,home ,education #8,home ,education' ,series ,by ,,charlotte ,m4 ,,mason ,each ,volume #cs4 #f;d4 net ,i4 ,,home ,,education4 ,,ii4 ,,parents ,,and ,,children4 ,,iii4 ,,school ,,education4 ,,iv4 8,,ourselves1 ,,our ,,souls ,,and ,,bodies40 ,this volume is also published in two parts1 #bs4 net each part4 ,v4 ,,some ,,studies ,,in ,,the ,,formation ,,of ,,character4 ----- ,,kegan ,,paul1 ,,trench1 ,,tr,,bner1 ,,co41 ,,ltd4 ,,dryden ,,house #dc ,,gerrard ,,street1 ,,london1 ,w4 #8,home ,education' ,series ,,volume ,i4 ,home ,education ,by ,charlotte ,m4 ,mason ,,fifth ,,edition 7,revised and ,enlarged7 7,eighth and ,ninth ,thousand7 ,,london ,,kegan ,,paul1 ,,trench1 ,,tr,,bner1 ,,co41 ,,ltd4 ,,dryden ,,house1 ,,gerrard ,,street1 ,w4 #aijf ,the rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved ,the ,education of ,children under ,nine ,years of ,age ,illustration3 colophon 8,o maraviglia6 ch qual egli scelse l'umile pianta1 cotal si rinacque ,subitamente l onde la svelse40 ,we read in the ,purgatorio1 ,canto ,i41 how ,virgil was directed to prepare ,dante for his difficult ascent3 8,va dunque1 e fa che tu costui ricinghe d'un giunco schietto1 e che gli lavi il viso s che ogni sucidume quindi stinghe3 99 99 99 99 99 ,questa isoletta intorno ad imo ad imo1 laggi1 col dove la batte l'onda1 porta de' giunchi sopra il molle limo4 ,null'altra pianta1 che facesse fronda o indurasse1 vi puote aver vita1 per che alle percosse non seconda4 99 99 99 99 99 ,venimmo poi in sul lito diserto1 99 99 99 99 99 ,quivi mi cinse s come altrui piacque3 o maraviglia6 ch qual egli scelse l'umile pianta1 cotal si rinacque ,subitamente l onde la svelse40 8,go1 then1 and see thou gird this one about ,with a smooth rush1 and that thou wash his face1 ,so that thou cleanse away all stain therefrom4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this little island round about its base1 ,below there1 yonder where the billow beats it1 ,doth rushes bear upon its washy ooze2 ,no other plant that putteth forth the leaf1 ,or that doth indurate1 can there have life1 ,because it yieldeth not unto the shocks4 99 99 99 99 99 ,then came we down upon the desert shore4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there he begirt me as the other pleased2 ,o marvellous6 for even as he culled ,the humble plant1 such it sprang up again ,suddenly there where he uprooted it40 7,,longfellow',s ,,translation47 ,preface to the #8,home ,education' ,series ,the educational outlook is rather misty and depressing both at home and abroad4 ,that science should be a staple of education1 that the teaching of ,latin1 of modern languages1 of mathematics1 must be reformed1 that nature and handicrafts should be pressed into service for the training of the eye and hand1 that boys and girls must learn to write ,english and therefore must know something of history and literature2 and1 on the other hand1 that education must be made more technical and utilitarian--these1 and such as these1 are the cries of expedience with which we take the field4 ,but we have no unifying principle1 no definite aim2 in fact1 no philosophy of education4 ,as a stream can rise no higher than its source1 so it is probable that no educational effort can rise above the whole scheme of thought which gives it birth2 and perhaps this is the reason of all the #8fallings from us1 vanishings1' failures1 and disappointments which mark our educational records4 ,those of us1 who have spent many years in pursuing the benign and elusive vision of ,education1 perceive that her approaches are regulated by a law1 and that this law has yet to be evoked4 ,we can discern its outlines1 but no more4 ,we know that it is pervasive2 there is no part of a child's home-life or school-work which the law does not penetrate4 ,it is illuminating1 too1 showing the value1 or lack of value1 of a thousand systems and expedients4 ,it is not only a light1 but a measure1 providing a standard whereby all things1 small and great1 belonging to educational work must be tested4 ,the law is liberal1 taking in whatsoever things are true1 honest1 and of good report1 and offering no limitation or hindrance save where excess should injure4 ,and the path indicated by the law is continuous and progressive1 with no transition stage from the cradle to the grave1 except that maturity takes up the regular self-direction to which immaturity has been trained4 ,we shall doubtless find1 when we apprehend the law1 that certain ,german thinkers--,kant1 ,herbart1 ,lotze1 ,froebel--are justified2 that1 as they say1 it is #8necessary' to believe in ,god2 that1 therefore1 the knowledge of ,god is the principal knowledge1 and the chief end of education4 ,by one more character shall we be able to recognise this perfect law of educational liberty when it shall be made evident4 ,it has been said that #8,the best idea which we can form of absolute truth is that it is able to meet every condition by which it can be tested4' ,this we shall expect of our law--that it shall meet every test of experiment and every test of rational investigation4 ,not having received the tables of our law1 we fall back upon ,froebel or upon ,herbart2 or1 if we belong to another ,school1 upon ,locke or ,spencer2 but we are not satisfied4 ,a discontent1 is it a divine discontent8 is upon us2 and assuredly we should hail a workable1 effectual philosophy of education as a deliverance from much perplexity4 ,before this great deliverance comes to us it is probable that many tentative efforts will be put forth1 having more or less of the characters of a philosophy2 notably1 having a central idea1 a body of thought with various members working in vital harmony4 ,such a theory of education1 which need not be careful to call itself a system of psychology1 must be in harmony with the thought movements of the age2 must regard education1 not as a shut-off compartment1 but as being as much a part of life as birth or growth1 marriage or work2 and it must leave the pupil attached to the world at many points of contact4 ,it is true that educationalists are already eager to establish such contact in several directions1 but their efforts rest upon an axiom here and an idea there1 and there is no broad unifying basis of thought to support the whole4 ,fools rush in where angels fear to tread2 and the hope that there may be many tentative efforts towards a philosophy of education1 and that all of them will bring us nearer to the magnum opus1 encourages me to launch one such attempt4 ,the central thought1 or rather body of thought1 upon which ,i found1 is the somewhat obvious fact that the child is a person with all the possibilities and powers included in personality4 ,some of the members which develop from this nucleus have been exploited from time to time by educational thinkers1 and exist vaguely in the general common sense1 a notion here1 another there4 ,one thesis1 which is1 perhaps1 new1 that ,education is the ,science of ,relations1 appears to me to solve the question of a curriculum1 as showing that the object of education is to put a child in living touch with as much as may be of the life of ,nature and of thought4 ,add to this one or two keys to self-knowledge1 and the educated youth goes forth with some idea of self-management1 with some pursuits1 and many vital interests4 ,my excuse for venturing to offer a solution1 however tentative and passing1 to the problem of education is twofold4 ,for between thirty and forty years ,i have laboured without pause to establish a working and philosophic theory of education2 and in the next place1 each article of the educational faith ,i offer has been arrived at by inductive processes2 and has1 ,i think1 been verified by a long and wide series of experiments4 ,it is1 however1 with sincere diffidence that ,i venture to offer the results of this long labour2 because ,i know that in this field there are many labourers far more able and expert than ,i--the #8angels' who fear to tread1 so precarious is the footing6 ,but1 if only pour encourager les autres1 ,i append a short synopsis of the educational theory advanced in the volumes of the #8,home ,education ,series4' ,the treatment is not methodic1 but incidental2 here a little1 there a little1 as seemed to me most likely to meet the occasions of parents and teachers4 ,i should add that in the course of a number of years the various essays have been prepared for the use of the ,parents' ,educational ,union in the hope that that ,society might witness for a more or less coherent body of educational thought4 8,the consequence of truth is great2 therefore the judgment of it must not be negligent40 ,,whichcote4 #a4 ,children are born persons4 #b4 ,they are not born either good or bad1 but with possibilities for good and evil4 #c4 ,the principles of authority on the one hand and obedience on the other1 are natural1 necessary and fundamental2 but-- #d4 ,these principles are limited by the respect due to the personality of children1 which must not be encroached upon1 whether by fear or love1 suggestion or influence1 or undue play upon any one natural desire4 #e4 ,therefore we are limited to three educational instruments--the atmosphere of environment1 the discipline of habit1 and the presentation of living ideas4 #f4 ,by the saying1 ,,education ,,is ,,an ,,atmosphere1 it is not meant that a child should be isolated in what may be called a #8child environment1' especially adapted and prepared2 but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere1 both as regards persons and things1 and should let him live freely among his proper conditions4 ,it stultifies a child to bring down his world to the #8child's' level4 #g4 ,by ,,education ,,is ,a ,,discipline1 is meant the discipline of habits formed definitely and thoughtfully1 whether habits of mind or body4 ,physiologists tell us of the adaptation of brain structure to habitual lines of thought--i4e41 to our habits4 #h4 ,in the saying that ,,education ,,is ,a ,,life1 the need of intellectual and moral as well as of physical sustenance is implied4 ,the mind feeds on ideas1 and therefore children should have a generous curriculum4 #i4 ,but the mind is not a receptacle into which ideas must be dropped1 each idea adding to an #8apperception mass' of its like1 the theory upon which the ,herbartian doctrine of interest rests4 #aj4 ,on the contrary1 a child's mind is no mere sac to hold ideas2 but is rather1 if the figure may be allowed1 a spiritual organism1 with an appetite for all knowledge4 ,this is its proper diet1 with which it is prepared to deal1 and which it can digest and assimilate as the body does foodstuffs4 #aa4 ,this difference is not a verbal quibble4 ,the ,herbartian doctrine lays the stress of education--the preparation of knowledge in enticing morsels1 presented in due order--upon the teacher4 ,children taught upon this principle are in danger of receiving much teaching with little knowledge2 and the teacher's axiom is1 #8,what a child learns matters less than how he learns it4' #ab4 ,but1 believing that the normal child has powers of mind that fit him to deal with all knowledge proper to him1 we must give him a full and generous curriculum2 taking care1 only1 that the knowledge offered to him is vital--that is1 that facts are not presented without their informing ideas4 ,out of this conception comes the principle that1-- #ac4 ,,education ,,is ,,the ,,science ,,of ,,relations2 that is1 that a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts3 so we must train him upon physical exercises1 nature1 handicrafts1 science and art1 and upon many living books2 for we know that our business is1 not to teach him all about anything1 but to help him to make valid as many as may be of-- #8,those first-born affinities ,that fit our new existence to existing things4' #ad4 ,there are also two secrets of moral and intellectual self-management which should be offered to children2 these we may call the ,way of the ,will and the ,way of the ,reason4 #ae4 ,the ,way of the ,will4--,children should be taught-- 7a7 ,to distinguish between #8,i want' and #8,i will4' 7b7 ,that the way to will effectively is to turn our thoughts from that which we desire but do not will4 7c7 ,that the best way to turn our thoughts is to think of or do some quite different thing1 entertaining or interesting4 7d7 ,that1 after a little rest in this way1 the will returns to its work with new vigour4 7,this adjunct of the will is familiar to us as diversion1 whose office it is to ease us for a time from will effort1 that we may #8will' again with added power4 ,the use of suggestion--even self-suggestion--as an aid to the will1 is to be deprecated1 as tending to stultify and stereotype character4 ,it would seem that spontaneity is a condition of development1 and that human nature needs the discipline of failure as well as of success47 #af4 ,the ,way of the ,reason4--,we should teach children1 too1 not to #8lean' 7too confidently7 #8unto their own understanding1' because the function of reason is1 to give logical demonstration 7a7 of mathematical truth2 and 7b7 of an initial idea1 accepted by the will4 ,in the former case reason is1 perhaps1 an infallible guide1 but in the second it is not always a safe one2 for whether that initial idea be right or wrong1 reason will confirm it by irrefragable proofs4 #ag4 ,therefore children should be taught1 as they become mature enough to understand such teaching1 that the chief responsibility which rests on them as persons is the acceptance or rejection of initial ideas4 ,to help them in this choice we should give them principles of conduct and a wide range of the knowledge fitted for them4 ,these three principles 7#ae1 #af and #ag7 should save children from some of the loose thinking and heedless action which cause most of us to live at a lower level than we need4 #ah4 ,we should allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and #8spiritual' life of children2 but should teach them that the divine ,spirit has constant access to their spirits1 and is their continual helper in all the interests1 duties and joys of life4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the #8,home ,education' ,series is so called from the title of the first volume1 and not as dealing1 wholly or principally1 with #8,home' as opposed to #8,school' education4 ,preface to the ,fourth ,edition ,my attempt in the following volume is to suggest to parents and teachers a method of education resting upon a basis of natural law2 and to touch1 in this connection1 upon a mother's duties to her children4 ,in venturing to speak on this latter subject1 ,i do so with the sincerest deference to mothers1 believing that1 in the words of a wise teacher of men1 8the woman receives from the ,spirit of ,god ,himself the intuitions into the child's character1 the capacity of appreciating its strength and its weakness1 the faculty of calling forth the one and sustaining the other1 in which lies the mystery of education1 apart from which all its rules and measures are utterly vain and ineffectual40#a ,but just in proportion as a mother has this peculiar insight as regards her own children1 she will1 ,i think1 feel her need of a knowledge of the general principles of education1 founded upon the nature and the needs of all children4 ,and this knowledge of the science of education1 not the best of mothers will get from above1 seeing that we do not often receive as a gift that which we have the means of getting by our own efforts4 ,i venture to hope that teachers of young children1 also1 may find this volume of use4 ,the period of a child's life between his sixth and his ninth year should be used to lay the basis of a liberal education1 and of the habit of reading for instruction4 ,during these years the child should enter upon the domain of knowledge1 in a good many directions1 in a reposeful1 consecutive way1 which is not to be attained through the somewhat exciting medium of oral lessons4 ,i hope that teachers may find the approach 7from a new standpoint71 to the hackneyed 8subjects of instruction0 proper for little children at any rate interesting and stimulating2 and possibly the methods which this fresh standpoint indicates may prove suggestive and helpful4 ,the particular object of this volume1 as a member of the #8,home ,education' ,series1 is to show the bearing of the physiology of habit upon education2 why certain physical1 intellectual1 and moral habits are a valuable asset to a child1 and what may be done towards the formation of such habits4 ,i beg to acknowledge my indebtedness to ,dr ,carpenter's ,mental ,physiology for valuable teaching on the subject of habits contained in some two or three chapters of that work4 ,also1 ,i would renew my grateful thanks to those medical friends who have given careful and able revision to such parts of the work as rest on a physiological basis4 ,i should add that some twenty years ago 7#ahhe7 the greater part of this volume was delivered as #8,lectures to ,ladies1' in which form the papers were originally published 7#ahhf7 under the title which is still retained4 ,lectures ,,vii4 and ,,viii4 and the ,appendix of the original volume have been transferred from this to other volumes of the ,series4 ,the whole has been very carefully revised1 and much new matter introduced1 especially in ,part ,v41 #8,lessons as ,instruments of ,education1' which now offers a fairly complete introduction to methods of teaching subjects fit for children between the ages of six and nine4 ,the rest of the volume attempts to deal with the whole of education from infancy until the ninth year of life4 ,c4 ,m4 ,,mason4 ,,scale ,,how1 ,,ambleside1 #aije4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,the ,rev4 ,f4 ,d4 ,maurice4 ,contents ,,part ,i ,,some ,,preliminary ,,considerations ,,page ,children are public trusts--,mothers owe #8a thinking love' to their children--,the training of children #8dreadfully defective'--,how parents usually proceed #a ,i4 ,a ,,method ,,of ,,education ,traditional methods of education--,method a way to an end--,a system easier than a method #f ,,ii4 ,,the ,,child',s ,,estate ,the child in the midst--,code of education in the ,gospels #aa ,,iii4 ,,offending ,,the ,,children ,children are born law-abiding--,they must perceive that their governors are law-compelled--,parents may offend their children by disregarding the laws of health--,and of the intellectual life--,and of the moral life #ac ,,iv4 ,,despising ,,the ,,children ,children should have the best of their mothers--,nurse-- ,children's faults are serious #ag ,v4 ,,hindering ,,the ,,children ,a child's relationship with ,almighty ,god--,nursery theology #ai ,,vi4 ,,conditions ,,of ,,healthy ,,brain-,,activity ,all mind-labour means wear of brain--,exercise--,rest--,rest after meals--,change of occupation--,nourishment--,certain causes affect the quality of the blood--,concerning meals--,talk at meals--,variety in meals--,air as important as food--#8,the children walk every day'--,oxygen has its limitations--,unchanged air--#8,i feed ,alice on beef tea'-- ,wordsworth's ,lucy--,indoor airings--,ventilation--,night air wholesome--,sunshine--,free perspiration--,insensible perspiration--,daily bath and porous garments #bj ,,vii4 #8,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,law' ,,in ,,education ,common sense and good intentions--,law-abiding lives often more blameless than pious lives--#8,mind' and #8matter' equally governed by law--,antagonism to law shown by some religious persons--,parents must acquaint themselves with the principles of physiology and moral science #cg ,,part ,,ii ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,life ,,for ,,the ,,children ,i4 ,,growing ,,time ,meals out of doors--,for dwellers in towns and suburbs-- ,possibilities of a day in the open--,no story-books #db ,,ii4 #8,,sight-,,seeing' ,how to see--,educational uses of #8sight-seeing'--,discriminating observation #de ,,iii4 #8,,picture-,,painting' ,method of--,strain on the attention--,seeing fully and in detail --,a means of after solace and refreshment #dh ,,iv4 ,,flowers ,,and ,,trees ,children should know field crops--,field flowers and the life- history of common plants--,the study of trees--,the seasons should be followed--,leigh ,hunt on flowers--,calendars--,nature diaries #ea ,v4 #8,,living ,,creatures' ,a field of interest and delight--,children should be encouraged to watch--,the force of public opinion in the home--,what town children can do--,nature knowledge the most important knowledge for young children--,mental training of a child naturalist--,nature work especially valuable for girls #ef ,,vi4 ,,field-,,lore ,,and ,,naturalists' ,,books ,reverence for life--,rough classification at first hand--,uses of #8,naturalists' books--,mothers and teachers should know about ,nature #fb ,,vii4 ,,the ,,child ,,gets ,,knowledge ,,by ,,means ,,of ,,his ,,senses ,nature's teaching--,over-pressure--,object-lesson s--,a child learns from things--,the sense of beauty comes from early contact with ,nature--,most grown men lose the habit of observation #fe ,,viii4 ,,the ,,child ,,should ,,be ,,made ,,familiar ,,with ,,natural ,,objects ,an #8observant child' should be put in the way of things worth observing--,every natural object a member of a series--,power will pass more and more into the hands of scientific men--,intimacy with ,nature makes for personal well-being #fi ,,ix4 ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,geography ,small things may teach great--,pictorial geography--,the position of the sun--,clouds1 rain1 snow1 and hail--,distance-- ,direction--,east and west--,practice in finding direction-- ,compass drill--,boundaries--,plans--,local geography #gb ,x4 ,,the ,,child ,,and ,,mother ,,nature ,the mother must refrain from too much talk--,making a new acquaintance--,two things permissible to the mother #gh ,,xi4 ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,games ,the ,french lesson--,noisy games--,rondes--,skipping-rope and shuttlecock--,climbing--,clothing #hj ,,xii4 ,,walks ,,in ,,bad ,,weather ,winter walks as necessary as summer walks--,pleasures connected with frost and snow--,winter observations--,habit of attention--,wet weather tramps--,outer garments for-- ,precautions #he ,,xiii4 #8,,red ,,indian' ,,life ,scouting--#8,bird-stalking' #hh ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,children ,,require ,,country ,,air ,the essential proportion of oxygen--,excess of carbonic acid gas--,unvitiated1 unimpoverished air--,solar light--,a physical ideal for a child #ib ,,part ,,iii #8,,habit ,,is ,,ten ,,natures' ,i4 ,,education ,,based ,,upon ,,natural ,,law ,a healthy brain--,out-of-door life--,habit1 the instrument by which parents work #if ,,ii4 ,,children ,,have ,,no ,,self-,,compelling ,,power ,an educational cul-de-sac--,love1 law1 and religion as educational forces--,why children are incapable of steady effort--,young children should be saved the labour of decision #ih ,,iii4 ,,what ,,is #8,,nature'8 ,all persons born with the same primary desires--,and affections-- ,content of the most elemental notion of human nature--,nature plus heredity--plus physical conditions--,human nature the sum of certain attributes--,the child must not be left to his human nature--,problem before the educator--,divine grace works on the lines of human effort--,the trust of parents must not be supine #ajj ,,iv4 ,,habit ,,may ,,supplant #8,,nature' ,habit runs on the lines of ,nature--,but habit may be a lever--,a mother forms her children's habits involuntarily--,habit forces ,nature into new channels--,parents and teachers must lay down lines of habit #aje ,v4 ,,the ,,laying ,,down ,,of ,,lines ,,of ,,habit #8,begin it1 and the thing will be completed'--,direction of lines of habit--,we think as we are accustomed to think--,habit and free-will--,habit rules ninety-nine in a hundred of our thoughts and acts--,habit powerful even where the will decides #ajg ,,vi4 ,,the ,,physiology ,,of ,,habit ,growing tissues form themselves to modes of action--,therefore children should learn dancing1 swimming1 etc41 at an early age--,moral and mental habits make their mark upon physical tissues--,persistent trains of thought--,incessant regeneration of brain tissue--,artificial reflex actions may be acquired--,intellectual and moral education--,character affected by modification of brain tissue--,outside influence #aaa ,,vii4 ,,the ,,forming ,,of ,a ,,habit--#8,,shut ,,the ,,door ,,after ,,you' #8,do ye next thinge'--,habit a delight in itself--,tact1 watchfulness1 and persistence--,stages in the formation of a habit--,the dangerous stage #aai ,,viii4 ,,infant #8,,habits' ,some branches of infant education--,a sensitive nose--,the baby is ubiquitous--,personal cleanliness as an early habit--,modesty and purity--,the habit of obedience and the sense of honour-- ,order essential--,the child of two should put away his playthings--,neatness akin to order--,regularity--,habits of time and place #abd ,,ix4 ,,physical ,,exercises ,importance of daily--,drill in good manners--,training of the ear and voice--,the habit of music--,let children alone #acb ,,part ,,iv ,,some ,,habits ,,of ,,mind--,,some ,,moral ,,habits ,a science of education--,education in habit favours an easy life--,training in habits becomes a habit--,habits inspired by the home atmosphere #ace ,i4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,attention ,a mind at the mercy of associations--,wandering attention--,the habit of attention to be cultivated in the infant--,attention to things1 words a weariness--,lessons attractive--,time-table1 definite work in a given time--,a natural reward--,emulation-- ,affection as a motive--,attractiveness of knowledge--,what is attention8--,self-compelled attention--,the secret of over- pressure--,the schoolboy's home-work--,wholesome home treatment for #8mooning'--,rewards and punishments should be relative consequences of conduct--,natural and educative consequences #acg ,,ii4 ,,the ,,habits ,,of ,,application1 ,,etc4 ,rapid mental effort--,zeal must be stimulated #adi ,,iii4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,thinking #8,a lion'--,operations included in thinking #aej ,,iv4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,imagining ,the sense of the incongruous--,commonplace tales2 tales of imagination--,imagination and great conceptions--,imagination grows--,thinking comes by practice #aea ,v4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,remembering ,remembering and recollecting--,a #8spurious' memory--,memory1 a record in the brain substance--,made under what conditions-- ,recollection and the law of association--,every lesson must recall the last--,no limit to the recording power of the brain--,but links of association a condition of recollection #aed ,,vi4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,perfect ,,execution ,the habit of turning out imperfect work--,a child should execute perfectly #aei ,,vii4 ,,some ,,moral ,,habits ,obedience--,the whole duty of a child--,obedience no accidental duty--,children must have the desire to obey--,expect obedience--,law ensures liberty #afj ,,viii4 ,,truthfulness1 ,,etc4 ,three causes of lying--,all vicious--,only one kind visited on children--,accuracy of statement--,exaggeration and ludicrous embellishments--,reverence--,temper born in a child--,not temper but tendency--,parents must correct tendency by new habit of temper--,change the child's thoughts #afd ,,part ,v ,,lessons ,,as ,,instruments ,,of ,,education ,i4 ,,the ,,matter ,,and ,,method ,,of ,,lessons ,parents must reflect on the subject-matter of instruction--,home the best growing ground for young children--,three questions for the mother--,children learn1 to grow--,doctoring of the material of knowledge--,children learn1 to get ideas-- ,ideas grow and produce after their kind--,scott and ,stephenson worked with ideas--,value of dominant ideas--,lessons must furnish ideas--,children learn1 to get knowledge--,diluted knowledge--,dr ,arnold's knowledge as a child--,literature proper for children--,four tests which should be applied to children's lessons--,rsum of six points just considered #afi ,,ii4 ,,the ,,kindergarten ,,as ,a ,,place ,,of ,,education ,the mother the best ,kindergrtnerin--,the nursery need not therefore be a kindergarten--,field of knowledge too circumscribed--,training of a just eye and faithful hand-- #8,sweetness and light' in the kindergarten #agh ,,iii4 ,,further ,,considerations ,,of ,,the ,,kindergarten ,the childhood of ,tolstoi--,the ,story of a ,child--,what we owe to ,froebel--,requirements of a person--,nature as an educator-- ,danger of undervaluing children's intelligence--,we all like to be humoured--,teachers mediate too much--,danger of personal magnetism--#8,kindergarten' a false analogy--#8,mother-games' too strenuous for a child--,the society of his equals too stimulating for a child--,danger of supplanting ,nature-- ,importance of personal initiative--,parents and teachers must sow opportunities--#8,only' children--,the child should be allowed some ordering of his life--,helen ,keller--,miss ,sullivan on systems of education--,the kindergarten in the ,united ,states--,mr ,thistleton ,mark on the kindergarten-- ,dr ,stanley ,hall on the kindergarten #ahb ,,iv4 ,,reading ,time of teaching to read--,mrs ,wesley's plan--,the alphabet-- ,word-making--,word-making with long vowels1 etc4--,early spelling--,reading at sight--,the reading of prose--,careful pronunciation--,a year's work--,ordinary method #aii ,v4 ,,the ,,first ,,reading ,,lesson 7,two mothers confer7 #bjg ,,vi4 ,,reading ,,by ,,sight ,,and ,,by ,,sound ,learning to read is hard work--,knowledge of arbitrary symbols--,these symbols should be interesting--,tommy's first lesson--,steps--,reading sentences--,tommy's second lesson--,unknown words--,like combinations have different sounds--,moral training in reading lessons #bad ,,vii4 ,,recitation #8,the children's art'--,memorising #bbb ,,viii4 ,,reading ,,for ,,older ,,children ,the habit of reading--,reading aloud--,limitation--,reading to children--,questions on the subject-matter--,lesson-books-- ,slipshod habits2 ,inattention--,careless enunciation #bbf ,,ix4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,narrating ,children narrate by nature--,this power should be used in their education--,method of lesson #bca ,x4 ,,writing ,perfect accomplishment--,printing--,steps in teaching--,text- hand--,a ,new ,handwriting--,how to use #bcc ,,xi4 ,,transcription ,value of transcription--,children should transcribe favourite passages--,small text-hand--,double-ruled lines--,position in writing--,desks--,children's table #bch ,,xii4 ,,spelling ,,and ,,dictation ,a fertile cause of bad spelling--,the rationale of spelling-- ,steps of a dictation lesson #bdj ,,xiii4 ,,composition ,george ,osborne's essay--,an educational futility--,lessons in composition--,teaching that is a public danger--#8,composition' comes by nature #bdc ,,xiv4 ,,bible ,,lessons ,children enjoy the ,bible--,should know the ,bible text--,essential and accidental truth--,method of ,bible lessons--,picture illustrations--,bible recitations #bdg ,,xv4 ,,arithmetic ,educative value of--,problems within the child's grasp-- ,demonstrate--,problems--,notation--,wei ghing and measuring-- ,arithmetic as a means of training--,the ,a ,b ,c ,arithmetic-- ,preparation for mathematics #bec ,,xvi4 ,,natural ,,philosophy ,a basis of facts--,eyes and no eyes--,principles--,to be comprehended by children--,as taught in a village school #bfd ,,xvii4 ,,geography ,educational value of--,as commonly taught--,geography should be interesting--,how to begin--,what next--,maps--,what general knowledge a child of nine should have--,particular knowledge-- ,definitions--,fundamental ideas--,meaning of a map #bga ,,xviii4 ,,history ,a storehouse of ideas--#8,outlines' mischievous--,so are most history books written for children--,early history of a nation best fitted for children--,some old ,chronicles--,age of myths-- ,plutarch's ,lives--,history books--,dates--,illustrations by the children--#8,playing at' history #bgi ,,xix4 ,,grammar ,grammar a difficult study--,latin grammar--,english grammar a logical study--,two grammar lessons #bie ,,xx4 ,,french4 ,m4 ,gouin's method--,the #8,series'--,how does the child learn8 #cjj ,,xxi4 ,,pictorial ,,art1 ,,etc4 ,study of pictures--,should be regular--,a picture talk--,drawing lessons--,children have #8,art' in them--,clay modelling--,the piano and singing--,handicrafts and drills #cjg ,,part ,,vi ,,the ,,will--,,the ,,conscience--,,the ,,divine ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,child ,i4 ,,the ,,will ,government of ,mansoul--,executive power vested in the will--,what is the will8--,persons may go through life without a deliberate act of will--,character the result of conduct regulated by will-- ,three functions of the will--,a limitation of the will disregarded by some novelists--,parents fall into this metaphysical blunder--,wilfulness indicates want of will-power-- ,what is wilfulness8--,the will has superior and inferior functions--,the will not a moral faculty--,a disciplined will necessary to heroic ,christian character--,the sole practical faculty of man--,how the will operates--,the way of the will2 ,incentives--,diversion--,change of thought--,the way of the will should be taught to children--,power of will implies power of attention--,habit may frustrate the will--,reasonable use of so effective an instrument--,how to strengthen the will--,habit of self-management--,education of the will more important than of the intellect #cag ,,ii4 ,,the ,,conscience ,conscience is judge and law-giver--,i am1 ,i ought1 ,i can1 ,i will--,inertness of parents not supplemented by ,divine grace-- ,conscience not an infallible guide--,but a real power--,that spiritual sense whereby we know good and evil--,a child's conscience an undeveloped capability rather than a supreme authority--,the uninstructed conscience--,the processes implied in a #8conscientious' decision--,the instructed conscience nearly always right--,the good conscience of a child--,children play with moral questions--,the ,bible the chief source of moral ideas--,tales fix attention upon conduct--,ignorance of a child's conscience--,instructing the conscience--,kindness--,the conscience made effective by discipline #cbi ,,iii4 ,,the ,,divine ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,child ,the #8very pulse of the machine'--,parents have some power to enthrone the ,king--,the functions and life of the soul--,what is the life of the soul8--,the parent must present the idea of ,god to the soul of the child--,must not make blundering efforts--,god presented to the children as an exactor and punisher--,parents must select inspiring ideas--,we must teach only what we know--,fitting and vital ideas--,the knowledge of ,god distinct from morality--,the times and the manner of religious instruction--,the reading of the ,bible--,father and ,giver--,the essence of ,christianity is loyalty to a ,person #cda ,,appendices ,a4 ,,list ,,of ,,books #cec ,b4 ,,questions ,,for ,,the ,,use ,,of ,,students #ceg ,c4 ,,the ,,examination ,,of ,a ,,child ,,of ,,seven ,,upon ,a ,,term',s ,,work ,,on ,,the ,,lines ,,indicated ,,in ,,this ,,volume #chg ,d4 ,,the ,,examination ,,of ,a ,,child ,,of ,,nine ,,upon ,a ,,term',s ,,work #cih ,,index #dbj ,home ,education ,,part ,i ,,some ,,preliminary ,,considerations ,not the least sign of the higher status they have gained1 is the growing desire for work that obtains amongst educated women4 ,the world wants the work of such women2 and presently1 as education becomes more general1 we shall see all women with the capacity to work falling into the ranks of working women1 with definite tasks1 fixed hours1 and for wages1 the pleasure and honour of doing useful work if they are under no necessity to earn money4 ,children are a ,public ,trust4--,now1 that work which is of most importance to society is the bringing-up and instruction of the children--in the school1 certainly1 but far more in the home1 because it is more than anything else the home influences brought to bear upon the child that determine the character and career of the future man or woman4 ,it is a great thing to be a parent3 there is no promotion1 no dignity1 to compare with it4 ,the parents of but one child may be cherishing what shall prove a blessing to the world4 ,but then1 entrusted with such a charge1 they are not free to say1 8,i may do as ,i will with mine own40 ,the children are1 in truth1 to be regarded less as personal property than as public trusts1 put into the hands of parents that they may make the very most of them for the good of society4 ,and this responsibility is not equally divided between the parents3 it is upon the mothers of the present that the future of the world depends1 in even a greater degree than upon the fathers1 because it is the mothers who have the sole direction of the children's early1 most impressible years4 ,this is why we hear so frequently of great men who have had good mothers--that is1 mothers who brought up their children themselves1 and did not make over their gravest duty to indifferent persons4 ,mothers owe #8a thinking love' to their ,children4--8,the mother is qualified10 says ,pestalozzi1 8and qualified by the ,creator ,himself1 to become the principal agent in the development of her child2 444 and what is demanded of her is--a thinking love4444 ,god has given to thy child all the faculties of our nature1 but the grand point remains undecided--how shall this heart1 this head1 these hands1 be employed8 to whose service shall they be dedicated8 ,a question the answer to which involves a futurity of happiness or misery to a life so dear to thee4 ,maternal love is the first agent in education40 ,we are waking up to our duties1 and in proportion as mothers become more highly educated and efficient1 they will doubtless feel the more strongly that the education of their children during the first six years of life is an undertaking hardly to be entrusted to any hands but their own4 ,and they will take it up as their profession--that is1 with the diligence1 regularity1 and punctuality which men bestow on their professional labours4 ,that the mother may know what she is about1 may come thoroughly furnished to her work1 she should have something more than a hearsay acquaintance with the theory of education1 and with those conditions of the child's nature upon which such theory rests4 ,the ,training of ,children #8dreadfully defective4'--8,the training of children10 says ,mr ,herbert ,spencer--8physical1 moral1 and intellectual--is dreadfully defective4 ,and in great measure it is so1 because parents are devoid of that knowledge by which this training can alone be rightly guided4 ,what is to be expected when one of the most intricate of problems is undertaken by those who have given scarcely a thought to the principle on which its solution depends8 ,for shoemaking or house-building1 for the management of a ship or of a locomotive engine1 a long apprenticeship is needful4 ,is it1 then1 that the unfolding of a human being in body and mind is so comparatively simple a process that any one may superintend and regulate it with no preparation whatever8 ,if not--if the process is1 with one exception1 more complex than any in ,nature1 and the task of ministering to it one of surpassing difficulty--is it not madness to make no provision for such a task8 ,better sacrifice accomplishments than omit this all-essential instruction4444 ,some acquaintance with the first principles of physiology and the elementary truths of psychology is indispensable for the right bringing-up of children4444 ,here are the indisputable facts3 that the development of children in mind and body follows certain laws2 that unless these laws are in some degree conformed to by parents1 death is inevitable2 that unless they are in a great degree conformed to1 there must result serious physical and mental defects2 and that only when they are completely conformed to1 can a perfect maturity be reached4 ,judge1 then1 whether all who may one day be parents should not strive with some anxiety to learn what these laws are40#b ,how ,parents usually proceed4--,the parent begins instinctively by regarding his child as an unwritten tablet1 and is filled with great resolves as to what he shall write thereon4 ,by-and-by1 traits of disposition appear1 the child has little ways of his own2 and1 at first1 every new display of personality is a delightful surprise4 ,that the infant should show pleasure at the sight of his father1 that his face should cloud in sympathy with his mother1 must always be wonderful to us4 ,but the wonder stales2 his parents are used to the fact by the time the child shows himself a complete human being like themselves1 with affections1 desires1 powers2 taking to his book1 perhaps1 as a duck to the water2 or to the games which shall make a man of him4 ,the notion of doing all for the child with which the parents began gradually recedes4 ,so soon as he shows that he has a way of his own he is encouraged to take it4 ,father and mother have no greater delight than to watch the individuality of their child unfold as a flower unfolds4 ,but ,othello loses his occupation4 ,the more the child shapes his own course1 the less do the parents find to do1 beyond feeding him with food convenient1 whether of love1 or thought1 or of bodily meat and drink4 ,and here1 we may notice1 the parents need only supply2 the child knows well enough how to appropriate4 ,the parents' chief care is1 that that which they supply shall be wholesome and nourishing1 whether in the way of picture-books1 lessons1 playmates1 bread and milk1 or mother's love4 ,this is education as most parents understand it1 with more of meat1 more of love1 more of culture1 according to their kind and degree4 ,they let their children alone1 allowing human nature to develop on its own lines1 modified by facts of environment and descent4 ,nothing could be better for the child than this #8masterly inactivity1' so far as it goes4 ,it is well he should be let grow and helped to grow according to his nature2 and so long as the parents do not step in to spoil him1 much good and no very evident harm comes of letting him alone4 ,but this philosophy of #8let him be1' while it covers a part1 does not cover the serious part of the parents' calling2 does not touch the strenuous incessant efforts upon lines of law which go to the producing of a human being at his best4 ,nothing is trivial that concerns a child2 his foolish-seeming words and ways are pregnant with meaning for the wise4 ,it is in the infinitely little we must study the infinitely great2 and the vast possibilities1 and the right direction of education1 are indicated in the open book of the little child's thoughts4 ,a generation ago1 a great teacher amongst us never wearied of reiterating that in the ,divine plan 8the family is the unit of the nation03 not the individual1 but the family4 ,there is a great deal of teaching in the phrase1 but this lies on the surface2 the whole is greater than the part1 the whole contains the part1 owns the part1 orders the part2 and this being so1 the children are the property of the nation1 to be brought up for the nation as is best for the nation1 and not according to the whim of individual parents4 ,the law is for the punishment of evil-doers1 for the praise of them that do well2 so1 practically1 parents have very free play2 but it is as well we should remember that the children are a national trust whose bringing-up is the concern of all--even of those unmarried and childless persons whose part in the game is the rather dreary one of #8looking on4' ,i4--,a ,,method ,,of ,,education ,traditional ,methods of ,education4--,never was it more necessary for parents to face for themselves this question of education in all its bearings4 ,hitherto1 children have been brought up upon traditional methods mainly4 ,the experience of our ancestors1 floating in a vast number of educational maxims1 is handed on from lip to lip2 and few or many of these maxims form the educational code of every household4 ,but we hardly take in how complete a revolution advancing science is effecting in the theory of education4 ,the traditions of the elders have been tried and found wanting2 it will be long before the axioms of the new school pass into common currency2 and1 in the meantime1 parents are thrown upon their own resources1 and absolutely must weigh principles1 and adopt a method1 of education for themselves4 ,for instance1 according to the former code1 a mother might use her slipper now and then1 to good effect and without blame2 but now1 the person of the child is1 whether rightly or wrongly1 held sacred1 and the infliction of pain for moral purposes is pretty generally disallowed4 ,again1 the old rule for the children's table was1 #8the plainer the better1 and let hunger bring sauce'2 now1 the children's diet must be at least as nourishing and as varied as that of their elders2 and appetite1 the craving for certain kinds of food1 hitherto a vicious tendency to be repressed1 is now within certain limitations the parents' most trustworthy guide in arranging a dietary for their children4 ,that children should be trained to endure hardness1 was a principle of the old rgime4 8,i shall never make a sailor if ,i can't face the wind and rain10 said a little fellow of five who was taken out on a bitter night to see a torchlight procession2 and1 though shaking with cold1 he declined the shelter of a shed4 ,nowadays1 the shed is everything2 the children must not be permitted to suffer from fatigue or exposure4 ,that children should do as they are bid1 mind their books1 and take pleasure as it offers when nothing stands in the way1 sums up the old theory2 now1 the pleasures of children are apt to be made of more account than their duties4 ,formerly1 they were brought up in subjection2 now1 the elders give place1 and the world is made for the children4 ,english people rarely go so far as the parents of that story in ,french ,home ,life1 who arrived an hour late at a dinner-party1 because they had been desired by their girl of three to undress and go to bed when she did1 and were able to steal away only when the child was asleep4 ,we do not go so far1 but that is the direction in which we are moving2 and how far the new theories of education are wise and humane1 the outcome of more widely spread physiological and psychological knowledge1 and how far they just pander to the child-worship to which we are all succumbing1 is not a question to be decided off-hand4 ,at any rate1 it is not too much to say that a parent who does not follow reasonably a method of education1 fully thought out1 fails--now1 more than ever before--to fulfil the claims his children have upon him4 ,method a ,way to an ,end4--,method implies two things--a way to an end1 and step-by-step progress in that way4 ,further1 the following of a method implies an idea1 a mental image1 of the end or object to be arrived at4 ,what do you propose that education shall effect in and for your child8 ,again1 method is natural2 easy1 yielding1 unobtrusive1 simple as the ways of ,nature herself2 yet1 watchful1 careful1 all-pervading1 all-compelling4 ,method1 with the end of education in view1 presses the most unlikely matters into service to bring about that end2 but with no more tiresome mechanism than the sun employs when it makes the winds to blow and the waters to flow only by shining4 ,the parent who sees his way--that is1 the exact force of method--to educate his child1 will make use of every circumstance of the child's life almost without intention on his own part1 so easy and spontaneous is a method of education based upon ,natural ,law4 ,does the child eat or drink1 does he come1 or go1 or play--all the time he is being educated1 though he is as little aware of it as he is of the act of breathing4 ,there is always the danger that a method1 a bon fide method1 should degenerate into a mere system4 ,the ,kindergarten ,method1 for instance1 deserves the name1 as having been conceived and perfected by large-hearted educators to aid the many-sided evolution of the living1 growing1 most complex human being2 but what a miserable wooden system does it become in the hands of ignorant practitioners6 ,a ,system easier than a ,method4--,a #8system of education' is an alluring fancy2 more so1 on some counts1 than a method1 because it is pledged to more definite calculable results4 ,by means of a system certain developments may be brought about through the observance of given rules4 ,shorthand1 dancing1 how to pass examinations1 how to become a good accountant1 or a woman of society1 may all be learned upon systems4 ,system--the observing of rules until the habit of doing certain things1 of behaving in certain ways1 is confirmed1 and1 therefore1 the art is acquired--is so successful in achieving precise results1 that it is no wonder there should be endless attempts to straiten the whole field of education to the limits of a system4 ,if a human being were a machine1 education could do no more for him than to set him in action in prescribed ways1 and the work of the educator would be simply to adopt a good working system or set of systems4 ,but the educator has to deal with a self-acting1 self-developing being1 and his business is to guide1 and assist in1 the production of the latent good in that being1 the dissipation of the latent evil1 the preparation of the child to take his place in the world at his best1 with every capacity for good that is in him developed into a power4 ,though system is highly useful as an instrument of education1 a #8system of education' is mischievous1 as producing only mechanical action instead of the vital growth and movement of a living being4 ,it is worth while to point out the differing characters of a system and a method1 because parents let themselves be run away with often enough by some plausible #8system1' the object of which is to produce development in one direction--of the muscles1 of the memory1 of the reasoning faculty--and to rest content1 as if that single development were a complete all-round education4 ,this easy satisfaction arises from the sluggishness of human nature1 to which any definite scheme is more agreeable than the constant watchfulness1 the unforeseen action1 called for when the whole of a child's existence is to be used as the means of his education4 ,but who is sufficient for an education so comprehensive1 so incessant8 ,a parent may be willing to undergo any definite labours for his child's sake2 but to be always catering for his behoof1 always contriving that circumstances shall play upon him for his good1 is the part of a god and not of a man6 ,a reasonable objection enough1 if one looks upon education as an endless series of independent efforts1 each to be thought out and acted out on the spur of the moment2 but the fact is1 that a few broad essential principles cover the whole field1 and these once fully laid hold of1 it is as easy and natural to act upon them as it is to act upon our knowledge of such facts as that fire burns and water flows4 ,my endeavour in this and the following chapters will be to put these few fundamental principles before you in their practical bearing4 ,meantime1 let us consider one or two preliminary questions4 ,,ii4--,,the ,,child',s ,,estate ,the ,child in the ,midst4--,and first1 let us consider where and what the little being is who is entrusted to the care of human parents4 ,a tablet to be written upon8 ,a twig to be bent8 ,wax to be moulded8 ,very likely2 but he is much more--a being belonging to an altogether higher estate than ours2 as it were1 a prince committed to the fostering care of peasants4 ,hear ,wordsworth's estimate of the child's estate3-- 8,our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting3 ,the soul that rises with us1 our life's star1 ,hath had elsewhere its setting1 ,and cometh from afar2 ,not in entire forgetfulness1 ,and not in utter nakedness1 ,but trailing clouds of glory do we come ,from ,god1 who is our home3 ,heaven lies about us in our infancy6 ,thou1 whose exterior semblance doth belie ,thy soul's immensity2 ,thou best philosopher1 who yet dost keep ,thy heritage2 thou eye among the blind1 ,that1 deaf and silent1 read'st the eternal deep1 ,haunted for ever by the eternal mind-- ,mighty ,prophet6 ,seer blest6 ,on whom those truths do rest1 ,which we are toiling all our lives to find2 ,thou1 over whom thy immortality ,broods like the day1 a master o'er a slave1 ,a presence which is not to be put by2 ,thou little child1 yet glorious in the might ,of heaven-born freedom1 on thy being's height0-- and so on1 through the whole of that great ode1 which1 next after the ,bible1 shows the deepest insight into what is peculiar to the children in their nature and estate4 8,of such is the kingdom of heaven40 8,except ye become as little children ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven40 8,who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven80 8,and ,he called a little child1 and set him in the midst40 ,here is the ,divine estimate of the child's estate4 ,it is worth while for parents to ponder every utterance in the ,gospels about the children1 divesting themselves of the notion that these sayings belong1 in the first place1 to the grown-up people who have become as little children4 ,what these profound sayings are1 and how much they may mean1 it is beyond us to discuss here2 only they appear to cover far more than ,wordsworth claims for the children in his sublimest reach-- 8,trailing clouds of glory do we come ,from ,god1 who is our home40 ,code of ,education in the ,gospels4--,it may surprise parents who have not given much attention to the subject to discover also a code of education in the ,gospels1 expressly laid down by ,christ4 ,it is summed up in three commandments1 and all three have a negative character1 as if the chief thing required of grown-up people is that they should do no sort of injury to the children3 ,take heed that ye ,,offend not--,,despise not--,,hinder not--one of these little ones4 ,so run the three educational laws of the ,new ,testament1 which1 when separately examined1 appear to me to cover all the help we can give the children and all the harm we can save them from--that is1 whatever is included in training up a child in the way he should go4 ,let us look upon these three great laws as prohibitive1 in order to clear the ground for the consideration of a method of education2 for if we once settle with ourselves what we may not do1 we are greatly helped to see what we may do1 and must do4 ,but1 as a matter of fact1 the positive is included in the negative1 what we are bound to do for the child in what we are forbidden to do to his hurt4 ,,iii4--,,offending ,,the ,,children ,offences4--,the first and second of the ,divine edicts appear to include our sins of commission and of omission against the children3 we offend them1 when we do by them that which we ought not to have done2 we despise them1 when we leave undone those things which1 for their sakes1 we ought to have done4 ,an offence1 we know1 is literally a stumbling-block1 that which trips up the walker and causes him to fall4 ,mothers know what it is to clear the floor of every obstacle when a baby takes his unsteady little runs from chair to chair1 from one pair of loving arms to another4 ,the table-leg1 the child's toy on the floor1 which has caused a fall and a pitiful cry1 is a thing to be deplored2 why did not somebody put it out of the way1 so that the baby should not stumble8 ,but the little child is going out into the world with uncertain tottering steps in many directions4 ,there are causes of stumbling not so easy to remove as an offending footstool2 and woe to him who causes the child to fall6 ,children are born ,law-abiding4--#8,naughty baby6' says the mother2 and the child's eyes droop1 and a flush rises over neck and brow4 ,it is very wonderful2 very #8funny1' some people think1 and say1 #8,naughty baby6' when the baby is sweetly good1 to amuse themselves with the sight of the infant soul rising visibly before their eyes4 ,but what does it mean1 this display of feeling1 conscience1 in the child1 before any human teaching can have reached him8 ,no less than this1 that he is born a law-abiding being1 with a sense of may1 and must not1 of right and wrong4 ,that is how the children are sent into the world with the warning1 8,take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones40 ,and--this being so--who has not met big girls and boys1 the children of right-minded parents1 who yet do not know what must means1 who are not moved by ought1 whose hearts feel no stir at the solemn name of ,duty1 who know no higher rule of life than #8,i want1' and #8,i don't want1' #8,i like1' and #8,i don't like'8 ,heaven help parents and children when it has come to that6 ,but how has it been brought about that the babe1 with an acute sense of right and wrong even when it can understand little of human speech1 should grow into the boy or girl already proving #8the curse of lawless heart'8 ,by slow degrees1 here a little and there a little1 as all that is good or bad in character comes to pass4 #8,naughty6' says the mother1 again1 when a little hand is thrust into the sugar-bowl2 and a pair of roguish eyes seeks hers furtively1 to measure1 as they do unerringly1 how far the little pilferer may go4 ,it is very amusing2 the mother #8cannot help laughing'2 and the little trespass is allowed to pass3 and1 what the poor mother has not thought of1 an offence1 a cause of stumbling1 has been cast into the path of her two-year-old child4 ,he has learned already that that which is #8naughty' may yet be done with impunity1 and he goes on improving his knowledge4 ,it is needless to continue2 everybody knows the steps by which the mother's #8no' comes to be disregarded1 her refusal teased into consent4 ,the child has learned to believe that he has nothing to overcome but his mother's disinclination2 if she choose to let him do this and that1 there is no reason why she should not2 he can make her choose to let him do the thing forbidden1 and then he may do it4 ,the next step in the argument is not too great for childish wits3 if his mother does what she chooses1 of course he will do what he chooses1 if he can2 and henceforward the child's life becomes an endless struggle to get his own way2 a struggle in which a parent is pretty sure to be worsted1 having many things to think of1 while the child sticks persistently to the thing which has his fancy for the moment4 ,they must perceive that their ,governors are ,law-compelled4--,where is the beginning of this tangle1 spoiling the lives of parent and child alike8 ,in this3 that the mother began with no sufficient sense of duty2 she thought herself free to allow and disallow1 to say and unsay1 at pleasure1 as if the child were hers to do what she liked with4 ,the child has never discovered a background of must behind his mother's decisions2 he does not know that she must not let him break his sister's playthings1 gorge himself with cake1 spoil the pleasure of other people1 because these things are not right4 ,let the child perceive that his parents are law-compelled as well as he1 that they simply cannot allow him to do the things which have been forbidden1 and he submits with the sweet meekness which belongs to his age4 ,to give reasons to a child is usually out of place1 and is a sacrifice of parental dignity2 but he is quick enough to read the #8must' and #8ought' which rule her1 in his mother's face and manner1 and in the fact that she is not to be moved from a resolution on any question of right and wrong4 ,parents may ,offend their ,children by ,disregarding the ,laws of ,health4--,this1 of allowing him in what is wrong1 is only one of many ways in which the loving mother may offend her child4 ,through ignorance1 or wilfulness1 which is worse1 she may not only allow wrong in him1 but do wrong by him4 ,she may cast a stumbling-block in the way of his physical life by giving him unwholesome food1 letting him sleep and live in ill-ventilated rooms1 by disregarding any or every of the simple laws of health1 ignorance of which is hardly to be excused in the face of the pains taken by scientific men to bring this necessary knowledge within the reach of every one4 ,and of the ,intellectual ,life4--,almost as bad is the way the child's intellectual life may be wrecked at its outset by a round of dreary1 dawdling lessons in which definite progress is the last thing made or expected1 and which1 so far from educating in any true sense1 stultify his wits in a way he never gets over4 ,many a little girl1 especially1 leaves the home schoolroom with a distaste for all manner of learning1 an aversion to mental effort1 which lasts her her lifetime1 and that is why she grows up to read little but trashy novels1 and to talk all day about her clothes4 ,and of the ,moral ,life4--,and her affections--the movements of the outgoing tender child-heart--how are they treated8 ,there are few mothers who do not take pains to cherish the family affections2 but when the child comes to have dealings with outsiders1 do no worldly maxims and motives ever nip the buds of childish love8 ,far worse than this happens when the child's love finds no natural outlets within her home3 when she is the plain or the dull child of the family1 and is left out in the cold1 while the parents' affection is lavished on the rest4 ,of course she does not love her brothers and sisters1 who monopolise what should have been hers too4 ,and how is she to love her parents8 ,nobody knows the real anguish which many a child in the nursery suffers from this cause1 nor how many lives are embittered and spoiled through the suppression of these childish affections4 8,my childhood was made miserable10 a lady said to me a while ago1 8by my mother's doting fondness for my little brother2 there was not a day when she did not make me wretched by coming into the nursery to fondle and play with him1 and all the time she had not a word nor a look nor a smile for me1 any more than if ,i had not been in the room4 ,i have never got over it2 she is very kind to me now1 but ,i never feel quite natural with her4 ,and how can we two1 brother and sister1 feel for each other as we should if we had grown up together in love in the nursery80 ,,iv4--,,despising ,,the ,,children ,children should have the best of their ,mothers4--,suppose that a mother may offend her child1 how is it possible that she should despise him8 8,despise3 to have a low opinion of1 to undervalue0--thus the dictionary2 and1 as a matter of fact1 however much we may delight in them1 we grown-up people have far too low an opinion of children4 ,if the mother did not undervalue her child1 would she leave him to the society of an ignorant nursemaid during the early years when his whole nature is1 like the photographer's sensitive plate1 receiving momently indelible impressions8 ,not but that his nurse is good for the child4 ,very likely it would not answer for educated people to have their children always about them4 ,the constant society of his parents might be too stimulating for the child2 and frequent change of thought1 and the society of other people1 make the mother all the fresher for her children4 ,but they should have the best of their mother1 her freshest1 brightest hours2 while1 at the same time1 she is careful to choose her nurses wisely1 train them carefully1 and keep a vigilant eye upon all that goes on in the nursery4 #8,nurse4'--,mere coarseness and rudeness in his nurse does the tender child lasting harm4 ,many a child leaves the nursery with his moral sense blunted1 and with an alienation from his heavenly ,father set up which may last his lifetime4 ,for the child's moral sense is exceedingly quick2 he is all eyes and ears for the slightest act or word of unfairness1 deception1 shiftiness4 ,his nurse says1 8,if you'll be a good boy1 ,i won't tell02 and the child learns that things may be concealed from his mother1 who should be to him as ,god1 knowing all his good and evil4 ,and it is not as if the child noted the slips of his elders with aversion4 ,he knows better1 it is true1 but then he does not trust his own intuitions2 he shapes his life on any pattern set before him1 and with the fatal taint of human nature upon him he is more ready to imitate a bad pattern than a good4 ,give him a nurse who is coarse1 violent1 and tricky1 and before the child is able to speak plainly he will have caught these dispositions4 ,children's ,faults are ,serious4--,one of many ways in which parents are apt to have too low an opinion of their children is in the matter of their faults4 ,a little child shows some ugly trait--he is greedy1 and gobbles up his sister's share of goodies as well as his own2 he is vindictive1 ready to bite or fight the hand that offends him2 he tells a lie2--no1 he did not touch the sugar-bowl or the jam-pot4 ,the mother puts off the evil day3 she knows she must sometime reckon with the child for those offences1 but in the meantime she says1 8,oh1 it does not matter this time2 he is very little1 and will know better by-and-by40 ,to put the thing on no higher grounds1 what happy days for herself and her children would the mother secure if she would keep watch at the place of the letting out of waters6 ,if the mother settle it in her own mind that the child never does wrong without being aware of his wrong-doing1 she will see that he is not too young to have his fault corrected or prevented4 ,deal with a child on his first offence1 and a grieved look is enough to convict the little transgressor2 but let him go on until a habit of wrong-doing is formed1 and the cure is a slow one2 then the mother has no chance until she has formed in him a contrary habit of well-doing4 ,to laugh at ugly tempers and let them pass because the child is small1 is to sow the wind4 ,v4--,,hindering ,,the ,,children ,a ,child's ,relationship with ,almighty ,god4--,the most fatal way of despising the child falls under the third educational law of the ,gospels2 it is to overlook and make light of his natural relationship with ,almighty ,god4 8,suffer the little children to come unto ,me10 says the ,saviour1 as if that were the natural thing for the children to do1 the thing they do when they are not hindered by their elders4 ,and perhaps it is not too beautiful a thing to believe in this redeemed world1 that1 as the babe turns to his mother though he has no power to say her name1 as the flowers turn to the sun1 so the hearts of the children turn to their ,saviour and ,god with unconscious delight and trust4 ,nursery ,theology4--,now listen to what goes on in many a nursery3--#8,god does not love you1 you naughty1 wicked boy6' #8,he will send you to the bad1 wicked place1' and so on2 and this is all the practical teaching about the ways of his #8almighty ,lover' that the child gets6--never a word of how ,god does love and cherish the little children all day long1 and fill their hours with delight4 ,add to this1 listless perfunctory prayers1 idle discussions of ,divine things in their presence1 light use of holy words1 few signs whereby the child can read that the things of ,god are more to his parents than any things of the world1 and the child is hindered1 tacitly forbidden to 8come unto ,me10--and this1 often1 by parents who in the depths of their hearts desire nothing in comparison with ,god4 ,the mischief lies in that same foolish undervaluing of the children1 in the notion that the child can have no spiritual life until it please his elders to kindle the flame4 ,,vi4--,,conditions ,,of ,,healthy ,,brain-,,activity ,having just glanced at the wide region of forbidden ground1 we are prepared to consider what it is1 definitely and positively1 that the mother owes to her child under the name of ,education4 ,all ,mind ,labour means ,wear of ,brain4--,and first of all1 the more educable powers of the child--his intelligence1 his will1 his moral feelings--have their seat in the brain2 that is to say1 as the eye is the organ of sight1 so is the brain1 or some part of it1 the organ of thought and will1 of love and worship4 ,authorities differ as to how far it is possible to localise the functions of the brain2 but this at least seems pretty clear--that none of the functions of mind are performed without real activity in the mass of grey and white nervous matter named #8the brain4' ,now1 this is not a matter for the physiologist alone1 but for every mother and father of a family2 because that wonderful brain1 by means of which we do our thinking1 if it is to act healthily and in harmony with the healthful action of the members1 should act only under such conditions of exercise1 rest1 and nutrition as secure health in every other part of the body4 ,exercise4--,most of us have met with a few eccentric and a good many silly persons1 concerning whom the question forces itself1 ,were these people born with less brain power than others8 ,probably not2 but if they were allowed to grow up without the daily habit of appropriate moral and mental work1 if they were allowed to dawdle through youth without regular and sustained efforts of thought or will1 the result would be the same1 and the brain which should have been invigorated by daily exercise has become flabby and feeble as a healthy arm would be after being carried for years in a sling4 ,the large active brain is not content with entire idleness2 it strikes out lines for itself and works fitfully1 and the man or woman becomes eccentric1 because wholesome mental effort1 like moral1 must be carried on under the discipline of rules4 ,a shrewd writer suggests that mental indolence may have been in some measure the cause of those pitiable attacks of derangement and depression from which poor ,cowper suffered2 the making of graceful verses when the #8maggot bit' did not afford him the amount of mental labour necessary for his well-being4 ,the outcome of which is--,do not let the children pass a day without distinct efforts1 intellectual1 moral1 volitional2 let them brace themselves to understand2 let them compel themselves to do and to bear2 and let them do right at the sacrifice of ease and pleasure3 and this for many higher reasons1 but1 in the first and lowest place1 that the mere physical organ of mind and will may grow vigorous with work4 ,rest4--,just as important is it that the brain should have due rest2 that is1 should rest and work alternately4 ,and here two considerations come into play4 ,in the first place1 when the brain is actively at work it is treated as is every other organ of the body in the same circumstances2 that is to say1 a large additional supply of blood is attracted to the head for the nourishment of the organ which is spending its substance in hard work4 ,now1 there is not an indefinite quantity of what we will for the moment call surplus blood in the vessels4 ,the supply is regulated on the principle that only one set of organs shall be excessively active at one time--now the limbs1 now the digestive organs1 now the brain2 and all the blood in the body that can be spared goes to the support of those organs which1 for the time being1 are in a state of labour4 ,rest after ,meals4--,the child has just had his dinner1 the meal of the day which most severely taxes his digestive organs2 for as much as two or three hours after1 much labour is going on in these organs1 and the blood that can be spared from elsewhere is present to assist4 ,now1 send the child out for a long walk immediately after dinner--the blood goes to the labouring extremities1 and the food is left half digested2 give the child a regular course of such dinners and walks1 and he will grow up a dyspeptic4 ,set him to his books after a heavy meal1 and the case is as bad2 the blood which should have been assisting in the digestion of the meal goes to the labouring brain4 ,it follows that the hours for lessons should be carefully chosen1 after periods of mental rest--sleep or play1 for instance--and when there is no excessive activity in any other part of the system4 ,thus1 the morning1 after breakfast 7the digestion of which lighter meal is not a severe tax71 is much the best time for lessons and every sort of mental work2 if the whole afternoon cannot be spared for out-of-door recreation1 that is the time for mechanical tasks such as needlework1 drawing1 practising2 the children's wits are bright enough in the evening1 but the drawback to evening work is1 that the brain1 once excited1 is inclined to carry on its labours beyond bed-time1 and dreams1 wakefulness1 and uneasy sleep attend the poor child who has been at work until the last minute4 ,if the elder children must work in the evening1 they should have at least one or two pleasant social hours before they go to bed2 but1 indeed1 we owe it to the children to abolish evening #8preparation4' ,change of ,occupation4--8,there is10 says ,huxley1 8no satisfactory proof at present1 that the manifestation of any particular kind of mental faculty is especially allotted to1 or connected with1 the activity of any particular region of the cerebral hemispheres10 a dictum against the phrenologists1 but coming to us on too