command of the will4 ,there are1    
,first1 the reiteration of ideas by the 
mind1 without which there can be no     
knowledge2 ,secondly1 the principle of  
,individuation1 by which the knowledge  
of objects and truths is acquired one by
 one2 ,thirdly1 the principle of        
,grouping1 or ,association1 in which the
 mind views as one object1 what is      
really composed of many2 and1 ,fourthly1
 the principle of ,analysis1 or         
,classification1 in which the judgment  
is brought into exercise1 the different 
portions of our knowledge are arranged  
and classified under different heads and
 branches1 and the whole retained in    

order at the command of the will1 when  
any portion of it is required4--,our    
object now is to consider1 what means   
are within the reach of the parent and  
the teacher1 by which ,nature in these  
several processes may be successfully   
imitated1 while they endeavour to       
communicate the elements of knowledge to
 the young4  ,ideas being the only      
proper food of the mind1 ,nature has    
created in the young an extraordinary   
appetite and desire for their           
possession4 ,there is a striking analogy
 in this respect1 between the           
strengthening of the body by food1 and  
the invigorating of the mind by         
knowledge2 and before proceeding to     
detail the methods by which the parent  
or the teacher may successfully break   
down and prepare the bread of knowledge 
for their pupils in imitation of        
,nature1 it will be of advantage here to
 consider more particularly some of the 
circumstances connected with this       
instructive analogy4 ,by tracing the    

likeness so conspicuously held out to us
 in this analogy by ,nature herself1 we 
shall be greatly assisted in evading the
 bewildering and mystifying influence of
 prejudice1 and the reader will be much 
better prepared to judge of the value of
 those means recommended for nourishing 
and strengthening the mind by knowledge1
 when he finds them to correspond so    
exactly with similar principles employed
 by ,nature for the nourishing and      
strengthening of the body by food4 ,we  
shall by this means1 we hope1 be able to
 detect some of those fallacies which   
have long tended to trammel the         
exertions1 and to prevent the success of
 the teacher in his interesting labours4
  ,the first point of analogy to which  
we would advert1 is the vigour and      
activity of the mental appetite in the  
young1 which corresponds so strikingly  
with the frequent and urgent craving of 
their bodily appetite for food4--,the   
desire of food for the body1 and the    
desire of knowledge for the mind1 are   

alike restless and insatiable in        
childhood2 and a similar amount of      
satisfaction and pleasure is the        
consequence1 whenever these desires are 
prudently gratified4 ,that the desire   
for knowledge in the young is often     
weakened1 and sometimes destroyed1 is   
but too true2 but this is the work of   
man1 not of ,nature4 ,it will           
accordingly be found on investigation1  
with but few exceptions1 that wherever  
the general appetite of the child1      
either for mental or bodily food1       
becomes languid or weak1 it is either   
the effect for disease or of some       
grievous abuse4  ,another point of      
analogy consists1 in the necessity of   
the personal active co-operation of the 
child himself in receiving and digesting
 his food4--,there is no such thing in  
,nature as a child being fed and        
nourished by proxy4 ,his food must be   
received1 digested1 and assimilated by  
his own powers1 and by the use of his   
own organs1 else he will never be fed4  

,in the same way1 the food for his mind 
can benefit him only in so far as he    
himself is the active agent4 ,he must   
himself receive1 reiterate in his own   
mind1 and commit to the keeping of his  
memory1 every idea presented to him by  
his teacher4 ,no one can do this for    
him2--he must do it himself4 ,in a      
family1 the parent may provide1 dress1  
and communicate the food to the         
child1--but he can do no more2 and      
similar is the case with respect to the 
mental food provided by the teacher4 ,he
 may no doubt select the most           
appropriate kinds1--he may simplify     
it1--he may break it down into          
morsels2--but his pupils1 if they are to
 learn1 must learn for themselves4 ,when
 a pupil1 to save himself trouble1 tries
 to evade the learning of a preliminary 
lesson1 or when the teacher winks at the
 evasion by performing the exercise for 
him1 it is as absurd as for a parent to 
eat the child's food1 and expect at the 
same time that his boy is to be         

nourished by it4 ,if the mental food be 
too strong for the child1 something more
 simple must be provided for him2 but to
 continue to administer knowledge which 
the pupil does not comprehend1 and force
 the strong mental food of an adult upon
 the tender capacities of a child1 is an
 error of the most mischievous kind4 ,it
 prevents the mind from acting at all1  
without which there can be no           
improvement4 ,the mind must wield its   
own weapons if ignorance is to be       
dislodged2 and if the child is to       
advance at all1 he must overcome the    
difficulties that lie in his way by the 
exertion of his own powers4 ,his teacher
 may no doubt direct him as to the best 
and the easiest way of accomplishing his
 object2 but that is all4 ,the pupil    
must in every case perform the exercise 
for himself4  ,this leads us to notice  
another point of analogy in this case1  
which is1 the necessity of adapting the 
food to the age and capacities of those 
who are to receive it4--,there is in the

 mental1 as well as in the physical     
nourishment provided for our race1 milk 
for the weak1 as well as meat for the   
strong2 and it is necessary in both     
cases that the kind and the quantity be 
carefully attended to4 ,in the case of  
the strong1 there is less danger2       
because1 with regard both to the mental 
and bodily food1 ,nature has so ordered 
matters1 that the food which is best    
adapted for the weak1 will also nourish 
the strong2 but the food adapted for the
 strong is never suitable1 and is often 
poisonous to the weak4 ,there must      
therefore be1 in all cases where the    
young are concerned1 as careful a       
selection of the mental food1 as there  
is of the food for the body2 and the    
parent or teacher should1 in all cases1 
present only such subjects1 and such    
ideas to his pupils1 as the state of    
their faculties1 or the progress of     
their knowledge1 enables them to        
understand and apply4  ,another striking
 point of analogy between mental and    

bodily nourishment1 is to be found in   
the effects of repletion1 when too great
 a quantity of food is communicated at  
one time4--,as the increase of a child's
 bodily strength does not depend upon   
the mere quantity of food forced into   
his stomach1 but upon that portion only 
which is healthfully digested and       
assimilated2 so in like manner1 the     
amount of a child's knowledge will not  
correspond to the number of ideas forced
 upon his attention by the teacher1 but 
to those only which have been reiterated
 by the mind1 and committed by that     
process to the keeping of the memory4   
,in both cases1 the evil of repletion is
 two-fold2 there is the waste of food   
and of labour1 while the strength and   
the growth of the child1 instead of     
being promoted1 are retarded and        
diminished4 ,the physical appetite gains
 strength1 by moderate exercise2 but it 
is palled and weakened by every instance
 of repletion4 ,the desire for food is  
never for any length of time at rest1 so

 long as the stomach is kept in proper  
tone by moderate and frequent feeding2  
and the quantity of food which a healthy
 child will in these circumstances      
consume1 is often surprising4 ,but      
whenever the stomach is gorged1 then    
restlessness1 uneasiness1 and not       
unfrequently disease1 are the           
consequences4 ,the digestive powers are 
weakened1 the tone of the stomach is    
relaxed1 and1 instead of the healthful  
craving for food which should occur at  
the proper interval1 the appetite is    
destroyed1 and food of every kind is    
nauseated4--,exactly similar is the case
 with the mental appetite4 ,the natural 
curiosity of children1 or1 in other     
words1 their desire of information1     
before it is checked or overloaded by   
mismanagement1 is almost insatiable2 and
 the astonishing amount of knowledge    
which they usually acquire between the  
ages of one and three years1 while under
 the guidance of ,nature1 has been      
formerly alluded to4 ,but this desire of

 information1 and this capacity for     
receiving it1 are by no means confined  
to that early period of their lives4    
,the same appetite for knowledge would  
increase and acquire additional         
strength1 were it but properly directed1
 or furnished with moderate and suitable
 means of gratification4 ,but when a    
parent or teacher impatiently attempts  
to force it upon the child more rapidly 
than he can receive it1--that is1 than  
he can reiterate it in his mind for     
himself1--he not only irritates and     
harasses the child1 but his attempt     
neutralizes the effect of the ideas     
which the child would otherwise         
pleasantly and efficiently have         
received4 ,every such attempt to do more
 than enough greatly weakens the powers 
of the pupil's mind1 and discourages him
 from any after attempt to increase his 
knowledge4  ,as a general maxim in the  
education of the young1 it may here be  
observed1 that as long as the           
understanding of a child remains clear1 

and he can distinctly perceive the      
truths which are communicated to him1 he
 will find himself pleasantly and       
profitably employed1 and will soon      
acquire a habit of distinct mental      
vision2--the powers of his mind will be 
rapidly expanded and strengthened1 and  
he will receive and retain the knowledge
 communicated to him with ease and with 
pleasure4 ,but when1 on the contrary1 he
 is overtasked1 and more ideas are      
forced upon his attention than his      
capacity can receive1 the mind becomes  
disturbed and confused1 the mental      
perception becomes cloudy and           
indistinct1 and all that is communicated
 in these circumstances is absolutely   
lost4 ,if the parent or teacher insists 
on the pupil persevering in his mental  
meal1 in the hope that things will get  
better1 we can easily1 from the present 
analogy1 perceive the fallacy of such a 
hope4 ,perseverance will only create    
additional perplexity2 the whole powers 
of the child's mind will become more and

 more enfeebled1 or totally prostrated2 
the labour of the teacher will be lost2 
and he will find his pupil now1 and for 
some time afterwards1 much less able to 
take a clear and distinct view of any   
subject than he was before4  ,there is  
yet one other point of analogy between  
the supply of food for the body and the 
mind1 to which we must also allude4 ,it 
is to be found in the baneful1 and often
 destructive1 effects of unnatural      
stimulants applied to the mental        
appetite1 which strikingly correspond in
 their effects to the pernicious habit  
of supplying stimulants to the young in 
their ordinary food4--,stimulants will  
no doubt1 in both cases1 produce for the
 time additional excitement2--but they  
are neither natural nor necessary4 ,in  
all ordinary cases1 ,nature has made    
ample provision for the supposed want1  
of which the craving--the natural and   
healthy craving--of children for        
knowledge and for food1 gives ample     
testimony4 ,to counteract or to weaken  

this natural desire would be            
improper2--but artificially to increase 
it is always dangerous4 ,the reason is  
obvious2 for the excitement thus caused 
being unnatural1 it is always temporary2
 but its pernicious effects very soon   
become extensive and permanent4 ,every  
physician knows1 that the habitual use  
of stimulants in the food of the young1 
weakens the tone of the stomach1 palls  
the appetite1 creates a disrelish for   
plain and wholesome food1 and frequently
 destroys the powers of digestion for   
ever after4 ,very similar are the       
effects of unnatural stimulants to the  
mental appetite in training and teaching
 the young1 when these stimulants are   
habitually1 or even frequently          
administered4 ,their curiosity1--their  
appetite for knowledge1--is naturally so
 vigorous1 that the repetition1 or the  
reading of any story1 however           
commonplace or uninteresting to us1     
gives them the sincerest pleasure1      
provided only that they understand and  

can follow it4 ,this is a most wise and 
beneficent provision of ,nature1 of     
which parents and teachers should be    
careful to take advantage4 ,it is       
because of this disposition in children1
 that in all ordinary cases1 the        
simplest narrative or anecdote in       
ordinary life1 may be successfully      
employed in giving them mental strength1
 and in communicating permanent moral   
instruction4 ,but whenever unnatural and
 injudicious excitements are used in    
their instruction1 and the child's      
imagination has been stimulated and     
defiled by the ideas of giants and      
ogres1 fairies and ghosts1 the whole    
natural tone of the mind is destroyed1  
plain and even interesting stories and  
narratives lose their proper attraction1
 and a diseased and insatiable appetite 
for the marvellous and the horrible is  
generally created4 ,even to adults1 and 
much more to children1 whose minds have 
been thus abused1 the plain paths of    
probability and truth have lost every   

charm2 and the study of abstract but    
useful subjects becomes to them a       
nauseous task--an intolerable burden4   
,the accuracy of this analogy1 we think1
 will readily be admitted by all4 ,and  
if so1 it will at least help to         
illustrate1 if it does not prove1 some  
of the important conclusions to which we
 shall find ourselves led upon other1   
and philosophical grounds4 ,but as the  
prejudices which1 during several        
centuries1 have been gradually          
congregating around the science of      
education are so many and so powerful1  
every legitimate means1 and this among  
others1 should be combined for the      
purpose of removing them4     ,,chap4   
,,iii4  ,how ,nature may be imitated in 
,communicating ,knowledge to the ,pupil1
 by the ,reiteration of ,ideas4   ,the  
phenomenon in mechanics and natural     
philosophy1 which is popularly termed   
,suction1 may be exhibited in a thousand
 different ways1 and yet all are the    
result of but one cause4 ,when we       

witness the various phenomena of the air
 and common pump1--the barometer and the
 cupping glass1--the sipping of our tea1
 and the traversing of an insect on the 
mirror or the roof1--the operations     
appear so very dissimilar1 that we are  
ready to attribute them to the action of
 a variety of agents4 ,but it is not    
so2--for when we trace each of them back
 to its primitive cause1 we find that   
each and all of these wonders are       
produced by the weight of the           
atmosphere1 and that alone4 ,in         
precisely the same manner1 knowledge may
 apparently be communicated to the human
 mind in a thousand different ways2 and 
yet1 when we examine each1 and trace it 
to its primitive cause1 we find the     
phenomenon to be one--and one alone4    
,the truth has been received and lodged 
with the memory1--made part of our      
knowledge--by the reiteration of its    
idea by the mind itself2--by an exercise
 of active1 voluntary thought upon the  
knowledge thus communicated4 ,the cause 

and the effect invariably follow each   
other both in old and young2 for        
whenever a new idea is perceived and    
reiterated by the pupil1--if it should  
be but once1--the knowledge of the child
 is to that extent increased2 but       
whenever this act of the mind is        
awanting1 there can be no additional    
information received2--the increase of  
knowledge is found to be impossible4    
,this appears to be a law of our        
,nature1 to which we know of no         
exception4  ,it is also worthy of remark
 here1 that the retention or permanence 
of the ideas thus committed to the      
keeping of the memory depends upon two  
circumstances4 ,the first is1 the vigour
 of the mental powers1 or the intensity 
of the impression made upon them at the 
time of reiteration2--and the second1   
and certainly the principal             
circumstance1 is the frequency of their 
reiteration by the mind4 ,in evidence of
 the first we see1 that a fall1 a       
fright1 or a narrow escape from imminent

 danger1 although it occurred but once1 
and perhaps in early infancy1 will be   
remembered through life2 and in proof of
 the second1 we find1 that the scenes   
and circumstances of childhood being    
frequently and daily reiterated by the  
mind1 at a time when it has little else 
to reiterate1 remain permanently on the 
memory4 ,the object therefore most to be
 desired by the teacher1 is an exercise1
 or a series of exercises1 by which1 in 
his attempts to communicate knowledge to
 his pupil1 this act of reiteration may 
be secured1 and if possible repeated at 
pleasure1 for more permanently fixing on
 the memory the knowledge communicated4 
,in a former chapter we shewed1 that    
this act of reiteration is the          
instrument employed by ,nature for      
cultivating the powers of the mind as   
well as for communicating and impressing
 knowledge2--and we have also shewn that
 ,nature in that process was            
successfully imitated by means of the   
catechetical exercise4 ,this exercise   

has accordingly been found as powerful  
and efficient in promoting this1 her    
second object1 as it is in the first4   
,the success of the catechetical        
exercise in communicating knowledge     
clearly to the young1 even when it is   
but imperfectly managed1 has been       
extensive and uniform2 but wherever its 
nature has been properly understood1 and
 it has been scientifically conducted1  
the amount of knowledge communicated in 
a given time1 and with a given amount of
 mental and physical labour1 stands     
confessedly without a parallel in the   
previous history of education4 ,minds   
the most obtuse1 habits of listlessness 
the most inveterate1 and mental         
imbecility1 bordering on idiotcy1 have  
been powerfully assailed and overcome2  
and knowledge1 by means of this         
exercise1 has forced its way1 and firmly
 secured a place for itself1 in minds   
which previously were little more than a
 blank4  ,the causes of its success in  
cultivating the powers of the mind were 

formerly explained2 but its adaptation  
to the communicating of knowledge is    
still more peculiarly striking4 ,we     
shall endeavour to point out a few of   
these peculiarities4  ,let us for that  
purpose suppose a teacher desirous of   
communicating to a child the important  
fact1 that ,god at first made all things
 of nothing to shew his greatness2 it   
must be done1 either by the child       
reading or hearing the sentence4 ,if it 
be read1 there is at least a chance1    
that the words may be all decyphered1   
and audibly pronounced1 while the ideas 
contained in them have not yet reached  
the mind4 ,the child may have carefully 
examined each word as it occurred1 and  
may have reiterated each of them on his 
mind as he read them1 and yet there may 
not be the slightest addition to his    
knowledge4 ,the reiteration of words1 as
 we have before explained1 is not that  
which ,nature requires1 but the         
reiteration of ideas2 and although we   
may1 by substituting the one for the    

other1 deceive ourselves1 ,nature will  
not be deceived2 for unless the ideas   
contained in the sentence be reiterated 
by the mind1 there can be no additional 
information conveyed4--,the same thing  
may happen1 if the words1 instead of    
being read by the child1 are announced  
by the teacher4 ,the pupil may in that  
case hear the sounds2 nay1 he may repeat
 the words1 and thus reiterate them in  
his mind after the teacher2 but if he   
has not translated the words into their 
proper ideas as he proceeded1 experience
 proves1 that his knowledge remains as  
limited as before2--there has been no   
additional information4 ,these cases are
 so common1 and so uniform1 that no     
farther illustration we think needs be  
given of them4  ,the desideratum in both
 these cases is1 some exercise by which 
the child shall be compelled to         
translate the words into their several  
ideas2 and by reiterating the ideas     
themselves1 not the words which convey  
them1 he shall be enabled at once to    

commit them to the keeping of the       
memory1 and thus make them part of his  
knowledge4 ,the catechetical exercise   
supplies this want4 ,for if1 in either  
case1 after the words have been read or 
repeated1 the child is asked1 ,what did 
,god make8 the translation of the words 
into the ideas1 if previously neglected1
 is now forced upon him1 because without
 this it is impossible for him to       
prepare the answer4 ,the ideas must be  
drawn from the words1 and reiterated by 
the mind1 independently of the words1   
before the exercise can be completed4   
,and not only must the particular idea  
which answers the question be extracted1
 but the whole of the ideas contained in
 the sentence must be reiterated by the 
mind1 before the selection can be begun1
 and the choice made4 ,it is also       
specially worthy of remark1 that even in
 such a case as this1 where1 on the     
sentence being read or heard1 the words 
alone were at first perceived1 yet no   
sooner does the mind proceed to its     

legitimate object1 the reiteration of   
the ideas which the words convey1 than  
the words themselves are instantly lost 
sight of1 and in one sense are never    
again thought of4 ,as soon as the kernel
 is extracted1 the shell has lost its   
value4 ,the pupil having once got sight 
of the ideas1 tenaciously keeps hold of 
them1 and never once thinks again of the
 words1 which were merely the instrument
 employed by ,nature to convey them4    
,when the question is asked1 and he     
answers it1 the process consists in his 
translating the words of the whole      
sentence into their several ideas1      
chusing out the idea which answers the  
question from all the others1 and then  
in clothing that idea in words which are
 now entirely his own4  ,in all this    
there is a long and intricate series of 
mental exercises1 in every one of which 
the mind is actively employed1 and it is
 in this1 as before explained1 that the 
value of this exercise1 in cultivating  
the powers of the mind1 really consists4

 ,but our present business is with the  
acquisition of knowledge by its means2  
and we have to observe1 that in each of 
the mental operations required for the  
answer of a single question1 the ideas  
contained in the original sentence have 
repeatedly to undergo the process of    
reiteration2 by which they are more     
clearly perceived1 and more permanently 
fixed on the memory1 than they otherwise
 could have been4 ,hence the value of   
this exercise1 even in those cases where
 the original sentence has been at the  
first fully understood4 ,this will      
appear obvious by tracing the mental    
operation of the pupil from the         
beginning1 when he has to answer the    
question4  ,there is first the          
understanding of the question asked at  
him4 ,this must be heard and reiterated 
by the mind before its purport can be   
perceived1 and all this before he can   
commence the proper mental operation    
upon the original sentence from which   
his answer is to be selected4 ,he has   

then to review the words of the original
 sentence1 still sounding in his ears1  
and to translate them into their several
 ideas1 before he can begin to select   
the one required4 ,then comes the act of
 selection1 having to chuse out from    
among all the others the special idea   
required as his answer2 and lastly1     
there is the clothing of that idea in   
words suitable for the occasion1 and the
 audibly pronouncing of these words as  
the answer required4 ,the rapidity with 
which the mind passes from one part of  
this exercise to another1 may prevent   
these several operations from being     
perceived1 but it is not the less true  
that they must have taken place4 ,and   
hence arises the value of the           
catechetical exercise1 not only in      
cultivating in an extraordinary degree  
the mental faculties of the pupil1 but  
in powerfully forcing information upon  
the mind1 and permanently fixing it upon
 the memory for after use4  ,but even   
this does not exhaust the catalogue of  

benefits to be derived from the use of  
the catechetical exercise in            
communicating knowledge to the young4   
,we have supposed only one question to  
have been asked by the teacher upon the 
original sentence1 and yet we have seen 
that this one question has in fact in a 
great measure secured the understanding 
of the whole of the ideas contained in  
it4 ,but instead of one question1 the   
catechetical exercise has the power of  
originating many1 each producing        
successively similar results1 but with  
greater ease to the child1 and with much
 more effect in rivetting the several   
ideas upon the memory4 ,the first       
question1 when properly put1 gives the  
pupil the command of the whole          
proposition2 but it requires            
considerable mental effort in the child 
to recall the words1 and internally to  
translate the ideas for the first time4 
,but when this has once been done1 and a
 second question is asked from the same 
sentence1 the ideas being now more      

familiar1 there is less mental labour   
required in preparing the answer1 and   
there being equal success1 there is of  
course more satisfaction4 ,the ideas    
become much more clear and distinct     
before the mind by a second review2 and 
the effect1 in fixing the whole upon the
 memory1 is much more powerful than it  
could be by means of the first4 ,when   
therefore the teacher confines himself  
to the original sentence1 and does not  
indulge in catechetical wanderings1 the 
questions1 ,when did ,god make all      
things8 ,how many things did ,god make8 
,of what did ,god make all things8 and1 
,why did ,god make all things8 produce  
extensive and powerful effects4 ,the    
pupil finds himself able to master each 
question in succession without          
difficulty1 and the answering of each   
appears to him a triumph4 ,whoever has  
been in the habit of making use of this 
exercise in the manner explained above1 
must have witnessed with pleasure the   
life1 and energy1 and delight1 which it 

invariably infuses into the scholar1    
giving education a perfectly different  
aspect from what it usually assumes in  
the eyes of the young1 and making it    
even in the estimation of the pupil a   
formidable rival to his play4 ,in this  
manner has ,nature set her seal upon    
this exercise1 as a near approximation  
to her own process for attaining the two
 preparatory objects she has in view in 
the education of the young2 that of     
cultivating the powers of the mind1 and 
that of communicating to her pupils the 
elements of knowledge4  ,this exercise  
has been reduced to a regular system1   
which has placed it more directly at the
 command of all who undertake the       
instruction of the young4 ,by a little  
attention on the part of parents and    
teachers1 to a few simple rules1 they   
may catechise upon any book1 and apply  
the exercise to any species of knowledge
 whatever4 ,we shall endeavour to       
explain the nature and uses of these    
rules4  ,for the purposes of this       

exercise1 the school books of the pupil 
are supposed to consist of sentences1   
each of the principal words in which    
conveys some specific idea2--these again
 are combined into clauses1 which also  
convey an idea2--and the combination of 
these clauses in a sentence1 or         
paragraph1 usually forms a complete     
truth4 ,for example1 the sentence1 ,god 
at first made all things of nothing to  
shew his greatness1 contains one great  
truth2 but the sentence which conveys   
it1 embodies at least two clauses1      
inclosed in brackets1 while the whole is
 made up of words1 each of which is the 
sign of an idea which may readily be    
separated from all the others4 ,now it  
is evident1 that questions may be formed
 by the teacher relative to each of     
these three parts4 ,he may ask a        
question1 which shall require the whole 
truth for the answer2 or one which will 
be answered by a clause2 or another     
which is answered by a word4  ,in       
revising1 accordingly1 where time is an 

object1 the teacher confines himself to 
those general questions which bring out 
the whole truth at once1 as is          
exemplified in the ,larger and ,shorter 
,catechisms4 ,this is called the        
,connecting ,exercise1 because it is    
employed in uniting sections together1  
which have previously been taught to the
 pupils separately1 but which are       
necessary to be perceived also in       
connection4 ,this1 however1 would be too
 limited an exercise for the purpose of 
directing the mind to the several parts 
of a truth for the first time2 and      
therefore the teacher in those cases    
forms his questions chiefly upon the    
clauses in the sentence1 and the other  
words which have some material relation 
to them1 and this is called the ,general
 ,exercise4 ,but even this is not       
enough1 where the child is dull1 or     
where healthful mental exercise is      
required2 and accordingly in that case1 
the teacher not only questions upon the 
clauses in connection with the other    

principal words1 but he takes the words1
 of which the clauses are composed1 and 
catechises the child upon them also4    
,this is called the ,verbal ,exercise1  
which has been found of great value in  
the teacher's intercourse with his      
younger classes4 ,upon these principles 
the ,initiatory ,catechisms and their   
,keys have been formed1 together with   
the several ,helps for communicating    
,scriptural knowledge4 ,the success of  
these school books1 although labouring  
under all the disadvantages of new      
instruments1 imperfectly formed to work 
out new principles1 is mainly to be     
attributed to the close imitation of    
,nature aimed at in all their exercises4
  ,the rule for the parent or teacher in
 mastering these exercises is the same  
in all2 it consists simply in forming   
the question in such a manner1 as that  
the word1 the clause1 or the whole      
proposition1 shall be required to make  
the answer4 ,sufficient explanation and 
examples of all this will be found in   

the ,note4#ac  ,the uniform results of  
many experiments1 have established the  
importance of this exercise as an       
instrument in communicating knowledge to
 the ignorant1 whether young or old4 ,we
 shall shortly advert to a few of the   
circumstances connected with these      
experiments1 for the purpose of         
satisfactorily establishing this4  ,in  
an experiment made in ,may #ahbh1 under 
the direction of the ,very ,rev4 ,dr    
,baird1 ,principal of the ,university of
 ,edinburgh1 before the ,lord ,provost1 
and several of the ,professors and      
,clergymen of that city1 nine adult     
criminals1 taken without regard to their
 abilities1 and who1 in the opinion of  
,governor ,rose1 formed a fair average  
of the usual prisoners1 were1 in the    
space of three successive weeks1        
exercised in whole for eighteen or      
twenty hours4 ,they were at the end of  
that time minutely examined in the      
,chapel of the ,county ,jail1 in the    
presence of the ,right ,honourable and  

,reverend ,professors and ,gentlemen1   
who formed ,principal ,baird's          
committee2 and their ,report of the     
experiment and its effects bears1 that  
the result of this important experiment 
was1 in every point1 satisfactory4 ,not 
only had much religious knowledge been  
acquired by the pupils1 and that of the 
most substantial1 and certainly the     
least evanescent kind2 but it appeared  
to have been acquired with ease1 and    
even with satisfaction--a circumstance  
of material importance in every case1   
but especially in that of adult         
prisoners4 ,the examination evidently   
brought out only a specimen of their    
knowledge1 and did by no means comprise 
all that had been acquired by them2 but1
 even though it had constituted the     
whole amount of their information1 the  
fact that such a treasure had been      
amassed in three weeks is in itself     
astonishing4 ,the writer of this ,minute
 was not acquainted with the extent of  
their acquirements when ,mr ,gall       

commenced his operations2 but judging   
from the examination1 and from his      
knowledge of the contents of the books  
taught1 he has no hesitation in         
averring1 that the answers which they   
gave1 arose entirely from information   
communicated by them4 ,and when he      
reflects that their answers1 being      
clothed in their own words1 guaranteed  
the fact1 that it was the ideas upon    
which they had seized1 and that their   
knowledge participated in no degree of  
rote1 the conviction to his mind is     
irresistible1 that the universal        
application of the ,lesson ,system to   
,prison ,discipline1 and to adults every
 where1 would be followed by effects    
incalculably precious to the individuals
 themselves1 and to the improving of    
society in general4  ,the efficiency of 
this exercise in communicating          
knowledge1 was equally conspicuous in   
another experiment1 conducted under the 
eye of the ,principal1 ,professors1 and 
,clergymen of ,aberdeen1 in ,july #ahbh4

 ,the persons on whom this experiment   
was made1 were children taken from the  
lower classes of society1 carefully     
selected on two several days1 by a      
committee of clergymen appointed for the
 purpose1 from the various schools in   
the city4 ,these children were all      
carefully and individually examined in  
private by the committee1 and were      
chosen from among their companions1 not 
on account of their natural abilities1  
or educational acquirements1 but        
specially and simply on account of their
 ignorance4 ,the precautions taken by   
the ,rev4 and learned examinators1 to   
secure accuracy in their ultimate       
decision1 were at once judicious and    
complete2 and were intended to enable   
them to say with confidence at the close
 of the experiment1 that the results1   
whatever they might be1 were really the 
effects of the exercise and discipline  
to which the children during it had been
 subjected1 and were in no respect due  
to the previous capacity or the         

attainments of the children4  ,to secure
 this important preliminary object1     
therefore1 the sub-committee of         
clergymen above alluded to was          
appointed1 as soon as the experiment was
 determined upon1 with instructions to  
collect a class of the most ignorant    
children they could find1 attending the 
several schools1 and who it was thought 
would be1 of course1 most incapacitated 
for receiving instruction4 ,this        
sub-committee1 consisting of the ,rev4  
,john ,murray1 the ,rev4 ,abercromby ,l4
 ,gordon1 and the ,rev4 ,david ,simpson1
 in their previous ,report1 say1 ,we1 on
 two several days1 met with the children
 which were collected from the various  
schools1 and examined them individually1
 and apart from each other2 avoiding    
every appearance of formality1 and      
endeavouring to draw them into familiar 
conversation1 that we might correctly   
ascertain the state of their religious  
knowledge on the three following points1
 which we considered to be the best     

criterion by which to judge of their    
understanding of the other less         
important points in the gospel scheme of
 salvation4--,these points were1 #a4    
,our connection1 as sinners1 with ,adam2
 #b4 ,our connection with ,christ as the
 ,saviour2 #c4 ,the means by which we   
become interested in the salvation of   
,christ4 ,on minutely examining each    
child on these points1 one by one1 and  
endeavouring1 by varied and familiar    
language and cross-questioning1 without 
confusing their ideas1 to ascertain the 
knowledge which they possessed on these 
first principles1 we accurately1 and at 
the time1 minuted the result1           
distinguishing those points which they  
understood1 and those which they did    
not4 ,from this list we afterwards      
selected twenty-two names1 of children  
who appeared from the list1 to be the   
most ignorant1 by not having any marks  
of approval on any one of these points  
on which they were examined2--although  
delicacy to the children1 as well as to 

their parents and teachers1 prevented us
 from stating to them1 that this was the
 principle by which we had been         
regulated in our selection4 ,from these 
twenty-two children1 ,mr ,gall has made 
up his class of ten1 for this           
experiment1 which he proposes shall     
continue for eight days1 occupying two  
hours each day2 and having thus chosen  
that class of pupils which appeared to  
us the most ignorant1 we have1 in       
justice to ,mr ,gall and this system of 
teaching1 stated the fact1 leaving the  
examinators to make what allowance they 
may on this account think proper1 in    
determining on the failure or success of
 this very important and interesting    
experiment4  ,this was the state of the 
children's knowledge and capacity when  
the experiment began2 and the following 
was found to be the state of these same 
children's knowledge when examined      
publicly in the ,east ,church1 before   
the ,very ,rev4 ,principal1 ,professors1
 and ,clergymen of the city1 and a large

 congregation of the citizens1 eight    
days afterwards4  ,the children were    
first interrogated minutely on the      
doctrines of the gospel1 which had been 
previously arranged in a list under     
sixteen different heads1 embodying all  
the leading doctrinal points in the     
,confession of ,faith and ,shorter      
,catechism1 a copy of which was handed  
to the ,very ,rev4 ,principal ,jack1 who
 presided4 ,the ,report of the          
,experiment1 prepared by their          
,committee1 goes on to say1 that ,after 
being examined generally and            
satisfactorily on each of these heads1  
the chairman1 by means of a list of the 
names with which he was furnished1      
called up some of them individually1 who
 were carefully examined1 and shewed1 by
 their answers1 that they severally     
understood the nature of the above      
doctrines1 and their mutual relation to 
each other4  ,they were then examined on
 the ,old ,testament ,history1 from the 
account of the death of ,moses1         

downwards1 to that of the revolt of the 
,ten ,tribes in the reign of ,rehoboam4 
,here they distinctly stated and        
described all the leading circumstances 
of the narrative comprised in the       
',first ,step1' whose brief but         
comprehensive outline they appeared1 in 
various instances1 to have filled up at 
home1 by reading in their ,bibles the   
corresponding chapters4 ,they were next 
examined in the same way1 on several    
sections of the ,new ,testament1 with   
which they had also acquired an         
extensive practical knowledge1 besides  
some useful information in ,civil       
,history1 ,biography1 and ,natural      
,philosophy1 on all which they were     
closely and extensively examined4  ,in  
another experiment1 undertaken at the   
request1 and under the sanction1 of the 
,sunday ,school ,union of ,london1 the  
efficiency of this exercise1 as a       
successful imitation of ,nature in      
communicating knowledge1 was also       
satisfactorily ascertained4 ,we shall at

 present advert only to one feature of  
it1 as being more immediately connected 
with the present branch of our subject1 
that of communicating knowledge to the  
most ignorant and depraved4  ,the       
,report of this ,experiment1 drawn up by
 the ,secretaries of that ,institution1 
records1 that it had been requested1    
that1 if possible1 children should be   
procured1 somewhat resembling the       
heathen1 7or persons in a savage state17
 whose intellectual and moral           
attainments were bounded only by their  
knowledge of natural objects1 and whose 
feelings and obligations were of course 
regulated principally by coercion and   
fear of punishment4  ,two gentlemen of  
the ,committee1 accordingly1 undertook  
the search1 and at last procured from   
the streets three children1 a boy and   
two girls of the ages1 so far as could  
be ascertained1 7for they themselves    
could not tell17 of seven1 nine1 and    
eleven years1 whom we shall designate   
,g1 ,h1 and ,i4 ,these children had no  

knowledge of letters2 knew no more than 
the name of ,god1 and that he was in the
 skies1 but could not tell any thing    
about him1 or what he had done4 ,they   
knew not who made the sun1 nor the      
world1 nor themselves4 ,they had no idea
 of a soul1 or that they should live    
after death4 ,one had a confused idea of
 the name of ,jesus1 as connected with  
prayers2 which1 however1 she did not    
understand1 but had never heard of      
,adam1 ,noah1 or ,abraham4 ,when asked  
if they knew any thing of ,moses1 one on
 them 7viz4 ,i17 instantly recollected  
the name2 but when examined1 it was     
found that she only referred to a cant  
term usually bestowed upon the          
old-clothesmen of ,london4 ,they had no 
idea of a ,saviour2 knew nothing of     
heaven or hell2 had never heard of      
,christ1 and knew not whether the name  
belonged to a man or a woman4 ,the boy1 
7,h17 when strictly interrogated on this
 point1 and asked1 whether he indeed    
knew nothing at all of ,jesus ,christ1  

thinking his veracity called in         
question1 replied with much earnestness1
 and in a manner that showed the rude   
state of his mind1 ,no2 upon my soul1 ,i
 do not6  ,this class1 after eleven     
days' teaching1 conducted in public1 and
 in the presence of numbers of teachers1
 during one hour daily1 were publicly   
examined in the ,poultry ,chapel1 by a  
number of clergymen1 before the         
,committee of the ,sunday ,school       
,union1 and a numerous congregation4    
,the ,report goes on to say1 that the   
children of this class were examined1   
minutely and individually1 on the great 
leading doctrines of ,christianity4 ,the
 enumeration and illustrations of the   
several doctrines were given with a     
simplicity1 and in a language1          
peculiarly their own2 which clearly     
proved the value of that part of the    
,lesson ,system which enjoins the       
dealing with the ideas1 rather than with
 the words2 and which shewed1 that they 
had acquired a clear knowledge of the   

several truths4 ,they were also examined
 on some parts of the ,old ,testament   
,history1 with which1 during that short 
period1 they had been made thoroughly   
acquainted4  ,these facts of themselves1
 and they could be enlarged to almost   
any extent1 clearly prove the power and 
the value of this exercise in           
communicating knowledge to the young4   
,and1 as we have seen that its          
efficiency consists entirely in its     
close imitation of the process of       
,nature in accomplishing the same       
object1 we are the better warranted to  
press upon the minds of all who are     
interested in education and the art of  
teaching1 the importance of keeping     
strictly to ,nature1 so far as we can   
trace her operations2 as it is by doing 
so alone that we are sure of success4   
,it may no doubt be said1 that there are
 other ways of communicating knowledge  
to the young1 besides the catechetical  
exercise2 and therefore the necessity of
 adopting it is neither so necessary nor

 so urgent4 ,to this it may be answered1
 that there have been other plans       
adopted1 in urgent cases1 for the       
nourishment of the body1 besides the    
common mode of eating and digesting     
food2 but all such plans are unnatural1 
and are of course but momentary and     
inadequate2--this1 therefore1 would form
 no argument for depriving children of  
their food4 ,but even this argument is  
not parallel2 for1 although it has been 
found that partial nourishment may be   
conveyed to the blood otherwise than by 
the stomach1 it has not yet been        
ascertained that any idea can enter the 
mind1 except by this act of reiteration4
 ,unless1 therefore1 something definite 
can be brought forward1 which will      
secure the performance of this act1     
different from the catechetical         
exercise1 or the several modifications  
of it1 that exercise ought to be        
considered as a necessary agent in every
 attempt of the teacher to communicate  
knowledge4  ,but this admission in a    

philosophical question is much more than
 is at all necessary for our present    
purpose4 ,it is in every view of the    
case sufficient to shew1 that knowledge 
cannot be imparted without voluntary    
active thought upon the ideas           
communicated1 or what we have termed1   
reiteration2--and if this be once       
admitted1 and if it can be shewn that   
the catechetical exercise produces this 
result more certainly1 and more         
powerfully1 than any other mode of      
instruction yet known1 then nothing but 
prejudice will lead to the neglect of   
this1 or will give the preference to    
another4 ,and it is a remarkable fact1  
that on investigation it will be found1 
that almost every useful exercise       
introduced into schools within the last 
thirty years1 owes its efficiency to the
 presence1 more or less1 of the         
principles which we have been           
explaining1 as embodied in the          
catechetical exercise4#ad  ,,footnotes3 
#ac ,note ,l4     ,,chap4 ,,iv4   ,on   

the ,means by which ,nature may be      
imitated in ,exercising the ,principle  
of ,individuation4   ,while it appears  
to be a law of ,nature1 that there can  
be no accumulation of knowledge without 
the act of reiteration1 yet there are   
other principles which she brings into  
operation in connection with it1 by     
which the amount of the various branches
 of knowledge received is greatly       
increased1 and the knowledge itself more
 easily comprehended1 and more          
permanently retained upon the memory4   
,the first of these principles1 which we
 have before alluded to and described1  
is that of individuation2 that principle
 by which an infant or child is induced 
to concentrate the powers of its mind   
upon a new object1 and that to the      
exclusion for the time of every other1  
till it has become acquainted with it4  
,in a former chapter we found1 that as  
long as a child remains solely under the
 guidance of ,nature1 it will not allow 
its attention to be distracted by       

different unknown objects at the same   
time2 but whenever it selects one for   
examination1 it invariably for the time 
abandons the consideration of every     
other4 ,the consequence of this is1 that
 infants1 with all their physical and   
mental imbecility1 acquire more real    
knowledge under the tuition of ,nature  
in one year1 than children who are      
double their age usually gain by the    
imperfect and unnatural exercises of    
unreformed schools in three or four4    
,the cause of this is easily detected1  
and may be illustrated by the analogy of
 any one of the senses4 ,the eye1 for   
example1 like the mind1 must not only   
see the object1 but it must look upon   
it--examine it--before the child can    
either become acquainted with it at the 
time1 or remember it afterwards4 ,but if
 unknown objects are made rapidly to    
flit past the eye of the child1 so that 
this cannot be done before there is time
 to fix the attention upon any of them1 
the labour of the exhibitor is not only 

lost1 but the sight of the child is     
impaired2--the eye itself is injured1   
and is less able1 for some time         
afterwards1 to look steadily upon any   
other object1 even when that object is  
stationary4 ,such is the injury and the 
confusion created in the mind of a child
 when it is hurried forward from object 
to object1 or from truth to truth1      
before the mind has had leisure to lay  
hold of them1 or to concentrate its     
powers upon the ideas they suggest4 ,the
 labour of the teacher in that case is  
not only lost1 and the child harassed   
and irritated1 but the powers of the    
mind1 instead of being brightened and   
strengthened1 are bewildered and        
mystified1 and must therefore be        
weakened in a corresponding degree4     
,the method to be adopted therefore for 
the imitation of ,nature in the working 
of this principle1 will consist in      
bringing forward1 for the consideration 
of the child1 every new letter1 or word1
 or truth1 or object1 by itself4 ,when  