high authority to be disputed4 ,it is not possible to localise the #8faculties'--to say you are cautious with this fraction of your brain1 and music-loving with another2 but this much is certain1 and is very important to the educator3 the brain1 or some portion of the brain1 becomes exhausted when any given function has been exercised too long4 ,the child has been doing sums for some time1 and is getting unaccountably stupid3 take away his slate and let him read history1 and you find his wits fresh again4 ,imagination1 which has had no part in the sums1 is called into play by the history lesson1 and the child brings a lively unexhausted power to his new work4 ,school time-tables are usually drawn up with a view to give the brain of the child variety of work2 but the secret of the weariness children often show in the home schoolroom is1 that no such judicious change of lessons is contrived4 ,nourishment4--,again1 the brain cannot do its work well unless it be abundantly and suitably nourished2 somebody has made a calculation of how many ounces of brain went to the production of such a work--say ,paradise ,lost--how many to such another1 and so on4 ,without going into mental arithmetic of this nature1 we may say with safety that every sort of intellectual activity wastes the tissues of the brain2 a network of vessels supplies an enormous quantity of blood to the organ1 to make up for this waste of material2 and the vigour and health of the brain depend upon the quality and quantity of this blood-supply4 ,certain ,causes affect the ,quality of the ,blood4--,now1 the quality of the blood is affected by three or four causes4 ,in the first place1 the blood is elaborated from the food2 the more nutritious and easy of digestion the food1 the more vital will be the properties of the blood4 ,the food must be varied1 too1 a mixed diet1 because various ingredients are required to make up for the various waste in the tissues4 ,the children are shocking spendthrifts2 their endless goings and comings1 their restlessness1 their energy1 the very wagging of their tongues1 all mean expenditure of substance3 the loss is not appreciable1 but they lose something by every sudden sally1 out of doors or within4 ,no doubt the gain of power which results from exercise is more than compensation for the loss of substance2 but1 all the same1 this loss must be promptly made good4 ,and not only is the body of the child more active1 proportionably1 than that of the man3 the child's brain as compared with the man's is in a perpetual flutter of endeavour4 ,it is calculated that though the brain of a man weighs no more than a fortieth part of his body1 yet a fifth or a sixth of his whole complement of blood goes to nourish this delicate and intensely active organ2 but1 in the child's case1 a considerably larger proportion of the blood that is in him is spent on the sustenance of his brain4 ,and all the time1 with these excessive demands upon him1 the child has to grow6 not merely to make up for waste1 but to produce new substance in brain and body4 ,concerning ,meals4--,what is the obvious conclusion8 ,that the child must be well fed4 ,half the people of low vitality we come across are the victims of low-feeding during their childhood2 and that more often because their parents were not alive to their duty in this respect1 than because they were not in a position to afford their children the diet necessary to their full physical and mental development4 ,regular meals at1 usually1 unbroken intervals--dinner1 never more than five hours after breakfast2 luncheon1 unnecessary2 animal food1 once certainly1 in some lighter form1 twice a day--are the suggestions of common sense followed out in most well-regulated households4 ,but it is not the food which is eaten1 but the food which is digested1 that nourishes body and brain4 ,and here so many considerations press1 that we can only glance at two or three of the most obvious4 ,everybody knows that children should not eat pastry1 or pork1 or fried meats1 or cheese1 or rich1 highly-flavoured food of any description2 that pepper1 mustard1 and vinegar1 sauces and spices1 should be forbidden1 with new bread1 rich cakes1 and jams1 like plum or gooseberry1 in which the leathery coat of the fruit is preserved2 that milk1 or milk and water1 and that not too warm1 or cocoa1 is the best drink for children1 and that they should be trained not to drink until they have finished eating2 that fresh fruit at breakfast is invaluable2 that1 as serving the same end1 oatmeal porridge and treacle1 and the fat of toasted bacon1 are valuable breakfast foods2 and that a glass of water1 also1 taken the last thing at night and the first thing in the morning1 is useful in promoting those regular habits on which much of the comfort of life depends4 ,talk at ,meals4--,all this and much of the same kind it is needless to urge2 but again let me say1 it is digested food that nourishes the system1 and people are apt to forget how far mental and moral conditions affect the processes of digestion4 ,the fact is1 that the gastric juices which act as solvents to the viands are only secreted freely when the mind is in a cheerful and contented frame4 ,if the child dislike his dinner1 he swallows it1 but the digestion of that distasteful meal is a laborious1 much-impeded process3 if the meal be eaten in silence1 unrelieved by pleasant chat1 the child loses much of the #8good' of his dinner4 ,hence it is not a matter of pampering them at all1 but a matter of health1 of due nutrition1 that the children should enjoy their food1 and that their meals should be eaten in gladness2 though1 by the way1 joyful excitement is as mischievous as its opposite in destroying that even1 cheerful tenor of mind favourable to the processes of digestion4 ,no pains should be spared to make the hours of meeting round the family table the brightest hours of the day4 ,this is supposing that the children are allowed to sit at the same table with their parents2 and1 if it is possible to let them do so at every meal excepting a late dinner1 the advantage to the little people is incalculable4 ,here is the parents' opportunity to train them in manners and in morals1 to cement family love1 and to accustom the children to habits1 such as that of thorough mastication1 for instance1 as important on the score of health as on that of propriety4 ,variety in ,meals4--,but1 given pleasant surroundings and excellent food1 and even then the requirements of these exacting little people are not fully met3 plain as their food should be1 they must have variety4 ,a leg of mutton every ,tuesday1 the same cold on ,wednesday1 and hashed on ,thursday1 may be very good food2 but the child who has this diet week after week is inadequately nourished1 simply because he is tired of it4 ,the mother should contrive a rotation for her children that will last at least a fortnight without the same dinner recurring twice4 ,fish1 especially if the children dine off it without meat to follow1 is excellent as a change1 the more so as it is rich in phosphorus--a valuable brain food4 ,the children's puddings deserve a good deal of consideration1 because they do not commonly care for fatty foods1 but prefer to derive the warmth of their bodies from the starch and sugar of their puddings4 ,but give them variety2 do not let it be #8everlasting tapioca4' ,even for tea and breakfast the wise mother does not say1 #8,i always give my children' so and so4 ,they should not have anything #8always'2 every meal should have some little surprise4 ,but is this the way1 to make them think overmuch of what they shall eat and drink8 ,on the contrary1 it is the underfed children who are greedy1 and unfit to be trusted with any unusual delicacy4 ,air as important as ,food4--,the quality of the blood depends almost as much on the air we breathe as on the food we eat2 in the course of every two or three minutes1 all the blood in the body passes through the endless ramifications of the lungs1 for no other purpose than that1 during the instant of its passage1 it should be acted upon by the oxygen contained in the air which is drawn into the lungs in the act of breathing4 ,but what can happen to the blood in the course of an exposure of so short duration8 ,just this--the whole character1 the very colour1 of the blood is changed3 it enters the lungs spoiled1 no longer capable of sustaining life2 it leaves them1 a pure and vital fluid4 ,now1 observe1 the blood is only fully oxygenated when the air contains its full proportion of oxygen1 and every breathing and every burning object withdraws some oxygen from the atmosphere4 ,hence the importance of giving the children daily airings and abundant exercise of limb and lung in unvitiated1 unimpoverished air4 ,the ,children ,walk every ,day4--#8,the children walk every day2 they are never out less than an hour when the weather is suitable4' ,that is better than nothing2 so is this3--,an ,east ,london school-mistress notices the pale looks of one of her best girls4 8,have you had any dinner1 ,nellie80 8,ye-es0 7with hesitation74 8,what have you had80 8,mother gave ,jessie and me a halfpenny to buy our dinners1 and we bought a haporth of aniseed drops--they go further than bread0--with an appeal in her eyes against possible censure for extravagance4 ,children do not develop at their best upon aniseed drops for dinner1 nor upon an hour's #8constitutional' daily4 ,possibly science will bring home to us more and more the fact that animal life1 pent under cover1 is supported under artificial conditions1 just as is plant life in a glass house4 ,here is where most ,continental nations have the advantage over us2 they keep up the habit of out-of-door life2 and as a consequence1 the average ,frenchman1 ,german1 ,italian1 ,bulgarian1 is more joyous1 more simple1 and more hardy than the average ,englishman4 ,climate8 ,did not ,charles ,,ii4--and he knew--declare for the climate of ,england because you could be abroad 8more hours in the day and more days in the year0 in ,england than 8in any other country08 ,we lose sight of the fact that we are not like that historical personage who 8lived upon nothing but victuals and drink40 8,you can't live upon air60 we say to the invalid who can't eat4 ,no2 we cannot live upon air2 but1 if we must choose among the three sustainers of life1 air will support us the longest4 ,we know all about it2 we are deadly weary of the subject2 let but the tail of your eye catch #8oxygenation' on a page1 and the well-trained organ skips that paragraph of its own accord4 ,no need to tell ,macaulay's schoolboy1 or anybody else1 how the blood of the body is brought to the lungs and there spread about in a huge extent of innumerable #8pipes' that it may be exposed momentarily to the oxygen in the air2 how the air is made to blow upon the blood1 so spread out in readiness1 by the bellows-like action of breathing2 how the air penetrates the very thin walls of the pipes2 and then1 behold1 a magical 7or chemical7 transmutation2 the worthless sewage of the system becomes on the instant the rich vivifying fluid whose function it is to build up the tissues of muscle and nerve4 ,and the ,prospero that wears the cloak8 ,oxygen1 his name2 and the marvel that he effects within us some fifteen times in the course of a minute is possibly without parallel in the whole array of marvels which we #8tot up' with easy familiarity1 setting down #8life1' and carrying--a cypher6 ,oxygen has its ,limitations4--,we know all about it2 what we forget1 perhaps1 is1 that even oxygen has its limitation3 nothing can act but where it is1 and1 waste attends work1 hold true for this vital gas as for other matters4 ,fire and lamp and breathing beings are all consumers of the oxygen which sustains them4 ,what follows8 ,why1 that this element1 which is present in the ratio of twenty-three parts to the hundred in pure air1 is subject to an enormous drain within the four walls of a house1 where the air is more or less stationary4 ,i am not speaking just now of the vitiation of the air--only of the drain upon its life-sustaining element4 ,think1 again1 of the heavy drain upon the oxygen which must support the multitudinous fires and many breathing beings congregated in a large town6 #8,what follows8' is a strictly vital question4 ,man can enjoy the full measure of vigorous joyous existence possible to him only when his blood is fully arated2 and this takes place when the air he inhales contains its full complement of oxygen4 ,is it too much to say that vitality is reduced1 other things being equal1 in proportion as persons are house-dwellers rather than open-air dwellers8 ,the impoverished air sustains life at a low and feeble level2 wherefore1 in the great towns1 stature dwindles1 the chest contracts1 men hardly live to see their children's children4 ,true1 we must needs have houses for shelter from the weather by day and for rest at night2 but in proportion as we cease to make our houses #8comfortable1' as we regard them merely as necessary shelters when we cannot be out of doors1 shall we enjoy to the full the vigorous vitality possible to us4 ,unchanged ,air4--,parents of pale-faced town children1 think of these things6 ,the gutter children who feed on the pickings of the streets are better off 7and healthier looking7 in this one respect than your cherished darlings1 because they have more of the first essential of life--air4 ,there is some circulation of air even in the slums of the city1 and the child who spends its days in the streets is better supplied with oxygen than he who spends most of his hours in the unchanged air of a spacious apartment4 ,but it is not the air of the streets the children want4 ,it is the delicious life-giving air of the country4 ,the outlay of the children in living is enormously in excess of the outlay of the adult4 ,the endless activity of the child1 while it develops muscle1 is kept up at the expense of very great waste of tissue4 ,it is the blood which carries material for the reparation of this loss4 ,the child must grow1 every part of him1 and it is the blood which brings material for the building up of new tissues4 ,again1 we know that the brain is1 out of all proportion to its size1 the great consumer of the blood supply1 but the brain of the child1 what with its eager activity1 what with its twofold growth1 is insatiable in its demands6 #8,i feed ,alice on beef tea4'--#8,i feed ,alice on beef tea1 cod-liver oil1 and all sorts of nourishing things2 but it's very disheartening1 the child doesn't gain flesh6' ,it is probable that ,alice breathes for twenty-two of the twenty-four hours the impoverished and more or less vitiated air pent within the four walls of a house4 ,the child is practically starving2 for the food she eats is very imperfectly and inadequately converted into the arated blood that feeds the tissues of the body4 ,and if she is suffering from bodily inanition1 what about the eager1 active1 curious1 hungering mind of the little girl8 #8,oh1 she has her lessons regularly every day4' ,probably3 but lessons which deal with words1 only the signs of things1 are not what the child wants4 ,there is no knowledge so appropriate to the early years of a child as that of the name and look and behaviour in situ of every natural object he can get at4 8,he hath so done ,his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance40 8,three years she grew in sun and shower1 ,then ,nature said1 #8,a lovelier flower ,on earth was never sown3 ,this child ,i to myself will take3 ,she shall be mine1 and ,i will make ,a lady of my own4 99 99 99 99 99 8#8,she shall be sportive as the fawn1 ,that wild with glee across the lawn ,or up the mountain springs2 ,and hers shall be the breathing balm1 ,and hers the silence and the calm ,of mute1 insensate things4 99 99 99 99 99 8#8,the stars of midnight shall be dear ,to her2 and she shall lean her ear ,in many a secret place ,where rivulets dance their wayward round1 ,and beauty born of murmuring sound ,shall pass into her face4'0 ,indoor ,airings4--,about out-of-door airings we shall have occasion to speak more fully2 but indoor airings are truly as important1 because1 if the tissues be nourished upon impure blood for all the hours the child spends in the house1 the mischief will not be mended in the shorter intervals spent out of doors4 ,put two or three breathing bodies1 as well as fire and gas1 into a room1 and it is incredible how soon the air becomes vitiated unless it be constantly renewed2 that is1 unless the room be well ventilated4 ,we know what it is to come in out of the fresh air and complain that a room feels stuffy2 but sit in the room a few minutes1 and you get accustomed to its stuffiness2 the senses are no longer a safe guide4 ,ventilation4--,therefore1 regular provision must be made for the ventilation of rooms regardless of the feelings of their inmates3 at least an inch of window open at the top1 day and night1 renders a room tolerably safe1 because it allows of the escape of the vitiated air1 which1 being light1 ascends1 leaving room for the influx of colder1 fresher air by cracks and crannies in doors and floors4 ,an open chimney is a useful1 though not a sufficient1 ventilator2 it is needless to say that the stopping-up of chimneys in sleeping-rooms is suicidal4 ,it is particularly important to accustom children to sleep with an inch or two1 or more1 of open window all through the year--as much more as you like in the summer4 ,night ,air ,wholesome4--,there is a popular notion that night air is unwholesome2 but if you reflect that wholesome air is that which contains its full complement of oxygen1 and no more than its very small complement of carbonic acid gas1 and that all burning objects--fire1 furnace1 gas-lamp--give forth carbonic acid gas and consume oxygen1 you will see that night air is1 in ordinary circumstances1 more wholesome than day air1 simply because there is a less exhaustive drain upon its vital gas4 ,when the children are out of a room which they commonly occupy1 day nursery or breakfast-room1 then is the opportunity to air it thoroughly by throwing windows and doors wide open and producing a thorough draught4 ,sunshine4--,but it is not only air1 and pure air1 the children must have if their blood is to be of the #8finest quality1' as the advertisements have it4 ,quite healthy blood is exceedingly rich in minute1 red disc-like bodies1 known as red corpuscles1 which in favourable circumstances are produced freely in the blood itself4 ,now1 it is observed that people who live much in the sunshine are of a ruddy countenance--that is1 a great many of these red corpuscles are present in their blood2 while the poor souls who live in cellars and sunless alleys have skins the colour of whity-brown paper4 ,therefore1 it is concluded that light and sunshine are favourable to the production of red corpuscles in the blood2 and1 therefore--to this next #8therefore' is but a step for the mother--the children's rooms should be on the sunny side of the house1 with a south aspect if possible4 ,indeed1 the whole house should be kept light and bright for their sakes2 trees and outbuildings that obstruct the sunshine and make the children's rooms dull should be removed without hesitation4 ,free ,perspiration4--,another point must be attended to1 in order to secure that the brain be nourished by healthy blood4 ,the blood receives and gets rid of the waste of the tissues1 and one of the most important agents by means of which it does this necessary scavenger's work is the skin4 ,millions of invisible pores perforate the skin1 each the mouth of a minute many-folded tube1 and each such pore is employed without a moment's cessation1 while the body is in health1 in discharging perspiration--that is1 the waste of the tissues--upon the skin4 ,insensible ,perspiration4--,when the discharge is excessive1 we are aware of moisture upon the skin2 but1 aware of it or not1 the discharge is always going on2 and1 what is more1 if it be checked1 or if a considerable portion of the skin be glazed1 so that it becomes impervious1 death will result4 ,this is why people die in consequence of scalds or burns which injure a large surface of the skin1 although they do not touch any vital organ2 multitudes of minute tubes which should carry off injurious matters from the blood are closed1 and1 though the remaining surface of the skin and the other excretory organs take extra work upon them1 it is impossible to make good the loss of what may be called efficient drainage over a considerable area4 ,therefore1 if the brain is to be duly nourished1 it is important to keep the whole surface of the skin in a condition to throw off freely the excretions of the blood4 ,daily ,bath and ,porous ,garments4--,two considerations follow3 of the first1 the necessity for the daily bath1 followed by vigorous rubbing of the skin1 it is needless to say a word here4 ,but possibly it is not so well understood that children should be clothed throughout in porous garments which admit of the instant passing off of the exhalations of the skin4 ,why did delicate women faint1 or1 at any rate1 #8feel faint1' when it was the custom to go to church in sealskin coats8 ,why do people who sleep under down1 or even under silk or cotton quilts1 frequently rise unrefreshed8 ,from the one cause3 their coverings have impeded the passage of the insensible perspiration1 and so have hindered the skin in its function of relieving the blood of impurities4 ,it is surprising what a constant loss of vitality many people experience from no other cause than the unsuitable character of their clothing4 ,the children cannot be better dressed throughout than in loosely woven woollen garments1 flannels and serges1 of varying thicknesses for summer and winter wear4 ,woollens have other advantages over cotton and linen materials besides that of being porous4 ,wool is a bad conductor1 and therefore does not allow of the too free escape of the animal heat2 and it is absorbent1 and therefore relieves the skin of the clammy sensations which follow sensible perspiration4 ,we should be the better for it if we could make up our minds to sleep in wool1 discarding linen or cotton in favour of sheets made of some lightly woven woollen material4 ,we might say much on this one question1 the due nutrition of the brain1 upon which the very possibility of healthy education depends4 ,but something will have been effected if the reason why of only two or three practical rules of health is made so plain that they cannot be evaded without a sense of law-breaking4 ,i fear the reader may be inclined to think that ,i am inviting his attention for the most part to a few physiological matters--the lowest round of the educational ladder4 ,the lowest round it may be1 but yet it is the lowest round1 the necessary step to all the rest4 ,for it is not too much to say that1 in our present state of being1 intellectual1 moral1 even spiritual life and progress depend greatly upon physical conditions4 ,that is to say1 not that he who has a fine physique is necessarily a good and clever man2 but that the good and clever man requires much animal substance to make up for the expenditure of tissue brought about in the exercise of his virtue and his intellect4 ,for example1 is it easier to be amiable1 kindly1 candid1 with or without a headache or an attack of neuralgia8 ,,vii4--#8,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,law' ,,in ,,education ,common ,sense and ,good ,intentions4--,besides1 though this physical culture of the brain may be only the groundwork of education1 the method of it indicates what should be the method of all education2 that is1 orderly1 regulated progress under the guidance of ,law4 ,the reason why education effects so much less than it should effect is just this--that in nine cases out of ten1 sensible good parents trust too much to their common sense and their good intentions1 forgetting that common sense must be at the pains to instruct itself in the nature of the case1 and that well-intended efforts come to little if they are not carried on in obedience to divine laws1 to be read in many cases1 not in the ,bible1 but in the facts of life4 ,law-abiding ,lives often more blameless than ,pious ,lives4--,it is a shame to believing people that many whose highest profession is that they do not know1 and therefore do not believe1 should produce more blameless lives1 freer from flaws of temper1 from the vice of selfishness1 than do many sincerely religious people4 ,it is a fact that will confront the children by-and-by1 and one of which they will require an explanation2 and what is more1 it is a fact that will have more weight1 should it confront them in the person of a character which they cannot but esteem and love1 than all the doctrinal teaching they have had in their lives4 ,this appears to me the threatening danger to that confessed dependence upon and allegiance to ,almighty ,god which we recognise as religion--not the wickedness1 but the goodness of a school which refuses to admit any such dependence and allegiance4 ,my sense of this danger is my reason for offering the little ,i have to say upon the subject of education1--my sense of the danger1 and the assurance ,i feel that it is no such great danger after all1 but one that parents of the cultivated class are competent to deal with1 and are precisely the only persons who can deal with it4 #8,mind' and #8,matter' equally governed by ,law4--,as for this superior morality of some non-believers1 supposing we grant it1 what does it amount to8 ,just to this1 that the universe of mind1 as the universe of matter1 is governed by unwritten laws of ,god2 that the child cannot blow soap-bubbles or think his flitting thoughts otherwise than in obedience to divine laws2 that all safety1 progress1 and success in life come of obedience to law1 to the laws of mental1 moral1 or physical science1 or of that spiritual science which the ,bible unfolds2 that it is possible to ascertain laws and keep laws without recognising the ,lawgiver1 and that those who do ascertain and keep any divine law inherit the blessing due to obedience1 whatever be their attitude towards the ,lawgiver2 just as the man who goes out into blazing sunshine is warmed1 though he may shut his eyes and decline to see the sun4 ,conversely1 that they who take no pains to study the principles which govern human action and human thought miss the blessings of obedience to certain laws1 though they may inherit the better blessings which come of acknowledged relationship with the ,lawgiver4 ,antagonism to ,law shown by some ,religious ,persons4--,these last blessings are so unspeakably satisfying1 that often enough the believer who enjoys them wants no more4 ,he opens his mouth and draws in his breath for the delight he has in the law1 it is true2 but it is the law of the spiritual life only4 ,towards the other laws of ,god which govern the universe he sometimes takes up an attitude of antagonism1 almost of resistance1 worthy of an infidel4 ,it is nothing to him that he is fearfully and wonderfully made2 he does not care to know how the brain works1 nor how the more subtle essence we call mind evolves and develops in obedience to laws4 ,there are pious minds to which a desire to look into these things savours of unbelief1 as if it were to dishonour the ,almighty to perceive that ,he carries on ,his glorious works by means of glorious laws4 ,they will have to do with no laws excepting the laws of the kingdom of grace4 ,in the meantime1 the non-believer1 who looks for no supernatural aids1 lays himself out to discover and conform to all the laws which regulate natural life--physical1 mental1 moral2 all the laws of ,god1 in fact1 excepting those of the spiritual life which the believer appropriates as his peculiar inheritance4 ,but these laws which are left to ,esau are laws of ,god also1 and the observance of them is attended with such blessings1 that the children of the believers say1 8,look1 how is it that these who do not acknowledge the ,law as of ,god are better than we who do80 ,parents must acquaint themselves with the ,principles of ,physiology and ,moral ,science4--,now1 believing parents have no right to lay up this crucial difficulty for their children4 ,they have no right1 for instance1 to pray that their children may be made truthful1 diligent1 upright1 and at the same time neglect to acquaint themselves with those principles of moral science the observance of which will guide into truthfulness1 diligence1 and uprightness of character4 ,for this1 also1 is the law of ,god4 ,observe1 not into the knowledge of ,god1 the thing best worth living for3 no mental science1 and no moral science1 is pledged to reveal that4 ,what ,i contend for is1 that these sciences have their part to play in the education of the human race1 and that the parent may not disregard them with impunity4 ,my endeavour in this and the following volumes of the series will be to sketch out roughly a method of education which1 as resting upon a basis of natural law1 may look1 without presumption1 to inherit the ,divine blessing4 ,any sketch ,i can offer in this short compass must be very imperfect and very incomplete2 but a hint here and there may be enough to put intelligent parents on profitable lines of thinking with regard to the education of their children4 ,,footnotes3 #b ,herbert ,spencer1 ,education4 ,some particulars of the books referred to in this volume will be found in ,appendix ,a4 ,,part ,,ii ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,life ,,for ,,the ,,children ,i4--,a ,,growing ,,time ,meals out of ,doors4--,people who live in the country know the value of fresh air very well1 and their children live out of doors1 with intervals within for sleeping and eating4 ,as to the latter1 even country people do not make full use of their opportunities4 ,on fine days when it is warm enough to sit out with wraps1 why should not tea and breakfast1 everything but a hot dinner1 be served out of doors8 ,for we are an overwrought generation1 running to nerves as a cabbage runs to seed2 and every hour spent in the open is a clear gain1 tending to the increase of brain power and bodily vigour1 and to the lengthening of life itself4 ,they who know what it is to have fevered skin and throbbing brain deliciously soothed by the cool touch of the air are inclined to make a new rule of life1 8,never be within doors when you can rightly be without40 ,besides the gain of an hour or two in the open air1 there is this to be considered3 meals taken al fresco are usually joyous1 and there is nothing like gladness for converting meat and drink into healthy blood and tissue4 ,all the time1 too1 the children are storing up memories of a happy childhood4 ,fifty years hence they will see the shadows of the boughs making patterns on the white tablecloth2 and sunshine1 children's laughter1 hum of bees1 and scent of flowers are being bottled up for after refreshment4 ,for ,dwellers in ,towns and ,suburbs4--,but it is only the people who live1 so to speak1 in their own gardens who can make a practice of giving their children tea out of doors4 ,for the rest of us1 and the most of us1 who live in towns or the suburbs of towns1 that is included in the larger question--,how much time daily in the open air should the children have8 and how is it possible to secure this for them8 ,in this time of extraordinary pressure1 educational and social1 perhaps a mother's first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time1 a full six years of passive receptive life1 the waking part of it spent for the most part out in the fresh air4 ,and this1 not for the gain in bodily health alone--body and soul1 heart and mind1 are nourished with food convenient for them when the children are let alone1 let to live without friction and without stimulus amongst happy influences which incline them to be good4 ,possibilities of a ,day in the ,open4--#8,i make a point1' says a judicious mother1 #8of sending my children out1 weather permitting1 for an hour in the winter1 and two hours a day in the summer months4' ,that is well2 but it is not enough4 ,in the first place1 do not send them2 if it is anyway possible1 take them2 for1 although the children should be left much to themselves1 there is a great deal to be done and a great deal to be prevented during these long hours in the open air4 ,and long hours they should be2 not two1 but four1 five1 or six hours they should have on every tolerably fine day1 from ,april till ,october4 #8,impossible6' says an over-wrought mother who sees her way to no more for her children than a daily hour or so on the pavements of the neighbouring ,london squares4 ,let me repeat1 that ,i venture to suggest1 not what is practicable in any household1 but what seems to me absolutely best for the children2 and that1 in the faith that mothers work wonders once they are convinced that wonders are demanded of them4 ,a journey of twenty minutes by rail or omnibus1 and a luncheon basket1 will make a day in the country possible to most town-dwellers2 and if one day1 why not many1 even every suitable day8 ,supposing we have got them1 what is to be done with these golden hours1 so that every one shall be delightful8 ,they must be spent with some method1 or the mother will be taxed and the children bored4 ,there is a great deal to be accomplished in this large fraction of the children's day4 ,they must be kept in a joyous temper all the time1 or they will miss some of the strengthening and refreshing held in charge for them by the blessed air4 ,they must be let alone1 left to themselves a great deal1 to take in what they can of the beauty of earth and heavens2 for of the evils of modern education few are worse than this--that the perpetual cackle of his elders leaves the poor child not a moment of time1 nor an inch of space1 wherein to wonder--and grow4 ,at the same time1 here is the mother's opportunity to train the seeing eye1 the hearing ear1 and to drop seeds of truth into the open soul of the child1 which shall germinate1 blossom1 and bear fruit1 without further help or knowledge of hers4 ,then1 there is much to be got by perching in a tree or nestling in heather1 but muscular development comes of more active ways1 and an hour or two should be spent in vigorous play2 and last1 and truly least1 a lesson or two must be got in4 ,no ,story-,books4--,let us suppose mother and children arrived at some breezy open 8wherein it seemeth always afternoon40 ,in the first place1 it is not her business to entertain the little people3 there should be no story-books1 no telling of tales1 as little talk as possible1 and that to some purpose4 ,who thinks to amuse children with tale or talk at a circus or a pantomime8 ,and here1 is there not infinitely more displayed for their delectation8 ,our wise mother1 arrived1 first sends the children to let off their spirits in a wild scamper1 with cry1 halloo1 and hullaballoo1 and any extravagance that comes into their young heads4 ,there is no distinction between big and little2 the latter love to follow in the wake of their elders1 and1 in lessons or play1 to pick up and do according to their little might4 ,as for the baby1 he is in bliss3 divested of his garments1 he kicks and crawls1 and clutches the grass1 laughs soft baby laughter1 and takes in his little knowledge of shapes and properties in his own wonderful fashion--clothed in a woollen gown1 long and loose1 which is none the worse for the worst usage it may get4 ,,ii4--#8,,sight-,,seeing' ,by-and-by the others come back to their mother1 and1 while wits are fresh and eyes keen1 she sends them off on an exploring expedition--,who can see the most1 and tell the most1 about yonder hillock or brook1 hedge or copse4 ,this is an exercise that delights children1 and may be endlessly varied1 carried on in the spirit of a game1 and yet with the exactness and carefulness of a lesson4 ,how to ,see4--#8,find out all you can about that cottage at the foot of the hill2 but do not pry about too much4' ,soon they are back1 and there is a crowd of excited faces1 and a hubbub of tongues1 and random observations are shot breathlessly into the mother's ear4 #8,there are bee-hives4' #8,we saw a lot of bees going into one4' #8,there is a long garden4' #8,yes1 and there are sunflowers in it4' #8,and hen-and-chicken daisies and pansies4' #8,and there's a great deal of a pretty blue flower with rough leaves1 mother2 what do you suppose it is8' #8,borage for the bees1 most likely2 they are very fond of it4' #8,oh1 and there are apple and pear and plum trees on one side2 there's a little path up the middle1 you know4' #8,on which hand side are the fruit trees8' #8,the right--no1 the left2 let me see1 which is my thimble-hand8 ,yes1 it is the right-hand side4' #8,and there are potatoes and cabbages1 and mint and things on the other side4' #8,where are the flowers1 then8' #8,oh1 they are just the borders1 running down each side of the path4' #8,but we have not told mother about the wonderful apple tree2 ,i should think there are a million apples on it1 all ripe and rosy6' #8,a million1 ,fanny8' #8,well1 a great many1 mother2 ,i don't know how many4' ,and so on1 indefinitely2 the mother getting by degrees a complete description of the cottage and its garden4 ,educational ,uses of #8,sight-seeing4'--,this is all play to the children1 but the mother is doing invaluable work2 she is training their powers of observation and expression1 increasing their vocabulary and their range of ideas by giving them the name and the uses of an object at the right moment1--when they ask1 #8,what is it8' and #8,what is it for8' ,and she is training her children in truthful habits1 by making them careful to see the fact and to state it exactly1 without omission or exaggeration4 ,the child who describes1 #8,a tall tree1 going up into a point1 with rather roundish leaves2 not a pleasant tree for shade1 because the branches all go up1' deserves to learn the name of the tree1 and anything her mother has to tell her about it4 ,but the little bungler1 who fails to make it clear whether he is describing an elm or a beech1 should get no encouragement2 not a foot should his mother move to see his tree1 no coaxing should draw her into talk about it1 until1 in despair1 he goes off1 and comes back with some more certain note--rough or smooth bark1 rough or smooth leaves1--then the mother considers1 pronounces1 and1 full of glee1 he carries her off to see for herself4 ,discriminating ,observation4--,by degrees the children will learn discriminatingly every feature of the landscapes with which they are familiar2 and think what a delightful possession for old age and middle life is a series of pictures imaged1 feature by feature1 in the sunny glow of a child's mind6 ,the miserable thing about the childish recollections of most persons is that they are blurred1 distorted1 incomplete1 no more pleasant to look upon than a fractured cup or a torn garment2 and the reason is1 not that the old scenes are forgotten1 but that they were never fully seen4 ,at the time1 there was no more than a hazy impression that such and such objects were present1 and naturally1 after a lapse of years1 those features can rarely be recalled of which the child was not cognisant when he saw them before him4 ,,iii4--#8,,picture-,,painting' ,method of4--,so exceedingly delightful is this faculty of taking mental photographs1 exact images1 of the #8beauties of ,nature' we go about the world for the refreshment of seeing1 that it is worth while to exercise children in another way towards this end1 bearing in mind1 however1 that they see the near and the minute1 but can only be made with an effort to look at the wide and the distant4 ,get the children to look well at some patch of landscape1 and then to shut their eyes and call up the picture before them2 if any bit of it is blurred1 they had better look again4 ,when they have a perfect image before their eyes1 let them say what they see4 ,thus3 #8,i see a pond2 it is shallow on this side1 but deep on the other2 trees come to the water's edge on that side1 and you can see their green leaves and branches so plainly in the water that you would think there was a wood underneath4 ,almost touching the trees in the water is a bit of blue sky with a soft white cloud2 and when you look up you see that same little cloud1 but with a great deal of sky instead of a patch1 because there are no trees up there4 ,there are lovely yellow water-lilies round the far edge of the pond1 and two or three of the big round leaves are turned up like sails4 ,near where ,i am standing three cows have come to drink1 and one has got far into the water1 nearly up to her neck1' etc4 ,strain on the ,attention4--,this1 too1 is an exercise children delight in1 but1 as it involves some strain on the attention1 it is fatiguing1 and should only be employed now and then4 ,it is1 however1 well worth while to give children the habit of getting a bit of landscape by heart in this way1 because it is the effort of recalling and reproducing that is fatiguing2 while the altogether pleasurable act of seeing1 fully and in detail1 is likely to be repeated unconsciously until it becomes a habit by the child who is required now and then to reproduce what he sees4 ,seeing ,fully and in ,detail4--,at first the children will want a little help in the art of seeing4 ,the mother will say1 #8,look at the reflection of the trees6 ,there might be a wood under the water4 ,what do those standing-up leaves remind you of8' and so on1 until the children have noticed the salient points of the scene4 ,she will even herself learn off two or three scenes1 and describe them with closed eyes for the children's amusement2 and such little mimics are they1 and at the same time so sympathetic1 that any graceful fanciful touch which she throws into her descriptions will be reproduced with variations in theirs4 ,the children will delight in this game of #8picture-painting' all the more if the mother introduce it by describing some great picture-gallery she has seen--pictures of mountains1 of moors1 of stormy seas1 of ploughed fields1 of little children at play1 of an old woman knitting1--and goes on to say1 that though she does not paint her pictures on canvas and have them put in frames1 she carries about with her just such a picture-gallery2 for whenever she sees anything lovely or interesting1 she looks at it until she has the picture in her #8mind's eye'2 and then she carries it away with her1 her own for ever1 a picture #8on view' just when she wants it4 ,a ,means of ,after-,solace and ,refreshment4--,it would be difficult to overrate this habit of seeing and storing as a means of after-solace and refreshment4 ,the busiest of us have holidays when we slip our necks out of the yoke and come face to face with ,nature1 to be healed and blessed by-- 8,the breathing balm1 ,the silence and the calm ,of mute1 insensate things40 ,this immediate refreshment is open to everybody according to his measure2 but it is a mistake to suppose that everybody is able to carry away a refreshing image of that which gives him delight4 ,only a few can say with ,wordsworth1 of scenes they have visited-- 8,though absent long1 ,these forms of beauty have not been to me ,as is a landscape to a blind man's eye2 ,but oft1 in lonely rooms1 and 'mid the din ,of towns and cities1 ,i have owed to them1 ,in hours of weariness1 sensations sweet1 ,felt in the blood1 and felt along the heart2 ,and passing even into my purer mind1 ,with tranquil restoration40 ,and yet this is no high poetic gift which the rest of us must be content to admire1 but a common reward for taking pains in the act of seeing which parents may do a great deal to confer upon their children4 ,the mother must beware how she spoils the simplicity1 the objective character of the child's enjoyment1 by treating his little descriptions as feats of cleverness to be repeated to his father or to visitors2 she had better make a vow to suppress herself1 #8to say nothing to nobody1' in his presence at any rate1 though the child should show himself a born poet4 ,,iv4--,,flowers ,,and ,,trees ,children should know ,field-crops4--,in the course of this #8sight-seeing' and #8picture-painting1' opportunities will occur to make the children familiar with rural objects and employments4 ,if there are farm-lands within reach1 they should know meadow and pasture1 clover1 turnip1 and corn field1 under every aspect1 from the ploughing of the land to the getting in of the crops4 ,field ,flowers and the ,life-,history of ,plants4--,milkwort1 eyebright1 rest-harrow1 lady's-bedstraw1 willow-herb1 every wild flower that grows in their neighbourhood1 they should know quite well2 should be able to describe the leaf--its shape1 size1 growing from the root or from the stem2 the manner of flowering--a head of flowers1 a single flower1 a spike1 etc4 ,and1 having made the acquaintance of a wild flower1 so that they can never forget it or mistake it1 they should examine the spot where they find it1 so that they will know for the future in what sort of ground to look for such and such a flower4 #8,we should find wild thyme here6' #8,oh1 this is the very spot for marsh marigolds2 we must come here in the spring4' ,if the mother is no great botanist1 she will find ,miss ,ann ,pratt's ,wild ,flowers#c very useful1 with its coloured plates1 like enough to identify the flowers by1 common ,english names1 and pleasant facts and fancies that the children delight in4 ,to make collections of wild flowers for the several months1 press them1 and mount them neatly on squares of cartridge paper1 with the ,english name1 habitat1 and date of finding of each1 affords much happy occupation and1 at the same time1 much useful training3 better still is it to accustom children to make careful brush drawings of the flowers that interest them1 of the whole plant where possible4 ,the ,study of ,trees4--,children should be made early intimate with the trees1 too2 should pick out half a dozen trees1 oak1 elm1 ash1 beech1 in their winter nakedness1 and take these to be their yearlong friends4 ,in the winter1 they will observe the light tresses of the birch1 the knotted arms of the oak1 the sturdy growth of the sycamore4 ,they may wait to learn the names of the trees until the leaves come4 ,by-and-by1 as the spring advances1 behold a general stiffening and look of life in the still bare branches2 life stirs in the beautiful mystery of the leaf-buds1 a nest of delicate baby-leaves lying in downy warmth within many waterproof wrappings2 oak and elm1 beech and birch1 each has its own way of folding and packing its leaflets2 observe the #8ruby-budded lime' and the ash1 with its pretty stag's foot of a bud1 not green but black-- 8,more black than ash-buds in the front of ,march40 ,the ,seasons should be followed4--,but it is hard to keep pace with the wonders that unfold themselves in #8the bountiful season1 bland4' ,there are the dangling catkins and the little ruby-red pistillate flowers of the hazel--clusters of flowers1 both of them1 two sorts on a single tree2 and the downy staminate catkins of the willow2 and the festive breaking out of all the trees into lovely leafage2 the learning the patterns of the leaves as they come out1 and the naming of the trees from this and other signs4 ,then the flowers come1 each shut up tight in the dainty casket we call a bud1 as cunningly wrapped as the leaves in their buds1 but less carefully guarded1 for these #8sweet nurslings' delay their coming for the most part until earth has a warm bed to offer1 and the sun a kindly welcome4 ,leigh ,hunt on ,flowers4--8,suppose10 says ,leigh ,hunt1 8suppose flowers themselves were new6 ,suppose they had just come into the world1 a sweet reward for some new goodness4444 ,imagine what we should feel when we saw the first lateral stem bearing off from the main one1 and putting forth a leaf4 ,how we should watch the leaf gradually unfolding its little graceful hand2 then another1 then another2 then the main stalk rising and producing more2 then one of them giving indications of the astonishing novelty--a bud6 then this mysterious bud gradually unfolding like the leaf1 amazing us1 enchanting us1 almost alarming us with delight1 as if we knew not what enchantment were to ensue1 till at length1 in all its fairy beauty1 and odorous voluptuousness1 and mysterious elaboration of tender and living sculpture1 shines forth the blushing flower40 ,the flowers1 it is true1 are not new2 but the children are2 and it is the fault of their elders if every new flower they come upon is not to them a ,picciola1 a mystery of beauty to be watched from day to day with unspeakable awe and delight4 ,meanwhile1 we have lost sight of those half-dozen forest-trees which the children have taken into a sort of comradeship for the year4 ,presently they have the delight of discovering that the great trees have flowers1 too1 flowers very often of the same hue as their leaves1 and that some trees put off having their leaves until their flowers have come and gone4 ,by-and-by there is the fruit1 and the discovery that every tree--with exceptions which they need not learn yet--and every plant bears fruit1 #8fruit and seed after his kind4' ,all this is stale knowledge to older people1 but one of the secrets of the educator is to present nothing as stale knowledge1 but to put himself in the position of the child1 and wonder and admire with him2 for every common miracle which the child sees with his own eyes makes of him for the moment another ,newton4 ,calendars4--,it is a capital plan for children to keep a calendar--the first oak-leaf1 the first tadpole1 the first cowslip1 the first catkin1 the first ripe blackberries1 where seen1 and when4 ,the next year they will know when and where to look out for their favourites1 and will1 every year1 be in a condition to add new observations4 ,think of the zest and interest1 the object1 which such a practice will give to daily walks and little excursions4 ,there is hardly a day when some friend may not be expected to hold a first #8,at ,home4' ,nature-,diaries4--,as soon as he is able to keep it himself1 a nature-diary is a source of delight to a child4 ,every day's walk gives him something to enter3 three squirrels in a larch tree1 a jay flying across such a field1 a caterpillar climbing up a nettle1 a snail eating a cabbage leaf1 a spider dropping suddenly to the ground1 where he found ground ivy1 how it was growing and what plants were growing with it1 how bindweed or ivy manages to climb4 ,innumerable matters to record occur to the intelligent child4 ,while he is quite young 7five or six71 he should begin to illustrate his notes freely with brush-drawings2 he should have a little help at first in mixing colours1 in the way of principles1 not directions4 ,he should not be told to use now this and now that1 but1 #8we get purple by mixing so and so1' and then he should be left to himself to get the right tint4 ,as for drawing1 instruction has no doubt its time and place2 but his nature-diary should be left to his own initiative4 ,a child of six will produce a dandelion1 poppy1 daisy1 iris with its leaves1 impelled by the desire to represent what he sees1 with surprising vigour and correctness4 ,an exercise book#d with stiff covers serves for a nature-diary1 but care is necessary in choosing paper that answers both for writing and brush-drawing4 #8,i can't stop thinking4'--#8,but ,i can't stop thinking2 ,i can't make my mind sit down6' ,poor little girl6 ,all children owe you thanks for giving voice to their dumb woes4 ,and we grown-up people have so little imagination1 that we send a little boy with an over-active brain to play by himself in the garden in order to escape the fag of lessons4 ,little we know how the brain-people swarm in and out and rush about6 8,the human 7brain7 is like a millstone1 turning ever round and round2 ,if it have nothing else to grind1 it must itself be ground40 ,set the child to definite work by all means1 and give him something to grind4 ,but1 pray1 let him work with things and not with signs--the things of ,nature in their own places1 meadow and hedgerow1 woods and shore4 ,v4--#8,,living ,,creatures' ,a ,field of ,interest and ,delight4--,then1 as for the #8living creatures1' here is a field of unbounded interest and delight4 ,the domesticated animals are soon taken into kindly fellowship by the little people4 ,perhaps they live too far from the #8real country' for squirrels and wild rabbits to be more to them than a dream of possible delights4 ,but surely there is a pond within reach--by road or rail--where tadpoles may be caught1 and carried home in a bottle1 fed1 and watched through all their changes--fins disappearing1 tails getting shorter and shorter1 until at last there is no tail at all1 and a pretty pert little frog looks you in the face4 ,turn up any chance stone1 and you may come upon a colony of ants4 ,we have always known that it becomes us to consider their ways and be wise2 but now1 think of all ,lord ,avebury has told us to make that twelve-year-old ant of his acquaintance quite a personage4 ,then1 there are the bees4 ,some of us may have heard the late ,dean ,farrar describe that lesson he was present at1 on #8,how doth the little busy bee'--the teacher bright1 but the children not responsive2 they took no interest at all in little busy bees4 ,he suspected the reason1 and questioning the class1 found that not one of them had ever seen a bee4 #8,had never seen a bee6 ,think for a moment1' said he1 #8of how much that implies'2 and then we were moved by an eloquent picture of the sad child-life from which bees and birds and flowers are all shut out4 ,but how many children are there who do not live in the slums of ,london1 and yet are unable to distinguish a bee from a wasp1 or even a #8humble' from a honey-bee6 ,children should be encouraged to ,watch4--,children should be encouraged to watch1 patiently and quietly1 until they learn something of the habits and history of bee1 ant1 wasp1 spider1 hairy caterpillar1 dragon-fly1 and whatever of larger growth comes in their way4 #8,the creatures never have any habits while ,i am looking6' a little girl in some story-book is made to complain3 but that was her fault2 the bright keen eyes with which children are blest were made to see1 and see into1 the doings of creatures too small for the unaided observation of older people4 ,ants may be brought under home observation in the following way3--,get two pieces of glass #a foot square1 three strips of glass #aa inches long1 and one strip #aa inches long1 these all inch wide4 ,the glass must be carefully cut so as to fit exactly4 ,place the four strips of glass upon one of the sheets of glass and fix in an exact square1 leaving a inch opening1 with seccotine or any good fixer4 ,get from an ant-hill about twelve ants 7the yellow ants are best1 as the red are inclined to be quarrelsome71 a few eggs1 and one queen4 ,the queen will be quite twice as large as an ordinary ant1 and so can be easily seen4 ,take some of the earth of the ant-hill4 ,put the earth with your ants and eggs upon the sheet of glass and fix the other sheet above1 leaving only the small hole in one corner1 made by the shorter strip1 which should be stopped with a bit of cotton-wool4 ,the ants will be restless for perhaps forty-eight hours1 but will then begin to settle and arrange the earth4 ,remove the wool plug once a week1 and replace it after putting two or three drops of honey on it4 ,once in three weeks remove the plug to drop in with a syringe about ten drops of water4 ,this will not be necessary in the winter while the ants are asleep4 ,this #8nest' will last for years4 ,with regard to the horror which some children show of beetle1 spider1 worm1 that is usually a trick picked up from grown-up people4 ,kingsley's children would run after their #8daddy' with a #8delicious worm1' a #8lovely toad1' a #8sweet beetle' carried tenderly in both hands4 ,there are real antipathies not to be overcome1 such as ,kingsley's own horror of a spider2 but children who are accustomed to hold and admire caterpillars and beetles from their babyhood will not give way to affected horrors4 ,the child who spends an hour in watching the ways of some new #8grub' he has come upon will be a man of mark yet4 ,let all he finds out about it be entered in his diary--by his mother1 if writing be a labour to him1--where he finds it1 what it is doing1 or seems to him to be doing2 its colour1 shape1 legs3 some day he will come across the name of the creature1 and will recognise the description of an old friend4 ,the ,force of ,public ,opinion in the ,home4--,some children are born naturalists1 with a bent inherited1 perhaps1 from an unknown ancestor2 but every child has a natural interest in the living things about him which it is the business of his parents to encourage2 for1 but few children are equal to holding their own in the face of public opinion2 and if they see that the things which interest them are indifferent or disgusting to you1 their pleasure in them vanishes1 and that chapter in the book of ,nature is closed to them4 ,it is likely that the ,natural ,history of ,selborne would never have been written had it not been that the naturalist's father used to take his boys on daily foraging expeditions1 when not a moving or growing thing1 not a pebble nor a boulder within miles of ,selborne1 escaped their eager examination4 ,audubon1 the ,american ornithologist1 is another instance of the effect of this kind of early training4 8,when ,i had hardly learned to walk10 he says1 8and to articulate those first words always so endearing to parents1 the productions of ,nature that lay spread all around were constantly pointed out to me4444 ,my father generally accompanied my steps1 procured birds and flowers for me1 and pointed out the elegant movements of the former1 the beauty and softness of their plumage1 the manifestations of their pleasure1 or their sense of danger1 and the always perfect forms and splendid attire of the latter4 ,he would speak of the departure and return of the birds with the season1 describe their haunts1 and1 more wonderful than all1 their change of livery1 thus exciting me to study them1 and to raise my mind towards their great ,creator40 ,what ,town ,children can ,do4--,town children may get a great deal of pleasure in watching the ways of sparrows--knowing little birds1 and easily tamed by a dole of crumbs1--and their days out will bring them in the way of new acquaintances4 ,but much may be done with sparrows4 ,a friend writes3--8,have you seen the man in the gardens of the ,tuileries feeding and talking to dozens of them8 ,they sit on his hat1 his hands1 and feed from his fingers4 ,when he raises his arms they all flutter up and then settle again on him and round him4 ,i have watched him call a sparrow from a distance by name and refuse food to all others till #8petit chou1' a pretty pied sparrow1 came for his destined bit4 ,others had their names and came at call1 but ,i could not see any distinguishing feature2 and the crowd of sparrows on the walk1 benches and railing1 formed a most attentive audience to the bright ,french talk which kept them in constant motion as they were1 here one and there another1 invited to come for a tempting morsel4 ,truly a ,st ,francis and the birds60 ,the child who does not know the portly form and spotted breast of the thrush1 the graceful flight of the swallow1 the yellow bill of the blackbird1 the gush of song which the skylark pours from above1 is nearly as much to be pitied as those ,london children who #8had never seen a bee4' ,a pleasant acquaintance1 easy to pick up1 is the hairy caterpillar4 ,the moment to seize him is when he is seen shuffling along the ground in a great hurry2 he is on the lookout for quiet quarters in which to lie up3 put him in a box1 then1 and cover the box with net1 through which you may watch his operations4 ,food does not matter--he has other things to attend to4 ,by-and-by he spins a sort of white tent or hammock1 into which he retires2 you may see through it and watch him1 perhaps at the very moment when his skin splits asunder1 leaving him1 for months to come1 an egg-shaped mass without any sign of life4 ,at last the living thing within breaks out of this bundle1 and there it is1 the handsome tiger-moth1 fluttering feeble wings against the net4 ,most children of six have had this taste of a naturalist's experience1 and it is worth speaking of only because1 instead of being merely a harmless amusement1 it is a valuable piece of education1 of more use to the child than the reading of a whole book of natural history1 or much geography and ,latin4 ,for the evil is1 that children get their knowledge of natural history1 like all their knowledge1 at second hand4 ,they are so sated with wonders1 that nothing surprises them2 and they are so little used to see for themselves1 that nothing interests them4 ,the cure for this blas condition is1 to let them alone for a bit1 and then begin on new lines4 ,poor children1 it is no fault of theirs if they are not as they were meant to be--curious eager little souls1 all agog to explore so much of this wonderful world as they can get at1 as quite their first business in life4 8,he prayeth best who loveth best ,all things both great and small2 ,for the dear ,god who loveth us1 ,he made and loveth all40 ,nature ,knowledge the most important for ,young ,children4--,it would be well if all we persons in authority1 parents and all who act for parents1 could make up our minds that there is no sort of knowledge to be got in these early years so valuable to children as that which they get for themselves of the world they live in4 ,let them once get in touch with ,nature1 and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life4 ,we were all meant to be naturalists1 each in his degree1 and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things4 ,mental ,training of a ,child ,naturalist4--,consider1 too1 what an unequalled mental training the child-naturalist is getting for any study or calling under the sun--the powers of attention1 of discrimination1 of patient pursuit1 growing with his growth1 what will they not fit him for8 ,besides1 life is so interesting to him1 that he has no time for the faults of temper which generally have their source in ennui2 there is no reason why he should be peevish or sulky or obstinate when he is always kept well amused4 ,nature ,work especially valuable for ,girls4--,i say #8he' from force of habit1 as speaking of the representative sex1 but truly that she should be thus conversant with ,nature is a matter of infinitely more importance to the little girl3 she it is who is most tempted to indulge in ugly tempers 7as child and woman7 because time hangs heavy on her hands2 she1 whose idler1 more desultory habits of mind want the spur and the bridle of an earnest absorbing pursuit2 whose feebler health demands to be braced by an out-of-door life full of healthy excitement4 ,moreover1 it is to the girls1 little and big1 a most true kindness to lift them out of themselves and out of the round of petty personal interests and emulations which too often hem in their lives2 and then1 with whom but the girls must it rest to mould the generations yet to be born8 ,,vi4--,,field-,,lore ,,and ,,naturalists' ,,books ,reverence for ,life4--,is it advisable1 then1 to teach the children the elements of natural science1 of biology1 botany1 zoology8 ,on the whole1 no3 the dissection even of a flower is painful to a sensitive child1 and1 during the first six or eight years of life1 ,i would not teach them any botany which should necessitate the pulling of flowers to bits2 much less should they be permitted to injure or destroy any 7not noxious7 form of animal life4 ,reverence for life1 as a wonderful and awful gift1 which a ruthless child may destroy but never can restore1 is a lesson of first importance to the child3-- 8,let knowledge grow from more to more2 ,but more of reverence in us dwell40 ,the child who sees his mother with reverent touch lift an early snowdrop to her lips1 learns a higher lesson than the #8print-books' can teach4 ,years hence1 when the children are old enough to understand that science itself is in a sense sacred and demands some sacrifices1 all the #8common information' they have been gathering until then1 and the habits of observation they have acquired1 will form a capital groundwork for a scientific education4 ,in the meantime1 let them consider the lilies of the field and the fowls of the air4 ,rough ,classification at ,first ,hand4--,for convenience in describing they should be able to name and distinguish petals1 sepals1 and so on2 and they should be encouraged to make such rough classifications as they can with their slight knowledge of both animal and vegetable forms4 ,plants with heart-shaped or spoon-shaped leaves1 with whole or divided leaves2 leaves with criss-cross veins and leaves with straight veins2 bell-shaped flowers and cross-shaped flowers2 flowers with three petals1 with four1 with five2 trees which keep their leaves all the year1 and trees which lose them in the autumn2 creatures with a backbone and creatures without2 creatures that eat grass and creatures that eat flesh1 and so on4 ,to make collections of leaves and flowers1 pressed and mounted1 and arranged according to their form1 affords much pleasure1 and1 what is better1 valuable training in the noticing of differences and resemblances4 ,patterns for this sort of classification of leaves and flowers will be found in every little book of elementary botany4 ,the power to classify1 discriminate1 distinguish between things that differ1 is amongst the highest faculties of the human intellect1 and no opportunity to cultivate it should be let slip2 but a classification got out of books1 that the child does not make for himself and is not able to verify for himself1 cultivates no power but that of verbal memory1 and a phrase or two of #8,tamil' or other unknown tongue1 learnt off1 would serve that purpose just as well4 ,uses of #8,naturalists' ,books4--,the real use of naturalists' books at this stage is to give the child delightful glimpses into the world of wonders he lives in1 to reveal the sort of things to be seen by curious eyes1 and fill him with desire to make discoveries for himself4 ,there are many#e to be had1 all pleasant reading1 many of them written by scientific men1 and yet requiring little or no scientific knowledge for their enjoyment4 ,mothers and ,teachers should know about ,nature4--,the mother cannot devote herself too much to this kind of reading1 not only that she may read tit-bits to her children about matters they have come across1 but that she may be able to answer their queries and direct their observation4 ,and not only the mother1 but any woman1 who is likely ever to spend an hour or two in the society of children1 should make herself mistress of this sort of information2 the children will adore her for knowing what they want to know1 and who knows but she may give its bent for life to some young mind destined to do great things for the world4 ,,vii4--,,the ,,child ,,gets ,,knowledge ,,by ,,means ,,of ,,his ,,senses ,nature's ,teaching4--,watch a child standing at gaze at some sight new to him--a plough at work1 for instance--and you will see he is as naturally occupied as is a babe at the breast2 he is1 in fact1 taking in the intellectual food which the working faculty of his brain at this period requires4 ,in his early years the child is all eyes2 he observes1 or1 more truly1 he perceives1 calling sight1 touch1 taste1 smell1 and hearing to his aid1 that he may learn all that is discoverable by him about every new thing that comes under his notice4 ,everybody knows how a baby fumbles over with soft little fingers1 and carries to his mouth1 and bangs that it may produce what sound there is in it1 the spoon or doll which supercilious grown-up people give him to #8keep him quiet4' ,the child is at his lessons1 and is learning all about it at a rate utterly surprising to the physiologist1 who considers how much is implied in the act of #8seeing1' for instance3 that to the infant1 as to the blind adult restored to sight1 there is at first no difference between a flat picture and a solid body1--that the ideas of form and solidity are not obtained by sight at all1 but are the judgments of experience4 ,then1 think of the vague passes in the air the little fist makes before it lays hold of the object of desire1 and you see how he learns the whereabouts of things1 having as yet no idea of direction4 ,and why does he cry for the moon8 ,why does he crave equally1 a horse or a house-fly as an appropriate plaything8 ,because far and near1 large and small1 are ideas he has yet to grasp4 ,the child has truly a great deal to do before he is in a condition to #8believe his own eyes'2 but ,nature teaches so gently1 so gradually1 so persistently1 that he is never overdone1 but goes on gathering little stores of knowledge about whatever comes before him4 ,and this is the process the child should continue for the first few years of his life4 ,now is the storing time which should be spent in laying up images of things familiar4 ,by-and-by he will have to conceive of things he has never seen3 how can he do it except by comparison with things he has seen and knows8 ,by-and-by he will be called upon to reflect1 understand1 reason2 what material will he have1 unless he has a magazine of facts to go upon8 ,the child who has been made to observe how high in the heavens the sun is at noon on a summer's day1 how low at noon on a day in mid-winter1 is able to conceive of the great heat of the tropics under a vertical sun1 and to understand that the climate of a place depends greatly upon the mean height the sun reaches above the horizon4 ,overpressure4--,a great deal has been said lately about the danger of overpressure1 of requiring too much mental work from a child of tender years4 ,the danger exists2 but lies1 not in giving the child too much1 but in giving him the wrong thing to do1 the sort of work for which the present state of his mental development does not fit him4 ,who expects a boy in petticoats to lift half a hundredweight8 ,but give the child work that ,nature intended for him1 and the quantity he can get through with ease is practically unlimited4 ,whoever saw a child tired of seeing1 of examining in his own way1 unfamiliar things8 ,this is the sort of mental nourishment for which he has an unbounded appetite1 because it is that food of the mind on which1 for the present1 he is meant to grow4 ,object ,lessons4--,now1 how far is this craving for natural sustenance met8 ,in infant and kindergarten schools1 by the object lesson1 which is good so far as it goes1 but is sometimes like that bean a day on which the ,frenchman fed his horse4 ,the child at home has more new things brought under his notice1 if with less method4 ,neither at home nor at school is much effort made to set before the child the abundant #8feast of eyes' which his needs demand4 ,a ,child learns from #8,things4'--,we older people1 partly because of our maturer intellect1 partly because of our defective education1 get most of our knowledge through the medium of words4 ,we set the child to learn in the same way1 and find him dull and slow4 ,why8 ,because it is only with a few words in common use that he associates a definite meaning2 all the rest are no more to him than the vocables of a foreign tongue4 ,but set him face to face with a thing1 and he is twenty times as quick as you are in knowing all about it2 knowledge of things flies to the mind of a child as steel filings to a magnet4 ,and1 pari passu with his knowledge of things1 his vocabulary grows2 for it is a law of the mind that what we know1 we struggle to express4 ,this fact accounts for many of the apparently aimless questions of children2 they are in quest1 not of knowledge1 but of words to express the knowledge they have4 ,now1 consider what a culpable waste of intellectual energy it is to shut up a child1 blessed with this inordinate capacity for seeing and knowing1 within the four walls of a house1 or the dreary streets of a town4 ,or suppose that he is let run loose in the country where there is plenty to see1 it is nearly as bad to let this great faculty of the child's dissipate itself in random observations for want of method and direction4 ,the ,sense of ,beauty comes from ,early ,contact with ,nature4--,there is no end to the store of common information1 got in such a way that it will never be forgotten1 with which an intelligent child may furnish himself before he begins his school career4 ,the boy who can tell you off-hand where to find each of the half-dozen most graceful birches1 the three or four finest ash trees in the neighbourhood of his home1 has chances in life a dozen to one compared with the lower1 slower intelligence that does not know an elm from an oak--not merely chances of success1 but chances of a larger1 happier life1 for it is curious how certain feelings are linked with the mere observation of ,nature and natural objects4 8,the sthetic sense of the beautiful10 says ,dr ,carpenter1 8of the sublime1 of the harmonious1 seems in its most elementary form to connect itself immediately with the ,perceptions which arise out