presented separately and alone1 there is
 no distraction of mind--no confusion of
 ideas2 the child is allowed to consider
 it well before learning it1 so that he 
will know something of its form or its  
nature1 and will remember it again when 
it is either presented to his notice    
alone1 or when it is grouped with       
others4 ,his idea of the object or truth
 may be indistinct and faint at first1  
but it is correct so far as it goes2 and
 the ideas which he retains concerning  
it1 are obviously much more extensive1  
than if the mind at its first           
presentation had been disturbed or      
bewildered by the addition of something 
else4  ,his idea of the object or the   
truth1 after being repeatedly           
considered1 may still be very           
inadequate1 but it will now be distinct2
 and it is the want of this precision in
 the pupil's mind that so frequently    
deceives teachers1 and confuses and     
obstructs the future advance of the     
scholars4 ,when a child hears1 or reads 

a passage1 the teacher1 who understands 
it himself1 too often takes it for      
granted that the child as he proceeds is
 reiterating the ideas as well as       
himself1 and is of course master of the 
subject4 ,but this is not always the    
case2 and wherever the child has not    
succeeded in doing so1 all that follows 
in that lesson is usually to the child  
the cause of confusion and difficulty4  
,he finds himself at a stand2 and       
however far he may in these             
circumstances be dragged forward1 he has
 not advanced a step1 and he must at    
some future period1--and the sooner the 
better1--return again to the same point1
 and proceed anew under serious         
disadvantages4  ,in almost every stage  
of a child's education1 the neglect of  
this principle is seriously and         
painfully felt4 ,it is the cause of     
acute mental suffering to well affected 
and zealous pupils2 and it is the chief 
origin of all the heartlessness1 and    
idleness1 and apathy1 which are found to

 pervade and regulate the conduct of    
those that are less active4 ,a careful  
appliance of this principle of          
individuation1 therefore1 is always of  
importance in education2 but it ought   
never to be forgotten1 that it is more  
peculiarly valuable and necessary at the
 commencement1 than at any other period 
of a child's progress in learning4 ,we  
shall advert to a few of the methods by 
which it may be applied in ordinary     
school education1 in contrast with some 
instances in which it is neglected4  ,in
 teaching the alphabet to children1 the 
principle of individuation is           
indispensable2 and its neglect has been 
productive of serious and permanent     
mischief4 ,a child of good capacity1 by 
a proper attention to this principle1   
will1 with pleasure and ease1 learn the 
names and forms of the letters1 with the
 labour of only a few hours2#ae while1  
by neglecting the principle1 the same   
child would1 after years of irritation  
and weariness1 be still found ignorant  

of its alphabet4 ,the overlooking of the
 principle at this period has done an   
immense deal of injury to the cause of  
education4 ,it has1 at the very starting
 post in the race of improvement1       
quenched and destroyed all the real1 as 
well as the imaginary delights of       
learning and knowledge4 ,it has given   
the tyro such an erroneous but          
overwhelming impression of the          
difficulties and miseries which he must 
endure in his future advance1 that the  
disgust then created has often so       
interwoven itself with his every        
feeling1 that education has during life 
appeared to him the natural and         
necessary enemy to every kind of        
enjoyment4  ,it used to be common1 and  
the practice may still we believe be    
found lingering among some of the lovers
 of antiquity1 to make a child commence 
at the letter ,a1 and proceed along the 
alphabet without stopping till he       
arrived at ,z2 and this lesson not      
unfrequently included both the alphabets

 of capitals and small letters4 ,now the
 cruelty of such an exercise with a     
child will at once be apparent1 if we   
shall only change its form4 ,if a       
teacher were to read over to an infant  
twice a-day a whole page or paragraph   
without stopping of ,caesar or ,cicero  
in ,latin1 and demand that on hearing it
 he shall learn it1 we could at once    
judge of the difficulty1 and the        
feelings of a volatile mind chained to  
the constant and daily repetition of    
such a task2 and if this exercise were  
termed its education1 we can easily     
conceive the amount of affection that   
the child would learn to cherish towards
 it4 ,now this is really no exaggerated 
illustration of the matter in hand1 for 
in both cases the principle of          
individuation1 so carefully guarded and 
enforced by ,nature1 is equally         
outraged2 and it is only where1 by some 
means or other1 a remedy for the evil   
accidentally occurs1 that the result in 
the case of the alphabet1 is not exactly

 the same as it would have been in the  
case of the classics above supposed4    
,the writer once saw in a ,sunday       
school1 where the children were taught  
twice each ,sabbath1 a class in which   
some of the children had attended for   
upwards of two years1 and were still in 
their alphabet2 and if the same mode had
 been pursued1 there is little doubt    
that they would have been in it yet4    
,the remedy for this evil is obvious4   
,instead of confounding the eye and the 
mind of the child1 by rapidly parading  
twenty-six1 or fifty-four forms1        
continuously and without intermission   
before the pupil1 the letters ought to  
be presented to the child singly1 or at 
most by two at a time2 and these two    
should be rendered familiar1 both in    
name and in form1 before another        
character is introduced4 ,when a few of 
the more conspicuous letters have become
 familiar1 another is to be brought     
forward1 and the child may be made to   
amuse himself1 by picking out from a    

page of a book1 all the letters he has  
learned1 naming them1 and if necessary  
describing them to a companion or a     
sub-monitor as they occur4 ,or he may be
 set down by himself1 with a waste leaf 
from an old book1 or pamphlet1 or       
newspaper1 to prick with a pin the new  
letter or letters last taught him2 or1  
as an introduction to his writing1 he   
may be made to score them gently with   
ink from a fine tipped pen4 ,in these   
exercises1 and all others which are in  
their nature similar1 the principle of  
individuation is acknowledged and acted 
upon2 and therefore it is1 that a child 
will1 by their means1 acquire an        
acquaintance with the letters in an     
exceedingly short time1 and1 which is of
 still greater importance1 without      
irritation or trouble4 ,these methods   
may sometimes be rendered yet more      
effective1 by the teacher applying the  
catechetical exercise to this           
comparatively dry and rather forbidding 
part of a child's education4 ,it        

proceeds upon the principle of          
describing each letter1 and attaching   
its name to the description1 such as    
round o1 spectacle g1 top dotted i1 c4  
as in the ,classified ,alphabet4 ,the   
teacher has thus an opportunity of      
exercising the child's imagination1 as  
well as its memory1 and making a        
monotonous1 and comparatively           
unintellectual exercise1 one of         
considerable variety and amusement4  ,in
 teaching the alphabet to adults1 whose 
minds are capable of appreciating and   
applying the principle of analysis1 the 
,classified ,alphabet should invariably 
be used4 ,by this means their memory1 in
 endeavouring to recall the form and    
name of any particular letter1 instead  
of having to search through the whole   
twenty-six1 has never to think of more  
than the four or five which compose its 
class1--a circumstance which makes the  
alphabet much more easily acquired by   
the adult than by a child4 ,but even    
here1 the principle of individuation    

must not be lost sight of2 each letter  
in the class must be separately learned1
 and each class must be familiar1 before
 another is taught4  ,the principle of  
individuation continues to be equally   
necessary in teaching children to       
combine the letters in the formation of 
words2 and when it is attended to1 and  
when the only real use of letters1 as   
the mere symbols of sound1 is understood
 by the pupil1 a smart child may be     
taught to read in a few minutes4 ,this  
is not a theory1 but a fact1--evidenced 
in the experience of many1 and in the   
presence of thousands4 ,nor is it       
necessary that the words which are      
taught1 should consist only of two or   
three letters2 if the word be familiar  
to the child in speech1 it becomes      
instantly known1 when divided and taught
 in parts or syllables2 and when once it
 is learned by the sounds of the        
letters1 though these sounds merely     
approximate to the pronunciation of the 
word1 it is sufficient to give a hint of

 what the word is1 and when once it is  
known1 it will not likely be again      
forgotten4 ,by this means1 the child is 
never puzzled except by entirely new    
words2 and by knowing the use of the    
letters in their sounds1 he receives a  
key by which at least to guess at them1 
which the sense of the subject greatly  
assists2 so that one day1 or even one   
hour1 is sometimes1 and we have no doubt
 will soon be generally1 sufficient to  
overcome the hitherto forbidding and    
harassing drudgery of learning to read4 
,in teaching children their first       
lessons1 it is of great importance that 
the main design of reading should be    
clearly understood1 and attended to4 ,as
 writing1 philosophically considered1 is
 nothing more than an artificial        
substitute for speaking1 so reading is  
nothing more than an artificial         
substitute for hearing1 and is subject  
to all the laws which regulate that act4
 ,now one of the chief laws impressed by
 ,nature on the act of hearing the      

speech of others1 is the very remarkable
 one formerly alluded to1 namely1 the   
exclusive occupation of the mind with   
the ideas communicated1 to the entire   
exclusion of the words1 which are merely
 the means by which the ideas are       
conveyed4 ,the words are no doubt heard1
 but they are never thought of2--for if 
they were1 the mind would instantly     
become distracted1 and the ideas would  
be lost4 ,this law equally applies to   
the act of reading2 and every one feels1
 that perfection in this art is never   
attained1 till the mind is exclusively  
occupied with the ideas in the book1 and
 never in any case with the words which 
convey them4 ,but in learning to read1  
the difficulty of decyphering the words1
 tends to interfere with this law1 and  
this must be guarded against4 ,the      
remedy simply is1 to allow the child    
time to overcome this first difficulty1 
by repeatedly1 if necessary1 reading the
 sentence till he can read it perfectly2
 and then1 before leaving it1 to        

discipline the mind to the perception of
 the ideas it contains1 now that the    
child can read it well4  ,the           
catechetical exercise1 as in the ,first 
,class ,book on the ,lesson ,system1    
will almost always accomplish the object
 here pointed out2 and the value of the 
exercise it recommends will be best     
understood and appreciated1 by observing
 the evils which invariably follow its  
neglect4 ,for if the child be allowed to
 read on and on1 while the difficulty of
 decyphering the words in the book      
remains1 the ideas will be left behind1 
the attention will be fatigued1 and at  
last exhausted4 ,the child will continue
 to read without understanding2 and the 
habit thus acquired of reading the      
words1 without perceiving the ideas at  
all1 will soon be established and       
confirmed4 ,custom has robbed this      
relict of a former age of much of its   
repulsiveness2 but it is not the less   
hurtful on that account4 ,were we to run
 a parallel with it in any other matter1

 its true nature and deformity would at 
once appear4 ,for example1 were we to   
suppose ourselves listening to an       
imperative message from a superior1 by a
 messenger with whose language we were  
but partially acquainted1 we would not  
allow him to proceed with his           
communication from beginning to end1    
while the very first sentence he        
uttered1 had not been understood1 and   
the mind was unprepared for that which  
was to follow4 ,we would stop him at the
 close of the very first sentence1 and  
would master the meaning of that1 before
 we would advance with him another step2
 and then we would make him proceed at  
such a pace as we could keep up with    
him4 ,if he left us again behind1 there 
would be but one remedy4 ,he must return
 and repeat the sentence where he left  
us1 till we had comprehended his        
master's meaning2 and if he refused to  
do this1 he could not conscientiously   
say to him on his return1 that he had   
delivered his message4 ,by following    

this plan1 and adopting this branch of  
the natural principle of individuation  
in such a case1 two benefits would      
arise4 ,we would first become perfectly 
acquainted with the will and message of 
our superior2 and next1 we would1 at the
 close of the exercise1 be so much more 
familiar with the language in which it  
was delivered1 as that it would require 
less effort on a future occasion1 to    
comprehend the meaning of the same      
speaker4 ,if this method had not been   
adopted1 and the message had been given 
entire and without a pause1 it might    
have been rehearsed in our hearing a    
hundred times1 but the meaning would    
neither have been mastered1 nor would   
our knowledge of the language have been 
in the least improved4  ,the application
 of this principle of individuation in  
the early stages of a child's learning  
to read1 suggests the propriety also of 
making some preparation for his reading 
every new lesson in succession4 ,we have
 seen that it is chiefly the new words  

in a lesson that create difficulty1 and 
prevent the operation of that important 
law in ,nature which induces the mind at
 once to lay hold of the ideas4 ,to     
obviate this distraction of mind        
therefore beforehand1 the new words     
which are to occur in the lesson should 
be selected1 and made familiar to the   
child previously1 and by themselves2--he
 should be taught to read them easily by
 the combination of their letters1 and  
clearly to understand their meaning1 in 
precisely the same shade in which they  
are used in the lesson he is to read4   
,when this is done1 the lesson will be  
read with ease and with profit2--while1 
without this1 the difficulty will be    
much greater1 if not beyond his powers4 
,in accordance with this plan1 the      
,first ,class ,book1 before referred to1
 has been constructed1 and its          
efficiency on that account is greatly   
increased4  ,the neglect of this special
 application of the principle has been  
long and painfully felt in society1 and 

most of all where the young have been   
sent earliest to school4 ,the habit of  
reading the words without understanding 
the meaning of what they read1 having   
once been acquired1 the weak powers of  
children are not sufficient to overcome 
the difficulties with which this habit  
has surrounded them4 ,they feel         
themselves burdened and harassed with   
unnatural and unmeaning exercises for   
years1 before they can acquire the art  
of reading the words of the simplest    
school book2 and1 what is still worse1  
after they have left the school1 and    
have entered upon the busy scenes of    
life1 they find1 that they have now to  
teach themselves an entirely new        
art1--the art of understanding by       
reading4 ,instead of all this waste of  
energy1 and patience1 and time1         
experience has fully proved1 that by    
following the plain and easy dictates of
 ,nature1 as above explained1 all the   
drudgery of learning to read may be got 
over in a week1--it has been times      

without number accomplished in a single 
day1#af--;and this without any harassing
 exertion1 and generally with delight4  
,of the truth of this1 a few out of many
 instances may here be enumerated4  ,in 
the summer of #ahca1 the writer one     
morning found himself1 by mere accident1
 and a perfect stranger1 in a ,sunday   
school in the borough of ,southwark1    
,london4 ,he attached himself first to a
 class of children1 some of whom he     
found on enquiry had been two years at  
the school1 and were yet only learning  
the alphabet4 ,in the same school1 and  
on the same morning1 a young man who    
only knew his letters1 but had never yet
 attempted to put them together1 was    
classified with the infants1 whom he had
 willingly joined in his anxiety to     
learn4 ,he had a lesson by himself4 ,by 
a rigid adherence to the above principle
 of individuation1 this young man1 to   
his own great astonishment1 was able in 
a few minutes to read a verse4 ,the     
lesson went on1 and in somewhat less    

than half an hour he had mastered       
several verses1 and now knew perfectly  
how to make use of the letters in       
decyphering the several words4 ,by that 
one lesson he found himself quite able  
to teach himself4 ,in proof of this1 as 
was afterwards ascertained1 he read that
 same day on going home1 without help1  
nineteen verses of the same chapter2 and
 these verses1 on returning to school on
 the same afternoon1 he read correctly  
and without hesitation1 to his usual and
 astonished teacher4 ,there can be no   
doubt1 from this circumstance1 that if  
it had been at all necessary1 he could1 
without further aid1 and with still     
greater ease1 have read a second        
nineteen verses1 and perfected himself  
by practice in this important1 and      
supposed difficult art of reading1 by   
this one lesson of less than half an    
hour4  ,in a later experiment1 made in  
,dumfries1 in the presence and under the
 sanction of ,sir ,thomas ,kirkpatrick1 
and the clergymen and teachers of that  

town1 the power of this principle was   
put to a severe trial1 in a very        
unexpected and extraordinary manner4    
,the week-day teachers of that town     
having heard of some of the above       
circumstances1 and of the powers of the 
,lesson ,system generally1 in enabling  
children to read with but little        
trouble1 were desirous of having its    
powers tested in that town1 where the   
writer happened to be for a few days4   
,he agreed2 and ,sir ,thomas            
,kirkpatrick1 the ,sheriff of the       
county1 with the clergymen and teachers1
 at his request1 formed themselves into 
a committee for the purposes of the     
investigation4 ,a sub-committee of the  
week-day teachers were appointed to     
procure a boy to be taught1 which they  
did1 and who1 on being closely examined 
at a preliminary public meeting of the  
whole examinators1 was found totally    
ignorant of words1 and knew not one     
letter from another1 with the exception1
 of the round o4  ,with this boy the    

writer retired1 having agreed to call   
them again together at a public meeting1
 as soon as he was ready4 ,this at the  
time he did not doubt would have been on
 the very next day2--but he was         
disappointed4 ,he had not been five     
minutes with his pupil1 till he found1  
to his great mortification1 that he had 
little or no intellect to work upon4    
,the boy was twelve years of age1 and   
yet he was perfectly ignorant of all the
 days of the week1 except one1 the      
market day1 on which he was in the      
practice of making a few pence by       
holding the farmers' horses4 ,he could  
in no case tell what day of the week    
went before or followed another4 ,he    
could count numbers forward mechanically
 till among the teens2 but by no effort 
of mind could he tell what number came  
before nine1 till he had again counted  
forward from one4 ,the most obvious     
deduction from the simplest idea        
appeared to be quite beyond the grasp of
 his mind4 ,for example1 though         

repeatedly told that ,john was          
,zebedee's son1 yet1 after frequent     
trials1 he could never make out1 nor    
comprehend who was ,john's father4 ,yet 
this boy1--one certainly among the      
lowest in the grade of intellect of our 
species1--by a rigid application of the 
principle of individuation1 was enabled 
to overcome a great part of the drudgery
 of learning to read1 by exactly eight  
hours' teaching4 ,this boy1 who at the  
preliminary meeting on ,wednesday1 knew 
only the round o1 read correctly in the 
,court-,house on the following ,monday1 
a section of the ,new ,testament1 to the
 ,rev4 ,dr ,duncan1 minister of         
,ruthwell1 before the ,sheriff1         
clergymen1 teachers1 and a large        
assembly of the inhabitants of          
,dumfries4 ,to ascertain that he had in 
that time really learned to read1 and   
that he did not repeat the words of the 
section by rote1 he was made to read    
before the audience1 in a chapter of the
 ,old ,testament1 and then from a       

newspaper1 the same words that he had   
read in his lesson4 ,this he did        
readily1 and without a mistake4         
,,footnotes3  #ad ,for some practical   
information and directions connected    
with the subjects in this chapter1 see  
,note ,m4  #ae ,note ,n4  #af ,note ,h4 
,,chap4 ,v4  ,on the ,means by which    
,nature may be imitated in ,applying the
 ,principle of ,grouping1 or            
,association4   ,the principle of       
,grouping1 or ,association1 as employed 
by ,nature in her educational process1  
is obviously intended to enable the     
pupil easily to receive knowledge1 and  
to assist the memory in retaining and   
keeping it ever after at the command of 
the will4 ,it is employed to unite many 
objects or truths into one aggregate    
mass1 which is received as one1--having 
the component parts so linked1 or       
associated together1 that when any one  
part is afterwards brought before the   
mind1 it has the power of immediately   
conjuring up1 and holding in review1 all

 the others4 ,for example1 when a child 
enters a room in which its parents and  
relations are severally employed1 the   
whole scene is at a single glance       
comprehended and understood1 and will   
afterwards be distinctly remembered in  
all its parts4 ,the elements of the     
scene are no doubt all familiar1 but the
 particular grouping of these elements  
are entirely new1 and form an addition  
to his knowledge1 as we formerly        
explained1 as substantial1 and as       
distinct1 as the grouping of any other  
kind of objects or circumstances could  
possibly do4 ,here then is a certain    
amount of knowledge acquired by the     
child1 which could be recorded in       
writing1 or which might be communicated 
by words2 but which1 by the operation of
 this principle of grouping1 has been   
acquired with greater ease1 and in much 
less time1 than he could either have    
read it1 or described it4 ,it has been  
done in this instance by ,nature        
bringing the ideas suggested by the     

group directly before the mind of the   
child1 without even the intervention of 
words2 and we see by this example1 how  
much more laborious it would have been  
to communicate the very same amount of  
knowledge to the pupil1 by making him   
read the description of it1 and how     
utterly preposterous and unnatural it   
would be to compel him1 for the same    
purpose1 to commit the words of that    
description to memory4 ,the words are   
merely an artificial contrivance for the
 conveying of ideas2--and the more they 
can be kept out of view1 it will be     
better for the teacher1 and more natural
 and easy for the child4  ,in           
communicating knowledge1 therefore1 to  
the young1 the more directly and simply 
the ideas to be communicated are        
presented to the mind the better4 ,they 
must usually be communicated by words2  
but these1 as the mere instruments of   
conveyance1 should be kept as much as   
possible out of view4 ,to bring them at 
all under the notice of the child is a  

defect2 but to make them the chief      
object of learning1 or to make the pupil
 commit them to memory1 is not only     
laborious and unnecessary1 but is       
unnatural and hurtful4  ,in all this we 
ought simply to take our lessons from   
,nature1 if we wish to succeed in       
conveying knowledge by the combination  
of simple objects4 ,in the above        
example1 we have seen that a single     
glance was sufficient to give the infant
 a distinct idea of the whole scene2 and
 the reason is1 that the principle of   
individuation had previously done its   
work4 ,each of the elements of which the
 scene was composed1 had undergone an   
individual and separate examination1 and
 therefore each was familiar4 ,this is  
,nature's method of communicating       
knowledge to the young2 and it is       
obvious1 that a different arrangement of
 the objects or actions would have made 
no difference in the effects produced by
 the operation of the principle4        
,whatever the circumstances might have  

been1 the new scene1 with all its       
variety of incidents1 persons1 and      
things1 which it would take ten-fold    
more time to enumerate than to learn1   
would at once be impressed on the mind1 
and delivered over to the keeping of the
 memory1 without labour1 or any         
perceptible effort4 ,the whole grouping 
forms a chain of circumstances1 any one 
link in which1 when afterwards laid hold
 of by the mind1 brings up all the      
others in connection with it4 ,the      
memory by this means is relieved from   
the burden of remembering all the       
individualities1 and the innumerable    
details of the scene1 by maintaining a  
comprehensive hold of the whole united  
group1 as one undivided object for      
remembrance4  ,from this it appears     
evident1 that this principle is intended
 to succeed that of individuation1 and  
never to precede it4 ,objects and truths
 which form the elements of knowledge   
must be individually familiar1 before   
they can be successfully grouped1 or    

associated together in masses1 in the   
way in which the several parts of the   
knowledge of the young are usually      
presented2 but after these objects or   
truths have once become known1 they may 
be permanently associated together in   
any variety of form without fatigue1 and
 be retained on the memory for use      
without confusion or distraction of any 
kind4  ,in our investigations into the  
nature and working of this principle1 as
 detailed in a former chapter1 we found 
several causes which gave rise to       
certain uniform effects1 which1 for the 
purpose of imitation or avoidance1 may  
be classed under the following          
heads3--,we found1  #a4 ,that wherever  
the principle of grouping acted with    
effect1 it had always been preceded by  
the principle of individuation4  #b4    
,that wherever the principle of         
individuation was made to interfere1 the
 effect intended by the principle of    
association was in the same degree      
obstructed or destroyed4  #c4 ,that     

whenever ideas or objects1 whether known
 or unknown1 were presented to a child  
in greater number than the mind could   
receive or reiterate them1 it silently  
dropped the surplus2--but if these were 
forced upon the mind1 all the mischiefs 
arising from the interference of the two
 hostile principles immediately took    
place4  #d4 ,that children1 in grouping 
under the tuition of ,nature1 received  
and retained the impressions of objects 
presented to their notice1 in a natural 
and regular order2--forming in their    
minds a continuous moving scene1 where  
motion formed a part of it2 and that    
this movement of the objects1 actually  
was a portion of the grouping4  ,these  
being the facts connected with this     
portion of ,nature's educational        
process1 the object of the teacher      
should be to endeavour to imitate her in
 all these circumstances2 carefully     
avoiding what she has shewn to be       
inoperative and hurtful1 and copying as 
closely as possible all those that tend 

to forward the objects of instruction4  
,the first thing then to be attended to 
by the teacher1 is1 that in every       
attempt to communicate knowledge to a   
child by the grouping of objects1 he    
takes care that the principle of        
individuation has preceded it2--that is1
 that the various ideas or objects to be
 grouped1 be individually familiar to   
the pupil4 ,in communicating a story1   
therefore1 or an anecdote1 or in        
teaching a child to read1 care must be  
taken that the objects or individual    
truths1 the words1 or the letters1 be   
previously taught by themselves1 before 
he be called upon to group them in      
masses1 whether greater or smaller4 ,if 
this be neglected1 an important law of  
,nature is violated1 and the lesson to  
this extent will be ineffective1 or     
worse4 ,but if1 on the contrary1 this   
rule be attended to1 the pupil1 when he 
comes to these objects in the act of    
grouping1 is prepared for the process2  
he meets with nothing that he is not    

familiar with2 he has nothing to learn1 
and has only to allow the objects to    
take their proper places1 as when he    
looked into the room1 and grouped its   
contents as before supposed4 ,all this  
being perfectly natural1 is accomplished
 without effort1 and with ease and      
pleasure4--,this precaution on the part 
of the teacher1 will at once remove many
 of the difficulties and embarrassments 
which have hitherto pressed so heavily  
upon the pupil in almost every stage of 
his advance1 but more especially in the 
early stages of his learning to read4#ag
  ,as an illustration of our meaning1 we
 may notice here1 that a child who knows
 what is meant by sheep1 and the keeping
 of sheep1 of tilling the ground1 and   
making an offering to ,god1 c4 is       
prepared to hear or to read an          
abridgement of the story of ,cain and   
,abel4 ,we say an abridgement or first  
step1 for reasons which shall afterwards
 be explained4 ,without a previous      
knowledge of these several elements of  

which this story is compounded1 he could
 neither have listened to it with       
pleasure1 nor read it with any degree of
 profit2 but as soon as these are       
individually familiar1 the              
grouping1--the knowledge of the whole   
story1--is a matter of ease1 and        
generally of delight4 ,as the story     
advances1 it causes a constant and      
regular series of groupings on the mind 
by the imagination1 which are at once   
exquisitely pleasing and permanent4 ,the
 child1 as in a living and moving       
picture1 imagines a man laboriously     
digging the ground1 and another man in a
 distant field placidly engaged in      
attending to the wants and the safety of
 a flock of sheep4 ,he imagines the     
former heaping an altar with fruits and 
without fire2 and the latter killing a  
lamb1 laying its parts on an altar1     
while a stream of fire descends from the
 skies and consumes it4 ,his imagination
 goes on with increasing interest to    
picture the quarrel-scene in the field2 

and he in effect sees the blow given by 
the club of ,cain1 that destroyed the   
life of his brother4 ,all this living   
and moving scene will be remembered in  
groups2 and these groups will be more or
 less closely linked together1 and will 
be imagined more or less distinctly as a
 whole1 in proportion to the mental     
advancement of the particular child4    
,the next thing to be attended to in    
communicating knowledge to a child by   
grouping1 is1 that no strange for       
unknown object or idea be introduced    
among those which he is called upon to  
group2 because in that case1 the        
operation will be materially interfered 
with1 and either marred or destroyed4   
,the completeness of this operation in  
the hands of ,nature1 depends in a great
 measure1 as we have seen1 upon the     
perfect composure and self-possession of
 the mind during the process4 ,if there 
be no interruption1--no element of      
distraction introduced into the         
exercise1--all the circumstances1 as    

they arise in the gradual developement  
of the story1 are comprehended and      
grouped4 ,the living and moving picture 
is permanently fixed upon the memory1 so
 that it may be recalled and reviewed at
 any future time4 ,but if1 on the       
contrary1 the placidity of the mind be  
interrupted1--if some strange and       
unknown object be introduced1 whose     
agency is really necessary for          
connecting the several parts of the     
story1--the very attempt of the child to
 become individually acquainted with it1
 throws the whole process into          
confusion2 and he has either to drop the
 contemplation of this necessary part of
 the machinery1 or to lose the benefit  
of all that is detailed during the time 
he is engaged with it4 ,in either case  
the end is not gained2 and the great    
design aimed at by the teacher1--the    
communication of the knowledge connected
 with the narrative1--is more or less   
frustrated4 ,like the landscape pictured
 on the placid bosom of the lake1 the   

formation and contemplation of his own  
undisturbed imaginings are delightful to
 the child2 but the introduction of an  
unknown object1 like the dropping of a  
stone in the former case1 produces      
confusion and distortion1 which are     
always unpleasant and painful4  ,one    
general reason why the introduction of  
unknown objects into these groupings of 
the child is so pernicious1 may also be 
here adverted to4 ,it arises from the   
circumstance1 that no person1 whether   
young or old1 can form1 even in his     
imagination1 the idea of an entirely new
 thing4 ,this is commonly illustrated by
 the well known fact1 that it is        
impossible to conceive of a new         
sense2--but it is equally applicable to 
the conception of a new object4 ,adults 
can no doubt conceive and picture on    
their imaginations1 objects and scenes  
which they never saw2--but this mental  
act is not the imagining of an entirely 
new thing4 ,all such scenes or things   
are compounded of objects1 or parts of  

objects1 which they have seen1 and with 
which they are familiar4 ,they can      
readily picture to themselves a centaur 
or a cerberus1 a mermaid or a           
dragon1--creatures which have no        
existence1 and which never did exist2   
but a little reflection will shew1 that 
nothing which the mind conceives of     
these supposed animals is really new1   
but is merely a new combination of      
elements1 or parts of other animals1    
already familiar4 ,children accordingly 
can easily conceive the idea of a giant 
or a dwarf1 a woman without a head1 or a
 man with two1 because the elements of  
which these anomalies are compounded are
 individually familiar to them2--but    
were they told of a person sitting in a 
howdah1 or being conveyed in a          
palanquin1 without having these objects 
previously explained or described to    
them1 the mind would either be drawn    
from the story to find out what these   
meant1 and thus they would lose it2 or  
they would1 on the spur of the moment1  

substitute in their minds something else
 which perhaps had no likeness to them1 
and which would lead them into serious  
error4 ,for example1 they might suppose 
that the one was a house1 and the other 
a ship2--a supposition which would      
distort the whole narrative1 and would  
render many of its parts inconsistent   
and incomprehensible4  ,as adults then1 
in every similar case1 are under the    
necessity of drawing materials from     
their general knowledge1 for the purpose
 of compounding all such unknown        
objects1 it must be much more difficult 
for a child to do this1 not only because
 of his want of ability1 but his want of
 materials4 ,the remedy therefore in    
this case is1 to explain and describe   
the objects that are to be grouped1     
before the pupil be called upon to do   
so4 ,and when the object has not been   
seen by the child1 and cannot be        
exhibited by a picture1 or otherwise1   
the teacher must exert his ingenuity in 
enabling him to form an idea of the     

thing that is unknown1 by a combination 
of parts of objects which are4 ,thus a  
tiger may be described as resembling a  
large cat2 a wolf1 a fox1 or even a     
lion1 as resembling certain kinds of    
dogs2 a howdah as a smaller sofa1 and a 
palanquin1 as a light crib4 ,in all     
these cases1 it is worthy of notice1    
that a mere difference of size never    
creates confusion2--simply because1 by a
 natural law in optics1 such differences
 are of constant occurrence in the      
experience both of children and adults4 
,a water neut will convey a sufficiently
 correct idea of a crocodile2 and the   
picture of an elephant1 only one inch   
square1 will create no difficulty1 if   
the correct height be given4 ,when these
 rules have been attended to1 it will be
 found1 that this principle in ,nature  
has been successfully imitated2 and the 
pupil1 by the previous process of       
individuation1 will be perfectly        
prepared for the delightful task of     
grouping the objects which he now knows4

 ,when he comes to these objects in the 
narrative1 he conceives the idea of them
 accurately1 and he groups them without 
effort4 ,there is no hesitation1 and no 
confusion in his ideas4 ,the painting   
formed upon the mind is correct2 the    
whole picture is united into one        
connected scene1 and is permanently     
imprinted on the memory for future use4 
,another circumstance connected with    
this principle of grouping in children1 
we found to be1 that when1 at any time a
 greater number of objects were         
presented to the mind than it was able  
to reiterate and group1 it silently     
dropt the surplus1 and grouped those    
only which came within the reach of its 
powers2 but if in any instance an       
attempt was made to force the child to  
receive and reiterate the ideas of      
objects beyond a certain point1 the mind
 got confused1 and its powers           
weakened4--,the imitation of ,nature in 
this point is also of great importance  
in education1 particularly in teaching  

and exercising children in reading4 ,to 
perceive this more clearly1 it will be  
necessary to make a few remarks on the  
nature of the art of reading4  ,reading 
is nothing more than a mechanical       
invention1 imitative of the act of      
hearing2 as writing is a mechanical mode
 of indicating sounds1 and thus becomes 
a substitute for the art of speaking1   
and conveying ideas4 ,but there is this 
material difference between reading and 
hearing1 that in hearing the person     
giving attention is in a great measure  
passive1 and may1 or may not attend as  
he pleases4 ,he may receive part of what
 is said1 and1 as prompted by ,nature1  
he may silently drop all that he cannot 
easily reiterate4 ,but in the act of    
reading1 the person has both the active 
and the passive operations to perform4  
,his mind1 while he reads1 must be      
actively engaged in decyphering the     
words of his book1 and the ideas are1 or
 should be1 by this act1 forced upon the
 observation of the mind at the same    

time4 ,as long1 therefore1 as the child 
is required to read nothing except that 
which he understands1 and to read no    
more1 and no faster1 than his mind can  
without distraction receive and         
reiterate the ideas which he reads1 the 
act of grouping will be performed with  
ease1 and with evident delight1 and the 
powers of the mind will be healthfully  
and extensively exercised and           
strengthened3--,but if this simple      
principle of ,nature be violated1 the   
exercise becomes irritating to the      
child1 and most pernicious in its       
consequences4 ,the neglect of this      
application of the principle is so      
common in education1 that it usually    
escapes observation2 but on this very   
account it demands from us here a more  
thorough investigation4  ,we say then1  
that this principle is violated when a  
child is required to read that which it 
does not1 and perhaps cannot understand2
 and also when he is required to read   
more1 or to read faster1 than he is able

 to reiterate the ideas in his own mind4
 ,on each of these cases we shall say a 
few words1 for the purpose of warning   
and directing the teacher in applying   
this important principle in education4  
,let us then suppose a child set to read
 a section which he does not1 and which 
there is every probability he cannot    
understand1 and then let us carefully   
mark the consequences4 ,the child in    
such a case reads the words in his book1
 which ought to convey to his mind the  
ideas which the words contain4 ,this is 
the sole purpose of either hearing or   
reading4 ,but this is not accomplished4 
,the words are read1 and the ideas are  
not perceived2 but the child is required
 to read on4 ,he does so2 and of course 
when the first part of the subject or   
sentence has been beyond his reach1 the 
second1 which most probably hangs upon  
it1 must be much more so4 ,in this      
therefore he also fails2 but he is still
 required to read on4 ,here is a        
practice begun1 which at once defeats   

the very intention of reading1 and      
allows the child's mind to roam upon any
 thing or every thing1 while the eye is 
mechanically engaged with his book4 ,the
 habit is soon formed4 ,the child reads2
 but his attention is gone4 ,he does    
not1 and at length he cannot1 understand
 by reading4 ,this habit1 as we formerly
 explained1 when it is once formed1 it  
requires great efforts on the part of   
the child to overcome4 ,most people when
 they are actively engaged in life1 do  
at last overcome it2 while thousands1   
who have nominally been taught to read1 
never can surmount the difficulties it  
involves4 ,many on this account1 and for
 want of practising an art which they   
cannot profitably use1 lose the art     
altogether4  ,but again1 let us suppose 
a child set to read that which he may   
understand1 but which he is required to 
read more rapidly than allows him to    
perceive and to reiterate the ideas     
while reading1 and let us mark what are 
the necessary consequences in such a    

case4 ,the child is called on to read a 
sentence1 and he does so4 ,he           
understands it too4 ,but the art of     
reading is not yet familiar1 and he has 
to bend part of his attention to the    
decyphering of the words1 as well as to 
the perception and reiteration of the   
ideas4 ,this requires more time in a    
child to whom reading is not yet        
familiar1 than to a child more advanced4
 ,but give him a little time1 and the   
matter is accomplished the ideas have   
been received1 and they will be         
reiterated1 grouped1 and committed to   
the keeping of the memory1--and then    
they will form part of his knowledge4   
,but if this time be not given1--if the 
child1 while engaged in collecting the  
ideas from the words of one sentence1 be
 urged forward to the reading of        
another1 the mental confusion formerly  
described instantly takes place4 ,more  
ideas are forced upon the mind than it  
can reiterate2 no group can be formed1  
because the elements of which it ought  

to be composed1 have not yet been       
perceived2 the imagination gets         
bewildered2--the mind is unnaturally    
burdened2--its faculties are            
overstretched2--the child is discouraged
 and irritated2 the powers of his mind  
fatigued and weakened2 and the whole    
object of the teacher is at once        
defeated1 and rendered worse than       
useless4--,in every case1 therefore1    
when the child is called on to read1    
sufficient time should be given2--the   
teacher taking care that the main design
 of reading1 that of collecting and     
grouping ideas1 be always accomplished2 
and that the pupil reads no more at one 
time than he can thoroughly understand  
and retain4  ,there is yet another      
circumstance connected with this process
 of grouping1 which ought not to be     
overlooked4 ,it refers to the order in  
which the objects to be grouped by the  
child are presented to his notice4 ,a   
child under the guidance of ,nature1    
receives and retains its impressions of 

objects in a natural and simple order4  
,when it witnesses a scene1 the group of
 objects1 or actions formed and pictured
 on the mind by the imagination1 is     
exactly as they were seen1 the one      
circumstance following the other in     
natural and regular order4 ,in telling a
 story therefore to a child1 and more   
especially in composing lessons for them
 to read1 this part of ,nature's plan   
should be carefully studied and acted   
upon4 ,the elements of which the several
 groupings are composed1 or the         
circumstances in the narrative to be    
related1 should be presented in the     
order in which the eye would catch them 
in ,nature1 or the order in which they  
occurred1 that there may be no          
unnecessary retrogression of the mind1  
no confounding of ideas1 no fear of     
losing the links that connect and bind  
together the minor groupings of the     
story4 ,in the history of ,cain and     
,abel1 for example1 the child is not to 
be required to paint upon his           

imagination1 a deadly struggle between  
two persons of whom as yet he knows     
nothing2 and then1 retiring backwards in
 the story1 be made acquainted with the 
circumstances connected with their      
several offerings to ,god2 and last of  
all1 their parentage1 their occupations1
 and their characters4 ,the minds of the
 young and inexperienced would be       
perplexed and bewildered by such a plan 
of proceeding2 and the irregularity     
would most probably be the cause of     
their losing the whole story4 ,the      
opposite of this plan is no doubt       
frequently adopted in works of fiction  
prepared for adults1 and for the sake of
 effect2 but every one must see that it 
is unnecessary in simple history1 and is
 not at all adapted for the instruction 
of the young4 ,when ,nature's method is 
adopted1 the child collects and groups  
the incidents as he proceeds1 and       
paints1 without effort1 the whole living
 and moving scene on his imagination1 as
 if he himself had stood by1 and been an

 eye-witness of the original events4    
,the ascertained benefits of these modes
 of imitating ,nature1 are literally    
innumerable2 and it is happily within   
the power of every parent or teacher1 in
 a single hour1 to test them for        
himself4 ,we shall merely advert to one 
or two instances which occurred in the  
recorded experiments1 where their       
effects1 in combination with the other  
principles1 were conspicuous4  ,in the  
experiment upon the prisoners in the    
,county ,jail of ,edinburgh1 the        
acquisition of their knowledge of ,old  
,testament ,history1 instead of being a 
burden1 was to them a source of         
unmingled gratification4 ,there were    
painted upon their minds the leading    
incidents in the history of the         
patriarchs1 not only in groups1 but     
their judgments being ripened1 they were
 able to perceive them in regular       
connection4 ,these pictures1 then so    
pleasantly impressed on their           
imaginations1 are likely to remain with 

them through the whole of their lives4  
,the ,report says1 that they were       
examined on their knowledge of the ,book
 of ,genesis1 and gave a distinct       
account of its prominent facts from     
,adam down to the settlement in ,goshen1
 and shewed by their answers that these 
circumstances were understood by them in
 their proper nature and bearings4  ,by 
the same means1 but in less time1 and to
 a greater extent1 the same object was  
attained with the children in ,aberdeen1
 who1 though chosen from the schools    
specially on account of their want of   
knowledge1 were1 by only a few hours    
teaching1 enabled1 besides many other   
subjects of knowledge1 to receive and   
retain on their minds the great leading 
circumstances that occurred from the    
death of ,moses downwards1 to that of   
the revolt of the ten tribes in the     
reign of ,rehoboam4  ,in the experiment 
in ,london also1 a large portion of ,old
 ,testament history1 with much other    
knowledge1 was acquired in a few hours  

by a boy of about nine years of age1    
who1 previously to the commencement of  
the experiment1 knew no more of ,god    
than the name2--who had no idea of a    
soul1 or that he should live after      
death2--who had never heard of ,adam1   
,noah1 or ,abraham2--had no idea of a   
,saviour2 knew nothing of heaven or     
hell2 had never heard of ,christ1 and   
knew not whether the name belonged to a 
man or a woman4 ,yet this boy1 in an    
exceedingly short time1 could give an   
account of many groupings in the ,old   
,testament history4  ,we shall only     
remark1 in conclusion1 that if1 by the  
proper application of this principle1 so
 much knowledge may be acquired by rude 
and ignorant children1 not only without 
effort1 but in the enjoyment of great   
satisfaction2 what may not be expected  
in ordinary circumstances1 when the     
pupils are regularly trained and        
prepared for the purpose1 and when all  
the principles employed by ,nature in   
this great work1 are made to unite their

 aids1 and to work in harmony together  
for producing an enlightened and        
virtuous population8 ,this may most     
assuredly be gained in an exceedingly   
short period of time1 by a close and    
persevering imitation of ,nature in     
these educational processes4            
,,footnotes3  #ag ,note ,o4     ,,chap4 
,,vi4  ,on the ,methods by which ,nature
 may be imitated in ,communicating      
,knowledge by ,classification1 or       
,analysis4   ,in a former chapter we had
 occasion to notice a fourth principle  
brought into operation by ,nature in the
 acquisition of knowledge1 which is the 
principle of ,classification1 or        
,analysis2 and we shall now enquire how 
this principle may be successfully      
imitated by the teacher for the         
furtherance of his art4  ,there are two 
forms1 which in a former chapter we     
endeavoured to trace out and explain1 in
 which this principle of ,analysis      
appears in the educational process of   
,nature4 ,we shall here again very      