of the contact of our minds with external ,nature02 while he quotes ,dr ,morell1 who says still more forcibly that 8,all those who have shown a remarkable appreciation of form and beauty date their first impressions from a period lying far behind the existence of definite ideas or verbal instruction40 ,most ,grown ,men lose the ,habit of ,observation4--,thus1 we owe something to ,mr ,evans for taking his little daughter ,mary ,anne with him on his long business drives among the pleasant ,warwickshire lanes2 the little girl stood up between her father's knees1 seeing much and saying little2 and the outcome was the scenes of rural life in ,adam ,bede and ,the ,mill on the ,floss4 ,wordsworth1 reared amongst the mountains1 becomes a very prophet of ,nature2 while ,tennyson draws endless imagery from the levels of the eastern counties where he was brought up4 ,little ,david ,copperfield was 8a very observant child1 though10 says he1 8,i think the memory of most of us can go farther back into such times than many of us suppose2 just as ,i believe the power of observation in numbers of very young children to be quite wonderful for its closeness and accuracy4 ,indeed1 ,i think that most grown men who are remarkable in this respect may with greater propriety be said not to have lost the faculty1 than to have acquired it2 the rather1 as ,i generally observe such men to retain a certain freshness1 and gentleness1 and capacity of being pleased1 which are also an inheritance they have preserved from their childhood02--in which remark ,dickens makes his hero talk sound philosophy as well as kindly sense4 ,,viii4--,,the ,,child ,,should ,,be ,,made ,,familiar ,,with ,,natural ,,objects ,an ,observant ,child should be put in the way of ,things worth ,observing4--,but what is the use of being #8a very observant child1' if you are not put in the way of things worth observing8 ,and here is the difference between the streets of a town and the sights and sounds of the country4 ,there is plenty to be seen in a town1 and children accustomed to the ways of the streets become nimble-witted enough4 ,but the scraps of information to be picked up in a town are isolated fragments2 they do not hang on to anything else1 nor come to anything more2 the information may be convenient1 but no one is the wiser for knowing on which side of the street is ,smith's1 and which turning leads to ,thompson's shop4 ,every ,natural ,object a ,member of a ,series4--,now take up a natural object1 it does not matter what1 and you are studying one of a group1 a member of a series2 whatever knowledge you get about it is so much towards the science which includes all of its kind4 ,break off an elder twig in the spring2 you notice a ring of wood round a centre of pith1 and there you have at a glance a distinguishing character of a great division of the vegetable world4 ,you pick up a pebble4 ,its edges are perfectly smooth and rounded3 why8 you ask4 ,it is water-worn1 weather-worn4 ,and that little pebble brings you face to face with disintegration1 the force to which1 more than to any other1 we owe the aspects of the world which we call picturesque--glen1 ravine1 valley1 hill4 ,it is not necessary that the child should be told anything about disintegration or dicotyledon1 only that he should observe the wood and pith in the hazel twig1 the pleasant roundness of the pebble2 by-and-by he will learn the bearing of the facts with which he is already familiar--a very different thing from learning the reason why of facts which have never come under his notice4 ,power will pass1 more and more1 into the hands of ,scientific ,men4--,it is infinitely well worth the mother's while to take some pains every day to secure1 in the first place1 that her children spend hours daily amongst rural and natural objects2 and1 in the second place1 to infuse into them1 or rather1 to cherish in them1 the love of investigation4 8,i say it deliberately10 says ,kingsley1 8as a student of society and of history3 power will pass more and more into the hands of scientific men4 ,they will rule1 and they will act--cautiously1 we may hope1 and modestly1 and charitably--because in learning true knowledge they will have learnt also their own ignorance1 and the vastness1 the complexity1 the mystery of ,nature4 ,but they will be able to rule1 they will be able to act1 because they have taken the trouble to learn the facts and the laws of ,nature40 ,intimacy with ,nature makes for ,personal ,well-being4--,but to enable them to swim with the stream is the least of the benefits this early training should confer on the children2 a love of ,nature1 implanted so early that it will seem to them hereafter to have been born in them1 will enrich their lives with pure interests1 absorbing pursuits1 health1 and good humour4 8,i have seen10 says the same writer1 8the young man of fierce passions and uncontrollable daring expend healthily that energy which threatened daily to plunge him into recklessness1 if not into sin1 upon hunting out and collecting1 through rock and bog1 snow and tempest1 every bird and egg of the neighbouring forest4444 ,i have seen the young ,london beauty1 amid all the excitement and temptation of luxury and flattery1 with her heart pure1 and her mind occupied in a boudoir full of shells and fossils1 flowers and seaweeds1 keeping herself unspotted from the world1 by considering the lilies of the field1 how they grow40 ,,ix4--,,out-,,of-,,door ,,geography ,small ,things may teach ,great4--,after this long digression1 intended to impress upon mothers the supreme importance of stirring up in their children a love of ,nature and of natural objects--a deep-seated spring to send up pure waters into the driest places of after-life--we must return to the mother whom we have left out of doors all this time1 waiting to know what she is to do next4 ,this pleasant earth of ours is not to be overlooked in the out-of-door education of the children4 #8,how do you get time for so much8' #8,oh1 ,i leave out subjects of no educational value2 ,i do not teach geography1 for instance1' said an advanced young theorist with all sorts of certificates4 ,pictorial ,geography4--,but the mother1 who knows better1 will find a hundred opportunities to teach geography by the way3 a duck-pond is a lake or an inland sea2 any brooklet will serve to illustrate the great rivers of the world2 a hillock grows into a mountain--an ,alpine system2 a hazel-copse suggests the mighty forests of the ,amazon2 a reedy swamp1 the rice-fields of ,china2 a meadow1 the boundless prairies of the ,west2 the pretty purple flowers of the common mallow is a text whereon to hang the cottonfields of the ,southern ,states3 indeed1 the whole field of pictorial geography--maps may wait until by-and-by--may be covered in this way4 ,the ,position of the ,sun4--,and not only this3 the children should be taught to observe the position of the sun in the heavens from hour to hour1 and by his position1 to tell the time of day4 ,of course they will want to know why the sun is such an indefatigable traveller1 and thereby hangs a wonderful tale1 which they may as well learn in the #8age of faith1' of the relative sizes of sun and earth1 and of the nature and movements of the latter4 ,clouds1 ,rain1 ,snow1 and ,hail4--8,clouds and rain1 snow and hail1 winds and vapours1 fulfilling ,his word0--are all everyday mysteries that the mother will be called upon to explain faithfully1 however simply4 ,there are certain ideas which children must get from within a walking radius of their own home if ever they are to have a real understanding of maps and of geographical terms4 ,distance is one of these1 and the first idea of distance is to be attained by what children find a delightful operation4 ,a child walks at his usual pace2 somebody measures and tells him the length of his pace1 and he measures the paces of his brothers and sisters4 ,then such a walk1 such a distance1 here and there1 is solemnly paced1 and a little sum follows--so many inches or feet covered by each pace equals so many yards in the whole distance4 ,various short distances about the child's home should be measured in this way2 and when the idea of covering distance is fully established1 the idea of time as a means of measurement should be introduced4 ,the time taken to pace a hundred yards should be noted down4 ,having found out that it takes two minutes to pace a hundred yards1 children will be able for the next step--that if they have walked for thirty minutes1 the walk should measure fifteen hundred yards2 in thirty-five minutes they would have walked a mile1 or rather seventeen hundred and fifty yards1 and then they could add the ten yards more which would make a mile4 ,the longer the legs the longer the pace1 and most grown people can walk a mile in twenty minutes4 ,direction4--,by the time they have got somewhat familiar with the idea of distance1 that of direction should be introduced4 ,the first step is to make children observant of the progress of the sun4 ,the child who observes the sun for a year and notes down for himself1 or dictates1 the times of his rising and setting for the greater part of the year1 and the points of his rising and setting1 will have secured a basis for a good deal of definite knowledge4 ,such observation should take in the reflection of the sun's light1 the evening light reflected by east windows1 the morning light by west windows2 the varying length and intensity of shadows1 the cause of shadows1 to be learned by the shadow cast by a figure between the blind and a candle4 ,he should associate1 too1 the hot hours of the day with the sun high overhead1 and the cool hours of the morning and evening with a low sun2 and should be reminded1 that if he stands straight before the fire1 he feels the heat more than if he were in a corner of the room4 ,when he is prepared by a little observation of the course of the sun1 he is ready to take in the idea of direction1 which depends entirely upon the sun4 ,east and ,west4--,of course the two first ideas are that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west2 from this fact he will be able to tell the direction in which the places near his own home1 or the streets of his own town1 lie4 ,bid him stand so that his right hand is towards the east where the sun rises1 and his left towards the west where the sun sets4 ,then he is looking towards the north and his back is towards the south4 ,all the houses1 streets and towns on his right hand are to the east of him1 those on the left are to the west4 ,the places he must walk straight forward to reach are north of him1 and the places behind him are to the south4 ,if he is in a place new to him where he has never seen the sun rise or set and wants to know in what direction a certain road runs1 he must notice in what direction his own shadow falls at twelve o'clock1 because at noon the shadows of all objects fall towards the north4 ,then if he face the north1 he has1 as before1 the south behind him1 the east on his right hand1 the west on his left2 or if he face the sun at noon1 he faces south4 ,practice in finding ,direction4--,this will throw an interesting light for him on the names of our great railways4 ,a child may become ready in noticing the directions of places by a little practice4 ,let him notice how each of the windows of his schoolroom faces1 or the windows of each of the rooms in his home2 the rows of houses he passes in his walks1 and which are the north1 south1 east and west sides of the churches he knows4 ,he will soon be prepared to notice the direction of the wind by noticing the smoke from the chimneys1 the movement of branches1 corn1 grass1 etc4 ,if the wind blow from the north--#8,the north wind doth blow and we shall have snow4' ,if it blow from the west1 a west wind1 we expect rain4 ,care must be taken at this point to make it clear to the child that the wind is named after the quarter it comes from1 and not from the point it blows towards--just as he is ,english because he was born in ,england1 and not ,french because he goes to ,france4 ,the ideas of distance and direction may now be combined4 ,such a building is two hundred yards to the east of the gate1 such a village two miles to the west4 ,he will soon come across the difficulty1 that a place is not exactly east or west1 north or south4 ,it is well to let him give1 in a roundabout way1 the direction of places as--#8more to the east than the west1' #8very near the east but not quite1' #8half-way between east and west4' ,he will value the exact means of expression all the more for having felt the need of them4 ,later1 he should be introduced to the wonders of the mariner's compass1 should have a little pocket compass of his own1 and should observe the four cardinal and all the other points4 ,these will afford him the names for directions that he has found it difficult to describe4 ,compass ,drill4--,then he should do certain compass drill in this way3 ,bid him hold the ,n of the compass towards the north4 8,then1 with the compass in your hand1 turn towards the east1 and you will see a remarkable thing4 ,the little needle moves1 too1 but moves quite by itself in just the other direction4 ,turn to the west1 and again the needle moves in the opposite direction to that in which you move4 ,however little you turn1 a little quiver of the needle follows your movement4 ,and you look at it1 wondering how the little thing could perceive you had moved1 when you hardly knew it yourself4 ,walk straight on in any direction1 and the needle is fairly steady2 only fairly steady1 because you are sure1 without intending it1 to move a little to the right or left4 ,turn round very slowly1 a little bit at a time1 beginning at the north and turning towards the east1 and you may make the needle also move round in a circle4 ,it moves in the opposite direction to yourself1 for it is trying to get back to the north from which you are turning40 ,boundaries4--,the children having got the idea of direction1 it will be quite easy to introduce that of boundaries--such and such a turnip field1 for instance1 is bounded by the highroad on the south1 by a wheat crop on the south-east1 a hedge on the north-east1 and so on2 the children getting by degrees the idea that the boundaries of a given space are simply whatever touches it on every side4 ,thus one crop may touch another without any dividing line1 and therefore one crop bounds the other4 ,it is well that children should get clear notions on this subject1 or1 later1 they will be vague when they learn that such a county is #8bounded' by so and so4 ,in connection with bounded spaces1 whether they be villages1 towns1 ponds1 fields1 or what not1 children should be led to notice the various crops raised in the district1 why pasturelands and why cornfields1 what manner of rocks appear1 and how many sorts of trees grow in the neighbourhood4 ,for every field or other space that is examined1 they should draw a rude plan in the sand1 giving the shape roughly and lettering the directions as ,n1 ,s1 ,w1 etc4 ,plans4--,by-and-by1 when they have learned to draw plans indoors1 they will occasionally pace the length of a field and draw their plan according to scale1 allowing an inch for five or for ten yards4 ,the ground-plans of garden1 stables1 house1 etc41 might follow4 ,local ,geography4--,it is probable that a child's own neighbourhood will give him opportunities to learn the meaning of hill and dale1 pool and brook1 watershed1 the current1 bed1 banks1 tributaries of a brook1 the relative positions of villages and towns2 and all this local geography he must be able to figure roughly on a plan done with chalk on a rock1 or with walking-stick in the gravel1 perceiving the relative distances and situations of the places he marks4 ,x4--,,the ,,child ,,and ,,mother-,,nature ,the ,mother must refrain from too much ,talk4--,does so wide a programme alarm the mother8 ,does she with dismay see herself talking through the whole of those five or six hours1 and1 even at that1 not getting through a tithe of the teaching laid out for her8 ,on the contrary1 the less she says the better2 and as for the quantity of educational work to be got through1 it is the fable of the anxious pendulum over again3 it is true there are countless #8ticks' to be ticked1 but there will always be a second of time to tick in1 and no more than a single tick is to be delivered in any given second4 ,making a ,new ,acquaintance4--,the rapid little people will have played their play1 whether of #8sight-seeing' or #8picture-painting1' in a quarter of an hour or so2 for the study of natural objects1 an occasional #8,look6' an attentive examination of the object on the mother's own part1 a name given1 a remark--a dozen words long--made at the right moment1 and the children have begun a new acquaintance which they will prosecute for themselves2 and not more than one or two such presentations should occur in a single day4 ,now1 see how much leisure there is left6 ,the mother's real difficulty will be to keep herself from much talk with the children1 and to hinder them from occupying themselves with her4 ,there are few things sweeter and more precious to the child than playful prattle with her mother2 but one thing is better--the communing with the larger ,mother1 in order to which the child and she should be left to themselves4 ,this is1 truly1 a delightful thing to watch3 the mother reads her book or knits her sock1 checking all attempts to make talk2 the child stares up into a tree1 or down into a flower--doing nothing1 thinking of nothing2 or leads a bird's life among the branches1 or capers about in aimless ecstasy2--quite foolish1 irrational doings1 but1 all the time1 a fashioning is going on3 ,nature is doing her part1 with the vow-- 8,this child ,i to myself will take3 ,she shall be mine1 and ,i will make ,a lady of my own40#f ,two ,things permissible to the ,mother4--,there is one thing the mother will allow herself to do as interpreter between ,nature and the child1 but that not oftener than once a week or once a month1 and with look and gesture of delight rather than with flow of improving words--she will point out to the child some touch of especial loveliness in colouring or grouping in the landscape or in the heavens4 ,one other thing she will do1 but very rarely1 and with tender filial reverence 7most likely she will say her prayers1 and speak out of her prayer1 for to touch on this ground with hard words is to wound the soul of the child73 she will point to some lovely flower or gracious tree1 not only as a beautiful work1 but a beautiful thought of ,god1 in which we may believe ,he finds continual pleasure1 and which ,he is pleased to see his human children rejoice in4 ,such a seed of sympathy with the ,divine thought sown in the heart of the child is worth many of the sermons the man may listen to hereafter1 much of the #8divinity' he may read4 ,,xi4--,,out-,,of-,,door ,,games1 ,,etc4 ,the bright hours fly by2 and there is still at least one lesson on the programme1 to say nothing of an hour or two for games in the afternoon4 ,the thought of a lesson is uninviting after the discussion of much that is more interesting1 and1 truly1 more important2 but it need only be a little lesson1 ten minutes long1 and the slight break and the effort of attention will give the greater zest to the pleasure and leisure to follow4 ,the ,french ,lesson4--,the daily ,french lesson is that which should not be omitted4 ,that children should learn ,french orally1 by listening to and repeating ,french words and phrases2 that they should begin so young that the difference of accent does not strike them1 but they repeat the new ,french word all the same as if it were ,english and use it as freely2 that they should learn a few--two or three1 five or six--new ,french words daily1 and that1 at the same time1 the old words should be kept in use--are points to be considered more fully hereafter3 in the meantime1 it is so important to keep tongue and ear familiar with ,french vocables1 that not a lesson should be omitted4 ,the ,french lesson may1 however1 be made to fit in with the spirit of the other out-of-door occupations2 the half-dozen words may be the parts--leaves1 branches1 bark1 trunk of a tree1 or the colours of the flowers1 or the movements of bird1 cloud1 lamb1 child2 in fact1 the new ,french words should be but another form of expression for the ideas that for the time fill the child's mind4 ,noisy ,games4--,the afternoon's games1 after luncheon1 are an important part of the day's doings for the elder children1 though the younger have probably worn themselves out by this time with the ceaseless restlessness by means of which ,nature provides for the due development of muscular tissue in them2 let them sleep in the sweet air1 and awake refreshed4 ,meanwhile1 the elders play2 the more they run1 and shout1 and toss their arms1 the more healthful is the play4 ,and this is one reason why mothers should carry their children off to lonely places1 where they may use their lungs to their hearts' content without risk of annoying anybody4 ,the muscular structure of the organs of voice is not enough considered2 children love to indulge in cries and shouts and view-halloos1 and this #8rude' and #8noisy' play1 with which their elders have not much patience1 is no more than ,nature's way of providing for the due exercise of organs1 upon whose working power the health and happiness of the child's future largely depend4 ,people talk of #8weak lungs1' #8weak chest1' #8weak throat1' but perhaps it does not occur to everybody that strong lungs and strong throat are commonly to be had on the same terms as a strong arm or wrist--by exercise1 training1 use1 work4 ,still1 if the children can #8give voice' musically1 and move rhythmically to the sound of their own voices1 so much the better4 ,in this respect ,french children are better off than ,english2 they dance and sing through a hundred roundelays--just such games1 no doubt1 mimic marryings and buryings1 as the children played at long ago in the market-place of ,jerusalem4 #8,rondes4'--,before ,puritan innovations made us a staid and circumspect people1 ,english lads and lasses of all ages danced out little dramas on the village green1 accompanying themselves with the words and airs of just such rondes as the ,french children sing to-day4 ,we have a few of them left still--to be heard at ,sunday-school treats and other gatherings of the children1--and they are well worth preserving3 #8,there came three dukes a-riding1 a-riding1 a-riding'2 #8,oranges and lemons1 say the bells of ,st ,clement's'2 #8,here we come gathering nuts in ,may'2 #8,what has my poor prisoner done8' and many more1 all set to delightful sing-song airs that little feet trip to merrily1 the more so for the pleasant titillation of the words--dukes1 nuts1 oranges1--who could not go to the tune of such ideas8 ,the promoters of the kindergarten system have done much to introduce games of this1 or rather of a more educational kind2 but is it not a fact that the singing games of the kindergarten are apt to be somewhat inane8 ,also1 it is doubtful how far the prettiest plays1 learnt at school and from a teacher1 will take hold of the children as do the games which have been passed on from hand to hand through an endless chain of children1 and are not to be found in the print-books at all4 ,skipping-rope and ,shuttlecock4--,cricket1 tennis1 and rounders are the games par excellence if the children are old enough to play them1 both as giving free harmonious play to the muscles1 and also as serving the highest moral purpose of games in bringing the children under the discipline of rules2 but the little family we have in view1 all of them under nine1 will hardly be up to scientific games4 ,races and chases1 #8tig1' #8follow my leader1' and any romping game they may invent1 will be more to their minds3 still better are the hoop1 the ball1 the shuttlecock1 and the invaluable skipping-rope4 ,for the rope1 the very best use is for each child to skip with her own1 throwing it backwards rather than forwards1 so that the tendency of the movement is to expand the chest4 ,shuttlecock is a fine game1 affording scope for ambition and emulation4 ,her biographer thinks it worth telling that ,miss ,austen could keep up in #8cup and ball' over a hundred times1 to the admiration of nephews and nieces2 in like manner1 any feat in keeping up the shuttlecock might be noted down as a family event1 so that the children may be fired with ambition to excel in a game which affords most graceful and vigorous play to almost every muscle of the upper part of the body1 and has this great recommendation1 that it can be as well played within doors as without4 ,quite the best play is to keep up the shuttlecock with a battledore in each hand1 so that the muscles on either side are brought equally into play4 ,but to #8ordain' about children's games is an idle waste of words1 for here fashion is as supreme and as arbitrary as in questions of bonnet or crinoline4 ,climbing4--,climbing is an amusement not much in favour with mothers2 torn garments1 bleeding knees1 and boot-toes rubbed into holes1 to say nothing of more serious risks1 make a strong case against this form of delight4 ,but1 truly1 the exercise is so admirable--the body being thrown into endless graceful postures which bring every muscle into play1--and the training in pluck1 daring1 and resource so invaluable1 that it is a pity trees and cliffs and walls should be forbidden even to little girls4 ,the mother may do a good deal to avert serious mishaps by accustoming the younger children to small feats of leaping and climbing1 so that they learn1 at the same time1 courage and caution from their own experiences1 and are less likely to follow the lead of too-daring playmates4 ,later1 the mother had best make up her mind to share the feelings of the hen that hatched a brood of ducklings1 remembering that a little scream1 a sharp and sudden #8,come down instantly6' #8,tommy1 you'll break your neck6' gives the child a nervous shock1 and is likely to cause the fall it was meant to hinder by startling ,tommy out of all presence of mind4 ,even boating and swimming are not without the reach of town-bred children1 in days when everybody goes for a summer outing to the neighbourhood of the sea or of inland waters2 and then1 there are swimming-baths in most towns4 ,it would be well if most children of seven were taught to swim1 not only for the possible usefulness of the art1 but as giving them an added means of motion1 and1 therefore1 of delight4 ,clothing4--,the havoc of clothes need not be great if the children are dressed for their little excursions1 as they should be1 in plainly made garments of some loosely woven woollen material1 serge or flannel4 ,woollen has many advantages over cotton1 and more over linen1 as a clothing material2 chiefly1 that it is a bad conductor2 that is to say1 it does not allow the heat of the body too free an exit1 nor the heat of the sun too free an entrance4 ,therefore the child in woollen1 who has become heated in play1 does not suffer a chill from the sudden loss of this heat1 as does the child in linen garments2 also1 he is cooler in the sunshine1 and warmer in the shade4 ,,xii4--,,walks ,,in ,,bad ,,weather ,winter ,walks as necessary as ,summer ,walks4--,all we have said hitherto applies to the summer weather1 which is1 alas for us6 a very limited and uncertain quantity in our part of the world4 ,the question of out-of-door exercise in winter and in wet weather is really more important2 for who that could would not be abroad in the summer time8 ,if the children are to have what is quite the best thing for them1 they should be two or three hours every day in the open air all through the winter1 say an hour and a half in the morning and as long in the afternoon4 ,pleasures connected with ,frost and ,snow4--,when frost and snow are on the ground children have very festive times1 what with sliding1 snow-balling1 and snow-building4 ,but even on the frequent days when it is dirty under foot and dull over head they should be kept interested and alert1 so that the heart may do its work cheerfully1 and a grateful glow be kept up throughout the body in spite of clouds and cold weather4 ,winter ,observations4--,all that has been said about #8sight-seeing' and #8picture-painting1' the little ,french talk1 and observations to be noted in the family diary1 belongs just as much to winter weather as to summer2 and there is no end to the things to be seen and noted4 ,the party come across a big tree which they judge1 from its build1 to be an oak--down it goes in the diary2 and when the leaves are out1 the children come again to see if they are right4 ,many birds come into view the more freely in the cold weather that they are driven forth in search of food4 8,the cattle mourn in corners where the fence screens them40 8,the sun1 with ruddy orb ,ascending1 fires the horizon40 8,every herb and every spiry blade ,stretches a length of shadow o'er the field40 8,the sparrows peep1 and quit the sheltering eaves40 8,the redbreast warbles still1 but is content ,with slender notes1 and more than half suppress'd2 ,pleased with his solitude1 and flitting light ,from spray to spray1 where'er he rests he shakes ,from many a twig the pendent drops of ice ,that tinkle in the wither'd leaves below40 ,there is no reason why the child's winter walk should not be as fertile in observations as the poet's2 indeed1 in one way1 it is possible to see the more in winter1 because the things to be seen do not crowd each other out4 ,habit of ,attention4--,winter walks1 too1 whether in town or country1 give great opportunities for cultivating the habit of attention4 ,the famous conjurer1 ,robert ,houdin1 relates in his autobiography1 that he and his son would pass rapidly before a shop window1 that of a toy-shop1 for instance1 and each cast an attentive glance upon it4 ,a few steps further on each drew paper and pencil from his pocket1 and tried which could enumerate the greater number of the objects momentarily seen in passing4 ,the boy surpassed his father in quickness of apprehension1 being often able to write down forty objects1 whilst his father could scarcely reach thirty2 yet on their returning to verify his statement1 the son was rarely found to have made a mistake4 ,here is a hint for a highly educational amusement for many a winter's walk4 ,wet ,weather ,tramps4--,but what about the wet days8 ,the fact is1 that rain1 unless of the heaviest1 does the children no harm at all if they are suitably clothed4 ,but every sort of waterproof garment should be tabooed1 because the texture which will not admit rain will not allow of the escape of the insensible perspiration1 and one secret of health for people who have no organic disease is the prompt carrying off of the decayed and harmful matters discharged by the skin4 ,outer ,garments for4--,children should have woollen rain-garments--made of coarse serge1 for instance1--to be changed the moment they return from a walk1 and then there is no risk of catching cold4 ,this is the common-sense of the matter4 ,wet cloths are put upon the head of a fever patient2 by-and-by the cloths dry1 and are dipped again3 what has become of the water8 ,it has evaporated1 and1 in evaporating1 has carried off much heat from the fevered head4 ,now1 that which eases the hot skin of fever is just the one thing to be avoided in ordinary circumstances4 ,to be wet to the skin may do a child no more harm than a bath would do him1 if the wet clothes do not dry upon him--that is1 if the water does not evaporate1 carrying off much heat from his body in the process4 ,it is the loss of animal heat which is followed by #8colds1' and not the #8wetting1' which mothers are ready to deplore4 ,keep a child active and happy in the rain1 and he gets nothing but good from his walk4 ,the case is altered if the child has a cold already2 then active exercise might increase any inflammation already set up4 ,i do not know whether it is more than a pretty fancy of ,richter's1 that a spring shower is a sort of electric bath1 and a very potent means of health2 certainly rain clears the atmosphere--a fact of considerable importance in and about large towns4 ,but it is enough for our purpose to prove that the rain need do no harm2 for abundant daily exercise in the fresh air is of such vital importance to the children1 that really nothing but sickness should keep them within doors4 ,a mere time and distance tramp is sufficiently joyous for a wet day1 for1 taken good-humouredly1 the beating rain itself is exhilarating4 ,the #8long run' of the schoolboy1 that is1 a steady trot1 breaking now and then into a run1 is capital exercise2 but regard must be had to the powers of the children1 who must not be overdone4 ,precautions4--,at the same time1 children should never be allowed to sit or stand about in damp clothes2 and here is the use of waterproof rain-wraps--to keep them dry on short journeys to church1 or school1 or neighbour's house1 where they cannot very well change their garments4 ,,xiii4--#8,,red ,,indian' ,,life ,scouting4--,baden ,powell's little book about ,scouting set us upon a new track4 ,hundreds of families make joyous expeditions1 far more educative than they dream1 wherein scouting is the order of the day4 ,for example1 one party of four or more lies in ambush1--the best ambush to be had1 which is pitched upon after much consideration4 ,the enemy scouts2 first he finds the ambush1 and then his skill is shown in getting within touch of the alert foe without being discovered4 ,but every family should possess ,scouting in default of the chance of going on the war-path with a ,red ,indian4 ,the evil of the ready-made life we lead is that we do not discern the signs of the times4 ,an alert intelligence towards what goes on in the open-air world is a great possession1 and1 strongly as we sympathise with the effort made to put down bird's-nesting1 we shall lose1 if we are not careful1 one of the few bits of what we may call #8,red ,indian' training still within our reach4 ,bird-stalking4--,but bird #8stalking1' to adapt a name1 is a great deal more exciting and delightful than bird's-nesting1 and we get our joy at no cost of pain to other living things4 ,all the skill of a good scout comes into play4 ,think1 how exciting to creep noiselessly as shadows behind river-side bushes on hands and knees without disturbing a twig or a pebble till you get within a yard of a pair of sandpipers1 and then1 lying low1 to watch their dainty little runs1 pretty tricks of head and tail1 and to hear the music of their call4 ,and here comes in the real joy of bird-stalking4 ,if in the winter months the children have become fairly familiar with the notes of our resident birds1 they will be able in the early summer to #8stalk' to some purpose4 ,the notes and songs in ,june are bewildering1 but the plan is to single out those you are quite sure of1 and then follow up the others4 ,the key to a knowledge of birds is knowledge of their notes1 and the only way to get this is to follow any note of which you are not sure4 ,the joy of tracking a song or note to its source is the joy of a #8find1' a possession for life4 ,but bird-stalking is only to be done upon certain conditions4 ,you must not only be #8most mousy-quiet1' but you must not even let a thought whisper1 for if you let yourself think about anything else1 the entirely delightful play of bird-life passes by you unobserved2 nay1 the very bird notes are unheard4 ,here are two bird walks communicated by a bird-lover3-- 8,we heard a note something like a chaffinch's1 only slower1 and we looked up in the boughs of the ash to try and track the bird by the sudden quiver of one twig here1 another1 there4 ,we found a steep1 rocky path which brought us almost level with the tree tops1 and then we had a good view of the shy little willow wren busily seeking food4 ,a note from the next tree like a bubbling of song drew us further on1 and then we found the wood wren and watched him as with upturned head and bubbling throat he uttered his trill4 8,a joyous burst of song came from a bush near by1 and we crept on1 to find a blackcap warbler with upraised crest turning excitedly round and round in the ecstasy of song4 ,we waited1 and traced him to his next station by his light touch on the branches4 ,a hoarse screech from another tree announced a greenfinch1 and we had a long chase to get a glimpse of him2 but he came to an outstanding twig1 and then we heard his pretty song1 which ,i should never have guessed to be his had we not seen him at it4 ,a little squeaky note made us watch the tree trunks1 and1 sure enough1 there was a tree-creeper running up and round and round an ash1 uttering his note all the time4 8,another day we got behind a wall from which we could examine a field that lay beside the lake4 ,there was the green plover with his jaunty crest1 running and pecking1 and1 as he pecked1 we caught sight of the rosy flash under his tail4 ,we waited1 hoping for more1 for the plovers stand so still that they are lost in their surroundings4 ,but someone coughed1 and up went the plovers1 a dozen of them1 with their weary taunt1 #8,why don't you let us alone8' ,their distress roused other birds1 and we saw a snipe rise from the water edge1 a marshy place1 with hasty zigzag flight2 it made a long round and settled not much further than where it rose4 ,the sandpipers rose1 two flying close to the water's edge1 whistling all the time4 ,by the side of a little gully we watched a wagtail1 and presently a turn in the sunshine showed us the yellow breast of the yellow wagtail4 ,a loud #8tis-sic' near us drew our eyes to the wall1 and there stood a pied wagtail with full beak1 waiting to get rid of us before visiting his nest in the wall4 ,we crept away and sheltered behind a tree1 and after a few minutes' waiting we saw him go into his hole4 ,an angry chatter near by 7like a broom on ,venetian blinds67 directed our eyes to a little brown wren on the wall with cocked-up tail1 but in a minute he disappeared like a mouse over the side40 ,this is from another bird-lover3-- 8,now1 they 7the children7 are beginning to care more for the birds than the eggs1 and their first question1 instead of being1 #8,what is the egg like8' is usually #8,what is the bird like8' ,we have great searching through ,morris's ,british ,birds#g to identify birds we have seen and to make quite sure of doubtful points4 8,but now for the birds4 ,stonechats abound on the heaths4 ,i pricked myself up to my knees standing in a gorse-patch watching and listening to the first ,i saw1 but ,i was quite rewarded1 and saw at least four pairs at one time4 ,do you know the birds8 ,the cock birds are such handsome little fellows1 black head and mask1 white collar1 rufous breast and dark grey or brown back4 ,they have a pretty little song1 rather longer than a chaffinch's1 besides the chit-chat cry when they are disturbed4 ,they do not make a long flight1 and will hover in the air like a flycatcher4 ,the sandmartins have numbers of holes in the cliffs4 ,we tried to see how deep they burrowed to build their nests1 but though ,i put my arm in up to the elbows in several deserted holes1 ,i could not reach the end4 ,i think my favourites are the reed-warblers4 ,i know of at least four pairs1 and when ,i could induce the children to both stop talking for a few minutes1 we were able to watch them boldly hopping up and down the reeds and singing in full view of us40 ,this is the sort of thing bird-stalkers come upon--and what a loss have those children who are not brought up to the gentle art wherein the eye is satisfied with seeing1 and there is no greed of collecting1 no play of the hunter's instinct to kill1 and yet a lifelong joy of possession4 ,,xiv4--,,the ,,children ,,require ,,country ,,air ,the ,essential ,proportion of ,oxygen4--,every one knows that the breathing of air which has lost little of its due proportion of oxygen is the essential condition of vigorous life and of a fine physique2 also1 that whatever produces heat1 whether it be animal heat1 or the heat of fire1 candle1 gas-lamp1 produces that heat at the expense of the oxygen contained in the atmosphere--a bank which is drawn upon by every breathing and burning object2 that in situations where much breathing and burning are going on1 there is a terrible drain upon this vital gas2 that the drain may be so excessive that there is no longer sufficient oxygen in the air to support animal life1 and death results2 that where the drain is less excessive but still great1 animal life may be supported1 and people live a flaccid1 feeble life in a state of low vitality4 ,excess of ,carbonic ,acid ,gas4--,also we know that every breathing and every burning object expels a hurtful gas--carbonic acid4 ,a very small proportion of this gas is present in the purest atmospheric air1 and in that small proportion is healthful2 but increase that quantity by the action of furnaces1 fires1 living beings1 gas-lamps1 and the air is rendered unwholesome1 just in proportion to the quantity of superfluous carbonic-acid gas it contains4 ,if the quantity be excessive--as when many people are huddled together in a small unventilated room--speedy death by suffocation is the result4 ,unvitiated1 ,unimpoverished ,air4--,for these reasons1 it is not possible to enjoy fulness of life in a town4 ,for grown-up people1 the stimulus of town life does something to make up for the impurity of town air2 as1 on the other hand1 country people too often forfeit their advantages through the habit of mental sluggishness they let themselves fall into3 but1 for the children--who not only breathe1 but grow2 who require1 proportionably1 more oxygen than adults need for their vital processes--it is absolutely cruel not to give them very frequent1 if not daily1 copious draughts of unvitiated1 unimpoverished air1 the sort of air that can be had only remote from towns4 ,solar ,light4--,but this is only one of the reasons why1 for health's sake alone1 it is of the first importance to give children long days in the open country4 ,they want light1 solar light1 as well as air4 ,country people are ruddier than town folk2 miners are sallow1 so are the dwellers in cellars and in sunless valleys4 ,the reason is1 that1 to secure the ruddy glow of perfect health1 certain changes must take place in the blood--the nature of which it would take too long to explain here--and that these changes in the blood1 marked by the free production of red corpuscles1 appear to take place most favourably under the influence of abundant solar light4 ,what is more1 men of science are beginning to suspect that not only the coloured light rays of the solar spectrum1 but the dark heat rays1 and the chemical rays1 minister to vitality in ways not yet fully understood4 ,a ,physical ,ideal for a ,child4--,there was a charming picture in ,punch some time ago1 of two little boys airing their ,english-,french on their mother's new maid2 two noble little fellows1 each straight as a dart1 with no superfluous flesh1 eyes well opened1 head erect1 chest expanded1 the whole body full of spring even in repose4 ,it was worth looking at1 if only as suggesting the sort of physique we delight to see in a child4 ,no doubt the child inherits the most that he is in this respect as in all others2 but this is what bringing-up may1 with some limitations1 effect3--,the child is born with certain natural tendencies1 and1 according to his bringing-up1 each such tendency may run into a blemish of person or character1 or into a cognate grace4 ,therefore1 it is worth while to have even a physical ideal for one's child2 not1 for instance1 to be run away with by the notion that a fat child is necessarily a fine child4 ,the fat child can easily be produced3 but the bright eye1 the open regard1 the springing step2 the tones1 clear as a bell2 the agile1 graceful movements that characterise the well-brought-up child1 are the result1 not of bodily well-being only1 but of #8mind and soul according well1' of a quick1 trained intelligence1 and of a moral nature habituated to #8the joy of self-control4' ,,footnotes3 #c ,see ,appendix ,a4 #d ,nature note-books may be had at the ,p4,n4,e4,u4 ,office1 #bf ,victoria ,street4 ,see ,appendix ,a4 #e ,kingsley's ,water ,babies and ,madam ,how and ,lady ,why4 ,all ,mrs ,brightwen's books4 ,miss ,buckley's 7,mrs ,fisher7 #8,eyes and no ,eyes' ,series4 ,life and her ,children1 etc4 ,all ,seton-,thompson's books4 ,long's ,the ,school of the ,woods1 ,the ,little ,brother of the ,bear4 ,kearton's ,wild ,nature's ,ways4 ,living ,animals of the ,world4 #f ,wordsworth4 #g ,john's ,british ,birds1 which costs as many shillings as ,morris's does guineas1 is better for beginners4 ,,part ,,iii #8,,habit ,,is ,,ten ,,natures' ,i4--,,education ,,based ,,upon ,,natural ,,law ,a ,healthy ,brain4--,what ,i desire to set before the reader is a method of education based upon natural law4 ,in the first place1 we have considered some of the conditions to be observed with a view to keep the brain in healthy working order2 for it is upon the possession of an active1 duly nourished brain that the possibility of a sound education depends4 ,out-of-,door ,life4--,the consideration of out-of-door life1 in developing a method of education1 comes second in order2 because my object is to show that the chief function of the child--his business in the world during the first six or seven years of his life--is to find out all he can1 about whatever comes under his notice1 by means of his five senses2 that he has an insatiable appetite for knowledge got in this way2 and that1 therefore1 the endeavour of his parents should be to put him in the way of making acquaintance freely with ,nature and natural objects2 that1 in fact1 the intellectual education of the young child should lie in the free exercise of perceptive power1 because the first stages of mental effort are marked by the extreme activity of this power2 and the wisdom of the educator is to follow the lead of ,nature in the evolution of the complete human being4 ,the next subject for consideration--a rather dry psycho-physiological one--seems to me1 all the same1 to be very well worthy of attention as striking the keynote of a reasonable method of education4 ,habit the ,instrument by which ,parents ,work4--#8,habit is ,,ten natures6' ,if ,i could but make others see with my eyes how much this saying should mean to the educator6 ,how habit1 in the hands of the mother1 is as his wheel to the potter1 his knife to the carver--the instrument by means of which she turns out the design she has already conceived in her brain4 ,observe1 the material is there to begin with2 his wheel will not enable the potter to produce a porcelain cup cut of coarse clay2 but the instrument is as necessary as the material or the design4 ,it is unpleasant to speak of one's self1 but if the reader will allow me1 ,i should like to run over the steps by which ,i have been brought to look upon habit as the means whereby the parent may make almost anything he chooses of his child4 ,that which has become the dominant idea of one person's life1 if it be launched suddenly at another1 conveys no very great depth or weight of meaning to the second person--he wants to get at it by degrees1 to see the steps by which the other has travelled4 ,therefore1 ,i shall venture to show how ,i arrived at my present position1 which is1 from one of the three possible points of view--,the formation of habits is education1 and ,education is the formation of habits4 ,,ii4--,,the ,,children ,,have ,,no ,,self-,,compelling ,,power ,an ,educational ,cul-de-sac4--,some years ago ,i was accustomed to hear1 #8,habit is ,,ten natures' delivered from the pulpit on at least one ,sunday out of four4 ,i had at the time just begun to teach1 and was young and enthusiastic in my work4 ,it was to my mind a great thing to be a teacher2 it was impossible but that the teacher should leave his stamp on the children4 ,his own was the fault if anything went wrong1 if any child did badly in school or out of it4 ,there was no degree of responsibility to which youthful ardour was not equal4 ,but1 all this zeal notwithstanding1 the disappointing thing was1 that nothing extraordinary happened4 ,the children were good on the whole1 because they were the children of parents who had themselves been brought up with some care2 but it was plain that they behaved very much as #8'twas their nature to4' ,the faults they had1 they kept2 the virtues they had were exercised just as fitfully as before4 ,the good1 meek little girl still told fibs4 ,the bright1 generous child was incurably idle4 ,in lessons it was the same thing2 the dawdling child went on dawdling1 the dull child became no brighter4 ,it was very disappointing4 ,the children1 no doubt1 #8got on'--a little2 but each one of them had the makings in her of a noble character1 of a fine mind1 and where was the lever to lift each of these little worlds8 ,such a lever there must be4 ,this horse-in-a-mill round of geography and ,french1 history and sums1 was no more than playing at education2 for who remembers the scraps of knowledge he laboured over as a child8 and would not the application of a few hours in later life effect more than a year's drudgery at any one subject in childhood8 ,if education is to secure the step-by-step progress of the individual and the race1 it must mean something over and above the daily plodding at small tasks which goes by the name4 ,love1 ,law1 and ,religion as ,educational ,forces4--,looking for guidance to the literature of education1 ,i learned much from various sources1 though ,i failed to find what seemed to me an authoritative guide1 that is1 one whose thought embraced the possibilities contained in the human nature of a child1 and1 at the same time1 measured the scope of education4 ,i saw how religious teaching helped the children1 gave them power and motives for continuous effort1 and raised their desires towards the best things4 ,i saw in how far law restrained from evil1 and love impelled towards good4 ,but with these great aids from without and from above1 there was still the depressing sense of labouring at education in the dark2 the advance made by the young people in moral1 and even in intellectual1 power was like that of a door on its hinges--a swing forward to-day and back again to-morrow1 with little sensible progress from year to year beyond that of being able to do harder sums and read harder books4 ,why ,children are incapable of ,steady ,effort4--,consideration made the reason of the failure plain3 there was a warm glow of goodness at the heart of every one of the children1 but they were all incapable of steady effort1 because they had no strength of will1 no power to make themselves do that which they knew they ought to do4 ,here1 no doubt1 come in the functions of parents and teachers2 they should be able to make the child do that which he lacks the power to compel himself to4 ,but it were poor training that should keep the child dependent upon personal influence4 ,it is the business of education to find some way of supplementing that weakness of will which is the bane of most of us as well as of the children4 ,children should be saved the ,effort of ,decision4--,that the effort of decision is the most exhausting effort of life1 has been well said from the pulpit2 and if that remain true about ourselves1 even when the decision is about trifling matters of going or coming1 buying or not buying1 it surely is not just to leave the children all the labour of an effort of will whenever they have to choose between the right and the wrong4 ,,iii4--,,what ,,is #8,,nature'8 #8,habit is ,,ten natures1' went on being proclaimed in my ears2 and at last it came home to me as a weighty saying1 which might contain the educational #8,open1 sesame6' ,i was in quest of4 ,in the first place1 what is ,nature1 and what1 precisely1 is ,habit8 ,it is an astonishing thing1 when we consider1 what the child is1 irrespective of race1 country1 or kindred1 simply in right of his birth as a human being4 ,all ,persons born with the same ,primary ,desires4--,that we all have the same instincts and appetites1 we are prepared to allow1 but that the principles of action which govern all men everywhere are primarily the same1 is a little startling2 that1 for instance1 the same desires stir in the breasts of savage and of sage alike2 that the desire of knowledge1 which shows itself in the child's curiosity about things and his eager use of his eyes1 is equally active everywhere2 that the desire of society1 which you may see in two babies presented to one another and all agog with glee and friendliness1 is the cause1 alike1 of village communities amongst savage tribes and of the philosophical meetings of the learned2 that everywhere is felt the desire of esteem--a wonderful power in the hands of the educator1 making a word of praise or blame more powerful as a motive than any fear or hope of punishment or reward4 ,and ,affections4--,and it is not only the same desires2 all people1 everywhere1 have the same affections and passions which act in the same way under similar provocation3 joy and grief1 love and resentment1 benevolence1 sympathy1 fear1 and much else1 are common to all of us4 ,so1 too1 of conscience1 the sense of duty4 ,content of the most ,elemental ,notion of ,human ,nature4--,dr ,livingstone mentions that the only addition he felt called upon to make to the moral code of certain of the ,zambesi tribes 7however little they observed their own law7 was1 that a man should not have more than one wife4 8,evil speaking1 lying1 hatred1 disobedience to parents1 neglect of them10 were all known to be sin by these dark peoples whom civilised or ,christian teaching had never before reached4 ,not only is a sense of duty common to mankind1 but the deeper consciousness of ,god1 however vague such consciousness may be4 ,and all this and much more goes to make up the most elemental notion of human nature4 ,nature plus ,heredity4--,then1 heredity comes in1 and here1 if you please1 is ten natures3 who is to deal with the child who is resentful1 or stubborn1 or reckless1 because it is born in him1 his mother's nature or his grandfather's8 ,think of the trick of the eye1 the action of the hand1 repeated from father to son2 the peculiar character of the handwriting1 traceable1 as ,miss ,power ,cobbe tells us is the case in her family1 for instance1 through five generations2 the artistic temperament1 the taste for music or drawing1 running in families3 here you get ,nature with a twist1 confirmed1 sealed1 riveted1 utterly proof1 you would say1 against any attempt to alter or modify it4 ,plus ,physical ,conditions4--,and1 once more1 physical conditions come into force4 ,the puny1 feeble child and the sturdy urchin who never ails must necessarily differ from one another in the strength of their desires and emotions4 ,human ,nature the ,sum of certain ,attributes4--,what1 then1 with the natural desires1 affections1 and emotions common to the whole race1 what with the tendencies which each family derives by descent1 and those peculiarities which the individual owes to his own constitution of body and brain1--human nature1 the sum of all these1 makes out for itself a strong case2 so much so1 that we are inclined to think the best that can be done is to let it alone1 to let every child develop unhindered according to the elements of character and disposition that are in him4 ,the ,child must not be left to his ,human ,nature4--,this is precisely what half the parents in the world1 and three-fourths of the teachers1 are content to do2 and what is the consequence8 ,that the world is making advances1 but the progress is1 for the most part1 amongst the few whose parents have taken their education seriously in hand2 while the rest1 who have been allowed to stay where they were1 be no more1 or no better than ,nature made them1 act as a heavy drag3 for1 indeed1 the fact is1 that they do not stay where they were2 it is unchangeably true that the child who is not being constantly raised to a higher and a higher platform will sink to a lower and a lower4 ,wherefore1 it is as much the parent's duty to educate his child into moral strength and purpose and intellectual activity as it is to feed him and clothe him2 and that in spite of his nature1 if it must be so4 ,it is true that here and there circumstances step in and #8make a man' of the boy whose parents have failed to bring him under discipline2 but this is a fortuitous aid which the educator is no way warranted to count upon4 ,i was beginning to see my way--not yet out of the psychological difficulty1 which1 so far as ,i was concerned1 blocked the way to any real education2 but now ,i could put my finger on the place1 and that was something4 ,thus3-- ,the will of the child is pitifully feeble1 weaker in the children of the weak1 stronger in the children of the strong1 but hardly ever to be counted upon as a power in education4 ,the nature of the child--his human nature--being the sum of what he is as a human being1 and what he is in right of the stock he comes of1 and what he is as the result of his own physical and mental constitution--this nature is incalculably strong4 ,problem before the ,educator4--,the problem before the educator is to give the child control over his own nature1 to enable him to hold himself in hand as much in regard to the traits we call good1 as to those we call evil3--many a man makes shipwreck on the rock of what he grew up to think his characteristic virtue--his open-handedness1 for instance4 ,divine ,grace works on the ,lines of ,human ,effort4--,in looking for a solution of this problem1 ,i do not undervalue the ,divine grace--far otherwise2 but we do not always make enough of the fact that ,divine grace is exerted on the lines of enlightened human effort2 that the parent1 for instance1 who takes the trouble to understand what he is about in educating his child1 deserves1 and assuredly gets1 support from above2 and that ,rebecca1 let us say1 had no right to bring up her son to be 8thou worm1 ,jacob10 in the trust that ,divine grace would1 speaking reverently1 pull him through4 ,being a pious man1 the son of pious parents1 he was pulled through1 but his days1 he complains at the end1 were 8few and evil40 ,the ,trust of ,parents must not be ,supine4--,and indeed this is what too many ,christian parents expect3 they let a child grow free as the wild bramble1 putting forth unchecked whatever is in him--thorn1 coarse flower1 insipid fruit1--trusting1 they will tell you1 that the grace of ,god will prune and dig and prop the wayward branches lying prone4 ,and their trust is not always misplaced2 but the poor man endures anguish1 is torn asunder in the process of recovery which his parents might have spared him had they trained the early shoots which should develop by-and-by into the character of their child4 ,nature then1 strong as she is1 is not invincible2 and1 at her best1 ,nature is not to be permitted to ride rampant4 ,bit and bridle1 hand and voice1 will get the utmost of endeavour out of her if her training be taken in hand in time2 but let ,nature run wild1 like the forest ponies1 and not spur nor whip will break her in4 ,,iv4--,,habit ,,may ,,supplant #8,,nature' #8,habit is ten natures4' ,if that be true1 strong as nature is1 habit is not only as strong1 but tenfold as strong4 ,here1 then1 have we a stronger than he1 able to overcome this strong man armed4 ,habit runs on the ,lines of ,nature4--,but habit runs on the lines of nature3 the cowardly child habitually lies that he may escape blame2 the loving child has a hundred endearing habits2 the good-natured child has a habit of giving2 the selfish child1 a habit of keeping4 ,habit1 working thus according to nature1 is simply nature in action1 growing strong by exercise4 ,but ,habit may be a ,lever4--,but habit1 to be the lever to lift the child1 must work contrary to nature1 or at any rate1 independently of her4 ,directly we begin to look out for the working of habit on these lines1 examples crowd upon us3 there are the children trained in careful habits1 who never soil their clothes2 those trained in reticent habits1 who never speak of what is done at home1 and answer indiscreet questions with #8,i don't know'2 there are the children brought up in courteous habits1 who make way for their elders with gentle grace1 and more readily for the poor woman with the basket than for the well-dressed lady2 and there are children trained in grudging habits1 who never offer to yield1 or go1 or do4 ,a ,mother forms her ,children's ,habits involuntarily4--,such habits as these1 good1 bad1 or indifferent1 are they natural to the children8 ,no1 but they are what their mothers have brought them up to2 and as a matter of fact1 there is nothing which a mother cannot bring her child up to1 and there is hardly a mother anywhere who has not some two or three--crotchets sometimes1 principles sometimes--which her children never violate4 ,so that it comes to this--given1 a mother with liberal views on the subject of education1 and she simply cannot help working her own views into her children's habits2 given1 on the other hand1 a mother whose final question is1 #8,what will people say8 what will people think8 how will it look8' and the children grow up with habits of seeming1 and not of being2 they are content to appear well-dressed1 well-mannered1 and well-intentioned to outsiders1 with very little effort after beauty1 order1 and goodness at home1 and in each other's eyes4 ,habit forces ,nature into ,new ,channels4--,the extraordinary power of habit in forcing nature into new channels hardly requires illustration2 we have only to see a small boy at a circus riding two barebacked ponies with a foot on the back of each1 or a pantomime fairy dancing on air1 or a clown behaving like an indiarubber ball1 or any of the thousand feats of skill and dexterity which we pay our shillings to see--mental feats as well as bodily1 though1 happily1 these are the rarer--to be convinced that exactly anything may be accomplished by training1 that is1 the cultivation of persistent habits4 ,and the power of habit is not seen in human beings alone4 ,the cat goes in search of her dinner always at the same time and to the same place--that is1 if it is usual to feed her in one spot4 ,indeed1 the habit of place is so much to the cat1 that she will often rather die of famine than forsake the house to which she is accustomed4 ,as for the dog1 he is still more a #8bundle of habits' than his master4 ,scatter the crumbs for the sparrows at nine o'clock every morning1 and at nine o'clock they will come for their breakfast1 crumbs or no crumbs4 ,darwin inclines to think that the terror and avoidance shown towards man by the wild birds and lesser animals is simply a matter of transmitted habit2 he tells us how he landed upon certain of the ,pacific islands where the birds had never seen man before1 and they lighted upon him and flew about him with utter fearlessness4 ,to come nearer home1 what evidence of the mastery of habit is more sad and more overwhelming than the habits of the drunkard1 for instance1 persisted in1 in spite of reason1 conscience1 purpose1 religion1 every motive which should influence a thinking being8 ,parents and ,teachers must lay down ,lines of ,habit4--,all this is nothing new2 we have always known that #8use is second nature1' and that #8man is a bundle of habits4' ,it was not the fact1 but the application of the fact1 and the physiology of habit1 that were new and exceedingly valuable ideas to me1 and ,i hope they may be of some use to the reader4 ,it was new to me1 for instance1 to perceive that it rests with parents and teachers to lay down lines of habit on which the life of the child may run henceforth with little jolting or miscarriage1 and may advance in the right direction with the minimum of effort4 ,v4--,,the ,,laying ,,down ,,of ,,lines ,,of ,,habit #8,begin it1 and the thing will be completed6' is infallibly true of every mental and moral habitude3 completed1 not on the lines you foresee and intend1 but on the lines appropriate and necessary to that particular habitude4 ,in the phrase #8unconscious cerebration' we are brought face to face with the fact that1 whatever seed of thought or feeling you implant in a child--whether through inheritance or by early training--grows1 completes itself1 and begets after its kind1 even as does a corporeal organism4 ,it is a marvellous and beautiful thing to perceive an idea--when the idea itself is a fine one--developing within you of its own accord1 to find your pen writing down sentences whose logical sequence delights you1 and yet in the conception of which you have had no conscious part4 ,when the experienced writer #8reels off' in this fashion1 he knows that so far as the run of the words1 the ordering of the ideas1 go1 his work will need no revision4 ,so fine a thing is this1 that the lingering fallacy of the infallible reason established itself thereupon4 ,the philosopher1 who takes pleasure in observing the ways of his own mind1 is a thinker of high thoughts1 and he is apt to forget that the thought which defiles a man behaves in precisely the same way as that which purifies3 the one1 as the other1 develops1 matures1 and increases after its kind4 ,we ,think1 as we are accustomed to ,think4--,how does this bear on the practical work of bringing up children8 ,in this way3 ,we think1 as we are accustomed to think2 ideas come and go and carry on a ceaseless traffic in the rut--let us call it--you have made for them in the very nerve substance of the brain4 ,you do not deliberately intend to think these thoughts2 you may1 indeed1 object strongly to the line they are taking 7two #8trains' of thought going on at one and the same time671 and objecting1 you may be able to barricade the way1 to put up #8,no ,road' in big letters1 and to compel the busy populace of the brain-world to take another route4 ,but who is able for these things8 ,not the child1 immature of will1 feeble in moral power1 unused to the weapons of the spiritual warfare4 ,he depends upon his parents2 it rests with them to initiate the thoughts he shall think1 the desires he shall cherish1 the feelings he shall allow4 ,only to initiate2 no more is permitted to them2 but from this initiation will result the habits of thought and feeling which govern the man--his character1 that is to say4 ,but is not this assuming too much1 seeing that1 to sum up roughly all we understand by heredity1 a child is born with his future in his hands8 ,the child is born1 doubtless1 with the tendencies which should shape his future2 but every tendency has its branch roads1 its good or evil outcome2 and to put the child on the right track for the fulfilment of the possibilities inherent in him1 is the vocation of the parent4 ,direction of ,lines of ,habit4--,this relation of habit to human life--as the rails on which it runs to a locomotive--is perhaps the most suggestive and helpful to the educator2 for just as it is on the whole easier for the locomotive to pursue its way on the rails than to take a disastrous run off them1 so it is easier for the child to follow lines of habit carefully laid down than to run off these lines at his peril4 ,it follows that this business of laying down lines towards the unexplored country of the child's future is a very serious and responsible one for the parent4 ,it rests with him to consider well the tracks over which the child should travel with profit and pleasure2 and1 along these tracks1 to lay down lines so invitingly smooth and easy that the little traveller is going upon them at full speed without stopping to consider whether or no he chooses to go that way4 ,habit and ,free-will4--,but1--supposing that the doing of a certain action a score or two of times in unbroken sequence forms a habit which it is as easy to follow as not2 that1 persist still further in the habit without lapses1 and it becomes second nature1 quite difficult to shake off2 continue it further1 through a course of years1 and the habit has the strength of ten natures1 you cannot break through it without doing real violence to yourself2--grant all this1 and also that it is possible to form in the child the habit of doing and saying1 even of thinking and feeling1 all that it is desirable he should do or say1 think or feel1--and do you not take away the child's free-will1 make a mere automaton of him by this excessive culture8 ,habit rules ninety-nine in a hundred of our ,thoughts and ,acts4--,in the first place1 whether you choose or no to take any trouble about the formation of his habits1 it is habit1 all the same1 which will govern ninety-nine one-hundredths of the child's life3 he is the mere automaton you describe4 ,as for the child's becoming the creature of habit1 that is not left with the parent to determine4 ,we are all mere creatures of habit4 ,we think our accustomed thoughts1 make our usual small talk1 go through the trivial round1 the common task1 without any self-determining effort of will at all4 ,if it were not so--if we had to think1 to deliberate1 about each operation of the bath or the table--life would not be worth having2 the perpetually repeated effort of decision would wear us out4 ,but1 let us be thankful1 life is not thus laborious4 ,for a hundred times we act or think1 it is not necessary to choose1 to will1 say1 more than once4 ,and the little emergencies1 which compel an act of will1 will fall in the children's lives just about as frequently as in our own4 ,these we cannot save them from1 nor is it desirable that we should4 ,what we can do for them is to secure that they have habits which shall lead them in ways of order1 propriety1 and virtue1 instead of leaving their wheel of life to make ugly ruts in miry places4 ,habit powerful even where the ,will decides4--,and then1 even in emergencies1 in every sudden difficulty and temptation that requires an act of will1 why1 conduct is still apt to run on the lines of the familiar habit4 ,the boy who has been accustomed to find both profit and pleasure in his books does not fall easily into idle ways because he is attracted by an idle schoolfellow4 ,the girl who has been carefully trained to speak the exact truth simply does not think of a lie as a ready means of getting out of a scrape1 coward as she may be4 ,but this doctrine of habit1 is it1 after all1 any more than an empirical treatment of the child's symptoms8 ,why should the doing of an act or the thinking of a thought1 say1 a score of times in unbroken succession1 have any tendency to make the doing of that act or the thinking of that thought a part of the child's nature8 ,we may accept the doctrine as an act of faith resting on experience2 but if we could discover the raison d'tre of this enormous force of habit it would be possible to go to work on the laying down of habits with real purpose and method4 ,,vi4--,,the ,,physiology ,,of ,,habit ,a work of ,dr ,carpenter's was perhaps the first which gave me the clue ,i was in search of4 ,in his ,mental ,physiology--a most interesting book1 by the way--he works out the analogy between mental and physical activity1 and shows that the correspondence in effect is due to a correspondence in cause4 ,growing ,tissues form themselves to ,modes of ,action4--,to state roughly the doctrine of the school ,dr ,carpenter represents--the tissues1 as muscular tissue1 for instance1 undergo constant waste and as constant reparation4 ,even those modes of muscular action which we regard as natural to us1 as walking and standing erect1 are in reality the results of a laborious education2 quite as much so as many modes of action which we consciously acquire1 as writing or dancing2 but the acquired modes become perfectly easy and natural4 ,why8 ,because it is the law of the constantly growing tissues that they should form themselves according to the modes of action required of them4 ,in a case where the brain is repeatedly sending down to the muscles1 under nervous control as they are1 the message to have a certain action done1 that action becomes automatic in the lower centre1 and the faintest suggestion from outside comes to produce it without the intervention of the brain4 ,thus1 the joints and muscles of the child's hand very soon accommodate themselves to the mode of action required of them in holding and guiding the pen4 ,observe1 it is not that the child learns with his mind how to use his pen1 in spite of his muscles2 but that the newly growing muscles themselves take form according to the action required of them4 ,and here is the explanation of all the mountebank feats which appear simply impossible to the untrained looker-on4 ,they are impossible to him1 because his joints and muscles have not the same powers which have been produced in the mountebank by a process of early training4 ,therefore ,children should learn ,dancing1 ,swimming1 etc41 at an ,early ,age4--,so much for mere bodily activities4 ,and here we have the reason why children should learn dancing1 riding1 swimming1 calisthenics1 every form of activity which requires a training of the muscles1 at an early age3 the fact being1 that muscles and joints have not merely to conform themselves to new uses1 but to grow to a