shortly advert to them1 beginning with  
that which in education is perhaps the  
most important1 but which hitherto has  
certainly been least attended to1--that 
of teaching connected truths by         
progressive steps4  ,when we read a     
connected section of history for the    
first time1 and then examine the state  
of our knowledge respecting it1 we find 
that we have retained some of the ideas 
or truths which we read1 but that we    
have lost more4 ,when that portion which
 we have retained is carefully examined1
 we find that it consists chiefly of the
 more prominent features of the         
narrative1 with perhaps here and there  
occasional groupings of isolated        
circumstances4 ,we have1 in fact1       
retained upon the memory1 little more   
than the general outline1--the great    
frame-work of the history4 ,there will  
be the beginning1 the middle1 and the   
end1 containing perhaps few of the minor
 details1 but what is retained is all in
 regular order1 bound together as a     

continuous narrative1 and1 however      
meagre1 the whole forms in the          
imagination of the reader1 a distinct   
and connected whole4 ,there is perhaps  
no more of the intended fabric of the   
history erected in the mind than the    
mere skeleton of the building2 but this 
frame-work1 however defective in the    
details1 is complete both as to shape   
and size1 and is a correct model of the 
finished building from top to bottom4   
,this is the state of every advanced    
pupil's mind1 after he has for the first
 time closed the reading of any portion 
of history or biography4 ,if the        
narrative itself has been correct1 this 
general outline1--this great frame-work 
of the history1--remains on his mind    
through life1 without any material      
alteration4 ,additional information     
afterwards will assist in filling up the
 empty spaces left between the more     
massive materials1 but it will neither  
shake1 nor shift them2 and even the most
 minute details of individual or family 

incidents1 connected with the general   
narrative1 while they add additional    
interest1 and fill up or ornament       
different and separate parts1 will never
 alter the general form of the fabric1  
nor displace any of the main pillars    
upon which it is supported4  ,this is   
one way of illustrating this analytical 
process of ,nature2 but for the purposes
 of imitating it in education it is not 
perhaps the best4 ,the idea of a regular
 analytical table of the history1 formed
 of successive branches1 by successive  
readings1 is by far the most natural and
 applicable4 ,by a first reading of a   
portion of history1 there are certain   
great leading points established in the 
mind of the reader1 which form the first
 branches of a regular analysis1 and to 
some one or other of which parts or     
divisions every circumstance of a more  
minute kind connected with the history1 
will be found to be related4 ,this first
 great division of the history attained 
by the first reading1 if correct1 will1 

and must1 remain the same1 whatever     
addition may afterwards be made to it4  
,by a second reading1 our knowledge of  
the leading points will greatly assist  
us in collecting and remembering many of
 the more minute circumstances embodied 
in them1 or intimately connected with   
them2 but even then1 an ordinary mind1  
and more especially a young person1 will
 not have made himself master of all the
 details4 ,a third1 and perhaps a fourth
 reading1 will be found necessary to    
give him a full command of all the      
minuter circumstances recorded4#ah  ,in 
endeavouring to take advantage of this  
principle1 so extensively employed by   
,nature1 it is of great importance to   
observe1 that a certain definite effect 
is produced by each successive reading4 
,a first reading establishes in the mind
 of the pupil a regular frame-work of   
the whole history1 which it is the      
business of every successive reading to 
fill up and complete4 ,there is by the  
first course1 a separation of the whole 

subject into heads1 forming the regular 
divisions of a first branch of the      
analysis2--the second course tends to   
subdivide these again into their several
 parts2 and to form a second branch in  
this analytical table2--and a third     
course1 would enable the pupil to       
perceive and to separate the parts of   
the narrative included in these several 
divisions1 by which there would arise a 
third branch1 all included in the       
second1 and even in the first4  ,we have
 here supposed1 that the pupil has been 
engaged with the very same chapters in  
each of these several courses2--and that
 he read the same words in the first    
course that he read in those which      
followed4 ,he had to read the whole1    
although he could retain but little4 ,he
 had to labour the whole field for the  
sake of procuring plants1 which could   
have been more certainly and more       
healthfully raised upon a square yard4  
,his reading for hours has produced no  
more knowledge than is expressed by the 

first branch of the supposed analysis2  
and therefore1 if the teacher would but 
analyse the subject for the child1      
whether it be a science or a            
history1--suppose for example1 the      
,history of ,joseph1--and give his      
younger pupils no more at first than the
 simple outline of the story1 some very 
important advantages would be the       
result4 ,in the first place1 the very   
difficult task of keeping the volatile  
mind of a child continuously fixed to   
the subject during the lengthened       
reading of the whole narrative will be  
unnecessary2--the irritation and        
uneasiness which such a lengthened      
exercise must produce in a child will be
 avoided2--time will be economised1 the 
labour of the teacher will be spared1   
and the mind of the child at the close  
of the exercise1 instead of being fagged
 and prostrated1 will be found vigorous 
and lively4 ,and yet1 with all this1 the
 positive result will be the same4 ,the 
child's knowledge of the subject in this

 latter case1 will in reality be as     
extensive1 and much more distinct and   
permanent1 than in the former4  ,here is
 the first step gained2 and to attain   
the second1 a similar course must be    
pursued4 ,nature1 who formed this first 
branch of the analytical table on the   
minds of the first class of the         
children1 formed another and more       
extended branch in the minds of the     
second class4 ,the teacher therefore has
 only to take each of the branches which
 form the first step1 and sub-divide    
them into their natural heads1 so as to 
form a second1--and to teach this to his
 children in the same manner that he    
taught them the former4 ,by this means1 
the first class will now possess an     
equal degree of knowledge with those who
 occupied the second2--and by a similar 
process1 the others would advance to the
 third and the fourth classes according 
to circumstances4  ,the plan here       
proposed for imitating ,nature by       
progressive steps1 has been tried with  

undeviating success for many years4 ,its
 efficiency1 as embracing the principle 
employed by ,nature for the             
communication of knowledge1 has been    
repeatedly subjected to the most        
delicate and at the same time the most  
searching experiments4 ,by its means1 in
 connection of course with the          
catechetical exercise by which it is    
wrought1 very extraordinary effects have
 been produced even upon individuals    
whose minds and circumstances were      
greatly below the average of common     
children4  ,in the experiment made upon 
the adult criminals in the ,county ,jail
 of ,edinburgh1 the pupils acquired     
easily and permanently a thorough       
knowledge of the history contained in   
the ,book of ,genesis4 ,they gave a     
distinct account of its prominent facts1
 from ,adam1 down to the settlement in  
,goshen1 and shewed by their answers1   
that these circumstances were understood
 by them1 in their proper nature and    
bearings4 ,they gave1 in the next place1

 a connected view of the leading        
doctrines of revelation2 when their     
answers evinced1 most satisfactorily1   
that they apprehended1 not merely each  
separate truth1 but that they perceived 
its relation to others1 and possessed a 
considerable knowledge of the divine    
system as a whole4 ,they were also      
examined upon several sections of the   
,new ,testament2 where their answers    
displayed an equally clear and accurate 
knowledge of the subject4 ,these        
persons1 be it observed1 belonged to a  
class of individuals1 who are generally 
considered to be peculiarly hostile to  
the reception of information of this    
kind1 and certainly who are least able  
to comprehend and retain it2 and all    
this1 besides other portions of         
knowledge1 on which they were examined  
during the experiment1 was communicated 
with ease by about twenty hours         
teaching4  ,by the experiment made at   
,aberdeen1 upon children the most       
ignorant that the ,committee of         

,clergymen could find among the several 
schools in the city1 it was ascertained1
 that after only nine or ten hours      
teaching1 they had not only received a  
thorough knowledge of several sections  
of ,new ,testament ,history1 but that   
they had acquired a knowledge of all the
 leading events included in the ,old    
,testament ,history1 from the death of  
,moses1 downwards to that of the revolt 
of the ,ten ,tribes in the reign of     
,rehoboam4 ,here they distinctly stated 
and described all the leading           
circumstances of the narrative comprised
 in the ',first ,step1' whose brief but 
comprehensive outline they appeared1 in 
various instances1 to have filled up at 
home1 by reading in their ,bibles the   
corresponding chapters4  ,the efficiency
 of this form of analytical teaching1 as
 exhibited in successive steps1 when    
employed for the purpose of teaching a  
knowledge of civil history and          
biography1 was also proved with equal   
certainty2--for these same children     

showed a thorough knowledge of that     
portion of the ,history of ,england     
embraced by the reign of ,charles ,i4   
and the ,commonwealth2 and in biography1
 the life of the late ,john ,newton     
having been employed for the purpose1   
they shewed such an acquaintance with   
the leading facts1 and the uses to be   
made of them1 that the reverend         
gentlemen in this report of the         
experiment say1 that the children had to
 be restrained1 as the time would not   
permit4  ,in teaching the sciences1     
particularly the science of natural     
philosophy1 this method of employing the
 principle of analysis has been found   
equally successful4 ,nature indeed1 by  
the regular division of her several     
works1 has obviously pointed this out as
 the proper method of proceeding1       
especially with the young2 and the      
success that has invariably accompanied 
the attempt1 shews that the opinion is  
well founded4  ,in the experiment at    
,aberdeen1 the class of children1 who   

were specially selected from their      
companions on account of their ignorance
 only a few days before1 were           
interrogated1 scientifically1 as to the 
production1 the nature1 and the         
properties of several familiar objects1 
with the view of shewing how admirably  
calculated the ,lesson ,system is1 for  
furnishing the young with a knowledge of
 natural science and of the arts4 ,one  
of their little companions being raised 
before them on a bench1 they described  
every part of his dress1 from the bonnet
 downwards1 detailing every process and 
stage of the manufacture4 ,the bonnet1  
which was put on his head for this      
purpose1 the coat1 the                  
silk-handkerchief1 the cotton vest1 were
 all traced respectively from the sheep1
 the egg of the silk-worm1 and the      
cotton-pod4 ,the buttons1 which were of 
brass1 were stated to be a composition  
of copper and zinc1 which were          
separately and scientifically described1
 with the reasons assigned1 7as good as 

could be given17 for their admixture1 in
 the composition of brass4 ,a lady's    
parasol1 and a gentleman's watch were   
described in the same manner4 ,the ivory
 knob1 the brass crampet1 the bamboo1   
the whalebone1 the silk1 were no sooner 
adverted to1 than they were             
scientifically described4 ,when their   
attention was called to the seals of the
 gentleman's watch1 they immediately    
said1 ',these are of pure1 and those of 
jeweller's gold1' and described the     
difference4 ,the steel ring was traced  
to the iron-stone in the mine1 with a   
description of the mode of separating   
the metal from its combinations4 ,the   
processes requisite for the preparation 
of wrought-iron from the cast-iron1 and 
of steel from the wrought-iron1 with the
 distinguishing properties of each of   
these metals1 were accurately described1
 and some practical lessons drawn from  
these properties2 such as1 that a knife 
ought never to be put into the fire1 and
 that a razor should be dipped in warm  

water previous to its being used4       
,various articles were collected from   
individuals in the meeting1 and         
successively presented to them1 all of  
which they described4 ,india-rubber1    
cork1 sponge1 pocket combs1 c4 ,a small 
pocket thermometer1 with its tube and   
its mercury1 its principles and use1 and
 even the ,turkey-leather on the cover1 
were all fully described4 ,after        
explaining the nature and properties of 
coal-gas1 one of the boys stated to the 
meeting1 that since the commencement of 
this experiment1 he had himself         
attempted1 and succeeded in making      
gas-light by means of a                 
tobacco-pipe2--his method of doing which
 he also described4  ,the other form in 
which the principle of ,analysis may1 in
 imitation of ,nature1 be successfully  
employed in communicating knowledge to  
the young1 is not to be considered as   
new1 although the working of the        
principle may not have been very clearly
 perceived1 or systematically regulated4

 ,it is seen most simply perhaps in the 
division of any subject1--a sermon for  
example--into its great general heads2  
and then endeavouring to illustrate     
these1 by sub-dividing each into its    
several particulars4 ,by this means the 
whole subject is bound together1 the    
judgment is healthfully exercised1 and  
the memory is greatly assisted in making
 use of the information communicated4   
,it is upon this plan that the several  
discourses and speeches in the ,acts of 
the ,apostles have been analysed1 as an 
introduction to the teaching of the     
epistles to the young4#ai ,upon the same
 principle depends the success of the   
,analysis of ,prayer1 of which we shall 
afterwards have to speak2 and it is by  
means of this principle1 in connection  
with the successive steps1 that the     
several departments of natural          
philosophy are proposed to be taught4   
,the efficiency of the principle in this
 form1 as applied to the teaching of    
natural philosophy to mere school boys1 

has been ascertained by numerous        
experiments1 of which the one in        
,aberdeen1 already alluded to1 has      
afforded good evidence4 ,but the        
experiment conducted in ,newry1 on      
account of several concurrent           
circumstances1 is still more remarkable 
and appropriate1 and to it therefore we 
propose briefly to refer4  ,in the year 
#ahcj1 the writer1 in passing through   
the town of ,newry on his way to        
,dublin1 was waited upon by several     
,sunday school teachers1 and was        
requested to afford them some           
information as to teaching their        
schools1 and for that purpose to hold a 
meeting with them and their fellow      
teachers1 before leaving the place4 ,to 
this he readily agreed2 but as he       
intended to go to ,dublin by the coach1 
which passed through ,newry in the      
afternoon1 the meeting had to take place
 that same day at two o'clock4 ,at that 
meeting1 the ,earl of ,kilmorey and a   
party of his friends were very          

unexpectedly present2 and they1 after   
the business of the meeting was over1   
joined with the others in requesting him
 to postpone his departure1 and to hold 
a public meeting on the following       
,tuesday1 of which due intimation would 
be given1 and many teachers in the      
neighbourhood1 who must otherwise be    
greatly disappointed1 would be able to  
attend4 ,to this request1 accordingly1  
he at once acceded4  ,in visiting the   
schools next day1 the propriety of      
preparing a class or two of children for
 the public meeting was suggested and   
approved of2 and the day-teacher being  
applied to1 gave ,mr ,gall a list of six
 of his boys for the purpose4 ,with     
these children he met on ,monday2 and   
after instructing them in the doctrines 
of the ,gospel1 and teaching them how to
 draw lessons from ,scripture1 he began 
to teach them some parts of natural     
philosophy1 and to draw lessons also    
from these4 ,their aptness1 and         
eagerness to learn1 suggested the idea  

of selecting one of the sciences1 and   
confining their attention principally to
 it1 for the purpose of ascertaining how
 much of the really useful parts of it  
they could acquire and learn to use1 in 
the short space of time which must      
intervene between that period and the   
hour of meeting4 ,considering what would
 be most useful and interesting1 rather 
than what would be most easy1 he hastily
 fixed on the science of anatomy and    
physiology1 and resolved to mark the    
time during which they were engaged with
 him in learning it4 ,these lessons were
 altogether oral and catechetical1--as  
neither he nor the children at that time
 had any books to assist them in their  
labours4  ,the method adopted by ,mr    
,gall in communicating a knowledge of   
this important and difficult science to 
these school-boys1 was strictly         
analytical2--classifying and connecting 
every part of his subject1 and bringing 
out the several branches of the analysis
 in natural order1 so that the          

connection of all the parts was easily  
seen1 and of course well remembered4 ,an
 illustration of his method may induce  
some parents to try it themselves4  ,he 
first directed their attention to the   
bones1 and taught them in a few words   
their nature and uses1 as the pillars   
and safeguards of the body2--the shank1 
the joint1 and the ligaments1 forming   
the branches of this part of the        
analysis4 ,he then led them to imagine  
these bones clothed with the fleshy     
parts1 or muscles1 of which the mass1   
the ligaments1 and the sinews1 formed   
the branches4 ,he explained the nature  
of their contraction2 and shewed them1  
that the muscles being fastened at one  
end by the ligament to a bone1 its      
contraction pulled the sinew at the     
other1 and thus bent the joint which lay
 between them4--,he then taught them the
 nature and uses of the several viscera1
 which occupy the chest and belly1 and  
their connection with each other4 ,this 
prepared the way for considering the    

nature of the fluids of the body1       
particularly the blood1 and its         
circulation from the heart and lungs by 
the arteries1 and to them again by the  
veins1 with the pulsation of the one1   
and the valves of the other4 ,the       
passage of the blood through the lungs1 
and the uses of the air-cells and       
blood-vessels in that organ were        
described2 when the boys1 7having       
previously had a lesson on the nature of
 water1 atmospheric air1 and the gases17
 readily understood the importance of   
bringing the oxygen into contact with   
the blood1 for its renovation from the  
venous to the arterial state4 ,the      
nature of the stomach and of digestion1 
of the intestines1 lacteals1 and        
absorbents1 was next explained1 more in 
regard to their nature than their       
names1--which last were most difficult  
to remember2--but the knowledge of the  
function1 invariably assisted the memory
 in recalling the name of the organ4    
,they were next made acquainted with the

 brain1 the spinal cord1 and the nervous
 system generally1 as the source of     
motion in the muscles1 and the medium of
 sensation in conveying intelligence    
from the several organs of sense to the 
brain1 by which alone the soul1 in some 
way unknown1 receives intelligence of   
outward objects4 ,this prepared the way 
for an account of the organs of sense1  
and the mechanism of their parts2 and   
lastly1 they were made acquainted with  
the integuments1 skin1 hair1 and nails1 
with the most obvious of their          
peculiarities4--,on all these they were 
assiduously and repeatedly catechised1  
till the truths were not only           
understood1 but were in some degree     
familiar to them4 ,in this they were    
greatly assisted by a consideration of  
their own bodies2 which ,mr ,gall took  
care to make a kind of text-book1 not   
only for making him better understood1  
but for enabling them more easily and   
permanently to remember what he told    
them4 ,when he shewed them1 by their    

hands1 feet1 and face1 the ramifications
 of the blood-vessels and nerves1--the  
mechanism of the joints1--the           
contraction of the various muscles1--the
 situation and particular uses of which 
he himself did not even know1 but which 
were nevertheless moved at their own    
will1 and whenever they pleased1--the   
young anatomists were greatly pleased   
and astonished2 and this added to their 
eagerness for farther information1 and  
to their zeal in shewing that they      
understood1 and were able again to      
communicate it4  ,these preparatory     
meetings were never protracted to any   
great extent1 as the whole time was     
divided into three or four              
portions1--the boys being dismissed to  
think over the subject1 7for they had   
nothing to read17 and to meet again at a
 certain hour4 ,the watch was again     
produced1 and the time marked2 and when 
the whole period occupied by this       
science and its connections was added   
together1 it amounted to two hours and a

 half exactly4 ,one of these lessons1   
and the longest1 was given during a     
stroll in the fields4  ,the public      
meeting of parents and teachers was held
 at ,newry on the #eth of ,october      
#ahcj1 when the above class1 with       
others1 were examined on the religious  
knowledge which had been communicated to
 them on the previous days1 with its    
lessons and uses2 after which the six   
boys were taken by themselves1 and      
thoroughly and searchingly catechised on
 their knowledge of the anatomy and     
physiology of the human body4 ,they were
 examined first on the nature and uses  
of the bones1 their shapes1 substance1  
joints1 and ligaments4 ,then on the     
nature and offices of the muscles1 with 
their blood-vessels1 nerves1 ligaments1 
sinews1 and motions2--the uses of the   
several viscera2--the heart with its    
pulsations1 its power1 its ventricles   
and auricles1 and their several         
uses2--the lungs1 with their air-cells1 
blood-vessels1 and their use in         

arterializing the blood2--the stomach1  
intestines1 c4 with their peristaltic   
motions1 lacteals1 c42--the brain1      
spinal cord1 and nerves1 with their     
connections1 ramifications1 and         
uses2--the senses1 with their several   
organs1 their mechanism1 and their      
manner of acting4 ,on all these they    
were questioned1 and cross-questioned1  
in every variety of form3 ,and that the 
audience might be satisfied that this   
was not a mere catalogue of names1 but  
that in fact the physiology of the      
several parts was really known1 and     
would be remembered1 even if the names  
of the organs should be forgotten1 they 
were made repeatedly to traverse the    
connecting links of the analysis forward
 from the root1 through its several     
branches1 to the extreme limit in the   
ultimate effect2 and1 at other times    
backward1 from the ultimate effect to   
the primitive organ1 or part of the body
 from which it took its origin4 ,for    
example1 they could readily trace       

forward the movement of the arm joint1  
or any other joint1 from the ligament of
 the muscle at its junction with the    
bone1 through its contraction by the    
nerve at the fiat of the will1 by which 
the sinew of the muscle1 fastened at the
 opposite side of the joint1 is pulled1 
and the joint bent2--or they could trace
 backward any of the operations of the  
senses1--the sight1 for example1 from   
the object seen1 through the coats of   
the eye1 to the inverted picture of it  
formed upon the retina1 which           
communicated the sensation to the optic 
nerve1 by which it was conveyed to the  
brain4 ,in all which they invariably    
succeeded1 and shewed that the whole was
 clearly and connectedly understood4    
,when this had been minutely and        
extensively done on the several parts of
 the body1 some medical gentlemen who   
were present were requested to catechise
 them on any of the topics they had     
learnt1 for the purpose of assuring     
themselves and the audience that the    

children really and familiarly          
understood all that they had been       
catechised upon4 ,one of the medical    
gentlemen1 for himself and the others   
present1 then stated publicly to the    
meeting1 that the extent of the         
children's knowledge of this difficult  
science was beyond any thing that they  
could have conceived4 ,and afterwards   
affirmed1 that he had seen students who 
had attended the medical classes for six
 months1 who did not know so much of the
 human body as these children now did4  
,this experiment became more remarkable 
from a circumstance which took place    
within a few days afterwards1 and which 
tended still more strongly to prove the 
permanence and efficiency of this method
 of imitating ,nature2 shewing1 not only
 that truth when communicated as ,nature
 directs1 is easily received1 and       
permanently retained upon the memory1   
but that all such truths when thus      
communicated1 become more and more      
familiar to the mind1 and more decidedly

 under the controul1 and at the command 
of the will4 ,the circumstance is thus  
recorded in the account of the          
experiment#bj from which we have already
 quoted4  ,at the close of the meeting1 
,mr ,gall took farewell of his young    
friends1 not expecting to have the      
pleasure of seeing them again2 and      
7after a promised visit to ,ravenstile17
 he proceeded on the following ,thursday
 to ,rostrevor1 where he found a        
numerous audience1 7publicly called     
together by ,lady ,lifford1 the ,rev4   
,mr ,jacobs1 and others1 to receive     
him17 already assembled4  ,here1 in the 
course of teaching a class of children  
brought to him for the first time1 and  
explaining the nature and capabilities  
of the system1 reference was made to the
 above experiment only a few days before
 in their neighbourhood at ,newry4 ,two 
gentlemen1#ba officially and intimately 
connected with the ,kildare ,place      
,society of ,dublin1 being accidentally 
present1 were at their own desire       

introduced to ,mr ,gall by a clerical   
friend after the close of the exercises4
 ,the circumstances of the ,newry       
experiment1 which had been mentioned    
during the meeting1 were strongly       
doubted1 till affirmed by the clerical  
friend who introduced them2 who1 having 
been present and witnessed it1 assured  
them that the circumstances connected   
with the event had not been exaggerated4
 ,they then stated1 that it must of     
necessity have been a mere transient    
glimpse received of the science by the  
children2 which1 being easily got1 would
 be as easily lost2 and that its        
evanescent nature would without all     
question be found1 by their almost      
immediately having forgotten the whole  
of what had been told them4 ,mr ,gall1  
however1 assured them1 that so far from 
that being the case1 he was convinced1  
from long experience1 that the          
information communicated would be much  
more lasting than that received in any  
other way4 ,that the impressions1 so    

repeatedly made upon their minds by the 
catechetical exercises1 would remain    
with them very likely through life2     
while the effect of the analytical mode1
 by which he had linked the whole       
together1 would prevent any of the      
important branches from ever being      
separated from the rest4 ,if1 therefore1
 they remembered any of the truths1 they
 would most probably remember all4 ,and 
besides1 he shewed1 that the daily use1 
in the ordinary business of life1 which 
they would find for the lessons from the
 truths taught1 would revive part1 and  
perhaps the whole1 upon their memories  
every day4 ,but as it was of importance 
that they should be satisfied1 and to   
set the matter at rest1 he agreed to    
call the boys unexpectedly together at  
another public meeting in ,newry1 where 
they might be present and judge for     
themselves2 and without seeing or       
talking with the boys1 he would examine 
them again publicly1 and as extensively 
as before2 when he was convinced they   

would shew1 that the whole was as fresh 
on their memories as when they at first 
received it4 ,in short1 that they would 
be able to undergo the most searching   
ordeal1 with equal1 if not greater ease1
 than they had done formerly4  ,this was
 accordingly done4 ,a meeting took place
 next day1 equally respectable1 and     
perhaps more numerous than the former1  
to which the boys were brought from     
their school1 without preparation1 or   
knowing what they were to be asked4     
,they were then more fully and          
searchingly examined than at first2 and 
there being more time1 they were much   
longer under the exercise4 ,it was then 
found1 that the information formerly    
communicated was not only remembered1   
but that the several truths were much   
more familiar1 in themselves and in     
their connection with each other1 than  
they had been at the former meeting4    
,this had evidently arisen from their   
own frequent meditations upon them since
 that time1 and their application of the

 several lessons1 either with one       
another1 their parents1 or themselves4  
,the medical gentlemen were again       
present1 and professed themselves       
equally pleased4  ,from the number and  
variety of these facts1 which might be  
indefinitely extended1 it is obvious1   
that a new path lies open to the        
,educationist1 which1 as yet1 has been  
scarcely entered upon4 ,the same amount 
of success is at the command of every   
teacher who will follow in the same     
course1 and keep rigidly in the path    
pointed out to him by ,nature4          
,,footnotes3  #ah ,note ,p4  #ai ,note  
,q4  #bj ,complete ,directory for       
,sunday ,school ,teachers1 vol4 i4 p4   
#bfg1 and ,effects of the ,lesson       
,system1 p4 #cg4  #ba ,counsellor       
,jackson1 ,m4 ,p4 ,secretary to the     
,kildare ,place ,society1 and ,mr       
,hamilton1 brother-in-law to the ,duke  
of ,wellington1 one of the ,committee4  
,,chap4 ,,vii4  ,on the ,imitation of   
,nature in ,teaching the ,practical ,use

 of ,knowledge4   ,the third step in the
 educational process of ,nature we have 
found to be1 the training of her pupil  
to the practical use of his             
knowledge4--,all her other processes1 we
 have seen from numerous circumstances1 
are merely preparatory and subservient  
to this2 and therefore1 the attempt at  
imitation here by the teacher is of     
corresponding importance4 ,the practical
 application of knowledge must be the   
great end of all the pupil's learning2  
and the parent or teacher should conduct
 his exercises and labours in such a    
manner as shall be most likely to attain
 it4 ,the powers of the mind are to be  
cultivated2--but they are to be         
cultivated chiefly that the pupil may be
 able to collect and make use of his    
knowledge3--,and knowledge is to be     
pursued and stored up2--but this is to  
be done that it may remain at his       
command1 and be readily put to use when 
it is required4 ,to suppose any thing   
else1 is to suppose something directly  

opposed to all the indications of       
,nature1 and to the plainest suggestions
 both of reason and experience4  ,if in 
this department then1 the teacher is to 
imitate ,nature with effect1 there are  
two preliminary objects of which he     
ought never to lose sight4 ,the first   
is1 that he studiously select from the  
numerous subjects which may form the    
staple of education1 those only1 or at  
least chiefly1 which are to be most     
useful1 and which may most easily and   
most frequently be put to use by the    
pupil2--and the second is1 that whatever
 be the truth or the subject taught1 the
 child should1 at the time of learning1 
be instructed in the methods and the    
circumstances in which it may be used4  
,to neglect these preliminary points1 is
 really to betray the cause of          
education1 and1 besides inflicting a    
lasting injury on the young1 to deceive 
the public4  ,in our enquiries into     
,nature's method of applying knowledge1 
we found1 in a former chapter1 that she 

employs two distinct agencies in the    
work4 ,the one we denominated the       
,natural1 or ,common ,sense2 and the    
other is the ,conscience1 or ,moral     
,sense3--the one appearing to regulate  
our knowledge in so far as it refers to 
the promotion of our own personal and   
physical comforts2 and the other1 in so 
far as it refers to the rights and the  
well-being of others1 and to our own    
moral good4 ,the method which she       
employs in working out these two        
principles1 is1 as we before explained1 
very nearly the same2 consisting of the 
perception of some useful truth1--the   
deduction of a lesson from that         
truth1--and the application of that     
lesson to corresponding circumstances4  
,on that account1 our attempts to       
imitate her operations as exhibited by  
the one1 will1 in form1 be nearly the   
same as in the other4 ,we shall here1   
therefore1 attend to the methods by     
which ,nature may be successfully       
imitated under both agencies1 and shall 

then state a few illustrations and facts
 which are more peculiarly applicable to
 each in particular4  ,before doing     
this1 however1 we cannot help once more 
pressing upon the mind of all connected 
with education1 the great               
importance--the necessity--of that part 
of the subject upon which we are now to 
enter4 ,we have said1 and we again      
repeat1 that this is education2 and     
every thing else taught to a child is1  
or ought to be1 either preliminary or   
supplementary2--belonging to education1 
perhaps1 but not education itself4 ,it  
is practice1 and not theory1 that       
constitutes the basis of all            
improvement1 whether in the arts1 or in 
morals and religion2 and it is to this  
practical application of what he learns1
 that every child should be trained1 by 
whatever name the mode of doing so may  
be known4 ,all our blessings are        
destined to come to us by the use of    
proper means2 and this general principle
 applies both to temporal and spiritual 

matters4 ,now the use of means1 is only 
another mode of expressing the practical
 application of knowledge4 ,and if so1  
what are we to think of the philosophy  
or the candour of the person1 who is    
apparently the friend of education1 but 
who remains indifferent or hostile to   
the thing itself1 merely because it is  
presented to him under another name4 ,he
 may be a zealous advocate for the      
spread of knowledge2--but that is not   
education4--,knowledge is but the       
means1--the application of it is the    
end2 and when therefore he stops short  
at the communication of knowledge1 while
 he is indifferent to the teaching of   
its use1 he endangers the whole of his  
previous labour4 ,one single truth put  
to use1 is of more real value to a child
 than a thousand are1 as long as they   
remain unused2 and of this1 every friend
 of the young ought to be convinced4    
,our health1 our food1 and our general  
happiness depend1 not on knowledge      
received1 but on knowledge applied2 and 

therefore1 to teach knowledge that is   
inapplicable or useless1 or to teach    
useful knowledge without teaching at the
 same time how it may be put to use by  
the pupil1 is neither reasonable nor    
just4 ,hence the importance of our      
present investigation2 and hence we have
 no hesitation in saying1 that the      
enquiry1 ,how can ,nature be most       
successfully imitated in her application
 of knowledge8 is the most momentous    
question that can be put by the teacher2
 and a successful answer will constitute
 the most precious boon that can be     
afforded to education4 ,to assist in    
this enquiry is the design of the       
present chapter2 and we shall           
accordingly examine a little more in    
detail the circumstances that take place
 in the experience of the young1 when   
they are induced to apply their         
knowledge under the guidance of ,nature1
 and without another teacher4  ,for this
 purpose1 let us suppose two children   
about to cross a piece of soft ground4  

,the one goes forward1 and his foot     
sinks in the mud4 ,does the other follow
 him8 ,no indeed4 ,the most stupid child
 we could find1 if within the limits of 
sanity1 would immediately stand still1  
or seek a passage at another point4     
,here then is an example of the way in  
which children1 while entirely under the
 guidance of ,nature1 make use of their 
knowledge1 by applying the principle of 
which we are here speaking in cases of  
urgency and danger2 and we shall now    
endeavour to analyse the process1 that  
we may the more readily arrive at some  
exercise1 by which it may be            
artificially imitated1 whether the      
application be urgent and required at   
the moment or not4  ,we have supposed   
one child going forward on the soft     
ground1 while the other is slowly       
following him4 ,when the foot of the    
first sinks1 the other instantly stands 
still2 and a spectator can perceive1    
better perhaps than the child himself1  
that something like the following mental

 process takes place on the occasion4   
,the child thinks with himself1 ,tom's  
foot has sunk2 if ,i go forward1 ,i also
 will sink2 ,i will therefore stand     
still1 or cross at another place4 ,this 
is an exact parallel to thousands of    
similar instances which come under the  
notice of parents and others every day2 
and is a process quite familiar to      
adults who have paid any attention to   
the operation of their own minds when   
similarly circumstanced4 ,when it is    
analysed1 we find it to consist1 as     
shewn in a former chapter1 of three     
distinct parts1 not one of which can be 
left out if the effect is to be         
produced4 ,there is always1 at the      
commencement of such an operation1 the  
knowledge of some fact2 ,tom's foot has 
sunk4 ,there is1 secondly1 an inference 
or lesson drawn from this knowledge1 ,if
 ,i go forward1 ,i also will sink4 ,and 
there is1 thirdly1 the practical        
application of that lesson1 or          
inference1 to the child's present       

circumstances3 ,i will stand still1 or  
cross at another place4  ,it is this    
process1 or one in every point similar1 
that takes place in the mind1 either of 
the young or the old1 whenever they     
apply the facts gleaned by observation  
or experience for the guidance of their 
conduct4 ,now what we are at present in 
search of1 is an exercise applicable to 
reading1 as well as to observation2--to 
the school1 as well as to the play      
ground or the parlour2--and to knowledge
 whose use may not be required at the   
instant1 as well as that to which we are
 driven by necessity4  ,the desideratum 
here desired is to be found by the      
teacher in the method1 now very         
extensively known1 of drawing lessons   
from useful truths1 and then applying   
them to the future probable             
circumstances of the pupils4 ,for       
example1 when a child reads1 or is told 
that ,jacob was punished by ,god for    
cheating his brother and telling a lie1 
the great object of the parent or       

teacher is to render these truths       
practical1--which the question1 ,what   
does that teach you8 never fails to do4 
,the child1 as soon as he knows the     
design of his teacher in communicating  
practical truths1 and is asked the above
 question1 will tell him1 that he ought 
never to cheat his neighbour1 or tell a 
lie4 ,the application of these lessons1 
when thus established as a rule of duty 
founded on ,scripture1 is as extensive  
as the circumstances in which they may  
be required are various2--and the       
teacher has only to suppose such a case1
 and to ask his pupil1 if he were placed
 in these circumstances1 what he should 
do4 ,the dullest of his children will at
 once perceive the duty1 and the source 
from which he derives confidence in     
performing it4  ,there is no difficulty1
 as we have seen1 in drawing and        
applying practical lessons in cases of  
urgency1 where experience and the common
 sense of the individual prompt him to  
it2--and this attempt to imitate ,nature

 in less urgent cases1 and especially in
 hearing1 or in the more artificial     
operation of reading1 has been found in 
experience to be completely successful4 
,we shall endeavour to point this out by
 a few familiar examples4  ,let us for  
this purpose suppose1 that one of the   
boys formerly mentioned is accompanied  
by his teacher1 instead of his          
companion1 and is approaching the soft  
ground which lies between them and the  
house4 ,before they arrive at the spot1 
his teacher tells him1 that the marsh   
before them is so soft that even a      
child's foot would sink if he attempted 
to tread upon it4 ,the boy might hear1  
and perfectly understand the truth1 and 
yet he might not at the time think of   
the use to which it ought to be put4    
,but if the teacher shall immediately   
add1 ,what does that teach you8--his    
attention would instantly be called1 not
 so much to the truth itself1 as to the 
uses which ought to be made of it1 and  
his answer in such a plain case would be

 ready1 ,we must not cross there1 but   
seek a road to the house by some other  
way4 ,now here the fact was verbally    
communicated2 and although the object   
was in sight1 and the use of the fact   
might in some measure have been         
anticipated so as to suggest the answer1
 yet a little consideration will shew1  
that a similar effect would have been   
produced by the question1 had the       
parties been in the house1 or had the   
truth been derived from reading1 and not
 from the oral communication of the     
teacher4  ,it is the want of something  
like this in the acquisition of truth by
 books1 which renders that kind of      
knowledge in general of so little       
practical benefit4 ,the truths and facts
 learned while attending school1 are too
 often received as mere abstractions1   
without reference to their uses1 or to  
the personal application of those uses  
to the circumstances of the child or his
 companions4 ,events daily occur in     
which the pupil's knowledge might be of 

important service2--but the benefits to 
be derived from it not having been      
taught1 and the method of applying the  
facts which he has acquired by reading  
not having been explained1--the         
knowledge and its uses are seldom seen  
together1 and the practical benefit of  
the teaching is accordingly lost4 ,this 
at once accounts for the very remarkable
 circumstance1 that children1 and not   
unfrequently adults also1 derive far    
more benefit from the scanty knowledge  
which they have gleaned by observation  
and experience1 than from the many      
thousands of highly useful facts which  
have again and again been pressed upon  
their notice by reading and study4 ,in  
almost every case ,nature prompts us1 as
 we have seen1 to turn to our own       
benefit the knowledge which she has     
imparted2 but as the mode of teaching   
reading1 which is the artificial method 
of acquiring information1 often         
overlooks the use we are to make of it1 
we remain satisfied with the knowledge  

itself1 and do not think of its         
application4 ,to illustrate this fact in
 some measure1 let us suppose a basket  
of filberts set down for the use of a   
company of boys1 and that one of them   
tries to crack the shells with his front
 teeth4 ,he fails4 ,but he sees his     
companions put the nuts farther back in 
the mouth1 and succeed4 ,does he lose   
his share1 by continuing to misapply the
 lever-power provided for him by        
,nature8--,no indeed4 ,he1 by a single  
observation1 at once draws and applies  
the lesson2--he immediately cracks his  
nuts as readily as his companions1 and  
he continues to do so all his lifetime  
after4 ,but the same boy may have1 that 
very forenoon1 been reading a treatise  
on the power of the lever1 and might    
read it again and again without         
considering himself at all interested in
 the matter1 or thinking it probable    
that he ever would4 ,his reading1       
without the application we are here     
recommending1 would never have led him  

to perceive the slightest similarity    
between the fulcrum of the lever1 and   
the insertion of his jaw2 or any        
connection between the lesson of the    
school1 and the employment of the       
parlour3--,but that would4  ,this is but
 one of a thousand examples that might  
be given1 of the evils arising from the 
non-application of knowledge in reading1
 and which are applicable1 not to       
children merely1 but also to adults4    
,the drawing and applying of lessons1   
the exercise which we are here          
recommending1 has been found a valuable 
remedy for this defect in ordinary      
reading4 ,the object of the teacher by  
its use1 is to accomplish in the pupil  
by reading1 what we have shewn ,nature  
so frequently does by observation2--that
 is1 to train the child to apply for his
 own use1 or the use of others1 those   
truths which he acquires from his book1 
in the same way that he does those which
 he derives from experience4 ,to        
illustrate this1 we shall instance a few

 cases of every day occurrence1 in which
 the question1 ,what does this teach    
you8 when supplemented to the fact      
communicated1 will almost invariably    
answer the purpose desired1 whether the 
truth from which the lesson is to be    
drawn1 has been received by observation1
 by oral instruction1 or by reading4    
,when an observing well-disposed child  
sees a school-fellow praised and        
rewarded for being obliging and kind to 
the aged or the poor1 there is formed in
 the mind of that child1 more or less   
distinctly1 a resolution to follow the  
example on the first opportunity4 ,here 
is the fact and the lesson1 with the    
application in prospect4 ,this whole    
feeling may be faint and evanescent1 but
 it is real2 and it only wants the      
cultivating hand of the teacher to      
arrest it1 and to render it permanent4  
,accordingly1 if on the child hearing   
the praise given to his companion for   
being kind and obliging to the poor1 he 
had at the time been asked1 ,what does  

that teach you8 the lesson suggested by 
,nature would instantly have assumed a  
tangible form2 and in communicating the 
answer to the teacher1 both the truth   
and the lesson would have been brought  
more distinctly before the mind1 and the
 reply1 ,i should be kind and obliging  
to the poor1 would tend to fix the duty 
on the memory1 and would be a good      
preparation for putting it in practice  
when the next occasion should occur4    
,again1 if another thoughtful and well  
disposed child sees a companion severely
 punished for telling a lie1 the        
question1 ,what does that teach me8 is  
in some shape or degree formed in his   
mind1 and his resolution1 however faint1
 is taken to avoid that sin in future4  
,this1 it is obvious1 is nothing more   
than a practical answer to the above    
question1 forced upon the child by the  
directness of the circumstances1 but    
which would not have so readily made its
 appearance1 or produced its effect1 in 
cases of a less obtrusive kind1 or in   

one of more remote application2 and     
every person must see1 that the         
beneficial effects desired would have   
been more definite1 more effectual1 and 
much more permanent1 had this faint     
indication of ,nature's intention been  
followed up by orally asking the        
question at the child1 and requiring him
 audibly to return an answer4  ,let us  
once more suppose a child in the act of 
reading the history of ,cain and ,abel1 
in the manner in which it is commonly   
read by the young1 and that the child   
thoroughly understands all the          
circumstances4 ,he may be deeply        
interested in the story1 while the uses 
to be made of it may not be very clearly
 perceived4 ,but if1 after reading any  
one of the moral circumstances1 such as 
,cain hated his brother1 or after having
 it announced to him by the teacher1 he 
was asked1 ,what does that teach you8   
the practical use of the truth would at 
once be forced upon his mind1 and he    
would now very readily answer1 ,it      

teaches me that ,i should not hate my   
brother4 ,in this case also1 it is quite
 obvious1 that without such a question  
having been proposed1 and the answer to 
it given1 the practical uses of the     
truth recorded might have been          
altogether overlooked2 and even although
 they had not1 still the question and   
its answer will always have the effect  
of making them stand out much more      
prominently before the mind1 and will   
enable the memory to hold them more     
tenaciously1 and bring them forth more  
readily for practice1 than if such an   
operation had been neglected4 ,hence the
 great importance of training the young 
by this exercise early to perceive the  
uses of every kind of knowledge1        
particularly ,scriptural knowledge2     
because the habit formed in youth1 will 
continue to render every useful truth of
 practical benefit during life4  ,we may
 remark here1 that the exercise is not  
limited in its application to the young4
 ,for if an adult were first told1 that 

the squalid beggar before him1 though   
once respectable and rich1 had made     
himself wretched by a course of idleness
 and dissipation1 and were then asked1  
,what does that teach you8 he would     
instantly perceive the lesson1 and would
 be stimulated to apply it4 ,when1 in   
like manner1 the farmer is told that his
 neighbour has ruined himself by        
over-cropping his ground2 or the iron   
master1 that the use of the hot-blast   
has doubled the profits of his rival2 a 
similar question would at once lead to  
the legitimate conclusion1 and most     
likely to the proper conduct4  ,in all  
these examples1 the operation of mind   
which we have endeavoured to describe1  
is so exceedingly simple1 that it is    
perhaps difficult to decide how much is 
the work of ,nature1 and how much       
belongs to the exercise here            
recommended4 ,this at once proves its   
efficiency1 as an imitation of her      
process1 in following her in the path   
which she has here pointed out2 and it  

at the same time recommends itself as   
strictly accordant with observation and 
experience4 ,the teacher then1 in order 
to render the knowledge he communicates 
useful1 has only to do regularly and by 
system1 that which1 under the direction 
of ,nature1 every intelligent and       
enquiring mind in its best moments does 
for itself4 ,wherever a useful truth has
 been communicated in the school or     
family1 or a moral act or precept has   
been read or announced1 the question by 
the parent or the teacher1 ,what does   
that teach you8 will lead the pupil to  
reflection1 not only on its nature1 but 
on its use2 and the ability to do so1 as
 we shall afterwards see1 may be        
acquired by almost any individual with  
ease4 ,regular training in this way1    
leads directly to habits of reflection  
and observation1 which are of themselves
 of great value2 but which1 when found  
acting in connection with the desire and
 ability to turn every truth observed   
into a practical channel1 become doubly 

estimable1 and a public blessing4 ,the  
pupil therefore ought early to be       
trained of himself to supplement the    
question1 ,what does this teach me8 or1 
,what can ,i learn from this8 to every  
circumstance or truth to which his      
attention is called2 because the ability
 to answer it forms the chief1 if not   
the only correct measure of a well      
educated person4 ,in proof of this it is
 only necessary to remark1 that as it is
 not the man who has accumulated the    
greatest amount of anatomical and       
surgical knowledge1 but he who can make 
the best use of it1 that is really the  
best surgeon2 so it is not the man who  
has acquired the largest portion of     
knowledge1 but he who can make the best 
use of the largest portion1 that is the 
best scholar4 ,hence it is1 that all the
 exercises in a child's education should
 have in view the practical use of what 
he learns1 and of what he is to continue
 through life to learn1 as the great end
 to which all his learning should be    

subservient4  ,the moral advantages     
likely to result from the general       
adoption of this mode of teaching useful
 knowledge are exceedingly cheering1 and
 the only surprise is1 that it has been 
so long overlooked4 ,that the principle1
 though not directly applied to the     
purposes of education1 was well known1  
and frequently practised by our         
forefathers1 appears obvious from many  
of their valuable writings4 ,one        
beautiful example of its application is 
familiar to thousands1 though not always
 perceived1 in the illustration given of
 the ,lord's prayer towards the close of
 the ,assembly's ,larger and ,shorter   
,catechisms4 ,the study of the lessons  
there drawn from the truths stated or   
implied in that prayer1 will afford a   
better idea of the value of this mode of
 teaching1 than perhaps any farther     
explanation we could give1 and to these 
therefore we refer the reader4  ,before 
closing these general observations upon 
the value and necessity of this method  

of training the young to the practical  
use of knowledge1 there is a            
circumstance which should not be        
omitted1 as it tends to double all the  
advantages of the exercise1 both to the 
teacher and the pupil4 ,it will be found
 in general1 especially in morals1 that 
every practical lesson that is drawn    
from a truth or passage1 actually       
embodies two1--both of which are equally
 legitimate and connected with the      
subject4 ,there is always a negative    
lesson implied1 when the positive lesson
 is expressed2 and there is in like     
manner a positive implied1 whenever it  
is the negative that is expressed4 ,as  
for example1 when the child1 from the   
history of ,cain and ,abel1 draws the   
negative lesson that he should not hate 
his brother2 the opposite of that lesson
 is equally binding in the positive     
form1 that he should love his brother4  
,and when1 from the history of ,job1 the
 positive lesson is drawn that we ought 
to be patient2 the negative of that     

lesson becomes equally binding1 and the 
child may1 by the very same fact1 be    
taught and enjoined not to be fretful1  
discontented1 or impatient1 during      
sickness or trouble4 ,of this method of 
multiplying the practical uses of       
knowledge1 we have a most appropriate   
example in the ,assembly's ,larger and  
,shorter ,catechisms1 where the         
illustrations given of the decalogue are
 conducted upon this important          
principle1 and in a similar way4        
,,chap4 ,,viii4  ,on the ,imitation of  
,nature in ,teaching the ,use of        
,knowledge by means of the ,animal or   
,common ,sense4   ,a large portion of   
what has been advanced in the foregoing 
chapter1 has reference to the practical 
application of all kinds of knowledge1  
whether by the ,animal or ,moral sense2 
and we shall here offer a few additional
 remarks on the teaching of those       
branches which are more immediately     
connected with the former4  ,when a     
person is sent to learn an art or trade1

 such as a carpenter1 he is not sent to 
hear lectures1 or to get merely an      
abstract knowledge of the several truths
 connected with it2 but he is sent to   
practise the little knowledge that he is
 able of himself to pick up4 ,his is a  
practical learning2 ninety-nine parts in
 every hundred being employed in the    
practice1 for one that is employed in   
acquiring the abstract principles of his
 occupation4 ,when1 on the contrary1 a  
child is sent to school1 to prepare him 
for this practical application of his   
knowledge1 the former proportions are   
generally reversed1 and ninety-nine     
parts of his time and labour are taken  
up in attaining abstract knowledge1 for 
one that is occupied in assisting him to
 reduce it to practice4 ,both modes of  
teaching the boy are obviously wrong4   
,he would1 when sent to it1 learn his   
business in much less time by a previous
 acquaintance with its principles2 and  
all these ought to have been furnished  
him as a part of his general knowledge  

while he attended the school4 ,such     
information1 indeed1 ought to have      
formed a large portion of his           
education2--and it will be a matter of  
surprise to every one who closely       
considers the subject1 how soon and how 
easily the principles1 even of so       
complicated a trade as a carpenter1 may 
be acquired when they are taught in the 
right way1 and at the proper time4 ,a   
few of the simplest principles in       
mechanics practically learned1--a       
knowledge of the strength and adhesion  
of bodies1--of the nature of edge       
tools1--and the importance of accuracy  
and caution1 might have been made       
familiar to him while attending his     
studies2 and if carefully and constantly
 reduced to practice1 these would have  
been of the greatest service to him when
 called to the work-shop4  ,the methods 
by which natural philosophy ought to be 
taught in schools1 must partake of all  
the laws which ,nature employs in the   
several parts of her teaching4          

,individuation1 ,grouping1 and          
especially ,analysis1 must be rigidly   
attended to4 ,by dividing all the       
subjects of general knowledge into the  
two grand divisions of ,terrestrial and 
,celestial1 and these again into their  
several parts1 the whole field of useful
 knowledge would be mapped out1 and     
connected together1 so that each subject
 would occupy a distinct place of its   
own1 and be readily found when it was   
required4 ,the facts1 or at least the   
most useful facts connected with each of
 these1 would very soon be communicated2
 and when turned into a popular and     
useful form1 by drawing and applying the
 corresponding lessons1 the ease and    
delight of laying up these precious     
stores of useful knowledge by children1 
will not be easily conceived by those   
who have not witnessed it4  ,with       
respect to the ease with which this     
method of communicating knowledge can be
 accomplished1 we may remark in general1
 that when a principle has been         

explained1 and has become familiar to   
the child1 all the phenomena arising out
 of it1 when pointed out1 are readily   
perceived and retained upon the memory  
in connection with it4 ,for example1 by 
a knowledge of the principle which      
teaches that fluids press equally on all
 sides1 when considered in connection   
with the weight of the atmosphere1 a    
child1 with very little trouble1 would  
be put into the full possession of the  
cause of many facts in natural          
philosophy1 exceedingly dissimilar in   
their appearance1 but which are all     
mastered with ease and intelligence by a
 knowledge of this law4 ,when the       
principle and its mode of working have  
been explained1 the child is provided   
with a key1 by which he may1 in the     
exercise of his own powers1 unlock one  
by one all the mysterious phenomena of  
the air and common pump1 the            
cupping-glass1 the barometer1 the old   
steam and fire engine1 the toy sucker   
and pop-gun1 the walking of a fly on the

 ceiling1 the ascent of smoke in the    
chimney1 the sipping of tea from a cup1 
the sucking of a wound1 and the true    
cause of the inspiration and expiration 
of the air in breathing4 ,to teach these
 singly1 would obviously be exceedingly 
troublesome to the teacher1 and         
laborious for the child2 but when thus  
linked together1 as similar effects from
 the same cause1 they are understood at 
once1 and each of them helps to         
illustrate and explain all the others4  
,they are received without confusion1   
and are remembered without difficulty4  
,all this may in general be done even   
with children1 as we shall immediately  
prove1 by the method recommended above1 
of requiring1 after the illustration of 
the principle1 the lessons which it is  
calculated to teach4  ,the results of   
this simple method of imitating ,nature 
in one of the most valuable of her      
processes1 have been found remarkably   
uniform and successful2 and when it     
shall be regularly brought into         

operation in connection with the other  
parts of the system1 it promises to be  
still more valuable and extensive4 ,but 
even already1 with all the disadvantages
 of time1 place1 and persons1 the       
importance and efficiency of the        
exercise have been highly satisfactory4 
,we shall shortly advert to a few       
instances of its success1 which have    
been publicly exhibited and recorded4   
,the criminals in the jail of           
,edinburgh1 after three weeks teaching1 
had acquired a considerable degree of   
expertness in perceiving and drawing    
lessons from the moral circumstances    
which they read from ,scripture4 ,in the
 report of that experiment1 the         
examinators say1 ,they gave a distinct  
account1 7from the book of ,genesis17 of
 the prominent facts1 from ,adam1 down  
to the settlement in ,goshen1 and shewed
 by their answers1 that the             
circumstances were understood by them1  
in their proper nature and bearings4    
,from each peculiar circumstance1 they  

deduced an appropriate lesson1          
calculated to guide their conduct1 when 
placed in a like1 or analogous          
situation4 ,it is within the truth to   
allege1 that in this part of their      
examination1 they submitted upwards of  
fifty palpable lessons1 that cannot     
fail1 we would conceive1 hereafter to   
have a powerful influence upon their    
affections and deportment4  ,in the     
experiments both in ,newry and ,london1 
the children were found quite adequate  
to the exercise2 and in the latter      
instance1 three children1 who at their  
first lesson did not know they had a    
soul1 were able to perceive and to draw 
lessons from almost any moral truth or  
fact presented to them4 ,this they did  
repeatedly when publicly examined by the
 ,committee of the ,london ,sunday      
,school ,union1 in presence of a large  
body of clergymen1 and a numerous       
congregation in the ,poultry ,chapel4   
,but we shall at present direct         
attention more particularly to the      

children selected from the several      
schools in ,aberdeen1 as given in the   
,report by ,principal ,jack1 and the    
,professors and ,clergymen in that      
place4 ,after mentioning1 that these    
children1 so very ignorant only eight   
days before1 had acquired a thorough    
acquaintance with the leading facts in  
,old ,testament ,history1 they say1     
,from the various incidents in the      
,sacred ,record1 with which they had    
thus been brought so closely into       
contact1 they drew1 as they proceeded1 a
 variety of practical lessons1 evincing1
 that they clearly perceived1 not only  
the nature and qualities of the actions1
 whether good or evil1 of the persons   
there set before them1 but the use that 
ought to be made of such descriptions of
 character1 as examples or warnings1    
intended for application to the ordinary
 business of life4  ,they were next     
examined1 in the same way1 on several   
sections of the ,new ,testament1 from   
which they had also learned to point out

 the practical lessons1 so important and
 necessary for the regulation of the    
heart and life4 ,the ,meeting1 as well  
as this ,committee1 were surprised at   
the minute and accurate acquaintance    
which they displayed with the           
multiplicity of objects presented to    
them1--at the great extent of the record
 over which they had travelled1--and at 
the facility with which they seemed to  
draw useful lessons from almost every   
occurrence mentioned in the passages    
which they had read4  ,they were able   
also to apply this same principle1--the 
practical application of useful         
knowledge1--to the perusal of civil     
history1 and also biography4 ,the report
 states1 that they were examined on that
 portion of the ,history of ,england1   
embraced by the reign of ,charles ,i4   
and the ,commonwealth2 and from the     
details of this period1 they drew from  
the same circumstances1 or              
announcements1 political1 domestic1 and 
personal lessons1 as these applied to a 

nation1 to a family1 and to             
individuals2--lessons which it ought be 
the leading design of history to        
furnish1 though1 both by the writers and
 readers of history1 this ,committee are
 sorry to say1 they are too generally   
overlooked4  ,they were then examined on
 biography1--the ,life of the late ,rev4
 ,john ,newton being chosen for that    
purpose2 from whose history they also   
drew some very useful practical lessons1
 and seemed very desirous of enlarging1 
but had to be restrained1 as the time   
would not permit4  ,the practicability  
and the importance of teaching children 
to apply the same valuable principle to 
every branch and portion of natural     
philosophy were also ascertained4 ,the  
same report1 after stating the fact1    
that the children scientifically        
described to the meeting numerous       
objects presented to them from the      
several kingdoms of ,nature1 goes on to 
say1 that here also they found no want  
of capacity or of materials for         

practical lessons4 ,a boy1 after        
describing copper as possessing         
poisonous qualities1 and stating1 that  
cooking utensils1 as well as money1 were
 made of it1 was asked what practical   
lessons he could draw from these        
circumstances1 replied1 ,that no person 
should put halfpence in his mouth2 and  
that people should take care to keep    
clean pans and kettles4  ,the common    
school boys in ,newry also found no     
difficulty in the exercise1 as applied  
to the abstruse and difficult sciences  
of anatomy and physiology4 ,the account 
of that experiment1 says1 that they were
 examined as to the uses which they     
ought to make of all this information1  
by drawing practical lessons from the   
several truths4 ,accordingly1           
announcements from the different        
branches of the science were given1 from
 which they now very readily drew       
numerous and valuable practical lessons1
 several of which were given at this    
time of themselves1 and which had not   

been previously taught them4 ,these were
 drawn directly from the announcements2 
and all1 according to their nature1     
calculated to be exceedingly useful for 
promoting the health1 the comfort1 and  
the general happiness of themselves1    
their friends1 or their companions4     
,but by far the most extensive and      
satisfactory evidence of the value and  
efficiency of this exercise1 in the     
mental and moral training of the young1 
was afforded by the experiment          
undertaken at the request of the ,lesson
 ,system ,association of ,leith1 and    
conducted in the ,assembly ,rooms there1
 in the presence of the ,magistrates and
 ,clergy of that town1 of ,bishop       
,russell1 ,lord ,murray1 7then ,lord    
,advocate17 and a numerous meeting of   
the friends of education4 ,the children 
were those connected with a ,sabbath    
school1 who had been regularly trained  
by their teacher1 a plain but pious     
workman of the town1 to draw lessons    
every ,sabbath from the several subjects

 and passages of ,scripture taught them4
 ,to give all the specimens which afford
 evidence of the value and efficiency of
 this exercise in the education of      
children1 would be to transcribe the    
report of the ,association2 we shall    
therefore confine ourselves to a few of 
the circumstances only1 which were taken
 in short-hand by a public reporter who 
was present4  ,after some important and 
satisfactory exercises on the being and 
attributes of ,god1 from which the      
children drew many valuable practical   
lessons1 it is said1 that the examinator
 expressed his entire satisfaction with 
the result1 and remarked1 that he       
himself was astonished1 not only at the 
immense store of biblical knowledge     
possessed by these children1 but the    
power which they possessed over it1 and 
the facility with which they could1 on  
any occasion1 use it in 'giving a reason
 for the hope that is in them4' ,he then
 proceeded to the next subject of       
examination which had been prescribed to

 him1 which was1 to ascertain the extent
 of their mental powers and literary    
attainments1 which would be most        
satisfactorily shown by their ability to
 read the ,bible profitably2 and for    
this purpose he requested that some of  
the clergymen present would suggest any 
passage from the ,new ,testament on     
which to exercise them4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr  
,russell 7now ,bishop ,russell17        
suggested the parable of the labourers  
hired at different hours1 ,matt4 xx4    
#a-af4 ,mr ,gall accordingly read it    
distinctly1 verse by verse1 catechising 
the children as he proceeded1 and then  
made them relate the whole in their own 
words1 which they did most correctly4   
,mr ,gall then selected some of the     
verses1 and called upon them to separate
 the circumstances1 or parts of each    
verse1 and to state each as a separate  
proposition4 ,this also they did with   
the greatest ease2 and in some cases a  
variety of divisions were brought       
forward1 thus proving the high          

intellectual powers which they had      
acquired1 and the ease with which they  
could analyse any passage1 however      
difficult4  ,it was next to be          
ascertained what power the children had 
acquired of drawing lessons from        
,scripture2 and for this purpose1 ,mr   
,gall1 in order to husband the time of  
the meeting1 confined the children's    
attention to one verse only1 and        
proposed to submit each of the moral    
circumstances contained in that verse1  
one by one1 as they themselves had      
divided it4 ,the following are the      
lessons drawn by the children1 as taken 
down in short-hand by the ,reporter4    
,mr ,g4--,the householder invited       
labourers at the eleventh hour2--what   
does that teach you8--,it teaches us1   
that ,god at various seasons calls      
people to his church4--,it teaches us1  
that we ought never to despair1 but bear
 in mind the language of ,jesus to the  
repentant thief on the cross1--',to-day 
shalt thou be with me in paradise4'--,it

 teaches us1 that we ought not to boast 
of to-morrow1 since we know not what a  
day or an hour may bring forth4--,it    
teaches us1 that time is short1 and that
 life is the only period for preparation
 and hope4--,it teaches us1 that we     
ought to be prepared1--have our loins   
girt1 and our lamps burning2 for we know
 neither the day nor the hour wherein   
the ,son of ,man cometh4--,it teaches   
us1 that we ought to number our days1   
and apply our hearts to heavenly        
wisdom4--,it teaches us1 that we ought  
not to put off the day of repentance2   
because for every day we put it off1 we 
shall have one more to repent of1 and   
one less to repent in4--,it teaches us1 
',that life is the season ,god hath     
given  ,to fly from hell1 and rise to   
heaven2  ,that day of grace fleets fast 
away1  ,and none its rapid course can   
stay4'  ,mr ,gall here requested the    
children to pause for a moment1 that he 
might express the high gratification he 
felt at the fluency1 the readiness1 and 

the appropriateness of the lessons which
 they had drawn4 ,he was only afraid    
that they had inadvertently fallen upon 
a passage with which the children were  
familiar1 by having had it recently     
under their notice2 and he therefore    
requested ,mr ,cameron to state to the  
meeting whether this was really the case
 or not4 ,mr ,cameron rose and said1    
that what the meeting now saw was no    
more than could be seen any ,sunday in  
the ,charlotte ,street ,school4 ,they   
had not had any preparation for this    
meeting2 and he did not remember of ever
 having had this passage taught in the  
school4 ,he would recommend that the    
children be allowed a little freedom2   
and when they were done with that       
announcement1 let any other be taken1   
for it was the same to them whatever    
subject might be chosen4  ,mr ,gall     
accordingly repeated the announcement   
again1 and called on them to proceed    
with any other lessons from it which    
occurred to them4 ,they accordingly     

commenced again1 and answered as        
follows3 ,it teaches us1 that we ought  
to remember our ,creator in the days of 
our youth1 while the evil days come not1
 nor the years draw nigh in which we    
shall say we have no pleasure in        
them4--,it teaches us1 that we ought to 
prepare for death2 to gird up our loins1
 and trim our lamps1 lest it be said    
unto us in the great day of the ,lord1  
when he maketh up his jewels1 ',depart  
from me1 ye cursed1 into everlasting    
fire1 prepared for the devil and his    
angels4'--,it teaches us so to conduct  
ourselves1 that whether we live we live 
unto the ,lord1 and whether we die we   
die unto the ,lord2 and that whether we 
live therefore or die1 we may be the    
,lord's2 for to that end ,christ both   
died1 and rose1 and revived1 that he    
might be ,lord both of the dead and the 
living4#bb--;,it teaches us to improve  
our time lest we find that the harvest  
is past1 and the summer ended1 and us   
not saved4--,it teaches us1 that we     

ought to study1 in that whether we eat  
or drink1 or whatsoever we do1 we do all
 to the glory of ,god4--,it teaches us1 
that we ought to endeavour to secure an 
interest in ,christ in time4--,it       
teaches us1 that delays are             
dangerous4--,it teaches us1 that the day
 of the ,lord cometh like a thief in the
 night1 and that when sinners shall say1
 ',peace and safety1' sudden destruction
 cometh upon them4--,it teaches us1 that
 we ought to acquaint ourselves early   
with ,god2 and that we ought to walk    
circumspectly1 not as fools1 but as     
wise1 redeeming the time1 because the   
days are evil4--,it teaches us1 that we 
ought to seek the ,lord while he may be 
found1 and call upon him while he is    
near2 that the wicked ought to forsake  
his way1 and the unrighteous man his    
thoughts1 and let him return unto the   
,lord1 who will have mercy upon him1 and
 to our ,god1 who will abundantly       
pardon4--,it teaches us to improve our  
time2 and to bear in mind1 that though  

patriarchs lived long1 the burden of the
 historian's tale is always1 'and they  
died4'--,it teaches us1 that we ought   
not to allow pleasures and enjoyments to
 interfere with1 or overcome1 our more  
important duty of seeking ,god4--,it    
teaches us1 that we are never too young 
to pray1 and to remember that ,god says1
 ',now2'--the devil1 ',to-morrow4'  ,mr 
,gall here took advantage of a short    
pause1 and said1 ',we shall now change  
the announcement4 ,give me a few lessons
 from the fact stated in this parable1  
that when the husbandman invited the    
labourers into the vineyard at the      
eleventh hour1 they accepted the        
invitation4--,what does that teach      
you8'--,it teaches us1 that we ought to 
accept the invitation of ,jesus to come 
with him1 ',ho6 every one that          
thirsteth1 come ye to the waters1 and he
 that hath no money2 come ye buy and    
eat2 yea1 come1 buy wine and milk       
without money1 and without price4 ,seek 
ye the ,lord while he may be found2 call

 upon him while he is near4 ,let the    
wicked forsake his way1 and the         
unrighteous man his thoughts1 and let   
him return unto the ,lord1 who will have
 mercy upon him1 and to our ,god1 for he
 will abundantly pardon4'--,it teaches  
us1 that we ought to show a willingness 
to accept the invitation of ,christ1    
since 'he is not willing that any should
 perish1 but that all should come unto  
him and live4'--,it teaches us1 that we 
ought to accept the invitation of       
,christ1 since we are informed in the   
,scriptures1 'that whosoever cometh unto
 him he will in no ways cast out4' ,it  
teaches us1 that we ought to accept of  
the invitation of ,christ2 for the      
,bible informs us1 that the invitation  
is held forth to all2 'for whosoever    
will1 let him take of the waters of life
 freely4'--',come unto me1 all ye that  
labour and are heavy laden1 and ,i will 
give you rest4'--,it teaches us1 that we
 ought not to hesitate in accepting the 
invitation of ,christ2 for ,god says he 

will not always strive with man4  ,mr   
,gall here again expressed not only his 
satisfaction1 but his astonishment1 at  
the success with which ,mr ,cameron had 
taught the ,scriptures to these         
children4 ,this exhibited itself in two 
ways2 first1 in enabling them to draw   
lessons from any passage of ,scripture2 
and second1 in having so disposed of    
what ,scripture they had already been   
taught1 that whenever a doctrine or duty
 was to be brought before them1         
scriptural declarations crowded around  
them 'as a light to their feet1 and a   
lamp to their path4' ,he himself had no 
doubt that the children were no more    
prepared upon this passage than upon any
 other2 but it would exhibit this fact  
more satisfactorily1 if another passage 
were selected1 which he requested some  
of the gentlemen present to do4  ,the   
clergymen present accordingly requested 
,mr ,gall to try the concluding portion 
of the second chapter of ,luke1 which   
details ,christ's visit to ,jerusalem at

 twelve years of age4 ,after having read
 and catechised the children on this    
passage1 as he had done on the former1  
he proceeded at once to call for        
lessons4 ,mr ,gall gave us the          
announcement that ',joseph and ,mary    
worshipped ,god in public1' and asked   
for one or two lessons from this8 ,it   
teaches us1 that we ought to worship    
,god both in public and in private4--,it
 teaches us1 that no trifles ought to   
hinder us from worshipping ,god4--,one  
child quoted the following verse3--     
',come then1 ,o house of ,jacob1 come1  
,and worship at his shrine6  ,and       
walking in the light of ,god1    ,with  
holy beauties shine4'  ,mr ,gall then   
said1 ,let us change the announcement3  
',joseph and ,mary went regularly every 
year to the feast of the                
passover8'--,what does that teach       
you8--,that teaches us1 that we ought to
 attend the house of ,god               
regularly4--,it teaches that we ought to
 attend church both times of the        

day4--,it teaches us that we ought to   
worship ,god regularly2 for ,god loveth 
order1 and not confusion4  ,let us      
change the announcement again4 ',jesus  
attended the passover when he was twelve
 years of age4' ,what does this teach   
you8--,it teaches us1 that parents      
should train up their children in the   
way they should go4--,it teaches us1    
that learning young is learning         
fair4--,it teaches us1 that children    
should never be thought too young to be 
brought up in the fear of the           
,lord4--,it teaches us1 that children   
should obey their parents4--,what are we
 to learn from their 'fulfilling the    
days8'--,it teaches us1 that we should  
not leave the church until the sermon is
 over4--,it teaches us1 that we ought   
not to disturb others by leaving the    
church4  ,remarkable as this exhibition 
was of the attainment of extraordinary  
mental power by mere children1 yet it is
 but justice to say1 that the above is  
merely a specimen of the elasticity and 

grasp of mind which these children had  
acquired4 ,some idea of the extent of   
this may be formed when it is           
considered1 that all these passages and1
 subjects were chosen for them at the   
moment1 and by strangers4 ,and it is    
worthy of remark1 that if such an amount
 of mental power1 and such an           
accumulation of knowledge1 of the best  
and most practical kind1 were easily and
 pleasantly acquired by children in the 
lowest ranks of life1 of their own      
voluntary choice1 under every           
disadvantage1 and with no more than two 
hours teaching in the week2 what may we 
not expect1 when the principles here    
developed1 are wielded and applied by   
those who thoroughly understand them1   
not for two hours1 with an interval of  
six busy days1 but every day of the     
week8--,the prospect is cheering4       
,,footnotes3  #bb ,at this part1 the    
,report of the ,experiment contains the 
following ,note3--,the reader will      
perceive that some of the lessons       

diverge at times from the announcement2 
but it is of great importance1 in an    
experiment of this kind1 neither to omit
 nor amend what is wrong1 but to give   
exactly the words that were spoken4 ,not
 the least remarkable circumstance      
elicited by this experiment is the fact1
 that these children1 who know nothing  
of the rules of grammar1 have obviously1
 by the mental exercise induced by the  
system1 become pretty correct practical 
grammarians4 ,the variations made in    
many of the passages of ,scripture      
quoted by them show this4     ,,chap4   
,,ix4  ,on the ,imitation of ,nature in 
,teaching the ,practical ,use of        
,knowledge by means of the ,moral       
,sense1 or ,conscience4   ,in a former  
chapter we endeavoured to collect a few 
facts specially connected with the moral
 sense1 as exhibited in the young1 and  
the methods which ,nature employs1 when 
conscience is made use of for the       
application of their knowledge4#bc ,we  
shall in this chapter offer a few       

additional remarks on the imitation of  
,nature in this important department2   
but before doing so1 it will be proper  
to clear our way by making a few        
preliminary observations4  ,no one      
disputes the general principle1 that    
education is proper for man2--and if so1
 then education must be beneficial in   
all circumstances1 and at every period  
of his life4 ,in particular1 were we to 
ask whether education were necessary in 
early childhood1 and infancy1 universal 
experience would at once answer the     
question1 and would demonstrate1 that it
 is much more necessary and more        
valuable at that season1 than at any    
future period of the individual's life4 
,in proof of this1 we find1 that        
enlightened restraint upon the temper1  
and a regulating care with regard to the
 conduct1 are productive of the most    
beneficial results2 while1 on the       
contrary1 when this discipline is       
neglected1 the violence of self-will    
generally becomes so strong1 and the    

checks upon the temper so weak1 that the
 character of the child formed at this  
period may be such as to make him for   
life his own tormentor1 and the pest of 
all with whom he is to be               
associated4--,no one can reasonably deny
 this2 and the conclusion is plain1 that
 education of some kind or other is     
really more necessary for the infant and
 the child1 than it is either for the   
youth or the man4  ,if this general     
principle be once admitted1 and we set  
it down as an axiom that the infant and 
the child are to learn something1--it   
naturally follows1 that we are required 
to teach them those useful things for   
which ,nature has more especially fitted
 them2 while we are forbidden to force  
branches of knowledge upon them of which
 they are incapable4 ,our object then1  
ought to be to ascertain both the       
positive and the negative of this       
proposition2 endeavouring to find out   
what the infant and child are capable of
 learning1 and what they are not4 ,now  

it is an important fact1 not only that  
infants and young children are          
peculiarly fitted1 by the constitution  
of their minds and affections1 for      
learning and practising the principles  
of religion and morals2 but it is still 
more remarkable1 that they are1 for a   
long period1 incapable of learning or   
practising any thing else4 ,if this can 
be established1 then nothing can be more
 decisive as to the intention of        
,nature1 that moral and religious       
training1 is not only the great end in  
view by a course of education generally1
 but that it is1 and ought always to be1
 the first object of the parent and     
teacher1 and the only true and solid    
basis upon which they are to build all  
that is to follow4 ,let us therefore for
 a moment enquire a little more         
particularly into this important        
subject4  ,when we carefully examine the
 conduct of an enlightened and          
affectionate mother or nurse with the   
infant1 as soon as it can distinguish   

right from wrong and good from evil1 we 
find it to consist of two kinds1 which  
are perfectly distinct from each other4 
,the one regards the comfort and        
physical welfare of the child2--the     
other regards the regulation of its     
temper1 its passions1 and its conduct4  
,it is of the latter only that we are   
here to speak4  ,when this moral        
training of the judicious mother is     
examined1 we find it uniformly and      
entirely to consist in an indefatigable 
watchfulness in preventing or checking  
whatever is evil in the child1 and in   
encouraging1 and teaching1 and training 
to the practice of whatever is good4    
,she is careful to enforce obedience and
 submission in every case2--to win and  
encourage the indications of affection2 
to check retaliation or revenge2 to     
subdue the violence of passion or       
inordinate desire2--to keep under every 
manifestation of self-will2--and to     
soothe down and banish every appearance 
of fretfulness and bad temper4 ,in      

short1 she trains her young charge to   
feel and to practise all the amiable and
 kindly affections of our nature1       
encouraging and commending him in their 
exercise2--while1 on the contrary1 she  
prevents1 discourages1 reproves1 and if 
necessary punishes1 the exhibition of   
dispositions and conduct of an opposite 
kind4 ,this1 as every one who has       
examined the subject knows1 is the sum  
and substance of the mother's           
educational efforts during this early   
period of her child's progress2--and    
what we wish to press upon the          
observation of the reader is1 that the  
child at this period is literally       
incapable of learning any thing else    
which at all deserves the name of       
education4 ,he may be taught to be      
obedient2 to be submissive2 to be kind  
and obliging2 to moderate1 and even to  
suppress his passions2 to controul his  
wishes and his will2--to be forbearing  
and forgiving2--and to be gentle1       
peaceable1 orderly1 cleanly1 and perhaps

 mannerly4 ,is there any thing          
else8--,is there any one element of a   
different kind1 that ever does1 or ever 
can enter into the course of an infant  
or young child's education8 ,if there   
be1 what is it8--,let it be             
examined2--and we have no hesitation in 
saying1 that if it be education1 or any 
thing that deserves the name1 it will be
 found to resolve itself into some one  
or other of the moral qualities which we
 have above enumerated4 ,if therefore   
children1 during the earlier stages of  
their educational progress are to be    
taught at all1 religion and morals must 
be1 the subjects1 seeing that they are  
for a long period capable of learning   
nothing else4 ,and it is here worthy of 
especial notice1 that in teaching       
religion and morals1 there is a negative
 as well as a positive scale2--and      
experience has uniformly demonstrated1  
that if the parent or teacher neglect to
 improve the child by raising him in the
 positive side1 he will1 by his own     

efforts1 sink deeper in the negative4   
,selfishness1 as exhibited in the       
natural depravity of human nature1 will 
in all such cases strengthen daily2 and 
all the evil passions which selfishness 
and self-will call into exercise1 will  
then be strengthened and confirmed      
perhaps for life4  ,but while we        
perceive that the young are incapable of
 learning any thing else than what is   
properly termed religion and morals1 we 
find it to be equally true1 that they   
are peculiarly fitted and furnished by  
,nature for making rapid and permanent  
progress whenever religion and morals   
are made the subjects of regular        
instruction and training4 ,few who have 
considered carefully the facts stated   
above1 will question the accuracy of    
this assertion in so far as morals are  
concerned2 but there are some who will  
doubt the capacity of infants and       
children to be influenced by religion4  
,now this doubt arises from not         
observing the difference1--and the only 

difference1--that exists between        
morality and religion4 ,a man or a child
 is moral when he is kind and forgiving 
for his own sake1 and to please himself 
or his parents2--but he is religious    
when he does the same thing for         
conscience sake1 and to please ,god4    
,now children1 by the very constitution 
of their minds1 are well fitted for     
receiving all that kind of religious    
knowledge which acts upon the feelings1 
and influences the conduct2 while the   
heart is peculiarly sensitive1 and is   
disposed to bend under the influence of 
every expression of affection and       
tenderness exhibited by others towards  
them4 ,their faith in all that they are 
told1 as we have seen1 is unhesitating  
and entire2 and the capacity of their   
lively imaginations1 for comprehending  
things mighty and sublime1 which is too 
often abused by the ideas of giants1 and
 ogres1 and ghosts1 is sanctified and   
refined by hearing of the greatness1 and
 goodness1 and love of the great        

,creator of heaven and of earth4 ,when  
they are informed of his affection and  
tenderness to them individually2--of his
 mercy and grace in saving them from the
 awful consequences of sin by the       
substitution of his own ,son for their  
sakes2--of his numerous benefits1 and   
his unceasing care2--of his constant    
presence with them though unseen2 and of
 his hatred of sin1 and his love of     
holiness2--there is no mixture of doubt 
to neutralize the effects of these      
truths2 and they much more willingly and
 unreservedly give themselves up to     
their influence1 than those who are     
older4 ,hence1 the repeated declarations
 of our ,lord1 that unless we become as 
little children1 we shall in no case    
enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,a      
simple enumeration therefore of the     
benefits they have received from this   
kind and condescending heavenly ,father1
 is well fitted to fill the heart of an 
unsophisticated child with affection and
 zeal1--and most powerfully to constrain

 him to avoid every thing that he is    
told will grieve and offend him1 and to 
watch for opportunities to do what he   
now knows will honour and please him4   
,this is religion2 and it is peculiarly 
the religion of the young2--and that man
 or woman will be found most religious1 
who1 both in spirit and in action1 shall
 approach nearest to it in its purity   
and simplicity4  ,from all these        
considerations we see1 that ,nature has 
intended that the first part of the     
child's education shall consist almost  
exclusively of moral and religious      
training2--and this we think cannot be  
disputed by any one who considers the   
above facts dispassionately1 or who will
 allow his mind to act as it ought to do
 under the influence of ascertained     
truth4 ,we shall now therefore offer a  
few remarks on the manner in which this 
may most effectually be carried into    
effect2 or1 in other words1 how ,nature 
may most successfully be imitated in the
 application of knowledge by means of   

the moral sense4  #a4 ,the first thing  
to be observed here then is1 that the   
early efforts of the parent or teacher  
are to be employed for disciplining the 
child under the influence of the        
executive powers of conscience4--,the   
child is to be trained to the perfect   
government of his inclinations and      
temper1 by a watchful attention on the  
part of the parent to every instance of 
their exhibition in his daily conduct1  
the regulation of the desires1 the      
softening down of the passions1 the     
eradicating of evil propensities1 the   
restraining and overcoming the exercise 
of self-will1 the converting of         
selfishness into benevolence1 and the   
cultivating and strengthening of        
self-controul within1 and of sympathy1  
and forbearance1 and kindness to all    
without4 ,these are the great ends which
 the parent and teacher are to have in  
view in all their dealings with the     
child4 ,they are1 in short1 to take care
 that their pupil be reduced to a state 

of enlightened submission1 and uniform  
obedience2 and for that purpose1 they   
are to employ all the means and the     
machinery provided by ,nature1 in the   
use of which she has afforded them      
abundant examples4  ,in the             
accomplishment of these ends1 the agent 
employed has much in her power4 ,it is a
 delicate1 as well as an important work2
 and here1 more than perhaps in any     
after period of the child's educational 
progress1 an affectionate and           
enlightened agency is of the greatest   
importance4 ,in that constant           
watchfulness and exertion1 necessary to 
check or to controul the unceasing and  
often unreasonable desires of a froward 
child1 there is naturally created in the
 mind of a hireling or a stranger1 a    
feeling of irritation and dislike1 which
 nothing but enlightened philanthropy1  
or high moral principle1 will ever be   
able thoroughly to overcome2--and these 
qualifications are scarcely to be       
expected in those who are usually picked

 up to assist the mother during this    
important season4 ,in families1 ,nature 
has graciously balanced this effect1 and
 amply provided for it1 in the          
deep-seated and unalterable affection of
 the parent4 ,the mother then is the    
proper agent1 selected and duly         
qualified by ,nature for superintending 
this important work during this early   
period4 ,the out-bursts and             
irregularities of natural depravity in  
the young1 must be met by an            
unconquerable affection1 exhibited in   
the exercise of gentleness1 guided by   
firmness2--of kindness and forbearance1 
combined with a steady and an untiring  
perseverance4 ,irregularity or caprice  
in the nurse1 may be the ruin of the    
morals of the child4 ,the selection of  
assistance here is often requisite1 and 
yet how few comparatively of those into 
whose hands children and infants are    
placed1 possess the high qualifications 
necessary for this important            
occupation8#bd ,the parent who from any 

cause is prevented from taking charge of
 the superintendence of her offspring at
 this period1 incurs a serious          
responsibility in the choice of her     
assistant2 for if these qualifications  
be awanting1 or1 if they be not         
exercised by the nurse or the keeper1   
the happiness and moral welfare of the  
child during life are in imminent       
danger4  #b4 ,the child is not only to  
be trained to think and to act properly1
 but he must be trained to do so under  
the influence of motives4 ,if this be   
neglected1 we are not imitating ,nature 
in her mode of applying knowledge by    
means of the moral sense4 ,we have seen1
 as formerly noticed1 that a child under
 the influence of conscience1 has always
 a painful feeling of self-reproach1 or 
remorse1 after it has done wrong2 and a 
delightful feeling of self-approval and 
joy1 when it has done something that is 
praiseworthy4 ,these are employed by    
,nature as powerful motives to prevent  
the repetition of the one1 and to win   

the child to the frequent or regular    
performance of the other2--and this is  
their effect4 ,in imitating her in this 
part of her educational process1 we must
 in like manner follow in the spirit of 
this principle4 ,there must be motives  
of action held out to the child2        
something that will tend to keep him    
from the commission of evil1 and        
something that will stimulate and       
encourage him in doing good4 ,both are  
necessary1 and therefore1 neither of    
them should be neglected4 ,what these   
motives ought to be1 we shall           
immediately shew2 but at present1 we are
 anxious to establish the fact1 that    
motives to do good1 should be invariably
 employed with our pupils1 as well as   
motives to avoid evil4 ,in ordinary     
life1 we generally find too much of the 
one1 and too little of the other4 ,the  
fear of punishment held out to prevent  
mischief or evil1 is common enough2 but 
there is seldom sufficient attention    
paid to the providing of proper         

incitements to the practice of virtue4  
,some1 indeed1 have gone the length of  
affirming that there ought to be no such
 incitement held out to the young2 under
 the erroneous idea1 that actions       
performed for an equivalent1 or in the  
hope of a reward1 cease to be virtuous4 
,but the same reasoning would apply with
 almost equal force to the fear of      
punishment in stimulating to duty1 or in
 deterring from wickedness2 and yet they
 would scarcely affirm1 that the child  
who1 for fear of the consequences1      
refused to break the ,sabbath or to tell
 a lie1 was equally guilty with the boy 
who did both4 ,there are1 no doubt1 some
 motives to virtue that are higher and  
more noble than others1 as there are    
differences in the degrading nature of  
punishment employed to deter men from   
vice4 ,but both kinds may be necessary  
for different persons4 ,the man who     
forgives his enemy because he seeks the 
approbation of his ,maker and the reward
 promised by him1 and the man who does  

so1 because he wishes to live in quiet1 
and to consult his own ease2--the boy   
who refrains from sin lest he should    
offend ,god1 and another who does the   
same from the fear of the rod1--are each
 influenced by motives1 although they   
are of a very different kind4 ,but it is
 plain1 that the motives employed may be
 equally efficient1 and that they ought 
to be used according to their influence 
upon the individual1 and his advancement
 in the paths of morality and religion4 
,where the higher motive has not as yet 
acquired influence1 the lower motive    
must be employed2 but to refuse the     
employment of either would be wrong1 and
 the sentiment which would totally      
exclude them1 has no countenance in     
,nature1 in experience1 nor in          
,scripture4 ,in ,nature1 we see the     
directly opposite principle exhibited2  
and find that the remorse of conscience 
consequent upon crime1 in preventing    
future transgressions1 is not more      
powerful in those whose moral status is 

low1 than is the feeling of delight and 
joy after an act of benevolence1 which  
excites to new deeds of charity1 in     
those whose religious attainments are   
greater4 ,scripture1 and the history of 
all those whom ,scripture holds out for 
imitation1 unite in teaching the same   
sentiment4 ,there are many more promises
 in the sacred record given to virtue1  
than there are threatenings against     
vice2 and the highest altitudes of      
holiness are not only represented as    
having been attained by the influence of
 these promises2 but the persons who    
have already reached them1 are still    
urged to greater exertions1 and a       
farther advance1 by the reiteration of  
their number and their value4 ,moses1 we
 are told1 had an eye to the recompense 
of reward2 and our ,lord himself1 for   
the joy that was set before him1 endured
 the cross4 ,let us not then attempt a  
better method than ,god has sanctioned2 
and in our intercourse with the young1  
let us not only deter them from the     

commission of evil by the fear of       
disfavour or the rod1 but let us also   
incite them to virtue1 by the hope of   
approbation and of a future reward4  #c4
 ,in our enquiry into the practical     
working of the moral sense1 we found1   
not only that there were motives of     
action employed for encouraging the     
pupil to virtue1 and for deterring him  
from vice2 but we found also1 that these
 motives referred chiefly to ,god1 to a 
future judgment1 and to eternity4 ,in   
our attempts to imitate ,nature in this 
particular feature of her dealing with  
the moral sense1 we begin more          
distinctly to perceive the high value of
 ,religious ,instruction to the young1  
and are led directly to the conclusion1 
that the motives to be employed with    
children for encouraging and rewarding  
good conduct1 must be those chiefly of a
 spiritual kind1 referring to ,god1 and 
to his favour or disapprobation1 rather 
than to the rod1 or to any secular      
reward4 ,the importance of imitating    