modified pattern2 and this growth and adaptation take place with the greatest facility in early youth4 ,of course1 the man whose muscles have kept the habit of adaptation picks up new games1 new muscular exercises1 without very great labour4 ,but teach a ploughman to write1 and you see the enormous physical difficulty which unaccustomed muscles have in growing to any new sort of effort4 ,here we see how important it is to keep watch over the habits of enunciation1 carriage of the head1 and so on1 which the child is forming hour by hour4 ,the poke1 the stoop1 the indistinct utterance1 is not a mere trick to be left off at pleasure #8when he is older and knows better1' but is all the time growing into him becoming a part of himself1 because it is registered in the very substance of his spinal cord4 ,the part of his nervous system where consciousness resides 7the brain7 has long ago given a standing order1 and such are the complications of the administration1 that to recall the order would mean the absolute re-making of the parts concerned4 ,and to correct bad habits of speaking1 for instance1 it will not be enough for the child to intend to speak plainly and to try to speak plainly2 he will not be able to do so habitually until some degree of new growth has taken place in the organs of voice whilst he is making efforts to form the new habit4 ,moral and ,mental ,habits make their ,mark upon ,physical ,tissues4--,but1 practically1 everybody knows that the body1 and every part of the body1 accommodates itself very readily to the uses it is put to3 we know that if a child accustom herself to stand on one foot1 thus pushing up one shoulder1 the habit will probably end in curvature of the spine2 that to permit drooping shoulders1 and1 consequently1 contracted chest1 is to prepare the way for lung disease4 ,the physical consequences of bad habits of this sort are so evident1 that we cannot blind ourselves to the relation of cause and effect4 ,what we are less prepared to admit is1 that habits which do not appear to be in any sense physical--a flippant habit1 a truthful habit1 an orderly habit--should also make their mark upon a physical tissue1 and that it is to this physical effect the enormous strength of habit is probably due4 ,yet when we consider that the brain1 the physical brain1 is the exceedingly delicate organ by means of which we think and feel and desire1 love and hate and worship1 it is not surprising that that organ should be modified by the work it has to do2 to put the matter picturesquely1 it is as if every familiar train of thought made a rut in the nervous substance of the brain into which the thoughts run lightly of their own accord1 and out of which they can only be got by an effort of will4 ,persistent ,trains of ,thought4--,thus1 the mistress of the house knows that when her thoughts are free to take their own course1 they run to cares of the house or the larder1 to to-morrow's dinner or the winter's clothing2 that is1 thought runs into the rut which has been1 so to speak1 worn for it by constant repetition4 ,the mother's thoughts run on her children1 the painter's on pictures1 the poet's on poems2 those of the anxious head of the house on money cares1 it may be1 until in times of unusual pressure the thoughts beat1 beat1 beat in that well-worn rut of ways and means1 and decline to run in any other channel1 till the poor man loses his reason1 simply because he cannot get his thoughts out of that one channel made in the substance of his brain4 ,and1 indeed1 8that way madness lies0 for every one of us1 in the persistent preying of any one train of thought upon the brain tissue4 ,pride1 resentment1 jealousy1 an invention that a man has laboured over1 an opinion he has conceived1 any line of thought which he has no longer the power to divert1 will endanger a man's sanity4 ,incessant ,regeneration of ,brain ,tissue4--,if we love1 hate1 think1 feel1 worship1 at the expense of actual physical effort on the part of the brain1 and consequent waste of tissue1 how enormous must be the labour of that organ with which we1 in fact1 do everything1 even many of those acts whose final execution falls to the hands or feet6 ,it is true3 and to repair this excessive waste1 the brain consumes the lion's share of the nourishment provided for the body4 ,as we have already seen1 fully a sixth or a fifth of all the blood in the body goes to repair the waste in the king's house2 in other words1 new brain tissue is being constantly formed at a startlingly rapid rate3 one wonders at what age the child has no longer any part left of that brain with which he was born4 ,the new tissue repeats the old1 but not quite exactly4 ,just as a new muscular growth adapts itself to any new exercise required of it1 so the new brain tissue is supposed to #8grow to' any habit of thought in force during the time of growth--#8thought' here including1 of course1 every exercise of mind and soul4 8,the cerebrum of man grows to the modes of thought in which it is habitually exercised10 says an able physiologist2 or1 in the words of ,dr ,carpenter1 8,any sequence of mental action which has been frequently repeated1 tends to perpetuate itself2 so that we find ourselves automatically prompted to think1 feel1 or do what we have been before accustomed to think1 feel1 or do1 under like circumstances1 without any consciously formed purpose or anticipation of results4 ,for there is no reason to regard the cerebrum as an exception to the general principle1 that whilst each part of the organism tends to form itself in accordance with the mode in which it is habitually exercised1 this tendency will be specially strong in the nervous apparatus1 in virtue of that incessant regeneration which is the very condition of its functional activity4 ,it scarcely1 indeed1 admits of a doubt1 that every state of ideational consciousness which is either very strong or is habitually repeated1 leaves an organic impression on the cerebrum1 in virtue of which the same state may be reproduced at any future time in correspondence to a suggestion fitted to excite it40 ,artificial ,reflex ,actions may be ,acquired4--,or1 to take ,huxley's way of putting the case3-- 8,by the help of the brain we may acquire an infinity of artificial reflex actions2 that is to say1 an action may require all our attention and all our volition for its first1 second1 or third performance1 but by frequent repetition it becomes1 in a manner1 part of our organisation1 and is performed without volition or even consciousness4 8,as every one knows1 it takes a soldier a long time to learn his drill--for instance1 to put himself into the attitude of #8attention' at the instant the word of command is heard4 ,but after a time the sound of the word gives rise to the act1 whether the soldier be thinking of it or not4 ,there is a story1 which is credible enough1 though it may not be true1 of a practical joker who1 seeing a discharged veteran carrying home his dinner1 suddenly called out #8,attention6' whereupon the man instantly brought his hands down1 and lost his mutton and potatoes in the gutter4 ,the drill had been thorough1 and its effects had become embodied in the man's nervous structure4 8,the possibility of all education 7of which military drill is only one particular form7 is based upon the existence of this power which the nervous system possesses1 of organising conscious actions into more or less unconscious1 or reflex1 operations4 ,it may be down laid as a rule1 that if any two mental states be called up together1 or in succession1 with due frequency and vividness1 the subsequent production of the one of them will suffice to call up the other1 and that whether we desire it or not40 ,intellectual and ,moral ,education4--8,the object of intellectual education is to create such indissoluble associations of our ideas of things1 in the order and relation in which they occur in nature2 that of a moral education is to unite as fixedly1 the ideas of evil deeds with those of pain and degradation1 and of good actions with those of pleasure and nobleness40 ,but it is the intimate interlocking of mind and matter which is more directly important to the educator--the idea which we have put broadly under the 7by no means scientifically accurate7 figure of a rut4 ,given1 that the constant direction of the thoughts produces a certain set in the tissues of the brain1 this set is the first trace of the rut or path1 a line of least resistance1 along which the same impression1 made another time1 will find it easier to travel than to take another path4 ,so arises a right-of-way for any given habit of action or thought4 ,character affected by ,acquired ,modification of ,brain ,tissue4--,what follows8 ,why1 that the actual conformation of the child's brain depends upon the habits which the parents permit or encourage2 and that the habits of the child produce the character of the man1 because certain mental habitudes once set up1 their nature is to go on for ever unless they should be displaced by other habits4 ,here is an end to the easy philosophy of1 #8,it doesn't matter1' #8,oh1 he'll grow out of it1' #8,he'll know better by-and-by1' #8,he's so young1 what can we expect8' and so on4 ,every day1 every hour1 the parents are either passively or actively forming those habits in their children upon which1 more than upon anything else1 future character and conduct depend4 ,outside ,influence4--,and here comes in the consideration of outside influence4 ,nine times out of ten we begin to do a thing because we see some one else do it2 we go on doing it1 and--there is the habit6 ,if it is so easy for ourselves to take up a new habit1 it is tenfold as easy for the children2 and this is the real difficulty in the matter of the education of habit4 ,it is necessary that the mother be always on the alert to nip in the bud the bad habit her children may be in the act of picking up from servants or from other children4 ,,vii4--,,the ,,forming ,,of ,a ,,habit--#8,,shut ,,the ,,door ,,after ,,you' 8,do ye next thinge40 8,lose this day loitering1 and 'twill be the same story ,to-morrow2 and the next1 more dilatory3 ,the indecision brings its own delays1 ,and days are lost1 lamenting o'er lost days10 says ,marlowe1 who1 like many of us1 knew the misery of the intellectual indolence which cannot brace itself to 8,do ye next thinge40 ,no question concerning the bringing up of children can1 conceivably1 be trivial1 but this1 of dilatoriness1 is very important4 ,the effort of decision1 we have seen1 is the greatest effort of life2 not the doing of the thing1 but the making up of one's mind as to which thing to do first4 ,it is commonly this sort of mental indolence1 born of indecision1 which leads to dawdling habits4 ,how is the dilatory child to be cured8 ,time8 ,she will know better as she grows older8 ,not a bit of it3 8,and the next1 more dilatory0 will be the story of her days1 except for occasional spurts4 ,punishments8 ,no2 your dilatory person is a fatalist4 #8,what can't be cured must be endured1' he says1 but he will endure without any effort to cure4 ,rewards8 ,no2 to him a reward is a punishment presented under another aspect3 the possible reward he realises as actual2 there it is1 within his grasp1 so to say2 in foregoing the reward he is punished2 and he bears the punishment4 ,what remains to be tried when neither time1 reward1 nor punishment is effectual8 ,that panacea of the educationist3 #8,one custom overcometh another4' ,this inveterate dawdling is a habit to be supplanted only by the contrary habit1 and the mother must devote herself for a few weeks to this cure as steadily and untiringly as she would to the nursing of her child through measles4 ,having in a few--the fewer the better--earnest words pointed out the miseries that must arise from this fault1 and the duty of overcoming it1 and having so got the 7sadly feeble7 will of the child on the side of right-doing1 she simply sees that for weeks together the fault does not recur4 ,the child goes to dress for a walk2 she dreams over the lacing of her boots--the tag in her fingers poised in mid air--but her conscience is awake2 she is constrained to look up1 and her mother's eye is upon her1 hopeful and expectant4 ,she answers to the rein and goes on2 midway1 in the lacing of the second boot1 there is another pause1 shorter this time2 again she looks up1 and again she goes on4 ,the pauses become fewer day by day1 the efforts steadier1 the immature young will is being strengthened1 the habit of prompt action acquired4 ,after that first talk1 the mother would do well to refrain from one more word on the subject2 the eye 7expectant1 not reproachful71 and1 where the child is far gone in a dream1 the lightest possible touch1 are the only effectual instruments4 ,by-and-by1 #8,do you think you can get ready in five minutes to-day without me8' #8,oh yes1 mother4' #8,do not say 8yes0 unless you are quite sure4' #8,i will try4' ,and she tries1 and succeeds4 ,now1 the mother will be tempted to relax her efforts--to overlook a little dawdling because the dear child has been trying so hard4 ,this is absolutely fatal4 ,the fact is1 that the dawdling habit has made an appreciable record in the very substance of the child's brain4 ,during the weeks of cure new growth has been obliterating the old track1 and the track of a new habit is being formed4 ,to permit any reversion to the old bad habit is to let go all this gain4 ,to form a good habit is the work of a few weeks2 to guard it is a work of incessant1 but by no means anxious care4 ,one word more1--prompt action on the child's part should have the reward of absolute leisure1 time in which to do exactly as she pleases1 not granted as a favour1 but accruing 7without any words7 as a right4 ,habit a ,delight in itself4--,except for this one drawback1 the forming of habits in the children is no laborious task1 for the reward goes hand in hand with the labour2 so much so1 that it is like the laying out of a penny with the certainty of the immediate return of a pound4 ,for a habit is a delight in itself2 poor human nature is conscious of the ease that it is to repeat the doing of anything without effort2 and1 therefore1 the formation of a habit1 the gradually lessening sense of effort in a given act1 is pleasurable4 ,this is one of the rocks that mothers sometimes split upon3 they lose sight of the fact that a habit1 even a good habit1 becomes a real pleasure2 and when the child has really formed the habit of doing a certain thing1 his mother imagines that the effort is as great to him as at first1 that it is virtue in him to go on making this effort1 and that he deserves1 by way of reward1 a little relaxation--she will let him break through the new habit a few times1 and then go on again4 ,but it is not going on2 it is beginning again1 and beginning in the face of obstacles4 ,the #8little relaxation' she allowed her child meant the forming of another contrary habit1 which must be overcome before the child gets back to where he was before4 ,as a matter of fact1 this misguided sympathy on the part of mothers is the one thing that makes it a laborious undertaking to train a child in good habits2 for it is the nature of the child to take to habits as kindly as the infant takes to his mother's milk4 ,tact1 ,watchfulness1 and ,persistence4--,for example1 and to choose a habit of no great consequence except as a matter of consideration for others3 the mother wishes her child to acquire the habit of shutting the door after him when he enters or leaves a room4 ,tact1 watchfulness1 and persistence are the qualities she must cultivate in herself2 and1 with these1 she will be astonished at the readiness with which the child picks up the new habit4 ,stages in the ,formation of a ,habit4--#8,johnny1' she says1 in a bright1 friendly voice1 #8,i want you to remember something with all your might3 never go into or out of a room in which anybody is sitting without shutting the door4' #8,but if ,i forget1 mother8' #8,i will try to remind you4' #8,but perhaps ,i shall be in a great hurry4' #8,you must always make time to do that4' #8,but why1 mother8' #8,because it is not polite to the people in the room to make them uncomfortable4' #8,but if ,i am going out again that very minute8' #8,still1 shut the door1 when you come in2 you can open it again to go out4 ,do you think you can remember8' #8,i'll try1 mother4' #8,very well2 ,i shall watch to see how few 8forgets0 you make4' ,for two or three times ,johnny remembers2 and then1 he is off like a shot and half-way downstairs before his mother has time to call him back4 ,she does not cry out1 #8,johnny1 come back and shut the door6' because she knows that a summons of that kind is exasperating to big or little4 ,she goes to the door1 and calls pleasantly1 #8,johnny6' ,johnny has forgotten all about the door2 he wonders what his mother wants1 and1 stirred by curiosity1 comes back1 to find her seated and employed as before4 ,she looks up1 glances at the door1 and says1 #8,i said ,i should try to remind you4' #8,oh1 ,i forgot' says ,johnny1 put upon his honour2 and he shuts the door that time1 and the next1 and the next4 ,but the little fellow has really not much power to recollect1 and the mother will have to adopt various little devices to remind him2 but of two things she will be careful--that he never slips off without shutting the door1 and that she never lets the matter be a cause of friction between herself and the child1 taking the line of his friendly ally to help him against that bad memory of his4 ,by and by1 after1 say1 twenty shuttings of the door with never an omission1 the habit begins to be formed2 ,johnny shuts the door as a matter of course1 and his mother watches him with delight come into a room1 shut the door1 take something off the table1 and go out1 again shutting the door4 ,the ,dangerous ,stage4--,now that ,johnny always shuts the door1 his mother's joy and triumph begin to be mixed with unreasonable pity4 #8,poor child1' she says to herself1 #8it is very good of him to take so much pains about a little thing1 just because he is bid6' ,she thinks that1 all the time1 the child is making an effort for her sake2 losing sight of the fact that the habit has become easy and natural1 that1 in fact1 ,johnny shuts the door without knowing that he does so4 ,now comes the critical moment4 ,some day ,johnny is so taken up with a new delight that the habit1 not yet fully formed1 loses its hold1 and he is half-way downstairs before he thinks of the door4 ,then he does think of it1 with a little prick of conscience1 strong enough1 not to send him back1 but to make him pause a moment to see if his mother will call him back4 ,she has noticed the omission1 and is saying to herself1 #8,poor little fellow1 he has been very good about it this long time2 ,i'll let him off this once4' ,he1 outside1 fails to hear his mother's call1 says1 to himself--fatal sentence6--#8,oh1 it doesn't matter1' and trots off4 ,next time he leaves the door open1 but it is not a #8forget4' ,his mother calls him back in a rather feeble way4 ,his quick ear catches the weakness of her tone1 and1 without coming back1 he cries1 #8,oh1 mother1 ,i'm in such a hurry1' and she says no more1 but lets him off4 ,again he rushes in1 leaving the door wide open4 #8,johnny6'--in a warning voice4 #8,i'm going out again just in a minute1 mother1' and after ten minutes' rummaging he does go out1 and forgets to shut the door4 ,the mother's mis-timed easiness has lost for her every foot of the ground she had gained4 ,,viii4--,,infant #8,,habits' ,the whole group of habitudes1 half physical and half moral1 on which the propriety and comfort of everyday life depend1 are received passively by the child2 that is1 he does very little to form these habits himself1 but his brain receives impressions from what he sees about him2 and these impressions take form as his own very strongest and most lasting habits4 ,some ,branches of ,infant ,education4--,cleanliness1 order1 neatness1 regularity1 punctuality1 are all #8branches' of infant education4 ,they should be about the child like the air he breathes1 and he will take them in as unconsciously4 ,it is hardly necessary to say a word about the necessity for delicate cleanliness in the nursery4 ,the babies get their share of tubbing1 and unlimited washing is done on their behalf2 but1 indeed1 scrupulous as mothers of the cultured class are1 a great deal rests with the nurses1 and it needs much watchfulness to secure that there shall not be the faintest odour about the infant or anything belonging to him1 and that the nurseries be kept sweet and thoroughly aired4 ,one great difficulty is1 that there are still some nurses who belong to a class to which an open window is an abomination2 and another is1 they do not all know the meaning of odours3 they cannot see #8a smell1' and1 therefore1 it is not easy to persuade them that a smell is matter1 microscopic particles which the child takes into him with every breath he draws4 ,a ,sensitive ,nose4--,by the way1 a very important bit of physical education for a child is to train in him a sensitive nose--nostrils which sniff out the least #8stuffiness' in a room1 or the faintest odour attached to clothes or furniture4 ,the sense of smell appears to have been given us not only as an avenue of pleasure1 but as a sort of danger-signal to warn us of the presence of noxious matters3 yet many people appear to go through the world without a nose at all2 and the fact tends to show that a quick sense of smell is a matter of education and habit4 ,the habit is easily formed4 ,encourage the children to notice whether the room they enter #8smells' quite fresh when they come in out of the open air1 to observe the difference between the air of the town and the fresher air beyond2 and train them to perceive the faintest trace of pleasant or harmless odours4 ,the ,baby is ,ubiquitous4--,to return to the nursery4 ,it would be a great thing if the nurse could be impressed with the notion that the baby is ubiquitous1 and that he not only sees and knows everything1 but will keep1 for all his life1 the mark of all he sees3-- 8,if there's a hole in a' your coats1 ,i pray ye1 tent it2 ,a chiel's amang ye takin' notes1 ,and1 faith1 he'll prent it03-- #8prent it' on his own active brain1 as a type for his future habits4 ,such a notion on the nurse's part might do something to secure cleanliness that goes beyond that of clean aprons4 ,one or two little bits of tidiness that nurses affect are not to be commended on the score of cleanliness3--the making up of the nursery beds early in the morning1 and the folding up of the children's garments when they take them off at night4 ,it is well to stretch a line across the day nursery at night1 and hang the little garments out for an airing1 to get rid of the insensible perspiration with which they have been laden during the day4 ,for the same reason1 the beds and bedclothes should be turned down to air for a couple of hours before they are made up4 ,personal ,cleanliness as an ,early ,habit4--,the nursery table1 if there be one1 should be kept as scrupulously nice as that of the dining-room4 ,the child who sits down to a crumpled or spotted tablecloth1 or uses a discoloured metal spoon1 is degraded--by so much4 ,the children1 too1 should be encouraged to nice cleanliness in their own persons4 ,we have all seen the dainty baby-hand stretched out to be washed2 it has got a smudge1 and the child does not like it4 ,may they be as particular when they are big enough to wash their own hands6 ,not that they should be always clean and presentable2 children love to #8mess about1' and should have big pinafores for the purpose4 ,they are all like that little ,french prince who scorned his birthday gifts1 and entreated to be allowed to make dear little mud-pies with the boy in the gutter4 ,let them make their mud-pies freely2 but that over1 they should be impatient to remove every trace of soil1 and should do it themselves4 ,young children may be taught to take care of their finger-nails1 and to cleanse the corners of eyes and ears4 ,as for sitting down to table with unwashed hands and unbrushed hair1 that1 of course1 no decent child is allowed to do4 ,children should be early provided with their own washing materials1 and accustomed to find real pleasure in the bath1 and in attending to themselves4 ,there is no reason why a child of five or six should not make himself thoroughly clean without all that torture of soap in the eyes and general pulling about and poking which children hate1 and no wonder4 ,besides1 the child is not getting the habit of the daily bath until he can take it for himself1 and it is important that this habit should be formed before the reckless era of school-life begins4 ,modesty and ,purity4--,the operations of the bath afford the mother opportunities to give necessary teaching and training in habits of decency1 and a sense of modesty4 ,to let her young child live and grow in ,eden-like simplicity is1 perhaps1 the most tempting and natural course to the mother4 ,but alas6 we do not live in the ,garden1 and it may be well that the child should be trained from the first to the conditions under which he is to live4 ,to the youngest child1 as to our first parents1 there is that which is forbidden4 ,in the age of unquestioning obedience1 let him know that not all of his body does ,almighty ,god allow him to speak of1 think of1 display1 handle1 except for purposes of cleanliness4 ,this will be the easier to the mother if she speak of heart1 lungs1 etc41 which1 also1 we are not allowed to look at or handle1 but which have been so enclosed in walls of flesh and bone that we cannot get at them4 ,that which is left open to us is so left1 like that tree in the ,garden of ,eden1 as a test of obedience2 and in the one case1 as in the other1 disobedience is attended with certain loss and ruin4 ,the ,habit of ,obedience and the ,sense of ,honour4--,the sense of prohibition1 of sin in disobedience1 will be a wonderful safeguard against knowledge of evil to the child brought up in habits of obedience2 and still more effective will be the sense of honour1 of a charge to keep--the motive of the apostolic injunctions on this subject4 ,let the mother renew this charge with earnestness on the eve1 say1 of each birthday1 giving the child to feel that by obedience in this matter he may glorify ,god with his body2 let her keep watch against every approach of evil2 and let her pray daily that each one of her children may be kept in purity for that day4 ,to ignore the possibilities of evil in this kind is to expose the child to frightful risks4 ,at the same time1 be it remembered that words which were meant to hinder may themselves be the cause of evil1 and that a life full of healthy interests and activities is amongst the surest preventives of secret vice4 ,order ,essential4--,what has been said about cleanliness applies as much to order--order in the nursery1 and orderly habits in the nurse4 ,one thing under this head3 the nursery should not be made the hospital for the disabled or worn-out furniture of the house2 cracked cups1 chipped plates1 jugs and teapots with fractured spouts1 should be banished4 ,the children should be brought up to think that when once an article is made unsightly by soil or fracture it is spoiled1 and must be replaced2 and this rule will prove really economical1 for when children and servants find that things no longer #8do1' after some careless injury1 they learn to be careful4 ,but1 in any case1 it is a real detriment to the children to grow up using imperfect and unsightly makeshifts4 ,the pleasure grown-up people take in waiting on children is really a fruitful source of mischief2--for instance1 in this matter of orderly habits4 ,who does not know the litter the children leave to be cleared up after them a dozen times a day1 in the nursery1 garden1 drawing-room1 wherever their restless little feet carry them8 ,we are a bit sentimental about scattered toys and faded nosegays1 and all the tokens of the children's presence2 but the fact is1 that the lawless habit of scattering should not be allowed to grow upon children4 ,everybody condemns the mother of a family whose drawers are chaotic1 whose possessions are flung about heedlessly2 but at least some of the blame should be carried back to her mother4 ,it is not as a woman that she has picked up a miserable habit which destroys the comfort1 if not the happiness1 of her home2 the habit of disorder was allowed to grow upon her as a child1 and her share of the blame is1 that she has failed to cure herself4 ,the ,child of ,two should put away his ,playthings4--,the child of two should be taught to get and to replace his playthings4 ,begin early4 ,let it be a pleasure to him1 part of his play1 to open his cupboard1 and put back the doll or the horse each in its own place4 ,let him always put away his things as a matter of course1 and it is surprising how soon a habit of order is formed1 which will make it pleasant to the child to put away his toys1 and irritating to him to see things in the wrong place4 ,if parents would only see the morality of order1 that order in the nursery becomes scrupulousness in after life1 and that the training necessary to form the habit is no more1 comparatively1 than the occasional winding of a clock1 which ticks away then of its own accord and without trouble to itself1 more pains would be taken to cultivate this important habit4 ,neatness ,akin to ,order4--,neatness is akin to order1 but is not quite the same thing3 it implies not only #8a place for everything1 and everything in its place1' but everything in a suitable place1 so as to produce a good effect2 in fact1 taste comes into play4 ,the little girl must not only put her flowers in water1 but arrange them prettily1 and must not be put off with some rude kitchen mug or jug for them1 or some hideous pink vase1 but must have jar or vase graceful in form and harmonious in hue1 though it be but a cheap trifle4 ,in the same way1 everything in the nursery should be #8neat'--that is1 pleasing and suitable2 and children should be encouraged to make neat and effective arrangements of their own little properties4 ,nothing vulgar in the way of print1 picture-book1 or toy should be admitted--nothing to vitiate a child's taste or introduce a strain of commonness into his nature4 ,on the other hand1 it would be hard to estimate the refining1 elevating influence of one or two well-chosen works of art1 in however cheap a reproduction4 ,regularity4--,the importance of ,regularity in infant education is beginning to be pretty generally acknowledged4 ,the young mother knows that she must put her baby to bed at a proper time1 regardless of his cries1 even if she leave him to cry two or three times1 in order that1 for the rest of his baby life1 he may put himself sweetly to sleep in the dark without protest4 ,but a good deal of nonsense is talked about the reason of the child's cries3 he is supposed to want his mother1 or his nurse1 or his bottle1 or the light1 and to be #8a knowing little fellow1' according to his nurse1 quite up to the fact that if he cries for these things he will get them4 ,habits of ,time and ,place4--,the fact is1 the child has already formed a habit of wakefulness or of feeding at improper times1 and he is as uneasy at his habits being broken in upon as the cat is at a change of habitation2 when he submits happily to the new regulation1 it is because the new habit is formed1 and is1 in its turn1 the source of satisfaction4 ,according to ,dr ,carpenter1 8,regularity should begin even with infant life1 as to times of feeding1 repose1 etc4 ,the bodily habit thus formed greatly helps to shape the mental habit at a later period4 ,on the other hand1 nothing tends more to generate a habit of self-indulgence than to feed a child1 or to allow it to remain out of bed1 at unseasonable times1 merely because it cries4 ,it is wonderful how soon the actions of a young infant 7like those of a young dog or horse7 come into harmony with systematic #8training' judiciously exercised40 ,the habit of regularity is as attractive to older children as to the infant4 ,the days when the usual programme falls through are1 we know1 the days when the children are apt to be naughty4 ,,ix4--,,physical ,,exercises ,importance of ,daily4--,the subject of the natural training of eye and muscles was taken up pretty fully in treating of #8,out-of-door ,life4' ,i will only add1 that to give the child pleasure in light and easy motion--the sort of delight in the management of his own body that a good rider finds in managing his horse--dancing1 drill1 calisthenics1 some sort of judicious physical exercise1 should make part of every day's routine4 ,swedish drill is especially valuable1 and many of the exercises are quite suitable for the nursery4 ,certain moral qualities come into play in alert movements1 eye-to-eye attention1 prompt and intelligent replies2 but it often happens that good children fail in these points for want of physical training4 ,drill of ,good ,manners4--,just let them go through the drill of good manners3 let them rehearse little scenes in play1--,mary1 the lady asking the way to the market2 ,harry1 the boy who directs her1 and so on4 ,let them go through a position drill--eyes right1 hands still1 heads up4 ,they will invent a hundred situations1 and the behaviour proper to each1 and will treasure hints thrown in for their guidance2 but this sort of drill should be attempted while children are young1 before the tyranny of mauvaise honte sets in4 ,encourage them to admire and take pride in light springing movements1 and to eschew a heavy gait and clownish action of the limbs4 ,training of the ,ear and ,voice4--,the training of the ear and voice is an exceedingly important part of physical culture4 ,drill the children in pure vowel sounds1 in the enunciation of final consonants2 do not let them speak of #8walkin'' and #8talkin'1' of a #8fi-ine da-ay1' #8ni-ice boy-oys4' ,drill them in pronouncing difficult words--#8imperturbability1' #8ipecacuanha1' #8,antananarivo1'--with sharp precision after a single hearing2 in producing the several sounds of each vowel2 and the sounds of the consonants without attendant vowels4 ,french1 taught orally1 is exceedingly valuable as affording training for both ear and voice4 ,the ,habit of ,music4--,as for a musical training1 it would be hard to say how much that passes for inherited musical taste and ability is the result of the constant hearing and producing of musical sounds1 the habit of music1 that the child of musical people grows up with4 ,mr ,hullah maintained that the art of singing is entirely a trained habit--that every child may be1 and should be1 trained to sing4 ,of course1 transmitted habit must be taken into account4 ,it is a pity that the musical training most children get is of a random character2 that they are not trained1 for instance1 by carefully graduated ear and voice exercises1 to produce and distinguish musical tones and intervals4 ,let ,children ,alone4--,in conclusion1 let me say that the education of habit is successful in so far as it enables the mother to let her children alone1 not teasing them with perpetual commands and directions--a running fire of ,do and ,don't2 but letting them go their own way and grow1 having first secured that they will go the right way1 and grow to fruitful purpose4 ,the gardener1 it is true1 #8digs about and dungs1' prunes and trains1 his peach tree2 but that occupies a small fraction of the tree's life3 all the rest of the time the sweet airs and sunshine1 the rains and dews1 play about it and breathe upon it1 get into its substance1 and the result is--peaches4 ,but let the gardener neglect his part1 and the peaches will be no better than sloes4 ,,part ,,iv ,,some ,,habits ,,of ,,mind--,,some ,,moral ,,habits ,a ,science of ,education4--,allow me to say once more1 that ,i venture to write upon subjects bearing on home education with the greatest deference to mothers2 believing1 that in virtue of their peculiar insight into the dispositions of their own children1 they are blest with both knowledge and power in the management of them which lookers-on can only admire from afar4 ,at the same time1 there is such a thing as a science of education1 that does not come by intuition1 in the knowledge of which it is possible to bring up a child entirely according to natural law1 which is also ,divine law1 in the keeping of which there is great reward4 ,education in ,habit favours an ,easy ,life4--,we have seen why ,habit1 for instance1 is such a marvellous force in human life4 ,i find this view of habit very encouraging1 as giving a scientific reasonableness to the conclusions already reached by common experience4 ,it is pleasant to know that1 even in mature life1 it is possible by a little persistent effort to acquire a desirable habit4 ,it is good1 if not pleasant1 to know1 also1 with what fatal ease we can slip into bad habits4 ,but the most comfortable thing in this view of habit is1 that it falls in with our natural love of an easy life4 ,we are not unwilling to make efforts in the beginning with the assurance that by-and-by things will go smoothly2 and this is just what habit is1 in an extraordinary degree1 pledged to effect4 ,the mother who takes pains to endow her children with good habits secures for herself smooth and easy days2 while she who lets their habits take care of themselves has a weary life of endless friction with the children4 ,all day she is crying out1 #8,do this6' and they do it not2 #8,do that6' and they do the other4 #8,but1' you say1 #8if habit is so powerful1 whether to hinder or to help the child1 it is fatiguing to think of all the habits the poor mother must attend to4 ,is she never to be at ease with her children8' ,training in ,habits becomes a ,habit4--,here1 again1 is an illustration of that fable of the anxious pendulum1 overwhelmed with the thought of the number of ticks it must tick4 ,but the ticks are to be delivered tick by tick1 and there will always be a second of time to tick in4 ,the mother devotes herself to the formation of one habit at a time1 doing no more than keep watch over those already formed4 ,if she be appalled by the thought of overmuch labour1 let her limit the number of good habits she will lay herself out to form4 ,the child who starts in life with1 say1 twenty good habits1 begins with a certain capital which he will lay out to endless profit as the years go on4 ,the mother who is distrustful of her own power of steady effort may well take comfort in two facts4 ,in the first place1 she herself acquires the habit of training her children in a given habit1 so that by-and-by it becomes1 not only no trouble1 but a pleasure to her4 ,in the second place1 the child's most fixed and dominant habits are those which the mother takes no pains about1 but which the child picks up for himself through his close observation of all that is said and done1 felt and thought1 in his home4 ,habits inspired in the ,home ,atmosphere4--,we have already considered a group of half-physical habits--order1 regularity1 neatness--which the child imbibes1 so to speak1 in this way4 ,but this is not all3 habits of gentleness1 courtesy1 kindness1 candour1 respect for other people1 or--habits quite other than these1 are inspired by the child as the very atmosphere of his home1 the air he lives in and must grow by4 ,i4--,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,attention ,let us pass on1 now1 to the consideration of a group of mental habits which are affected by direct training rather than by example4 ,first1 we put the habit of ,attention1 because the highest intellectual gifts depend for their value upon the measure in which their owner has cultivated the habit of attention4 ,to explain why this habit is of such supreme importance1 we must consider the operation of one or two of the laws of thought4 ,but just recall1 in the meantime1 the fixity of attention with which the trained professional man--the lawyer1 the doctor1 the man of letters--listens to a roundabout story1 throws out the padding1 seizes the facts1 sees the bearing of every circumstance1 and puts the case with new clearness and method2 and contrast this with the wandering eye and random replies of the uneducated2--and you see that to differentiate people according to their power of attention is to employ a legitimate test4 ,a ,mind at the ,mercy of ,associations4--,we will consider1 then1 the nature and the functions of attention4 ,the mind--with the possible exception of the state of coma--is never idle2 ideas are for ever passing through the brain1 by day and by night1 sleeping or waking1 mad or sane4 ,we take a great deal too much upon ourselves when we suppose that we are the authors and intenders of the thoughts we think4 ,the most we can do is to give direction to these trains of thought in the comparatively few moments when we are regulating the thoughts of our hearts4 ,we see in dreams--the rapid dance of ideas through the brain during lighter sleep--how ideas follow one another in a general way4 ,in the wanderings of delirium1 in the fancies of the mad1 the inconsequent prattle of the child1 and the babble of the old man1 we see the same thing1 i4e4 the law according to which ideas course through the mind when they are left to themselves4 ,you talk to a child about glass--you wish to provoke a proper curiosity as to how glass is made1 and what are its uses4 ,not a bit of it2 he wanders off to ,cinderella's glass slipper2 then he tells you about his godmother who gave him a boat2 then about the ship in which ,uncle ,harry went to ,america2 then he wonders why you do not wear spectacles1 leaving you to guess that ,uncle ,harry does so4 ,but the child's ramblings are not whimsical2 they follow a law1 the law of association of ideas1 by which any idea presented to the mind recalls some other idea which has been at any time associated with it--as glass1 and ,cinderella's slipper2 and that1 again some idea associated with it4 ,now this law of association of ideas is a good servant and a bad master4 ,to have this aid in recalling the events of the past1 the engagements of the present1 is an infinite boon2 but to be at the mercy of associations1 to have no power to think of what we choose when we choose1 but only as something #8puts it in our head1' is to be no better than an imbecile4 ,wandering ,attention4--,a vigorous effort of will should enable us at any time to fix our thoughts4 ,yes2 but a vigorous self-compelling will is the flower of a developed character2 and while the child has no character to speak of1 but only natural disposition1 who is to keep humming-tops out of a geography lesson1 or a doll's sofa out of a ,french verb8 ,here is the secret of the weariness of the home schoolroom--the children are thinking all the time about something else than their lessons2 or1 rather1 they are at the mercy of the thousand fancies that flit through their brains1 each in the train of the last4 8,oh1 ,miss ,smith10 said a little girl to her governess1 8there are so many things more interesting than lessons to think about60 ,where is the harm8 ,in this3 not merely that the children are wasting time1 though that is a pity2 but that they are forming a desultory habit of mind1 and reducing their own capacity for mental effort4 ,the ,habit of ,attention to be ,cultivated in the ,infant4--,the help1 then1 is not in the will of the child but in the habit of attention1 a habit to be cultivated even in the infant4 ,a baby1 notwithstanding his wonderful powers of observation1 has no power of attention2 in a minute1 the coveted plaything drops from listless little fingers1 and the wandering glance lights upon some new joy4 ,but even at this stage the habit of attention may be trained3 the discarded plaything is picked up1 and1 with #8,pretty6' and dumb show1 the mother keeps the infant's eyes fixed for fully a couple of minutes--and this is his first lesson in attention4 ,later1 as we have seen1 the child is eager to see and handle every object that comes in his way4 ,but watch him at his investigations3 he flits from thing to thing with less purpose than a butterfly amongst the flowers1 staying at nothing long enough to get the good out of it4 ,it is the mother's part to supplement the child's quick observing faculty with the habit of attention4 ,she must see to it that he does not flit from this to that1 but looks long enough at one thing to get a real acquaintance with it4 ,is little ,margaret fixing round eyes on a daisy she has plucked8 ,in a second1 the daisy will be thrown away1 and a pebble or a buttercup will charm the little maid4 ,but the mother seizes the happy moment4 ,she makes ,margaret see that the daisy is a bright yellow eye with white eyelashes round it2 that all the day long it lies there in the grass and looks up at the great sun1 never blinking as ,margaret would do1 but keeping its eye wide open4 ,and that is why it is called daisy1 #8day's eye1' because its eye is always looking at the sun which makes the day4 ,and what does ,margaret think it does at night1 when there is no sun8 ,it does what little boys and girls do2 it just shuts up its eye with its white lashes tipped with pink1 and goes to sleep till the sun comes again in the morning4 ,by this time the daisy has become interesting to ,margaret2 she looks at it with big eyes after her mother has finished speaking1 and then1 very likely1 cuddles it up to her breast or gives it a soft little kiss4 ,thus the mother will contrive ways to invest every object in the child's world with interest and delight4 ,attention to #8,things'2 ,words a ,weariness4--,but the tug-of-war begins with the lessons of the schoolroom4 ,even the child who has gained the habit of attention to things1 finds words a weariness4 ,this is a turning-point in the child's life1 and the moment for the mother's tact and vigilance4 ,in the first place1 never let the child dawdle over copybook or sum1 sit dreaming with his book before him4 ,when a child grows stupid over a lesson1 it is time to put it away4 ,let him do another lesson as unlike the last as possible1 and then go back with freshened wits to his unfinished task4 ,if mother or governess have been unwary enough to let the child #8moon' over a lesson1 she must just exert her wits to pull him through2 the lesson must be done1 of course1 but must be made bright and pleasant to the child4 ,lessons ,attractive4--,the teacher should have some knowledge of the principles of education2 should know what subjects are best fitted for the child considering his age1 and how to make these subjects attractive2 should know1 too1 how to vary the lessons1 so that each power of the child's mind should rest after effort1 and some other power be called into play4 ,she should know how to incite the child to effort through his desire of approbation1 of excelling1 of advancing1 his desire of knowledge1 his love of his parents1 his sense of duty1 in such a way that no one set of motives be called unduly into play to the injury of the child's character4 ,but the danger she must be especially alive to1 is the substitution of any other natural desire for that of knowledge1 which is equally natural1 and is adequate for all the purposes of education4 ,time-table2 ,definite ,work in a ,given ,time4--,i shall have opportunities to enter into some of these points later2 meantime1 let us look in at a home schoolroom managed upon sound principles4 ,in the first place1 there is a time-table1 written out fairly1 so that the child knows what he has to do and how long each lesson is to last4 ,this idea of definite work to be finished in a given time is valuable to the child1 not only as training him in habits of order1 but in diligence2 he learns that one time is not #8as good as another'2 that there is no right time left for what is not done in its own time2 and this knowledge alone does a great deal to secure the child's attention to his work4 ,again1 the lessons are short1 seldom more than twenty minutes in length for children under eight2 and this1 for two or three reasons4 ,the sense that there is not much time for his sums or his reading1 keeps the child's wits on the alert and helps to fix his attention2 he has time to learn just so much of any one subject as it is good for him to take in at once3 and if the lessons be judiciously alternated--sums first1 say1 while the brain is quite fresh2 then writing1 or reading--some more or less mechanical exercise1 by way of a rest2 and so on1 the programme varying a little from day to day1 but the same principle throughout--a #8thinking' lesson first1 and a #8painstaking' lesson to follow1--the child gets through his morning lessons without any sign of weariness4 ,even with regular lessons and short lessons1 a further stimulus may be occasionally necessary to secure the attention of the child4 ,his desire of approbation may ask the stimulus1 not only of a word of praise1 but of something in the shape of a reward to secure his utmost efforts4 ,now1 rewards should be dealt out to the child upon principle3 they should be the natural consequences of his good conduct4 ,a ,natural ,reward4--,what is the natural consequence of work well and quickly done8 ,is it not the enjoyment of ampler leisure8 ,the boy is expected to do two right sums in twenty minutes3 he does them in ten minutes2 the remaining ten minutes are his own1 fairly earned1 in which he should be free for a scamper in the garden1 or any delight he chooses4 ,his writing task is to produce six perfect m's3 he writes six lines with only one good m in each line2 the time for the writing lesson is over and he has none for himself2 or1 he is able to point out six good m's in his first line1 and he has the rest of the time to draw steamboats and railway trains4 ,this possibility of letting the children occupy themselves variously in the few minutes they may gain at the end of each lesson1 is compensation which the home schoolroom offers for the zest which the sympathy of numbers1 and emulation1 are supposed to give to school work4 ,emulation4--,as for emulation1 a very potent means of exciting and holding the attention of children1 it is often objected that a desire to excel1 to do better than others1 implies an unloving temper1 which the educator should rather repress than cultivate4 ,good marks of some kind are usually the rewards of those who do best1 and it is urged that these good marks are often the cause of ungenerous rivalry4 ,now1 the fact is1 the children are being trained to live in the world1 and in the world we all do get good marks of one kind or another1 prize1 or praise1 or both1 according as we excel others1 whether in football or tennis1 or in picture-painting or poem-making4 ,there are envyings and heart-burnings amongst those who come in second best2 so it has been from the beginning1 and doubtless will be to the end4 ,if the child is to go out into an emulous world1 why1 it may possibly be well that he should be brought up in an emulous school4 ,but here is where the mother's work comes in4 ,she can teach her child to be first without vanity1 and to be last without bitterness2 that is1 she can bring him up in such a hearty outgoing of love and sympathy that joy in his brother's success takes the sting out of his own failure1 and regret for his brother's failure leaves no room for self-glorification4 ,again1 if a system of marks be used as a stimulus to attention and effort1 the good marks should be given for conduct rather than for cleverness--that is1 they should be within everybody's reach3 every child may get his mark for punctuality1 order1 attention1 diligence1 obedience1 gentleness2 and therefore1 marks of this kind may be given without danger of leaving a rankling sense of injustice in the breast of the child who fails4 ,emulation becomes suicidal when it is used as the incentive to intellectual effort1 because the desire for knowledge subsides in proportion as the desire to excel becomes active4 ,as a matter of fact1 marks of any sort1 even for conduct1 distract the attention of children from their proper work1 which is in itself interesting enough to secure good behaviour as well as attention4 ,affection as a ,motive4--,that he ought to work hard to please his parents who do so much for him1 is a proper motive to bring before the child from time to time1 but not too often3 if the mother trade on her child's feelings1 if1 #8,do this or that to please mother1' #8,do not grieve poor mother1' etc41 be brought too frequently before the child as the reason for right doing1 a sentimental relation is set up which both parent and child will find embarrassing1 the true motives of action will be obscured1 and the child1 unwilling to appear unloving1 will end in being untrue4 ,attractiveness of ,knowledge4--,of course1 the most obvious means of quickening and holding the attention of children lies in the attractiveness of knowledge itself1 and in the real appetite for knowledge with which they are endowed4 ,but how successful faulty teachers are in curing children of any desire to know1 is to be seen in many a schoolroom4 ,i shall later1 however1 have an opportunity for a few words on this subject4 ,what is ,attention8--,it is evident that attention is no #8faculty' of the mind2 indeed1 it is very doubtful how far the various operations of the mind should be described as #8faculties' at all4 ,attention is hardly even an operation of the mind1 but is simply the act by which the whole mental force is applied to the subject in hand4 ,this act1 of bringing the whole mind to bear1 may be trained into a habit at the will of the parent or teacher1 who attracts and holds the child's attention by means of a sufficient motive4 ,self-,compelled4--,as the child gets older1 he is taught to bring his own will to bear2 to make himself attend in spite of the most inviting suggestions from without4 ,he should be taught to feel a certain triumph in compelling himself to fix his thoughts4 ,let him know what the real difficulty is1 how it is the nature of his mind to be incessantly thinking1 but how the thoughts1 if left to themselves1 will always run off from one thing to another1 and that the struggle and the victory required of him is to fix his thoughts upon the task in hand4 #8,you have done your duty1' with a look of sympathy from his mother1 is a reward for the child who has made this effort in the strength of his growing will4 ,but it cannot be too much borne in mind that attention is1 to a great extent1 the product of the educated mind2 that is1 one can only attend in proportion as one has the intellectual power of developing the topic4 ,it is impossible to overstate the importance of this habit of attention4 ,it is1 to quote words of weight1 8within the reach of every one1 and should be made the primary object of all mental discipline02 for whatever the natural gifts of the child1 it is only in so far as the habit of attention is cultivated in him that he is able to make use of them4 ,the ,secret of ,overpressure4--,if it were only as it saves wear and tear1 a perpetual tussle between duty and inclination1 it is worth while for the mother to lay herself out to secure that her child never does a lesson into which he does not put his heart4 ,and that is no difficult undertaking2 the thing is1 to be on the watch from the beginning against the formation of the contrary habit of inattention4 ,a great deal has been said lately about overpressure1 and we have glanced at one or two of the causes whose effects go by this name4 ,but truly1 one of the most fertile causes of an overdone brain is a failure in the habit of attention4 ,i suppose we are all ready to admit that it is not the things we do1 but the things we fail to do1 which fatigue us1 with the sense of omission1 with the worry of hurry in overtaking our tasks4 ,and this is almost the only cause of failure in work in the case of the healthy schoolboy or schoolgirl3 wandering wits hinder a lesson from being fully taken in at the right moment2 that lesson becomes a bugbear1 continually wanted henceforth and never there2 and the sense of loss tries the young scholar more than would the attentive reception of a dozen such lessons4 ,the ,schoolboy's ,home ,work4--,in the matter of home work1 the parents may still be of great use to their boys and girls after they begin to go to day-school2 not in helping them1 that should not be necessary2 but let us suppose a case3--#8,poor ,annie does not finish her lessons till half-past nine1 she really has so much to do'2 #8,poor ,tom is at his books till ten o'clock2 we never see anything of the children in the evening1' say the distressed parents2 and they let their children go on in a course which is absolutely ruinous both to bodily health and brain power4 ,wholesome ,home ,treatment for ,mooning4--,now1 the fault is very seldom in the lessons1 but in the children2 they moon over their books1 and a little wholesome home treatment should cure them of that ailment4 ,allow them1 at the utmost1 an hour and a half for their home-work2 treat them tacitly as defaulters if they do not appear at the end of that time2 do not be betrayed into word or look of sympathy2 and the moment the time for lessons is over1 let some delightful game or story-book be begun in the drawing-room4 ,by-and-by they will find that it is possible to finish lessons in time to secure a pleasant evening afterwards1 and the lessons will be much the better done for the fact that concentrated attention has been bestowed on them4 ,at the same time the custom of giving home-work1 at any rate to children under fourteen1 is greatly to be deprecated4 ,the gain of a combination of home and school life is lost to the children2 and a very full scheme of school work may be carried through in the morning hours4 ,rewards and ,punishments should be relative ,consequences of ,conduct4--,in considering the means of securing attention1 it has been necessary to refer to discipline--the dealing out of rewards and punishments1--a subject which every tyro of a nursemaid or nursery governess feels herself very competent to handle4 ,but this1 too1 has its scientific aspect3 there is a law by which all rewards and punishments should be regulated3 they should be the natural1 or1 at any rate1 the relative consequences of conduct2 should imitate1 as nearly as may be without injury to the child1 the treatment which such and such conduct deserves and receives in after life4 ,miss ,edgeworth1 in her story of ,rosamond and the ,purple ,jar1 hits the right principle1 though the incident is rather extravagant4 ,little girls do not often pine for purple jars in chemists' windows2 but that we should suffer for our wilfulness in getting what is unnecessary by doing without what is necessary1 is precisely one of the lessons of life we all have to learn1 and therefore is the right sort of lesson to teach a child4 ,natural and ,educative ,consequences4--,it is evident that to administer rewards and punishments on this principle requires patient consideration and steady determination on the mother's part4 ,she must consider with herself what fault of disposition the child's misbehaviour springs from2 she must aim her punishment at that fault1 and must brace herself to see her child suffer present loss for his lasting gain4 ,indeed1 exceedingly little actual punishment is necessary where children are brought up with care4 ,but this happens continually--the child who has done well gains some natural reward 7like that ten minutes in the garden71 which the child forfeits who has done less well2 and the mother must brace herself and her child to bear this loss2 if she equalise the two children she commits a serious wrong1 not against the child who has done well1 but against the defaulter1 whom she deliberately encourages to repeat his shortcoming4 ,in placing her child under the discipline of consequences1 the mother must use much tact and discretion4 ,in many cases1 the natural consequence of the child's fault is precisely that which it is her business to avert1 while1 at the same time1 she looks about for some consequence related to the fault which shall have an educative bearing on the child3 for instance1 if a boy neglect his studies1 the natural consequence is that he remains ignorant2 but to allow him to do so would be criminal neglect on the part of the parent4 ,,ii4--,,the ,,habits ,,of ,,application1 ,,etc4 ,rapid ,mental ,effort4--,the habits of mental activity and of application are trained by the very means employed to cultivate that of attention4 ,the child may plod diligently through his work who might be trained to rapid mental effort4 ,the teacher herself must be alert1 must expect instant answers1 quick thought1 rapid work4 ,the tortoise will lag behind the hare1 but the tortoise must be trained to move1 every day1 a trifle quicker4 ,aim steadily at securing quickness of apprehension and execution1 and that goes far towards getting it4 ,zeal must be stimulated4--,so of application4 ,the child must not be allowed to get into the mood in which he says1 #8,oh1 ,i am so tired of sums1' or #8of history4' ,his zeal must be stimulated2 there must always be a pleasing vista before him2 and steady1 untiring application to work should be held up as honourable1 while fitful1 flagging attention and effort are scouted4 ,,iii4--,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,thinking #8,a ,lion' ,operations included in ,thinking4--,the actual labour of the brain is known to psychologists under various names1 and divided into various operations3 let us call it thinking1 which1 for educational purposes1 is sufficiently exact2 but1 by #8thinking1' let us mean a real conscious effort of mind1 and not the fancies that flit without effort through the brain4 ,this sort of thing1 for instance1 an example quoted by ,archbishop ,thompson in his ,laws of ,thought#h3--8,when ,captain ,head was travelling across the pampas of ,south ,america1 his guide one day suddenly stopped him1 and pointing high into the air1 cried out #8,a lion6' ,surprised at such an exclamation1 accompanied with such an act1 he turned up his eyes1 and with difficulty perceived1 at an immeasurable height1 a flight of condors1 soaring in circles in a particular spot4 ,beneath this spot1 far out of sight of himself or guide1 lay the carcass of a horse1 and over that carcass stood1 as the guide well knew1 a lion1 whom the condors were eyeing with envy from their airy height4 ,the signal of the birds was to him what the sight of the lion alone would have been to the traveller--a full assurance of its existence4 ,here was an act of thought which cost the thinker no trouble1 which was as easy to him as to cast his eyes upward1 yet which from us1 unaccustomed to the subject1 would require many steps and some labour4 ,the sight of the condors convinced him that there was some carcass or other2 but as they kept wheeling far above it1 instead of swooping down to their feast1 he guessed that some beast had anticipated them4 ,was it a dog1 or a jackal8 ,no2 the condors would not fear to drive away1 or share with1 either3 it must be some large beast1 and as there were lions in the neighbourhood1 he concluded that one was here40 ,and all these steps of thought are summed up in the words #8,a lion4' ,this is the sort of thing that the children should go through1 more or less1 in every lesson--a tracing of effect from cause1 or of cause from effect2 a comparing of things to find out wherein they are alike1 and wherein they differ2 a conclusion as to causes or consequences from certain premises4 ,,iv4--,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,imagining ,the ,sense of the ,incongruous4--,all their lessons will afford scope for some slight exercise of the children's thinking power1 some more and some less1 and the lessons must be judiciously alternated1 so that the more mechanical efforts succeed the more strictly intellectual1 and that the pleasing exercise of the imagination1 again1 succeed efforts of reason4 ,by the way1 it is a pity when the sense of the ludicrous is cultivated in children's books at the expense of better things4 ,alice in ,wonderland is a delicious feast of absurdities1 which none of us1 old or young1 could afford to spare2 but it is doubtful whether the child who reads it has the delightful imaginings1 the realising of the unknown1 with which he reads ,the ,swiss ,family ,robinson4 ,this point is worth considering in connection with ,christmas books for the little people4 ,books of #8comicalities' cultivate no power but the sense of the incongruous2 and though life is the more amusing for the possession of such a sense1 when cultivated to excess it is apt to show itself in a flippant habit4 ,diogenes and the ,naughty ,boys of ,troy is irresistible1 but it is not the sort of thing the children will live over and over1 and #8play at' by the hour1 as we have all played at ,robinson ,crusoe finding the footprints4 ,they must have #8funny books1' but do not give the children too much nonsense-reading4 ,commonplace ,tales2 ,tales of ,imagination4--,stories1 again1 of the ,christmas holidays1 of ,george and ,lucy1 of the amusements1 foibles1 and virtues of children in their own condition of life1 leave nothing to the imagination4 ,the children know all about everything so well that it never occurs to them to play at the situations in any one of these tales1 or even to read it twice over4 ,but let them have tales of the imagination1 scenes laid in other lands and other times1 heroic adventures1 hairbreadth escapes1 delicious fairy tales in which they are never roughly pulled up by the impossible--even where all is impossible1 and they know it1 and yet believe4 ,imagination and ,great ,conceptions4--,and this1 not for the children's amusement merely3 it is not impossible that posterity may write us down a generation blest with little imagination1 and1 by so far1 the less capable of great conceptions and heroic efforts1 for it is only as we have it in us to let a person or a cause fill the whole stage of the mind1 to the exclusion of self-occupation1 that we are capable of large-hearted action on behalf of that person or cause4 ,our novelists say there is nothing left to imagine2 and that1 therefore1 a realistic description of things as they are is all that is open to them4 ,but imagination is nothing if not creative1 unless it see1 not only what is apparent1 but what is conceivable1 and what is poetically fit in given circumstances4 ,imagination ,grows4--,now imagination does not descend1 full-grown1 to take possession of an empty house2 like every other power of the mind1 it is the merest germ of a power to begin with1 and grows by what it gets2 and childhood1 the age of faith1 is the time for its nourishing4 ,the children should have the joy of living in far lands1 in other persons1 in other times--a delightful double existence2 and this joy they will find1 for the most part1 in their story-books4 ,their lessons1 too1 history and geography1 should cultivate their conceptive powers4 ,if the child do not live in the times of his history lesson1 be not at home in the climes his geography book describes1 why1 these lessons will fail of their purpose4 ,but let lessons do their best1 and the picture-gallery of the imagination is poorly hung if the child have not found his way into the realms of fancy4 ,thinking comes by ,practice4--,how the children's various lessons should be handled so as to induce habits of thinking1 we shall consider later2 but this for the present3 thinking1 like writing or skating1 comes by practice4 ,the child who never has thought1 never does think1 and probably never will think2 for are there not people enough who go through the world without any deliberate exercise of their own wits8 ,the child must think1 get at the reason-why of things for himself1 every day of his life1 and more each day than the day before4 ,children and parents both are given to invert this educational process4 ,the child asks #8,why8' and the parent answers1 rather proud of this evidence of thought in his child4 ,there is some slight show of speculation even in wondering #8,why8' but it is the slightest and most superficial effort the thinking brain produces4 ,let the parent ask #8,why8' and the child produce the answer1 if he can4 ,after he has turned the matter over and over in his mind1 there is no harm in telling him--and he will remember it--the reason why4 ,every walk should offer some knotty problem for the children to think out--8,why does that leaf float on the water1 and this pebble sink80 and so on4 ,v4--,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,remembering ,remembering and ,recollecting4--,memory is the storehouse of whatever knowledge we possess2 and it is upon the fact of the stores lodged in the memory that we take rank as intelligent beings4 ,the children learn in order that they may remember4 ,much of what we have learned and experienced in childhood1 and later1 we cannot reproduce1 and yet it has formed the groundwork of after-knowledge2 later notions and opinions have grown out of what we once learned and knew4 ,that is our sunk capital1 of which we enjoy the interest though we are unable to realise4 ,again1 much that we have learned and experienced is not only retained in the storehouse of memory1 but is our available capital1 we can reproduce1 recollect upon demand4 ,this memory which may be drawn upon by the act of recollection is our most valuable endowment4 ,a #8,spurious' ,memory4--,there is a third kind of 7spurious7 memory--facts and ideas floating in the brain which yet make no part of it1 and are exuded at a single effort2 as when a barrister produces all his knowledge of a case in his brief1 and then forgets all about it2 or when the schoolboy #8crams' for an examination1 writes down what he has thus learned1 and behold1 it is gone from his gaze for ever3 as ,ruskin puts it1 8,they cram to pass1 and not to know2 they do pass1 and they don't know40 ,that the barrister1 the physician1 should be able thus to dismiss the case on which he has ceased to be occupied1 the publisher the book he has rejected1 is well for him1 and this art of forgetting is not without its uses3 but what of the schoolboy who has little left after a year's work but his place in a class-list8 ,memory a ,record in the ,brain ,substance4--,to say anything adequate on the subject of memory is impossible here2 but let us try to answer two or three queries which present themselves on the surface4 ,how do we come to #8remember' at all8 ,how do we gain the power to utilise remembered facts--that is1 to recollect8 ,and under what conditions is knowledge acquired that neither goes to the growth of brain and mind1 nor is available on demand1 but is lightly lodged in the brain for some short period1 and is then evacuated at a single throw8 ,we are interested in a wonderful invention--an instrument which records spoken words1 and will deliver1 say a century hence1 speech or lecture in the very words and in the very tones of the speaker4 ,such an instrument is that function of the brain called memory1 whereby the impressions received by the brain are recorded mechanically--at least1 such is the theory pretty generally received now by physiologists4 ,that is1 the mind takes cognisance of certain facts1 and the nerve substance of the brain records that cognisance4 ,made under what ,conditions4--,now1 the questions arise1 ,under what conditions is such an imprint of fact or event made upon the substance of the brain8 ,is the record permanent8 ,and is the brain capable of receiving an indefinite number of such impressions8 ,it appears1 both from common experience and from an infinite number of examples quoted by psychologists1 that any object or idea which is regarded with attention makes the sort of impression on the brain which is said to fix it in the memory4 ,in other words1 give an instant's undivided attention to anything whatsoever1 and that thing will be remembered4 ,in describing this effect1 the common expression is accurate beyond its intention4 ,we say1 8,such and such a sight or sound1 or sensation1 made a strong impression on me40 ,and that is precisely what has happened3 arrest the attention upon any fact or incident1 and that fact or incident is remembered2 it is impressed1 imprinted upon the brain substance4 ,the inference is plain4 ,you want the child to remember8 ,then secure his whole attention1 the fixed gaze of his mind1 as it were1 upon the fact to be remembered2 then he will have it3 by a sort of photographic 767 process1 that fact or idea is #8taken' by his brain1 and when he is an old man1 perhaps1 the memory of it will flash across him4 ,recollection and the ,law of ,association4--,but it is not enough to have a recollection flash across one incidentally2 we want to have the power of recalling at will3 and for this1 something more is necessary than an occasional act of attention producing a solitary impression4 ,supposing1 for instance1 that by good teaching you secure the child's attention to the verb avoir1 he will remember it2 that is to say1 some infinitely slight growth of brain tissue will record and retain that one ,french verb4 ,but one verb is nothing2 you want the child to learn ,french1 and for this you must not only fix his