,nature in this matter1 for giving a    
high tone both to the sentiments and to 
the morals of the young1 is very great4 
,it is now generally admitted1 that     
secular1 and especially corporal        
punishments1 are never required1 except 
in connection with a very low and       
degraded state of the moral sentiments2 
but it is equally correct with respect  
to secular rewards for moral actions4   
,they may both of them at times be      
necessary1 but in that case they are    
necessary evils2 and1 as a class of     
motives1 they should never be the rule1 
but invariably the exception4--,we must 
not1 however1 be misunderstood4 ,we are 
no more for abandoning secular rewards1 
than we are for giving up corporal      
punishments4 ,we speak not here of their
 abandonment1 but of their enlightened  
regulation2--both of them may be of     
service4 ,but what we wish to point out 
as an important feature in moral        
training is1 that they are1 or should   
be1 but seldom necessary2 and that they 

ought never to be resorted to except    
when they really are so4 ,the           
differences observable in the results   
arising from secular1 and those from    
moral motives1 are very different1 both 
as regards their power in restraining   
from vice1 and their influence in       
stimulating to virtue4 ,what1 for       
example1 would we think of the moral    
condition of a child1 or of the virtue  
of his actions1 if he had to be hired by
 a comfit1 or a piece of money1 to do   
every act of kindness which he          
performed2 or if he refused to relieve a
 sister1 or prevent an injury to his    
companion1 unless similarly rewarded8   
,this secular spirit in morals1 when    
thus exposed in its deformity1 is       
obnoxious to every sentiment of virtue1 
and shews itself to be a mere system of 
buying and selling4 ,but how very       
different does the reward appear1 and   
the feeling which it excites1 when that 
reward assumes the moral character1 and 
is found to be the desire of pleasing   

the parent1 and much more when it seeks 
the approbation of the ,almighty8 ,every
 one will see how beneficial and        
elevating the effects of cherishing the 
one must be1 and how debasing           
comparatively is the influence of the   
other4 ,that children are capable of    
being acted upon by these higher        
motives1 we have already seen2 and1 when
 we aim at securing the effects which   
they are calculated to produce1 we are  
closely imitating ,nature in one of her 
most important operations1 and may      
therefore calculate upon a corresponding
 degree of success4#be  #d4 ,in the     
operations of ,nature by means of the   
moral sense1 we found1 that the         
impressions made upon the mind in       
reference to sin or duty1 were always   
most efficient1 and most permanent1 when
 the sin or duty was presented to them  
in the form of example2--that the       
example increased in efficiency and     
interest as it was familiar or          
near2--and that it became still more    

powerful when it was actually seen or   
experienced4--,from these circumstances 
we are led to conclude1 that the lives  
and conduct of men1 and especially the  
narrative parts of ,scripture1 are the  
proper materials to be employed in the  
moral training of the young2 and the    
mode of making use of them is also very 
plainly indicated4 ,the closer we can   
bring the lesson taught to the child's  
own experience1 or to his own           
circumstances1 the more familiar will it
 become1 and the deeper will be the     
impression it will make4 ,an instance of
 infant disinterestedness or heroism1 in
 the parlour or the play-ground1 pointed
 out1 and placed in connection with     
corresponding circumstances in the lives
 or conduct of those from whom they have
 previously drawn moral lessons1 will   
render the latter much more familiar and
 practical1 and will create more        
energetic desires1 and stronger feelings
 of emulation with respect to the       
former4 ,or if the conduct of the person

 of whom the child hears or reads1 can  
be brought home and applied to his own  
case and circumstances2 or if he can be 
made to perceive the very same          
dispositions or conduct exhibited in his
 companions2 or if he can be made to see
 how he himself can embody in his own   
conduct those principles and actions    
which ,god has approved1 and requires to
 be imitated1--the end of the teacher   
will be much more certainly gained1 than
 it can be in any other way4 ,this is   
moral training1 conducted by the proper 
moral means2 and to attempt to gain the 
same end by means which do not either   
more or less embody these principles1   
will be found to be much more difficult1
 and much less efficient4 ,whoever will 
consider what is implied by our ,lord's 
address to the ,pharisees who           
erroneously blamed his disciples for    
unlawfully1 as they thought1 plucking   
the ears of corn on the ,sabbath1 will  
see this method of reading and applying 
,scripture distinctly pointed out4 ,have

 ye never read1 said our ,lord1 what    
,david did1 and those who were with him8
 ,this they might have done frequently2 
but the mere reading could never answer 
the purpose for which it was recorded4  
,the moral lesson must be drawn1 and it 
must also be applied to similar cases of
 mere ceremonial observance4  ,to apply 
this principle1 then1 to the moral      
training of the young by means of       
,scripture ,history1 the method is      
obvious4--,the events of the narrative  
are to be used as examples or warnings  
to the child in corresponding           
circumstances4 ,if1 for example1 the    
teacher wishes to enforce the duty and  
the benefits of patience1 the history of
 ,job has been provided for the purpose4
 ,when that story is taught1 and the    
lessons drawn and applied to the        
ordinary contingencies of life1 such as 
accident1 disease1 or distress in a     
companion2 or to circumstances in which 
the child himself may hereafter be      
placed2 he will be better prepared for  

his duty in such events1 or1 in the     
words of ,scripture1 he will be         
thoroughly furnished to this good work4 
,if they are to be taught meekness1 the 
history of ,moses1 or of other pious men
 who have been tried and disciplined as 
he was1 will be found best adapted for  
the purpose4 ,and more especially1 the  
life of our ,lord1 in which all the     
virtues concentrate1 has been given as  
our example1 that we may follow his     
steps1 and which ought especially to be 
employed in training the young to love  
and to good works4 ,the reason why      
example is preferable to precept in     
teaching children1 will be obvious1 when
 we consider the nature of the principle
 of grouping1 as exercised by the young1
 and the difficulty they experience in  
remembering abstract or didactic        
subjects4 ,when a child receives        
instruction by a story1 the imagination 
is enlisted in the exercise1 the        
grouping of the persons and             
circumstances assists the memory1 and   

the moral and practical lessons which   
they have drawn from the narrative1 are 
associated with it1 and remain ready at 
the command of the will whenever they   
are required4--,it was for this reason  
among others1 that our ,lord taught so  
frequently by parables2 and1 in doing   
so1 has not only set the parent and     
teacher an important example1 but has1  
in his teaching1 illustrated a principle
 in our nature which he himself had long
 before implanted for this very purpose4
  #e4 ,in our investigations into the   
working of the moral sense1 we found1   
that there was a marked difference      
between the decisions of conscience when
 judging of actions done by ourselves1  
and those which were performed by       
others4 ,as long as the child is        
innocent of any particular vice1 he can 
judge impartially of its nature and     
demerit2 but when the temptation to     
commit it has really begun to darken his
 mind1 and more particularly when he has
 at last fallen before it1 all the      

selfish principles of his nature are    
employed to deceive his better judgment1
 and to drown or overbear the voice of  
conscience within him4 ,from this we    
learn the importance of preparing the   
mind beforehand1 for encountering those 
temptations to which the pupil will most
 likely be exposed2 not only by teaching
 him to draw the proper lessons from    
corresponding subjects1 but by making   
him apply these lessons to his own case 
and affairs4 ,the teacher is to suppose 
circumstances1 in which he1 his parents1
 and companions1 are most likely to be  
placed1 and in which the lessons drawn  
from the narrative will be required to  
weaken or to prevent the influences of  
temptation4 ,as1 for example1 it might  
be asked1 ,if you had accidentally      
broken a pane of glass1 and your parents
 asked you who did it1 what should you  
do8 ,there would in this case1 while it 
was only supposed1 be no temptation to  
stifle conscience1 or to bend to the    
influences of selfishness or fear1 and  

the child would accordingly answer      
readily1 that he ought to confess his   
fault1 and tell that he himself had done
 it4 ,when again asked1 ,from what do   
you get that lesson8 he will most       
probably reply1 ,from ,jacob telling a  
lie to his parent2--from ,ananias and   
,sapphira telling a lie2--from the      
command1 ',lie not one to another1' and 
',confess your faults one to another1'  
c4 ,by this means the child is          
forewarned2--he is prepared and         
fortified against the sin1 if the       
temptation should occur2 but which would
 not have been the case without this or 
some similar exercise4  #f4 ,we have    
also seen1 in our investigations into   
the working of the moral sense1 the     
deplorable effects of stifling          
conscience1 and of the child's being    
permitted to repeat his transgressions2 
while1 upon the same principle1 the most
 beneficial consequences result from the
 child's frequently practising          
self-denial1 self-controul1 and acts of 

benevolence4 ,in the one case1 sin and  
vice lose much of their deformity1 and  
gain greatly in strength2 while1 in the 
other1 every act of virtue makes vice   
appear more hideous1 and excites to a   
more decided advance in the paths of    
rectitude4 ,from these circumstances we 
are led to conclude1 that every act of  
sin in the pupil ought to be carefully  
guarded against by the parent or        
teacher1 and1 if possible1 prevented2   
while every exertion ought to be made to
 induce to the performance of good and  
kind actions1 however humble or         
unimportant these actions in themselves 
may be4 ,if ,god does not despise the   
day of small things1 neither should we2 
and one act of kindness by a child1     
however trifling1 will most assuredly   
prepare the way for another4 ,this      
circumstance also shews the impropriety 
of attempting to magnify faults1 when   
perhaps no fault was designed2 and the  
evil consequences1 as well as the       
injustice1 of refraining to commend a   

child1 when commendation is due4 ,the   
timorous fear1 in many conscientious    
parents1 of making children vain1 is the
 common excuse for this unnatural       
conduct4 ,such persons seem to confound 
things vain with things valuable1 though
 they are perfectly opposed to each     
other4 ,approbation for any definite    
quality1 excites the individual to excel
 in that quality1 whether it be         
worthless or otherwise4 ,but virtuous   
deeds are not worthless2 and by         
commending1 as our ,lord repeatedly did1
 those who have done well1 they1 by that
 principle of our nature of which we are
 here speaking1 are strongly excited to 
do better4 ,to feed vanity1 is to       
commend vanities2 and they who prize and
 commend beauty1 or fashion1 or dress1  
or frivolous accomplishments1 may be    
guilty of this folly2 but not the parent
 or the person who commends in a child  
those things which are really           
commendable1 and after which it is his  
greatest glory to aspire4  #g4 ,we have 

already taken notice of ,nature's mode  
of employing motives for the prevention 
of evil1 and for the encouragement of   
the child in virtue1 and how this is to 
be imitated in the education of the     
young2 but we have left for this last   
section1 and for separate consideration1
 the greatest and most powerful motive  
of all4 ,this is a view of the inherent 
sinfulness and danger of sin1 and the   
means appointed by ,god for man's       
redemption from it4 ,all other motives  
to restrain men from sin1 and to induce 
them to follow holiness1 when compared  
with an enlightened view of this one1   
sink into insignificance4 ,god's hatred 
of sin1 and his holy abhorrence of it in
 every form1 when contemplated in the   
abstract1 may have a response from the  
head of him who compares it with his own
 detestation of meanness1 and fraud1 and
 profligacy2 but when this hatred of    
vice in the ,almighty is viewed in      
connection with gospel truth1 and is    
contemplated in its effects upon ,one to

 whom it was only imputed1 it begins to 
wear a very different complexion2 and1  
as a motive to beware of that which ,god
 is determined to punish1 and which he  
would not pass over even in his own     
,son1 it leaves all other motives at an 
immeasurable distance4 ,the same thing  
may be said of ,god's goodness and mercy
 in the gospel1 as a motive for us to   
love him1 and to glory in denying       
ourselves to serve him4 ,the extent of  
the danger from which he has saved us1  
the amount and the permanence of the    
glory which he has procured for us1 and 
the price that was paid for both1 will  
powerfully constrain spiritual minds1 to
 live no longer to themselves1 but to   
him who hath died for them4  ,but the   
question which will be asked here is1   
,are children capable of all this8--,we 
unhesitatingly answer1 from long        
experience1 that they are4 ,whoever     
doubts the fact has only to try4 ,can a 
child not understand that a distinction 
ought to be made between the person in a

 family who endeavours to make all      
happy1 and another whose constant aim is
 to make them all miserable8--,can he   
not understand1 that the parent who     
refuses to punish a wicked child1 is in 
effect bribing others to join him in his
 wickedness8--,can he not understand    
that a debt due by one1 may be paid by  
another8--and that a simple reliance on 
the word of his benefactor1 followed by 
submission to his will1 may be all that 
is required to secure his               
discharge8--,no one will say that a     
child is incapable of understanding     
these simple truths2 and if he can      
comprehend them1 he can be made to      
understand and appreciate the leading   
truths of the gospel4 ,the teacher has  
only himself clearly to perceive them2  
and then1 divesting the truths of those 
unnecessary technicalities which are    
sometimes1 it is feared1 used very      
improperly and unnecessarily1 he ought  
to convey them to the child1 either     
orally1 or by some simple catechism     

suited for the purpose4 ,wherever this  
is done in effect1 there education will 
prosper2 and when it shall become       
general among the young1 it will be     
found to be as life from the dead4      
,,footnotes3  #bc ,see pages #aaa to    
#abi  #bd ,note ,x4  #be ,note ,y4      
,,chap4 ,x4  ,on the ,application of our
 ,knowledge to the ,common ,affairs of  
,life4   ,there is another point        
connected with the practical use of our 
knowledge1 which deserves a separate and
 careful consideration4 ,it is the      
method of applying our knowledge1 or    
rather the lessons derived from our     
knowledge1 to the common and daily      
affairs of life4 ,in this exercise both 
old and young are equally               
concerned2--but it is evident that youth
 is the proper time for training to its 
practice4  ,to acquire this valuable    
art1 the pupils in every seminary ought 
to be regularly and frequently exercised
 in the application of their            
lessons2--first1 when they have been    

drawn from a particular subject1 which  
has occupied their attention for the    
day2 and afterwards generally1 from any 
part of their previous knowledge4 ,to   
illustrate what we mean by this         
application of our knowledge1 let us    
suppose a person placed in difficult    
circumstances1 and that he is desirous  
of knowing the path of duty1 and the    
particular line of conduct which he     
should pursue4 ,if he is to trust to    
himself for the information required1 it
 is evident that he must either fall    
back upon his previous knowledge1 and   
the instructions he has already         
received2 or he must go forward upon a  
mere conjecture1 or on chance1 which is 
always dangerous4 ,all knowledge is     
given expressly for such cases1 and     
especially ,scripture knowledge2 the    
great design of which is1 that the man  
of ,god may be thoroughly furnished to  
good works4 ,but if the person has not  
been trained to make use of his         
knowledge in this way and for this      

purpose1 he will be nearly as much at a 
loss as if his knowledge had never been 
received4 ,hence the great importance of
 training the young early and constantly
 to draw upon their knowledge for       
direction and guidance in every variety 
of situation in which the parent or     
teacher can suppose them to be placed in
 future life4 ,by this means they will  
be prepared for encountering temptation1
 which is often more than the half of   
the battle2--they will form the habit of
 acting by rule1 instead of being       
carried forward by fashion1 by          
prejudice1 or by chance2--and they will 
soon acquire a manly confidence1 in     
deciding and acting1 both as to the     
matter and the manner1 of performing all
 that they are called upon to do1 in    
every juncture1 and whether the duty be 
important in the ordinary sense of that 
term or otherwise4  ,for this special   
mode of applying knowledge1 we have not 
only the indications plainly given in   
,nature1 which we have endeavoured to   

illustrate1 but we have also ,scripture 
precept1 and ,scripture example4        
,leaving the numerous instances in the  
,old ,testament1 we shall confine       
ourselves to a few given by our ,lord   
himself1 and his apostles4 ,for example1
 he prepared his disciples for the      
temptations which the love of worldly   
goods would throw in the way of their   
escape from the destruction of          
,jerusalem1 by enjoining them to        
,remember ,lot's wife4 ,now let us      
observe how a teacher1 in communicating 
the history of ,lot's wife for the first
 time1 would have prepared these        
disciples for such a difficulty in the  
same way4 ,when they had read1 that     
while fleeing for her life1 the love of 
her worldly goods made her sinfully look
 back1 so that she was turned into a    
pillar of salt2 the obvious lesson drawn
 from this would be1 that we ought to be
 on our guard against worldly           
mindedness2--and the application of that
 lesson to the coming circumstances     

would have been something like this4    
,when you are commanded to flee from    
,jerusalem for your lives1 and remember 
that your worldly goods are left behind1
 what should you do8--,we should not    
turn back for them4 ,from what do you   
get that lesson8--,from the conduct and 
fate of ,lot's wife4  ,in a similar way1
 the apostle ,james prepared ,christians
 for humble resignation and patient     
endurance under coming trials1 by       
calling to their remembrance the        
patience of ,job4 ,he stated the trials 
to which they were to be exposed1 and   
then he directed their attention to the 
,scripture example which was to regulate
 them in their endurance of them4 ,now  
it is obvious that a teacher1 in        
communicating the history of ,job to the
 young1 should follow this example1 and 
should make the same use of it that the 
apostle did1 not only by drawing the    
lesson1 that he ought to be patient1 but
 in applying that lesson to temptations 
to which the child is likely to be      

exposed1 as ,james did to the           
circumstances in which he knew          
,christians were to be placed4 ,as for  
example1 when the child had drawn the   
lesson1 that we should be patient under 
suffering1 the teacher might apply it in
 a great variety of ways1 each of which 
would be a delightful exercise of mind  
to the child1--would impress the lesson 
and its source more firmly upon the     
memory1--and would prepare him for the  
circumstances in which the lesson might 
be required4 ,were the teacher          
accordingly to ask1 ,if you were        
confined by long continued sickness2--or
 if you were suffering under great      
pain2--or if you were oppressed by the  
cruelty of others1 and could not help   
yourself2--or1 if you were grieved by   
being separated from your friends1--what
 would be your duty8 ,the answer to each
 would be1 ,we ought to be              
patient4--,from what do you get that    
lesson8--,from the conduct of ,job1 who 
was patient under his sufferings4  ,the 

apostle ,paul follows a similar plan1 in
 applying the practical lessons drawn   
from the conduct of the ,israelites in  
the wilderness1 for fortifying the      
,corinthians against temptations to     
which they were likely to be exposed1#bf
 and tells them that this is the use to 
be made of ,old ,testament history4     
,these lives are ensamples1 and are     
written for our admonition upon whom the
 ends of the world are come4--,in like  
manner he forewarned the ,hebrews       
against discontent and covetousness1#bg 
by drawing a general lesson from a      
special promise made to ,joshua2 and    
then exhorts every ,christian to apply  
it to himself personally1 by employing  
the language which he puts into their   
mouths1 ,the ,lord is my helper1 and ,i 
will not fear what man can do unto me4  
,in the same way1 when our ,lord        
repeatedly says1 ,have ye not read8 and1
 ,thus it is written1 he gives us       
obvious indications of the importance of
 the duty of thus preparing for         

temptation1 by the application of our   
lessons from ,scripture4 ,they are each 
and all of them examples of practical   
lessons derived from knowledge formerly 
acquired1 and now employed in the way of
 application1 to connect that knowledge 
with corresponding circumstances as they
 occur in ordinary life4 ,the lesson1 it
 will be observed1 and as we formerly   
explained1 is always made the connecting
 link which unites the two2 and without 
which there is no such thing as the     
bringing of knowledge and its use       
together1 when that knowledge is        
required4 ,in other words1 without the  
lesson1 knowledge is useless2 and1      
without the application of the lesson1  
knowledge is never used4 ,both therefore
 are necessary1 and both should be      
rendered familiar to the young4 ,it is  
only necessary here to observe1 that in 
teaching the children to draw the       
lessons1 the teacher proceeds forwards  
from the knowledge communicated1 and1 by
 deducing the lesson1 prepares the child

 for the events in life when they shall 
be necessary2--but in applying the      
lessons1 he proceeds backwards1 from the
 events1 through the lesson to the      
knowledge from which it is derived4 ,we 
have a beautiful example of this in the 
recorded temptations of our ,lord4 ,he  
was tempted to turn stones into bread2  
here was the event which required a     
knowledge of the corresponding duty2 and
 he immediately applied the lesson that 
we should not distrust ,god1 and through
 this lesson1 though not expressed1 he  
went directly back to the source from   
which it was drawn1 by saying1 ,thus it 
is written1 ,man shall not live by bread
 alone1 but by every word of ,god4 ,when
 in like manner he was tempted to throw 
himself from the temple1 he immediately1
 through the lesson that we should not  
unnecessarily presume on the goodness of
 ,god1 went to the passage of ,scripture
 from which it was drawn2--and1 in the  
same way1 when tempted to worship       
,satan1 there was precisely the same    

process2--a lesson1 derived from        
previous knowledge and applicable to the
 circumstances1 used as a uniting link  
to make the duty and the ,scripture     
exactly to correspond4  ,of doing all   
this which we have described above2 even
 children are capable4 ,this has been   
again and again proved by repeated      
experiments1 and now by extensive       
experience in many schools4 ,the        
difficulties of introducing it1 even for
 the first time in any seminary1 do not 
lie with the children1 who in every case
 have shewn themselves quite adequate to
 the exercise2 and wherever it has been 
followed up with corresponding energy1  
they have been raised much higher in the
 grade of intelligence and mental       
capacity by its means4 ,this will be    
evident from the following1 taken from  
among many examples4  ,the criminals in 
,edinburgh ,jail during the short time  
they were under instruction1 acquired   
considerable facility in this valuable  
art4 ,the report states1 that some of   

them were afterwards exercised on the   
application of the lessons4 ,this part  
consists in supposing certain           
circumstances and temptations1 to which 
they may be exposed in ordinary life1   
and then leaving them1 by a very        
profitable1 and usually a very pleasant 
operation of their own minds1 in        
reference to these1 to call up to their 
recollection1 and to hold in review1 the
 whole accumulated range of their       
previous knowledge4 ,among the various  
classes of things thus brought in order 
before the eye of the mind1 they are    
easily taught to discriminate all those 
precepts and examples which are         
analogous to the cases supposed1 from   
which again they very readily select    
appropriate lessons to guide them in    
these emergencies2 thus linking the     
lessons to the circumstances1 which is  
done in the previous exercise of        
deducing them2 and then the             
circumstances to the lessons2 and in    
this manner1 establishing a double tie  

between the understanding and the       
conscience4  ,for example1 a woman from 
the ,lock-up ,house1 being asked how she
 ought to conduct herself when the term 
of her confinement was expired8         
answered1 ,that she ought not to return 
to her sinful courses1 or wicked        
companions1 lest a worse fate should    
befal her4 ,when again interrogated     
where she got this lesson1 she          
immediately referred to the case of     
,lot1 who1 being once rescued from      
captivity by ,abraham1 returned again to
 wicked ,sodom1 where he soon lost all  
his property1 and escaped only with his 
life4 ,another being asked what she     
should do1 when involved in a quarrel   
with troublesome companions8 replied1   
,that she should endeavour to be at     
peace1 even though she should lose a    
little by it2 and produced as her       
authority the conduct of ,abraham1 who  
when ,lot's herdsmen and his could not  
agree1 gave ,lot his choice of the      
country1 in order to secure peace4  ,the

 children in ,aberdeen also found no    
difficulty in perceiving the use1 and in
 applying the lessons to their common   
affairs4 ,the report of that ,experiment
 states1 that the most important part of
 the exercise1--that which shewed more  
particularly the great value of this    
,system1 and with which the ,meeting    
were especially struck1--was the        
appropriate application of the lessons  
from ,scripture1 which they had         
previously drawn4 ,they were desired to 
suppose themselves placed in a great    
variety of situations1 and were asked   
how they ought to conduct themselves in 
each of these4 ,a few examples may be   
given1 though it is quite impossible to 
do justice to the subject4 ,a boy1 for  
instance1 was asked1 ',if your parents  
should become infirm and poor1 how ought
 you to act towards them8' ',i ought1'  
replied the boy1 'to work1 and help     
them4' ,and being asked1 ',whence he    
drew that lesson8' he referred to the   
conduct of ,ruth1 who supported ,naomi  

and herself1 by gleaning in the         
fields4--,a girl was asked1 ',if your   
mother were busy1 and had more to do in 
the family than she could easily        
accomplish1 what ought you to do8' ,her 
answer was1 ',i ought to give her       
assistance2' and she referred to the    
conduct of ,saul1 in assisting his      
father to recover the asses which were  
lost2 and to that of ,david1 in feeding 
his father's sheep when his brothers    
were at the wars4--,a little boy was    
asked1 ',if your parents were too       
indulgent1 and seemed to give you all   
your own will1 what ought you to do8'   
',i ought not to take it1' replied the  
boy very readily2 and added1 that it was
 taking his own will that caused the    
ruin of the prodigal son4 ,another boy  
being asked1 ',if you should become     
rich1 what would be your duty to the    
poor8' answered1 ',i ought to be good to
 the poor2 but it would be better to    
give them work than to give them money2 
for ,boaz did not give ,ruth grain1 but 

bade his shearers let some fall1 that   
she might get it by her own industry4'  
,in the ,experiment in ,london1 a child 
was asked1 ,when you live with brothers 
and sisters who are wicked1 what should 
you do8 and answered1 ,i should not join
 with them in their sins4 ,and when     
asked where she got that lesson1        
answered1 ,from ,joseph1 who would not  
join with his brothers in their         
sin4--,another was asked1 ,when you see 
others going heedlessly on in the       
commission of sin1 what should you do8  
and answered1 ,i should warn them of    
their danger2 and referred to ,noah1 who
 warned the wicked while building the   
ark4--,again1 ,when people about you are
 given to quarrel1 what should you do8  
,we should endeavour to make peace2 and 
referred to ,abram endeavouring to      
remain at peace with ,lot's             
herdsmen4--,when you have grown up to be
 men and women1 what should you do8 ,we 
should go to a trade1 and be            
industrious2 and referred to ,cain and  

,abel following their different         
employments4--,when two situations      
occur1 one where you will get more      
money1 but where the people are wicked  
and ungodly2 and the other1 where you   
will get less money1 but have better    
company1 which should you choose8 ,the  
good company1 though with less money2   
and referred to ,lot's desire for riches
 taking him to live in wicked ,sodom1   
where he lost all that he had4--,when   
your parents get old1 and are unable to 
support themselves1 what should you do8 
,we should work for them2 and referred  
to ,ruth gleaning for the support of her
 old mother-in-law2 and another referred
 to ,joseph bringing his father to      
nourish him in ,goshen4--,when your     
parents or masters give you any         
important work or duty to perform1 what 
should you do8 ,we should pray to ,god  
for success1 and for his direction and  
help in performing it2 and referred to  
,abraham's servant praying at the       
well4--,when we find people wishing to  

take advantage of us and cheat us1 what 
should we do8 ,leave them2 and referred 
to ,jacob with his family leaving       
,laban4--,were any one to tempt you to  
lie or commit a sin1 what should you do8
 ,we ought not to be tempted2 and       
referred to ,abraham making ,sarah tell 
a lie in ,egypt4--,how should you behave
 to strangers8 ,we should be kind to    
them2 and referred to ,lot lodging the  
angels4--,were a master or mistress to  
have the choice of two servants1 one    
clever1 but ungodly1 and the other not  
so clever1 but pious1 which one should  
be chosen8 ,the pious servant2 and      
referred to ,potiphar1 whom ,god blessed
 and prospered for ,joseph's            
sake4--,when any one has injured us1    
what should we do8 ,forgive them2 and   
referred to ,joseph forgiving and       
nourishing his brethren4--,when you have
 once escaped the snares and designs of 
bad company1 what should you do8 ,we    
should never go back again2 and referred
 to ,lot going back again to live in    

,sodom from which he at last escaped    
only with his life4  ,in the account    
given of the ,newry ,experiment1 the    
boys were equally ready in applying for 
their own benefit the lessons they had  
drawn from their knowledge of anatomy   
and physiology4 ,the account says1 that 
the most interesting1 as well as the    
most edifying part of the examination1  
and which exhibited the great value of  
this method of teaching the sciences to 
the young1 was the application of these 
lessons to the circumstances of ordinary
 life4 ,circumstances were supposed1 in 
which they or others might be placed1   
and they were required to apply the     
lessons they had drawn for their        
direction1 and for regulating their     
conduct in every such case4 ,this they  
did with great sagacity1 and evident    
delight1 and in a manner which convinced
 the audience that the few hours during 
which they had been employed in making  
these acquisitions1 instead of being    
irksome and laborious1 as education is  

too often considered by the young1 were 
obviously among the happiest and the    
shortest they had ever spent in almost  
any employment1--their play not         
excepted4 ,we shall give a specimen of  
these1 and the answers given1 as nearly 
as can be recollected4  ,the case of    
walking in a frosty day was supposed1   
and they were asked what1 in that case1 
ought to be done8 ,the answer was1 ,that
 we should take care not to fall4 ,why8 
,because the bones are easily broken in 
frosty weather4--,when heated and       
feverish in a close room1 what should be
 done8 ,let in fresh air2 because it is 
the want of oxygen in the air we breathe
 that causes such a feeling1 but which  
the admission of fresh air              
supplies4--,when troubled with          
listlessness1 and impeded circulation1  
what should we do8 ,take exercise2      
because the contraction of the muscles  
by walking1 working1 or otherwise1      
forces the blood to the heart1 and      
through the lungs1 by which health and  

vigour is promoted4--,where should we   
take exercise8 ,in the country1 or in   
the open air2 because there the air is  
purer than in a house or a town1 where  
fires1 smoke1 frequent breathing1 and   
other things1 render the atmosphere     
unwholesome4--,would breathing rapidly1 
without exercise1 not nourish the blood 
equally well8 ,no2 because although more
 air be drawn into the lungs1 there     
would be no more blood to combine with  
its oxygen4--,what should be done1 when 
candles in a crowded church burn dim1   
although they do not need snuffing8 ,let
 in fresh air2 because the air is then  
unwholesome for want of oxygen2 which1  
carried to a great extent1 would cause  
fainting in the people1 and would       
extinguish the candles                  
themselves4--,when a fire is like to go 
out1 what should be done8 ,blow it up   
with bellows4 ,why not by the mouth8    
,because the air blown from the lungs   
has lost great part of its oxygen1 by   
which alone the fire burns4 ,why then   

does a fire blown with the mouth burn at
 all8 ,because part of the oxygen       
remains1 said one boy2 and another      
added1 and because part of the          
surrounding air is blown in along with  
it4  ,at the second meeting with these  
boys1 occasioned by the unexpected      
circumstances formerly alluded to1 they 
were summarily1 and without previous    
notice1 taken from their school to      
another public meeting1 without knowing 
for what purpose they were brought1 and 
had to undergo a still more searching   
examination on what they had been       
previously taught4 ,here again they     
shewed their dexterity in making use of 
their lessons1 by the application of    
them1 and proved that they had been     
doing so to themselves in the           
intercourse which they had had with     
their relations at home4 ,the account   
goes on to say1 that they were then more
 fully and searchingly examined than at 
first2 and there being more time1 they  
were much longer under the exercise4 ,it

 was then found1 that the information   
formerly communicated was not only      
remembered1 but that the several truths 
were much more familiar1 in themselves  
and in their connection with each other1
 than they had been at the former       
meeting4 ,this had evidently arisen from
 their own frequent meditations upon    
them since that time1 and their         
application of the several lessons1     
either with one another1 their parents1 
or themselves4 ,the medical gentlemen   
were again present1 and professed       
themselves equally pleased4 ,the        
lessons1 with considerable additions1   
were also given1 and the applications   
especially were greatly extended4 ,in   
these last they appeared to be perfectly
 at home2 and relevant circumstances    
might have been multiplied for double   
the time1 without their having any      
difficulty in applying the lessons1 and 
giving a reason for their application4  
,but the most satisfactory of all the   
experiments on this point1 as implying  

the possession of a well-cultivated     
mind1 holding at command an extensive   
field of useful knowledge1 was the one  
in ,leith1 although from accident1 or   
inadvertence on the part of the         
reporter1 a large portion of it has been
 lost to the public4 ,the following     
fragment1 however1 will be sufficient to
 shew its nature and its value4 ,the    
examinator wished to ascertain the power
 which the children possessed of        
applying the passage to their own       
conduct2 and for this purpose1 he       
proposed several circumstances in which 
they might be placed1 and asked them to 
show how this portion of ,scripture     
directed them to act4--,supposing1 said 
he1 that your father and mother were to 
neglect to take you to church next      
,sunday1 would that be                  
wrong8--,yes4--,from what do you get    
that lesson8 ,and when he was twelve    
years old1 they went up to ,jerusalem   
after the custom of the feast4--,is it  
right that children should go to church 

with their parents8 ,yes4--,why8        
,because ,jesus went with his           
parents4--,would it be right for you to 
go out of church during the time of the 
service8 ,no4--,why8 ,joseph and ,mary  
remained till the service was over4     
,the next point to be ascertained was1  
whether the children were able1 not only
 to perceive what passages of ,scripture
 were applicable in particular          
circumstances1 but also to find out what
 circumstances in life those passages   
might be applied to4 ,for this purpose1 
,mr ,gall asked1 ',could you tell me any
 circumstances which may happen1 in     
which you may be called on to remember  
that ,joseph and ,mary attended public  
worship8'--,if a friend were to take    
dinner or tea with us1 that should not  
detain us from attending church4--,idle 
amusements should not detain us from    
church2 and nothing should keep us from 
it but sickness4  ,mr ,gall again       
expressed his unabated satisfaction at  
the results of the examination1 in      

proving the intellectual acquirements of
 the children4 ,but so important did the
 application of the lessons appear to   
him1 that he must trespass still further
 upon the time of the meeting by a more 
severe test of the children's practical 
training on this particular point4 ,it  
was a test which he believed to be      
altogether new to them2 but if they     
should succeed1 it will prove still more
 satisfactorily1 that their knowledge of
 ,scripture has made it become1 in      
reality1 a light to their feet1 and a   
lamp to their path4  ,mr ,gall then     
produced a little narrative tract1 which
 he read aloud to the children2 and     
after the statement of each moral       
circumstance detailed in it1 he asked   
the children whether it was right or    
wrong4 ,when the children answered that 
it was right1 he required them to prove 
that it was so1 by some statement in the
 word of ,god1 because the ,bible should
 to them1 and to every ,christian1 be   
the only standard of what is right and  

wrong2 and so1 in the same manner1 when 
they said that it was wrong1 he required
 them also to prove it from ,scripture4 
,as soon as the children perceived what 
was wanted1 passages of ,scripture1 both
 of precept and example1 were brought   
forward with as much readiness and      
discrimination as before4 ,the only     
exception1 was one or two quotations    
from the ,shorter ,catechism in proof of
 their positions1 which were of course  
rejected1 as deficient of the required  
authority4  ,the concluding remarks by  
the ,right ,honourable and ,reverend    
reporters of the ,experiment in         
,edinburgh1 may with propriety be here  
given1 as it is applicable1 not only to 
prison discipline1 but to education in  
general4 ,the result of this important  
experiment1 they say1 was1 in every     
point1 satisfactory4 ,not only had much 
religious knowledge been acquired by the
 pupils1 and that of the most           
substantial1 and certainly the least    
evanescent kind2 but it appeared to have

 been acquired with ease1 and even with 
satisfaction--a circumstance of material
 importance in every case1 but          
especially in that of adult prisoners4  
,but the most uncommon and important    
feature of it was1 the readiness which  
they1 in this short period1 had acquired
 of deducing ,practical ,lessons from   
what they had read or heard1 for the    
regulation of their conduct4 ,every     
leading circumstance in ,scripture1 by  
this peculiar feature of the ,system1   
was made to reflect its light on the    
various common occurrences of ordinary  
life1 by which the pupils themselves    
were enabled to judge of the real nature
 of each particular act1 and to adopt1  
or to shun it1 as the conscience thus   
enlightened should dictate4 ,the acting 
and re-acting1 indeed1 of every branch  
of the ,system1 upon each other1        
interweaves so thoroughly the lessons of
 ,scripture with the feelings and       
thoughts of their minds1 and associates 
them so closely with the common         

circumstances of life1 that it is almost
 impossible that either the portions of 
the ,bible which they have thus learned1
 or the practical lessons thus drawn    
from them1 should1 at any future period1
 escape from their remembrance4 ,the    
evolutions of their future life1 will   
disclose circumstances which they are   
prepared to meet1 by having lessons laid
 up in store1 adapted to such           
occurrences2 and especially1 when the   
mental habit is formed of applying      
,scripture in this manner1 there is     
scarcely an event which can happen1 but 
against its tempting influence they will
 be fortified by the armour of divine   
truth4--,their compliance with          
temptation1 should that take place1 will
 not be done without a compunction of   
conscience1 arising from some pointed   
and warning example that comes in all   
its urgency before their minds2--and    
they will1 when seduced from rectitude1 
have a light within them1 and a clue of 
divine truth1 to guide them out of the  

dark and mazy labyrinth of error and    
crime1 into the path of duty and virtue4
 ,it is ,god alone that can bless such  
instruction1 and render it savingly     
efficacious2 but surely the inference is
 fair1 that this ,system furnishes us   
with an instrument1 which1 if skilfully 
employed1 will effect all that man can  
do for his erring brother or sister4    
,,footnotes3  #bf #a ,cor4 x4 #a-aa4    
#bg ,heb4 xiii4 #e1 #f     ,,chap4 ,,xi4
  ,on the ,imitation of ,nature1 in     
training her ,pupils fluently to        
communicate their ,knowledge4   ,there  
is a fourth1 or supplementary process in
 ,nature's educational course1 the      
successful imitation of which promises  
to be of great general benefit1 as soon 
as it shall be universally adopted in   
our elementary schools4 ,it is1 as it   
were1 the door-way of intellect1--the   
break in the cloud1 through which the   
sun-light of concocted knowledge is to  
find its way1 to enlighten and cheer the
 general community4--,we refer to that  

acquirement1 by which persons are       
enabled1 without distraction of mind1   
internally to prepare and arrange their 
ideas1 at the moment they are verbally  
communicating them to others4  ,when    
this process is analysed1 we find1 as   
explained in a former chapter1 that it  
consists simply in an ability to think1 
and to arrange our thoughts at the time 
we are speaking2--to exercise the mind  
on one set of ideas1 at the moment we   
are giving expression to another4       
,simple as this at first sight may      
appear1 we have seen that it is but very
 gradually arrived at2--that many       
persons1 otherwise possessing great     
abilities1 never can command it2--that  
it is altogether an acquisition         
depending upon the use of proper        
means2--but that1 at the same time1 any 
person whatever1 by submitting to the   
appropriate discipline1 may attain      
almost any degree of perfection in its  
exercise4 ,the object required by the   
teacher1 therefore1 is a series of      

exercises1 by means of which his pupils 
will be trained to think and to speak at
 the same moment2 to have their minds   
busily occupied with some object or     
idea1 while their powers of speech are  
engaged in giving utterance to something
 else4 ,for the purpose of suggesting   
such an exercise1 we shall again attend 
shortly to the exhibition of the        
process1 as we find it under the        
superintendence of ,nature4  ,an infant1
 as we formerly explained1 can for a    
long period utter only one or two words 
at a time1--not because it is           
unacquainted with more1 but because it  
has not yet acquired the power of       
thinking the second word1 while it is   
giving utterance to the first4 ,it has  
to attain1 by steady practice1 and by   
slow degrees1 the ability of commanding 
the thoughts1 while uttering two1 three1
 or more words consecutively1 without a 
pause4 ,a child also1 whose mind is     
engaged with its toys1 cannot for some  
time1 during its early mental advances1 