attention upon each new lesson1 but each must be so linked into the last that it is impossible for him to recall one without the other following in its train4 ,the physical effect of such a method appears to be that each new growth of brain tissue is1 so to speak1 laid upon the last2 that is1 to put it figuratively1 a certain tract of the brain may be conceived of as being overlaid with ,french4 ,this is to make a practical use of that law of association of ideas of which one would not willingly become the sport2 and it is the neglect of this law which invalidates much good teaching4 ,the teacher is content to produce a solitary impression which is only recalled as it is acted upon by a chance suggestion2 whereas he should forge the links of a chain to draw his bucket out of the well4 ,probably the reader may have heard1 or heard of1 a ,dr ,pick1 who grounded a really philosophical system of mnemonics on these two principles of attention and association4 ,whatever we may think of his application of it1 the principle he asserted is the right one4 ,every ,lesson must recall the ,last4--,let every lesson gain the child's entire attention1 and let each new lesson be so interlaced with the last that the one must recall the other2 that1 again1 recalls the one before it1 and so on to the beginning4 ,no ,limit to the ,recording ,power of the ,brain4--,but the #8lightly come1 lightly go' of a mere verbal memory follows no such rules4 ,the child gets his exercise #8by heart1' says it off like a parrot1 and behold1 it is gone2 there is no record of it upon the brain at all4 ,to secure such a record1 there must be time2 time for that full gaze of the mind we call attention1 and for the growth of the brain tissue to the new idea4 ,given these conditions1 there appears to be no limit of quantity to the recording power of the brain4 ,except in this way3 a girl learns ,french1 and speaks it fairly well2 by the time she is a grandmother she has forgotten it entirely1 has not a word left4 ,when this is the case1 her ,french has been disused2 she has not been in the habit of reading1 hearing1 or speaking ,french from youth to age4 ,whereby it is evident that1 to secure right-of-way to that record of ,french imprinted on her brain1 the path should have been kept open by frequent goings and comings4 ,but ,links of ,association a ,condition of ,recollection4--,to acquire any knowledge or power whatsoever1 and then to leave it to grow rusty in a neglected corner of the brain1 is practically useless4 ,where there is no chain of association to draw the bucket out of the well1 it is all the same as if there were no water there4 ,as to how to form these links1 every subject will suggest a suitable method4 ,the child has a lesson about ,switzerland to-day1 and one about ,holland to-morrow1 and the one is linked to the other by the very fact that the two countries have hardly anything in common2 what the one has1 the other has not4 ,again1 the association will be of similarity1 and not of contrast4 ,in our own experience we find that colours1 places1 sounds1 odours recall persons or events2 but links of this sensuous order can hardly be employed in education4 ,the link between any two things must be found in the nature of the things associated4 ,,vi4--,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,perfect ,,execution ,the ,habit of turning out ,imperfect ,work4--#8,throw perfection into all you do' is a counsel upon which a family may be brought up with great advantage4 ,we ,english1 as a nation1 think too much of persons1 and too little of things1 work1 execution4 ,our children are allowed to make their figures1 or their letters1 their stitches1 their dolls' clothes1 their small carpentry1 anyhow1 with the notion that they will do better by-and-by4 ,other nations--the ,germans and the ,french1 for instance--look at the question philosophically1 and know that if the children get the habit of turning out imperfect work1 the men and women will undoubtedly keep that habit up4 ,i remember being delighted with the work of a class of about forty children1 of six and seven1 in an elementary school at ,heidelberg4 ,they were doing a writing lesson1 accompanied by a good deal of oral teaching from a master1 who wrote each word on the blackboard4 ,by-and-by the slates were shown1 and ,i did not observe one faulty or irregular letter on the whole forty slates4 ,the same principle of #8perfection' was to be discerned in a recent exhibition of school-work held throughout ,france4 ,no faulty work was shown1 to be excused on the plea that it was the work of children4 ,a ,child should ,execute ,perfectly4--,no work should be given to a child that he cannot execute perfectly1 and then perfection should be required of him as a matter of course4 ,for instance1 he is set to do a copy of strokes1 and is allowed to show a slateful at all sorts of slopes and all sorts of intervals2 his moral sense is vitiated1 his eye is injured4 ,set him six strokes to copy2 let him1 not bring a slateful1 but six perfect strokes1 at regular distances and at regular slopes4 ,if he produces a faulty pair1 get him to point out the fault1 and persevere until he has produced his task2 if he does not do it to-day1 let him go on to-morrow and the next day1 and when the six perfect strokes appear1 let it be an occasion of triumph4 ,so with the little tasks of painting1 drawing1 or construction he sets himself--let everything he does be well done4 ,an unsteady house of cards is a thing to be ashamed of4 ,closely connected with this habit of #8perfect work' is that of finishing whatever is taken in hand4 ,the child should rarely be allowed to set his hand to a new undertaking until the last is finished4 ,,vii4--,,some ,,moral ,,habits--,,obedience ,it is disappointing that1 in order to cover the ground at all1 we must treat those moral habits1 which the mother owes it to her children to cultivate in them1 in a slight and inadequate way2 but the point to be borne in mind is1 that all that has been already said about the cultivation of habit applies with the greatest possible force to each of these habits4 ,the ,whole ,duty of a ,child4--,first1 and infinitely the most important1 is the habit of obedience4 ,indeed1 obedience is the whole duty of the child1 and for this reason--every other duty of the child is fulfilled as a matter of obedience to his parents4 ,not only so3 obedience is the whole duty of man2 obedience to conscience1 to law1 to ,divine direction4 ,it has been well observed that each of the three recorded temptations of our ,lord in the wilderness is a suggestion1 not of an act of overt sin1 but of an act of wilfulness1 that state directly opposed to obedience1 and out of which springs all that foolishness which is bound up in the heart of a child4 ,obedience no ,accidental ,duty4--,now1 if the parent realise that obedience is no mere accidental duty1 the fulfilling of which is a matter that lies between himself and the child1 but that he is the appointed agent to train the child up to the intelligent obedience of the self-compelling1 law-abiding human being1 he will see that he has no right to forego the obedience of his child1 and that every act of disobedience in the child is a direct condemnation of the parent4 ,also1 he will see that the motive to the child's obedience is not the arbitrary one of1 #8,do this1 or that1 because ,i have said so1' but the motive of the apostolic injunction1 8,children1 obey your parents in the ,lord1 for this is right40 ,children must have the ,desire to ,obey4--,it is only in proportion as the will of the child is in the act of obedience1 and he obeys because his sense of right makes him desire to obey in spite of temptations to disobedience--not of constraint1 but willingly--that the habit has been formed which will1 hereafter1 enable the child to use the strength of his will against his inclinations when these prompt him to lawless courses4 ,it is said that the children of parents who are most strict in exacting obedience often turn out ill2 and that orphans and other poor waifs brought up under strict discipline only wait their opportunity to break out into license4 ,exactly so2 because1 in these cases1 there is no gradual training of the child in the habit of obedience2 no gradual enlisting of his will on the side of sweet service and a free-will offering of submission to the highest law3 the poor children are simply bullied into submission to the will1 that is1 the wilfulness1 of another2 not at all1 #8for it is right'2 only because it is convenient4 ,expect ,obedience4--,the mother has no more sacred duty than that of training her infant to instant obedience4 ,to do so is no difficult task2 the child is still 8trailing clouds of glory 444 from ,god1 who is his home02 the principle of obedience is within him1 waiting to be called into exercise4 ,there is no need to rate the child1 or threaten him1 or use any manner of violence1 because the parent is invested with authority which the child intuitively recognises4 ,it is enough to say1 #8,do this1' in a quiet1 authoritative tone1 and expect it to be done4 ,the mother often enough loses her hold over her children because they detect in the tone of her voice that she does not expect them to obey her behests2 she does not think enough of her position2 has not sufficient confidence in her own authority4 ,the mother's great stronghold is in the habit of obedience4 ,if she begin by requiring that her children always obey her1 why1 they will always do so as a matter of course2 but let them once get the thin end of the wedge in1 let them discover that they can do otherwise than obey1 and a woful struggle begins1 which commonly ends in the children doing that which is right in their own eyes4 ,this is the sort of thing which is fatal3 ,the children are in the drawing-room1 and a caller is announced4 #8,you must go upstairs now4' #8,oh1 mother dear1 do let us stay in the window-corner2 we will be as quiet as mice6' ,the mother is rather proud of her children's pretty manners1 and they stay4 ,they are not quiet1 of course2 but that is the least of the evils2 they have succeeded in doing as they chose and not as they were bid1 and they will not put their necks under the yoke again without a struggle4 ,it is in little matters that the mother is worsted4 #8,bedtime1 ,willie6' #8,oh1 mamma1 just let me finish this'2 and the mother yields1 forgetting that the case in point is of no consequence2 the thing that matters is that the child should be daily confirming a habit of obedience by the unbroken repetition of acts of obedience4 ,it is astonishing how clever the child is in finding ways of evading the spirit while he observes the letter4 #8,mary1 come in4' #8,yes1 mother'2 but her mother calls four times before ,mary comes4 #8,put away your bricks'2 and the bricks are put away with slow1 reluctant fingers4 #8,you must always wash your hands when you hear the first bell4' ,the child obeys for that once1 and no more4 ,to avoid these displays of wilfulness1 the mother will insist from the first on an obedience which is prompt1 cheerful1 and lasting--save for lapses of memory on the child's part4 ,tardy1 unwilling1 occasional obedience is hardly worth the having2 and it is greatly easier to give the child the habit of perfect obedience by never allowing him in anything else1 than it is to obtain this mere formal obedience by a constant exercise of authority4 ,by-and-by1 when he is old enough1 take the child into confidence2 let him know what a noble thing it is to be able to make himself do1 in a minute1 and brightly1 the very thing he would rather not do4 ,to secure this habit of obedience1 the mother must exercise great self-restraint2 she must never give a command which she does not intend to see carried out to the full4 ,and she must not lay upon her children burdens1 grievous to be borne1 of command heaped upon command4 ,law ensures ,liberty4--,the children who are trained to perfect obedience may be trusted with a good deal of liberty3 they receive a few directions which they know they must not disobey2 and for the rest1 they are left to learn how to direct their own actions1 even at the cost of some small mishaps2 and are not pestered with a perpetual fire of #8,do this1' and #8,don't do that6' ,,viii4--,,truthfulness ,it is unnecessary to say a word of the duty of ,truthfulness2 but the training of the child in the habit of strict veracity is another matter1 and one which requires delicate care and scrupulosity on the part of the mother4 ,three ,causes of ,lying--all ,vicious4--,the vice of lying arises from three causes3 carelessness in ascertaining the truth1 carelessness in stating the truth1 and a deliberate intention to deceive4 ,that all three are vicious1 is evident from the fact that a man's character may be ruined by what is no more than a careless mis-statement on the part of another3 the speaker repeats a damaging remark without taking the trouble to sift it2 or he repeats what he has heard or seen with so little care to deliver the truth that his statement becomes no better than a lie4 ,only ,one ,kind visited on ,children4--,now1 of the three kinds of lying1 it is only1 as a matter of fact1 the third which is severely visited upon the child2 the first and the second he is allowed in4 ,he tells you he has seen #8lots' of spotted dogs in the town--he has really seen two2 that #8all the boys' are collecting crests--he knows of three who are doing so2 that #8everybody' says ,jones is a #8sneak'--the fact is he has heard ,brown say so4 ,these departures from strict veracity are on matters of such slight importance that the mother is apt to let them pass as the #8children's chatter'2 but1 indeed1 every such lapse is damaging to the child's sense of truth--a blade which easily loses its keenness of edge4 ,accuracy of ,statement4--,the mother who trains her child to strict accuracy of statement about things small and great fortifies him against temptations to the grosser forms of lying2 he will not readily colour a tale to his own advantage1 suppress facts1 equivocate1 when the statement of the simple fact has become a binding habit1 and when he has not been allowed to form the contrary vicious habit of playing fast and loose with words4 ,exaggeration and ,ludicrous ,embellishments4--,two forms of prevarication1 very tempting to the child1 will require great vigilance on the mother's part--that of exaggeration and that of clothing a story with ludicrous embellishments4 ,however funny a circumstance may be as described by the child1 the ruthless mother must strip the tale of everything over and above the naked truth3 for1 indeed1 a reputation for facetiousness is dearly purchased by the loss of that dignity of character1 in child or man1 which accompanies the habit of strict veracity2 it is possible1 happily1 to be humorous without any sacrifice of truth4 ,reverence1 etc4--,as for reverence1 consideration for others1 respect for persons and property1 ,i can only urge the importance of a sedulous cultivation of these moral qualities--the distinguishing marks of a refined nature--until they become the daily habits of the child's life2 and the more1 because a self-assertive1 aggressive1 self-seeking temper is but too characteristic of the times we live in4 ,temper--,born in a ,child4--,i am anxious1 however1 to say a few words on the habit of sweet temper4 ,it is very customary to regard temper as constitutional1 that which is born in you and is neither to be helped nor hindered4 #8,oh1 she is a good-tempered little soul2 nothing puts her out6' #8,oh1 he has his father's temper2 the least thing that goes contrary makes him fly into a passion1' are the sorts of remarks we hear constantly4 ,not ,temper1 but ,tendency4--,it is no doubt true that the children inherit a certain tendency to irascibility or to amiability1 to fretfulness1 discontentment1 peevishness1 sullenness1 murmuring1 and impatience2 or to cheerfulness1 trustfulness1 good-humour1 patience1 and humility4 ,it is also true that upon the preponderance of any of these qualities--upon temper1 that is--the happiness or wretchedness of child and man depends1 as well as the comfort or misery of the people who live with him4 ,we all know people possessed of integrity and of many excellent virtues who make themselves intolerable to their belongings4 ,the root of the evil is1 not that these people were born sullen1 or peevish1 or envious--that might have been mended2 but that they were permitted to grow up in these dispositions4 ,here1 if anywhere1 the power of habit is invaluable3 it rests with the parents to correct the original twist1 all the more so if it is from them the child gets it1 and to send their child into the world blest with an even1 happy temper1 inclined to make the best of things1 to look on the bright side1 to impute the best and kindest motives to others1 and to make no extravagant claims on his own account--fertile source of ugly tempers4 ,and this1 because the child is born with no more than certain tendencies4 ,parents must correct ,tendency by ,new ,habit of ,temper4--,it is by force of habit that a tendency becomes a temper2 and it rests with the mother to hinder the formation of ill tempers1 to force that of good tempers4 ,nor is it difficult to do this while the child's countenance is as an open book to his mother1 and she reads the thoughts of his heart before he is aware of them himself4 ,remembering that every envious1 murmuring1 discontented thought leaves a track in the very substance of the child's brain for such thoughts to run in again and again--that this track1 this rut1 so to speak1 is ever widening and deepening with the traffic in ugly thoughts--the mother's care is to hinder at the outset the formation of any such track4 ,she sees into her child's soul--sees the evil temper in the act of rising3 now is her opportunity4 ,change the ,child's ,thoughts4--,let her change the child's thoughts before ever the bad temper has had time to develop into conscious feeling1 much less act3 take him out of doors1 send him to fetch or carry1 tell him or show him something of interest1--in a word1 give him something else to think about2 but all in a natural way1 and without letting the child perceive that he is being treated4 ,as every fit of sullenness leaves place in the child's mind for another fit of sullenness to succeed it1 so every such fit averted by the mother's tact tends to obliterate the evil traces of former sullen tempers4 ,at the same time1 the mother is careful to lay down a highway for the free course of all sweet and genial thoughts and feelings4 ,i have been offering suggestions1 not for a course of intellectual and moral training1 but only for the formation of certain habits which should be1 as it were1 the outworks of character4 ,even with this limited programme1 ,i have left unnoticed many matters fully as important as those touched upon4 ,in the presence of an embarrassment of riches1 it has been necessary to adopt some principle of selection2 and ,i have thought it well to dwell upon considerations which do not appear to me to have their full weight with educated parents1 rather than upon those of which every thoughtful person recognises the force4 ,,footnotes3 #h ,this example1 offered by so able a psychologist1 is so admirable that ,i venture to quote it more than once4 ,,part ,v ,,lessons ,,as ,,instruments ,,of ,,education ,i4--,,the ,,matter ,,and ,,method ,,of ,,lessons ,it seems to me that we live in an age of pedagogy2 that we of the teaching profession are inclined to take too much upon ourselves1 and that parents are ready to yield the responsibility of direction1 as well as of actual instruction1 more than is wholesome for the children4 ,parents must reflect on the ,subject-matter of ,instruction4--,i am about to invite your attention to a subject that parents are accustomed to leave very much in the hands of schoolmaster or governess when they do not instruct their children themselves--,i mean the choice of subjects of instruction1 and the ways of handling those subjects4 ,teachers are the people who have1 more than others1 given themselves to the consideration of what a child should learn and how he should learn it2 but the parent1 also1 should have thought out this subject1 and even when he does not profess to teach his children1 should have his own carefully formed opinions as to the subject-matter and the method of their intellectual education3 and this for the sake of the teacher as well as for that of the children4 ,nothing does more to give vitality and purpose to the work of the teacher than the certainty that the parents of his pupils go with him4 ,even when children go to schools taught by qualified persons1 some insight on the part of fathers and mothers is useful as hindering the teacher from dropping into professional grooves1 valuing proficiency in this or that subject for its own sake1 and not as it affects the children4 ,but in the early days of the home schoolroom1 it is iniquitous to leave the young governess1 with little qualification beyond her native ,french or ,german1 or scanty ,english1 to chalk out a course for herself and her charges4 ,that the children waste their time is the least of the evils that accrue3 they are forming habits dead against intellectual effort2 and by-and-by1 when they go to school1 the lessons go over their heads1 the work slips through their fingers1 and their powers of passive resistance baffle the most strenuous teachers4 ,home the best ,growing-ground for ,young ,children4--,all the same1 whatever be the advantages of ,kindergarten or other schools for little children1 the home schoolroom ought to be the best growing-ground for them4 ,and doubtless it would be so1 were the mother at liberty to devote herself to the instruction of her children2 but this she is seldom free to do4 ,if she live in a town1 she can send them to school when they are six2 if in the country1 she must have a governess2 and the difficulty is to get a woman who is not only acquainted with the subjects she undertakes to teach1 but who understands in some measure the nature of the child and the art and objects of education2 a woman capable of making the very most of the children without waste of power or of time4 ,such a rara avis does not present herself in answer to every advertisement2 and in default of a trained teacher1 the mother must undertake to train her governess--that is1 she may supplement with her own insight the scanty knowledge and experience of the young teacher4 #8,i wish the children to be taught to read1 thus and thus1 because----'3 or1 #8to learn history in such a way that the lessons may have such and such effects4' ,half an hour's talk of this kind with a sensible governess will secure a whole month's work for the children1 so well directed that much is done in little time1 and the widest possible margin secured for play and open-air exercise4 ,three ,questions for the ,mother4--,but if the mother is to inoculate the governess with her views as to the teaching of writing1 ,french1 geography1 she must1 herself1 have definite views4 ,she must ask herself seriously1 ,why must the children learn at all8 ,what should they learn8 ,and1 ,how should they learn it8 ,if she take the trouble to find a definite and thoughtful answer to each of these three queries1 she will be in a position to direct her children's studies2 and will1 at the same time1 be surprised to find that three-fourths of the time and labour ordinarily spent by the child at his lessons is lost time and wasted energy4 ,children learn1 to ,grow4--,why must the child learn8 ,why do we eat8 ,is it not in order that the body may live and grow and be able to fulfil its functions8 ,precisely so must the mind be sustained and developed by means of the food convenient for it1 the mental pabulum of assimilated knowledge4 ,again1 the body is developed not only by means of proper sustenance1 but by the appropriate exercise of each of its members4 ,a young mother remarked to me the other day1 that before her marriage she had such slender arms she never liked to exhibit them2 but a strong five-months-old baby had cured her of that2 she could toss and lift him with ease1 and could now show well-rounded arms with anybody3 and just as the limbs grow strong with exercise1 so does intellectual effort with a given power of the mind make that power effective4 ,people are apt to overlook the fact that mind must have its aliment--we learn that we may know1 not that we may grow2 hence the parrot-like saying of lessons1 the cramming of ill-digested facts for examinations1 all the ways of taking in knowledge which the mind does not assimilate4 ,doctoring of the ,material of ,knowledge4--,specialists1 on the other hand1 are apt to attach too much importance to the several exercises of the mental #8faculties4' ,we come across books on teaching1 with lessons elaborately drawn up1 in which certain work is assigned to the perceptive faculties1 certain work to the imagination1 to the judgment1 and so on4 ,now this doctrine of the faculties1 which rests on a false analogy between the mind and the body1 is on its way to the limbo where the phrenologist's #8bumps' now rest in peace4 ,the mind would appear to be one and indivisible1 and endowed with manifold powers2 and this sort of doctoring of the material of knowledge is unnecessary for the healthy child1 whose mind is capable of self-direction1 and of applying itself to its proper work upon the parcel of knowledge delivered to it4 ,almost any subject which common sense points out as suitable for the instruction of children will afford exercise for all their powers1 if properly presented4 ,children learn1 to get ,ideas4--,the child must learn1 in the second place1 in order that ideas may be freely sown in the fruitful soil of his mind4 #8,idea1 the image or picture formed by the mind of anything external1 whether sensible or spiritual1'--so1 the dictionary2 therefore1 if the business of teaching be to furnish the child with ideas1 any teaching which does not leave him possessed of a new mental image has1 by so far1 missed its mark4 ,now1 just think of the listless way in which the children too often drag through reading and tables1 geography and sums1 and you will see that it is a rare thing for any part of any lesson to flash upon them with the vividness which leaves a mental picture behind4 ,it is not too much to say that a morning in which a child receives no new idea is a morning wasted1 however closely the little student has been kept at his books4 ,ideas ,grow and ,produce after their ,kind4--,for the dictionary appears to me to fall short of the truth in its definition of the term #8idea4' ,an idea is more than an image or a picture2 it is1 so to speak1 a spiritual germ endowed with vital force--with power1 that is1 to grow1 and to produce after its kind4 ,it is the very nature of an idea to grow3 as the vegetable germ secretes that it lives by1 so1 fairly implant an idea in the child's mind1 and it will secrete its own food1 grow1 and bear fruit in the form of a succession of kindred ideas4 ,we know from our own experience that1 let our attention be forcibly drawn to some public character1 some startling theory1 and for days after we are continually hearing or reading matter which bears on this one subject1 just as if all the world were thinking about what occupies our thoughts3 the fact being1 that the new idea we have received is in the act of growth1 and is reaching out after its appropriate food4 ,this process of feeding goes on with peculiar avidity in childhood1 and the growth of an idea in the child is proportionately rapid4 ,scott and ,stephenson worked with ,ideas4--,scott got an idea1 a whole group of ideas1 out of the ,border tales and ballads1 the folklore of the countryside1 on which his boyhood was nourished3 his ideas grew and brought forth1 and the ,waverley ,novels are the fruit they bore4 ,george ,stephenson made little clay engines with his playmate1 ,thomas ,tholoway2 by-and-by1 when he was an engineman1 he was always watching his engine1 cleaning it1 studying it2 an engine was his dominant idea1 and it developed into no less a thing than the locomotive4 ,value of ,dominant ,ideas4--,but how does this theory of the vital and fruitful character of ideas bear upon the education of the child8 ,in this way3 give your child a single valuable idea1 and you have done more for his education than if you had laid upon his mind the burden of bushels of information2 for the child who grows up with a few dominant ideas has his self-education provided for1 his career marked out4 ,lessons must furnish ,ideas4--,in order for the reception of an idea1 the mind must be in an attitude of eager attention1 and how to secure that state we have considered elsewhere4 ,one thing more3 a single idea may be a possession so precious in itself1 so fruitful1 that the parent cannot fitly allow the child's selection of ideas to be a matter of chance3 his lessons should furnish him with such ideas as shall make for his further education4 ,children learn to get ,knowledge4--,but it is not only to secure due intellectual growth and the furnishing of his mind with ideas1 that the child must learn3 the common notion1 that he learns for the sake of getting knowledge1 is also a true one so much so1 that no knowledge should be so precious as that gained in childhood1 no later knowledge should be so clearly chronicled on the brain1 nor so useful as the foundation of that to follow4 ,at the same time1 the child's capacity for knowledge is very limited2 his mind is1 in this respect at least1 but a little phial with a narrow neck2 and1 therefore1 it behoves parent or teacher to pour in only of the best4 ,diluted ,knowledge4--,but1 poor children1 they are too often badly used by their best friends in the matter of the sort of knowledge offered them4 ,grown-up people who are not mothers talk and think far more childishly than the child does in their efforts to approach his mind4 ,if a child talk twaddle1 it is because his elders are in the habit of talking twaddle to him2 leave him to himself1 and his remarks are wise and sensible so far as his small experience guides him4 ,mothers seldom talk down to their children2 they are too intimate with the little people1 and have1 therefore1 too much respect for them3 but professional teachers1 whether the writers of books or the givers of lessons1 are too apt to present a single grain of pure knowledge in a whole gallon of talk1 imposing upon the child the labour of discerning the grain and of extracting it from the worthless flood4 ,dr ,arnold's ,knowledge as a ,child4--,on the whole1 the children who grow up amongst their elders and are not provided with what are called children's books at all1 fare the better on what they are able to glean for themselves from the literature of grown-up people4 ,thus it is told of ,dr ,arnold that when he was three years old he received a present from his father of ,smollett's ,history of ,england as a reward for the accuracy with which he went through the stories connected with the portraits and pictures of the successive reigns--an amusement which probably laid the foundation of the great love for history which distinguished him in after life4 ,when occupying the professorial chair at ,oxford1 he made quotations1 we are told1 from ,dr ,priestley's ,lectures on ,history1--verbally accurate quotations1 we may believe1 for such was the habit of his mind2 besides1 a child has little skill in recasting his matter--and that1 though he had not had the book in his hands since he was a child of eight4 ,no doubt he was an exceptional child2 and all ,i maintain is1 that had his reading been the sort of diluted twaddle which is commonly thrust upon children1 it would have been impossible for him to cite passages a week1 much less some two score years1 after the reading4 ,literature ,proper for ,children4--,this sort of weak literature for the children1 both in story and lesson books1 is the result of a reactionary process4 ,not so long ago the current impression was that the children had little understanding1 but prodigious memory for facts2 dates1 numbers1 rules1 catechisms of knowledge1 much information in small parcels1 was supposed to be the fitting material for a child's education4 ,we have changed all that1 and put into the children's hands lesson-books with pretty pictures and easy talk1 almost as good as story-books2 but we do not see that1 after all1 we are but giving the same little pills of knowledge in the form of a weak and copious diluent4 ,teachers1 and even parents1 who are careful enough about their children's diet1 are so reckless as to the sort of mental aliment offered to them1 that ,i am exceedingly anxious to secure consideration for this question1 of the lessons and literature proper for the little people4 ,four ,tests which should be applied to ,children's ,lessons4--,we see1 then1 that the children's lessons should provide material for their mental growth1 should exercise the several powers of their minds1 should furnish them with fruitful ideas1 and should afford them knowledge1 really valuable for its own sake1 accurate1 and interesting1 of the kind that the child may recall as a man with profit and pleasure4 ,before applying these tests to the various subjects in which children are commonly instructed1 may ,i remind you of two or three points which ,i have endeavoured to establish in the preceding pages3-- ,rsum of ,six ,points already considered4-- 7a7 ,that the knowledge most valuable to the child is that which he gets with his own eyes and ears and fingers 7under direction7 in the open air4 7b7 ,that the claims of the schoolroom should not be allowed to encroach on the child's right to long hours daily for exercise and investigation4 7c7 ,that the child should be taken daily1 if possible1 to scenes--moor or meadow1 park1 common1 or shore--where he may find new things to examine1 and so add to his store of real knowledge4 ,that the child's observation should be directed to flower or boulder1 bird or tree2 that1 in fact1 he should be employed in gathering the common information which is the basis of scientific knowledge4 7d7 ,that play1 vigorous healthful play1 is1 in its turn1 fully as important as lessons1 as regards both bodily health and brain-power4 7e7 ,that the child1 though under supervision1 should be left much to himself--both that he may go to work in his own way on the ideas he receives1 and also that he may be the more open to natural influences4 7f7 ,that the happiness of the child is the condition of his progress2 that his lessons should be joyous1 and that occasions of friction in the schoolroom are greatly to be deprecated4 ,premising so much1 let us now consider--,what the children should learn1 and how they should be taught4 ,,ii4--,,the ,,kindergarten ,,as ,a ,,place ,,of ,,education ,the ,mother the best ,kindergrtnerin4--,it is hardly necessary1 here1 to discuss the merits of the ,kindergarten ,school4 ,the success of such a school demands rare qualities in the teacher--high culture1 some knowledge of psychology and of the art of education2 intense sympathy with the children1 much tact1 much common sense1 much common information1 much #8joyousness of nature' and much governing power2--in a word1 the ,kindergarten method is nicely contrived to bring the child en rapport with a superior intelligence4 ,given1 such a superior being to conduct it1 and the ,kindergarten is beautiful--#8'tis like a little heaven below'2 but put a commonplace woman in charge of such a school1 and the charmingly devised gifts and games and occupations become so many instruments of wooden teaching4 ,if the very essence of the ,kindergarten method is personal influence1 a sort of spiritual mesmerism1 it follows that the mother is naturally the best ,kindergrtnerin2 for who so likely as she to have the needful tact1 sympathy1 common sense1 culture8 ,the ,nursery need not therefore be a ,kindergarten4--,though every mother should be a ,kindergrtnerin1 in the sense in which ,froebel would employ the term1 it does not follow that every nursery should be a regularly organised ,kindergarten4 ,indeed1 the machinery of the ,kindergarten is no more than a device to ensure the carrying out of certain educational principles1 and some of these it is the mother's business to get at1 and work out according to ,froebel's method--or her own4 ,for instance1 in the ,kindergarten the child's senses are carefully and progressively trained3 he looks1 listens1 learns by touch2 gets ideas of size1 colour1 form1 number2 is taught to copy faithfully1 express exactly4 ,and in this training of the senses1 the child is made to pursue the method the infant shapes for himself in his early studies of ring or ball4 ,field of ,knowledge too circumscribed4--,but it is possible that the child's marvellous power of obtaining knowledge by means of his senses may be undervalued2 that the field may be too circumscribed2 and that1 during the first six or seven years in which he might have become intimately acquainted with the properties and history of every natural object within his reach1 he has obtained1 exact ideas1 it is true--can distinguish a rhomboid from a pentagon1 a primary from a secondary colour1 has learned to see so truly that he can copy what he sees in folded paper or woven straw1--but this at the expense of much of that real knowledge of the external world which at no time of his life will he be so fitted to acquire4 ,therefore1 while the exact nicely graduated training of the ,kindergarten may be of value1 the mother will endeavour to give it by the way1 and will by no means let it stand for that wider training of the senses1 to secure which for her children is a primary duty4 ,again1 the child in the ,kindergarten is set to such tasks only as he is competent to perform1 and then1 whatever he has to do1 he is expected to do perfectly4 ,i have seen a four-years-old child blush and look as self-condemned1 because he had folded a slip of paper irregularly1 as if found out in a falsehood4 ,but mother or nurse is quite able to secure that the child's small offices are perfectly executed2 and1 here is an important point1 without that slight strain of distressful anxiety which may be observed in children labouring to please that smiling goddess1 their #8,kindergrtnerin4' ,training of a ,just ,eye and ,faithful ,hand4--,the ,kindergarten #8,occupations' afford opportunities for training in this kind of faithfulness2 but in the home a thousand such opportunities occur2 if only in such trifles as the straightening of a tablecloth or of a picture1 the hanging of a towel1 the packing of a parcel--every thoughtful mother invents a thousand ways of training in her child a just eye and a faithful hand4 ,nevertheless1 as a means of methodical training1 as well as of happy employment1 the introduction of some of the games and occupations of the ,kindergarten into the nursery may be allowed2 provided that the mother does not depend upon these1 but makes all the child's occupations subserve the purposes of his education4 #8,sweetness and ,light' in the ,kindergarten4--,the child breathes an atmosphere of #8sweetness and light' in the ,kindergarten4 ,you see the sturdy urchin of five stiffen his back and decline to be a jumping frog1 and the ,kindergrtnerin comes with unruffled gentleness1 takes him by the hand1 and leads him out of the circle1--he is not treated as an offender1 only he does not choose to do as others do1 therefore he is not wanted there3 the next time1 he is quite content to be a frog4 ,here we have the principle for the discipline of the nursery4 ,do not treat the child's small contumacy too seriously2 do not assume that he is being naughty3 just leave him out when he is not prepared to act in harmony with the rest4 ,avoid friction2 and above all1 do not let him disturb the moral atmosphere2 in all gentleness and serenity1 remove him from the company of the others1 when he is being what nurses call #8tiresome4' ,once more1 the ,kindergarten professes to take account of the joyousness of the child's nature3 to allow him full and free expression for the glee that is in him1 without the #8rampaging' which follows if he is left to himself to find an outlet for his exuberant life4 ,this union of joy and gentleness is the very temper to be cultivated in the nursery4 ,the boisterous behaviour sometimes allowed in children is unnecessary--within doors1 at any rate2 but even a momentary absence of sunshine on the faces of her children will be a graver cause of uneasiness to the mother4 ,on the whole1 we may say that some of the principles which should govern ,kindergarten training are precisely those in which every thoughtful mother endeavours to bring up her family2 while the practices of the ,kindergarten1 being only ways1 amongst others1 of carrying out these principles1 and being apt to become stereotyped and wooden1 are unnecessary1 but may be adopted so far as they fit in conveniently with the mother's general scheme for the education of her family4 ,,iii4--,,further ,,consideration ,,of ,,the ,,kindergarten ,the ,childhood of ,tolstoi4--,there is possibly no known field of research in which so little available work has been done as in that covered by the word #8children4' ,the #8fair lande' lies under our very eyes1 but whoso would map it out must write #8,unexplored' across vast tracts4 ,thoughtful persons begin to suspect that the mistakes we make through this ignorance are grievous and injurious4 ,for example1 are not all our schemes of education founded on the presumption that a child's mind--his #8thinking1 feeling man'--begins #8very small' and grows great with the growth of his body8 ,we cannot tell if this is indeed the case4 ,the children keep themselves to themselves in a general way1 their winning ways and frank confidences notwithstanding2 but if one of us do1 by chance1 get a child revealed to him1 he is startled to find that the child has by far the keener intelligence1 the wiser thoughts1 the larger soul of the two4 ,when genius is able to lift the veil and show us a child1 it does a service which1 in our present state of thought1 we are hardly able to appraise2 and when genius or simplicity1 or both1 shall have given us enough such studies to generalise upon1 we shall doubtless reconsider the whole subject1 and shall be dismayed at the slights we have been putting upon children in the name of education4 ,count ,tolstoi gives us1 in ,childhood1 ,boyhood1 ,youth1#i unmistakable child-portraiture1 a miniature in which a mother may see her child and recognise what and how much there is in him3-- 8,like our own dear mother10 the little fellow writes1 in the verses he makes for his grandmothers birthday2 and then1 when the verses come to be read1 ah6 the humiliation of soul he goes through1 and how surely he expects father and grandmother to find him out for a hypocrite4 8,why did ,i write it8 ,she's not here1 and it was not necessary to mention her2 ,i love grandma1 it's true2 ,i reverence her1 but still she is not the same4 ,why did ,i write it8 ,why have ,i lied80 ,this is the sort of thing there is in children4 ,we recognise it as we read1 and remember the dim1 childish days when we1 too1 had an #8organ of truth' just so exquisitely delicate2 and the recollection should quicken our reverence for the tender consciences of children4 8,the ,story of a ,child40--,i should like while speaking of this subject to mention another book which contains the self-revelation of a child1--a child that once was summoned1 to give evidence1 out of the dark abysm of time4 ,this is the sort of study of a child that is really precious1 because it is to be had on no other terms than by harking back to our own childhood1 vivifying it1 reproducing it1 by mere force of imaginative power4 ,this is absolutely the only way to get into sympathy with a child1 for children1 with all their frank confidences and ready chatter1 are quite inscrutable little persons1 who never tell anyone the sort of things that we read in this #8,story4' ,there is no need to tell each other1 for other children know1 and1 as for telling the grown-ups1 children are fully persuaded that no grown-up1 not even mother1 could understand2 ,ponto might1 perhaps1 and confidences will be poured into the ear of a dog which the loving mother lays herself out for in vain4 8,each in his hidden sphere of joy or woe ,our hermit spirits dwell1 and range apart1 ,our eyes see all around in gloom or glow-- ,hues of their own1 fresh borrow'd from the heart40 ,and this is even more notably the case with children than with ourselves4 ,it is a law of our nature with which it is absolutely useless to contend1 and our only means of true intimacy with a child is the power of recovering our own childhood--a power which we are apt to let slip as of no vital importance4 ,this1 ,miss ,margaret ,deland helps us to do3 we recognise our old selves1 with a difference1 in ,ellen4 ,just so irrational1 inconsequent1 loving and heroic1 and generally tiresome to the grown-up world were our own impulses in that long ago1 on which we look back with tenderness1 but seldom with complacency4 ,if we rise1 after reading ,the ,story of a ,child1#aj a little more humble1 a little more diffident1 ready to believe more than we see1 why1 it will do us no harm1 and should bless and help the children4 ,from one word of the author's we should like to differ4 ,miss ,deland thinks that it may be wholesome for the elders to understand children better1 but for the children1 why1 she thinks that most of us grow up wonderfully well in spite of this and all other difficulties4 ,in a sense this is true1 but1 in another sense1 one of the saddest things in life is the issue of splendid child-material into commonplace1 uninteresting maturity1 of a kind that the world seems to be neither the better nor the worse for4 ,tolstoi's childhood and that of ,miss ,deland's little heroine would appear to be a far cry from #8the ,kindergarten'2 but as a matter of fact these two revelations of what children are bring our contention to a point4 ,we are told that1 8but yesterday1 in the ,university of ,edinburgh1 the greatest figure in the ,faculty was ,sir ,james ,simpson1 the discoverer of chloroform4 ,the other day his successor and nephew1 ,professor ,simpson1 was asked by the librarian of the ,university to go to the library and pick out the books on his subject that were no longer needed4 ,and his reply to the librarian was this3 #8,take every text-book that is more than ten years old1 and put it down in the cellar4'0 ,so far as education is a science1 the truth of even ten--much more1 a hundred--years ago is not the whole truth of to-day4 8,thoughts beyond their thought to those high seers were given02 and1 in proportion as the urgency of educational effort presses upon us1 will be the ardour of our appreciation1 the diligence of our employment1 of those truths which the great pioneers1 ,froebel and the rest1 have won for us by no less than prophetic insight4 ,but1 alas1 and alas1 for the cravings of lazy human nature--we may not have an educational pope2 we must think out for ourselves1 as well as work out1 those things that belong to the perfect bringing-up of our children4 ,what we ,owe to ,froebel4--,we reverence ,froebel4 ,many of his great thoughts we share2 we cannot say borrow1 because some1 like the child's relations to the universe1 are at least as old as ,plato2 others belong to universal practice and experience1 and this shows their psychological rightness4 ,froebel gathered diffused thought and practice into a system1 but he did a greater thing than this4 ,he raised an altar to the enthusiasm of childhood upon which the flame has never since gone out4 ,the true ,kindergrtnerin is the artist amongst teachers2 she is filled with the inspiration of her work1 and probably most sincere teachers have caught something from her fervour1 some sense of the beauty of childhood1 and of the enthralling delight of truly educational work4 ,requirements of a ,person4--,and yet ,i enter a caveat4 ,our first care should be to preserve the individuality1 give play to the personality1 of children4 ,now persons do not grow in a garden1 much less in a greenhouse4 ,it is a doubtful boon to a person to have conditions too carefully adapted to his needs4 ,the exactly due sunshine and shade1 pruning and training1 are good for a plant whose uses are subordinate1 so to say1 to the needs and pleasures of its owner4 ,but a person has other uses in the world1 and mother or teacher who regards him as a plant and herself as the gardener1 will only be saved from grave mistakes by the force of human nature in herself and in her child4 ,nature as an ,educator4--,the notion of supplementing ,nature from the cradle is a dangerous one4 ,a little guiding1 a little restraining1 much reverent watching1 ,nature asks of us2 but beyond that1 it is the wisdom of parents to leave children as much as may be to ,nature1 and 8to a higher ,power than ,nature itself40 ,danger of undervaluing ,children's ,intelligence4--,those of us who have watched an urchin of seven making ,catherine-wheels down the length of a street1 or a group of little girls dancing to a barrel organ1 or small boys and girls on a door-step giving what ,dickens calls #8dry nourishment' to their babies1 or a small girl sent by her mother to make four careful purchases out of sixpence and bring home the change--are not ready to believe that physical1 mental1 and moral development waits1 so to speak1 upon ,kindergarten teaching4 ,indeed1 ,i am inclined to question whether1 in the interest of carrying out a system1 the charming ,kindergrtnerin is not in danger sometimes of greatly undervaluing the intelligence of her children4 ,i know a person of three who happened to be found by a caller alone in the drawing-room4 ,it was spring1 and the caller thought to make himself entertaining with talk about the pretty #8baa-lambs4' ,but a pair of big blue eyes were fixed upon him and a solemn person made this solemn remark1 8,isn't it a dwefful howid thing to see a pig killed60 ,we hope she had never seen or even heard of the killing of a pig1 but she made as effective a protest against twaddle as would any woman of ,society4 ,boers and kopjes1 ,russians and ,japs1 ,treasure ,island1 ,robinson ,crusoe and his man ,friday1 the fight of ,thermopyl1 ,ulysses and the ,suitors--these are the sorts of things that children play at by the month together2 even the toddlers of three and four will hold their own manfully with their brothers and sisters4 ,and1 if the little people were in the habit of telling how they feel1 we should learn perhaps that they are a good deal bored by the nice little games in which they frisk like lambs1 flap their fins1 and twiddle their fingers like butterflies4 ,we all like to be ,humoured4--#8,but1' says the reader1 #8children do all these things so pleasantly and happily in the ,kindergarten6' ,it is a curious thing about human nature that we all like to be managed by persons who take the pains to play on our amiabilities4 ,even a dog can be made foolishly sentimental2 and1 if we who are older have our foibles in this kind1 it is little wonder that children can be wooed to do anything by persons whose approaches to them are always charming4 ,it is true that #8,w4 ,v41' the child whom the world has been taught to love1 sang her ,kindergarten songs with little hands waving in the #8air so blue6' but that was for the delectation and delusion of the elders when bedtime came4 #8,w4 ,v4' had greater thoughts at other times4 ,teachers mediate too much4--,there are still1 probably1 ,kindergartens where a great deal of twaddle is talked in song and story1 where the teacher conceives that to make poems for the children herself and to compose tunes for their singing and to draw pictures for their admiration1 is to fulfil her function to the uttermost4 ,the children might echo ,wordsworth's complaint of #8the world' and say1 the teacher is too much with us1 late and soon4 ,everything is directed1 expected1 suggested4 ,no other personality out of book1 picture1 or song1 no1 not even that of ,nature herself1 can get at the children without the mediation of the teacher4 ,no room is left for spontaneity or personal initiation on their part4 ,danger of ,personal ,magnetism4--,most of us are misled by our virtues1 and the entire zeal and enthusiasm of the ,kindergrtnerin is perhaps her stone of stumbling4 #8,but the children are so happy and good6' ,precisely2 the home-nursery is by no means such a scene of peace1 but ,i venture to think it a better growing-place4 ,i am delighted to see that an eminent ,frbelian protests against the element of personal magnetism in the teacher2 but there is1 or has been1 a good deal of this element in the successful ,kindergrtner1 and we all know how we lose vigour and individuality under this sort of influence4 ,even apart from this element of charm1 ,i doubt if the self-adjusting property of life in the ,kindergarten is good for children4 #8,kindergarten' a ,false ,analogy4--,the world suffered that morning when the happy name of #8,kindergarten' suggested itself to the greatest among educational #8,fathers4' ,no doubt it was simple and fit in its first intention as meaning an out-of-door garden life for the children2 but1 a false analogy has hampered1 or killed1 more than one philosophic system--the child became a plant in a well-ordered garden4 ,the analogy appealed to the orderly1 scientific ,german mind1 which does not much approve of irregular1 spontaneous movement in any sort4 ,culture1 due stimulus1 sweetness and light1 became the chief features of a great educational code4 ,from the potting-shed to the frame and thence to the flower-bed1 the little plant gets in due proportion what is good for him4 ,he grows in a seemly way1 in ordered ranks2 and in fit season puts forth his flower4 ,now1 to figure a person by any analogy whatsoever is dangerous and misleading2 there is nothing in nature commensurable with a person4 ,because the analogy of the garden plant is very attractive1 it is the more misleading2 manifestations of purpose in a plant are wonderful and delightful1 but in a person such manifestations are simply normal4 ,the outcome of any thought is necessarily moulded by that thought1 and to have a cultivated garden as the ground-plan of our educational thought1 either means nothing at all1 which it would be wronging the ,master to suppose1 or it means undue interference with the spontaneous development of a human being4 ,mother-games too strenuous for a ,child4--,to begin with the #8,mother-games1' a sweet conception1 most lovingly worked out4 ,but let us consider2 the infant is exquisitely aware of every mood of his mother1 the little face clouds with grief or beams with joy in response to the expression of hers4 ,the two left to themselves have rare games4 ,he jumps and pulls1 crows and chuckles1 crawls and kicks and gurgles with joy2 and1 amid all the play1 is taught what he may not do4 ,hands and feet1 legs and arms1 fingers and toes1 are continually going while he is awake2 mouth1 eyes and ears are agog4 ,all is play without intention1 and mother plays with baby as glad as he4 ,nature sits quietly by and sees to it that all the play is really work2 and development of every sort is going on at a greater rate during the first two years of life than at any like period of after life--enough development and not too much1 for baby is an inordinate sleeper4 ,then comes in the educator and offers a little more4 ,the new games are so pretty and taking that baby might as well be doing these as his own meaningless and clumsy jumpings and pattings4 ,but a real labour is being put upon the child in addition to the heaviest two years' work that his life will know4 ,his sympathy with his mother is so acute that he perceives something strenuous in the new play1 notwithstanding all the smiles and pretty talk2 he answers by endeavour1 great in proportion as he is small4 ,his nerve centres and brain power have been unduly taxed1 some of the joy of living has been taken from him1 and though his baby response to direct education is very charming1 he has less latent power left for the future calls of life4 ,the ,society of his ,equals too stimulating for a ,child4--,let us follow the little person to the ,kindergarten1 where he has the stimulus of classmates of his own age4 ,it certainly is stimulating4 ,for ourselves1 no society is so much so as that of a number of persons of our own age and standing2 this is the great joy of college life2 a wholesome joy for all young people for a limited time4 ,but persons of twenty have1 or should have1 some command over their inhibitory centres4 ,they should not permit the dissipation of nerve power caused by too much social stimulus2 yet even persons of twenty are not always equal to the task of self-management in exciting circumstances4 ,what then1 is to be expected of persons of two1 three1 four1 five8 ,that the little person looks rather stolid than otherwise is no guarantee against excitement within4 ,the clash and sparkle of our equals now and then stirs us up to health2 but for everyday life1 the mixed society of elders1 juniors and equals1 which we get in a family1 gives at the same time the most repose and the most room for individual development4 ,we have all wondered at the good sense1 reasonableness1 fun and resourcefulness shown by a child in his own home as compared with the same child in school life4 ,danger of supplanting ,nature4--,danger lurks in the ,kindergarten1 just in proportion to the completeness and beauty of its organisation4 ,it is possible to supplement ,nature so skilfully that we run some risk of supplanting her1 depriving her of space and time to do her own work in her own way4 #8,go and see what ,tommy is doing and tell him he mustn't1' is not sound doctrine4 ,tommy should be free to do what he likes with his limbs and his mind through all the hours of the day when he is not sitting up nicely at meals4 ,he should run and jump1 leap and tumble1 lie on his face watching a worm1 or on his back watching the bees in a lime tree4 ,nature will look after him and give him promptings of desire to know many things1 and somebody must tell as he wants to know2 and to do many things1 and somebody should be handy just to put him in the way2 and to be many things1 naughty and good1 and somebody should give direction4 ,importance of ,personal ,initiative4--,here we come to the real crux of the ,kindergarten question4 ,the busy mother says she has no leisure to be that somebody1 and the child will run wild and get into bad habits2 but we must not make a fetish of habit2 education is a life as well as a discipline4 ,health1 strength1 and agility1 bright eyes and alert movements1 come of a free life1 out-of-doors1 if it may be2 and as for habits1 there is no habit or power so useful to man or woman as that of personal initiative4 ,the resourcefulness which will enable a family of children to invent their own games and occupations through the length of a summer's day is worth more in after life than a good deal of knowledge about cubes and hexagons1 and this comes1 not of continual intervention on the mother's part1 but of much masterly inactivity4 ,parents and ,teachers must sow ,opportunities4--,the educational error of our day is that we believe too much in mediators4 ,now1 ,nature is her own mediator1 undertakes1 herself1 to find work for eyes and ears1 taste and touch2 she will prick the brain with problems and the heart with feelings2 and the part of mother or teacher in the early years 7indeed1 all through life7 is to sow opportunities1 and then to keep in the background1 ready with a guiding or restraining hand only when these are badly wanted4 ,mothers shirk their work and put it1 as they would say1 into better hands than their own1 because they do not recognise that wise letting alone is the chief thing asked of them1 seeing that every mother has in ,nature an all-sufficient handmaid1 who arranges for due work and due rest of mind1 muscles1 and senses4 ,in one way the children of the poor have better chances than those of the rich4 ,poor children get education out of household ways2 but there is a great deal of good teaching to be got out of a wisely ordered nursery1 and their own small persons and possessions should1 as ,i have said1 afford much #8,kindergarten' training to the little family at home4 ,at six or seven1 definite lessons should begin1 and these need not be watered down or served with jam for the acute intelligences that will in this way be brought to bear on them4 #8,only' ,children4--,but what of only children1 or the child too old to play with her baby brother8 ,surely the ,kindergarten is a great boon for these6 ,perhaps so2 but a cottage-child as a companion1 or a lively young nursemaid1 might be better4 ,a child will have taught himself to paint1 paste1 cut paper1 knit1 weave1 hammer and saw1 make lovely things in clay and sand1 build castles with his bricks2 possibly1 too1 will have taught himself to read1 write1 and do sums1 besides acquiring no end of knowledge and notions about the world he lives in1 by the time he is six or seven4 ,what ,i contend for is that he shall do these things because he chooses 7provided that the standard of perfection in his small works be kept before him74 ,the ,child should be allowed some ,ordering of his ,life4--,the details of family living will give him the repose of an ordered life2 but1 for the rest1 he should have more free-growing time than is possible in the most charming school4 ,the fact that lessons look like play is no recommendation3 they just want the freedom of play and the sense of his own ordering that belongs to play4 ,most of us have little enough opportunity for the ordering of our own lives1 so it is well to make much of the years that can be given to children to gain this joyous experience4 ,helen ,keller4--,i think what ,i have said of natural development as opposed to any too carefully organised system is supported by a recent contribution1 of unique value1 to the science of education--,i mean the autobiography of ,helen ,keller4#aa ,when she was nineteen months old1 ,helen had a severe illness1 in which she lost sight and hearing1 and consequently speech4 ,she never recovered the lost senses2 and here1 we should say1 was a soul almost inviolably sealed1 to which there was no approach but through the single sense of touch2 yet1 this lady's book1 written with her own unaided hands 7she used a typewriter71 with hardly any revision1 should rank as a classic for the purity and pregnancy of the style1 independently of the vital interest of the matter4 ,how was the miracle accomplished8 ,of her childhood ,helen says herself that1 save for a few impressions1 8the shadows of the prison-house0 enveloped it4 ,but there were always roses1 and she had the sense of smell2 and there was love--but she was not loving then4 ,when she was seven ,miss ,sullivan came to her4 ,this lady had herself been blind for some years1 and had been at the ,perkins ,institute1 founded by that ,dr ,howe who liberated the intelligence of ,laura ,bridgman4 ,but ,miss ,sullivan is no mere output of any institution4 ,she is a person of fine sanity and wholesomeness1 trusting to her personal initiative1 and aware from the first that her work was to liberate the personality of her little pupil and by no means to superimpose her own4 8,thus ,i came up out of ,egypt10 says ,miss ,keller of the arrival of her teacher1 and the voice which she heard from ,sinai said1 8,knowledge is love and light and vision02 and then follows that amazing and enthralling epic which tells how it was all done1 how the one word water was the key which opened the doors of the child's mind1 while the word love opened those of the closed heart4 ,thenceforth1 many new words came every day with crowds of ideas2 and it is not too much to say that this imprisoned and desolate child entered upon such a large inheritance of thought and knowledge1 of gladness and vision1 as few of us of the seeing and hearing world attain to4 ,the instrument in this great liberation was nothing more than the familiar manual alphabet1 followed in course of time by raised books and #8,braille4' ,miss ,sullivan on ,systems of ,education4--,like all great discoveries1 this1 of a soul1 was1 in all its steps1 marked by simplicity4 ,miss ,sullivan had little love for psychologists and all their ways2 would have no experiments2 would not have her pupil treated as a phenomenon1 but as a person4 8,no10 she says1 8,i don't want any more ,kindergarten materials4444 ,i am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education4 ,they seem to me to be built up on the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must be taught to think1 whereas if the child is left to himself he will think more and better1 if less showily4 ,let him go and come freely1 let him touch real things1 and combine his impressions for himself1 instead of sitting indoors at a little round table1 while a sweet-voiced teacher suggests that he build a stone wall with his wooden blocks1 or make a rainbow out of strips of coloured paper1 or plant straw trees in bead flower-pots4 ,such teaching fills the mind with artificial associations that must be got rid of before the child can develop independent ideas out of actual experiences40 ,it is a great thing to have a study of education as it were de novo1 in which we see the triumph of mind1 not only over apparently insuperable natural obstacles1 but over the dead wall of systematised education--a more complete hindrance to many a poor child than her grievous defects proved to ,helen ,keller4 ,the ,kindergarten in the ,united ,states4--,this question of the ,kindergarten1 as the proper place for the education of young children1 is so important that ,i should like to recommend to parents and teachers the examination of the subject contained in the ,special ,reports published by the ,board of ,education4#ab ,we must go to the ,united ,states to witness the apotheosis of educational theory2 ,i say theory rather than practice1 because the ,american mind1 like the ,french1 seems to me severely logical as well as generously impulsive4 ,a theory arrives1 is liberally entertained1 and is set to work with due appliances on a magnificent scale to do that which in it lies for the education of a great people4 ,that is to say1 educational science in ,america appears to be deductive rather than inductive2 theories are translated into experiments with truly imposing zeal and generosity4 ,an inductive theory of education is1 on the other hand1 arrived at by means of long1 slow1 various1 and laborious experiments which disclose1 here a little1 and there a little1 of universal truth4 ,the ,americans have chosen1 perhaps1 the easier way1 and in the end1 they too experiment upon their theory4 ,the ,kindergarten system illustrates what ,i mean2 notwithstanding its ,german name1 the ,kindergarten is not a common product in the ,fatherland2 it is in ,america that the ideas of ,froebel have received their greatest development1 that the ,kindergarten has become a cult1 and the great teacher a prophet4 ,but the impulse has worn itself out2 any way1 it is waxing weak4 ,mr ,thistleton ,mark on the ,kindergarten4--,according to ,mr ,thistleton ,mark--whose able paper on #8,moral ,education in ,american ,schools' offers matter for much profitable reflection--8,even a stationary ,froebelian is driven to have some better holdfast than the ipse dixit of the great reformer4 ,the word ,kindergarten is no longer a proper noun signifying always and everywhere the one1 sole1 original1 and identical thing4 ,it is a common noun1 and as such is assured of a more permanent place in ,american speech40 ,that is to say1 educational thought in ,america is tending towards the broad and natural conception expressed in the phrase #8education is a life4' ,but ,i wish that educationalists would give up the name ,kindergarten4 ,i cannot help thinking that it is somewhat of a strain to conscientious minds to draw the cover of ,froebelian doctrine and practice over the broader and more living conceptions that are abroad to-day4 ,even revolutionised ,kindergarten practice must suffer from the memory and habit of weaknesses such as are pointed out by ,dr ,stanley ,hall in the following words3-- ,dr ,stanley ,hall on the ,kindergarten4--8,the most decadent intellectual new departure of the ,american ,froebelists is the emphasis now laid upon the mother-plays as the acme of ,kindergarten wisdom4 ,these are represented by very crude poems1 indifferent music and pictures1 illustrating certain incidents of child life believed to be of fundamental and typical significance4 ,i have read these in ,german and in ,english1 have strummed the music1 and have given a brief course of lectures from the sympathetic standpoint1 trying to put all the new wine of meaning ,i could think of into them4 ,but ,i am driven to the conclusion that1 if they are not positively unwholesome and harmful for the child1 and productive of anti-scientific and unphilosophical intellectual habits in the teacher1 they should nevertheless be superseded by the far better things now available40#ac 8,another cardinal error of the ,kindergarten is the intensity of its devotion to gifts and occupations4 ,in devising these ,froebel showed great sagacity2 but the scheme as it left his own hands was a very inadequate expression of his educational ideas1 even for his time4 ,he thought it a perfect grammar of play and an alphabet of industries2 and in this opinion he was utterly mistaken4 ,play and industry were then relatively undeveloped2 and while his devices were beneficent for the peasant children in the country1 they lead in the interests of the modern city child a very pallid and unreal life40 ,with these important utterances ,i must conclude a superficial examination of the very important question1--,is the ,kindergarten the best training-ground for a child8 ,,iv4--,,reading ,time of ,teaching to ,read1 an ,open ,question4--,reading presents itself first amongst the lessons to be used as instruments of education1 although it is open to discussion whether the child should acquire the art unconsciously1 from his infancy upwards1 or whether the effort should be deferred until he is1 say1 six or seven1 and then made with vigour4 ,in a valuable letter1 addressed to her son ,john1 we have the way of teaching to read adopted by that pattern mother1 the mother of the ,wesleys3-- ,mrs ,wesley's ,plan4--8,none of them was 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 no one should come into the room from nine to twelve1 or from two to 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 thought them then very dull2 but the reason why ,i thought them so was because the rest learned them so readily2 and your brother ,samuel1 who was the first child ,i ever taught1 learned the alphabet in a few hours4 ,he was five years old the tenth of ,february2 the next day he began to learn1 and as soon as he knew the letters1 began at the first chapter of ,genesis4 ,he was taught to spell the first verse1 then to read it over and over until he could read it off-hand without hesitation2 so on1 to the second verse1 etc41 till he took ten verses for 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 to have told him the same word twice4 ,what was yet stranger1 any word he had learnt in his lesson he knew wherever he saw it1 either in his ,bible or any other book1 by which means he learned very soon to read an ,english author well40#ad ,it is much to be wished that thoughtful mothers would more often keep account of the methods they employ with their children1 with some definite note of the success of this or that plan4 ,many persons consider that to learn to read a language so full of anomalies and difficulties as our own is a task which should not be imposed too soon on the childish mind4 ,but1 as a matter of fact1 few of us can recollect how or when we learned to read3 for all we know1 it came by nature1 like the art of running2 and not only so1 but often mothers of the educated classes do not know how their children learned to read4 #8,oh1 he taught himself1' is all the account his mother can give of little ,dick's proficiency4 ,whereby it is plain1 that this notion of the extreme difficulty of learning to read is begotten by the elders rather than by the children4 ,there would be no little books entitled ,reading without ,tears1 if tears were not sometimes shed over the reading lesson2 but1 really1 when that is the case1 the fault rests with the teacher4 ,the ,alphabet4--,as for his letters1 the child usually teaches himself4 ,he has his box of ivory letters1 and picks out p for pudding1 b for blackbird1 h for horse1 big and little1 and knows them both4 ,but the learning of the alphabet should be made a means of cultivating the child's observation3 he should be made to see what he looks at4 ,make big ,b in the air1 and let him name it2 then let him make round ,o1 and crooked ,s1 and ,t for ,tommy1 and you name the letters as the little finger forms them with unsteady strokes in the air4 ,to make the small letters thus from memory is a work of more art1 and requires more careful observation on the child's part4 ,a tray of sand is useful at this stage4 ,the child draws his finger boldly through the sand1 and then puts a back to his ,d2 and behold1 his first essay in making a straight line and a curve4 ,but the devices for making the learning of the #8,a ,b ,c' interesting are endless4 ,there is no occasion to hurry the child3 let him learn one form at a time1 and know it so well that he can pick out the d's1 say1 big and little1 in a page of large print4 ,let him say d for duck1 dog1 doll1 thus3 d--uck1 d--og1 prolonging the sound of the initial consonant1 and at last sounding d alone1 not dee1 but d'1 the mere sound of the consonant separated as far as possible from the following vowel4 ,let the child alone1 and he will learn the alphabet for himself3 but few mothers can resist the pleasure of teaching it2 and there is no reason why they should1 for this kind of learning is no more than play to the child1 and if the alphabet be taught to the little student1 his appreciation of both form and sound will be cultivated4 ,when should he begin8 ,whenever his box of letters begins to interest him4 ,the baby of two will often be able to name half a dozen letters2 and there is nothing against it so long as the finding and naming of letters is a game to him4 ,but he must not be urged1 required to show off1 teased to find letters when his heart is set on other play4 ,word-making4--,the first exercises in the making of words will be just as pleasant to the child4 ,exercises treated as a game1 which yet teach the powers of the letters1 will be better to begin with than actual sentences4 ,take up two of his letters and make the syllable #8at'3 tell him it is the word we use when we say #8at home1' #8at school4' ,then put b to #8at'--bat2 c to #8at'--cat2 fat1 hat1 mat1 sat1 rat1 and so on4 ,first1 let the child say what the word becomes with each initial consonant2 then let him add the right consonant to #8at1' in order to make hat1 pat1 cat4 ,let the syllables all be actual words which he knows4 ,set the words in a row1 and let him read them off4 ,do this with the short vowel sounds in combination with each of the consonants1 and the child will learn to read off dozens of words of three letters1 and will master the short-vowel sounds with initial and final consonants without effort4 ,before long he will do the lesson for himself4 #8,how many words can you make with 8en0 and another letter1 with 8od0 and another letter8' etc4 ,do not hurry him4 ,word-making with ,long ,vowels1 etc4--,when this sort of exercise becomes so easy that it is no longer interesting1 let the long sounds of the vowels be learnt in the same way3 use the same syllables as before with a final e2 thus1 #8at' becomes #8ate1' and we get late1 pate1 rate1 etc4 ,the child may be told that a in #8rate' is long a2 a in #8rat' is short a4 ,he will make the new sets of words with much facility1 helped by the experience he gained in the former lessons4 ,then the same sort of thing with final #8ng'--#8ing1' #8ang1' #8ong1' #8ung'2 as ring1 fang1 long1 sung3 initial #8th1' as then1 that3 final #8th1' as with1 pith1 hath1 lath1 and so on1 through endless combinations which will suggest themselves4 ,this is not reading1 but it is preparing the ground for reading2 words will be no longer unfamiliar1 perplexing objects1 when the child meets with them in a line of print4 ,require him to pronounce the words he makes with such finish and distinctness that he can himself hear and count the sounds in a given word4 ,early ,spelling4--,accustom him from the first to shut his eyes and spell the word he has made4 ,this is important4 ,reading is not spelling1 nor is it necessary to spell in order to read well2 but the good speller is the child whose eye is quick enough to take in the letters which compose it1 in the act of reading off a word2 and this is a habit to be acquired from the first3 accustom him to see the letters in the word1 and he will do so without effort4 ,if words were always made on a given pattern in ,english1 if the same letters always represented the same sounds1 learning to read would be an easy matter2 for the child would soon acquire the few elements of which all words would1 in that case1 be composed4 ,but many of our ,english words are1 each1 a law unto itself3 there is nothing for it1 but the child must learn to know them at sight2 he must recognise #8which1' precisely as he recognises #8,b1' because he has seen it before1 been made to look at it with interest1 so that the pattern of the word is stamped on his retentive brain4 ,this process should go on side by side with the other--the learning of the powers of the letters2 for the more variety you can throw into his reading lessons1 the more will the child enjoy them4 ,lessons in word-making help him to take intelligent interest in words2 but his progress in the art of reading depends chiefly on the #8reading at sight' lessons4 ,reading at ,sight4--,the teacher must be content to proceed very slowly1 securing the ground under her feet as she goes4 ,say-- 8,twinkle1 twinkle1 little star1 ,how ,i wonder what you are10 is the first lesson2 just those two lines4 ,read the passage for the child1 very slowly1 sweetly1 with just expression1 so that it is pleasant to him to listen4 ,point to each word as you read4 ,then point to #8twinkle1' #8wonder1' #8star1' #8what1'--and expect the child to pronounce each word in the verse taken promiscuously2 then1 when he shows that he knows each word by itself1 and not before1 let him read the two lines with clear enunciation and expression3 insist from the first on clear1 beautiful reading1 and do not let the child fall into a dreary monotone1 no more pleasant to himself than to his listener4 ,of course1 by this time he is able to say the two lines2 and let him say them clearly and beautifully4 ,in his after lessons he will learn the rest of the little poem4 ,the ,reading of ,prose4--,at this stage1 his reading lessons must advance so slowly that he may just as well learn his reading exercises1 both prose and poetry1 as recitation lessons4 ,little poems suitable to be learned in this way will suggest themselves at once2 but perhaps prose is better1 on the whole1 as offering more of the words in everyday use1 of ,saxon origin1 and of anomalous spelling4 ,short fables1 and such graceful1 simple prose as we have in ,mrs ,gatty's ,parables from ,nature1 and1 still better1 in ,mrs ,barbauld's prose poems1 are very suitable4 ,even for their earliest reading lessons1 it is unnecessary to put twaddle into the hands of children4 ,but we have not yet finished the reading lesson on #8,twinkle1 twinkle1 little star4' ,the child should hunt through two or three pages of good clear type for #8little1' #8star1' #8you1' #8are1' each of the words he has learned1 until the word he knows looks out upon him like the face of a friend in a crowd of strangers1 and he is able to pounce upon it anywhere4 ,lest he grow weary of the search1 the teacher should guide him1 unawares1 to the line or paragraph where the word he wants occurs4 ,already the child has accumulated a little capital2 he knows eight or ten words so well that he will recognise them anywhere1 and the lesson has occupied probably ten minutes4 ,the next #8reading at sight' lesson will begin with a hunt for the familiar words1 and then-- 8,up above the world so high1 ,like a diamond in the sky10 should be gone through in the same way4 ,as spelling is simply the art of seeing1 seeing the letters in a word as we see the features of a face--say to the child1 #8,can you spell sky8'--or any of the shorter words4 ,he is put on his mettle1 and if he fail this time1 be sure he will be able to spell the word when you ask him next2 but do not let him learn to spell or even say the letters aloud with the word before him4 ,as for understanding what they read1 the children will be full of bright1 intelligent remarks and questions1 and will take this part of the lesson into their own hands2 indeed1 the teacher will have to be on her guard not to let them carry her away from the subject4 ,careful ,pronunciation4--,the little people will probably have to be pulled up on the score of pronunciation4 ,they must render #8high1' #8sky1' #8like1' #8world1' with delicate precision2 #8diamond1' they will no doubt wish to hurry over1 and say as #8di'mond1' just as they will reduce #8history' to #8hist'ry4' ,but here is another advantage of slow and steady progress--the saying of each word receives due attention1 and the child is trained in the habit of careful enunciation4 ,every day increases the number of words he is able to read at sight1 and the more words he knows already1 the longer his reading lesson becomes in order to afford the ten or a dozen new words which he should master every day4 ,a ,year's ,work4--#8,but what a snail's progress6' you are inclined to say4 ,not so slow1 after all3 a child will thus learn1 without appreciable labour1 from two to three thousand words in the course of a year2 in other words1 he will learn to read1 for the mastery of this number of words will carry him with comfort through most of the books that fall in his way4 ,ordinary ,method4--,now1 compare the steady progress and constant interest and liveliness of such lessons with the deadly weariness of the ordinary reading lesson4 ,the child blunders through a page or two in a dreary monotone without expression1 with imperfect enunciation4 ,he comes to a word he does not know1 and he spells it2 that throws no light on the subject1 and he is told the word3 he repeats it1 but as he has made no mental effort to secure the word1 the next time he meets with it the same process is gone through4 ,the reading lesson for that day comes to an end4 ,the pupil has been miserably bored1 and has not acquired one new word4 ,eventually1 he learns to read1 somehow1 by mere dint of repetition2 but consider what an abuse of his intelligence is a system of teaching which makes him undergo daily labour with little or no result1 and gives him a distaste for books before he has learned to use them4 ,v4--,,the ,,first ,,reading ,,lesson#ae 7,two ,mothers ,confer7 8,you don't mean to say you would go plump into words of three or four syllables before a child knows his letters80 8,it is possible to read words without knowing the alphabet1 as you may know a face without singling out its features2 but we learn not only the names but the sounds of the letters before we begin to read words40 8,our children learn their letters without any teaching4 ,we always keep by us a shallow table drawer1 the bottom covered half an inch deep with sand4 ,before they are two1 the babies make round ,o and crooked ,s1 and ,t for ,tommy1 and so on1 with dumpy1 uncertain little fingers4 ,the elder children teach the little ones by way of a game40 8,the sand is capital6 ,we have various devices1 but none so good as that4 ,children love to be doing4 ,the funny1 shaky lines the little finger makes in the sand will be ten times as interesting as the shapes the eye sees40 8,but the reading6 ,i can't get over three syllables for the first lesson4 ,why1 it's like teaching a twelve-months old child to waltz60 8,you say that because we forget that a group of letters is no more than the sign of a word1 while a word is only the vocal sign of a thing or an act4 ,this is how the child learns4 ,first1 he gets the notion of table2 he sees several tables2 he finds they have legs1 by which you can scramble up2 very often covers which you may pull off2 and on them many things lie1 good and pleasant for a baby to enjoy2 sometimes1 too1 you can pull these things off the table1 and they go down with a bang1 which is nice4 ,the grown-up people call this pleasant thing1 full of many interests1 #8table1' and1 by-and-by1 baby says #8table' too2 and the word #8table' comes to mean1 in a vague way1 all this to him4 #8,a round table1' #8on the table1' and so on1 form part of the idea of #8table' to him4 ,in the same way baby chimes in when his mother sings4 ,she says1 #8,baby1 sing1' and1 by-and-by1 notions of #8sing1' #8kiss1' #8love1' dawn on his brain40 8,yes1 the darlings6 and it's surprising how many words a child knows even before he can speak them2 #8pussy1' #8dolly1' #8carriage1' soon convey interesting ideas to him40 8,that's just it4 ,interest the child in the thing1 and he soon learns the sound-sign for it--that is1 its name4 ,now1 ,i maintain that1 when he is a little older1 he should learn the form-sign--that is1 the printed word--on the same principle4 ,it is far easier for a child to read plum-pudding than to read #8to1 to1' because #8plum-pudding' conveys a far more interesting idea40 8,that may be1 when he gets into words of three or four syllables2 but what would you do while he's in words of one syllable--indeed1 of two or three letters80 8,i should never put him into words of one syllable at all4 ,the bigger the word1 the more striking the look of it1 and1 therefore1 the easier it is to read1 provided always that the idea it conveys is interesting to a child4 ,it is sad to see an intelligent child toiling over a reading-lesson infinitely below his capacity--ath1 eth1 ith1 oth1 uth--or1 at the very best1 #8,the cat sat on the mat4' ,how should we like to begin to read ,german1 for example1 by toiling over all conceivable combinations of letters1 arranged on no principle but similarity of sound2 or1 worse still1 that our readings should be graduated according to the number of letters each word contains8 ,we should be lost in a hopeless fog before a page of words of three letters1 all drearily like one another1 with no distinctive features for the eye to seize upon2 but the child8 #8,oh1 well--children are different2 no doubt it is good for the child to grind in this mill6' ,but this is only one of many ways in which children are needlessly and cruelly oppressed60 8,you are taking high moral ground6 ,all the same1 ,i don't think ,i am convinced4 ,it is far easier for a child to spell cat1 cat1 than to spell plum-pudding1 plum-pudding40 8,but spelling and reading are two things4 ,you must learn to spell in order to write words1 not to read them4 ,a child is droning over a reading-lesson1 spells cough2 you say #8cough1' and she repeats4 ,by dint of repetition1 she learns at last to associate the look of the word with the sound1 and says #8cough' without spelling it2 and you think she has arrived at #8cough' through cough4 ,not a bit of it2 cof spells cough60 8,yes2 but #8cough' has a silent u1 and a gh with the sound of f4 ,there1 ,i grant1 is a great difficulty4 ,if only there were no silent letters1 and if all letters had always the same sound1 we should1 indeed1 have reading made easy4 ,the phonetic people have something to say for themselves40 8,you would agree with the writer of an article in a number of a leading review3 #8,plough ought to be written and printed plow2 through1 thru2 enough1 enuf2 ought1 aut or ort'2 and so on4 ,all this goes on the mistaken idea that in reading we look at the letters which compose a word1 think of their sounds1 combine these1 and form the word4 ,we do nothing of the kind2 we accept a word1 written or printed1 simply as the symbol of a word we are accustomed to say4 ,if the word is new to us we may try to make something of the letters1 but we know so well that this is a shot in the dark1 that we are careful not to say the new word until we have heard some one else say it40 8,yes1 but children are different40 8,children are the same1 #8only more so4' ,we could1 if we liked1 break up a word into its sounds1 or put certain sounds together to make a word4 ,but these are efforts of mind beyond the range of children4 ,first1 as last1 they learn to know a word by the look of it1 and the more striking it looks the easier it is to recognise2 provided always that the printed word is one which they already know very well by sound and by sense40 8,it is not clear yet2 suppose you tell me1 step by step1 how you would give your first reading lesson4 ,an illustration helps one so much40 8,very well3 ,bobbie had his first lesson yesterday--on his sixth birthday4 ,the lesson was part of the celebration4 ,by the way1 ,i think it's rather a good plan to begin a new study with a child on his birthday1 or some great day2 he begins by thinking the new study a privilege40 8,that is a hint4 ,but go on2 did ,bobbie know his letters80 8,yes1 he had picked them up1 as you say2 but ,i had been careful not to allow any small readings4 ,you know how ,susanna ,wesley used to retire to her room with the child who was to have his first reading-lesson1 and not to appear again for some hours1 when the boy came out able to read a good part of the first chapter of ,genesis8 ,well1 ,bobbie's first reading-lesson was a solemn occasion too1 for which we had been preparing for a week or two4 ,first1 ,i bought a dozen penny copies of the #8,history of ,cock ,robin'--good bold type1 bad pictures1 that we cut out4 8,then we had a nursery pasting day--pasting the sheets on common drawing-paper--six one side down1 and six the other2 so that now we had six complete copies1 and not twelve4 8,then we cut up the first page only1 of all six copies1 line by line1 and word by word4 ,we gathered up the words and put them in a box1 and our preparations were complete4 8,now for the lesson4 ,bobbie and ,i are shut in by ourselves in the morning-room4 ,i always use a blackboard in teaching the children4 ,i write up1 in good clear #8print' hand1 ,cock ,robin4 ,bobbie watches with the more interest because he knows his letters4 ,i say1 pointing to the word1 #8cock robin1' which he repeats4 8,then the words in the box are scattered on the table1 and he finds half a dozen #8cock robins' with great ease4 8,we do the same thing with #8sparrow1' #8arrow1' #8said1' #8killed1' #8who1' and so on1 till all the words in the verse have been learned4 ,the words on the blackboard grow into a column1 which ,bob reads backwards and forwards1 and every way1 except as the words run in the verse4 8,then ,bobbie arranges the loose words into columns like that on the board4 8,then into columns of his own devising1 which he reads off4 8,lastly1 culminating joy 7the whole lesson has been a delight671 he finds among the loose words1 at my dictation1 #8,who killed ,cock ,robin ,i said the sparrow ,with my bow and arrow ,i killed ,cock ,robin1' arranging the words in verse form4 8,then ,i had still one unmutilated copy1 out of which ,bob had the pleasure of reading the verse1 and he read it forwards and backwards4 ,so long as he lives he will know those twelve words40 8,no doubt it was a pleasant lesson2 but1 think of all the pasting and cutting60 8,yes1 that is troublesome4 ,i wish some publisher would provide us with what we want--nursery rhymes1 in good bold type1 with boxes of loose words to match--a separate box1 or division1 for each page1 so that the child may not be confused by having too many words to hunt amongst4 ,the point is that he should see1 and look at1 the new word many times1 so that its shape becomes impressed on his brain40 8,i see2 but he is only able to read #8,cock ,robin'2 he has no general power of reading40 8,on the contrary1 he will read those twelve words wherever he meets with them4 ,suppose he learns ten words a day1 in half a year he will have at least six hundred words2 he will know how to read a little40 8,excellent1 supposing your children remember all they learn4 ,at the end of a week1 mine would remember #8,cock ,robin1' perhaps1 but the rest would be gone60 8,oh1 but we keep what we get6 ,when we have mastered the words of the second verse1 ,bob runs through the first in the book1 naming words here and there as ,i point to them4 ,it takes less than a minute1 and the ground is secured40 8,the first lesson must have been long80 8,i'm sorry to say it lasted half an hour4 ,the child's interest tempted me to do more than ,i should40 8,it all sounds very attractive--a sort of game--but ,i cannot be satisfied that a child should learn to read without knowing the powers of the letters4 ,you constantly see a child spell a word over to himself1 and then pronounce it2 the more so1 if he has been carefully taught the sounds of the letters--not merely their names40 8,naturally2 for though many of our ,english words are each a law unto itself1 others offer a key to a whole group1 as arrow gives us sp arrow1 m arrow1 h arrow2 but we have alternate days--one for reading1 the other for word-building--and that is one way to secure variety1 and1 so1 the joyous interest which is the real secret of success40 ,,vi4--,,reading ,,by ,,sight ,,and ,,by ,,sound ,learning to read is ,hard ,work4--,probably that vague whole which we call #8,education' offers no more difficult and repellent task than that to which every little child is 7or ought to be7 set down--the task of learning to read4 ,we realise the labour of it when some grown man makes a heroic effort to remedy shameful ignorance1 but we forget how contrary to ,nature it is for a little child to occupy himself with dreary hieroglyphics--all so dreadfully alike6--when the world is teeming with interesting objects which he is agog to know4 ,but we cannot excuse our volatile ,tommy1 nor is it good for him that we should4 ,it is quite necessary he should know how to read2 and not only so--the discipline of the task is altogether wholesome for the little man4 ,at the same time1 let us recognise that learning to read is to many children hard work1 and let us do what we can to make the task easy and inviting4 ,knowledge of ,arbitrary ,symbols4--,in the first place1 let us bear in mind that reading is not a science nor an art4 ,even if it were1 the children must still be the first consideration with the educator2 but it is not4 ,learning to read is no more than picking up1 how we can1 a knowledge of certain arbitrary symbols for objects and ideas4 ,there are absolutely no right and necessary #8steps' to reading1 each of which leads to the next2 there is no true beginning1 middle1 or end4 ,for the arbitrary symbols we must know in order to read are not letters1 but words4 ,by way of illustration1 consider the delicate differences of sound represented by the letter #8o' in the last sentence2 to analyse and classify the sounds of #8o' in #8for1' #8symbols1' #8know1' #8order1' #8to1' #8not1' and #8words1' is a curious1 not especially useful1 study for a philologist1 but a laborious and inappropriate one for a child4 ,it is time we faced the fact that the letters which compose an ,english word are full of philological interest1 and that their study will be a valuable part of education by-and-by2 but meantime1 sound and letter-sign are so loosely wedded in ,english1 that to base the teaching of reading on the sounds of the letters only1 is to lay up for the child much analytic labour1 much mental confusion1 due to the irregularities of the language2 and some little moral strain in making the sound of a letter in a given word fall under any of the #8sounds' he has been taught4 ,definitely1 what is it we propose in teaching a child to read8 7a7 that he shall know at sight1 say1 some thousand words2 7b7 that he shall be able to build up new words with the elements of these4 ,let him learn ten new words a day1 and in twenty weeks he will be to some extent able to read1 without any question as to the number of letters in a word4 ,for the second1 and less important1 part of our task1 the child must know the sounds of the letters1 and acquire power to throw given sounds into new combinations4 ,what we want is a bridge between the child's natural interests and those arbitrary symbols with which he must become acquainted1 and which1 as we have seen1 are words1 and not letters4 ,these ,symbols should be ,interesting4--,the child cares for things1 not words2 his analytic power is very small1 his observing faculty is exceedingly quick and keen2 nothing is too small for him2 he will spy out the eye of a fly2 nothing is too intricate1 he delights in puzzles4 ,but the thing he learns to know by looking at it1 is a thing which interests him4 ,here we have the key to reading4 ,no meaningless combinations of letters1 no cla1 cle1 cli1 clo1 clu1 no ath1 eth1 ith1 oth1 uth1 should be presented to him4 ,the child should be taught from the first to regard the printed word as he already regards the spoken word1 as the symbol of fact or idea full of interest4 ,how easy to read #8robin redbreast1' #8buttercups and daisies'2 the number of letters in the words is no matter2 the words themselves convey such interesting ideas that the general form and look of them fixes itself on the child's brain by the same law of association of ideas which makes it easy to couple the objects with their spoken names4 ,having got a word fixed on the sure peg of the idea it conveys1 the child will use his knowledge of the sounds of the letters to make up other words containing the same elements with great interest4 ,when he knows #8butter' he is quite ready to make #8mutter' by changing the b for an m4 ,tommy's ,first ,lesson4--,but example is better than precept1 and more convincing than the soundest reasoning4 ,this is the sort of reading lesson we have in view4 ,tommy knows his letters by name and sound1 but he knows no more4 ,to-day he is to be launched into the very middle of reading1 without any #8steps' at all1 because reading is neither an art nor a science1 and has1 probably1 no beginning4 ,tommy is to learn to read to-day-- 8,i like little pussy1 ,her coat is so warm0-- and he is to know those nine words so well that he will be able to read them wherever they may occur henceforth and for evermore4 8,oh1 yes10 says a reader1 8as in the #8,cock ,robin' lesson2 grant that the principle is sound--and there is much to be said on both sides of that question--but grant it1 who in the world could get through all the pasting and cutting and general messing preparatory to the great lesson8 ,no2 the method of the books may be only second-best1 but ready-made books must do for me4 ,i have no time to make my own apparatus40 ,i must own that the cutting and pasting was very clumsy1 but the lesson served its purpose because it induced a good friend to education#af to have a delightful #8,little ,pussy' box prepared for us1 loose words1 nice big type1 two lines in a bag4 ,whoso learns #8,little ,pussy' as it should be learned will know at least one hundred words--not a bad stock-in-trade for a beginner--all of them good useful words that we want every day4 ,there is one objection2 such contractions as #8,i'll' are ugly at the best1 and ,i hope that in the word-lessons based upon #8,little ,pussy1' pieces will be chosen in which this fault is avoided4 ,steps4--,and now1 we begin4 ,matriel3 ,tommy's box of loose letters1 the new #8,little ,pussy' box1 pencil and paper1 or much better1 blackboard and chalk4 ,we write up in good big print hand #8,pussy4' ,tommy watches with interest3 he knows the letters1 and probably says them as we write4 ,besides1 he is prepared for the great event of his life2 he knows he is going to begin to learn to read to-day4 ,but we do not ask anything yet of his previous knowledge4 ,we simply tell him that the word is #8pussy4' ,interest at once2 he knows the thing1 pussy1 and the written symbol is pleasant in his eyes because it is associated with an existing idea in his mind4 ,he is told to look at the word #8pussy' until he is sure he would know it again4 ,then he makes #8pussy' from memory with his own loose letters4 ,then the little bag containing our two lines in loose words is turned out1 and he finds the word #8pussy'2 and1 lastly1 the little sheet with the poem printed on it is shown to him1 and he finds #8pussy1' but is not allowed yet to find out the run of the rhyme4 #8,coat1 little1 like1 is1 her1 warm1 ,i1 so1' are taught in the same way1 in less time than it takes to describe the lesson4 ,when each new word is learned1 ,tommy makes a column of the old ones1 and reads up and down and cris-cras1 the column on the blackboard4 ,reading ,sentences4--,he knows words now1 but he cannot yet read sentences4 ,now for the delight of reading4 ,he finds at our dictation1 amongst his loose words1 #8pussy--is--warm1' places them in #8reading' order1 one after the other1 and then reads off the sentence4 ,joy1 as of one who has found a new planet6 ,and ,tommy has indeed found a new power4 ,then1 #8her--little--coat--is--warm1' #8,pussy--is--so-- little1' #8,i--like--pussy1' #8,pussy--is--little--like--her--coat1' and so on through a dozen more little arrangements4 ,if the rhyme can be kept a secret till the whole is worked out1 so much the better4 ,to make the verses up with his own loose words will give ,tommy such a delicious sense that knowledge is power1 as few occasions in after life will afford4 ,anyway1 reading is to him a delight henceforth1 and it will require very bad management indeed to make him hate it4 ,tommy's ,second ,lesson4--,tommy promises himself another reading lesson next day1 but he has instead a spelling lesson1 conducted somewhat in this way3-- ,he makes the word #8coat' with his letters1 from memory if he can2 if not1 with the pattern word4 ,say #8coat' slowly2 give the sound of the c4 #8,take away c1 and what have we left8' ,a little help will get #8oat' from him4 ,how would you make #8boat' 7say the word very slowly1 bringing out the sound of b74 ,he knows the sounds of the letters1 and says b-oat readily2 fl-oat1 two added sounds1 which you lead him to find out2 g-oat1 he will give you the g1 and find goat a charming new word to know2 m-oat1 he easily decides on the sound of m2 a little talk about moat2 the other words are too familiar to need explanation4 ,tommy will1 no doubt1 offer #8note1' and we must make a clean breast of it and say1 #8,no1 note is spelt with other letters'2 but what other letters we do not tell him now4 ,thus he comes to learn incidentally and very gradually that different groups of letters may stand for the same sounds4 ,but we do not ask him to generalise2 we only let him have the fact that n-oat does not spell the symbol we express by #8note4' #8,stoat'--he will be able to give the sounds of the initial letters1 and stoat again calls for a little talk--another interesting word4 ,he has made a group of words with his letters1 and there they are on the blackboard in a column1 thus-- c-oat m-oat g-oat fl-oat st-oat b-oat ,he reads the column up and down and cris-cras2 every word has a meaning and carries an idea4 ,then the loose words he knows are turned out1 and we dictate new sentences1 which he arranges3 #8,i--like--her--goat'2 #8her--little--stoat--is--warm1' and so on1 making the new words with loose letters4 ,unknown ,words4--,now for a new experience4 ,we dictate #8pussy is in the boat4' ,consternation6 ,tommy does not know #8in' nor #8the4' #8,put counters for the words you don't know2 they may soon come in our lessons1' and ,tommy has a desire and a need--that is1 an appetite for learning4 ,like ,combinations have ,different ,sounds4--,we deal with the remaining words in the same way3 #8little' gives brittle1 tittle1 skittle3 pussy1 is1 ,i1 and her1 give no new words4 #8,like' gives mike and pike4 #8,so' gives no1 do 7the musical #8do'71 and lo6 ,from #8warm' we get arm1 harm1 charm1 barm1 alarm2 we pronounce warm as arm4 ,tommy perceives that such a pronunciation is wrong and vulgar1 and sees that all these words are sounded like #8arm1' but not one of them like #8warm'--that is1 he sees that the same group of letters need not always have the same sound4 ,but we do not ask him to #8make a note of' this new piece of knowledge2 we let it grow into him gradually1 after many experiences4 ,by this time he has eighteen new words on the blackboard of which to make sentences with the nine loose words of #8pussy4' ,her skittle is little1 her charm is brittle1 her arm is warm1 and so on4 ,but we take care that the sentences make sense4 ,her goat is brittle1 is #8silly1' and not to be thought of at all4 ,tommy's new words are written in his #8note-book' in print hand1 so that he can take stock of his possessions in the way of words4 ,moral ,training in ,reading ,lessons4--,the next day we do the last two lines of the stanza1 as at first4 ,these lines afford hardly any material for a spelling lesson1 so in our next lesson we go on with the second verse4 ,but our stock of words is growing2 we are able1 as we go on1 to make an almost unlimited number of little sentences4 ,if we have to use counters now and then1 why1 that only whets our appetite for knowledge4 ,by the time ,tommy has worked #8,little ,pussy' through he has quite a large stock of words2 has considerable power to attack new words with familiar combinations2 what is more1 he has achieved2 he has courage to attack all #8learning1' and has a sense that delightful results are quite within reach4 ,moreover1 he learns to read in a way that affords him some moral training4 ,there is no stumbling1 no hesitation from the first1 but bright attention and perfect achievement4 ,his reading lesson is a delight1 of which he is deprived when he comes to his lesson in a lazy1 drawling mood4 ,perfect enunciation and precision are insisted on1 and when he comes to arrange the whole of the little rhyme in his loose words and read it off 7most delightful of all the lessons7 his reading must be a perfect and finished recitation4#ag ,i believe that this is a practical common-sense way to teach reading in ,english4 ,it may be profitable for the little ,german child to work through all possible dreary combinations of letters before he is permitted to have any joy in #8reading1' because wherever these combinations occur they will have the sounds the child has learned laboriously4 ,the fact that ,english is anomalous as regards the connection between sign and sound1 happily exonerates us from enforcing this dreary grind4#ah ,,vii4--,,recitation #8,the ,children's ,art' ,on this subject ,i cannot do better than refer the reader to ,mr ,arthur ,burrell's ,recitation4#ai ,this book purports to be a handbook for teachers in elementary schools4 ,i wish that it may be very largely used by such teachers1 and may also become a family handbook2 though many of the lessons will not be called for in educated homes4 ,there is hardly any #8subject' so educative and so elevating as that which ,mr ,burrell has happily described as #8,the ,children's ,art4' ,all children have it in them to recite2 it is an imprisoned gift waiting to be delivered1 like ,ariel from the pine4 ,in this most thoughtful and methodical volume we are possessed of the fit incantations4 ,use them duly1 and out of the woodenness of even the most commonplace child steps forth the child-artist1 a delicate sprite1 who shall make you laugh and make you weep4 ,did not the great ,sir ,walter 8sway to and fro1 sobbing his fill10 to his little #8,pet's' speaking of-- 8,for ,i am sick1 and capable of fears1 ,oppressed with wrong1 and therefore full of fears2 ,a widow1 husbandless1 subject to fears2 ,a woman1 naturally born to fears08 ,marjorie ,fleming was1 to be sure1 a child-genius2 but in this book we learn by what carefully graduated steps a child who is not a genius1 is not even born of cultivated parents1 may be taught the fine art of beautiful and perfect speaking2 but that is only the first step in the acquisition of #8,the ,children's ,art4' ,the child should speak beautiful thoughts so beautifully1 with such delicate rendering of each nuance of meaning1 that he becomes to the listener the interpreter of the author's thought4 ,now1 consider what appreciation1 sympathy1 power of expression this implies1 and you will grant that #8,the ,children's ,art' is1 as ,steele said of the society of his wife1 8a liberal education in itself40 ,it is objected--#8,children are such parrots6 ,they say a thing as they hear it said2 as for troubling themselves to 8appreciate0 and 8interpret10 not a bit of it6' ,most true of the #8,my name is ,norval' style of recitation2 but throughout this volume the child is led to find the just expression of the thought for himself2 never is the poor teacher allowed to set a pattern--#8say this as ,i say it4' ,the ideas are kept well within the child's range1 and the expression is his own4 ,he is caught with guile1 his very naughtiness is pressed into service1 he finds a dozen ways of saying #8,i shan't1' is led cunningly up to the point of expressing himself1 and--he does it1 to his own surprise and delight4 ,the pieces given here for recitation are a treasure-trove of new joys4 #8,winken1 ,blinken1 and ,nod1' #8,miss ,lilywhite's ,party1' and #8,the ,two ,kittens1' would compel any child to recite4 ,try a single piece over with the author's markings and suggestions1 and you will find there is as much difference between the result and ordinary reading aloud as there is in a musical composition played with and without the composer's expression marks4 ,i hope that my readers will train their children in the art of recitation2 in the coming days1 more even than in our own1 will it behove every educated man and woman to be able to speak effectively in public2 and1 in learning to recite you learn to speak4 ,memorising4--,recitation and committing to memory are not necessarily the same thing1 and it is well to store a child's memory with a good deal of poetry1 learnt without labour4 ,some years ago ,i chanced to visit a house1 the mistress of which had educational notions of her own1 upon which she was bringing up a niece4 ,she presented me with a large foolscap sheet written all over with the titles of poems1 some of them long and difficult3 ,tintern ,abbey1 for example4 ,she told me that her niece could repeat to me any of those poems that ,i liked to ask for1 and that she had never learnt a single verse by heart in her life4 ,the girl did repeat several of the poems on the list1 quite beautifully and without hesitation2 and then the lady unfolded her secret4 ,she thought she had made a discovery1 and ,i thought so too4 ,she read a poem through to ,e42 then the next day1 while the little girl was making a doll's frock1 perhaps1 she read it again2 once again the next day1 while ,e4's hair was being brushed4 ,she got in about six or more readings1 according to the length of the poem1 at odd and unexpected times1 and in the end ,e4 could say the poem which she had not learned4 ,i have tried the plan often since1 and found it effectual4 ,the child must not try to recollect or to say the verse over to himself1 but1 as far as may be1 present an open mind to receive an impression of interest4 ,half a dozen repetitions should give children possession of such poems as--#8,dolly and ,dick1' #8,do you ask what the birds say8' #8,little lamb1 who made thee8' and the like4 ,the gains of such a method of learning are1 that the edge of the child's enjoyment is not taken off by weariful verse by verse repetitions1 and1 also1 that the habit of making mental images is unconsciously formed4 ,i remember once discussing this subject with the late ,miss ,anna ,swanwick in some connection with ,browning which ,i do not recall1 but in the course of talk an extremely curious incident transpired4 ,a lady1 a niece of ,miss ,swanwick's1 said that after a long illness1 during which she had not been allowed to do anything1 she read #8,lycidas' through1 by way of a first treat to herself as a convalescent4 ,she was surprised to find herself the next day repeating to herself long passages4 ,then she tried the whole poem and found she could say it off1 the result of this single reading1 for she had not learned the poem before her illness1 nor read it with particular attention4 ,she was much elated by the treasure-trove she had chanced upon1 and to test her powers1 she read the whole of #8,paradise ,lost1' book by book1 and with the same result1--she could repeat it book by book after a single reading6 ,she enriched herself by acquiring other treasures during her convalescence2 but as health returned1 and her mind became preoccupied with many interests1 she found she no longer had this astonishing power4 ,it is possible that the disengaged mind of a child is as free to take and as strong to hold beautiful images clothed in beautiful words as was that of this lady during her convalescence4 ,but1 let me again say1 every effort of the kind1 however unconscious1 means wear and tear of brain substance4 ,let the child lie fallow till he is six1 and then1 in this matter of memorising1 as in others1 attempt only a little1 and let the poems the child learns be simple and within the range of his own thought and imagination4 ,at the same time1 when there is so much noble poetry within a child's compass1 the pity of it1 that he should be allowed to learn twaddle6 ,,viii4--,,reading ,,for ,,older ,,children ,in teaching to read1 as in other matters1 c'est le premier pas qui cote4 ,the child who has been taught to read with care and deliberation until he has mastered the words of a limited vocabulary1 usually does the rest for himself4 ,the attention of his teachers should be fixed on two points--that he acquires the habit of reading1 and that he does not fall into slipshod habits of reading4 ,the ,habit of ,reading4--,the most common and the monstrous defect in the education of the day is that children fail to acquire the habit of reading4 ,knowledge is conveyed to them by lessons and talk1 but the studious habit of using books as a means of interest and delight is not acquired4 ,this habit should be begun early2 so soon as the child can read at all1 he should read for himself1 and to himself1 history1 legends1 fairy tales1 and other suitable matter4 ,he should be trained from the first to think that one reading of any lesson is enough to enable him to narrate what he has read1 and will thus get the habit of slow1 careful reading1 intelligent even when it is silent1 because he reads with an eye to the full meaning of every clause4 ,reading ,aloud4--,he should have practice1 too1 in reading aloud1 for the most part1 in the books he is using for his term's work4 ,these should include a good deal of poetry1 to accustom him to the delicate rendering of shades of meaning1 and especially to make him aware that words are beautiful in themselves1 that they are a source of pleasure1 and are worthy of our honour2 and that a beautiful word deserves to be beautifully said1 with a certain roundness of tone and precision of utterance4 ,quite young children are open to this sort of teaching1 conveyed1 not in a lesson1 but by a word now and then4 ,limitation4--,in this connection the teacher should not trust to setting1 as it were1 a copy in reading for the children's imitation4 ,they do imitate readily enough1 catching tricks of emphasis and action in an amusing way2 but these are mere tricks1 an aping of intelligence4 ,the child must express what he feels to be the author's meaning2 and this sort of intelligent reading comes only of the habit of reading with understanding4 ,reading to ,children4--,it is a delight to older people to read aloud to children1 but this should be only an occasional treat and indulgence1 allowed before bedtime1 for example4 ,we must remember the natural inertness of a child's mind2 give him the habit of being read to1 and he will steadily shirk the labour of reading for himself2 indeed1 we all like to be spoon-fed with our intellectual meat1 or we should read and think more for ourselves and be less eager to run after lectures4 ,questions on the ,subject-matter4--,when a child is reading1 he should not be teased with questions as to the meaning of what he has read1 the signification of this word or that2 what is annoying to older people is equally annoying to children4 ,besides1 it is not of the least consequence that they should be able to give the meaning of every word they read4 ,a knowledge of meanings1 that is1 an ample and correct vocabulary1 is only arrived at in one way--by the habit of reading4 ,a child unconsciously gets the meaning of a new word from the context1 if not the first time he meets with it1 then the second or the third3 but he is on the look-out1 and will find out for himself the sense of any expression he does not understand4 ,direct questions on the subject-matter of what a child has read are always a mistake4 ,let him narrate what he has read1 or some part of it4 ,he enjoys this sort of consecutive reproduction1 but abominates every question in the nature of a riddle4 ,if there must be riddles1 let it be his to ask and the teacher's to direct him to the answer4 ,questions that lead to a side issue or to a personal view are allowable because these interest children--#8,what would you have done in his place8' ,lesson-,books4--,a child has not begun his education until he has acquired the habit of reading to himself1 with interest and pleasure1 books fully on a level with his intelligence4 ,i am speaking now of his lesson-books1 which are all too apt to be written in a style of insufferable twaddle1 probably because they are written by persons who have never chanced to meet a child4 ,all who know children know that they do not talk twaddle and do not like it1 and prefer that which appeals to their understanding4 ,their lesson-books should offer matter for their reading1 whether aloud or to themselves2 therefore they should be written with literary power4 ,as for the matter of these books1 let us remember that children can take in ideas and principles1 whether the latter be moral or mechanical1 as quickly and clearly as we do ourselves 7perhaps more so72 but detailed processes1 lists and summaries1 blunt the edge of a child's delicate mind4 ,therefore1 the selection of their first lesson-books is a matter of grave importance1 because it rests with these to give children the idea that knowledge is supremely attractive and that reading is delightful4 ,once the habit of reading his lesson-books with delight is set up in a child1 his education is--not completed1 but--ensured2 he will go on for himself in spite of the obstructions which school too commonly throws in his way4 ,slipshod ,habits2 ,inattention4--,i have already spoken of the importance of a single reading4 ,if a child is not able to narrate what he has read once1 let him not get the notion that he may1 or that he must1 read it again4 ,a look of slight regret because there is a gap in his knowledge will convict him4 ,the power of reading with perfect attention will not be gained by the child who is allowed to moon over his lessons4 ,for this reason1 reading lessons must be short2 ten minutes or a quarter of an hour of fixed attention is enough for children of the ages we have in view1 and a lesson of this length will enable a child to cover two or three pages of his book4 ,the same rule as to the length of a lesson applies to children whose lessons are read to them because they are not yet able to read for themselves4 ,careless ,enunciation4--,it is important that1 when reading aloud1 children should make due use of the vocal organs1 and1 for this reason1 a reading lesson should be introduced by two or three simple breathing exercises1 as1 for example1 a long inspiration with closed lips and a slow expiration with open mouth4 ,if a child read through his nose1 it is well to consult a doctor2 an operation for adenoids may be necessary1 which is rarely distressing1 and should be performed while children are young4 ,provincial pronunciation and slipshod enunciation must be guarded against4 ,practice in pure vowel sounds1 and the respect for words which will not allow of their being hastily slurred over1 should cure these defects4 ,by the way1 quite little children commonly enunciate beautifully1 because a big word is a new acquirement which they delight in and make the most of2 our efforts should be directed to make older children hold words in like esteem4 ,the habit of #8minding your stops' comes of intelligent reading4 ,a child's understanding of the passage will lead him to correct pointing4 ,,ix4--,,the ,,art ,,of ,,narrating ,children ,narrate by ,nature4--,narrating is an art1 like poetry-making or painting1 because it is there1 in every child's mind1 waiting to be discovered1 and is not the result of any process of disciplinary education4 ,a creative fiat calls it forth4 #8,let him narrate'2 and the child narrates1 fluently1 copiously1 in ordered sequence1 with fit and graphic details1 with a just choice of words1 without verbosity or tautology1 so soon as he can speak with ease4 ,this amazing gift with which normal children are born is allowed to lie fallow in their education4 ,bobbie will come home with a heroic narrative of a fight he has seen between #8,duke' and a dog in the street4 ,it is wonderful6 ,he has seen everything1 and he tells everything with splendid vigour in the true epic vein2 but so ingrained is our contempt for children that we see nothing in this but ,bobbie's foolish childish way6 ,whereas here1 if we have eyes to see and grace to build1 is the ground-plan of his education4 ,until he is six1 let ,bobbie narrate only when and what he has a mind to4 ,he must not be called upon to tell anything4 ,is this the secret of the strange long talks we watch with amusement between creatures of two1 and four1 and five8 ,is it possible that they narrate while they are still inarticulate1 and that the other inarticulate person takes it all in8 ,they try us1 poor dear elders1 and we reply #8,yes1' #8,really6' #8,do you think so8' to the babble of whose meaning we have no comprehension4 ,be this as it may2 of what goes on in the dim region of #8under two' we have no assurance4 ,but wait till the little fellow has words and he will #8tell' without end to whomsoever will listen to the tale1 but1 for choice1 to his own compeers4 ,this ,power should be used in their ,education4--,let us take the goods the gods provide4 ,when the child is six1 not earlier1 let him narrate the fairy-tale which has been read to him1 episode by episode1 upon one hearing of each2 the ,bible tale read to him in the words of the ,bible2 the well-written animal story2 or all about other lands from some such volume as ,the ,world at ,home4#bj ,the seven-years-old boy will have begun to read for himself1 but must get most of his intellectual nutriment1 by ear1 certainly1 but read to him out of books4 ,geography1 sketches from ancient history1 ,robinson ,crusoe1#bj;a ,the ,pilgrim's ,progress1#bj;a ,tanglewood ,tales1#bj;a ,heroes of ,asgard1#bj;a and much of the same calibre1 will occupy him until he is eight4 ,the points to be borne in mind are1 that he should have no book which is not a child's classic2 and that1 given the right book1 it must not be diluted with talk or broken up with questions1 but given to the boy in fit portions as wholesome meat for his mind1 in the full trust that a child's mind is able to deal with its proper food4 ,the child of eight or nine is able to tackle the more serious material of knowledge2 but our business for the moment is with what children under nine can narrate4 ,method of ,lesson4--,in every case the reading should be consecutive from a well-chosen book4 ,before the reading for the day begins1 the teacher should talk a little 7and get the children to talk7 about the last lesson1 with a few words about what is to be read1 in order that the children may be animated by expectation2 but she should beware of explanation1 and1 especially1 of forestalling the narrative4 ,then1 she may read two or three pages1 enough to include an episode2 after that1 let her call upon the children to narrate1--in turns1 if there be several of them4 ,they not only narrate with spirit and accuracy1 but succeed in catching the style of their author4 ,it is not wise to tease them with corrections2 they may begin with an endless chain of #8ands1' but they soon leave this off1 and their narrations become good enough in style and composition to be put in a #8print book'6 ,this sort of narration lesson should not occupy more than a quarter of an hour4 ,the book should always be deeply interesting1 and when the narration is over1 there should be a little talk in which moral points are brought out1 pictures shown to illustrate the lesson1 or diagrams drawn on the blackboard4 ,as soon as children are able to read with ease and fluency1 they read their own lesson1 either aloud or silently1 with a view to narration2 but where it is necessary to make omissions1 as in the ,old ,testament narratives and ,plutarch's ,lives for example1 it is better that the teacher should always read the lesson which is to be narrated4 ,x4--,,writing ,perfect ,accomplishment4--,i can only offer a few hints on the teaching of writing1 though much might be said4 ,first1 let the child accomplish something perfectly in every lesson--a stroke1 a pothook1 a letter4 ,let the writing lesson be short2 it should not last more than five or ten minutes4 ,ease in writing comes by practice2 but that must be secured later4 ,in the meantime1 the thing to be avoided is the habit of careless work--humpy m's1 angular o's4 ,printing4--,but the child should have practice in printing before he begins to write4 ,first1 let him print the simplest of the capital letters with single curves and straight lines4 ,when he can make the capitals and large letters1 with some firmness and decision1 he might go on to the small letters--#8printed' as in the type we call #8italics1' only upright1--as simple as possible1 and large4 ,steps in ,teaching4--,let the stroke be learned first2 then the pothook2 then the letters of which the pothook is an element--n1 m1 v1 w1 r1 h1 p1 y2 then o1 and letters of which the curve is an element--a1 c1 g1 e1 x1 s1 q2 then looped and irregular letters--b1 l1 f1 t1 etc4 ,one letter should be perfectly formed in a day and the next day the same elemental forms repeated in another letter1 until they become familiar4 ,by-and-by copies1 three or four of the letters they have learned grouped into a word--#8man1' #8aunt'2 the lesson to be the production of the written word once without a single fault in any letter4 ,at this stage the chalk and blackboard are better than pen and paper1 as it is well that the child should rub out and rub out until his own eye is satisfied with the word or letter he has written4 ,of the further stages1 little need be said4 ,secure that the child begins by making perfect letters and is never allowed to make faulty ones1 and the rest he will do for himself2 as for #8a good hand1' do not hurry him2 his #8handwriting' will come by-and-by1 out of the character that is in him2 but1 as a child1 he cannot be said1 strictly speaking1 to have character4 ,set good copies before him1 and see that he imitates his model dutifully3 the writing lesson being1 not so many lines1 or #8a copy'--that is1 a page of writing--but a single line which is as exactly as possible a copy of the characters set4 ,the child may have to write several lines before he succeeds in producing this4 ,text-hand4--,if he write in books with copperplate headlines 7which are1 on the whole1 to be eschewed71 discrimination should be exercised in the choice of these2 in many of them the writing is atrocious1 and the letters are adorned with flourishes which increase the pupil's labour but by no means improve his style4 ,one word more2 do not hurry the child into #8small hand'2 it is unnecessary that he should labour much over what is called #8large hand1' but #8text-hand1' the medium size1 should be continued until he makes the letters with ease4 ,it is much easier for the child to get into an irregular scribble by way of #8small-hand1' than to get out of it again4 ,in this1 as in everything else1 the care of the educator must be given1 not only to the formation of good1 but to the prevention of bad habits4 ,a #8,new ,handwriting4'--,some years ago ,i heard of a lady who was elaborating1 by means of the study of old ,italian and other manuscripts1 a #8system of beautiful handwriting' which could be taught to children4 ,i waited patiently1 though not without some urgency1 for the production of this new kind of #8copy-book4' ,the need for such an effort was very great1 for the distinctly commonplace writing taught from existing copy-books1 however painstaking and legible1 cannot but have a rather vulgarising effect both on the writer and the reader of such manuscript4 ,at last the lady1 ,mrs ,robert ,bridges1 has succeeded in her tedious and difficult undertaking1 and this book for teachers will enable them to teach their pupils a style of writing which is pleasant to acquire because it is beautiful to behold4 ,it is surprising how quickly young children1 even those already confirmed in #8ugly' writing1 take to this #8new handwriting4' ,but ,mrs ,bridges' purpose in ,a ,new ,handwriting will be better understood by some passages quoted1 with her permission1 from her preface3--8,the accompanying ten plates are intended chiefly for those who teach writing3 a few words1 both of apology and explanation1 are needed to introduce them4 ,i was always interested in handwriting1 and after making acquaintance with the ,italianised ,gothic of the sixteenth century1 ,i consciously altered my hand towards some likeness with its forms and general character4 ,the script happening to please1 ,i was often asked to make alphabets and copies1 and begged by professional teachers to have such a book as this printed1 that they might use it in their schools4 ,one can never quite satisfy oneself in the making of models for others to copy1 but these plates are very much what ,i intended1 though1 owing to my inexperience1 some of them have suffered in the reproduction4444 ,a child must first learn to control his hand and constrain it to obey his eye2 at this earliest stage1 any simple forms will serve the purpose2 and hence it might be further argued that the forms are always indifferent1 and that full mastery of the hand can be as well attained by copying bad models as good2 but this can hardly be3 the ordinary copybook1 the aim of which seems to be to economise the component parts of the letters1 cannot train the hand as more varied shapes will2 nor does this uniformity1 exclusive of beauty1 offer as good training to the eye4 ,moreover1 ,i should say that variety and beauty of form are attractive1 even to little children1 and that the attempt to create something which interests them1 cheers and crowns their stupendous efforts with a pleasure that cannot be looked for in the task of copying monotonous shapes4 ,but whether such a hand as that here shown lends itself as easily as the more uniform model to the development of a quick1 useful cursive1 ,i cannot say2 and it is possible that the degradations1 inevitable in the habit of quick writing1 might produce a mere untidiness1 almost the worst reproach of penmanship4 ,some of the best ,english hands of to-day are as good a quick cursive as one can desire1 and show points of real beauty2 but such hands are rare1 and are only those which have1 as we say1 character2 which probably means that the writer would have done well for himself under any system3 whereas the average hands1 which are the natural outcome of the old copybook writing1 degraded by haste1 seem to owe their common ugliness to the mean type from which they sprang2 and the writers1 when they have occasion to write well1 find they can do but little better1 and only prove that haste was not the real cause of their bad writing40 ,how to ,use4--,the method of using ,mrs ,bridges' ,handwriting1#ba which we find most effectual1 is to practise each form on the blackboard from the plate1 and later to use pencil1 and still later pen and ink4 ,by-and-by the children will be promoted to transcribe little poems1 and so on1 in this very pleasing script4 ,set headlines are to be avoided1 as children fail to use the forms of the headline in their ordinary writing4 ,it is sometimes objected that this rather elaborate and beautiful handwriting will interfere with a characteristic #8hand1' but it seems to me that to have a beautiful1 instead of a commonplace1 basis for handwriting is a great gain4 ,,xi4--,,transcription ,value of ,transcription4--,the earliest practice in writing proper for children of seven or eight should be1 not letter-writing or dictation1 but transcription1 slow and beautiful work1 for which the ,new ,handwriting is to be preferred1 though perhaps some of the more ornate characters may be omitted with advantage4 ,transcription should be an introduction to spelling4 ,children should be encouraged to look at the word1 see a picture of it with their eyes shut1 and then write from memory4 ,children should ,transcribe favourite ,passages4--,a certain sense of possession and delight may be added to this exercise if children are allowed to choose for transcription their favourite verse in one poem and another4 ,this is better than to write a favourite poem1 an exercise which stales on the little people before it is finished4 ,but a book of their own1 made up of their own chosen verses1 should give them pleasure4 ,small ,text-hand--,double-ruled ,lines4--,double-ruled lines1 small text-hand1 should be used at first1 as children are eager to write very minute #8small hand1' and once they have fallen into this habit it is not easy to get good writing4 ,a sense of beauty in their writing and in the lines they copy should carry them over this stage of their work with pleasure4 ,not more than ten minutes or a quarter of an hour should be given to the early writing-lessons4 ,if they are longer the children get tired and slovenly4 ,position in ,writing4--,for the writing position children should sit so that light reaches them from the left1 and desk or table should be at a comfortable height4 ,it would be a great gain if children were taught from the first to hold the pen between the first and second fingers1 steadying it with the thumb4 ,this position avoids the uncomfortable strain on the muscles produced by the usual way of holding a pen--a strain which causes writer's cramp in later days when there is much writing to be done4 ,the pen should be held in a comfortable position1 rather near the point1 fingers and thumb somewhat bent1 and the hand resting on the paper4 ,the writer should also be allowed to support himself with the left hand on the paper1 and should write in an easy position1 with bent head but not with stooping figure4 ,it would be unnecessary to say that the flat of the nib should be used if children had not a happy gift for making spider marks with the nib held sideways4 ,in all writing lessons1 free use should be made of the blackboard by both teacher and children by way of model and practice4 ,desks4--,the best desks ,i know are those recommended by ,dr ,roth1#bb single desks which may be raised or lowered1 moved backwards or forwards1 with seat1 back1 and a back pad1 and rests for the feet4 ,there may be others as good1 even better1 in the market1 but these seem to answer every purpose4 ,children's ,table4--,for little children it is a good plan to have a table of the right height made by the house carpenter1 the top of the table consisting of two leaves with hinges4 ,these leaves open in the middle1 and disclose a sort of box in the space which is often used for a drawer1 the table-top itself making the lids of the box4 ,such a receptacle for the children's books1 writing materials1 etc41 is more easily kept neat by themselves than is an ordinary drawer or box4 ,,xii4--,,spelling ,,and ,,dictation ,of all the mischievous exercises in which children spend their school hours1 dictation1 as commonly practised1 is perhaps the most mischievous2 and this1 because people are slow to understand that there is no part of a child's work at school which some philosophic principle does not underlie4 ,a ,fertile ,cause of ,bad ,spelling4--,the common practice is for the teacher to dictate a passage1 clause by clause1 repeating each clause1 perhaps1 three or four times under a fire of questions from the writers4 ,every line has errors in spelling1 one1 two1 three1 perhaps4 ,the conscientious teacher draws her pencil under these errors1 or solemnly underlines them with red ink4 ,the children correct in various fashions2 sometimes they change books1 and each corrects the errors of another1 copying the word from the book or from the blackboard4 ,a few benighted teachers still cause children to copy their own error along with the correction1 which last is written three or four times1 learned1 and spelt to the teacher4 ,the latter is astonished at the pure perversity which causes the same errors to be repeated again and again1 notwithstanding all these painstaking efforts4 ,the ,rationale of ,spelling4--,but the fact is1 the gift of spelling depends upon the power the eye possesses to #8take' 7in a photographic sense7 a detailed picture of a word2 and this is a power and habit which must be cultivated in children from the first4 ,when they have read #8cat1' they must be encouraged to see the word with their eyes shut1 and the same habit will enable them to image #8,thermopyl4' ,this picturing of words upon the retina appears to me to be the only royal road to spelling2 an error once made and corrected leads to fearful doubt for the rest of one's life1 as to which was the wrong way and which the right4 ,most of us are haunted by some such doubt as to whether #8balance1' for instance1 should have one #8l' or two2 and the doubt is born of a correction4 ,once the eye sees a misspelt word1 that image remains2 and if there is also the image of the word rightly spelt1 we are perplexed as to which is which4 ,now we see why there could not be a more ingenious way of making bad spellers than #8dictation' as it is commonly taught4 ,every misspelt word is an image in the child's brain not to be obliterated by the right spelling4 ,it becomes1 therefore1 the teacher's business to prevent false spelling1 and1 if an error has been made1 to hide it away1 as it were1 so that the impression may not become fixed4 ,steps of a ,dictation ,lesson4--,dictation lessons1 conducted in some such way as the following1 usually result in good spelling4 ,a child of eight or nine prepares a paragraph1 older children a page1 or two or three pages4 ,the child prepares by himself1 by looking at the word he is not sure of1 and then seeing it with his eyes shut4 ,before he begins1 the teacher asks what words he thinks will need his attention4 ,he generally knows1 but the teacher may point out any word likely to be a cause of stumbling4 ,he lets his teacher know when he is ready4 ,the teacher asks if there are any words he is not sure of4 ,these she puts1 one by one1 on the blackboard1 letting the child look till he has a picture1 and then rubbing the word out4 ,if anyone is still doubtful he should be called to put the word he is not sure of on the board1 the teacher watching to rub out the word when a wrong letter begins to appear1 and again helping the child to get a mental picture4 ,then the teacher gives out the dictation1 clause by clause1 each clause repeated once4 ,she dictates with a view to the pointing1 which the children are expected to put in as they write2 but they must not be told #8comma1' #8semicolon1' etc4 ,after the sort of preparation ,i have described1 which takes ten minutes or less1 there is rarely an error in spelling4 ,if there be1 it is well worth while for the teacher to be on the watch with slips of stamp-paper to put over the wrong word1 that its image may be erased as far as possible4 ,at the end of the lesson1 the child should again study the wrong word in his book until he says he is sure of it1 and should write it correctly on the stamp-paper4 ,a lesson of this kind secures the hearty co-operation of children1 who feel they take their due part in it2 and it also prepares them for the second condition of good spelling1 which is--much reading combined with the habit of imaging the words as they are read4 ,illiterate spelling is usually a sign of sparse reading2 but1 sometimes1 of hasty reading without the habit of seeing the words that are skimmed over4 ,spelling must not be lost sight of in the children's other studies1 though they should not be teased to spell4 ,it is well to write a difficult proper name1 for example1 on the blackboard in the course of history or geography readings1 rubbing the word out when the children say they can see it4 ,the whole secret of spelling lies in the habit of visualising words from memory1 and children must be trained to visualise in the course of their reading4 ,they enjoy this way of learning to spell4 ,,xiii4--,,composition ,george ,osborne's ,essay4--8,what a prodigiously well-read and delightful person the ,reverend ,lawrence ,veal was1 ,george's master6 #8,he knows everything1' ,amelia said4 #8,he says there is no place in the bar or the senate that ,georgy may not aspire to4 ,look here1' and she went to the piano-drawer and drew out a theme of ,george's composition4 ,this great effort of genius1 which is still in the possession of ,georgy's mother1 is as follows3-- 8#8,on ,selfishness4--,of all the vices which degrade the human character1 ,selfishness is the most odious and contemptible4 ,an undue love of ,self leads to the most monstrous crimes1 and occasions the greatest misfortunes both in ,states and ,families4 ,as a selfish man will impoverish his family and often bring them to ruin2 so a selfish king brings ruin on his people and often plunges them into war4 ,example3 ,the selfishness of ,achilles1 as remarked by the poet ,homer1 occasioned a thousand woes to the ,greeks--' ' --7,hom41 ,il41 ,a4 #b74 ,the selfishness of the late ,napoleon ,bonaparte occasioned innumerable wars in ,europe1 and caused him to perish1 himself1 in a miserable island--that of ,st ,helena in the ,atlantic ,ocean4 8#8,we see by these examples that we are not to consult our own interest and ambition1 but that we are to consider the interests of others as well as our own4 ,,george ,s4 ,,osborne4 8#8,,athen ,,house1 #bd ,april #ahbg4' 8#8,think of him' 7,george was #aj7 #8writing such a hand1 and quoting ,greek too1 at his age1' the delighted mother said40 ,and well might ,mrs ,george ,sedley be delighted4 ,would not many a mother to-day triumph in such a literary effort8 ,what can ,thackeray be laughing at8 ,or does he1 in truth1 give us this little #8theme' as a tour de force8 ,an ,educational ,futility4--,i think this great moral teacher here throws down the gauntlet in challenge of an educational futility which is practised1 and an educational fallacy which is accepted1 even in the twentieth century4 ,that futility is the exaction of original composition from schoolboys and schoolgirls4 ,the proper function of the mind of the young scholar is to collect material for the generalisations of after-life4 ,if a child is asked to generalise1 that is1 to write an essay upon some abstract theme1 a double wrong is done him4 ,he is brought up before a stone wall by being asked to do what is impossible to him1 and that is discouraging4 ,but a worse moral injury happens to him in that1 having no thought of his own to offer on the subject1 he puts together such tags of commonplace thought as have come in his way and offers the whole as his #8composition1' an effort which puts a strain upon his conscience while it piques his vanity4 ,in these days masters do not consciously put their hand to the work of their pupils as did that #8prodigiously well-read and delightful' master who had the educating of ,george ,osborne4 ,but1 perhaps without knowing it1 they give the ideas which the cunning schoolboy seizes to #8stick' into the #8essay' he hates4 ,sometimes they do more4 ,they deliberately teach children how to #8build a sentence' and how to #8bind sentences' together4 ,lessons in ,composition4--,here is a series of preliminary exercises 7or rather a part of the series1 which numbers #dj7 intended to help a child to write an essay on #8,an ,umbrella1' from a book of the hour proceeding from one of our best publishing houses3-- 8,step ,i4 8#a4 ,what are you8 8#b4 ,how did you get your name8 8#c4 ,who uses you8 8#d4 ,what were you once8 8#e4 ,what were you like then8 8#f4 ,where were you obtained or found8 8#g4 ,of what stuff or materials are you made8 8#h4 ,from what sources do you come8 8#i4 ,what are your parts8 8#aj4 ,are you made1 grown1 or fitted together8 99 99 99 99 99 8,step ,,ii4 8,i am an umbrella1 and am used by many people1 young and old4 8,i get my name from a word which means a shade4 8,the stick came perhaps from ,america1 and is quite smooth1 even1 and polished1 so that the metal ring may slide easily up and down the stick4 8,my parts are a frame and a cover4 ,my frame consists of a stick about a yard long1 wires1 and a sliding metal band4 ,at the lower end of the stick is a steel ferrule or ring4 ,this keeps the end from wearing away when ,i am used in walking4 8,step ,,iii4 8,now use it1 is1 are1 and was1 instead of ,i1 have1 my1 and am4 99 99 99 99 99 8,exercise4 8,now write out your own description of it40 ,such ,teaching a ,public ,danger4--,and this is work intended for ,standards ,,vi4 and ,,vii46 ,that is to say1 this kind of thing is the final literary effort to be exacted from children in our elementary schools6 ,the two volumes 7,i quote from near the end of the second and more advanced volume7 are not to be gibbeted as exceptionally bad4 ,a few years ago the appalling discovery was made that1 both