attend to a speaker2 much less can it   
think of1 and arrange an answer to a    
question1 while it continues its play4  
,it has to stop1 and think2 it then     
gives the information required2 and     
after this it will perhaps resume its   
play1 but not sooner4 ,when a child can 
speak and continue its amusements1 it is
 an evidence of considerable mental     
power2 and as ,nature makes use of its  
play1 for the purpose of increasing this
 ability1 the teacher1 and especially   
the parents1 ought to excite and        
encourage every attempt at conversation 
while the pupil is so employed4 ,but our
 object at present is to arrive at one  
or more regular exercises that shall    
embody the principle2 exercises which   
may at all times be at the command1 and 
under the controul of the teacher and   
parent1 and which may form part of the  
daily useful arrangements of the school 
or the family4 ,the following are a few1
 among many1 which we shall briefly     
notice1 before introducing one which    

promises to be still more beneficial1   
and more generally applicable to the    
economy of literary pursuits1 and the   
arrangements of the academy4  ,one of   
the exercises which assists in attaining
 the end here in view1 we have already  
alluded to1 as being successfully       
employed by ,nature for the             
purpose1--that is1 the child's play4    
,any amusement which requires thought or
 attention1 is well calculated to answer
 this purpose1--and if the child can be 
induced and trained to speak and play at
 the same time1 his thinking powers     
being occupied by the external use of   
his toys1 the end of the teacher will in
 so far be gained4 ,questions put to a  
child at that time1 and answers given by
 him while he continues to exercise his 
mind upon his amusements1 will prepare  
the way1 and greatly assist in giving   
him the power of exercising it upon     
ideas1 without the help of these        
external and tangible objects4 ,the     
principle in both cases is the same1    

although in the one it is not carried   
out to the same extent as it is in the  
other4 ,and here we cannot help         
remarking1 how extensive and important a
 field the working of this principle    
opens up to the ingenious toy-man4 ,if a
 game1 or games1 can be invented1 where 
the child must have his attention       
occupied with one object1 while he is   
obliged to answer questions1 or to make 
observations1 or to detail facts1 or in 
any other way to employ his speaking    
powers extemporaneously1 7not repeating 
words by rote17 the person who does so  
will greatly edify the young1 and       
benefit the public4  ,another method by 
which the principle may be called into  
exercise1 is to tell a short story1 or  
simple anecdote1 and then to require the
 child to rehearse it again4 ,in doing  
this1 the mind of the child is employed 
in communing with the memory1 while he  
is engaged in detailing to the teacher  
or monitor1 the special circumstances in
 their order4 ,upon the principles of   

individuation and grouping1 too1 7the   
two most important principles1 be it    
observed1 which ,nature employs with    
young children17 we can perceive1 that  
it will be much easier for the child1   
and at least equally powerful in        
producing the effect1 if the teacher or 
parent shall confine himself to one or  
two stories or anecdotes at a time1     
till1 by repeated attempts1 the child   
can in its own words1 and in its own    
way1 readily and fluently detail the    
whole of the circumstances to the parent
 or teacher1 whenever required4  ,a     
similar mode of accomplishing the same  
object1 when the child is able to read1 
is1 to require him at home to peruse a  
story of some length1 and to rehearse   
what he can remember of it next day4    
,this ought1 however1 in every case to  
be a narrative1 or anecdote1 consisting 
of groupings which the child can1 on    
reading1 picture on his mind4 ,if this  
be neglected1 there is danger of the    
child's being harassed and burdened1    

without any corresponding benefit being 
produced4 ,it is here also worthy of    
remark1 that ,dr ,mayo's ,lessons on    
,objects may be employed for this       
purpose with considerable effect4 ,if a 
list of qualities1 such as colour1      
consistence1 texture1 c4 be put into the
 child's hand1 and he be required to    
elucidate and rehearse those relating to
 one particular object1 either placed   
before him1 or1 what is better1 one with
 which he is acquainted1 but which at   
the time he does not see1 the eye and   
the mind will be engaged with his paper1
 and in recollecting the particular     
qualities of the object1 at the same    
time that he is employed in             
communicating his recollections4        
,another method for producing the same  
end1 consists in the parent or teacher  
repeating a sentence to the child1 and  
requiring him to remember it1 and to    
spell the several words in their order4 
,here the child has to remember the     
whole sentence1 to observe the order of 

the several words1 to chuse them one    
after another as he advances1 and to    
remember and rehearse the letters of    
which each is composed4 ,the mental     
exercise here is exceedingly useful1    
besides the advantages of training      
children to correct spelling4 ,at the   
commencement of this exercise with a    
child1 the sentence must be short1 and  
he may be permitted to repeat each word 
after he has spelled it1 which will help
 him to remember the word that          
follows2--but as he advances1 he may be 
made to spell the whole without         
pronouncing the words2 and the length of
 the sentence may be made to correspond 
with his ability4 ,great care however   
should be taken by the teacher that this
 exercise be correctly performed4  ,many
 other methods for exercising the       
child's mind and oral powers at the same
 moment1 will be suggested by the       
ingenuity of teachers1 and by           
experience2 and wherever a teacher hits 
upon one which he finds efficient1 and  

which works well with his children1 it  
is to be hoped that he will not deprive 
others of its benefit4 ,such            
communications in education1 like mercy1
 are twice blessed4 ,but the exercise   
which1 for its simplicity and power1 as 
well as for the extent of its           
application to the business and         
arrangements of the school1 appears to  
answer the purpose best1 and which      
embodies most extensively the           
stipulations required for the successful
 imitation of ,nature in this part of   
her process1 is that which has been     
termed the ,paraphrastic ,exercise4 ,the
 exercise here alluded to has this      
important recommendation in its         
practical working1 that while it can be 
employed with the child who can read no 
more than a sentence1 it may be so      
modified and extended1 as to exercise   
the mental and oral powers of the best  
and cleverest of the scholars to their  
full extent4 ,it consists in making a   
child read a sentence or passage aloud2 

and1 while he is doing so1 in requiring 
him at the same moment1 to be actively  
employed in detecting and throwing out  
certain specified words in the passage1 
and in selecting1 arranging1 and        
substituting others in their place2 the 
child still keeping to the precise      
meaning of the author1 and studying and 
practising1 as far as possible1         
simplicity1 brevity1 elegance1 and      
grammatical accuracy4 ,it may be asked1 
,what child will ever be able to do     
this8 ,we answer with confidence1 that  
every sane pupil1 by using the proper   
means1 may attain it4 ,this is no       
hypothesis1 but a fact1 of which the    
experiment in ,leith gives good         
collateral proof1 and of which long and 
uniform experience has afforded direct  
and ample evidence4 ,any teacher1 or    
parent indeed1 may by a single          
experiment upon the very dullest of his 
pupils who can read1 be satisfied on the
 point4 ,such a child1 by leaving out   
and paraphrasing first one word in a    

sentence1 then two1 three1 or more1 as  
he acquires ability1 will derive all the
 advantages above described2 and1 by    
advancing in the exercise1 he may have  
his talents taxed during the whole      
progress of his education to the full   
extent of their powers4 ,it is in this  
that one great recommendation lies to   
this exercise1--it being adapted to     
every grade of intellect1 from the child
 who can only paraphrase a single word  
at a time1 to the student who1 while    
glancing his eye over the passage1 can  
give the scope of the whole in a        
perfectly new form1 and in a language   
and style entirely his own4 ,of the     
nature and versatility of this exercise 
we shall give a single example4  ,let us
 for this purpose suppose that a child  
sees in the first answer of the ,first  
,initiatory ,catechism the words1 ,god  
at first created all things to shew his 
greatness1 and that the teacher wishes  
to exercise his mind in the way1 and    
upon the principle of which we are here 

speaking1 by making him paraphrase it4  
,he begins by ascertaining that the     
child knows the exact meaning of one or 
more of the several terms used in the   
sentence1 and can give the meaning in   
other words4 ,as for example1 he should 
be able to explain that the first word  
means1 the ,almighty2--that the words at
 first1 here signifies1 at the beginning
 of time2--that created means1 brought  
into existence2--that the term all      
things1 as here used1 indicates1 all the
 worlds in ,nature1 with their          
inhabitants2--that the phrase to shew1  
means to exhibit to his rational        
creatures2--and that his greatness1 at  
the close implies1 his infinite majesty 
and perfections4  ,now it must be       
obvious1 that any one of these          
explanations may be made familiar to the
 dullest child that can read2 and if    
this can be done1 the principle may     
immediately be brought into exercise4   
,for example1 when the child knows that 
the first word means the ,almighty1 and 

that first is another way of expressing 
the beginning of time1 he is required to
 read the whole sentence1 and in doing  
so1 to throw out these two words1 and to
 substitute their meanings4 ,he will    
then at once read the sentence thus3    
,the ,almighty1 at the beginning of     
time1 created all things to shew his    
greatness4 ,the same thing may be done  
with any one or more of the others2 and 
if the child at first feels any         
difficulty with two1 the teacher has    
only1 upon the principle of             
individuation1 to make one of them      
familiar1 before he be required to      
attend to a second2 and to have two     
rendered easy before he goes forward to 
the third4 ,each explanation can be     
mastered in its turn1 and may then be   
employed in forming the paraphrase2 by  
which means the child's mind is called  
to the performance of double            
duty1--reading from his book1--throwing 
out the required words1--remembering    
their explanations1--inserting them     

regularly and grammatically1--and       
perhaps transposing1 and re-constructing
 the whole sentence1--at the moment that
 he is giving utterance to that which   
the mind had previously arranged4  ,the 
same thing may be done with a sentence  
from any book1 although not so          
systematically prepared for the purpose 
as the ,initiatory ,catechisms have     
been4 ,the explanations of any of the   
words which may be pointed out1 or      
under-scored by the teacher1 can easily 
be mastered in the usual way by any of  
the children capable of reading them2   
and if he shall be gradually and        
regularly trained to do this frequently1
 his command of words1 in expressing his
 own ideas1 and his ability to use them 
correctly1 will very soon become        
extensive and fluent4 ,the importance of
 this to the young is much more valuable
 and necessary than is generally        
supposed4 ,nature evidently intends that
 childhood and youth should be the      
seed-time of language2 and the exercise 

here recommended1 when persevered in1 is
 well calculated to produce an abundant 
harvest of words1 suited for all kinds  
of oral communications4--,its importance
 in this respect1 as well as its        
efficiency in fulfilling all the        
stipulations necessary for imitating    
,nature in the exercise of the principle
 which we are here illustrating1 will be
 obvious to any reader by a very simple 
experiment4  ,for this purpose the      
sentence which we have already employed 
may1 for the sake of illustration1 be   
represented in the following form4--,god
 at first created all things to shew his
 greatness4--,here each of the words1   
which we formerly supposed to be        
explained by the child1 is inclosed in  
brackets4 ,now if the reader will be at 
the pains of trying the experiment upon 
himself1 and shall endeavour to observe 
the various operations of his own mind  
during it1 he will at once perceive the 
correctness of the above remarks4 ,that 
he may have the full benefit of this    

experiment1 he has only to fix upon any 
one--but only one--of the inclosed words
 in the above sentence1 and having      
ascertained its precise meaning as      
before given1 he must read the sentence 
aloud from the beginning1 following the 
words with his eye in the ordinary way1 
till he arrives at the word he has fixed
 on4 ,this he leaves out1 and in its    
stead inserts the explanation1 and then 
goes on to read the remainder of the    
sentence4--,at the first trial he will  
perhaps be able to detect in his own    
mind some of the difficulties1 which the
 less matured intellect of the young    
pupil has to encounter in his early     
attempts to succeed in the exercise2 but
 he will also see1 that it is a         
difficulty easily overcome when it is   
presented singly1 and when the pupil is 
permitted to grapple with the           
paraphrasing of each word by itself4    
,the reader will also be able to trace  
the operation of the young mind while   
engaged with the explanations1 which    

differ entirely from the words which he 
is at the moment looking upon and       
reading4 ,he will observe1 that when the
 eye of the child arrives at the word   
fixed upon1 he has to pause in his      
utterance for a moment1 till the mind   
goes in search of what it requires2 in  
the same way1 and upon precisely the    
same principle1 that an infant who has  
managed to speak one word1 has to stop1 
and go in search of the next1 and then  
to concentrate the powers of its mind   
upon it1 before he can give it          
expression4 ,but if the reader will     
repeat the operation to himself upon the
 same word1 till he can read its        
explanation in the sentence without     
difficulty and without a pause2 and then
 do the same with two1 then with three1 
and so on1 till he has completed the    
whole2 he will be able to appreciate in 
some measure the importance of this     
exercise in training the young to such a
 command of language1 as will enable    
them1 on all known subjects1 to deliver 

fluently1 and in any variety of form1   
the precise shade of meaning which they 
wish to express4  ,this of itself will  
be a great attainment by the pupil2 but 
it is not all4 ,the reader will also    
perceive what must be the necessary     
result of persevering in this exercise1 
during the time of a child's attendance 
at school1 in training him to that calm 
self-possession1--that perfect command  
of the mind and the thoughts1--while    
engaged in speaking1 which the frequent 
and gradually extended use of this      
exercise is so well calculated to       
afford4 ,all the children of a school1  
without exception1 may be exercised by  
its means1 and upon the same paragraph2 
for while1 by the paraphrasing of but   
one word in a clause1 it is within the  
reach of the humblest intellect2 yet1 by
 the changes and transpositions         
necessary in more difficult passages1   
either to smooth asperities1 or to avoid
 grammatical errors1 it provides an     
extemporaneous exercise suited to the   

talents of the highest grade in any     
seminary4  ,the collateral advantages   
also of this exercise1 are both valuable
 and extensive4 ,the operation of the   
principle which supposes double duty by 
the mind1 enters into the nature of     
numerous acts in ordinary life1 besides 
that of thinking and speaking1 and which
 a perfect command of the thoughts in   
paraphrasing will tend greatly to       
facilitate4--,for example1 it will      
greatly assist the pupil in making      
observations during conversation1 in    
attending to the weak and strong points 
of an argument1 and in preparing his    
materials for a reply1 while he is all  
the time hearing and storing up the     
ideas of a speaker4--,it will enable him
 more extensively1 and more deliberately
 to employ his mind on useful subjects  
while engaged with his work1 even in    
those cases where a considerable degree 
of thought is required2--and it will    
greatly aid him in acquiring the art of 
a ready writer1 and will be available1  

both when he himself writes his own     
thoughts1 or when he requires to dictate
 them to others4 ,many persons who can  
express their ideas well enough by      
speech1 find themselves greatly at a    
loss when they sit down to write        
them2--and this arises entirely from the
 want of that command of the mind which 
is necessary whenever it is called on to
 do double duty4 ,the person cannot     
think of that which he wishes to write1 
and at the same moment guide the hand in
 writing2 in the same way1 and for the  
same reason1 that a child cannot answer 
a question and yet continue his play4   
,by the use of the paraphrastic         
exercise1 however1 the pupil will soon  
be enabled not only to concoct in his   
own mind what he intends to write1      
during the time he is writing2 but the  
faculty may1 by the same means1 be      
cultivated to such an extent1 that he   
may at last be able to dictate to two   
clerks at a time1 and sometimes perhaps1
 7as it has been affirmed some have     

done7 even to three4  ,a similar        
collateral advantage1 which will arise  
from the persevering use of the         
paraphrastic exercise1 deserves a       
separate consideration4--,it will       
gradually create a capacity to take     
written notes of a subject1 either in   
the church1 the senate1 or the lecture  
room1 during the time that the speaker  
is engaged in delivering it4 ,it is in  
the ability to hear and concoct in the  
mind one set of ideas1 while writing    
down an entirely different set1 that the
 whole art of accurate reporting        
consists4 ,the writing part of the      
process is purely mechanical2 the       
perfection of the art consists chiefly  
in the command which the reporter       
acquires over the powers of his mind4   
,the person while so employed has to    
hear and reiterate the ideas of the     
speaker as he proceeds2 these he must   
remember and arrange1 selecting1        
abridging1 condensing1 or abandoning1   
according to the extent of his manual   

dexterity in writing4 ,but it is worthy 
of remark1 that if the person be able to
 think1--to exercise his mind1--and to  
continue to write without stopping while
 he does so1 the amount of what he      
writes is a mere accident1 and depends1 
not upon the state of the mind1 but upon
 the mechanical part of the operation1  
which is aided by the arts of           
stenography and abbreviation4 ,this     
mental capacity is most likely to be    
acquired by the regular and persevering 
use of the paraphrastic exercise4 ,it   
will train the pupil to that command    
over his thoughts1 which1 with a little 
practice in this particular mode of     
applying it1 will soon enable him1 with 
perfect self-possession1 to hear and to 
keep up with a speaker1 while he        
continues without a pause1 to write down
 as much of what has been said1 as his  
command of the pen will allow4 ,without 
this mental ability1 he could not while 
listening write at all2 but when it has 
been sufficiently acquired1 there is no 

limit to his taking down all that is    
spoken1 except what arises from the     
imperfection of the mechanical part of  
the process1--his manual dexterity4 ,all
 these collateral advantages will accrue
 to the pupils by the use of this       
exercise2 and this latter one will be   
greatly promoted in a school by a piece 
of history1 an anecdote1 or a paragraph 
of any kind1 which none of the pupils   
know1 being read slowly for only a few  
minutes1 while the whole of the pupils  
who can write are required to take notes
 at the time1 and to stop and give them 
in1 as soon as the reading is           
finished4#bh  ,it is also here worthy of
 remark1--and it is perhaps another     
proof of the efficiency of the several  
exercises before enumerated as          
imitations of ,nature1--that they all1  
more or less1 embody a portion of this  
principle of double duty performed by   
the mind4 ,in each of them1 when        
properly conducted1 the pupil is        
compelled to speak1 and to think at the 

same moment4 ,not a little of their     
efficiency and value indeed1 may be     
attributed to this circumstance4 ,in the
 catechetical exercise1 for example1 it 
is not difficult to trace its operation4
 ,for in the attempt of the child to    
answer a question previously put to him1
 the teacher will be at no loss to      
perceive the mind gradually acquiring an
 ability to think of the original       
question and of the ideas contained in  
the subject from which he has selected  
his answer1 at the very moment he is    
giving it utterance4 ,and a knowledge of
 the fact should excite teachers in     
general1 so to employ this exercise as  
to produce this effect4--,the analytical
 exercise also1 in its whole extent1    
calls into operation the working of this
 principle1 whether employed            
synthetically or analytically4 ,when    
children are employed with the          
analytical exercise proper1--as in      
tracing a practical lesson backwards to 
the subject or circumstance from which  

it has been drawn1 and in attaching that
 circumstance to the story or class of  
truths to which it belongs2 or when1 as 
in the ,analysis of ,prayer1 a text of  
,scripture has to be classified         
according to its nature1 among the      
several parts into which prayer is      
divided2--in all these cases1 there is  
this same double operation of the mind1 
searching and comparing one set of      
ideas1 while the pupil is employed in   
giving expression to others4  ,the      
exhibition of the principle will be     
easily traced1 from what took place in  
the experiment in ,london1 where the    
report states1 that the third class were
 next examined on the nature and        
practice of prayer4 ,they shewed great  
skill in comprehending and defining the 
several component parts of prayer1 as   
invocation1 adoration1 confession1      
thanksgiving1 petition1 c4 ,they first  
gave examples of each separately2 and   
then1 with great facility1 made         
selections from each division in its    

order1 which they gave consecutively2   
shewing1 that they had acquired1 with   
ease and aptitude1 by means of this     
classification1 a most desirable        
scriptural directory in the important   
duty of prayer4 ,they then turned       
several lessons and passages of         
scripture into prayer2 and the          
,chairman1 and several of the gentlemen 
present1 read to them passages from     
various parts of the ,bible1 which they 
readily classified1 as taught in the    
',questions on ,prayer1' and turned them
 into adoration1 petition1 confession1  
or thanksgiving2 according to their     
nature1 and as they appeared best suited
 for each4 ,some of the texts were of a 
mixed1 and even of a complicated nature2
 but in every case1 even when they were 
not previously acquainted with the      
passages1 they divided them into parts1 
and referred each of these to its proper
 class1 as in the more simple and unique
 verses4  ,but a similar working of the 
same principle takes place when the     

analytical exercise is employed         
synthetically1 and when the pupil is    
required to go from the root1 forward to
 the extreme branches of the analysis1  
as is done when he forms an             
extemporaneous prayer1 from a previous  
acquaintance with its several divisions 
and their proper order4 ,in this very   
necessary and important branch of a     
child's education1 the ,analysis of     
,prayer is usually employed1 and has1 in
 thousands of instances1 been found     
exceedingly effective4 ,during this     
exercise1 the child has steadily to keep
 in view the precise form and order of  
the ,analysis1 and at the same moment he
 has to select the matter required under
 each of the parts from the             
miscellaneous contents of his memory1 to
 put them in order1 and to give them    
expression4 ,in doing this there is a   
variety of mental operations going on at
 the same moment1 during all of which   
the pupil will soon be enabled          
continuously to give expression to his  

own ideas1 with as much ease and        
self-possession as if he were doing     
nothing more than mechanically repeating
 words previously committed to memory4  
,this is a valuable attainment2 and yet 
the whole of this complicated operation 
of attending to the several branches of 
the analysis1 and of selecting1 forming1
 and giving utterance to his            
confessions1 his thanksgivings1 and his 
petitions1 with perfect composure and   
self-possession1 is within the reach of 
every ,christian child4 ,it is          
accomplished by a persevering exercise  
of the principle which has been         
illustrated above1 and which is         
exemplified in the paraphrastic         
exercise4 ,many adults1 it is believed1 
have been enabled1 with ease and        
comfort1 to commence family worship by  
its means2 and numerous classes have    
been trained to the exercise in a few   
lessons4 ,we shall here detain the      
reader by only a single example4  ,the  
writer having been requested to meet    

with the ,sunday ,school ,teachers of   
,greenock and its neighbourhood1 about  
the year #ahbg or #ahbh1 paid a visit to
 that place1 and had the proposed       
meeting in a large hall of the town1    
where he endeavoured to explain to them1
 practically1 a few of the principles   
connected with ,sunday ,school          
,teaching1 as more scientifically       
detailed in the present ,treatise4 ,for 
the purposes of that meeting1 three     
children belonging to one of the ,sunday
 ,schools1 were for a few hours         
previously instructed1 and prepared to  
exhibit the working of some of those    
principles which1 it was hoped1 would   
lessen the labour of the ,sunday ,school
 ,teachers1 and at the same time        
increase their influence and their      
usefulness4 ,these children1 7two girls 
and a boy17 about the ages of ten or    
twelve years1 were regularly instructed 
by means of the catechetical exercise1  
in the doctrines1 examples1 and duties  
of ,christianity2 and among other       

subjects1 they were made acquainted with
 the ,analysis of ,prayer1 and exercised
 by its means1 without its being hinted 
to them1 however1 what use was intended 
to be made of it4  ,the meeting was a   
crowded one2 where1 besides the ,sunday 
,school ,teachers1 and ,parents of the  
children1 nearly all the ,clergymen of  
the place were present4 ,when the more  
ostensible business of the meeting had  
been concluded1 the writer consulted    
privately with two or three of the      
clergymen1 and asked1 whether they1     
knowing the general sentiments of the   
persons composing the meeting1 would    
think it improper that one of the three 
children who had shewn themselves so    
intelligent1 should be called on        
solemnly to engage in prayer with the   
audience before dismissing4 ,to this    
they replied1 that there could be no    
objections to such a thing1 provided the
 children were able2--but of their      
ability1 they very seriously doubted4   
,on this point1 however1 the writer     

assured them there was no fear2 and if  
that were the only objection1 they would
 themselves immediately see that it was 
groundless4 ,the boy accordingly1       
without his even conjecturing such a    
thing previously1 was1 before the       
meeting was dismissed1 publicly called  
on to engage in prayer4 ,he was for a   
moment surprised1 and hesitated2 but    
almost immediately1 on the request being
 repeated1 he shut his eyes1 and        
commenced1 with a solemn and faltering  
voice for one or two sentences2 when1   
recovering from every appearance of     
trepidation1 he proceeded with much     
propriety and solemnity of manner1 with 
great latitude1 and yet perfect         
regularity and self-possession1 through 
all the departments of adoration1       
confession1 thanksgiving1 and petition1 
in language entirely his own1 selecting 
for himself1 and arranging his sentences
 agreeably to the ,analysis1 which was  
evidently his guide from the beginning  
to the end4 ,this ,treatise will1 there 

is little doubt1 be read by some who    
were that evening present1 and who will 
remember the universal feeling of       
surprise and delight1 at the perfect    
propriety of expression1 the serenity of
 mind1 and the solemnity of manner1     
which characterised the whole of this   
uncommon exercise4 ,it did appear to    
many as a most unaccountable thing2 but 
when the principle is perceived1 as     
explained above1 the wonder must at once
 cease1 and we can distinctly see1 that 
by using the proper means1 the same     
ability is within the reach of all who  
will be at the pains to make the trial4 
,this same principle is also exercised  
to a very considerable extent in drawing
 and applying lessons from a previous   
announcement4 ,a very little attention  
to the operations of the mind in that   
exercise will be sufficient to shew     
this4 ,let us suppose1 for example1 that
 an announcement is made to a child1    
from which he is required to draw a     
practical lesson4 ,this announcement    

must be distinctly present to his mind1 
while he is engaged in considering its  
meaning1 its moral character1 and its   
bearing on his own sentiments and       
conduct2--but more especially1 all this1
 besides the original announcement1 has 
still to be kept in view1 while he is   
engaged in giving the lesson to the     
teacher in his own language as required4
 ,but in the application of the lessons1
 the principle is still more extensively
 called into operation4 ,the child is   
asked1 how he should act in certain     
given circumstances4 ,these             
circumstances must accordingly be kept  
steadily before the mind1 during the    
whole of the succeeding mental          
operation4 ,he has to consider the      
lesson1 or the conduct which he should  
pursue in these circumstances1 and then1
 by the association of his ideas1 he    
must call up from the whole of his      
accumulated knowledge1 the precepts1 the
 examples1 the warnings1 and even the   
implications1 which form his authority  

for deciding on the conduct which he    
ought to pursue4 ,these again must be   
kept before the mind1 while he is       
preparing1 and giving in his own        
language his conclusions to his teacher4
  ,all this was very obvious in the     
several public experiments1 where the   
drawing of lessons1 and the application 
of them by the pupils1 were             
introduced4--,in the case of the adult  
prisoners in ,edinburgh ,county ,jail1  
it was very observable2 and the rolling 
of the eye1 and the unconscious movement
 of the head1 as if deeply engaged in   
some mental research when an application
 was required1 were peculiarly pleasing 
and obvious to all the spectators4 ,the 
reason was1 that they had to keep before
 their mind1 the circumstance1 or       
statement involved in the question      
asked1 while they had1 at the same time1
 to review the several portions of their
 knowledge1 chuse out the passage or    
example which was calculated to direct  
them in the duty2 and then1 still       

keeping these accumulated ideas present 
before the mind1 they had to prepare and
 give expression to their answers4 ,the 
same thing had to be done1 but to a much
 greater extent1 by the children in     
,aberdeen1 in ,london1 and in ,newry4   
,but the most satisfactory evidence of  
the beneficial working of this          
principle1 in the drawing and applying  
of lessons1 and by this means in giving 
even to children a command of language1 
and a power of extemporaneous speech    
which is but rarely attained even by    
adults1 is to be found in the ,seventh  
,experiment in ,leith4 ,the writer feels
 more at liberty in descanting upon the 
extraordinary results of that           
investigation with the children1 because
 he had no share in their previous      
instruction2 the peculiar merits of     
which belonged entirely to their zealous
 and pious teacher4 ,he was a plain     
unlettered man2 and yet he has trained  
hundreds of children in his ,sunday     
school1 whose intellectual attainments1 

for their age and rank in life1 the     
writer has seldom known to be surpassed4
 ,there were exhibited by the children1 
from the beginning of the experiment to 
the end1 an amount of knowledge1 a      
degree of mental culture1 a grasp of    
mind1 and a fluency of expression1 which
 had never before been witnessed in     
children of a similar class1 or of the  
same age1 by any person then present4   
,the pupils were at the time quite      
unprepared for any extraordinary        
exhibition2--the subjects were chosen   
indiscriminately by the clergymen       
present1 and were repeatedly            
changed2--and what is still more        
extraordinary1 it was found1 upon       
investigation1 that the subjects were in
 general entirely new1 or at least they 
had never been previously used as       
exercises in the school4 ,the children1 
however1 with all these disadvantages1  
were perfectly at home in each one of   
them4 ,there appeared to be no          
exhausting of their resources2 and the  

ease1 and copiousness1 and fluency of   
their language1 were remarked by all    
present1 as extraordinary1 and by some  
as almost incredible4 ,many who were    
present1 could scarcely believe that the
 children spoke extemporaneously4 ,all  
these phenomena were simply the effects 
of the principle of which we are here   
speaking1 regularly brought into        
operation1 in the weekly acts of drawing
 and applying their practical lessons4  
,the exhibition of so much mental power 
possessed by mere children1--and these  
children collected from the very        
humblest and rudest classes inhabiting a
 sea-port town1--appeared to be a       
circumstance altogether new4 ,the       
official persons present1 and the very  
,rev4 ,bishop ,russell1 who took an     
active part in the examination1         
expressed their decided satisfaction at 
the results of the whole experiment2 and
 the effects of these principles1 as    
illustrated by such children1 made the  
present ,lord ,murray remark publicly at

 the close of the meeting1 that it was  
obviously a valuable discovery1         
calculated to be extensively useful to  
society4  ,,footnotes3  #bh ,note ,z4   
,,part ,,iv4  ,,on ,,the ,,selection    
,,of ,,proper ,,truths ,,and ,,subjects 
,,to ,,be ,,taught ,,in ,,schools ,,and 
,,families4     ,,chap4 ,i4  ,on the    
,general ,principles which ought to     
regulate our choice of ,truths and      
,subjects to be taught to the ,young4   
,in all cases where our temporal        
interests are concerned1 a proper       
discrimination in the selection of such 
exercises and studies as shall best suit
 our purpose1 is considered as not only 
prudent1 but necessary4 ,the neglect of 
this would1 indeed1 by men of the world1
 be esteemed the height of folly4 ,no   
ship-master thinks of perfecting his    
apprentices by lectures on agriculture2 
nor does the farmer train his son and   
successor to cultivate the land1 by     
enforcing upon him the study of         
navigation4 ,in a public school1        

therefore1 when all classes of the      
community are to be taught1 the truths  
and exercises should be selected in such
 a manner1 that they shall1 if possible1
 be equally useful to all2 leaving the  
navigator and the agriculturist1 the    
surgeon and the lawyer1 to supplement   
their general education1 by the study of
 those special branches of learning     
which their several professions require4
  ,but even this is not enough3--,among 
those subjects and exercises in which   
all the children in a school may be     
equally interested1 there are many which
 are neither equally useful1 nor equally
 indispensable4 ,a thorough             
consideration1 and a careful selection  
of those which are most valuable in     
themselves1 and which are most likely to
 be useful during life1 become both     
prudent and necessary4 ,in all ordinary 
cases1 men act upon this principle4     
,health1 food1 and recreation1 are all  
good and useful things2 but even from   
among these we are sometimes compelled  

to make a choice1 and the principle of  
our decision is always the same4 ,when  
we cannot procure all1 we chuse those   
which appear to us the most necessary1  
and abandon the others without regret4  
,a man readily denies himself to sports 
and amusement1 when he finds that he    
must labour for a supply of food and    
necessaries2 and even the pleasures of  
the table are willingly sacrificed1 for 
the purpose of securing or restoring the
 blessings of health4 ,in like manner1  
those branches of education which are   
most important for securing the welfare 
of the pupils1 and most for the benefit 
of society1 ought to be selected and    
preferred before all others2 seeing that
 to neglect1 or wilfully to err in this 
matter1 would be injurious to the child1
 and unjust to the community4--,our     
object at present therefore is1 to      
enquire what those general principles   
are which ought to regulate us in our   
choice of subjects and exercises for the
 education of youth4  #a4 ,the first and

 fundamental rule which ought to guide  
the ,educationist and the ,parent in the
 selection of subjects for the school1  
is to chuse those which are to promote  
the happiness and welfare of the pupil  
himself2 without regard1 in the first   
instance at least1 to the interests or  
the ease of his friends1 of the teacher1
 or of any third party                  
whatever4--,children are not the        
property of their parents1 nor even of  
the community4 ,they are strictly and   
unalienably the property of the         
,almighty1 whose servants and stewards  
the parents and the public are4 ,the    
child's happiness and welfare are       
entirely his own2--the free gift of his 
,maker and ,master1 of which no man1    
without his full consent1 has a right to
 deprive him4 ,this happiness1 and the  
full enjoyment of what he receives1 both
 here and hereafter1 have been made to  
depend on his allegiance and his        
faithfulness1 not to his parents1 nor   
even to the public1 but to the great    

,lord of both4 ,this allegiance         
therefore1 is his first and chief       
concern1 with which the will and the    
wishes1 the interests or the ease1 of   
teachers and parents1 have nothing to   
do4 ,if the directions of his ,maker and
 ,lord are attended to1 he has nothing  
to fear4 ,there is in that case secured 
for him an inheritance that is          
incorruptible1 and far beyond the reach 
or the power of any creature4 ,it is for
 the enjoyment of this inheritance that 
he has been born2--it is with the design
 of attaining it1 and for increasing its
 amount1 that his time is prolonged upon
 earth2--it is to secure it for him1 and
 to prepare him for it1 that the parent 
has been appointed his guardian and     
guide2--and it is for the purpose of    
promoting and overseeing all this among 
its members1 that a visible church1 and 
church officers1 have been established  
and perpetuated in the world4  ,in so   
far as each individual child is         
concerned1 the parent is the immediate  

agent appointed by the ,almighty for    
attending to these objects2 and         
although1 in a matter of so much        
importance1 he is permitted to avail    
himself of the assistance of the        
teacher1 he1 and he only1 is responsible
 to ,god for the due performance of     
those momentous duties which he owes to 
his child4 ,when therefore the parents1 
for the purpose of forwarding some      
trifling personal advantage1 or the     
teacher1 for his own ease or caprice1   
are found indifferent to the kind of    
exercises used in the school1 or to the 
results of what is taught in it2--doing 
any thing1 or nothing1 provided the time
 is allowed to pass1 with at least the  
appearance of teaching2--they are1 in   
such a case1 betraying an important     
trust2 they are heedlessly frustrating  
the wishes1 and resisting the commands  
of their ,master and ,lord2 they are    
sapping the foundations of society2 and 
are thoughtlessly and basely defrauding 
the helpless and unconscious pupil of a 

most valuable patrimony4--,in committing
 to parents the keeping and             
administration of this sacred deposit1  
reason1 conscience1 and ,scripture1 all 
unite in declaring1 that it is given    
them1 not for the promotion of their own
 personal advantages1 but for the       
child's benefit2 and that1 while they   
never can be permanently bettered by its
 neglect1 their good1 even in this      
world1 will be best and most surely     
advanced by a faithful discharge of     
their duty to their offspring4  ,these  
remarks go to establish the general     
principle1 that the parent is not the   
proprietor1 but merely the guardian and 
the administrator of the child's        
interests4 ,these interests are of      
various kinds4 ,and although the above  
remarks refer chiefly to the spiritual  
and eternal advantages of the young1    
that circumstance arises merely from    
their superior value and importance4    
,the argument is equally conclusive in  
regard to every one of his temporal     

concerns4 ,for if both the parent and   
the child be the special property of    
,god1 and if the parent has been        
appointed by him as the conservator and 
guardian of the child's happiness1 he   
has no right either to lessen or to     
destroy it for any selfish purpose of   
his own4 ,in every case--even of        
discipline--he is bound to follow the   
command and the example given him by his
 ,father and ,master in heaven1 not to  
chastise his offspring for his own      
pleasure1 but for the child's profit4   
,the rule therefore which ought to      
regulate the parent1 and of course the  
,educationist1 in making choice of the  
subjects and exercises for the school1  
is1 that they shall really and          
permanently conduce to the pupil's      
welfare and happiness1 irrespective of  
the conflicting interests or wishes1    
either of the teacher1 the parent1 or   
the public4 ,these will usually be in   
harmony2 but as a general principle1 the
 exercises are to be chosen with        

reference to the welfare of the         
child1--not of the community4  #b4      
,another rule which ought to be attended
 to in the selection of subjects and    
exercises for the seminary1 is nearly   
allied to the former1 but which we      
think1 from its vast importance1 should 
have a separate consideration4 ,it is   
this1 that a decided preference should  
be given to every thing which advances  
the concerns of the soul1 above those of
 the body2--which prefers heaven to     
earth1--and eternity to time4--,man is  
an accountable and an immortal          
creature2--and therefore there is no    
more comparison between the value of    
those things which refer to his         
happiness in eternity1 and those which  
refer only to his enjoyments during his 
lifetime1 than there is between a drop  
of water and the contents of the        
ocean2--nay1 between a grain of sand and
 the whole physical universe4 ,the truth
 of this observation1 when viewed in the
 abstract1 is never questioned2 and yet 

the educational principles which it     
naturally suggests are too often jostled
 aside1 and practically neglected4 ,it  
plainly teaches us1 that the young ought
 to be made aware of the comparative    
nothingness of temporal and sensual     
objects1 when placed in competition with
 those which refer to their souls and   
eternity2 and that the subjects which   
are to be taught them in the school1    
should tend to produce these            
feelings4--,but this is not always the  
case2 and even when the subjects are in 
themselves unobjectionable1 the methods 
taken for teaching them frequently      
neutralize their effects4 ,the national 
evils which have arisen from this       
neglect are extensive and lamentable1   
consisting in an almost exclusive       
attention among all classes to temporal 
matters1 and to sensual gratifications4 
,these characteristic1 features in our  
people may all be traced1 from their    
exhibition in general society1 to the   
want of a thorough knowledge of those   

truths which tend so powerfully to      
deaden the influence of the things of   
sense and time1 and to moderate our     
pursuit after them4 ,it is in a         
particular manner at this point that the
 reckless cupidity1 and the debased and 
short-sighted selfishness of the lower  
classes1 ought to be met and removed1 by
 the enlightened and kindly instructions
 of more capacious minds4 ,society1 as  
at present constituted1 acts as if there
 were no futurity4 ,time is the eternity
 of thousands2 and therefore they think 
only of time4 ,had they1 as rational    
creatures1 but a correct view1--however 
faint1--of their destination in         
eternity1 their conduct and pursuits    
would very soon be changed1 and their   
selected enjoyments would become1 not   
only more rational1 but much more       
exquisite4 ,education is the instrument 
by which alone this can be effected1    
whether in the church or in the school2 
and to this point1 both parents and     
children should be assiduously directed 

for their own sakes1 and for the sake of
 the community4  ,hitherto there has in 
education been too much of the mere     
shadow of rational knowledge1 without   
the substance2 and the consequence has  
been1 that many parents in the lower    
classes have never been able to perceive
 their own best interests1 and therefore
 it is that their children by them have 
been equally neglected4 ,nor is this    
only a partial evil1 or confined to the 
lower classes4--,it is1 on the contrary1
 when we examine the matter closely1    
nearly universal4 ,among ignorant and   
thoughtless parents1 who are either     
unable or unwilling to look any further 
than the few short years of life1 the   
training of their children to figure    
respectably and gracefully during it1   
may not perhaps excite much wonder2--but
 that such conduct should be followed by
 ,christian parents1 who know that both 
they and their children have souls1 and 
that there is such a thing as eternity  
before them both1 is truly humbling4    

,nor is it much for the credit of the   
philosophy of the present day1 that     
while its promoters admit as an axiom   
the superiority of moral and religious  
attainments1 they are found in practice 
to bestow their chief attention1 and to 
lavish most of their approbation on     
physical investigations and on          
intellectual pursuits4 ,every sound     
thinker must see1 that by doing so1 the 
first principles of philosophy are      
violated2 and many well meaning persons 
are1 by this inverted state of public   
opinion1 insensibly drawn away from the 
more valuable food provided for them as 
responsible and immortal beings1 to feed
 on the mere chaff and garbage of       
temporal and sensual enjoyments2 or the 
more valuable1 but still temporary      
crumbs of the intellectual table4 ,that 
this practical abuse of acknowledged    
truths should be found among the        
ignorant and the depraved1 might perhaps
 be expected2 but that it should be     
witnessed1 and yet winked at1 by men of 

learning and study1 whose comprehensive 
minds1 although still inadequate to     
comprehend the full import of an        
eternity of advancing knowledge1 can yet
 appreciate the comparative             
insignificance of seventy--nay of       
seventy thousand--years' investigation  
into the mysteries of ,nature1 is very  
painful4 ,we do not1 in saying this1    
depreciate in the slightest degree the  
sublime discoveries which are daily     
being made of the ,almighty and his     
works2--but we say1 upon the soundest   
principles of philosophy1 that were all 
these discoveries multiplied ten        
thousand times1 they could not for a    
moment compete with what yet remains to 
be communicated to the successful       
aspirant after the revelations of       
eternity4 ,religion and morals are the  
only means by which success in that     
great competition can be gained2 and    
therefore1 to a child1 a knowledge of   
all that man has yet discovered1 or can 
ever know in this imperfect state of    

existence1 is really as nothing1 in     
comparison with the knowledge and       
practice of but one religious truth1 or 
with the slightest advance in the       
science of morals4--,a child once       
possessed of a living soul is born for  
eternity4 ,its happiness has been made  
to depend1 not on the possession of     
physical good1 or of intellectual power1
 but entirely on its moral              
condition2--and the physical good it    
receives1 and the intellectual power it 
attains2 are nothing more than means    
intended by the ,almighty to be used for
 the purpose of perfecting his moral    
condition while he is still in this     
world4 ,the whole period of his         
existence here1 is but the moment of his
 birth for eternity4 ,care and          
enlightened attention to his moral      
condition during that short period of   
probation1 will usher him spiritually   
alive and fully prepared for enjoying an
 eternal weight of intelligence and     
glory2--while inattention1 or           

misdirected activity now1 may no doubt  
put him prematurely in possession of a  
few intellectual morsels of this eternal
 feast1 but it will assuredly shut him  
out from its everlasting enjoyment1 and 
will entail on him comparative          
ignorance1 and a living death for ever4 
,in this view of the case then1--and    
what ,christian will deny that it is the
 correct one1--there cannot be a more   
short-sighted proposition suggested in  
the counsels of men1 than that which    
would sanction a system of education for
 an immortal being1 that either         
overlooked1 or deliberately set aside1  
his well-being in eternity4 ,the very   
idea is monstrous4 ,it is a deliberate  
levelling of man to the rank of mere    
sentient animals2 and is another form of
 expressing the ancient advice of the   
sensualist1 ,let us eat and drink1 for  
to-morrow we die4 ,by every person of   
learning1 then1 and even by individuals 
of humbler attainments1 in the exercise 
of a plain common understanding1 the    

importance of the rule in education     
which we are here recommending1 must at 
once be admitted2--,that in the         
selection of truths and exercises for   
educating and training the young1 a     
decided preference should always be     
given to those which have a reference to
 their well-being and happiness1 not in 
time so much as in eternity4  #c4 ,in   
selecting subjects and exercises for the
 education of the young1 those are to be
 preferred1 by which the largest amount 
of true and solid happiness is to be    
secured to the pupil4--,a man's         
happiness is his only possession4 ,every
 thing else which he has1 is only the   
means which he employs for the purpose  
of acquiring or retaining it4 ,happiness
 accordingly1 by the very constitution  
of our nature1 is the great object of   
pursuit by every man4#bi ,the means of  
happiness are no doubt frequently       
mistaken1 and often substituted for     
happiness itself4 ,but even these       
conflicting circumstances1 when properly

 considered1 all tend to shew1 that     
happiness is the great object desired1  
and that it is universally sought after 
by every intelligent mind4 ,by a wise   
and beneficent arrangement of the       
,almighty1 it has been so ordered1 that 
happiness is to be found only in the    
exercise of the affections2--and the    
amount of the happiness which they      
confer1 is found to be proportionate to 
the excellence of the object beloved4   
,the love of ,god himself1 accordingly1 
is the first of duties1 and includes the
 perfection of happiness4 ,the love of  
all that are like him1 and in proportion
 as they are so1 ranks next in the      
scale2 and hence it is1 that all moral  
excellence1--the culture of the         
affections and the heart1--is to be     
preferred to intellectual attainments1  
as these again are to take precedence of
 mere physical good4  ,this established 
order for the attainment of happiness1  
is in society most strangely inverted4  
,beauty1 strength1 honour1 and          

riches1--mere physical qualities1--are  
generally preferred to the qualities of 
the mind2--and mental attainments1      
again1 too often command more           
consideration than moral worth4 ,this is
 altogether an unnatural state of       
things2 and the consequences of its     
prevalence in any community1 must be    
proportionally disastrous4 ,how far the 
modes for conducting the education of   
the young hitherto have tended to extend
 or perpetuate this error1 it is not for
 us here to say4 ,but if they have1 the 
sooner the evil is rectified the better4
 ,happiness1 as we have said1 is the    
single aim of man1--however he may      
mistake its nature1 or the means by     
which it is to be attained4 ,and as it  
is to be found1 not in intellectual     
power1 nor in the possession of physical
 good1 but only in moral culture1 it    
follows1 that the attainment of this    
moral excellence should be the one chief
 design aimed at in the education of the
 young4  ,the benevolence and wisdom of 

this arrangement are obvious4 ,for had  
happiness been made to depend on the    
possession of intellectual power1 few   
comparatively could have commanded the  
time and means which are necessary for  
the purpose2 and had it been attached to
 the possession of riches1 or honour1 or
 any other species of physical good1    
there would have been still fewer4 ,but 
it is not necessarily attached to the   
possession of either4 ,men may enjoy    
riches and honours1 beauty and health1  
and yet they may be unhappy4 ,the       
highest mental attainments also1 when   
disjoined from moral excellence1 tend   
only1 as in the fallen angels1 to       
stimulate their pride1 and to aggravate 
their misery4 ,but happiness is         
exclusively and unalterably attached to 
the cultivation of the affections1--to  
the acquisition of moral excellence2--so
 that it is equally within the reach of 
every individual1 however obscure1 or   
however talented4 ,few men can be       
intellectually great1--fewer still can  

be rich or powerful2 but every man may1 
if he pleases1 be good1--and therefore  
happy4 ,in choosing the subjects and    
exercises then for the education of the 
young1 those which tend to the          
production and to the cultivation of the
 moral affections1--love to ,god1 and   
love to men1--are always to be preferred
 to those which have relation merely to 
the attainment of intellectual          
acquirements1 or the possession of mere 
physical good4  #d4 ,in choosing        
subjects and exercises for the education
 of the young1 reference should be had1 
all other things being equal1 to the    
prosperity and welfare of the community 
in general4--,we have already shewn     
that1 under ,god1 the happiness and     
welfare of every individual are his own 
special property1 and must in all cases1
 therefore1 be at his special disposal4 
,no ordinary combination of             
circumstances will ever warrant an      
unjust encroachment on what is so       
peculiarly his own4 ,but the happiness  

and welfare of an individual are almost 
uniformly found to be connected with the
 happiness and prosperity of those with 
whom he has to associate4 ,the          
,educationist1 therefore1 ought to have 
the welfare of the community in view1   
while he is selecting those exercises   
which are specially to benefit his      
pupil2 and he will almost invariably    
find1 that by choosing those subjects   
and exercises for the individual1 which 
will tend most surely to promote the    
general well-being of society1 he will  
not only not require a sacrifice of any 
of the personal benefits to which the   
child has a claim1 but that he will     
greatly increase their amount1 and add  
to their value4 ,when this is the case1 
to overlook the good of the community in
 selecting exercises and subjects for   
the school1 would be of no advantage to 
the pupils1 and would be an act of      
positive injustice to the public at     
large4  ,these general principles1 we   
think1 when considered singly1 must     

approve themselves to every thinking    
mind2 and if so1 they must be still more
 beneficial when they are combined1 and 
acted upon systematically in the        
preliminary arrangements of any         
seminary4 ,the nearer1 therefore1 the   
,educationist can keep to them in making
 his selection of subjects and          
exercises1 the better will it be both   
for the pupil and for the community at  
large1 while the benefits expected from 
an exercise where there is any material 
deviation from them1 will most probably 
turn out to be delusive1 and the        
exercise itself detected as the mere    
bequest of an antiquated prejudice1 or  
the temporary idol of fashion4 ,these   
principles being admitted to be sound in
 the abstract1 will greatly assist us in
 deciding upon the relative value and   
appropriateness of some of the          
propositions which we shall immediately 
have to submit to the reader2 and we    
would here only remark1 for his         
guidance1 that if1 in the following     

recommendations1 he finds an exercise   
correctly to accord with the above      
principles1 while he yet hesitates as to
 the propriety of its adoption in the   
school1 or feels inclined to accede to  
its exclusion1--he ought1 in such a     
case1 carefully to review the grounds of
 his decision1 as these are most likely 
to be erroneous4 ,he has good reason to 
suspect that he is labouring under      
prejudice1 or is unduly biassed by long 
cherished opinions1 when he refuses the 
legitimate application of a general     
law1--a law which he has previously     
admitted to be sound1--and which is as  
likely to be applicable to the case in  
hand1 as to any other of a similar kind4
  ,,footnotes3  #bi ,note ,r4           
,,chap4 ,,ii4  ,on the particular       
,branches of ,education required for    
,elementary ,schools4   ,in making      
choice of suitable subjects for the     
education of a community1 there are two 
considerations which ought to regulate  
us in our selection4 ,the one is1 the   

indications of ,nature respecting any   
branch of education2 and the other is1  
the peculiar usages of the place and    
persons with whom the pupil is destined 
to associate4 ,as an example of the     
former class of subjects1 we may        
instance reading and writing2 and of the
 latter1 book-keeping and the classics4 
,the branches belonging to the former   
will be found more or less useful to all
 without exception2 while those which   
rank under the second class1 although   
requisite for some1 will be found       
unnecessary1 and generally useless1 to  
many4 ,from the character of the present
 work1 our business is chiefly with the 
former class2 and we shall therefore    
advert very shortly to a few of them1   
pointing out the intimations of ,nature 
respecting them1 and giving a few hints 
as to the best methods by which they may
 be taught4  ,and first of all1         
,religion and ,morals are clearly       
pointed out by ,nature as a branch of   
education peculiarly necessary for the  

young4 ,on this we shall not here again 
enlarge1 but shall merely refer the     
reader to some of our previous pages1   
where it has been made sufficiently     
clear4#cj  ,next in importance as a     
branch of education plainly indicated by
 ,nature1 we ought to rank the          
principles of ,natural ,philosophy4 ,we 
say next in importance1 not in time2    
because they are evidently not to be    
taught to the child in this order1      
although it will be found in experience 
that these principles may be            
communicated by successive steps much   
sooner than is generally thought4#ca    
,nature begins early2 and so should we4 
,the very infant becomes practically a  
natural philosopher1 and continues to   
act regularly upon the truths or        
principles which experience enables him 
to detect4 ,he soon learns that flame   
burns1 that clothes keep his body warm1 
that stumbling will cause a fall1 and   
that the support of a chair or stool    
will prevent it4 ,as he grows up he     

learns the danger of handling sharp     
knives1 hot irons1 and burning coals2 he
 learns to detect some of the effects of
 the mechanical powers1 which he        
frequently applies1 although he cannot  
explain them4 ,this we perceive         
exemplified in his ingenious            
contrivances in cutting his sticks1     
wrenching with forks1 hammering with    
stones1 kicking with his toes1 and      
afterwards more powerfully with his     
heels2 in trundling his hoop1 in sailing
 his mimic fleets by the force of his   
breath1 and in adapting to the requisite
 moving powers his wind and water mills4
 ,he even learns to know something of   
the composition of forces1 as we        
perceive by his contrivances in the     
flying of his kite1 the shooting of his 
marbles1 and the rebounding of his ball4
 ,now1 as these adaptations are never to
 be ranked under the class of           
instinctive actions1 but have been in   
every case acquired by actual           
experience1 it shews1 that there is an  

outgoing of the mind in search of       
principles1 and we think it is probable1
 that these principles are often1       
although perhaps but dimly perceived1   
from the various1 and frequently        
successful contrivances of the child in 
difficulties1 and in circumstances when 
he is desirous of procuring relief4     
,this at all events shews us1 that      
children are very early prepared1 and   
capable of receiving instruction of this
 kind4  ,the importance attached by     
,nature to this branch of learning1 is  
not less remarkable1 than is its        
universality4 ,it is the great hinge    
upon which every temporal comfort of the
 individual is made to turn4 ,what we   
have here termed natural philosophy1 is 
to the body and to time1 what religion  
and morals are to the soul and          
eternity2--the well-being of both       
depends almost entirely upon the proper 
application of their several principles4
 ,it is no doubt true1 that the         
principles are not always very clearly  

perceived2 but it is equally true1 that 
the application of these principles will
 be more easy1 more frequent1 and much  
more effective1 when they are made      
familiar by teaching4 ,hence the        
importance of this branch of education  
for the young4  ,next in importance as  
branches of education1 and prior perhaps
 in point of time1 come the arts of     
,reading and ,writing4--,speech is a    
valuable gift of ,nature1 bestowed upon 
us for the communication of our ideas1  
and writing is nothing more than a      
successful imitation of ,nature in doing
 so4 ,the hearing of speech1 in like    
manner1 is closely copied in the art of 
reading4 ,these two arts1 therefore1 as 
most successful imitations of ,nature1  
recommend themselves at once to the     
notice of the teacher as an important   
branch of education for the young4 ,the 
one enabling him to speak with the hand1
 and to communicate his ideas to his    
friend from any distance2 and the other1
 the art of hearing by the eye1 and by  

which he can make the good and the wise 
speak to him as often and as long as he 
may feel inclined4#cb  ,of ,arithmetic1 
we may only remark1 that the necessity  
of sometimes ascertaining the number of 
objects1 of adding to their number1 and 
at other times of subtracting from them1
 indicates sufficiently that this is a  
branch of education recommended by      
,nature4 ,it may only be necessary here 
to remark1 that1 from various concurring
 circumstances1 it appears1 that what is
 called the ,denary ,scale is that which
 is most conducive to general utility4  
,as to the nature of ,arithmetic1 and   
the best methods of teaching it1 we must
 refer to the ,note4#cc  ,music is one  
of ,nature's best gifts4 ,the love of it
 is almost universal2 and few           
comparatively are unable to relish and  
practise it4 ,its effect in elevating   
and refining the sentiments in civilized
 society1 is matter of daily            
observation2 and its power to soothe the
 savage breast1 has been often verified4

 ,to neglect the cultivation of music1  
therefore1 during childhood and youth1  
when it can be best done1 not only      
without interference with other branches
 of study1 but with decided advantage in
 forwarding them1 is both imprudent and 
unjust4 ,we say that it is unjust2--for 
while much ingenuity and large sums of  
money have been expended in producing   
musical instruments for the             
gratification of men1 the child of the  
poorest beggar is in possession of an   
instrument in the human voice1 which for
 sweetness1 variety1 expression1 and    
above all1 for its adaptation to        
language1 has never been equalled1 and  
stands quite unapproachable by all the  
contrivances of man4 ,how cruel then in 
parents or teachers to allow an         
instrument so noble and so valuable to  
fall to ruin from the want of exercise6 
,it is to deprive their pupil of a      
constant solace in affliction1 and to   
dry up one of the cheapest1 the         
readiest1 and the most innocent and     

elevating sources both of personal and  
social enjoyment4 ,of its uses1 and     
methods of teaching in the school1 we   
must again refer to the ,notes4#cd      
,dancing is obviously the sister of     
music1 and is perhaps equally sanctioned
 by ,nature4 ,it is obviously capable of
 being consecrated and employed for high
 moral purposes2 and its abuse therefore
 should form no argument against its    
regular cultivation4 ,that it was so    
employed by the appointment of ,god     
himself1 is matter of history2 and that 
it is still capable of being preserved  
from abuse1 cannot reasonably be denied4
 ,the stand that has so frequently been 
made against even the innocent enjoyment
 of this boon of ,nature1 is now        
admitted to be a prejudice1 derived     
originally from its flagrant and        
frequent abuse4 ,these prejudices are   
gradually and silently melting away2 and
 it is cheering to see the better       
feelings of our nature effectively      
advancing the art to its legitimate     

place in education1 under the guise of  
gymnastics and callisthenics4 ,that     
these1 however1 are but imperfect       
substitutes for what ,nature has        
intended for the young1 is obvious1 when
 we contrast them with the gambols of   
the kitten1 the friskings of the lamb1  
and the unrestrained romps of healthy   
children newly let loose from the       
school4 ,the truth is1 that the         
accumulation of the animal spirits must 
be thrown off by exercise1 whether the  
parent or teacher wills it or no2 and if
 the children are not taught to do this 
by rule1 as in dancing1 they will do it 
without rule1 and perhaps beyond the    
proper limit1 both as to time1 place1   
and quantity4 ,education indeed cannot  
be expected to flourish to the extent   
desired1 till the mental labours of the 
school can be occasionally relieved by  
some physical exercise1 either within   
doors1 or in the open air4#ce  ,the love
 of pictures and of ,drawing is also a  
boon bestowed upon us by ,nature1 and is

 a desirable acquisition for the young4 
,the art may generally be acquired with 
little trouble1 and often with great    
enjoyment4 ,it is certainly neither so  
necessary1 nor so valuable1 as some of  
the branches of which we have been      
speaking2 but as it may be easily       
attained1 and as its future exercise    
will always be a source of innocent and 
refined enjoyment1 it ought to occupy a 
place in every educational institution4 
,almost every person is gratified by    
looking upon a good picture2 and few    
comparatively are unable to acquire the 
rudiments of the art which produces     
them4 ,it requires but little teaching1 
provided good copies be procured2--and  
even these will be frequently           
unnecessary1 where the pupils are       
encouraged to copy from ,nature4 ,the   
proper methods of doing this1 however1  
must be left to the circumstances of the
 school1 and to future experiments4     
,with respect to the teaching of        
,history1 a little consideration will   

convince us1 that it does not consist in
 the mere communication of historical   
facts4 ,history is1 or ought to be1 a   
science2 and the succession of events is
 nothing more than the implements       
employed by the master in teaching it4  
,the facts of history1 like those of    
chemistry1 agriculture1 or mechanics1   
are taught merely as means to an        
end4--,they are the elements from which 
we derive principles1 which are to be   
practically applied by the learner2 and 
it is the ability to apply these that   
constitutes the learning4 ,the facts    
upon which any science is based1 must no
 doubt be known before it can be        
taught2--but they may be known without  
the science having ever been mastered3  
,for it is not a knowledge of the facts1
 but the capacity to make use of them1  
that entitles a man to the appellation  
of a chemist1 an agriculturist1 a       
mechanic1 or a historian4  ,viewing the 
study of history in this light1 we at   
once perceive1 that the teaching which  

it requires is not a dry detail of dates
 and circumstances2--but the practical  
uses which ought to be made of them4    
,the only legitimate use of history is  
to direct us how we ought to conduct    
ourselves as citizens1 and how rulers   
and governors can most safely and       
successfully manage the affairs of the  
public1 in all the varying events of    
political change4 ,the teacher therefore
 is to communicate the facts1 for the   
purpose of turning them to use1 by      
drawing1 and teaching his pupils how to 
draw lessons of prudence1 energy1 or    
caution1 as regards the nation2--in the 
same way that ,biography is taught for  
the sake of drawing lessons of a more   
personal kind1 as regards a family or a 
neighbourhood4 ,both were practically   
exhibited in the experiment in          
,aberdeen2 by which it was made obvious1
 that children1 as well as adults1 were 
capable of studying it4 ,where the      
circumstances of a seminary will admit1 
it ought not to be neglected4 ,the mere 

inconveniences which may for some time  
attend the introduction of such a mode  
of teaching history is no good reason   
for its neglect2 and the want of        
practical elementary books drawn up upon
 this plan1 in the form of successive   
,steps1 is the chief desideratum1 which 
we hope soon to see supplied4           
,geography is another branch of         
education pointed out to us by ,nature  
for the benefit of man4 ,we speak here1 
however1 of physical geography1 and not 
of the historical and political         
departments of it4 ,these belong more   
properly to history4 ,the chief object  
in teaching this science1 is to convey  
to the mind of the pupil a correct idea 
of this world as a sphere1 on the top of
 which he stands1 and of the relative   
positions of all the kingdoms and       
countries on its surface4 ,this will be1
 and it ought to be1 a work of time4    
,the more correctly and familiarly the  
pupil can form the idea of this sphere  
as a whole1 the sooner and the better   

will he become acquainted with its      
parts4 ,acting upon the principles of   
reiteration and analysis1 formerly      
described1 the pupil ought to sketch1   
however rudely1 the great outlines of   
the four divisions of the earth1 upon a 
blank1 or slate globe1 till he can do so
 with some degree of correctness4 ,the  
separated divisions may then be sketched
 on a common slate1 without caring as   
yet for the details2 and when this can  
be accomplished readily1 the same thing 
may be done with the different kingdoms 
of which they are severally composed4   
,the child ought never to be harassed by
 the minute details1 till he comes to   
sketch the countries1 or the counties4  
,what is required before this1 is their 
relative position1 more than their form2
 and this1 upon the principle of        
analysis1 will be easiest and most      
permanently acquired by mastering in the
 first place the great outlines4        
,children1 by mere imitation1 will      
practically acquire the art of ,grammar1

 long before they are capable of        
learning it as a science4 ,it ought     
invariably to be taught by ,steps2 and  
the child should have a perfect         
knowledge of the etymological part1     
before he is allowed to advance to      
syntax4 ,the efficiency of this         
concluding part of grammar1 depends     
entirely upon his familiarity with the  
former4 ,it will therefore be found     
here1 as in the practice of arithmetic1 
that the prize will ultimately be       
awarded1 not to him who expends most    
labour and strength in running1 but to  
him who has made the best preparation   
for the race4  ,the art of ,composition1
 or the ability to express our thoughts 
in an orderly and natural form1 is the  
last branch of education to which1 as   
recommended by ,nature1 we shall here   
allude4 ,the perfection of this art     
appears to depend on three              
circumstances4 ,there must be a clear   
understanding of the subject upon which 
the person is to write2--there must1 in 

the second place1 be a distinct         
perception of the most natural order in 
which it ought to be presented to the   
mind and imagination of others2--and the
 third is1 an ability to manage these   
materials with facility1 and without    
distraction of mind1 while engaged in   
writing them4 ,as to the first of these 
three1 nothing requires to be said here1
 as the exercises recommended in the    
previous part of this ,treatise will    
almost invariably accomplish it4 ,with  
respect to the second1 that of          
presenting the ideas connected with the 
subject in due and proper order1 it may 
be remarked1 that the hints formerly    
given1 as to the natural order of       
grouping objects to be presented to the 
imagination1 will be of great use here1 
and to them we must refer2#cf--;and the 
third object here required1 that of     
managing the thoughts at the moment of  
writing them1 has been in effect already
 described and treated of1 in a previous
 part of this ,treatise4#cg ,it is the  

same kind of ability as that which is   
required for acquiring fluency and ease 
in extemporaneous speaking1 and is to be
 gained by the use of the same means4   
,it is here only necessary to observe1  
that abstract teaching and general      
directions are not the things most      
required for forwarding a child in this 
branch of his education4 ,these1 at an  
advanced stage of his learning1 will no 
doubt be of service2 but till the pupil 
can write with some degree of freedom1  
they are in a great measure useless1 or 
worse4 ,what is wanted most in our      
elementary schools1 is a successful     
beginning2--suitable exercises to assist
 the pupil in writing his own thoughts  
properly1 but in his own way4 ,many     
methods have been devised to effect     
this1 and with more or less             
success2--but we believe the most       
efficient1 because the most natural and 
simple1 is that which has been engrafted
 upon the paraphrastic exercise4 ,in    
regard to its ease1 it is only necessary

 to say1 that a child who can but write 
a sentence1 may begin to practise       
it2--and its efficiency may be argued   
from the fact1 that while every step is 
progressive1 the advanced exercises give
 ample scope for the abilities of the   
cleverest in the school4#ch             
,,footnotes3  #cj ,see ,part ,,ii4 chap4
 x4 p4 #aaa4 ,part ,,iii4 chap4 ix4 p4  
#beg1 and p4 #caj-cac4 ,for the methods 
of teaching1 see ,note ,s4  #ca ,note   
,t4  #cb ,note ,u4  #cc ,note ,v4  #cd  
,note ,w4  #ce ,note ,a a4  #cf ,see    
pages #bae1 #baf4  #cg ,see ,pages #big1
 c4     ,,chap ,,iii4  ,on the ,easiest 
,methods of ,introducing these          
,principles1 for the first time1 into   
,schools already established4   ,that   
the educational principles attempted to 
be developed in the preceding pages1    
shall ultimately pervade the great      
fields of ,elementary learning1 admits  
we think of but little doubt2 and yet   
the diminutive word ,when8 in relation  
to this change1 forms a question1 which 

it would be extremely difficult to      
answer4 ,every improvement of the kind  
hitherto has been gradual2 and          
experience shews1 that the admission of 
the most important principles in        
,science1 has been often retarded1      
rather than forwarded1 by undue         
precipitation on the part of their      
friends4 ,it is with this historical    
fact in view that the following hints   
are now offered1 in order to render any 
sudden change unnecessary1 and to enable
 teachers gradually to feel their way to
 greater success by new methods1 without
 making any material change for some    
time on the old4 ,we speak advisedly    
when we say1 that two half hours daily1 
if regularly and honestly employed in   
working out these principles in a       
school1 will do more real good in       
forwarding the education of the pupils  
attending it1 than all the rest of the  
day put together4 ,this portion of time1
 divided between the two parts of the   
day1 would not materially interfere with

 the usual routine of any seminary1     
which might still be proceeded with as  
before1 till the teacher saw his way    
more clearly in enlarging the exercises1
 and extending the time4  ,younger      
,classes4--,with respect to the young   
children who are as yet incapable of    
understanding by reading1 we would      
advise that they be repeatedly exercised
 by a monitor in sections of four or    
five1 during not more than ten or       
fifteen minutes at a time1 by means of  
the ,scripture ,groupings for children4 
,the ,key to that little book will      
enable any monitor1 or even scholar1 who
 can read1 efficiently to perform this  
duty4 ,the design here is chiefly mental
 exercise2 but with that mental         
exercise1 the most important and        
valuable information may be             
communicated4 ,the monitor is to        
announce a sentence1 and then to        
catechise on it1 taking care to avoid   
all ,catechetical ,wanderings1#ci and   
confining himself strictly to the       

sentence announced1 from which the child
 in that case will always be able to    
bring his answer4  ,when a section has  
been mastered1 the children may be      
encouraged to tell the story in their   
own way1 the monitor taking care that   
the child is not reiterating the words1 
instead of the ideas4 ,a few of the     
moral circumstances may also be         
presented to their minds1 and the       
lessons drawn and applied according to  
their capacity4  ,second                
,classes4--,where the children are      
capable of reading1 they may get a      
section of the ,groupings1 or of any of 
the ,first ,steps1 to read at home4 ,on 
this they ought to be catechised in     
school1 before reading it there1 to see 
whether it has been previously read and 
understood or not4 ,this preparation    
ought to be strictly enforced4 ,they may
 then read it by sentences in turn1 be  
catechised upon it1 have the moral      
circumstances separated1 and the lessons
 drawn and applied4 ,one section should 

in general be thoroughly known and      
mastered1 before passing to another2 and
 all the previous sections should be    
frequently and extensively revised1     
chiefly by the application of their     
several lessons4  ,higher               
,classes4--,the whole school1 with the  
exception perhaps of the very young     
classes1 may be taken together1 and     
catechised on some section of one of the
 ,steps1 or on a passage of ,scripture  
previously prescribed4 ,this they ought 
each to read and understand at home1 and
 be prepared to paraphrase it1 to       
separate the moral circumstances1 and to
 draw the corresponding lessons4#dj     
,this will in a short time be easy for  
them2 and to ensure the preparation1 the
 name of each pupil ought to be kept on 
a separate card1 and these being        
shuffled1 the teacher1 after asking the 
question at the whole1 may take the     
upmost card1 and require that child to  
answer it4 ,all must in that case be    
prepared1 as none can know but he may be

 the person who shall be called on      
publicly to answer4 ,the application of 
the lessons will be found the most      
useful1 and to the children the most    
interesting part of this exercise4 ,in  
this the teacher supposes a             
circumstance1 or situation1             
corresponding to the lesson drawn1 in   
which the pupils may be placed2 and he  
requires them to say how they ought to  
act in such a case4 ,when they give     
their opinion1 they must then give their
 authority2 that is1 they must refer to 
the lesson1 and through the lesson1 to  
the ,scripture truth from which it was  
drawn4  ,natural ,philosophy4--,in      
teaching the principles of ,natural     
,philosophy1 a select class may be      
formed1 more circumscribed as to number1
 and from among the more advanced       
scholars4 ,to these1 a section1 or part 
of section1 of the ,first ,step to      
,natural ,philosophy1 is to be given to 
prepare at home1--to understand1 and to 
be ready to draw and apply the          

lessons1--in a manner similar to that   
prescribed above1 and as illustrated in 
the ,key to that work4  ,writing4--,in  
teaching the art of ,writing1 upon the  
preceding principles1 the chief object  
is to train the pupils easily and       
readily to write down their own         
thoughts4 ,to accomplish this1 a certain
 portion of their time may be occupied  
as follows4 ,the teacher reads a        
sentence1 or a paragraph1 or1 what will 
perhaps be better1 a short story1 or    
anecdote1 and requires the whole of them
 to write it down in their books for    
after examination4 ,these of course are 
to be examined and corrected1 with any  
necessary remarks by the teacher or     
assistant4--,in this exercise1 there is 
no necessity for circumscribing the     
pupils as to time1--it being required   
that they write accurately1             
grammatically1 and neatly1 whether in   
large or small text4 ,to all those who  
are first finished1 some other exercise 
ought to be provided that they may in   

that manner usefully occupy the time    
that may remain of their hour4          
,arithmetic4--,the introduction of the  
,arithmetic ,rod1 and its ,key1 into a  
school1 will be productive of many      
advantages4#da ,the line of figures upon
 the ,a side of the ,rod1 being painted 
on a board in sight of the whole school1
 and which is never required to be      
altered1 the teacher has only to        
announce a sum to be added to each of   
the figures2 the first pupil that is    
done1 deposits his slate on a table1    
stool1 or form1 and goes to his place2  
the next places his slate above his1 and
 the others in the same way as they     
finish4 ,the answer in the ,key will    
shew their accuracy1 and the order in   
which their slates lie points out their 
respective merits4 ,another very        
important object is gained by this      
exercise2 for the teacher1 by recording 
the time taken by any one of the pupils 
in adding a particular sum to the line1 
can measure by the watch the rate of his

 improvement every month1 every week1 or
 even every day4 ,the parents of any    
child1 by means of the ,rod and its     
,key1 can also do this at home with     
perfect exactness4  ,these hints for the
 regulation of teachers are thrown out  
with great deference1 as they have not  
been sufficiently tested by actual      
experiments4 ,teachers1 however1 will be
 able1 each for himself1 according to   
the circumstances of his school1 and the
 capacities of his children1 to adopt   
such parts as he finds most effective2  
and so to modify others1 that the end   
shall perhaps be more efficiently       
gained1 than by strictly adhering to any
 one of them4--,education in all its    
parts is yet in its infancy2 and these  
crude hints can only be expected to help
 it forward to maturity4  ,,footnotes3  
#ch ,see ,key to ,second ,initiatory    
,catechism1 pages xxi4  xxii4  #ci ,see 
,complete ,directory for ,sunday ,school
 ,teachers1 vol4 i4 p4 #bgh4  #dj ,for  
these exercises the ,teacher or monitor 

will find himself greatly assisted by   
means of the ,helps to ,genesis1 ,luke1 
,acts1 c4 where1 besides the lessons1   
all the explanations are given in the   
form of a paraphrase4  #da ,see ,note   
,v4   ,,the ,,end4     ,,notes   ,note  
,a1 pages #de and #ee4--;,it may perhaps
 be reasonably objected to this term of 
,reiteration1 that it is a new term for 
an act of the mind which has already    
received another name4 ,the ,author's   
excuse is two-fold4 ,in the first place1
 he thinks1 that any other term which he
 could have employed1 might have been   
misunderstood1 as writers are not as yet
 at one on the subject4 ,but1 secondly1 
no other term would have included so    
fully all that he intends to designate  
by the act of ,reiteration4 ,in this he 
may be mistaken2 but as it is of little 
consequence by what name an object may  
be called1 provided the thing so named  
be properly defined1 he thought it      
safest to apply the term he best        
understood1 and which1 in his opinion1  

most correctly describes the act itself4
  ,the same thing may be said of the    
terms1 ,individuation1 ,grouping1 and   
,classification1 which may perhaps be   
nothing more than ,abstraction1         
,combination1 and ,generalization4 ,his 
misconception of those latter terms1 and
 of what is included in them1 may have  
led him to think that the mental        
operations which he has perceived in the
 young are different4 ,if so1 there can 
be little harm in using the terms here  
adopted2 but if1 on the contrary1 they  
do really include more1 it would have   
been hurtful to use a term which had    
been previously defined1 and which did  
not include the whole that was intended4
   ,note ,b1 p4 #ef4--;,it may be a     
question1 but one certainly of little   
practical consequence1 whether we ought 
to place the principle of               
,individuation1 or this of ,reiteration1
 first in order4 ,the child1 no doubt1  
fixes upon the individual object before 
he can reiterate it2 but it is still    

this act of reiteration that first      
impresses the idea on the mind1 and     
constitutes it a part of his knowledge4 
,note ,c1 p4 #eh4--;,it may be proper   
here to explain once for all1 that it is
 not the intention of the ,author1 as   
indeed he has not the ability1 to define
 scientifically the mental processes    
which he thinks he has observed in the  
young4 ,his object is simply to point   
them out1 so that they may be           
successfully imitated by the teacher in 
the exercises of the school4   ,note ,d1
 p4 #fj4--,the fact1 that children who  
learn to repeat words without           
understanding them1 do sometimes acquire
 the meaning of them afterwards1 is no  
valid objection to the accuracy of this 
statement4 ,repeated experiments1 in    
various forms1 and with different       
persons1 have established the important 
fact1 that when children at any future  
period master the ideas contained in the
 words which they had previously        
committed to memory1 it is not because  

of that exercise1 but in spite of it4   
,they have attained them by another1 and
 a perfectly different process4 ,it is  
generally by reading the words from the 
memory1--thinking them over1--and in    
that way searching for1 and reiterating 
the ideas they contain4 ,this is much   
more difficult than when the person     
reads for the first time the same words 
from a book2 and it has this serious    
disadvantage1 that it has to be read    
from the memory every time the ideas are
 required1 which is not the case when   
the ideas are reiterated in the natural 
way by hearing1 or by reading4--,on this
 subject see the ,experiment made before
 the ,clergy and ,teachers of ,stirling1
 in ,july #ahcc1 with ,blind ,alick of  
that place1 who could repeat the whole  
,bible2--and the ,supplementary         
,experiment to ascertain the same       
principle1 made in the ,house of        
,correction in ,belfast1 before the     
,teachers and ,clergymen of that town1  
in ,december #ahcg4   ,note ,e1 p4      

#hc4--,perhaps it may be found1 that    
,grouping1 and ,classification1 are only
 different manifestations of the same   
principle4 ,but even if it were so1 it  
would have been necessary here to treat 
of them separately1 on account of the   
very different uses made of them by     
,nature4 ,the present1 be it observed1  
is not a metaphysical treatise1 but a   
humble attempt to be popularly          
useful4--,see ,note ,c4   ,note ,f1 p4  
#aje4--,this principle may by some be   
considered as instinct1 and others may  
affirm that it is reason4 ,all that we  
require to do here is to point out the  
phenomenon1--not to define it4 ,the name
 is of little consequence4 ,it is the   
principle itself1 as perceived in its   
manifestations1 that we have to do with1
 for the purpose of successfully        
imitating it in our dealings with the   
young4   ,note ,g1 p4 #acb4--,there     
needs scarcely any farther proof of this
 than the fact1 that barristers1 by     
constant practice1 are usually the most 

fluent extemporaneous speakers4 ,it is  
also strongly corroborative of the      
statement in the text1 that clergymen   
generally1 and especially those who are 
most accustomed to the use of           
extemporaneous prayers and sermons1 find
 most ease in replying to an opponent on
 any subject that is familiar to them4  
,note ,h1 p4 #afj1  #bja4--;,it is a    
very remarkable fact1 to which the      
attention of the writer was lately      
called1 that ,mrs ,wesley1 the mother of
 the ,rev4 ,john ,wesley1 founder of the
 ,wesleyan ,methodists1 appears to have 
acted upon the principles here          
developed4 ,in ,southey's ,life of that 
great man1 there occurs the following   
,note3  ,mrs ,wesley thus describes her 
peculiar method 7of teaching her        
children to read17 in a letter to her   
son ,john1 7the founder of the ,wesleyan
 ,methodists47  ,none of them were      
taught to read till five years old1     
except ,kezzy1 in whose case ,i was     
overruled2 and she was more years in    

learning than any of the rest had been  
months4 ,the way of teaching was this3  
,the day before a child began to learn1 
the house was set in order1 every one's 
work appointed them1 and a charge given 
that none should come into the room from
 nine till twelve1 or from two till     
five1 which were our school hours4 ,one 
day was allowed the child wherein to    
learn its letters1 and each of them did 
in that time know all its letters1 great
 and small1 except ,molly and ,nancy1   
who were a day and a half before they   
knew them perfectly1 for which ,i then  
thought them very dull2 but the reason  
why ,i thought them so1 was because the 
rest learned them so readily2 and your  
brother ,samuel1 who was the first child
 ,i ever taught1 learnt the alphabet in 
a few hours4 ,he was five years old the 
#ajth of ,february2 the next day he     
began to learn2 and as soon as he knew  
the letters1 began at the #ast chapter  
of ,genesis4 ,he was taught to spell the
 #ast verse1 then to read it over and   

over till he could read it off hand     
without any hesitation2--so on to the   
second1 c4 till he took ten verses to a 
lesson1 which he quickly did4 ,easter   
fell low that year1 and by ,whitsuntide 
he could read a chapter very well2 for  
he read continually1 and had such a     
prodigious memory1 that ,i cannot       
remember ever to have told him the same 
word twice4 ,what was yet stranger1 any 
word he had learnt in his lesson1 he    
knew wherever he saw it1 either in his  
,bible or any other book1 by which means
 he learnt very soon to read an ,english
 author well4  ,the same method was     
observed with them all4 ,as soon as they
 knew the letters1 they were first put  
to spell and read one line1 then a      
verse1 never leaving till perfect in    
their lesson1 were it shorter or longer4
 ,so one or other continued reading at  
school1 time about1 without any         
intermission2 and before we left school1
 each child read what he had learned    
that morning1 and ere we parted in the  

afternoon1 what he had learned that     
day4--,southey's ,life of ,wesley1      
,note1 p4 #dbi4  ,in the above simple   
narrative1 there is a distinct reference
 to the principles of ,reiteration1 and 
,individuation1 and hence ,mrs ,wesley's
 great success4   ,note ,i1 p4          
#afb4--,when the true nature of         
,education is better understood1 it will
 be found that a child may have advanced
 far on its path by oral instruction1   
before it be either necessary or        
desirable that he should be compelled to
 read for himself4 ,to assist the parent
 and teacher in this preliminary part of
 their duty1 the ,first ,initiatory     
,catechism1 or the ,first ,steps to the 
,old and the ,new ,testaments1 with     
their respective ,keys1 may be used with
 advantage1--they having been           
constructed upon the principles here    
recommended4 ,but the best ,book to     
begin with1 will be the ,groupings from 
,scripture1 with its ,key for the use of
 monitors1 or older children1 who can by

 its means greatly assist the parent or 
teacher in the work4 ,in making use of  
that little book1 the sentences are to  
be announced in whole or in parts to the
 pupils one by one2 and upon which they 
are to be thoroughly and extensively    
catechised4 ,as for example1 the first  
announcement may be given thus3--,god   
made the first man1 from which the      
following questions may be formed--,who 
made the first man8 ,whom did ,god make8
 ,what man did ,god make8 ,what did ,god
 do to the first man8 ,the teacher or   
monitor ought then to add the additional
 fact1 that ,god made the first man of  
clay1 and catechise again upon the      
whole4 ,after this is well understood1  
he may complete the sentence1 ,god made 
the first man of clay1 and called him   
,adam4 ,the child will then be able--not
 to repeat the words only1 for that is  
not the effect of this exercise1--but to
 communicate the ideas in his own words2
 which1 however1 will generally be found
 to be the very same as in the book4    

,this distinction is most important4    
,when the whole section has been        
completely mastered1 the lessons and    
their applications may also be          
taught2--by all of which the mental     
faculties will soon become vigorous and 
lively1 and the pupil will be well      
prepared for all the exercises to which 
he may afterwards be called4   ,note ,k1
 p4 #aea4--,the art of catechising from 
any lesson or book1 is a very simple one
 when the principle is understood4 ,it  
consists simply in selecting the most   
important words contained in the        
announcement1 and forming a question    
upon each of them1 in such a manner1 as 
to require that particular word from the
 pupil as the answer to the question    
raised upon it4 ,for example1 when the  
teacher has in four words announced the 
fact1 that ,jesus died for sinners2 he  
will be able to form a question from the
 three chief ones1 ,jesus1--died1 and   
sinners4 ,these questions will be1 ,who 
died8--,what did ,jesus do for sinners8 

and ,for whom did ,jesus die8 ,it is not
 necessary that the words should be     
taken up in their order1 which may be   
always left to the discretion of the    
teacher4 ,for the several parts of this 
principle1 as employed upon clauses1 or 
whole sentences or subjects1 see next   
,note ,l4   ,note ,l1 p4 #ahe4--,the    
,catechetical ,exercise has for         
convenience been divided into three     
kinds of exercises1 called the          
,connecting ,exercise1 the ,general     
,exercise1 and the ,verbal ,exercise4   
,the ,connecting ,exercise1 includes    
those comprehensive questions1 which    
require the pupil to go over perhaps a  
whole subject1 or several sentences1 to 
complete his answer2 as if in teaching  
the ,parable of the ,sower1 the pupil   
were asked1 ,what were the several kinds
 of ground on which the seed was sown8  
or1 ,what is said of the seed sown by   
the way side8 ,in answering either of   
these questions he would have to combine
 many ideas1 and the truths contained in

 several distinct clauses4 ,this        
exercise is used commonly in revising   
several sections at a time after they   
have been taught4  ,the ,general        
,exercise1 is used in all the advanced  
classes1 sometimes in connection with   
the ,verbal ,exercise1 and includes     
those questions chiefly which are formed
 upon clauses in the book or section    
taught4 ,as1 for example1 when the pupil
 is asked1 ,what became of the seed sown
 by the way side8 or1 ,what did the     
birds of the air do8 he has to give one 
or more clauses1 containing several     
ideas1 as his answer4  ,the ,verbal     
,exercise has to do only with the words 
of the clauses1 and the single idea     
which the particular word is intended to
 convey2 as when it is said1 the birds  
of the air devoured it up2 the          
questions1 ,what devoured the seed8     
,what birds8 ,what did the birds do8    
,what did the birds devour8 refer       
chiefly to the words1 and the single    
ideas which they communicate4  ,it may  

be here remarked1 however1 that although
 these exercises are divided in theory1 
they ought seldom to be altogether      
separated in practice4 ,in using the    
,verbal ,exercise with the younger      
classes1 many questions will be required
 which properly belong to the ,general2 
and in using the ,general ,exercise with
 the advanced classes1 neither the      
,connecting1 nor the ,verbal ,exercise1 
ought to be altogether excluded4   ,note
 ,m1 p4 #aib4--;,in communicating       
knowledge to the young by means of the  
,catechetical ,exercise1 care ought to  
be taken that the truths or ideas be    
communicated regularly1 and not too many
 at a time4 ,in making use of the       
,groupings1 or ,first ,steps1 the       
contents of one section ought to be well
 understood1 and all the circumstances  
to be made familiar1 before the child   
passes to another4 ,to do otherwise is  
not to forward1 but to retard his       
advance in the attainment of knowledge4 
,there ought also to be frequent returns

 upon the sections formerly mastered1 so
 that the truths be more and more firmly
 fixed upon the memory4 ,this will also 
be accomplished by means of the lessons 
from the several moral truths taught1   
and by their application to the         
circumstances of ordinary life4  ,it is 
also a matter of great practical        
importance1 in teaching any subject1    
that the teacher confine himself        
strictly to it1 avoiding all kinds of   
,catechetical ,wandering1 by which the  
minds of his pupils will be distracted  
and enfeebled if they cannot follow him1
 and by which their attention will be   
powerfully drawn away from the lesson1  
if they can4--,for example1 if the      
subject to be taught be the ,good       
,samaritan1 nothing can be plainer than 
that the mind of the pupil ought to be  
concentrated upon the subject1 till it  
be grouped1 and fixed upon the mind and 
memory as one combined and moving scene1
 so that one circumstance in the story  
will conjure up all the others4--,this  

is ,nature's plan4--,but if the teacher1
 at the very commencement1 when the     
child has read that a certain man went  
down from ,jerusalem to ,jericho1 shall 
call his attention from the story       
itself1 to ask where ,jerusalem was8    
,what was ,judea8 ,who dwelt there8 ,who
 was their progenitor8 ,from what       
bondage were they saved8 ,who conducted 
them through the wilderness8 ,who       
brought them into ,judea8 requiring the 
whole history of the ,jews1 their       
captivity1 and restoration2 the effect  
is most pernicious1 and is fatal to the 
great design intended by the teacher4   
,it is destructive of that habit of     
concentration of mind upon a particular 
subject1 which is always the            
accompaniment of genius2 and which ought
 to be cultivated in the young with the 
greatest assiduity and care4 ,but this  
habit of ,catechetical ,wandering1 does 
not stop here1 for the teacher has yet  
another word in this first sentence     
which admits of a similar treatment2 and

 instead of returning to the lesson1 he 
takes up the word ,jericho1 by means of 
which he follows a similar course2      
riding off from the original subject1   
and leaving the child bewildered and    
confused1 to commence again1 to be again
 interrupted and distracted by other    
irrelevant questions4 ,many evils result
 from this practice2 and the cause is   
obvious4 ,for if the child has been     
taught these irrelevant truths before1  
this is obviously not the time to       
introduce them1 when he is in the very  
act of learning a new subject2--and if  
he has not been taught them previously1 
the matter becomes worse2 for by this   
attempt to teach a variety of new things
 at the same time1 some important       
principles of ,nature are still more    
violently outraged4--,after the subject 
has been taught1 and the child is called
 on to revise his several lessons1 then 
is the time to combine them1 and to     
point out their various                 
connections1--but not before4   ,note   