in secondary and elementary schools1 #8composition' was dreadfully defective1 and1 therefore1 badly taught4 ,since then many volumes have been produced1 more or less on the lines indicated in the above citation1 and distinguished publishers have not perceived that to offer to the public1 with the sanction of their name1 works of this sterilising and injurious character1 is an offence against society4 ,the body of a child is sacred in the eye of the law1 but his intellectual powers may be annihilated on such starvation diet as this1 and nothing said6 ,the worst of it is1 both authors and publishers in every case act upon the fallacy that well-intentioned effort is always excusable1 if not praiseworthy4 ,they do not perceive that no effort is permissible towards the education of children without an intelligent conception1 both of children1 and of what is meant by education4 #8,composition' comes by ,nature4--,in fact1 lessons on #8composition' should follow the model of that famous essay on 8,snakes in ,ireland0--8,there are none40 ,for children under nine1 the question of composition resolves itself into that of narration1 varied by some such simple exercise as to write a part and narrate a part1 or write the whole account of a walk they have taken1 a lesson they have studied1 or of some simple matter that they know4 ,before they are ten1 children who have been in the habit of using books will write good1 vigorous ,english with ease and freedom2 that is1 if they have not been hampered by instructions4 ,it is well for them not even to learn rules for the placing of full stops and capitals until they notice how these things occur in their books4 ,our business is to provide children with material in their lessons1 and1 leave the handling of such material to themselves4 ,if we would believe it1 composition is as natural as jumping and running to children who have been allowed due use of books4 ,they should narrate in the first place1 and they will compose1 later1 readily enough2 but they should not be taught #8composition4' ,,xiv4--,,bible ,,lessons ,children enjoy the ,bible4--,we are apt to believe that children cannot be interested in the ,bible unless its pages be watered down--turned into the slipshod ,english we prefer to offer them4 ,here is a suggestive anecdote of the childhood of ,mrs ,harrison1 one of the pair of little ,quaker maidens introduced to us in the ,autobiography of ,mary ,howitt1 the better known of the sisters4 8,one day she found her way into a lumber room4 ,there she caught sight of an old ,bible1 and turning over its yellow leaves she came upon words that she had not heard at the usual morning readings1 the opening chapters of ,st ,luke--which her father objected to read aloud--and the closing chapter of ,revelation4 ,the exquisite picture of the ,great ,child's birth in the one chapter1 and the beauty of the description of the ,new ,jerusalem in the other1 were seized upon by the eager little girl of six years old with a rapture which1 she used to say1 no novel in after years ever produced40 ,and here is a mention of a child of five4 8,the little ones read every day the events of ,holy ,week with me4 ,z4 is inexpressibly interesting in his deep1 reverent interest1 almost excitement40 ,we are probably quite incapable of measuring the religious receptivity of children4 ,nevertheless1 their fitness to apprehend the deep things of ,god is a fact with which we are called to #8deal prudently1' and to deal reverently4 ,and that1 because1 as none can appreciate more fully than the #8,darwinian1' the attitude of thought and feeling in which you place a child is the vital factor in his education4 ,should know the ,bible ,text4--,children between the ages of six and nine should get a considerable knowledge of the ,bible text4 ,by nine they should have read the simple 7and suitable7 narrative portions of the ,old ,testament1 and1 say1 two of the gospels4 ,the ,old ,testament should1 for various reasons1 be read to children4 ,the gospel stories1 they might read for themselves as soon as they can read them beautifully4 ,it is a mistake to use paraphrases of the text2 the fine roll of ,bible ,english appeals to children with a compelling music1 and they will probably retain through life their first conception of the ,bible scenes1 and1 also1 the very words in which these scenes are portrayed4 ,this is a great possession4 ,half the clever talk we hear to-day1 and half the uneasiness which underlies this talk1 are due to a thorough and perfect ignorance of the ,bible text4 ,the points of assault are presented to men's minds naked and jagged1 without atmosphere1 perspective1 proportion2 until the ,bible comes to mean for many1 the speaking of ,balaam's ass or the standing still of the sun at ,joshua's bidding4 ,but let the imaginations of children be stored with the pictures1 their minds nourished upon the words1 of the gradually unfolding story of the ,scriptures1 and they will come to look out upon a wide horizon within which persons and events take shape in their due place and in due proportion4 ,by degrees1 they will see that the world is a stage whereon the goodness of ,god is continually striving with the wilfulness of man2 that some heroic men take sides with ,god2 and that others1 foolish and headstrong1 oppose themselves to ,him4 ,the fire of enthusiasm will kindle in their breast1 and the children1 too1 will take their side1 without much exhortation1 or any thought or talk of spiritual experience4 ,essential and ,accidental ,truth4--,as for whether such and such a narrative be a myth1 or a parable1 or a circumstance that has actually occurred1 such questions do not affect the sincere mind of a child1 because they have nothing to do with the main issues4 ,it is quite well to bring before children1 in the course of their ,bible readings1 whatever new light modern research puts in our way2 the more we can help them in this way1 the more vivid and real will ,bible teaching become to them4 ,but this grace1 at any rate1 the children may claim at our hands1 that they shall not be disturbed by questions of authenticity in their ,bible reading any more than in their reading of ,english history4 ,let them hear the story of the ,garden of ,eden1 for example1 as it stands2 just so1 we might even let them have the story of the man who went fishing and found a goodly pearl2 and this1 because the thing that matters in both stories is the essential truths they embody1 and not the mere accidents of time and place4 ,it is conceivable that the #8pearl of great price' was matter of current talk at the time2 a so-called #8fact' seized upon by our ,lord to make of it the vehicle for essential truth4 ,if we will believe it1 the minds of children are1 perhaps1 more fit than our own to appropriate and deal with truth4 ,by-and-by they will perceive1 and discard1 if necessary1 the accidental circumstances with which the truth is clothed upon2 but let us be very chary of our own action4 ,let us remember that neither we nor the children can bear the white light of naked truth2 that if1 for example1 we succeed in destroying the clothing that covers the story of the first fall--the tree and its fruit1 the tempting serpent1 the yielding woman--we have no other clothing at hand for the fundamental truths of responsibility1 temptation1 sin2 and1 once uncovered1 with no vesture which we can lay hold upon1 the truths themselves will assuredly slip from our grasp4 ,we need not be at the pains to discriminate1 in teaching children ,bible narratives1 between essential and accidental truth--the truth which interprets our own lives1 and that which concerns only the time1 place1 and circumstances proper to the narrative4 ,the children themselves will discern and keep fast hold of the essential1 while the merely accidental slips from their memory as from ours4 ,therefore1 let the minds of young children be well stored with the beautiful narratives of the earlier portions of the ,old ,testament and of the gospels2 but1 in order that these stories may be always fresh and delightful to them1 care must be taken lest ,bible teaching stale upon their minds4 ,children are more capable of being bored than even we ourselves1 and many a revolt has been brought about by the undue rubbing-in of the ,bible1 in season and out of season1 even in nursery days4 ,but we are considering1 not the religious life of children1 but their education by lessons2 and their ,bible lessons should help them to realise in early days that the knowledge of ,god is the principal knowledge1 and1 therefore1 that their ,bible lessons are their chief lessons4 ,method of ,bible ,lessons4--,the method of such lessons is very simple4 ,read aloud to the children a few verses covering1 if possible1 an episode4 ,read reverently1 carefully1 and with just expression4 ,then require the children to narrate what they have listened to as nearly as possible in the words of the ,bible4 ,it is curious how readily they catch the rhythm of the majestic and simple ,bible ,english4 ,then1 talk the narrative over with them in the light of research and criticism4 ,let the teaching1 moral and spiritual1 reach them without much personal application4 ,i know of no better help in the teaching of young children than we get in ,canon ,paterson ,smyth's ,bible for the ,young4 ,mr ,smyth brings both modern criticism and research to bear1 so that children taught from his little manuals will not be startled to be told later that the world was not made in six days2 and1 at the same time1 they will be very sure that the world was made by ,god4 ,the moral and spiritual teaching in these manuals is on broad and convincing lines4 ,it is rather a good plan occasionally to read aloud ,mr ,smyth's lesson on the subject after the ,bible passage has been narrated4 ,children are more ready to appropriate lessons that are not directly levelled at themselves2 while the teacher makes the teaching her own by the interest with which she reads1 the pictures and other illustrations she shows1 and her conversational remarks4 ,picture ,illustrations4--,the pictures in the ,illustrated ,new ,testament are1 at the same time1 reverent and actual1 an unusual combination1 and children enjoy them greatly4 ,it would be well for them to have only the penny gospel they are reading1 but it should perhaps be protected 7and honoured7 by an embroidered cover4 ,a tattered ,bible is not a wholesome sight for children4 ,the ,holy ,gospels with ,illustrations from the ,old ,masters1#bc published by the ,s4,p4,c4,k41 is admirable4 ,the study of such pictures as are here reproduced should be a valuable part of a child's education2 it is no slight thing to realise how the ,nativity and the visit of the ,wise ,men filled the imagination of the early ,masters1 and with what exceeding reverence and delight they dwelt upon every detail of the sacred story4 ,this sort of impression is not to be had from any up-to-date treatment1 or up-to-date illustrations2 and the child who gets it in early days1 will have a substratum of reverent feeling upon which should rest his faith4 ,but it is well to let the pictures tell their own tale4 ,the children should study a subject quietly for a few minutes2 and then1 the picture being removed1 say what they have seen in it4 ,it will be found that they miss no little reverent or suggestive detail which the artist has thought well to include4 ,the various ,r4,t4,s4 publications issued in the series of ,bypaths of ,bible ,knowledge will be found very helpful by the teacher1 as illustrating modern research2 notably1 ,professor ,sayce's ,fresh ,light from ,ancient ,monuments1 and ,budge's ,dwellers on the ,nile4#bd ,bible ,recitations4--,the learning by heart of ,bible passages should begin while the children are quite young1 six or seven4 ,it is a delightful thing to have the memory stored with beautiful1 comforting1 and inspiring passages1 and we cannot tell when and how this manner of seed may spring up1 grow1 and bear fruit2 but the learning of the parable of the ,prodigal ,son1 for example1 should not be laid on the children as a burden4 ,the whole parable should be read to them in a way to bring out its beauty and tenderness2 and then1 day by day1 the teacher should recite a short passage1 perhaps two or three verses1 saying it over some three or four times until the children think they know it4 ,then1 but not before1 let them recite the passage4 ,next day the children will recite what they have already learned1 and so on1 until they are able to say the whole parable4 ,,xv4--,,arithmetic ,educative ,value of ,arithmetic4--,of all his early studies1 perhaps none is more important to the child as a means of education than that of arithmetic4 ,that he should do sums is of comparatively small importance2 but the use of those functions which #8summing' calls into play is a great part of education2 so much so1 that the advocates of mathematics and of language as instruments of education have1 until recently1 divided the field pretty equally between them4 ,the practical value of arithmetic to persons in every class of life goes without remark4 ,but the use of the study in practical life is the least of its uses4 ,the chief value of arithmetic1 like that of the higher mathematics1 lies in the training it affords to the reasoning powers1 and in the habits of insight1 readiness1 accuracy1 intellectual truthfulness it engenders4 ,there is no one subject in which good teaching effects more1 as there is none in which slovenly teaching has more mischievous results4 ,multiplication does not produce the #8right answer1' so the boy tries division2 that again fails1 but subtraction may get him out of the bog4 ,there is no must be to him2 he does not see that one process1 and one process only1 can give the required result4 ,now1 a child who does not know what rule to apply to a simple problem within his grasp1 has been ill taught from the first1 although he may produce slatefuls of quite right sums in multiplication or long division4 ,problems within the ,child's ,grasp4--,how is this insight1 this exercise of the reasoning powers1 to be secured8 ,engage the child upon little problems within his comprehension from the first1 rather than upon set sums4 ,the young governess delights to set a noble #8long division sum1'--#iec1ghc1dfe #hgc--which shall fill the child's slate1 and keep him occupied for a good half-hour2 and when it is finished1 and the child is finished too1 done up with the unprofitable labour1 the sum is not right after all3 the two last figures in the quotient are wrong1 and the remainder is false4 ,but he cannot do it again--he must not be discouraged by being told it is wrong2 so1 #8nearly right' is the verdict1 a judgment inadmissible in arithmetic4 ,instead of this laborious task1 which gives no scope for mental effort1 and in which he goes to sea at last from sheer want of attention1 say to him-- 8,mr ,jones sent six hundred and seven1 and ,mr ,stevens eight hundred and nineteen1 apples to be divided amongst the twenty-seven boys at school on ,monday4 ,how many apples apiece did they get80 ,here he must ask himself certain questions4 #8,how many apples altogether8 ,how shall ,i find out8 ,then ,i must divide the apples into twenty-seven heaps to find out each boy's share4' ,that is to say1 the child perceives what rules he must apply to get the required information4 ,he is interested2 the work goes on briskly3 the sum is done in no time1 and is probably right1 because the attention of the child is concentrated on his work4 ,care must be taken to give the child such problems as he can work1 but yet which are difficult enough to cause him some little mental effort4 ,demonstrate4--,the next point is to demonstrate everything demonstrable4 ,the child may learn the multiplication-table and do a subtraction sum without any insight into the rationale of either4 ,he may even become a good arithmetician1 applying rules aptly1 without seeing the reason of them2 but arithmetic becomes an elementary mathematical training only in so far as the reason why of every process is clear to the child4 #b #b #d1 is a self-evident fact1 admitting of little demonstration2 but #d #g #bh may be proved4 ,he has a bag of beans2 places four rows with seven beans in a row2 adds the rows1 thus3 #g and #g are #ad1 and #g are #ba1 and #g are #bh2 how many sevens in #bh8 #d4 ,therefore it is right to say #d #g #bh2 and the child sees that multiplication is only a short way of doing addition4 ,a bag of beans1 counters1 or buttons should be used in all the early arithmetic lessons1 and the child should be able to work with these freely1 and even to add1 subtract1 multiply1 and divide mentally1 without the aid of buttons or beans1 before he is set to #8do sums' on his slate4 ,he may arrange an addition table with his beans1 thus-- #c beans #d 0 #e 0 and be exercised upon it until he can tell1 first without counting1 and then without looking at the beans1 that #b #g #i1 etc4 ,thus with #c1 #d1 #e1--;each of the digits3 as he learns each line of his addition table1 he is exercised upon imaginary objects1 #8#d apples and #i apples1' #8#d nuts and #f nuts1' etc42 and lastly1 with abstract numbers--#f #e1 #f #h4 ,a subtraction table is worked out simultaneously with the addition table4 ,as he works out each line of additions1 he goes over the same ground1 only taking away one bean1 or two beans1 instead of adding1 until he is able to answer quite readily1 #b from #g8 #b from #e8 ,after working out each line of addition or subtraction1 he may put it on his slate with the proper signs1 that is1 if he have learned to make figures4 ,it will be found that it requires a much greater mental effort on the child's part to grasp the idea of subtraction than that of addition1 and the teacher must be content to go slowly--one finger from four fingers1 one nut from three nuts1 and so forth1 until he knows what he is about4 ,when the child can add and subtract numbers pretty freely up to twenty1 the multiplication and division tables may be worked out with beans1 as far as #f #ab2 that is1 #8twice #f are #ab' will be ascertained by means of two rows of beans1 six beans in a row4 ,when the child can say readily1 without even a glance at his beans1 #b #h #af1 #b #g #ad1 etc41 he will take #d1 #f1 #h1 #aj1 #ab beans1 and divide them into groups of two3 then1 how many twos in #aj1 in #ab1 in #bj8 ,and so on1 with each line of the multiplication table that he works out4 ,problems4--,now he is ready for more ambitious problems3 thus1 #8,a boy had twice ten apples2 how many heaps of #d could he make8' ,he will be able to work with promiscuous numbers1 as #g #e - #c4 ,if he must use beans to get his answer1 let him2 but encourage him to work with imaginary beans1 as a step towards working with abstract numbers4 ,carefully graduated teaching and daily mental effort on the child's part at this early stage may be the means of developing real mathematical power1 and will certainly promote the habits of concentration and effort of mind4 ,notation4--,when the child is able to work pretty freely with small numbers1 a serious difficulty must be faced1 upon his thorough mastery of which will depend his apprehension of arithmetic as a science2 in other words1 will depend the educational value of all the sums he may henceforth do4 ,he must be made to understand our system of notation4 ,here1 as before1 it is best to begin with the concrete3 let the child get the idea of ten units in one ten after he has mastered the more easily demonstrable idea of twelve pence in one shilling4 ,let him have a heap of pennies1 say fifty3 point out the inconvenience of carrying such weighty money to shops4 ,lighter money is used--shillings4 ,how many pennies is a shilling worth8 ,how many shillings1 then1 might he have for his fifty pennies8 ,he divides them into heaps of twelve1 and finds that he has four such heaps1 and two pennies over2 that is to say1 fifty pence are 7or are worth7 four shillings and twopence4 ,i buy ten pounds of biscuits at fivepence a pound2 they cost fifty pence1 but the shopman gives me a bill for #ds4 #b;d42 show the child how put down3 the pennies1 which are worth least1 to the right2 the shillings1 which are worth more1 to the left4 ,when the child is able to work freely with shillings and pence1 and to understand that #b in the right-hand column of figures is pence1 #b in the left-hand column1 shillings1 introduce him to the notion of tens and units1 being content to work very gradually4 ,tell him of uncivilised peoples who can only count so far as five--who say #8five-five beasts in the forest1' #8five-five fish in the river1' when they wish to express an immense number4 ,we can count so far that we might count all day long for years without coming to the end of the numbers we might name2 but after all1 we have very few numbers to count with1 and very few figures to express them by4 ,we have but nine figures and a nought3 we take the first figure and the nought to express another number1 ten2 but after that we must begin again until we get two tens1 then1 again1 till we reach three tens1 and so on4 ,we call two tens1 twenty1 three tens1 thirty1 because #8ty' 7tig7 means ten4 ,but if ,i see figure #d1 how am ,i to know whether it means four tens or four ones8 ,by a very simple plan4 ,the tens have a place of their own2 if you see figure #f in the ten-place1 you know it means sixty4 ,the tens are always put behind the units3 when you see two figures standing side by side1 thus1 #8#ee1' the left-hand figure stands for so many tens2 that is1 the second #e stands for ten times as many as the first4 ,let the child work with tens and units only until he has mastered the idea of the tenfold value of the second figure to the left1 and would laugh at the folly of writing #g in the second column of figures1 knowing that thereby it becomes seventy4 ,then he is ready for the same sort of drill in hundreds1 and picks up the new idea readily if the principle have been made clear to him1 that each remove to the left means a tenfold increase in the value of a number4 ,meantime1 #8set' him no sums4 ,let him never work with figures the notation of which is beyond him1 and when he comes to #8carry' in an addition or multiplication sum1 let him not say he carries #8two1' or #8three1' but #8two tens1' or #8three hundreds1' as the case may be4 ,weighing and ,measuring4--,if the child do not get the ground under his feet at this stage1 he works arithmetic ever after by rule of thumb4 ,on the same principle1 let him learn #8weights and measures' by measuring and weighing2 let him have scales and weights1 sand or rice1 paper and twine1 and weigh1 and do up1 in perfectly made parcels1 ounces1 pounds1 etc4 ,the parcels1 though they are not arithmetic1 are educative1 and afford considerable exercise of judgment as well as of neatness1 deftness1 and quickness4 ,in like manner1 let him work with foot-rule and yard measure1 and draw up his tables for himself4 ,let him not only measure and weigh everything about him that admits of such treatment1 but let him use his judgment on questions of measure and weight4 ,how many yards long is the tablecloth8 how many feet long and broad a map1 or picture8 ,what does he suppose a book weighs that is to go by parcel post8 ,the sort of readiness to be gained thus is valuable in the affairs of life1 and1 if only for that reason1 should be cultivated in the child4 ,while engaged in measuring and weighing concrete quantities1 the scholar is prepared to take in his first idea of a #8fraction1' half a pound1 a quarter of a yard1 etc4 ,arithmetic a ,means of ,training4--,arithmetic is valuable as a means of training children in habits of strict accuracy1 but the ingenuity which makes this exact science tend to foster slipshod habits of mind1 a disregard of truth and common honesty1 is worthy of admiration6 ,the copying1 prompting1 telling1 helping over difficulties1 working with an eye to the answer which he knows1 that are allowed in the arithmetic lesson1 under an inferior teacher1 are enough to vitiate any child2 and quite as bad as these is the habit of allowing that a sum is nearly right1 two figures wrong1 and so on1 and letting the child work it over again4 ,pronounce a sum wrong1 or right--it cannot be something between the two4 ,that which is wrong must remain wrong3 the child must not be let run away with the notion that wrong can be mended into right4 ,the future is before him3 he may get the next sum right1 and the wise teacher will make it her business to see that he does1 and that he starts with new hope4 ,but the wrong sum must just be let alone4 ,therefore his progress must be carefully graduated2 but there is no subject in which the teacher has a more delightful consciousness of drawing out from day to day new power in the child4 ,do not offer him a crutch3 it is in his own power he must go4 ,give him short sums1 in words rather than in figures1 and excite in him the enthusiasm which produces concentrated attention and rapid work4 ,let his arithmetic lesson be to the child a daily exercise in clear thinking and rapid1 careful execution1 and his mental growth will be as obvious as the sprouting of seedlings in the spring4 ,the ,a ,b ,c ,arithmetic4--,instead of entering further into the subject of the teaching of elementary arithmetic1 ,i should like to refer the reader to the ,a ,b ,c ,arithmetic by ,messrs ,sonnenschein ,nesbit4 ,the authors found their method upon the following passage from ,mill's ,logic3--8,the fundamental truths of the science of ,number all rest on the evidence of sense2 they are proved by showing to our eyes and our fingers that any given number of objects1 ten balls for example1 may by separation and re-arrangement exhibit to our senses all the different sets of numbers the sum of which is equal to ten4 ,all the improved methods of teaching arithmetic to children proceed on a knowledge of this fact4 ,all who wish to carry the child's mind along with them in learning arithmetic1 all who wish to teach numbers and not mere ciphers1 now teach it through the evidence of the senses in the manner we have described40 ,here we may1 ,i think1 trace the solitary source of weakness in a surpassingly excellent manual4 ,it is quite true that the fundamental truths of the science of number all rest on the evidence of sense2 but1 having used eyes and fingers upon ten balls or twenty balls1 upon ten nuts1 or leaves1 or sheep1 or what not1 the child has formed the association of a given number with objects1 and is able to conceive of the association of various other numbers with objects4 ,in fact1 he begins to think in numbers and not in objects1 that is1 he begins mathematics4 ,therefore ,i incline to think that an elaborate system of staves1 cubes1 etc41 instead of tens1 hundreds1 thousands1 errs by embarrassing the child's mind with too much teaching1 and by making the illustration occupy a more prominent place than the thing illustrated4 ,dominoes1 beans1 graphic figures drawn on the blackboard1 and the like1 are1 on the other hand1 aids to the child when it is necessary for him to conceive of a great number with the material of a small one2 but to see a symbol of the great numbers and to work with such a symbol are quite different matters4 ,with the above trifling exception1 which does not interfere at all with the use of the books1 nothing can be more delightful than the careful analysis of numbers and the beautiful graduation of the work1 8only one difficulty at a time being presented to the mind40 ,the examples and the little problems could only have been invented by writers in sympathy with children4 ,i advise the reader who is interested in the teaching of arithmetic to turn to ,mr ,sonnenschein's paper on #8,the ,teaching of ,arithmetic in ,elementary ,schools1' in one of the volumes published by the ,board of ,education4#be ,preparation for ,mathematics4--,in the #8forties' and #8fifties' it was currently held that the continual sight of the outward and visible signs 7geometrical forms and figures7 should beget the inward and spiritual grace of mathematical genius1 or1 at any rate1 of an inclination to mathematics4 ,but the educationalists of those days forgot1 when they gave children boxes of #8form' and stuck up cubes1 hexagons1 pentagons1 and what not1 in every available schoolroom space1 the immense capacity for being bored which is common to us all1 and is far more strongly developed in children than in grown-up people4 ,the objects which bore us1 or the persons who bore us1 appear to wear a bald place in the mind1 and thought turns from them with sick aversion4 ,dickens showed us the pathos of it in the schoolroom of the little ,gradgrinds1 which was bountifully supplied with objects of uncompromising outline4 ,ruskin1 more genially1 exposes the fallacy4 ,no doubt geometric forms abound1--the skeletons of which living beauty1 in contour and gesture1 in hill and plant1 is the covering2 and the skeleton is beautiful and wonderful to the mind which has already entered within the portals of geometry4 ,but children should not be presented with the skeleton1 but with the living forms which clothe it4 ,besides1 is it not an inverse method to familiarise the child's eye with patterns made by his compasses1 or stitched upon his card1 in the hope that the form will beget the idea8 ,for the novice1 it is probably the rule that the idea must beget the form1 and any suggestion of an idea from a form comes only to the initiated4 ,i do not think that any direct preparation for mathematics is desirable4 ,the child1 who has been allowed to think and not compelled to cram1 hails the new study with delight when the due time for it arrives4 ,the reason why mathematics are a great study is because there exists in the normal mind an affinity and capacity for this study2 and too great an elaboration1 whether of teaching or of preparation1 has1 ,i think1 a tendency to take the edge off this manner of intellectual interest4 ,,xvi4--,,natural ,,philosophy ,a ,basis of ,facts4--,of the teaching of ,natural ,philosophy1 ,i will only remind the reader of what was said in an earlier chapter--that there is no part of a child's education more important than that he should lay1 by his own observation1 a wide basis of facts towards scientific knowledge in the future4 ,he must live hours daily in the open air1 and1 as far as possible1 in the country2 must look and touch and listen2 must be quick to note1 consciously1 every peculiarity of habit or structure1 in beast1 bird1 or insect2 the manner of growth and fructification of every plant4 ,he must be accustomed to ask why--,why does the wind blow8 ,why does the river flow8 ,why is a leaf-bud sticky8 ,and do not hurry to answer his questions for him2 let him think his difficulties out so far as his small experience will carry him4 ,above all1 when you come to the rescue1 let it not be in the #8cut and dried' formula of some miserable little text-book2 let him have all the insight available1 and you will find that on many scientific questions the child may be brought at once to the level of modern thought4 ,do not embarrass him with too much scientific nomenclature4 ,if he discover for himself 7helped1 perhaps1 by a leading question or two71 by comparing an oyster and his cat1 that some animals have backbones and some have not1 it is less important that he should learn the terms vertebrate and invertebrate than that he should class the animals he meets with according to this difference4 ,eyes and ,no-eyes4--,the method of this sort of instruction is shown in ,evenings at ,home1 where #8,eyes and ,no-eyes' go for a walk4 ,no-eyes comes home bored2 he has seen nothing1 been interested in nothing3 while ,eyes is all agog to discuss a hundred things that have interested him4 ,as ,i have already tried to point out1 to get this sort of instruction for himself is simply the nature of a child3 the business of the parent is to afford him abundant and varied opportunities1 and to direct his observations1 so that1 knowing little of the principles of scientific classification1 he is1 unconsciously1 furnishing himself with the materials for such classification4 ,it is needless to repeat what has already been said on this subject2 but1 indeed1 the future of the man or woman depends very largely on the store of real knowledge gathered1 and the habits of intelligent observation acquired1 by the child4 8,think you10 says ,mr ,herbert ,spencer1 8that the rounded rock marked with parallel scratches calls up as much poetry in an ignorant mind as in the mind of the geologist1 who knows that over this rock a glacier slid a million of years ago8 ,the truth is1 that those who have never entered on scientific pursuits are blind to most of the poetry by which they are surrounded4 ,whoever has not in youth collected plants and insects1 knows not half the halo of interest which lanes and hedgerows can assume40 ,principles4--,in this connection ,i should like to recommend ,the ,sciences1 by ,mr ,holden4 ,america comes to the fore with a schoolbook after my own heart4 ,the ,sciences is a forbidding title1 but since the era of ,joyce's ,scientific ,dialogues ,i have met with nothing on the same lines which makes so fit an approach to the sensible and intelligent mind of a child4 ,this is what we may call a #8first-hand' book4 ,the knowledge has of course all been acquired2 but then it has been assimilated1 and ,mr ,holden writes freely out of his own knowledge both of his subject-matter and of his readers4 ,the book has been thrown into the form of conversations between children--simple conversations without padding4 ,about three hundred topics are treated of3 ,sand-dunes1 ,back-ice1 ,herculaneum1 ,dredging1 ,hurricanes1 ,echoes1 the ,prism1 the ,diving-bell1 the ,milky ,way1 and1 shall ,i say1 everything else8 ,but the amazing skill of the author is shown in the fact that there is nothing scrappy and nothing hurried in the treatment of any topic1 but each falls naturally and easily under the head of some principle which it elucidates4 ,many simple experiments are included1 which the author insists shall be performed by the children themselves4 ,i venture to quote from the singularly wise preface1 a vade mecum for teachers3-- 8,the object of the present volume is to present chapters to be read in school or at home that shall materially widen the outlook of ,american schoolchildren in the domain of science1 and of the applications of science to the arts and to daily life4 ,it is in no sense a text-book1 although the fundamental principles underlying the sciences treated are here laid down4 ,its main object is to help the child to understand the material world about him40 ,to be ,comprehended by ,children4--8,all natural phenomena are orderly2 they are governed by law2 they are not magical4 ,they are comprehended by someone2 why not by the child himself8 ,it is not possible to explain every detail of a locomotive to a young pupil1 but it is perfectly practicable to explain its principles so that this machine1 like others1 becomes a mere special case of certain well-understood general laws4 ,the general plan of the book is to awaken the imagination2 to convey useful knowledge2 to open the doors towards wisdom4 ,its special aim is to stimulate observation and to excite a living and lasting interest in the world that lies about us4 8,the sciences of astronomy1 physics1 chemistry1 meteorology1 and physiography are treated as fully and as deeply as the conditions permit2 and the lessons that they teach are enforced by examples taken from familiar and important things4 ,in astronomy1 for example1 emphasis is laid upon phenomena that the child himself can observe1 and he is instructed how to go about it4 ,the rising and setting of the stars1 the phases of the moon1 the uses of the telescope1 are explained in simple words4 ,the mystery of these and other matters is not magical1 as the child at first supposes4 ,it is to deeper mysteries that his attention is here directed4 ,mere phenomena are treated as special cases of very general laws4 ,the same process is followed in the exposition of the other sciences4 8,familiar phenomena1 like those of steam1 of shadows1 of reflected light1 of musical instruments1 of echoes1 etc41 are referred to their fundamental causes4 ,whenever it is desirable1 simple experiments are described and fully illustrated1 and all such experiments can very well be repeated in the schoolroom4444 ,the volume is the result of a sincere belief that much can be done to aid young children to comprehend the material world in which they live1 and of a desire to have a part in a work so very well worth doing40 ,i cannot help quoting also in this connection from an article#bf by the ,rev4 ,h4 ,h4 ,moore dealing with a forgotten pioneer of a rational education and his experiment4 ,this pioneer was the ,rev4 ,richard ,dawes1 at one time ,rector of ,kings ,somborne parish1 ,hampshire1 who1 in #ahda1 worked out the problem of rational education in an agricultural village1 in which he found the population unusually ignorant and debased4 ,the whole story is of great interest1 but our concern is with the question of ,natural ,philosophy1 the staple of the teaching given in this school4 ,as taught in a ,village ,school4--,mr ,dawes thus explained his object3--8,i aimed at teaching what would be profitable and interesting to persons in the position in life which the children were likely to occupy4 ,i aimed at their being taught what may be called the philosophy of common things--of everyday life4 ,they were shown how much there is that is interesting1 and which it is advantageous for them to know1 in connection with the natural objects with which they are familiar2 they had explained to them1 and were made acquainted with1 the principles of a variety of natural phenomena1 as well as the principles and construction of various instruments of a useful kind4 ,a practical turn was given to everything2 the uses and fruits of the knowledge they were acquiring were never lost sight of40 ,a list of some of the subjects included in this kind of teaching will be the best commentary on ,mr ,dawes' scheme3-- 8,some of the properties of air1 explaining how its pressure enables them to pump up water1 to amuse themselves with squirts and popguns1 to suck up water through a straw2 explaining also the principles and construction of a barometer1 the common pump1 the diving-bell1 a pair of bellows4 ,that air expands by heat1 shown by placing a half-blown bladder near the fire1 when the wrinkles disappear4 ,why the chimney-smoke sometimes rises easily in the air1 sometimes not4 ,why there is a draught up the chimney1 and under the door1 and towards the fire4 ,air as a vehicle of sound1 and why the flash of a distant gun fired is seen before the report is heard2 how to calculate the distance of a thunderstorm2 the difference in the speeds at which different materials conduct sound4 ,water and its properties1 its solid1 fluid1 and vaporous state2 why water-pipes are burst by frost2 why ice forms and floats on the surface of ponds1 and not at the bottom2 why the kettle-lid jumps up when the water is boiling on the fire2 the uses to which the power of steam is applied2 the gradual evolution of the steam-engine1 shown by models and diagrams2 how their clothes are dried1 and why they feel cold sitting in damp clothes2 why a damp bed is so dangerous2 why one body floats in water1 and another sinks2 the different densities of sea and fresh water2 why1 on going into the school on a cold morning1 they sometimes see a quantity of water on the glass1 and why on the inside and not on the outside2 why1 on a frosty day1 their breath is visible as vapour2 the substances water holds in solution1 and how their drinking water is affected by the kind of soil through which it has passed4 ,dew1 its value1 and the conditions necessary for its formation2 placing equal portions of dry wool on gravel1 glass1 and the grass1 and weighing them the next morning4 ,heat and its properties2 how it is that the blacksmith can fit iron hoops so firmly on the wheels of carts and barrows2 what precautions have to be taken in laying the iron rails of railways and in building iron bridges1 etc42 what materials are good1 and what bad1 conductors of heat2 why at the same temperature some feel colder to our touch than others2 why a glass sometimes breaks when hot water is poured into it1 and whether thick or thin glass would be more liable to crack2 why water can be made to boil in a paper kettle or an eggshell without its being burned4 ,the metals1 their sources1 properties1 and uses2 mode of separating from the ores4 ,light and its properties1 illustrated by prisms1 etc42 adaptation of the eye2 causes of long- and short-sightedness4 ,the mechanical principles of the tools more commonly used1 the spade1 the plough1 the axe1 the lever1 etc40 8,it may surprise some who read carefully the above list that such subjects should have been taught to the children of a rural elementary school4 ,but it is an undeniable fact that they were taught in ,kings ,somborne school1 and so successfully that the children were both interested and benefited by the teaching4 ,mr ,dawes1 in answer to the objection that such subjects are above the comprehension of the young1 said3--#8,the distinguishing mark of ,nature's laws is their extreme simplicity4 ,it may doubtless require intellect of a high order to make the discovery of these laws2 yet1 once evolved1 they are within the capacity of a child1--in short1 the principles of natural philosophy are the principles of common sense1 and if taught in a simple and common-sense way1 they will be speedily understood and eagerly attended to by children2 and it will be found that with pupils of even from ten to twelve years of age much may be done towards forming habits of observation and inquiry4' ,such a fact1 ,i think1 suggests some valuable practical lessons for those who have the responsibility of deciding what subjects to include in an educational system for children40 ,in reading of this remarkable experiment1 we feel that we must at once secure a man1 all-informed like the late ,dean ,dawes1 to teach our own ,jack and ,elsie2 but it is something to realise what these young persons should know1 and ,mr ,holden has done a great deal for us4 ,some of the chapters in ,the ,sciences may be beyond children under nine1 but they will be able to master a good deal4 ,one thing is to be borne in mind3 nothing should be done without its due experiment4 ,by the way1 our old friend1 ,joyce's ,scientific ,dialogues1 if it is still to be had1 describes a vast number of easy and interesting experiments which children can work for themselves4 ,,xvii4--,,geography ,geography is1 to my mind1 a subject of high educational value2 though not because it affords the means of scientific training4 ,geography does present its problems1 and these of the most interesting1 and does afford materials for classification2 but it is physical geography only which falls within the definition of a science1 and even that is rather a compendium of the results of several sciences than a science itself4 ,but the peculiar value of geography lies in its fitness to nourish the mind with ideas1 and to furnish the imagination with pictures4 ,herein lies the educational value of geography4 ,as commonly ,taught4--,now1 how is the subject commonly taught8 ,the child learns the names of the capital cities of ,europe1 or of the rivers of ,england1 or of the mountain-summits of ,scotland1 from some miserable text-book1 with length in miles1 and height in feet1 and population1 finding the names on his map or not1 according as his teacher is more or less up to her work4 ,poor little fellow6 the lesson is hard work to him2 but as far as education goes--that is1 the developing of power1 the furnishing of the mind--he would be better employed in watching the progress of a fly across the windowpane4 ,but1 you will say1 geography has a further use than this strictly educative one2 everybody wants the sort of information which the geography lesson should afford4 ,that is true1 and is to be borne in mind in the schoolroom2 the child's geography lesson should furnish just the sort of information which grown-up people care to possess4 ,now1 do think how unreasonable we are in this matter2 nothing will persuade us to read a book of travel unless it be interesting1 graphic1 with a spice of personal adventure4 ,even when we are going about with ,murray in hand1 we skip the dry facts and figures1 and read the suggestive pictorial scraps2 these are the sorts of things we like to know1 and remember with ease4 ,but none of this pleasant padding for the poor child1 if you please2 do not let him have little pictorial sentences that he may dream over2 facts and names and figures--these are the pabulum for him6 ,geography should be ,interesting4--,but1 you say1 this sort of knowledge1 though it may be a labour to the child to acquire it1 is useful in after life4 ,not a bit of it2 and for this reason--it has never been really received by the brain at all2 has never got further than the floating nebul of mere verbal memory of which ,i have already had occasion to speak4 ,most of us have gone through a good deal of drudgery in the way of #8geography' lessons1 but how much do we remember8 ,just the pleasant bits we heard from travelled friends1 about the ,rhine1 or ,paris1 or ,venice1 or bits from ,the ,voyages of ,captain ,cook1 or other pleasant tales of travel and adventure4 ,we begin to see the lines we must go upon in teaching geography3 for educative purposes1 the child must learn such geography1 and in such a way1 that his mind shall thereby be stored with ideas1 his imagination with images2 for practical purposes he must learn such geography only as1 the nature of his mind considered1 he will able to remember2 in other words1 he must learn what interests him4 ,the educative and the practical run in one groove1 and the geography lesson becomes the most charming occupation of the child's day4 ,how to begin4--,but1 how to begin8 ,in the first place1 the child gets his rudimentary notions of geography as he gets his first notions of natural science1 in those long hours out of doors of which we have already seen the importance4 ,a pool fed by a mere cutting in the fields will explain the nature of a lake1 will carry the child to the lovely lakes of the ,alps1 to ,livingstone's great ,african lake1 in which he delighted to see his children #8paidling'--8his own children #8paidling' in his own lake40 ,in this connection will come in a great deal of pleasant talk about places1 #8pictorial geography1' until the child knows by name and nature the great rivers and mountains1 deserts and plains1 the cities and countries of the world4 ,at the same time1 he gets his first notions of a map from a rude sketch1 a mere few lines and dots1 done with pencil and paper1 or1 better still1 with a stick in the sand or gravel4 #8,this crooked line is the ,rhine2 but you must imagine the rafts1 and the island with the ,mouse ,tower1 and the ,nuns' ,island1 and the rest4 ,here are the hills1 with their ruined castles--now on this side1 now on that4 ,this dot is ,cologne1' etc4 ,especially1 let these talks cover all the home scenery and interests you are acquainted with1 so that1 by-and-by1 when he looks at the map of ,england1 he finds a score of familiar names which suggest landscapes to him--places where #8mother has been1'--the woody1 flowery islets of the ,thames2 the smooth ,sussex downs1 delightful to run and roll upon1 with soft carpet of turf and nodding harebells2 the ,york or ,devon moors1 with bilberries and heather3--and always give him a rough sketch-map of the route you took in a given journey4 ,what next8--,give him next intimate knowledge1 with the fullest details1 of any country or region of the world1 any county or district of his own country4 ,it is not necessary that he should learn at this stage what is called the #8geography' of the countries of ,europe1 the continents of the world--mere strings of names for the most part2 he may learn these1 but it is tolerably certain that he will not remember them4 ,but let him be at home in any single region2 let him see1 with the mind's eye1 the people at their work and at their play1 the flowers and fruits in their seasons1 the beasts1 each in its habitat2 and let him see all sympathetically1 that is1 let him follow the adventures of a traveller2 and he knows more1 is better furnished with ideas1 than if he had learnt all the names on all the maps4 ,the #8way' of this kind of teaching is very simple and obvious2 read to him1 or read for him1 that is1 read bit by bit1 and tell as you read1 ,hartwig's ,tropical ,world1#bg the same author's ,polar ,world1#bg;a ,livingstone's missionary travels1 ,mrs ,bishop's ,unbeaten ,tracks in ,japan#bg;a--in fact1 any interesting1 well-written book of travel4 ,it may be necessary to leave out a good deal1 but every illustrative anecdote1 every bit of description1 is so much towards the child's education4 ,here1 as elsewhere1 the question is1 not how many things does he know1 but how much does he know about each thing4 ,maps4--,maps must be carefully used in this kind of work1--a sketch-map following the traveller's progress1 to be compared finally with a complete map of the region2 and the teacher will exact a description of such and such a town1 and such and such a district1 marked on the map1 by way of testing and confirming the child's exact knowledge4 ,in this way1 too1 he gets intelligent notions of physical geography2 in the course of his readings he falls in with a description of a volcano1 a glacier1 a caon1 a hurricane2 he hears all about1 and asks and learns the how and the why1 of such phenomena at the moment when his interest is excited4 ,in other words1 he learns as his elders elect to learn for themselves1 though they rarely allow the children to tread in paths so pleasant4 ,what ,general ,knowledge a ,child of ,nine should have4--,supposing that between the child's sixth and his ninth year half a dozen well-chosen standard books of travel have been read with him in this way1 he has gained distinct ideas of the contours1 the productions1 and the manners of the people1 of every great region of the world2 has laid up a store of reliable1 valuable knowledge1 that will last his lifetime2 and besides1 has done something to acquire a taste for books and the habit of reading4 ,such books as ,lady ,brassey's ,voyage in the #8,sunbeam' should be avoided1 as covering too much ground1 and likely to breed some confusion of ideas4 ,particular ,knowledge4--,but we are considering lessons as #8,instruments of ,education'2 and the sort of knowledge of the world ,i have indicated will be conveyed rather by readings in the #8,children's ,hour' and at other times than by way of lessons4 ,i know of nothing so good as the old-fashioned ,world at ,home 7for lessons7 for children between six and seven4 ,as they hear1 they wonder1 admire1 imagine1 and can even #8play at' a hundred situations4 ,the first ideas of geography1 the lessons on place1 which should make a child observant of local geography1 of the features of his own neighbourhood1 its heights and hollows1 and level lands1 its streams and ponds1 should be gained1 as we have seen1 out of doors1 and should prepare him for a certain amount of generalisation--that is1 he should be able to discover definitions of river1 island1 lake1 and so on1 and should make these for himself in a tray of sand1 or draw them on the blackboard4 ,definitions4--,but definitions should come in the way of recording his experiences4 ,before he is taught what a river is1 he must have watched a stream and observed that it flows2 and so on with the rest4 ,children easily simulate knowledge1 and at this point the teacher will have to be careful that nothing which the child receives is mere verbiage1 but that every generalisation is worked out somewhat in this way3--,the child observes a fact1 as1 for example1 a wide stretch of flat ground2 the teacher amplifies4 ,he reads in his book about ,pampas1 the flat countries of the north-west of ,europe1 the ,holland of our own eastern coast1 and1 by degrees1 he is prepared to receive the idea of a plain1 and to show it on his tray of sand4 ,fundamental ,ideas4--,by the time he is seven1 or before1 he finds himself in need of further knowledge4 ,he has read of hot countries and cold countries1 has observed the seasons and the rising and setting of the sun1 has said to himself-- 8,twinkle1 twinkle1 little star1 ,how ,i wonder what you are60-- knows something of ocean and sea1 has watched the tide come in and go out1 has seen many rough sketch-maps made and has made some for himself1 and has1 no doubt1 noticed the criss-cross lines on a #8proper' map2 that is to say1 his mind is prepared for knowledge in various directions2 there are a number of things concerned with geography which he really wants to know4 ,the shape and motions of the earth are fundamental ideas1#bh however difficult to grasp1 but the difficulty is of a kind which increases with years4 ,the principle in each case is simple enough1 and a child does not concern himself1 as do his elders1 with the enormous magnitude of the scale upon which operations in space are carried on4 ,it is probable that a child's vivid imagination puts him on a level with the mathematician in dealing with the planetary system1 with the behaviour and character of ,earth1 with the causes of the seasons1 and much besides4 ,meaning of a ,map4--,then1 again1 geography should be learned chiefly from maps4 ,pictorial readings and talks introduce him to the subject1 but so soon as his geography lessons become definite they are to be learned1 in the first place1 from the map4 ,this is an important principle to bear in mind4 ,the child who gets no ideas from considering the map1 say of ,italy or of ,russia1 has no knowledge of geography1 however many facts about places he may be able to produce4 ,therefore he should begin this study by learning the meaning of a map and how to use it4 ,he must learn to draw a plan of his schoolroom1 etc41 according to scale1 go on to the plan of a field1 consider how to make the plan of his town1 and be carried gradually from the idea of a plan to that of a map2 always beginning with the notion of an explorer who finds the land and measures it1 and by means of sun and stars1 is able to record just where it is on the earth's surface1 east or west1 north or south4 ,now he will arrive at the meaning of the lines of latitude and longitude4 ,he will learn how sea and land are shown on a map1 how rivers and mountains are represented2 and having learned his points of direction and the use of his compass1 and knowing that maps are always made as if the beholder were looking to the north1 he will be able to tell a good deal about situation1 direction1 and the like1 in very early days4 ,the fundamental ideas of geography and the meaning of a map are subjects well fitted to form an attractive introduction to the study4 ,some of them should awaken the delightful interest which attaches in a child's mind to that which is wonderful1 incomprehensible1 while the map lessons should lead to mechanical efforts equally delightful4 ,it is only when presented to the child for the first time in the form of stale knowledge and foregone conclusions that the facts taught in such lessons appear dry and repulsive to him4 ,an effort should be made to treat the subject with the sort of sympathetic interest and freshness which attracts children to a new study4 ,,xviii4--,,history ,a ,storehouse of ,ideas4--,much that has been said about the teaching of geography applies equally to that of history4 ,here1 too1 is a subject which should be to the child an inexhaustible storehouse of ideas1 should enrich the chambers of his ,house ,beautiful with a thousand tableaux1 pathetic and heroic1 and should form in him1 insensibly1 principles whereby he will hereafter judge of the behaviour of nations1 and will rule his own conduct as one of a nation4 ,this is what the study of history should do for the child2 but what is he to get out of the miserable little chronicle of feuds1 battles1 and death which is presented to him by way of #8a reign'--all the more repellent because it bristles with dates8 ,as for the dates1 they never come right2 the tens and units he can get1 but the centuries will go astray2 and how is he to put the right events in the right reign1 when1 to him1 one king differs from another only in number1 one period from another only in date8 ,but he blunders through with it2 reads in his pleasant1 chatty little history book all the reigns of all the kings1 from ,william the ,conqueror to ,william ,,iv41 and back to the dim days of ,british rule4 ,and with what result8 ,this3 that1 possibly1 no way of warping the judgment of the child1 of filling him with crude notions1 narrow prejudices1 is more successful than that of carrying him through some such course of ,english history2 and all the more so if his little text-book be moral or religious in tone1 and undertake to point the moral as well as to record the fact4 ,moral teaching falls1 no doubt1 within the province of history2 but the one small volume which the child uses affords no scope for the fair and reasonable discussion upon which moral decisions should be based1 nor is the child old enough to be put into the judicial attitude which such a decision supposes4 #8,outlines' ,mischievous4--,the fatal mistake is in the notion that he must learn #8outlines1' or a baby edition of the whole history of ,england1 or of ,rome1 just as he must cover the geography of all the world4 ,let him1 on the contrary1 linger pleasantly over the history of a single man1 a short period1 until he thinks the thoughts of that man1 is at home in the ways of that period4 ,though he is reading and thinking of the lifetime of a single man1 he is really getting intimately acquainted with the history of a whole nation for a whole age4 ,let him spend a year of happy intimacy with ,alfred1 #8the truth-teller1' with the ,conqueror1 with ,richard and ,saladin1 or with ,henry ,v4--,shakespeare's ,henry ,v4--and his victorious army4 ,let him know the great people and the common people1 the ways of the court and of the crowd4 ,let him know what other nations were doing while we at home were doing thus and thus4 ,if he come to think that the people of another age were truer1 larger-hearted1 simpler-minded than ourselves1 that the people of some other land were1 at one time1 at any rate1 better than we1 why1 so much the better for him4 ,so are most ,history ,books written for ,children4--,for the matter for this intelligent teaching of history1 eschew1 in the first place1 nearly all history books written expressly for children2 and in the next place1 all compendiums1 outlines1 abstracts whatsoever4 ,for the abstracts1 considering what part the study of history is fitted to play in the education of the child1 there is not a word to be said in their favour2 and as for what are called children's books1 the children of educated parents are able to understand history written with literary power1 and are not attracted by the twaddle of reading-made-easy little history books4 ,given1 judicious skipping1 and a good deal of the free paraphrasing mothers are so ready at1 and the children may be taken through the first few volumes of a well-written1 illustrated1 popular history of ,england1 say as far as the ,tudors4 ,in the course of such reading a good deal of questioning into them1 and questioning out of them1 will be necessary1 both to secure their attention and to fix the facts4 ,this is the least that should be done2 but better than this would be fuller information1 more graphic details about two or three early epochs4 ,early ,history of a ,nation best fitted for ,children4--,the early history of a nation is far better fitted than its later records for the study of children1 because the story moves on a few broad1 simple lines2 while statesmanship1 so far as it exists1 is no more than the efforts of a resourceful mind to cope with circumstances4 ,mr ,freeman has provided interesting early ,english history for children2 but is it not on the whole better to take them straight to the fountainhead1 where possible8 ,in these early years1 while there are no examinations ahead1 and the children may yet go leisurely1 let them get the spirit of history into them by reading1 at least1 one old ,chronicle written by a man who saw and knew something of what he wrote about1 and did not get it at secondhand4 ,these old books are easier and pleasanter reading than most modern works on history1 because the writers know little of the #8dignity of history'2 they purl along pleasantly as a forest brook1 tell you #8all about it1' stir your heart with the story of a great event1 amuse you with pageants and shows1 make you intimate with the great people1 and friendly with the lowly4 ,they are just the right thing for the children whose eager souls want to get at the living people behind the words of the history book1 caring nothing at all about progress1 or statutes1 or about anything but the persons1 for whose action history is1 to the child's mind1 no more than a convenient stage4 ,a child who has been carried through a single old chronicler in this way has a better foundation for an historical training than if he knew all the dates and names and facts that ever were crammed for examination4 ,some old ,chronicles4--,first in order of time1 and full of the most captivating reading1 is the ,ecclesiastical ,history of ,england#bi of the ,venerable ,bede1 who1 writing of himself so early as the seventh century1 says1 8,it was always sweet to me to learn1 to teach1 and to write40 8,he has left us10 says ,professor ,morley1 8a history of the early years of ,england1 succinct1 yet often warm with life2 business-like1 and yet childlike in its tone2 at once practical and spiritual1 simply just1 and the work of a true scholar1 breathing love to ,god and man4 ,we owe to ,bede alone the knowledge of much that is most interesting in our early history40 ,william of ,malmesbury 7twelfth century7 says of ,bede1 8,that almost all knowledge of past events was buried in the same grave with him02 and he is no bad judge1 for in his ,chronicles of the ,kings of ,england he himself is considered to have carried to perfection the art of chronicle-making4 ,he is especially vivid and graphic about contemporary events--the story of the dreary civil war of ,stephen and ,matilda4 ,meantime1 there is ,asser1 who writes the life of ,alfred1 whose friend and fellow-worker he is4 8,it seems to me right10 he says1 8to explain a little more fully what ,i have heard from my lord ,alfred40 ,he tells us how1 8,when ,i had come into his presence at the royal villa1 called ,leonaford1 ,i was honourably received by him1 and remained that time with him at his court about eight months1 during which ,i read to him whatever books he liked1 and such as he had at hand2 for this is his most usual custom1 both night and day1 amid his many other occupations of mind and body1 either himself to read books1 or to listen whilst others read them40 ,when he was not present to see for himself1 as at the battle of ,ashdown1 ,asser takes pains to get the testimony of eye-witnesses4 8,but ,alfred1 as we have been told by those who were present and would not tell an untruth1 marched up promptly with his men to give them battle2 for ,king ,ethelred remained a long time in his tent in prayer40 ,then there are ,chronicles of the ,crusades1 contemporary narratives of the crusades of ,richard ,cur de ,lion1 by ,richard of ,devizes1 and ,geoffrey de ,vinsany1 and of the crusade of ,st ,louis1 by ,lord ,john de ,joinville4 ,it is needless to extend the list2 one such old chronicle in a year1 or the suitable bits of one such chronicle1 and the child's imagination is aglow1 his mind is teeming with ideas2 he has had speech of those who have themselves seen and heard3 and the matter-of-fact way in which the old monks tell their tales is exactly what children prefer4 ,afterwards1 you may put any dull outlines into their hands1 and they will make history for themselves4 ,age of ,myths4--,but every nation has its heroic age before authentic history begins3 there were giants in the land in those days1 and the child wants to know about them4 ,he has every right to revel in such classic myths as we possess as a nation2 and to land him in a company of painted savages1 by way of giving him his first introduction to his people1 is a little hard2 it is to make his vision of the past harsh and bald as a ,chinese painting4 ,but what is to be done8 ,if we ever had an ,homeric age1 have we not1 being a practical people1 lost all record thereof8 ,here is another debt that we owe to those old monkish chroniclers3 the echoes of some dim1 rich past had come down to1 at any rate1 the twelfth century3 they fell upon the ear of a ,welsh priest1 one ,geoffrey of ,monmouth2 and while ,william of ,malmesbury was writing his admirable ,history of the ,kings of ,england1 what does ,geoffrey do but weave the traditions of the people into an orderly ,history of the ,british ,kings1 reaching back all the way to ,king ,brut1 the grandson of neas4 ,how he came to know about kings that no other historian had heard of1 is a matter he is a little roguish about2 he got it all1 he says1 out of 8that book in the ,british language which ,walter1 ,archdeacon of ,oxford1 brought out of ,brittany40 ,be that as it may1 here we read of ,gorboduc1 ,king ,lear1 ,merlin1 ,uther ,pendragon1 and1 best of all1 of ,king ,arthur1 the writer making #8the little finger of his ,arthur stouter than the back of ,alexander the ,great4' ,here is1 indeed1 a treasure-trove which the children should be made free of ten years before they come to read the ,idylls of the ,king4 ,some caution must1 however1 be exercised in reading ,geoffrey of ,monmouth4 ,his tales of marvel are delightful2 but when he quits the marvellous and romances freely about historical facts and personages1 he becomes a bewildering guide4 ,many of these #8chronicles1' written in ,latin by the monks1 are to be had in readable ,english2 the only caution to be observed is1 that the mother should run her eye over the pages before she reads them aloud4#cj ,froissart1 again1 most delightful of chroniclers1 himself #8tame' about the court of ,queen ,philippa1 when he chose to be in ,england--from whom else should the child get the story of the ,french wars8 ,and so of as much else as there is time for2 the principle being1 that1 wherever practicable1 the child should get his first notions of a given period1 not from the modern historian1 the commentator and reviewer1 but from the original sources of history1 the writings of contemporaries4 ,the mother must1 however1 exercise discrimination in her choice of early #8,chronicles1' as all are not equally reliable4 ,plutarch's #8,lives4'--,in the same way1 readings from ,plutarch's ,lives will afford the best preparation for the study of ,grecian or of ,roman history4 ,alexander the ,great is something more than a name to the child who reads this sort of thing3-- 8,when the horse ,bucephalus was offered in sale to ,philip1 at the price of thirteen talents 7 #beah1 #aes471 the king1 with the prince and many others1 went into the field to see some trial made of him4 ,the horse appeared very vicious and unmanageable1 and was so far from suffering himself to be mounted1 that he would not bear to be spoken to1 but turned fiercely upon all the grooms4 ,philip was displeased at their bringing him so wild and ungovernable a horse1 and bade them take him away4 ,but ,alexander1 who had observed him well1 said1 #8,what a horse are they losing for want of skill and spirit to manage him6' 8,philip at first took no notice of this2 but upon the prince's often repeating the same expression1 and showing great uneasiness1 he said1 #8,young man1 you find fault with your elders as if you knew more than they1 or could manage the horse better4' 8#8,and ,i certainly could1' answered the prince4 8#8,if you should not be able to ride him1 what forfeiture will you submit to for your rashness8' 8#8,i will pay the price of the horse4' 8,upon this all the company laughed2 but the king and prince agreeing as to the forfeiture1 ,alexander ran to the horse1 and laying hold on the bridle1 turned him to the sun1 for he had observed1 it seems1 that the shadow which fell before the horse1 and continually moved as he moved1 greatly disturbed him4 ,while his fierceness and fury lasted1 he kept speaking to him softly and stroking him2 after which he gently let fall his mantle1 leaped lightly upon his back1 and got his seat very safe4 ,then1 without pulling the reins too hard1 or using either whip or spur1 he set him agoing4 ,as soon as he perceived his uneasiness abated1 and that he wanted only to run1 he put him in a full gallop1 and pushed him on both with the voice and spur4 8,philip and all his court were in great distress for him at first1 and a profound silence took place2 but when the prince had turned him and brought him safe back1 they all received him with loud exclamations1 except his father1 who wept for joy1 and kissing him1 said1 #8,seek another kingdom1 my son1 that may be worthy of thy abilities1 for ,macedonia is too small for thee4'0 ,here1 again1 in ,north's inimitable translation1 we get the sort of vivid graphic presentation which makes #8,history' as real to the child as are the adventures of ,robinson ,crusoe4 ,to sum up1 to know as much as they may about even one short period1 is far better for the children than to know the #8outlines' of all history4 ,and in the second place1 children are quite able to take in intelligent ideas in intelligent language1 and should by no means be excluded from the best that is written on the period they are about4 ,history ,books4--,it is not at all easy to choose the right history books for children4 ,mere summaries of facts must1 as we have seen1 be eschewed2 and we must be equally careful to avoid generalisations4 ,the natural function of the mind1 in the early years of life1 is to gather the material of knowledge with a view to that very labour of generalisation which is proper to the adult mind2 a labour which we should all carry on to some extent for ourselves4 ,as it is1 our minds are so poorly furnished that we accept the conclusions presented to us without demur2 but we can1 at any rate1 avoid giving children cut-and-dried opinions upon the course of history while they are yet young4 ,what they want is graphic details concerning events and persons upon which imagination goes to work2 and opinions tend to form themselves by slow degrees as knowledge grows4 ,mr ,york ,powell has1 perhaps more than others1 hit upon the right teaching for the young children ,i have in view4 ,in the preface to his ,old ,stories from ,british ,history1#ca he says3--8,the writer has chosen such stories as he thought would amuse and please his readers1 and give them at the same time some knowledge of the lives and thoughts of their forefathers4 ,to this end he has not written solely of great folk--kings and queens and generals--but also of plain people and children1 ay1 and birds and beasts too02 and we get the tale of ,king ,lear and of ,cuculain1 and of ,king ,canute and the poet ,otter1 of ,havelock and ,ubba1 and many more1 all brave and glorious stories2 indeed1 ,mr4 ,york ,powell gives us a perfect treasure-trove in his two little volumes of ,old ,stories and ,sketches from ,british ,history1#ca;a which are the better for our purpose1 because children can read them for themselves so soon as they are able to read at all4 ,these tales1 written in good and simple ,english1 and with a certain charm of style1 lend themselves admirably to narration4 ,indeed1 it is most interesting to hear children of seven or eight go through a long story without missing a detail1 putting every event in its right order4 ,these narrations are never a slavish reproduction of the original4 ,a child's individuality plays about what he enjoys1 and the story comes from his lips1 not precisely as the author tells it1 but with a certain spirit and colouring which express the narrator4 ,by the way1 it is very important that children should be allowed to narrate in their own way1 and should not be pulled up or helped with words and expressions from the text4 ,a narration should be original as it comes from a child--that is1 his own mind should have acted upon the matter it has received4 ,narrations which are mere feats of memory are quite valueless4 ,i have already spoken of the sorts of old chronicles upon which children should be nourished2 but these are often too diffuse to offer good matter for narration1 and it is well to have quite fitting short tales for this purpose4 ,i should like to mention two other little volumes in which children delight1 which feed patriotic sentiment and lay a broad basis for historical knowledge4 ,i mean ,mrs ,frewen ,lord's ,tales from ,st ,paul's#cb and ,tales from ,westminster ,abbey4#cb;a ,it is a beautiful and delightful thing to take children informed by these tales to the ,abbey or ,st ,paul's1 and let them identify for themselves the spots consecrated to their