,n1 p4 #aie4--;,it will always be found 
advisable to teach the alphabet to      
children long before they begin to read2
 and while they are being verbally      
exercised on the ,groupings from        
,scripture1 and other books of a similar
 kind4 ,to do so at home by way of      
games1 will be found easiest for the    
parent1 and most pleasant for the child4
 ,by having the small letters on four   
dice1 7six on each17 and allowing the   
use of only one till the six letters on 
its sides are familiar2--and not giving 
the third1 till those on the two first  
have been mastered2 and the same with   
the fourth1--will be found useful1      
provided they be only occasionally made 
use of4 ,a too frequent repetition of   
the game will destroy its effect2 and   
therefore1 as there is sufficient time1 
it ought only to be allowed on proper1  
and perhaps on great occasions4 ,other  
contrivances1 besides those given in the
 text1 such as making the child guess at
 letters1 drawing letters from a bag1   

and naming them1 c4 will readily occur  
to ingenious parents or teachers4 ,it   
should be observed1 that as this        
acquirement is needed but once in the   
child's lifetime1 a little pains or     
trouble ought not to be grudged in      
forwarding it4   ,note ,o1 p4           
#bjh4--;,in using the ,first ,class     
,book on the ,lesson ,system1 the       
teacher must take care that the letters 
and their sounds1 or powers1 be         
perfectly familiar to the child before  
he begins to read4 ,the first lesson1 of
 course1 is composed altogether of words
 new to the child1 each of which he must
 be taught to read by combining the     
powers of the letters composing it2--and
 he must never be allowed to pass on to 
the following word1 till all the        
previous ones can be correctly and      
readily decyphered4 ,before beginning to
 the second1 or succeeding lessons1 the 
new words occurring in it1 7which are   
prefixed17 must be read and made        
familiar to him one by one1 and         

explained if necessary4 ,by this means  
he will soon be able to pick up the     
ideas in his lesson by even a first     
reading1 which is the great end that the
 teacher ought to have in view4--,the   
capital letters need not be taught till 
the child comes to them in his          
reading4--,the lessons being            
consecutive1 none must be omitted4      
,note ,p1 p4 #bbj4--,the nature of      
successive ,steps will be better        
understood by using1 than by describing 
them4 ,the following1 however1 will give
 some idea of their design2 keeping in  
mind1 that the contents of the several  
branches must be written out in such a  
manner as to convey the ideas in the    
common way4 ,the following is a rude    
sketch of what the ,history of ,joseph  
would be like1 if the ideas under each  
branch of the analysis were fairly      
written out as ,first1 ,second1 and     
,third ,steps4  ,,analytical ,,table4   
,,shewing ,,the ,,nature ,,of           
,,successive ,,steps ,,in ,,education4  

,,the ,,history ,,of ,,joseph4          
----------------------------------------
---------------------------------       
,substance of  ,substance of a    a     
,first ,step4 ,second ,step4            
,substance of a ,third ,step4           
----------------------------------------
---------------------------------       
,joseph's father  ,jacob loved ,joseph  
best of his family2 who  ,joseph        
was partial to   ,brought him the evil  
reports of them2 and  was beloved  him4 
,got a coat of many colours4  by his    
father1      ,and he dreamed   ,joseph  
told his dream of the sheaves1  and     
that he was      ,and his brothers hated
 him the more4  hated        to be      
great4     ,he told his dream of the sun
 and stars2  by his                     
,and his father observed the saying4    
brothers2                   ,these      
things     ,his brothers would not speak
 peaceably to               made the    
family  ,him2 and envied and hated him2 
and               uneasy4          ,his 

father expostulated with him4           
,joseph sought his brothers at ,dothan2 
,joseph was       ,was cast into a pit1 
and afterwards               cruelly    
used by  ,sold for a slave4             
his brothers1    ,his brothers concealed
 the crime1 and                         
,his father mourned him as dead4  ,and  
although   he was                       
,joseph was carried to ,egypt1 and  long
 in      ,and was made     ,was a slave 
in ,potiphar's house2  affliction1  a   
slave to       ,where he was industrious
 and faithful2               ,potiphar2 
,and was tempted by his mistress4       
,joseph was unjustly put into           
confinement4               ,who unjustly
     ,he was useful in prison1 where    
cast him into    ,a butler and baker    
were confined4               prison4    
,joseph interpreted their dreams2 but   
was                                     
,left in prison by the butler forgetting
                                 him4   
,pharoah was displeased with the        

magicians4               ,he was brought
   ,the butler told him of ,joseph2     
out to ,pharoah1  ,and ,joseph          
interpreted his dreams1                 
,and was advanced to authority4         
,joseph married and was made next to    
,and made ruler   ,pharoah4 ,he         
collected corn for seven                
over all ,egypt2  ,years2 ,distributed  
it to all nations2 and  ,he rose        
,sold it for the cattle and lands of    
,egypt4  at last        to great        
,joseph's brothers came to ,egypt for   
food2  prosperity4  ,during which       
,and he spake roughly to them4          
time he behaved  ,he detained ,simeon2  
with great       ,brought and           
entertained ,benjamin2                  
prudence to his  ,and hid his cup in    
,benjamin's sack4                       
brothers2        ,he then made himself  
known to his brothers4                  
,joseph brought his father and family to
               ,and kindly       ,egypt4
 ,he settled1 supported1 and honoured   

took care of the ,them4 ,he buried his  
father1               whole family4     
,and left several charges with his      
brothers4   ,note ,q1 p4 #bbe4--;,in    
giving a specimen of this mode of       
illustrating a connected subject1 we may
 only premise1 that the method1 as a    
branch of ,education1 requires that all 
the general heads should be perceived   
first1 before any of them is            
sub-divided4 ,for example1 ,paul's      
sermon at ,antioch1 7,acts xiii47 must  
be perceived by the pupil in its great  
outline1 or general heads1 before he be 
called on to separate these into their  
several particulars4 ,these heads as    
given in the ,analysis1 7,help to ,acts1
 vol4 ,i4 p4 #ahg17 are to the following
 purport3  ,the design of ,paul in this 
discourse appears to be1   ,i4 ,to      
conciliate the ,jews4   ,,ii4 ,to prove 
that the ,messiah had already come1 and 
that ,jesus  was that ,messiah4   ,,iii4
 ,to remove certain objections against  
,jesus being the  ,messiah4   ,,iv4 ,to 

establish the claims of ,jesus as the   
,messiah2 and1   ,v4 ,to press his      
salvation upon their notice and         
acceptance4  ,when these general        
divisions1 or heads1 are understood1    
either by reading the respective verses 
which they occupy1 or by the oral       
illustration of the teacher1 each of    
them may then be taken separately1 and  
sub-divided into its parts4 ,for        
example1 the first head1 which in the   
analysis is1 ,first1 ,paul endeavours to
 conciliate the ,jews by giving a brief 
outline of their history1 till the days 
of ,david1 to whom the ,messiah was     
specially promised1 ver4 #ag-bc4 ,this  
first of the above five heads1 is       
separable into the following            
particulars4 #a4 ,the condition of the  
,jews in1 and their deliverance from1   
,egypt2--#b4 ,their history in the      
wilderness2--#c4 ,the destruction of    
their enemies1 and their settlement in  
,canaan2--#d4 ,of the ,judges till the  
time of ,samuel2--#e4 ,the origin of the

 kingly authority in ,israel2--and #f4  
,the history of their two first kings4  
,these again may be sub-divided into    
their several parts1 of which the last  
will form a good example4 ,it appears in
 the ,analysis in the following form3   
,,vi4 ,history of their two first kings4
    i4 ,of ,saul1 and the time of his   
reign1 ver4 #ba4    ii4 ,of ,david1 and 
his character4      #a4 ,saul was       
removed to make room for ,david1 ver4   
#bb4      #b4 ,david was chosen by ,god 
to be their king1 ver4 #bb4      #c4 ,an
 account of ,david's character1 and     
,god's dealing with him4         #a4    
,god's testimony concerning ,david4     
7#a47 ,what ,david was1 ver4 #bb4       
7#b47 ,what ,david was to do1 ver4 #bb4 
#b4 ,god's promise to ,david4           
7#a47 ,a ,saviour was to be raised up   
for ,israel1 ver4 #bc4           7#b47  
,this ,saviour was to be of ,david's    
seed1 ver4 #bc4   ,note ,r1 p4          
#cad4--,there is not perhaps a subject  
in the whole range of human             

investigation that is so much           
misunderstood in practice1 as a person's
 own happiness4 ,whatever causes        
uneasiness1 or distress1 or anxiety of  
mind1 destroys happiness2--which shews  
that it is this pleasure1 or delight    
itself1--this exercise of the heart1    
that we are seeking1 and not the money1 
or the applause1 or the sensual         
indulgences1 which sometimes procure it4
 ,the heart of man has been made for    
something higher and more noble than    
these grovelling objects of sense and   
time4 ,history and experience shew1 that
 it can never be satisfied with any     
finite good2 and especially1 the        
possession of all earthly enjoyments    
only leaves the void more conspicuous   
and more painful4 ,the whole world1 if  
it were attained1 would but more        
powerfully illustrate its own poverty2  
for even ,alexander weeps because there 
are no more worlds to conquer4          
,scripture declares1 and ,nature1 so far
 as we can trace her1 confirms it1 that 

man--and man alone--was made after the  
image of ,god1--and therefore nothing   
short of ,god himself can ever satisfy  
him4 ,heaven itself would be inadequate 
to fill the soul1 or to allay the       
cravings of such a being4 ,the          
fellowship and love of the ,almighty1   
and that alone1 by the very constitution
 of our nature1 can fill and satisfy the
 boundless desires of the human heart4  
,they who stop short of this1 can never 
be satisfied2 while they who place their
 happiness on ,,him1 will always be     
full1 because he alone is infinite4 ,the
 love of ,god1 and the desire for his   
glory then1 are the only true foundation
 of human happiness4 ,and hence it is1  
that the perfection of enjoyment1 and   
the whole sum of duty1 meet in this one 
point1--,,the ,,love ,,of ,,god4   ,note
 ,s1 p4 #cah4--,the writer is aware     
that1 in doing justice to this          
department of a child's education1 it is
 impossible to avoid the charge of      
enthusiasm1 perhaps illiberality1 or    

fanaticism4 ,in what we have urged in   
the preceding pages1 we have endeavoured
 calmly to state and illustrate simple  
facts1--plain indications of            
,nature1--and to draw the obvious       
deductions which they suggest4 ,we      
intend to follow precisely the same     
course here1 although quite aware that  
we are much more liable to be           
misunderstood1 or misrepresented4 ,we   
shall at least endeavour calmly to put  
what we have to say upon a true         
philosophical basis4  ,we all admire    
what is termed ,roman ,greatness1--that 
self-esteem that would not allow the    
possessor to degrade himself1 even in   
his own estimation1 by indulging in any 
thing that was mean1 or disreputable1 or
 contrary to the unchangeable rule of   
right4 ,cato's probity1 who chose to die
 rather than appear to connive at       
selfishness2 and ,brutus's love of      
justice1 who could1 with a noble        
heroism1 and without faltering1 doom    
even his own sons to death in the midst 

of the entreaties of his friends for    
their pardon1 and the concurrence of the
 people2--are but two out of numberless 
instances from ancient history4 ,now we 
ask1 if we admire1 and approve of men   
being so jealous of their honour1 is it 
to be imagined that the ,god who made   
them1 and who implanted those high moral
 sentiments in their breasts1 should be 
less jealous of his8--,every one will   
acknowledge that he is infinitely more  
so4--,and it is in accordance with this 
true philosophical sentiment1 that we   
come to the conclusion1 that to teach   
religion1--that is1 to teach the        
character of ,god1 and the duty we owe  
him1--without what is called the        
peculiar doctrines of ,christianity1 is 
to lower the character of the ,almighty1
 and to impugn his holiness1 his        
faithfulness1 his justice1 and even his 
goodness2--things under the imputation  
of which even a high-minded ,roman would
 have felt himself degraded and         
insulted4  ,in teaching ,religion and   

,morality to the young1 therefore1 the  
pupil must know1 that ,god is too holy  
to look upon sin1 or to connive at      
it2--too just to permit the very least  
transgression to pass with              
impunity2--too faithful to allow his    
intimations1 either in ,nature1 or in   
,providence1 or in ,scripture1 ever to  
fail1 or to be called in question1      
without danger2--and too good to risk   
the happiness of his holy creatures1 by 
allowing them to suppose it even        
possible that they can ever indulge in  
sin1 and yet escape misery4 ,where a    
knowledge of these attributes of ,deity 
is wanting1 his character must appear   
grievously defective2 but wherever they 
are denied1 it is most blasphemously    
dishonoured4--,hence the importance of  
even a child knowing how it is that ,god
 can be just1 while he justifies the    
ungodly4  ,all these perfections1 with  
the additional revelation of his mercy  
and grace1 are exhibited1 and greatly   
magnified and honoured1 by the          

,christian scheme2 and it is to the     
simplicity of this1 as the foundation of
 the child's education1 that we wish at 
present to direct the attention of the  
parent and teacher4  ,a child may be    
taught to know that ,god hates sin1 and 
that he must1 as a just ,god1 punish    
even the least transgression4 ,there is 
no difficulty in understanding this     
simple truth4 ,and it may be made       
equally clear1 that man must have       
suffered for himself1 and that for ever1
 if ,god had not sent his ,son ,jesus   
,christ to endure in their place the    
punishment which the inflexible nature  
of his justice required4 ,to believe    
that ,god will pardon sin without such  
an atonement1 is1 as we have shewn1 to  
sully the character of ,god2 while to   
believe it1 and to act upon the belief1 
is at once the highest honour we can pay
 to his perfections1 and becomes the    
strongest possible stimulant to a       
grateful heart to avoid sin1 and to     
strive to love and to obey ,him4 ,this  

accordingly is the sum of ,christianity1
 when divested of its technicalities2   
and this is the foundation1--and the    
only proper foundation1 upon which to   
rear either morality or religion4 ,but  
it does form a solid and ample          
foundation for that purpose4 ,and there 
is perhaps no ,christian of any sect who
 will deny1 that either child or adult1 
who simply depends for pardon and       
acceptance with a holy ,god1 on the     
substitution of the ,saviour1 and who1  
in evidence of his sincerity1 strives to
 hate and avoid sin1 and to love and    
obey ,god1 is not in a safe state4  ,in 
teaching these simple fundamental truths
 to the young1 the parent or teacher    
will find the ,shorter ,confession of   
,faith1 of great use4 ,its ,first ,step 
ought to be taught first2 and the second
 must on no account be proceeded with1  
till the truths in the first have become
 familiar4 ,the same rule ought also to 
be adopted with the second1 before      
passing to the third4 ,the ,first       

,initiatory ,catechism has also been    
found of great benefit to the young2 and
 which is very easily and successfully  
taught by means of its ,key4  ,the      
foundation being thus laid1 the great   
object of the teacher then is to train  
the child to duty2--teaching1 in a      
familiar way1 what conduct ought to be  
avoided1 and what pursued1--what is     
displeasing to ,god1 and what he        
delights in4 ,this can only be done1 or 
at least is best done1 by drawing       
lessons from ,scripture4 ,the very      
commandment1 ,thou shalt not steal1 is  
dealt with by ,nature in this way2 for  
when we examine the operation of the    
mind1 when acting even upon the direct  
precept1 we find that it assumes the    
form of a lesson1 which in that case is 
only an echo of the command4 ,scripture 
example and narrative1 however1 are     
always preferable with children2 and    
perhaps the best method of initiating   
them into the ability to perceive and   
draw lessons generally1 will be to begin

 and carry them forward by means of the 
,progressive ,exercises at the end of   
the ,first ,initiatory ,catechism4 ,very
 young children are able to commence    
this important exercise2 and the        
information and directions given in the 
,key will enable any monitor to carry   
them forward4  ,the application of the  
lessons ought to be the principal       
concern of the teacher4 ,on this much of
 their utility depends1 and of which the
 following will afford a sufficient     
example4  ,in the #eth line of the      
,progressive ,exercises1 above referred 
to1 the announcement is simply that     
,rebekah was obliging1--from which the  
child will readily enough draw the      
lesson1 that we also should be obliging4
 ,but to apply this lesson1 the teacher 
is to suppose a corresponding case1 and 
to ask the child how it ought to behave 
on that occasion4 ,for example1 he may  
ask1 ,if a companion wanted a sight of  
your book1 what should you do8 ,lend it 
to him4--,from what do you get that     

lesson8 ,from ,rebekah being            
obliging4--,if you saw your companion   
drop his ball1 or his marble1 without   
perceiving it1 what should you do8 ,pick
 it up and give it to him4--,how do you 
know that you ought to do that8 ,from   
,god giving ,rebekah as our example1 who
 was obliging4  ,the field which here   
opens up for the ingenuity of the       
teacher for the moral improvement of the
 young is almost boundless4   ,note ,t1 
p4 #cah4--,the method which both ,nature
 and experience have pointed out1 as the
 best for giving a practical knowledge  
of the principles of ,natural           
,philosophy to children1 is to state and
 explain some general principle1 such   
as1 that ,soft and porous bodies are bad
 conductors 7of heat27 and then set them
 to think1 by asking what special       
lessons that general truth teaches them4
 ,this leads the pupil to a train of    
thought1 which will at all events       
prepare him for the proper lessons when 
suggested by the teacher1 and which will

 enable him at once to perceive why his 
mother has to make use of a cloth when  
using the smoothing iron2 why a metal   
tea-pot must have a wooden handle2--why 
soft clothing preserves the heat of his 
body1 and keeps him warm2--and why the  
poker by the fire gets heated           
throughout1 while a piece of wood1 the  
same length and in the same spot1       
remains comparatively cool4  ,to teach  
the phenomena of ,nature1 out of their  
mutual relations to the general         
principle1 would be both laborious and  
evanescent1 because of the want of the  
great connecting link1 afforded by the  
analytical method here supposed4 ,it was
 by the above means that the children1  
in the experiment in ,aberdeen1 and more
 especially those in that at ,newry1    
appeared to the examinators to be       
inexhaustible2 they having1 during a    
space of time unprecedentedly short1 got
 hold of principles which enabled them1 
without any great stretch of memory1 and
 by the association of ideas1 to account

 for hundreds of familiar objects and   
circumstances1 the nature and working of
 which they had never perhaps thought of
 before4  ,the application of the       
lessons in these exercises is equally   
necessary1 and equally beneficial4 ,it  
may be directly from some of the lessons
 drawn1 such as1 ,why is it inconvenient
 to handle hot irons8 ,because hard     
bodies readily conduct heat4 ,or it may 
be varied by asking the reason of a     
phenomenon not formerly perceived2--such
 as1 ,why does the fire scorch the foot 
when it is without a stocking1 and not  
when we have a stocking on8 ,because    
soft bodies1 such as the stocking1 do   
not readily conduct heat4 ,these are    
sufficient as specimens of the mode of  
conducting classes upon these           
principles2 the ,steps1 and their ,keys1
 constructed for the purpose1 will      
assist both teacher and pupil in their  
proper working4   ,note ,u1 p4          
#cbj4--;,in teaching children to read1  
two things are to be specially          

observed4--,first1 that the child shall 
know that the letters in a syllable are 
used merely as the signs of sound1 by   
the combination of which he is to get a 
hint only of the sound of the whole     
word4 ,this will very soon enable him to
 teach himself4--,the second is1 that   
the child shall know that his reading is
 only another way of getting at truth by
 words seen1 instead of words heard4    
,this will make him search for the      
ideas1 even while learning to read2 and 
the habit being formed1 he will never   
afterwards be satisfied without         
understanding all that he reads4  ,the  
letters of the ,alphabet1 with their    
powers1 having been made familiar1 the  
,first ,class ,book may be put into the 
pupil's hand1 and the first word taught 
him by the combination of the three     
letters1--,bob4 ,shew him how the       
letters pronounced shortly1 and rapidly 
one after another1 form the word4 ,he   
will then be able to read this word     
wherever he finds it4 ,the word has1 is 

to be taught in the same way1 and then  
the word dog4 ,he must then be asked1   
,who has a dog8 and ,what has ,bob8 till
 he understands that these three words  
convey an idea4 ,the second and         
succeeding lines are to be taught the   
same way2--the teacher making him read  
the words in different parts out of     
their order1 to take care that he does  
not repeat by rote4  ,at every new      
lesson he must learn to read the words  
which precede it1 and to read them well 
before beginning4 ,the great design of  
his reading being to collect the ideas  
conveyed by the words1 his doing so is  
greatly facilitated by his learning to  
read the words before beginning to the  
lesson4 ,it is only necessary to remark1
 that the homely nature of the lessons  
tends greatly to produce the effect here
 designed1 and which would not perhaps  
be so successfully accomplished at this 
stage in any other way4  ,children may  
be taught to write almost as soon as    
they can read a few of their lessons4   

,care being taken that they hold the pen
 properly1 they will soon learn to form 
the letters as an amusement2--and when  
these are known1 they will soon be able 
to combine them into words4 ,when they  
begin to write sentences1 it ought to be
 from their own minds1 or memories1 but 
not from copies4 ,writing is merely an  
imitation of ,nature in her operation of
 conveying ideas by speech2 and the     
nearer the imitation can be made to     
correspond with the original1 the more  
perfect will it be4 ,speech is intended 
solely for the communication of our     
ideas2--and so should writing4 ,we teach
 children words and the names of things1
 but we never teach them to express     
their own thoughts1 by rehearsing after 
us either long or short speeches of our 
own4 ,neither can we so readily teach   
children to express their own thoughts  
by writing1 if we attempt to do it by   
making them copy words which others have
 thought for them1 and the ideas of     
which they themselves perhaps do not    

perceive4 ,copy-lines are a great       
hinderance to the young2 and even for   
teaching the correct and elegant        
formation of the letters they do not    
appear to be always necessary4   ,note  
,v1 p4 #cbj4--;,arithmetic1 and         
numerical calculations of every kind1   
are wrought by what have been termed the
 four simple ,rules1 viz4 ,addition1    
,subtraction1 ,multiplication1 and      
,division4 ,they who are expert and     
accurate in working these1 have only to 
learn the several rules by which they   
are applied to all the varied purposes  
of life1 to be perfect arithmeticians4  
,but when the working of these four     
rules is analysed1 we find that1 with   
the exception of the multiplication     
table1 the whole four are merely        
different applications of the rule of   
addition4 ,subtraction is wrought by    
adding a supposed sum to the figure to  
be subtracted2--multiplication 7with the
 exception mentioned above17 it wrought 
simply by adding the carryings and the  

aggregate of the several lines2--and    
division1 with the same exception1 is   
also in practice wrought by a series of 
additions4 ,if then we shall suppose the
 multiplication table fully mastered1 it
 follows1 that the person who has       
attained greatest expertness in         
addition1 will be the most expert in the
 working of any and every arithmetical  
exercise to which he may be called4     
,but expertness in arithmetical         
calculations1 is by no means so valuable
 as accuracy2--and upon the above       
principle1 it also follows1 that the    
person who acquires the greatest degree 
of accuracy and confidence in working   
addition1 must1 of course1 be most      
accurate in all his calculations4 ,the  
importance of this principle will be    
much more prized by and bye than it can 
be at present2--we shall however shew   
here how it may be taken advantage of4  
,upon the principle of ,individuation1  
we have seen1 that a child will learn   
one thing much better and sooner by     

itself1 than when it is mixed up with   
several others2 and therefore we come to
 the conclusion1 that a child1 when     
taught the practice of addition by      
itself1 till he is fully master of it1  
both as respects rapidity and accuracy1 
has afterwards little more to do than to
 get a knowledge of rules4 ,one month's 
systematic exercise in this way1 will do
 more in forming a desirable accountant 
for a desk1 than a whole year's exercise
 otherwise4 ,in the one case1 the pupil 
starts to the race without preparation1 
and with all his natural impediments    
clinging to him1 which he has to        
disentangle and throw off one by one    
during the fatigues and turmoil of the  
contest2 while the other1 on the        
contrary1 delays his start till he has  
deliberately searched them out and cast 
them aside1 and thus prepared himself   
for the course4 ,he then starts vigorous
 and light1 to outstrip his labouring   
and lumbering competitors1 not only in  
this1 but in every after trial of       

strength and skill of a similar kind4   
,to follow out this plan with success1  
the ,arithmetic ,rod1 containing three  
sides1 has been provided4 ,on one side  
there is a single line of figures1 on   
the second two1 and on the third three4 
,these lines of figures for a school1   
ought to be painted on three boards     
sufficiently large for all to see them  
distinctly4 ,the first line is to be    
mastered perfectly1 before the second or
 the third is to be taught4  ,the way to
 begin with the first line1 is to make  
the pupil mentally add a certain sum to 
each figure on the board1 say two1 or   
seven1 or fourteen1 or any other sum1   
beginning always with a small one4 ,he  
is besides to add the carryings also to 
each figure1 and to write down the sum  
as he goes on4 ,the beginner may be     
exercised with the sum of two1 or even  
one1 and have the sum increased1 as he  
acquires a knowledge of the method4     
,these sums1 as the pupils advance1 may 
be extended to any amount4 ,the ,key    

will shew1 in every case1 whether the   
exercise has been accurately performed2 
and by marking the time in any          
particular case1 the teacher can measure
 exactly1 every week or month1 the      
advance of each pupil4  ,the mental     
advantages of this exercise are         
numerous4 ,among other things it trains 
to a great command of the mind2 and     
brings into exercise an important       
principle formerly illustrated1 7,part  
,,iii4 ch4 xi4 p4 #bhh17 by which the   
pupil acquires the ability to think one 
thing1 and to do another4  ,when the    
pupil is sufficiently expert at one line
 of figures1 he should be exercised upon
 the ,b side of the rod1 containing the 
double line4 ,he is to practise adding  
each pair of the figures at a           
glance1--till he can run them over      
without difficulty1 as if they were     
single figures4 ,he is then to add a sum
 to them1 as he did on the single line1 
till he can add the sum and the double  
figure as readily as he did one4 ,the ,c

 side of the rod is to be treated in the
 same way2--first by adding all the     
three figures at a glance1 and naming   
the sum of each1 till he can do it as   
readily as if there was but one2 and    
then he is to add any special sum to    
them as before4   ,note ,w1 p4          
#cba4--;,children generally delight in  
music1 and seldom weary in its exercise4
 ,it forms therefore1 when judiciously  
managed1 a most useful exercise in a    
school for the purposes of relaxation   
and variety1 and for invigorating their 
minds after a lengthened engagement in  
drier studies4 ,it thus not only becomes
 desirable to teach music in the        
seminary as a branch of education for   
after life1 but for the purposes of     
present expediency4  ,that music may be 
taught to the young in a manner much    
more simple than it has yet generally   
been done1 is now matter of experience4 
,the notes are only seven1 and these are
 each as precise and definite in        
proportion to the key note as any letter

 in the alphabet4 ,there is obviously no
 difficulty in teaching a child seven   
figures1--and there is in reality as    
little difficulty in teaching him seven 
notes2 so that1 having the key note1 he 
will1 in reading a tune1 sound each in  
its order when presented to him1 as     
readily and accurately as he would read 
so many figures4  ,to render this       
exercise more simple to children1 and   
more convenient in a school1 the notes  
have been represented by figures1 #a    
being the key note4 ,the other notes    
rise in the common gradation from #a to 
#h1 which is the key note in alt4 ,by   
this means1 the teacher by writing on   
the common black board a few figures1   
gives the children the tune1 which a    
very little practice enables them to    
read as readily as they would the words 
to which they adapt it4  ,for           
particulars as to time1 c4 see ,shorter 
,catechism ,hymn ,book1 p4 #bc and #bd4 
,note ,x1 p4 #bfd4--,there is perhaps no
 department in the family economy which 

ought to be so cautiously filled up as  
the nursery maid2 and yet we generally  
find1 that the duties of this office are
 frequently handed over to any          
thoughtless giddy girl1 whose appearance
 is shewy1 although she be without      
education1 without experience1 and often
 without principle4 ,why there has been 
as yet no regular seminary for the      
training of young persons of good       
principles1 for the responsible duties  
of the nursery1 is not a little         
remarkable4 ,not one of the many        
valuable institutions for particular    
classes is so much wanted1 and which1 if
 properly conducted1 would be a greater 
blessing to families and to society     
generally4 ,one of the most beautiful   
features in our infant schools is the   
circumstance1 that they have tended     
greatly to lessen this evil1 and in some
 measure to supply the desideratum4     
,note ,y1 p4 #bfh4--,the question of    
rewards and punishments in a public     
school is a difficult one2 and although 

there has of late been an obvious       
improvement in this respect1 we are     
afraid that the principles which ought  
to regulate them are not yet very       
clearly understood4 ,hence the          
contrariety of sentiments on the        
subject1 with little more than mere     
opinions offered to support them4 ,the  
following few crude thoughts on the     
subject1 may perhaps lead others better 
qualified to consider it more           
extensively4  ,we can all readily enough
 distinguish the difference between     
physical efforts1 intellectual efforts1 
and moral efforts2 but we are very ready
 to confound the rewards which1 we      
think1 ,nature has pointed out as most  
appropriate to each4 ,for physical      
exertions1 such as the race1 or the     
wrestling match1 physical returns appear
 natural and appropriate enough2 and    
therefore1 money1 decorations1 or other 
physical honours1 are the ordinary      
rewards for excelling in any of them4   
,but to desire money as a return for    

intellectual excellence1 appears to     
every well constituted mind as sordid   
and unseemly4 ,the reward for the       
exertion of intellect must partake of   
intellectual dignity2 and hence it is1  
that esteem1 applause1 or               
admiration1--the incense of the         
mind1--appears to be the natural return 
for such exertions4 ,in proof of this1  
we may instance the sensible degradation
 which is felt1 when the reward         
proffered for mental efforts1 even in   
children1 takes the form of food1 or    
clothing1 or money2--and the kind of    
estimation in which students hold their 
medals1 books1 and other prizes1        
acquired at their several seminaries4   
,these are never valued for their       
intrinsic worth1 but only as permanent  
signs of approbation1 or                
admiration1--feelings which are purely  
intellectual in their character1 and    
perfectly distinct from the grossness of
 physical rewards on the one hand1 and  
the affections--the moral incense of the

 heart1--on the other4  ,all this       
appears pretty evident2 and it obviously
 leads us to the next and concluding    
step1 which is1 that the natural and    
proper reward for moral actions1 ought  
to partake of the moral character4 ,it  
is the love and affection of those we   
serve1 or who are called on to estimate1
 or to decide on the character of our   
actions1--that is the proper1 the       
natural1 the desirable return4 ,a little
 consideration1 we think1 will shew us1 
that this1 as a general principle1 is   
really correct2 and that applause1      
admiration1 or wonder1 when they are    
afforded without affection1 do not      
satisfy the heart1 that in the exercise 
of love1 seeks love in return4--,it is  
the friendship1 the fellowship1 the     
affections of those whom we aim at      
pleasing1 that alone can approve itself 
to our minds as the appropriate returns 
for moral actions4   ,note ,z1 p4       
#bii4--,the following are a few         
specimens of the paraphrastic exercise1 

as employed upon different subjects3--  
,but ,martha was cumbered about much    
serving1 and came to him1 and said1     
,lord1 dost thou not care that my sister
 hath left me to serve alone8 bid her1  
therefore1 that she help me4  ,this     
verse is paraphrased in the ,help to    
,luke by substituting the explanation of
 the words printed in ,italics1 and     
within brackets1 for the words          
themselves1 in the following manner3    
,but ,martha was much incommoded and    
harassed to get every thing in order for
 the temporal accommodation of ,jesus   
and his disciples1 and came to ,jesus1  
and said1 ,lord1 art thou indifferent or
 careless about the circumstance that my
 sister hath left me to prepare the     
victuals1 and do all the work of the    
house alone8 ,command her1 therefore1   
that she leave her seat at thy feet1 and
 come to assist me4  ,every thing in    
nature shews forth ,god's wisdom1 power1
 and goodness2 but the ,bible1 which is 
the word of ,god1 and which was written 

by holy men at different times1 under   
his direction1 has most clearly revealed
 what ,god is1 what he has done and what
 we should do4  ,this is paraphrased in 
the ,key to the ,second ,initiatory     
,catechism thus3  ,every thing that has 
been made in the world and sky gives    
clear and constant proof of ,god's      
chusing the best ends1 and accomplishing
 these by the best means1 his being able
 to do any thing1 and every thing1 and  
never ceasing to care for1 and to       
promote the happiness of all his        
creatures2--but the ,bible1--which is   
the only declaration of ,god's mind and 
will to man1 and which was composed1 and
 put1 with pen and ink1 upon parchment  
or paper1 by good and pious men1 at     
dates long distant from each other1     
under the care of ,god1 who told them   
what they were to write1--has most      
distinctly and plainly1 brought into    
view1 and let us know1 what ,god's      
character and perfections are1 what he  
has done1 and what is our duty1 both to 

,god and man4  ,the word of ,god1 which 
is contained in the ,scriptures of the  
,old and ,new ,testament1 is the only   
rule to direct us how we may glorify and
 enjoy him4  ,this is paraphrased in the
 ,key to the ,shorter ,catechism in the 
following manner3  ,the revelation of   
,god's will1 which is contained in the  
writings of the ,old and ,new           
,testament1 is the only guide to give us
 information how we may glorify and     
enjoy him4   ,note ,a a1 p4             
#cba4--,nature has obviously intended   
that all men should be both physically  
and mentally employed2 and that1 for the
 proper maintenance of health1 the time 
occupied by physical exercise1 ought in 
general to exceed that which is employed
 exclusively in study4 ,the combination 
of both in ordinary cases1 however1 is  
still more plainly indicated4 ,in the   
circumstances of the young1 physical    
exercise is peculiarly necessary4 ,the  
writer looks forward with confidence to 
a time1 when to every seminary of       

eminence will be attached a sufficient  
plot of ground for gardening and        
agricultural purposes1 that the physical
 energies of the pupils may not be      
allowed irregularly to run to waste1 as 
at present2 but when they shall be      
systematically directed to interesting1 
and at the same time to useful purposes4
 ,the hand-swing1 although an excellent 
substitute1 will never cope in interest1
 even to a child1 with the moderate use 
of the hoe1 the rake1 or the spade4     
,such a system will produce many and    
valuable advantages to the young4       
,gardening1 by postponing the results of
 labour1 exciting hope1 and by its daily
 advances1 encouraging to perseverance1 
will tend to produce a most beneficial  
moral effect2 and will greatly assist   
the teacher in establishing and         
strengthening some of those valuable    
checks upon the volatility of the young 
mind1 which are exceedingly necessary   
for the proper conduct of life1 but     
which there is usually but small        

opportunity of cultivating in youth4    
,but even then1 for the proper          
conducting of a school1 there will1 for 
in-door exercise1 be something more     
required than has yet been provided1    
both as to kind and degree4 ,when we    
examine a number of children at play1 we
 seldom find them sitting1 or even      
standing for any length of time1 when   
they have space and opportunity to      
exercise their limbs4 ,the hand-motions 
of the infant schools1 therefore1       
although excellent so far as they go1 do
 not go far enough2 and even the        
marching of the children is obviously   
too monotonous1 and not sufficiently    
lively1 for throwing off the accumulated
 mass of animal spirits1 which is so    
speedily formed in young persons while  
engaged at their lessons4 ,it was to    
supply this defect that the writer1 a   
number of years ago1 made some          
experiments with a large class of       
children1 and with complete success4    
,the exercise was founded on the singing

 and marching of the infant schools1 and
 consisted in what is known in certain  
seminaries1 as ,rights and ,lefts4 ,the 
children were taught to meet each other 
in bands of equal number1 and by giving 
the right and left hand alternately to  
those who came in the opposite          
direction1 they undulated1 as it were1  
through each others ranks1 and passed on
 to their own music1 till they met again
 on the other side of the room1 and     
proceeded as before4 ,the exercise thus 
afforded to the upper and lower         
extremities of each child1 the expansion
 caused to the chest1 and the play given
 to the muscles of the back and body1   
are exceedingly beneficial2 and the     
whole being regulated by their own song1
 gives healthy1 and not excessive       
exercise to the lungs and the whole     
circulation4  ,it was also found1 that  
this amusing employment for the young1  
was capable of great variety4 ,instead  
of two bands meeting each other in lines
 in opposite directions1 and parting1 to

 meet again at the other side of the    
room1 they were formed into a circle1   
one-half moving in one direction1 and   
one-half moving in the opposite1 by     
which means the circle was never broken4
 ,it was also found1 that one of these  
circles1 containing six or eight        
children only1 could move within the    
other when it contained a larger number1
 without those in the one interfering in
 the least with those of the other2 and 
the effect became still more imposing   
when between these1 and without them1   
two other bands of children joined      
hands1 united in the song1 and moved    
round in opposite directions4  ,these   
details may appear trifling to some2 but
 experience will soon convince practical
 men1 that in education1 as in ,nature1 
the most simple means often produce the 
most powerful and the most beneficial   
results4  ,,the ,,end4                  
----------------------------------------
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,transcriber's ,note3                   

,footnotes listed as a ,note followed by
 a letter are       gathered together at
 the end of the book4                   
,inconsistent hyphenation and spelling  
in the              original document   
has been preserved4                     
,typographical errors corrected in the  
text3                                   
,page  #bj  he changed to be            
,page  #bh  vallies changed to valleys  
,page  #cf  pullies changed to pulleys  
,page  #ch  bye changed to by           
,page  #de  recal changed to recall     
,page  #eg  inconsistences changed to   
inconsistencies       ,page  #ei  recal 
changed to recall                       
,page  #fa  he changed to be            
,page  #fg  oppreseive changed to       
oppressive                ,page  #fh    
word is added                           
,page  #gc  recals changed to recalls   
,page  #gg  harrassed changed to        
harassed                   ,page #ajc   
missle changed to  missile              
,page #aac  decrepid changed to decrepit

                    ,page #abj          
pronouned changed to pronounced         
,page #adb  slighest changed to         
slightest                   ,page #add  
intance changed to instance             
,page #aej  educa- changed to education 
,page #aeb  ,jessus changed to ,jesus   
,page #aff  fourteeen changed to        
fourteen                   ,page #afh   
,pestalozzie's changed to ,pestalozzi's 
,page #afi  unnaccountable changed to   
unaccountable        ,page #ahc  recal  
changed to recall                       
,page #aib  missing word be supplied    
,page #aie  indispensible changed to    
indispensable          ,page #aig       
exceeedingly changed to exceedingly     
,page #aig  recal changed to recall     
,page #baj  comtemplation changed to    
contemplation          ,page #baa  soffa
 changed to sofa                        
,page #bcd  than changed to then        
,page #bde  ,terrestial changed to      
,terrestrial               ,page #bgg   
forwarned changed to forewarned         

,page #bhj  aplication changed to       
application               ,page #bhc    
speciment changed to specimen           
,page #cjb  faultering changed to       
faltering                 ,page #cbf    
,princiciples changed to ,principles    
,page #ccc  desireable changed to       
desirable                 ,page #cci    
faultering changed to faltering         
,page #cdj  ungodily changed to ungodly 
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