heroes4 ,they know so much and are so full of vivid interest that their elders stand by instructed and inspired4 ,there are1 no doubt1 multitudes of historical tales and sketches for children1 and some of them1 like ,miss ,brooke ,hunt's ,prisoners of the ,tower1#cc are very good2 but let the mother beware3 there is nothing which calls for more delicate tact and understanding sympathy with the children than this apparently simple matter of choosing their lesson-books1 and especially1 perhaps1 their lesson-books in history4 ,many children of eight or nine will be quite ready to read with pleasure ,a ,history of ,england1 by ,h4 ,o4 ,arnold ,forster1 who has long since won his spurs in the field of educational literature4 ,in this1 as in matters of more immediate statecraft1 ,mr ,arnold ,forster has the gift to see a defect and a remedy1 an omission and the means of supplying it4 ,he saw that ,english children grew up without any knowledge of the conditions under which they live1 and of the laws which govern them2 but1 since the appearance of ,the ,citizen ,reader and ,the ,laws of ,every-day ,life1 we have changed all that4 ,the ,history of ,england1 or1 as the children call it1 ,history1 ignoring the fact that there is any other history than that of ,england1 has hitherto been presented to young people as 8outlines of dates and facts1 or as collections of romantic stories1 with little coherence and less result on the fortunes of the country40 ,mr ,arnold ,forster says in his preface that he 8is reluctant to introduce his book by any such repellent title as #8,a ,summary1' or #8,an ,outline of ,english ,history4' ,such titles seem on the face of them to imply that the element of interest and the romance inseparable from the life and doings of individuals are excluded1 and that an amplified chronological table has been made to do duty for history4 ,but to read ,english history and fail to realise that it is replete with interest1 sparkling with episode1 and full of dramatic incident1 is to miss all the pleasure and most of the instruction which its study1 if properly pursued1 can give40 ,the author fulfils his implied promise1 and his work is1 ,i venture to say1 as 8replete with interest1 sparkling with episode1 and full of dramatic incident0 as is possible1 considering the limitations imposed upon him by the facts that he writes for uneducated readers1 and gives us a survey of the whole of ,english ,history in a pleasant1 copiously and wisely illustrated volume of some eight hundred pages4 ,how telling and lucid this is1 for example1 and how we all wish we had come across such a paragraph in our early studies of architecture3--8,on page #bc we have pictures of two windows4 ,one of them is what is called a ,pointed window4 ,all the arches in it go up to a point4 ,it was built a long time before the ,tudor period4 ,the other was built in the time of ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,in it the upright shaft1 or mullion1 of the window goes straight up to the top without forming an arch4 ,this style of building a window is called the ,perpendicular ,style1 because the mullions of the windows are #8perpendicular4' ,some of the most famous buildings in ,england built in ,tudor times1 and in the perpendicular style1 are the ,chapel of ,king's ,college1 ,cambridge1 and ,hatfield ,house1 the residence of the ,marquis of ,salisbury1 in ,hertfordshire40 ,mr ,arnold ,forster has done in this volume for children and the illiterate1 what ,professor ,green did in his ,shorter ,history of ,england for somewhat more advanced students1 awakening many to the fact that history is an entrancing subject of study4 ,this is a real introduction to real history4 ,the portraits are an especially valuable feature of the work4 ,dates4--,in order to give definiteness to what may soon become a pretty wide knowledge of history--mount a sheet of cartridge-paper and divide it into twenty columns1 letting the first century of the ,christian era come in the middle1 and let each remaining column represent a century ,b4,c4 or ,a4,d41 as the case may be4 ,then let the child himself write1 or print1 as he is able1 the names of the people he comes upon in due order1 in their proper century4 ,we need not trouble ourselves at present with more exact dates1 but this simple table of the centuries will suggest a graphic panorama to the child's mind1 and he will see events in their time-order4 ,illustrations by the ,children4--,history readings afford admirable material for narration1 and children enjoy narrating what they have read or heard4 ,they love1 too1 to make illustrations4 ,children who had been reading ,julius ,csar 7and also1 ,plutarch's ,life71 were asked to make a picture of their favourite scene1 and the results showed the extraordinary power of visualising which the little people possess4 ,of course that which they visualise1 or imagine clearly1 they know2 it is a life possession4 ,the drawings of the children in question are psychologically interesting as showing what various and sometimes obscure points appeal to the mind of a child2 and also1 that children have the same intellectual pleasure as persons of cultivated mind in working out new hints and suggestions4 ,the drawings1 be it said1 leave much to be desired1 but they have this in common with the art of primitive peoples3 they tell the tale directly and vividly4 ,a girl of nine and a half pictures ,julius ,csar conquering ,britain4 ,he rides in a chariot mounted on scythes1 he is robed in blue1 and bits of blue sky here and there give the complementary colour4 ,in the distance1 a soldier plants the ensign bearing the ,roman eagle1 black on a pink ground6 ,in the foreground1 is a hand-to-hand combat between ,roman and ,briton1 each having a sword of enormous length4 ,other figures are variously employed4 ,another1 gives us ,antony #8making his speech after the death of ,csar4' ,this girl1 who is older1 gives us architecture2 you look through an arch1 which leads into a side street1 and1 in the foreground1 ,antony stands on a platform at the head of a flight of marble steps4 ,antony's attitude expresses indignation and scorn4 ,below1 is a crowd of ,romans wearing the toga1 whose attitudes show various shades of consternation and dismay4 ,behind1 is ,antony's servant in uniform1 holding his master's horse2 and on the platform1 in the rear of ,antony1 lies ,csar1 with the royal purple thrown over him4 ,the chief value of the drawing1 as a drawing1 is that it tells the tale4 ,another girl draws ,calpurnia begging ,csar not to go to the ,senate4 ,csar stands armed and perturbed1 while ,calpurnia holds his outstretched hand with both of hers as she kneels before him1 her face raised in entreaty2 her loose blue night-robe and long golden hair give colour to the picture4 ,this artist is fourteen1 and the drawing is better done4 ,another artist presents ,brutus and ,portia in the orchard with a #8south-wall' of red brick1 espaliers1 and two dignified figures which hardly tell their tale4 ,another child gives us the scene in the forum1 ,csar seated in royal purple1 ,brutus kneeling before him1 and ,casca standing behind his chair with outstretched hand holding a dagger1 saying 8,speak1 hands1 for me10 while ,csar says1 8,doth not ,brutus bootless kneel80 ,again1 we get ,lucius playing to ,brutus in the tent4 ,brutus1 armed cap--pie1 seated on a stool1 is vainly trying to read1 while ,lucius1 a pretty figure1 seated before him1 plays the harp4 ,the two sentries1 also fully armed1 are stretched on the floor sound asleep4 ,another1 gives us ,claudius dressed as a woman at the women's festival--the ladies with remarkable eyes1 and each carrying a flaming torch4 ,another pictures1 with great spirit1 ,csar reading his history to the conquered ,gauls1 who stand in rows on the hillside listening to the great man with exemplary patience4 ,in these original illustrations 7several of them by older children than those we have in view here71 we get an example of the various images that present themselves to the minds of children during the reading of a great work2 and a single such glimpse into a child's mind convinces us of the importance of sustaining that mind upon strong meat4 ,imagination does not stir at the suggestion of the feeble1 much-diluted stuff that is too often put into children's hands4 #8,playing at' ,history4--,children have other ways of expressing the conceptions that fill them when they are duly fed4 ,they play at their history lessons1 dress up1 make tableaux1 act scenes2 or they have a stage1 and their dolls act1 while they paint the scenery and speak the speeches4 ,there is no end to the modes of expression children find when there is anything in them to express4 ,the mistake we make is to suppose that imagination is fed by nature1 or that it works on the insipid diet of children's story-books4 ,let a child have the meat he requires in his history readings1 and in the literature which naturally gathers round this history1 and imagination will bestir itself without any help of ours2 the child will live out in detail a thousand scenes of which he only gets the merest hint4 ,,xix4--,,grammar ,grammar a ,difficult ,study4--,of grammar1 ,latin and ,english1 ,i shall say very little here4 ,in the first place1 grammar1 being a study of words and not of things1 is by no means attractive to the child1 nor should he be hurried into it4 ,english grammar1 again1 depending as it does on the position and logical connection of words1 is peculiarly hard for him to grasp4 ,in this respect the ,latin grammar is easier2 a change in the form1 the shape of the word1 to denote case1 is what a child can see with his bodily eye1 and therefore is plainer to him than the abstract ideas of nominative and objective case as we have them in ,english4 ,therefore1 if he learns no more at this early stage than the declensions and a verb or two1 it is well he should learn thus much1 if only to help him to see what ,english grammar would be at when it speaks of a change in case or mood1 yet shows no change in the form of the word4 ,latin ,grammar4--,of the teaching of ,latin grammar1 ,i think ,i cannot do better than mention a book for beginners that really answers4 ,children of eight and nine take to this ,first ,latin ,course 7,scott and ,jones7#cd very kindly1 and it is a great thing to begin a study with pleasure4 ,it is an open question1 however1 whether it is desirable to begin ,latin at so early an age4 ,english ,grammar a ,logical ,study4--,because ,english grammar is a logical study1 and deals with sentences and the positions that words occupy in them1 rather than with words1 and what they are in their own right1 it is better that the child should begin with the sentence1 and not with the parts of speech2 that is1 that he should learn a little of what is called analysis of sentences before he learns to parse2 should learn to divide simple sentences into the thing we speak of1 and what we say about it--#8,the cat--sits on the hearth'--before he is lost in the fog of person1 mood1 and part of speech4 8#8,so then ,i took up the next book4 ,it was about grammar4 ,it said extraordinary things about nouns and verbs and particles and pronouns1 and past participles and objective cases and subjunctive moods4 #8,what are all these things8' asked the ,king4 #8,i don't know1 your ,majesty1' and the ,queen did not know1 but she said it would be very suitable for children to learn4 ,it would keep them quiet4'0#ce ,it is so important that children should not be puzzled as were this bewildered ,king and ,queen1 that ,i add a couple of introductory grammar lessons2 as a single example is often more useful than many precepts4 ,,lesson ,i ,words put together so as to make sense form what is called a sentence4 #8,barley oats chair really good and cherry' is not a sentence1 because it makes no7n7sense4 #8,tom has said his lesson' is a sentence4 ,it is a sentence because it tells us something about ,tom4 ,every sentence speaks of someone or of something1 and tells us something about that of which it speaks4 ,so a sentence has two parts3 7#a7 ,the thing we speak of2 7#b7 ,what we say about it4 ,in our sentence1 we speak of #8,tom4' ,we say about him that he #8has learned his lesson4' ,the thing we speak of is often called the ,,subject1 which just means that which we talk about4 ,people sometimes say #8the subject of conversation was so and so1' which is another way of saying #8the thing we were speaking about was so and so4' ,to be learnt-- ,words put together so as to make sense form a sentence4 ,a sentence has two parts3 that which we speak of1 and what we say about it4 ,that which we speak of is the ,,subject4 ,exercises on ,lesson ,i #a4 ,put the first part to-- ---- has a long mane4 ---- is broken4 ---- cannot do his sums4 ---- played for an hour2 etc41 etc4 #b4 ,put the second part to-- ,that poor boy ----4 ,my brother ,tom ----4 ,the broken flowerpot ----4 ,bread and jam ----4 ,brown's tool-basket ----2 etc41 etc4 #c4 ,put six different subjects to each half sentence in #a4 #d4 ,make six different sentences with each subject in #b4 #e4 ,say which part of the sentence is wanting1 and supply it in-- ,has been mended ,tom's knife ,that little dog ,cut his finger ,ate too much fruit ,my new book ,the snowdrops in our garden1 etc41 etc4 ,n4,b4--,be careful to call the first part of each sentence the subject4 ,draw a line under the subject of each sentence in all the exercises4 ,,lesson ,,ii ,we may make a sentence with only two words--the name of the thing we speak of and what we say about it3-- ,john writes4 ,birds sing4 ,mary sews4 ,we speak about #8,john4' ,we say about him that he #8writes4' ,we speak about #8birds4' ,we say about them that they #8sing4' ,these words1 writes1 sing1 sews1 all come out of the same group of words1 and the words in that group are the chief words of all1 for this reason--we cannot make sense1 and therefore cannot make a sentence1 without using at least one of them4 ,they are called ,,verbs1 which means words1 because they are the chief words of all4 ,a verb always tells one of two things about the subject4 ,either it tells what the subject is1 as-- ,i am hungry4 ,the chair is broken4 ,the birds are merry2 or it tells what the subject does1 as-- ,alice writes4 ,the cat mews4 ,he calls4 ,to be learnt-- ,we cannot make a sentence without a verb4 ,verb means word4 ,verbs are the chief words4 ,verbs show that the subject is something-- ,he is sleepy2 or does something-- ,he runs4 ,exercises on ,lesson ,,ii #a4 ,put in a verb of being3-- ,mary ---- sleepy4 ,boys ---- rough4 ,girls ---- ---- quiet4 ,he ---- first yesterday4 ,i ---- a little boy4 ,tom and ,george ---- swinging before dinner4 ,we ---- ---- busy to-morrow4 ,he ---- ---- punished2 etc41 etc4 #b4 ,make three sentences with each of the following verbs3--,is1 are1 should be1 was1 am1 were1 shall be1 will be4 #c4 ,make six sentences with verbs of being in each4 #d4 ,put a verb of doing to-- ,tigers ----4 ,the boy with the pony ----4 ,my cousins ----2 etc41 etc4 #e4 ,make twenty sentences about-- ,that boy in kilts1 with verbs showing what he does4 #f4 ,find the verbs1 and say whether of being or doing1 in-- ,the bright sun rises over the hill4 ,we went away4 ,you are my cousin4 ,george goes to school4 ,he took his slate4 ,we are seven4 #g4 ,count how many verbs you use in your talk for the next ten minutes4 #h4 ,write every verb you can find in these exercises1 and draw a line under it4 ,,xx4--,,french ,french should be acquired as ,english is1 not as a grammar1 but as a living speech4 ,to train the ear to distinguish and the lips to produce the ,french vocables is a valuable part of the education of the senses1 and one which can hardly be undertaken too soon4 ,again1 all educated persons should be able to speak ,french4 ,sir ,lyon ,playfair1 once speaking at a conference of ,french masters1 lamented feelingly our degeneracy in this respect1 and instanced the grammar school of ,perth to show that in a ,scotch school in the sixteenth century the boys were required to speak ,latin during school hours1 and ,french at all other times4 ,there is hardly another civilised nation so dull in acquiring foreign tongues as we ,english of the present time2 but1 probably1 the fault lies rather in the way we set about the study than in any natural incapacity for languages4 ,as regards ,french1 for instance1 our difficulties are twofold--the want of a vocabulary1 and a certain awkwardness in producing unfamiliar sounds4 ,it is evident that both these hindrances should be removed in early childhood4 ,the child should never see ,french words in print until he has learned to say them with as much ease and readiness as if they were ,english4 ,the desire to give printed combinations of letters the sounds they would bear in ,english words is the real cause of our national difficulty in pronouncing ,french4 ,again1 the child's vocabulary should increase steadily1 say1 at the rate of half a dozen words a day4 ,think of fifteen hundred words in a year6 ,the child who has that number of words1 and knows how to apply them1 can speak ,french4 ,of course1 his teacher will take care that1 in giving words1 she gives idioms also1 and that as he learns new words1 they are put into sentences and kept in use from day to day4 ,a note-book in which she enters the child's new words and sentences will easily enable the teacher to do this4 ,the young child has no foolish shame about saying ,french words--he pronounces them as simply as if they were ,english2 but it is very important that he should acquire a pure accent from the first4 ,it is not often advisable that young ,english children should be put into the hands of a ,french governess or nurse2 but would it not be possible for half a dozen families1 say1 to engage a ,french lady1 who would give half an hour daily to each family8 ,m4 ,gouin's ,method4--,a serious effort is being made to approach the study of foreign languages rationally and scientifically4 ,i have no hesitation in saying that ,m4 ,gouin's work 7,the ,art of ,teaching and ,studying ,languages7#cf is the most important attempt that has yet been made to bring the study of languages within the sphere of practical education4 ,indeed1 the great reform in our methods of teaching modern languages owe their origin to this remarkable work4 ,the initial idea1 that we must acquire a new language as a child acquires his mother tongue1 is absolutely right1 whether the attempt to follow this idea out by analysing a language into a certain number1 say fifteen1 exhaustive #8series1' be right or not4 ,again1 it is incontestable that the ear1 and not the eye1 is the physical organ for apprehending a language1 just as truly as it is by the mouth1 and not the ear1 we appropriate food4 ,if ,m4 ,gouin's book establish these two points only1 it will be a valuable contribution to educational thought4 ,equally important is his third position1 that the verb is the key to the sentence1 and more1 is the living bridge between thought and act4 ,he maintains1 too1 that the child thinks in sentences1 not in words2 that his sentences have a logical sequence2 that this sequence is one of time--the order of the operations in1 for example1 the growth of a plant1 or the grinding of corn in a mill2 that1 as the child perceives the operations1 he has an absolute need to express them2 that his ear solicits1 his memory cherishes1 his tongue reproduces1 the words which say the thing he thinks4 ,no doubt ,m4 ,gouin's method should be more successful than any other in steeping the student 7child or man7 in ,german or ,french thought4 ,if you are all day long trying to work out a #8series' in ,french1 say1 you come to think in ,french1 to #8dream in ,french1' to speak ,french4 ,moreover1 one has a delightful sense that at last the way is made clear to us to conduct all teaching in the language under study4 ,you have the #8,art ,series' and the #8,bee ,series' and the #8,river' and the #8,character ,series' and the #8,poet ,series1' and any series you like4 ,you think the thing out in the order of time and natural sequence2 you get the right verbs1 nouns1 and such epithets as are necessary1 follow suit1 and in amazingly few sentences1 very short sentences too1 connected by #8and1' you have said all that is essential to the subject4 ,the whole thing is a constant surprise1 like the children's game which unearths the most extraordinary and out-of-the-way thing you can think of by means of a dozen or so questions4 ,the #8,series4'--,thus1 a language learned by ,m4 ,gouin's method is #8a liberal education in itself4' ,one learns how few and simple are1 after all1 the conceptions of which the human mind is cognisant1 and how few and simple1 putting mere verbiage aside1 are the words necessary to express these4 ,you really learn to think in the new language1 because you have no more than vague impressions about these acts or facts in your mother tongue4 ,you order your thoughts in the new language1 and1 having done so1 the words which express these are an inalienable possession4 ,here is an example of an elementary #8,series1' showing how #8the servant lights the fire'3 8,the servant takes a box of matches1 takes4 ,she opens the match-box1 opens4 ,she takes out a match1 takes out4 ,she shuts up the match-box1 shuts up4 ,she strikes the match on the cover1 strikes4 ,the match takes fire1 takes fire4 ,the match smokes1 smokes4 ,the match flames1 flames4 ,the match burns1 burns4 ,and spreads a smell of burning over the kitchen1 spreads4 ,the servant bends down to the hearth1 bends down4 ,puts out her hand1 puts out4 ,puts the match under the shavings1 puts4 ,holds the match under the shavings1 holds4 ,the shavings take fire1 take fire4 ,the servant leaves go of the match1 leaves go4 ,stands up again1 stands up4 ,looks at her fire burning1 looks4 ,and puts back the box of matches in its place1 puts back40 ,but any attempt to quote gives an uncertain and unsatisfactory idea of this important work4 ,how does the ,child learn8--,whatever may be said of ,m4 ,gouin's methods1 the steps by which he arrives at them are undoubtedly scientific4 ,he learns from a child3 8,unhappily the child has remained up to the present a hackneyed riddle1 which we have never taken sufficient trouble to decipher or examine44440 8,the little child1 which at the age of two years utters nothing but meaningless exclamations1 at the age of three finds itself in possession of a complete language4 ,how does it accomplish this8 ,does this miracle admit of explanation or not8 ,is it a problem of which there is a possibility of finding the unknown quantity8444 ,the organ of language--ask the little child--is not the eye3 it is the ear4 ,the eye is made for colours1 and not for sounds and words4444 ,this tension1 continuous and contrary to nature1 of the organ of sight1 the forced precipitancy of the visual act1 produced what it was bound to produce1 a disease of the eyesight40 ,this refers to ,m4 ,gouin's herculean labours in the attempt to learn ,german4 ,he knew everybody's #8,method1' learned the whole dictionary through1 and found at the end that he did not know one word of ,german #8as she is spoke4' ,he returned to ,france1 after a ten months' absence1 and found that his little nephew--whom he had left1 a child of two and a half1 not yet able to talk--had in the interval done what his uncle had signally failed to do4 8#8,what6' ,i thought2 #8this child and ,i have been working for the same time1 each at a language4 ,he1 playing round his mother1 running after flowers1 butterflies and birds1 without weariness1 without apparent effort1 without even being conscious of his work1 is able to say all he thinks1 express all he sees1 understand all he hears2 and when he began his work1 his intelligence was yet a futurity1 a glimmer1 a hope4 ,and ,i1 versed in the sciences1 versed in philosophy1 armed with a powerful will1 gifted with a powerful memory 444 have arrived at nothing1 or at practically nothing6'0 8,the linguistic science of the college has deceived me1 has misguided me4 ,the classical method1 with its grammar1 its dictionary1 and its translations1 is a delusion40 8,to surprise ,nature's secret1 ,i must watch this child40 ,m4 ,gouin watches the child--the work in question is the result of his observations4 ,the method of teaching may be varied1 partly because that recommended by ,m4 ,gouin requires a perfect command of the ,french tongue1 and teachers who are diffident find a conversational method founded on book and picture#cg easier to work and perhaps as effectual--more so1 some people think2 but1 be this as it may1 it is to ,m4 ,gouin we owe the fundamental idea4 ,it is satisfactory to find principles1 which we have urged continually1 enunciated in this most thoughtful work4 ,for example3 8,if one learns ,french without being able to read it--as the child does--there will be no longer much greater difficulty in pronouncing it than in pronouncing words in ,english4 #8,how about the spelling8' you will ask4 ,the spelling8 ,you would learn it as the young ,french children learn it1 as you yourself have learnt the ,english spelling1 ten times more difficult than the ,french2 and this without letting the study of the spelling spoil your already acquired pronunciation4 ,besides1 the spelling is a thing that can be reformed--the pronunciation hardly at all4 ,we must choose between the two evils40 ,m4 ,gouin speaks of the possibility of a child's picking up another tongue--even ,chinese from a ,chinese nurse2 and his words remind me of an extraordinary instance of a child's facility in picking up languages1 which once came before me4 ,having occasion to speak in public of three little children1 all aged three1 belonging to different families1 where one parent was ,english1 the other ,german1 ,i said that these three children of my acquaintance could each say everything they had to say1 express the whole range of their ideas1 with equal ease and fluency in the two languages4 ,at the close of the meeting1 a gentleman present came forward and endorsed my remarks4 ,he said he had a son whose wife was a ,german lady1 and who was now a missionary in ,bagdad4 ,they have a child of three1 and their child speaks three languages with perfect fluency--,english1 ,german1 and ,arabic6 ,no doubt the child will forget two of the three1 and this is no argument for teaching foreign tongues to babies1 but surely it does prove that the acquisition of a foreign tongue need not present insuperable difficulties to any of us4 ,,xxi4--,,pictorial ,,art ,study of ,pictures4--,the art training of children should proceed on two lines4 ,the six-year-old child should begin both to express himself and to appreciate1 and his appreciation should be well in advance of his power to express what he sees or imagines4 ,therefore it is a lamentable thing when the appreciation of children is exercised only upon the coloured lithographs of their picture-books or of the #8,christmas number4' ,but the reader will say1 #8,a young child cannot appreciate art2 it is only the colour and sentiment of a picture that reach him4 ,a vividly coloured presentation of ,bobbie's ,birthday1 or of ,barbara's ,broken ,doll1 will find its way straight to his 8business and bosom40' #8,therefore1' says the reader1 #8,nature indicates the sort of art proper for the children6' ,but1 as a matter of fact1 the minds of children and of their elders alike accommodate themselves to what is put in their way2 and if children appreciate the vulgar and sentimental in art1 it is because that is the manner of art to which they become habituated4 ,a little boy of about nine was 7with many others7 given reproductions of some half-dozen of the pictures of ,jean ,franois ,millet to study during a school term4 ,at the end1 the children were asked to describe the one of these pictures which they liked best4 ,of course they did it1 and did it well4 ,this is what the little boy ,i mentioned makes of it3--8,i liked the ,sower best4 ,the sower is sowing seeds2 the picture is all dark except high up on the right-hand side where there is a man ploughing the field4 ,while he is ploughing the field the sower sows4 ,the sower has got a bag in his left hand and is sowing with his right hand4 ,he has wooden clogs on4 ,he is sowing at about six o'clock in the morning4 ,you can see his head better than his legs and body1 because it is against the light40 ,a little girl of seven prefers the #8,angelus1' and says3--8,the picture is about people in the fields1 a man and a woman4 ,by the woman is a basket with something in it2 behind her is a wheelbarrow4 ,they are praying2 the man has his hat off in his hand4 ,you can tell that it is evening1 because the wheelbarrow and the basket are loaded40 ,should be ,regular4--,when children have begun regular lessons 7that is1 as soon as they are six71 this sort of study of pictures should not be left to chance1 but they should take one artist after another1 term by term1 and study quietly some half-dozen reproductions of his work in the course of a term4 ,the little memory outlines ,i have quoted show that something definite remains with a child after his studies2 but this is the least of the gains4 ,we cannot measure the influence that one or another artist has upon the child's sense of beauty1 upon his power of seeing1 as in a picture1 the common sights of life2 he is enriched more than we know in having really looked at even a single picture4 ,it is a mistake to think that colour is quite necessary to children in their art studies4 ,they find colour in many places1 and are content1 for the time1 with form and feeling in their pictures4 ,by the way1 for schoolroom decorations1 ,i know of nothing better than the ,fitzroy ,pictures1#ch especially those of the ,four ,seasons1 where you get beauty1 both of line and colour1 and poetic feeling4 ,i should like1 too1 to quote ,ruskin's counsel that ,english children should be brought up on ,jean ,richter's picture-books for children1 the ,unser ,vater1 ,sontag1#ch;a and the rest4 ,i subjoin notes of a lesson on a ,picture-talk#ci given to children of eight and nine1 to show how this sort of lesson may be given4 ,,picture-,,talk 8,objects 8#a4 ,to continue the series of ,landseer's pictures the children are taking in school4 8#b4 ,to increase their interest in ,landseer's works4 8#c4 ,to show the importance of his acquaintance with animals4 8#d4 ,to help them to read a picture truly4 8#e4 ,to increase their powers of attention and observation4 8,step ,i4--,ask the children if they remember what their last picture-talk was about1 and what artist was famous for animal-painting4 ,tell them ,landseer was acquainted with animals when he was quite young3 he had dogs for pets1 and because he loved them he studied them and their habits--so was able to paint them4 8,step ,,ii4--,give them the picture #8,alexander and ,diogenes' to look at1 and ask them to find out all they can about it themselves1 and to think what idea the artist had in his mind1 and what idea or ideas he meant his picture to convey to us4 8,step ,,iii4--,after three or four minutes1 take the picture away and see what the children have noticed4 ,then ask them what the different dogs suggest to them3 the strength of the mastiff representing ,alexander2 the dignity and stateliness of the bloodhounds in his rear2 the look of the wise counsellor on the face of the setter2 the rather contemptuous look of the rough-haired terrier in the tub4 ,ask the children if they have noticed anything in the picture which shows the time of day3 for example1 the tools thrown down by the side of the workman's basket suggesting the mid-day meal2 and the bright sunshine on the dogs who cast a shadow on the tub shows it must be somewhere about noon4 8,step ,,iv4--,let them read the title1 and tell any facts they know about ,alexander and ,diogenes2 then tell them ,alexander was a great conqueror who lived ,b4,c4 #cef-cbc1 famous for the battles he won against ,persia1 ,india1 and along the coast of the ,mediterranean4 ,he was very proud1 strong1 and boastful4 ,diogenes was a cynic philosopher4 ,explain cynic1 illustrating by the legend of ,alexander and ,diogenes2 and from it find out which dog represents ,alexander and which ,diogenes4 8,step ,v4--,let the children draw the chief lines of the picture1 in five minutes1 with pencil and paper40 ,original ,illustrations4--,i have spoken1 from time to time1 of original illustrations drawn by the children4 ,it may be of use to subjoin notes of a lesson#dj showing the sort of occasional help a teacher may give in this kind of work2 but in a general way it is best to leave children to themselves4 8,objects 8#a4 ,to help the children to make clear mental pictures from description1 and to reproduce the same in painting4 8#b4 ,to increase their power of imagination4 8#c4 ,to help them in their ideas of form and colour4 8#d4 ,to increase their interest in the story of ,beowulf by letting them illustrate a scene from the book they are reading4 8#e4 ,to bring out their idea of an unknown creature 7,grendel74 8,steps 8,step ,i4--,to draw from the children what they know of the poem #8,beowulf1' and of the hero himself4 8,step ,,ii4--,to tell them any points they may miss in the story1 as far as they have read 7i4e4 to the death of ,grendel74 8,step ,,iii4--,to read the description of the dress at that time1 and the account of ,grendel's death 7including three possible pictures74 8,step ,,iv4--,to draw from the children what mental pictures they have made--and to re-read the passage4 8,step ,v4--,to let them produce their mental picture with brush and paint4 8,step ,,vi4--,to show them ,george ,harrow's #8original illustration' of ,beowulf in ,heroes of ,chivalry and ,romance40 ,drawing ,lessons4--,but #8for their actual drawing lessons1' says the reader1 #8,i suppose you use 8blobs08'--#8blobs1' i4e4 splashes of paint made with the flat of the brush1 which take an oval form4 ,i think blobs have one use--they give a certain freedom in using colour4 ,otherwise #8blobs' seem to me a sort of apparatus of art which a child acquires with a good deal of labour1 and with which1 by proper combinations into flowers1 and so on1 he can produce effects beyond his legitimate power as an artist1 while all the time he can do this without a particle of the feeling for the natural object which is the very soul of art4 ,the power of effective creation by a sort of clever trick maims those delicate feelers of a child's nature by which he apprehends art4 8,let the eye0 7says ,ruskin7 8but rest on a rough piece of branch of curious form during a conversation with a friend1 rest1 however unconsciously1 and though the conversation be forgotten1 though every circumstance connected with it be as utterly lost to the memory as though it had not been1 yet the eye will1 through the whole life after1 take a certain pleasure in such boughs which it had not before1 a pleasure so slight1 a trace of feeling so delicate1 as to leave us utterly unconscious of its peculiar power1 but undestroyable by any reasoning1 a part thenceforward of our constitution40 ,this is what we wish to do for children in teaching them to draw--to cause the eye to rest1 not unconsciously1 but consciously1 on some object of beauty which will leave in their minds an image of delight for all their lives to come4 ,children of six and seven draw budding twigs of oak and ash1 beech and larch1 with such tender fidelity to colour1 tone1 and gesture1 that the crude little drawings are in themselves things of beauty4 ,children have #8,art' in them4--,with art1 as with so many other things in a child1 we must believe that it is there1 or we shall never find it4 ,once again1 here is a delicate ,ariel whom it is our part to deliver from his bonds4 ,therefore we set twig or growing flower before a child and let him deal with it as he chooses4 ,he will find his own way to form and colour1 and our help may very well be limited at first to such technical matters as the mixing of colours and the like4 ,in order that we may not impede the child's freedom or hinder the deliverance of the art that is in him1 we must be careful not to offer any aids in the way of guiding lines1 points1 and such other crutches2 and1 also1 he should work in the easiest medium1 that is1 with paint brush or with charcoal1 and not with a black-lead pencil4 ,boxes of cheap colours are to be avoided4 ,children are worthy of the best1 and some half-dozen tubes of really good colours will last a long time1 and will satisfy the eye of the little artists4 ,clay-modelling4--,while speaking of the art training of children1 it may be as well to give a word to clay-modelling4 ,neat little birds'-nests1 baskets of eggs1 etc41 are of no use in the way of art development1 and soon cease to be amusing4 ,the chief thing the teacher has to do is to show the child how to prepare his clay so as to expel air-bubbles1 and to give him the idea of making a little platform for his work1 so that it may from the first have an artistic effect4 ,then put before him an apple1 a banana1 a ,brazil nut1 or the like2 let him1 not take a lump of clay and squeeze it into shape1 but build up the shape he desires morsel by morsel4 ,his own artistic perception seizes on the dint in the apple1 the crease in the child's shoe1 the little notes of expression in the objects which break uniformity and make for art4 ,the ,piano and ,singing4--,i must close1 with the disappointing sense that subjects of importance in the child's education have been left out of count1 and that no one matter has been adequately treated4 ,certain subjects of peculiar educational value1 music1 for instance1 ,i have said nothing about1 partly for want of space1 and partly because if the mother have not ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds's #8that6' in her1 hints from an outsider will not produce the art-feeling which is the condition of success in this sort of teaching4 ,if possible1 let the children learn from the first under artists1 lovers of their work3 it is a serious mistake to let the child lay the foundation of whatever he may do in the future under ill-qualified mechanical teachers1 who kindle in him none of the enthusiasm which is the life of art4 ,i should like1 in connection with singing1 to mention the admirable educational effects of the ,tonic ,sol-fa method4#da ,children learn by it in a magical way to produce sign for sound and sound for sign1 that is1 they can not only read music1 but can write the notes for1 or make the proper hand signs for1 the notes of a passage sung to them4 ,ear and voice are simultaneously and equally cultivated4 ,mrs ,curwen's ,child ,pianist#db method is worked out1 with minute care1 upon the same lines2 that is1 the child's knowledge of the theory of music and his ear training keep pace with his power of execution1 and seem to do away with the deadly dreariness of #8practising4' ,handicrafts and ,drills4--,it is not possible to do more than mention two more important subjects--the ,handicrafts and ,drills--which should form a regular part of a child's daily life4 ,for physical training nothing is so good as ,ling's ,swedish ,drill1 and a few of the early exercises are within the reach of children under nine4 ,dancing1 and the various musical drills1 lend themselves to grace of movement1 and give more pleasure1 if less scientific training1 to the little people4 ,the ,handicrafts best fitted for children under nine seem to me to be chair-caning1 carton-work1 basket-work1 ,smyrna rugs1 ,japanese curtains1 carving in cork1 samplers on coarse canvas showing a variety of stitches1 easy needlework1 knitting 7big needles and wool71 etc4 ,the points to be borne in mind in children's handicrafts are3 7a7 that they should not be employed in making futilities such as pea and stick work1 paper mats1 and the like2 7b7 that they should be taught slowly and carefully what they are to do2 7c7 that slipshod work should not be allowed2 7d7 and that1 therefore1 the children's work should be kept well within their compass4 ,may ,i hope1 in concluding this short review of the subjects proper for a child's intellectual education1 that enough has been said to show the necessity of grave consideration on the mother's part before she allows promiscuous little lesson-books to be put into the hands of her children1 or trusts ill-qualified persons to strike out methods of teaching for themselves8 ,,footnotes3 #i ,see ,appendix ,a4 #aj ,see ,appendix ,a4 #aa ,see ,appendix ,a4 #ab ,see ,appendix ,a4 #ac ,quoted by ,mr ,thistleton ,mark4 #ad ,southey's ,life of ,wesley4 #ae ,it is so important that children should be taught to read in a rational way1 that ,i introduce two papers 7by the writer7 which have appeared in the ,parents' ,review1 in the hope that they will make the suggested method fairly clear and familiar4 #af ,miss ,miller1 founder of a ,training ,college at ,oxford4 #ag ,spirited nursery rhymes form the best material for such reading lessons4 ,a 8,delightful ,reading ,box0 has been issued on a similar plan to the #8,pussy' ,box1 whose one fault is that the verses are a little dull4 ,but this #8,box' should be of great use4 #ah ,it is desirable that #8,tommy' should not begin to #8read' until his intelligence is equal to the effort required by these lessons4 ,even then1 it may be well to break up one into two1 or half a dozen1 as he is able to take it4 #ai ,appendix ,a4 #bj ,see ,appendix ,a4 #ba ,see ,appendix ,a4 #bb ,see ,appendix ,a4 #bc ,see ,appendix ,a4 #bd ,see ,appendix ,a4 #be ,see ,appendix ,a4 #bf ,parents' ,review1 ,april #aijd4 #bg ,see ,appendix ,a4 #bh ,see ,appendix ,a4 #bi ,see ,appendix ,a4 #cj ,bohn's ,antiquarian ,library 7#es4 a volume7 includes ,bede1 ,william of ,malmesbury1 ,dr ,giles's ,six ,old ,english ,chronicles--,asser and ,geoffrey of ,monmouth being two of them--,chronicles of the ,crusaders1 etc4 #ca ,see ,appendix ,a4 #cb ,see ,appendix ,a4 #cc ,see ,appendix ,a4 #cd ,see ,appendix ,a4 #ce ,palace ,tales1 ,h4 ,fielding4 #cf ,see ,appendix ,a4 #cg ,see ,appendix ,a4 #ch ,see ,appendix ,a4 #ci ,by a student of the ,house of ,education4 #dj ,by a student of the ,house of ,education4 #da ,see ,appendix ,a4 #db ,see ,appendix ,a4 ,,part ,,vi ,,the ,,will--,,the ,,conscience--,,the ,,divine ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,child ,i4--,,the ,,will ,government of ,mansoul4--,we have now to consider a subject of unspeakable importance to every being called upon to sustain a reasonable life here1 with the hope of the fuller life hereafter2 ,i mean1 the government of the kingdom of ,mansoul4 ,every child who lives long enough in the world is invested1 by degrees1 with this high function1 and it is the part of his parents to instruct him in his duties1 and to practise him in his tasks4 ,now1 the government of this kingdom of ,mansoul is1 like that of some well-ordered states1 carried on in three chambers1 each chamber with its own functions1 exercised1 not by a multitude of counsellors1 but by a single minister4 ,executive ,power vested in the ,will4--,in the outer of the three chambers sits the ,will4 ,like that ,roman centurion1 he has soldiers under him3 he says to this man1 ,go1 and he goeth2 to another1 ,come1 and he cometh2 to a third1 ,do this1 and he doeth it4 ,in other words1 the executive power is vested in the will4 ,if the will have the habit of authority1 if it deliver its mandates in the tone that constrains obedience1 the kingdom is1 at any rate1 at unity with itself4 ,if the will be feeble1 of uncertain counsels1 poor ,mansoul is torn with disorder and rebellion4 ,what is the ,will8--,i do not know what the will is2 it would appear to be an ultimate fact1 not admitting of definition3 but there are few subjects on which those who have the education of children in their hands make more injurious mistakes2 and therefore it is worth while to consider1 as we may1 what are the functions of the will1 and what are its limitations4 ,persons may go through life without deliberate act of ,will4--,in the first place1 the will does not necessarily come into play in any of the aspects in which we have hitherto considered the child4 ,he may reflect and imagine2 be stirred by the desire of knowledge1 of power1 of distinction2 may love and esteem2 may form habits of attention1 obedience1 diligence1 sloth1 involuntarily--that is1 without ever intending1 purposing1 willing these things for himself4 ,so far is this true1 that there are people who live through their lives without an act of deliberate will3 amiable1 easy-going people1 on the one hand1 hedged in by favouring circumstances2 and poor souls1 on the other1 whom circumstances have not saved1 who have drifted from their moorings1 and are hardly to be named by those to whom they belong4 ,great intellectual powers by no means imply a controlling will4 ,we read how ,coleridge had to be taken care of1 because he had so little power of willing4 ,his thoughts were as little under his own volition as his actions1 and the fine talk people went to hear was no more than an endless pouring forth of ideas connected by no other link than that of association2 though so fine was his mind1 that his ideas flowed methodically--of their own accord1 so to speak4 ,character the ,result of ,conduct regulated by ,will4--,it is not necessary to say a word about the dignity and force of character which a confirmed will gives to its possessors4 ,in fact1 character is the result of conduct regulated by will4 ,we say1 ,so-and-so has a great deal of character1 such another is without character2 and we might express the fact equally by saying1 ,so-and-so has a vigorous will1 such another has no force of will4 ,we all know of lives1 rich in gifts and graces1 which have been wrecked for the lack of a determining will4 ,three ,functions of the ,will4--,the will is the controller of the passions and emotions1 the director of the desires1 the ruler of the appetites4 ,but observe1 the passions1 the desires1 the appetites1 are there already1 and the will gathers force and vigour only as it is exercised in the repression and direction of these2 for though the will appears to be of purely spiritual nature1 yet it behaves like any member of the body in this--that it becomes vigorous and capable in proportion as it is duly nourished and fitly employed4 ,a ,limitation of the ,will disregarded by some ,novelists4--,the villain of a novel1 it is true1 is1 or rather used to be1 an interesting person1 because he was always endowed with a powerful will1 which acted1 not in controlling his violent passions1 but in aiding and abetting them3 the result was a diabolical being out of the common way of nature4 ,and no wonder1 for1 according to natural law1 the member which does not fulfil its own functions is punished by loss of power2 if it does not cease to be1 it becomes as though it were not2 and the will1 being placed in the seat of authority1 is not able to carry its forces over to the mob--the disorder would be too fearful2 just as when the executive powers of a state are seized upon by a riotous mob1 and there are shootings in the highways and hangings from the lanterns1 infinite confusion everywhere4 ,parents fall into this ,metaphysical ,blunder4--,i am anxious to bring before you this limitation of the will to its own proper functions1 because parents often enough fall into the very metaphysical blunder we have seen in the novel-writer4 ,they admire a vigorous will1 and rightly4 ,they know that if their child is to make his mark in the world1 it must be by force of will4 ,what follows8 ,the baby screams himself into fits for a forbidden plaything1 and the mother says1 #8,he has such a strong will4' ,the little fellow of three stands roaring in the street1 and will neither go hither nor thither with his nurse1 because #8he has such a strong will4' ,he will rule the sports of the nursery1 will monopolise his sisters' playthings1 all because of this #8strong will4' ,now we come to a divergence of opinion3 on the one hand1 the parents decide that1 whatever the consequence1 the child's will is not to be broken1 so all his vagaries must go unchecked2 on the other1 the decision is1 that the child's will must be broken at all hazards1 and the poor little being is subjected to a dreary round of punishment and repression4 ,wilfulness indicates want of ,will ,power4--,but1 all the time1 nobody perceives that it is the mere want of will that is the matter with the child4 ,he is in a state of absolute #8wilfulness1'--the rather unfortunate word we use to describe the state in which the will has no controlling power2 willessness1 if there were such a word1 would describe this state more truly4 ,now1 this confusion1 in the minds of many persons1 between the state of wilfulness and that of being dominated by will1 leads to mischievous results even where wilfulness is not fostered nor the child unduly repressed3 it leads to the neglect of the due cultivation and training of the will1 that almost divine possession1 upon the employment of which every other gift1 be it beauty or genius1 strength or skill1 depends for its value4 ,what is ,wilfulness8--,what1 then1 is wilfulness1 if it be not an exercise of will8 ,simply this3 remove bit and bridle--that is1 the control of the will--from the appetites1 the desires1 the emotions1 and the child who has mounted his hobby1 be it resentment1 jealousy1 desire of power1 desire of property1 is another ,mazeppa1 borne along with the speed of the swift and the strength of the strong1 and with no power at all to help himself4 ,appetite1 passion1 there is no limit to their power and their persistence if the appointed check be removed2 and it is this impetus of appetite or of passion1 this apparent determination to go in one way and no other1 which is called wilfulness and mistaken for an exercise of will4 ,whereas the determination is only apparent2 the child is1 in fact1 hurried along without resistance1 because that opposing force which should give balance to his character is undeveloped and untrained4 ,the ,will has ,superior and ,inferior ,functions4--,the will has its superior and its inferior1 what may be called its moral and its mechanical functions2 and that will which1 for want of practice1 has grown flaccid and feeble in the exercise of its higher functions1 may yet be able for the ordering of such matters as going or coming1 sitting or standing1 speaking or refraining from speech4 ,the ,will not a ,moral ,faculty4--,again1 though it is impossible to attain moral excellence of character without the agency of a vigorous will1 the will itself is not a moral faculty1 and a man may attain great strength of will in consequence of continued efforts in the repression or direction of his appetites or desires1 and yet be an unworthy man2 that is1 he may be keeping himself in order from unworthy motives1 for the sake of appearances1 for his own interest1 even for the injury of another4 ,a ,disciplined ,will necessary to ,heroic ,christian ,character4--,once again1 though a disciplined will is not a necessary condition of the ,christian life1 it is necessary to the development of the heroic ,christian character4 ,a ,gordon1 a ,havelock1 a ,florence ,nightingale1 a ,st ,paul1 could not be other than a person of vigorous will4 ,in this respect1 as in all others1 ,christianity reaches the feeblest souls4 ,there is a wonderful ,guido #8,magdalen' in the ,louvre1 with a mouth which has plainly never been set to any resolve for good or ill--a lower face moulded by the helpless following of the inclination of the moment2 but you look up to the eyes1 which are raised to meet the gaze of eyes not shown in the picture1 and the countenance is transfigured1 the whole face is aglow with a passion of service1 love1 and self-surrender4 ,all this the divine grace may accomplish in weak unwilling souls1 and then they will do what they can2 but their power of service is limited by their past4 ,not so the child of the ,christian mother1 whose highest desire is to train him for the ,christian life4 ,when he wakes to the consciousness of whose he is and whom he serves1 she would have him ready for that high service1 with every faculty in training--a man of war from his youth2 above all1 with an effective will1 to will and to do of ,his good pleasure4 ,the sole ,practical ,faculty of ,man4--,before we consider how to train this #8sole practical faculty of man1' we must know how the will operates--how it manages the ordering of all that is done and thought in the kingdom of ,mansoul4 8,can't you make yourself do what you wish to do80 says ,guy1 in the ,heir of ,redclyffe1 to poor ,charlie ,edmonston1 who has never been in the habit of making himself do anything4 ,there are those1 no doubt1 who have not even arrived at wishing1 but most of us desire to do well2 what we want to know is1 how to make ourselves do what we desire4 ,and here is the line which divides the effective from the non-effective people1 the great from the small1 the good from the well-intentioned and respectable2 it is in proportion as a man has self-controlling1 self-compelling power that he is able to do1 even of his own pleasure2 that he can depend upon himself1 and be sure of his own action in emergencies4 ,how the ,will operates4--,now1 how does this autocrat of the bosom behave8 ,is it with a stern #8,thou shalt1' #8,thou shalt not1' that the subject man is coerced into obedience8 ,by no means4 ,is it by a plausible show of reasons1 mustering of motives8 ,not this either4 ,since ,mr ,john ,stuart ,mill taught us that 8all that man does1 or can do1 with matter0 is to 8move one thing to or from another10 we need not be surprised if great moral results are brought about by what seem inadequate means2 and a little bit of nursery experience will show better than much talking what is possible to the will4 ,a baby falls1 gets a bad bump1 and cries piteously4 ,the experienced nurse does not 8kiss the place to make it well10 or show any pity for the child's trouble--that would make matters worse2 the more she pities1 the more he sobs4 ,she hastens to #8change his thoughts1' so she says2 she carries him to the window to see the horses1 gives him his pet picture-book1 his dearest toy1 and the child pulls himself up in the middle of a sob1 though he is really badly hurt4 ,now this1 of the knowing nurse1 is precisely the part the will plays towards the man4 ,it is by force of will that a man can #8change his thoughts1' transfer his attention from one subject of thought to another1 and that1 with a shock of mental force of which he is distinctly conscious4 ,and this is enough to save a man and to make a man1 this power of making himself think only of those things which he has beforehand decided that it is good to think upon4 ,the ,way of the ,will--,incentives4--,his thoughts are wandering on forbidden pleasures1 to the hindrance of his work2 he pulls himself up1 and deliberately fixes his attention on those incentives which have most power to make him work1 the leisure and pleasure which follow honest labour1 the duty which binds him to the fulfilling of his task4 ,his thoughts run in the groove he wills them to run in1 and work is no longer an effort4 ,diversion4--,again1 some slight affront has called up a flood of resentful feeling3 ,so-and-so should not have done it1 he had no right1 it was mean1 and so on1 through all the hard things we are ready enough to say in our hearts of an offender against our amour propre4 ,but the man under the control of his own will does not allow this to go on3 he does not fight it out with himself1 and say1 #8,this is very wrong in me4 ,so-and-so is not so much to blame1 after all4' ,he is not ready for that yet2 but he just compels himself to think of something else--the last book he has read1 the next letter he must write1 anything interesting enough to divert his thoughts4 ,when he allows himself to go back to the cause of offence1 behold1 all rancour is gone1 and he is able to look at the matter with the coolness of a third person4 ,and this is true1 not only of the risings of resentment1 but of every temptation that besets the flesh and spirit4 ,change of ,thought4--,again1 the sameness of his duties1 the weariness of doing the same thing over and over1 fills him with disgust and despondency1 and he relaxes his efforts2--but not if he be a man under the power of his own will1 because he simply does not allow himself in idle discontent2 it is always within his power to give himself something pleasant1 something outside of himself1 to think of1 and he does so2 and1 given what we call a #8happy frame of mind1' no work is laborious4 ,the ,way of the ,will should be taught to ,children4--,it is something to know what to do with ourselves when we are beset1 and the knowledge of this way of the will is so far the secret of a happy life1 that it is well worth imparting to the children4 ,are you cross8 ,change your thoughts4 ,are you tired of trying8 ,change your thoughts4 ,are you craving for things you are not to have8 ,change your thoughts2 there is a power within you1 your own will1 which will enable you to turn your attention from thoughts that make you unhappy and wrong1 to thoughts that make you happy and right4 ,and this is the exceedingly simple way in which the will acts2 this is the sole secret of the power over himself which the strong man wields--he can compel himself to think of what he chooses1 and will not allow himself in thoughts that breed mischief4 ,power of ,will implies ,power of ,attention4--,but you perceive that1 though the will is all-powerful within certain limits1 these are but narrow limits after all4 ,much must go before and along with a vigorous will if it is to be a power in the ruling of conduct4 ,for instance1 the man must have acquired the habit of attention1 the great importance of which we have already considered4 ,there are bird-witted people1 who have no power of thinking connectedly for five minutes under any pressure1 from within or from without4 ,if they have never been trained to apply the whole of their mental faculties to a given subject1 why1 no energy of will1 supposing they had it1 which is impossible1 could make them think steadily thoughts of their own choosing or of anyone else's4 ,here is how the parts of the intellectual fabric dovetail3 power of will implies power of attention2 and before the parent can begin to train the will of the child1 he must have begun to form in him the habit of attention4 ,habit may ,frustrate the ,will4--,again1 we have already considered the fatal facility in evil1 the impulse towards good1 which habit gives4 ,habit is either the ally or the opponent1 too often the frustrator1 of the will4 ,the unhappy drunkard does will with what strength there is in him2 he turns away the eyes of his mind from beholding his snare2 he plies himself assiduously with other thoughts2 but alas1 his thoughts will only run in the accustomed groove of desire1 and habit is too strong for his feeble will4 ,we all know something of this struggle between habit and will in less vital matters4 ,who is without some dilatory1 procrastinating1 in some way tiresome1 habit1 which is in almost daily struggle with the rectified will8 ,but ,i have already said so much about the duty of parents to ease the way of their children by laying down for them the lines of helpful habits1 that it is unnecessary to say a word more here of habit as an ally or a hinderer of the will4 ,reasonable ,use of so effective an ,instrument4--,and1 once more1 only the man of cultivated reason is capable of being ruled by a well-directed will4 ,if his understanding does not show good cause why he should do some solid reading every day1 why he should cling to the faith of his fathers1 why he should take up his duties as a citizen1--the movement of his will will be feeble and fluctuating1 and very barren of results4 ,and1 indeed1 worse may happen3 he may take up some wrong-headed1 or even vicious1 notion and work a great deal of mischief by what he feels to be a virtuous effort of will4 ,the parent may venture to place the power of will in the hands of his child only in so far as he trains him to make a reasonable use of so effective an instrument4 ,how to ,strengthen the ,will4--,one other limitation of the will we shall consider presently2 but supposing the parent take pains that the child shall be in a fit state to use his will1 how is he to strengthen that will1 so that by and by the child may employ it to control his own life by8 ,we have spoken already of the importance of training the child in the habit of obedience4 ,now1 obedience is valuable only in so far as it helps the child towards making himself do that which he knows he ought to do4 ,every effort of obedience which does not give him a sense of conquest over his own inclinations1 helps to enslave him1 and he will resent the loss of his liberty by running into license when he can4 ,that is the secret of the miscarrying of many strictly brought-up children4 ,but invite his co-operation1 let him heartily intend and purpose to do the thing he is bidden1 and then it is his own will that is compelling him1 and not yours2 he has begun the greatest effort1 the highest accomplishment of human life--the making1 the compelling of himself4 ,let him know what he is about1 let him enjoy a sense of triumph1 and of your congratulation1 whenever he fetches his thoughts back to his tiresome sum1 whenever he makes his hands finish what they have begun1 whenever he throws the black dog off his back1 and produces a smile from a clouded face4 ,habit of ,self-management4--,then1 as was said before1 let him know the secret of willing2 let him know that1 by an effort of will1 he can turn his thoughts to the thing he wants to think of--his lessons1 his prayers1 his work1 and away from the things he should not think of2--that1 in fact1 he can be such a brave1 strong little fellow1 he can make himself think of what he likes2 and let him try little experiments--that if he once get his thoughts right1 the rest will take care of itself1 he will be sure to do right then2 that if he feels cross1 naughty thoughts coming upon him1 the plan is1 to think hard about something else1 something nice--his next birthday1 what he means to do when he is a man4 ,not all this at once1 of course2 but line upon line1 precept upon precept1 here a little and there a little1 as opportunity offers4 ,let him get into the habit of managing himself1 controlling himself1 and it is astonishing how much self-compelling power quite a young child will exhibit4 8,restrain yourself1 ,tommy10 ,i once heard a wise aunt say to a boy of four1 and ,tommy restrained himself1 though he was making a terrible hullabaloo about some small trouble4 ,education of the ,will more important than that of the ,intellect4--,all this time1 the will of the child is being both trained and strengthened2 he is learning how and when to use his will1 and it is becoming every day more vigorous and capable4 ,let me add one or two wise thoughts from ,dr ,morell's ,introduction to ,mental ,philosophy3 8,the education of the will is really of far greater importance1 as shaping the destiny of the individual1 than that of the intellect4444 ,theory and doctrine1 and inculcation of laws and propositions1 will never of themselves lead to the uniform habit of right action4 ,it is by doing1 that we learn to do2 by overcoming1 that we learn to overcome2 and every right act which we cause to spring out of pure principles1 whether by authority1 precept1 or example1 will have a greater weight in the formation of character than all the theory in the world40 ,,ii4--,,the ,,conscience ,conscience is ,judge and ,lawgiver4--,but the will by no means carries on the government of the kingdom of ,mansoul single-handed4 ,true1 the will wields the executive power2 it is only by willing we are enabled to do2 but there is a higher power behind1 whose mandate the will does no more than express4 ,conscience sits supreme in the inner chamber4 ,conscience is the lawgiver1 and utters the #8,thou shalt' and the #8,thou shalt not' whereon the will takes action2 the judge1 too1 before whom the offending soul is summoned2 and from the #8,thou art the man' of conscience1 there is no appeal4 #8,i am1 ,i ought1 ,i can1 ,i will4'--#8,i am1 ,i ought1 ,i can1 ,i will'--these are the steps of that ladder of ,st ,augustine1 whereby we 8rise on stepping-stones ,of our dead selves to higher things40 #8,i am'--we have the power of knowing ourselves4 #8,i ought'--we have within us a moral judge1 to whom we feel ourselves subject1 and who points out and requires of us our duty4 #8,i can'--we are conscious of power to do that which we perceive we ought to do4 #8,i will'--we determine to exercise that power with a volition which is in itself a step in the execution of that which we will4 ,here is a beautiful and perfect chain1 and the wonder is that1 so exquisitely constituted as he is for right-doing1 error should be even possible to man4 ,but of the sorrowful mysteries of sin and temptation it is not my place to speak here2 you will see that it is because of the possibilities of ruin and loss which lie about every human life that ,i am pressing upon parents the duty of saving their children by the means put into their hands4 ,perhaps it is not too much to say1 that ninety-nine out of a hundred lost lives lie at the door of parents who took no pains to deliver their children from sloth1 from sensual appetites1 from wilfulness1 no pains to fortify them with the habits of a good life4 ,inertness of ,parents not supplemented by ,divine ,grace4--,we live in a redeemed world1 and infinite grace and help from above attend every rightly directed effort in the training of the children2 but ,i do not see much ground for hoping that divine grace will step in as a substitute for any and every power we choose to leave unused or misdirected4 ,in the physical world1 we do not expect miracles to make up for our neglect of the use of means2 the rickety body1 the misshapen limb1 for which the child has to thank his parents1 remain with him through life1 however much else he may have to thank ,god for2 and a feeble will1 bad habits1 an uninstructed conscience1 stick by many a ,christian man through his life1 because his parents failed in their duty to him1 and he has not had force enough in himself to supply their omission4 ,conscience not an ,infallible ,guide4--,in this matter of conscience1 for instance1 the laissez-faire habit of his parents is the cause of real wrong and injury to many a child4 ,the parents are thankful to believe that their child is born with a conscience2 they hope his conduct may be ruled thereby3 and the rest they leave2 the child and his conscience may settle it between them4 ,now this is to suppose1 either that a fully-informed conscience is born into an infant body1 or that it grows1 like the hair and the limbs1 with the growth of the body1 and is not subject to conditions of spiritual progress proper to itself4 ,in other words1 it is to suppose that conscience is an infallible guide1 a delusion people cling to in spite of common sense and of everyday experience of the wrong-headed things men do from conscientious motives4 ,the vagaries of the uninstructed conscience are so familiar as to have given rise to popular proverbs3 #8,honour among thieves1' #8,to strain out the gnat and swallow the camel1' point to cases of misguided conscience2 while #8,the wish is father to the thought1' #8,none is so blind as he who won't see1' point to the still more common cases1 in which a man knowingly tricks his conscience into acquiescence4 ,but a real ,power4--,then1 if conscience be not an infallible guide--if it pass blindfold by heinous offences1 and come down heavily upon some mere quibble1 tithing mint1 rue1 and all manner of herbs1 and neglecting the weightier matters of the law--if conscience be liable to be bamboozled1 persuaded into calling evil good and good evil1 when ,desire is the special pleader before the bar1 where is its use1 this broken reed8 ,is this stern lawgiver of the breast no more1 after all1 than a fiction of the brain8 ,is your conscience no more than what you happen to think about your own actions and those of other people8 ,on the contrary1 these aberrations of conscience are perhaps the strongest proof that it exists as a real power4 ,as ,adam ,smith has well said1 8,the supreme authority of conscience is felt and tacitly acknowledged by the worst1 no less than by the best1 of men2 for even they who have thrown off all hypocrisy with the world1 are at pains to conceal their real character from their own eyes40 ,that ,spiritual ,sense whereby we know ,good and ,evil4--,what conscience is1 how far it lies in the feelings1 how far in the reason1 how far it is independent of both1 are obscure questions which it is not necessary for practical purposes to settle2 but this much is evident--that conscience is as essential a part of human nature as are the affections and the reason1 and that conscience is that spiritual sense whereby we have knowledge of good and evil4 ,the six-months-old child who cannot yet speak exhibits the workings of conscience2 a reproving look will make him drop his eyes and hide his face4 ,but1 observe1 the mother may thus cover him with confusion by way of an experiment when the child is all sweetness1 and the poor little untutored conscience rises all the same1 and condemns him on the word of another4 ,facts like this afford a glimpse of the appalling responsibility that lies upon parents4 ,the child comes into the world with a moral faculty1 a delicate organ whereby he discerns the flavour of good and evil1 and at the same time has a perception of delight in the good--in himself or others1--of loathing and abhorrence of the evil4 ,but1 poor little child1 he is like a navigator who does not know how to box his compass4 ,he is born to love the good1 and to hate the evil1 but he has no real knowledge of what is good and what is evil2 what intuitions he has1 he puts no faith in1 but yields himself in simplicity to the steering of others4 ,the wonder that ,almighty ,god can endure so far to leave the very making of an immortal being in the hands of human parents is only matched by the wonder that human parents can accept this divine trust with hardly a thought of its significance4 ,a ,child's ,conscience an ,undeveloped ,capability rather than a ,supreme ,authority4--,looking1 then1 upon conscience in the child rather as an undeveloped capability than as a supreme authority1 the question is1 how is this nascent lord of the life to be educated up to its high functions of informing the will and decreeing the conduct8 ,for though the ill-taught conscience may make fatal blunders1 and a man may carry slaughter amongst the faithful because his conscience bids2 yet1 on the other hand1 no man ever attained a godly1 righteous1 and sober life except as he was ruled by a good conscience--a conscience with not only the capacity to discern good and evil1 but trained to perceive the qualities of the two4 ,many a man may have the great delicacy of taste which should qualify him for a tea-taster1 but it is only as he has trained experience in the qualities of teas that his nice taste is valuable to his employers1 and a source of income to himself4 ,the ,uninstructed ,conscience4--,as with that of the will1 so with the education of the conscience2 it depends upon much that has gone before4 ,refinement of conscience cannot coexist with ignorance4 ,the untutored savage has his scruples that we cannot enter into2 we cannot understand to this day how it was that the horrors of the ,indian ,mutiny arose from the mere suspicion that a mixture of hog's lard and beef fat had been used to grease the cartridges dealt out to the ,sepoys4 ,those scruples which are beyond the range of our ideas we call superstitions and prejudices1 and are unwilling to look upon conduct as conscientious1 even when prompted by the uninstructed conscience1 unless in so far as it is reasonable and right in itself4 ,the ,processes implied in a #8,conscientious' ,decision4--,therefore1 it is plain that before conscience is in a position to pronounce its verdict on the facts of a given case1 the cultivated reason must review the pros and cons2 the practised judgment must balance these1 deciding which have the greater weight4 ,attention must bring all the powers of the mind to bear on the question2 habits of right action must carry the feelings1 must make right-doing seem the easier and the pleasanter4 ,in the meantime1 desire is clamorous2 but conscience1 the unbiassed judge1 duly informed in full court of the merits of the case1 decides for the right4 ,the will carries out the verdict of conscience2 and the man whose conduct is uniformly moulded upon the verdicts of conscience is the conscientious man1 of whose actions and opinions you may be sure beforehand4 ,but life is not long enough for such lengthy process2 a thousand things have to be decided off-hand1 and then what becomes of these elaborate proceedings8 ,that is just the advantage of an instructed conscience backed by a trained intelligence2 the judge is always sitting1 the counsel always on the spot4 ,the ,instructed ,conscience nearly always right4--,here is1 indeed1 a high motive for the all-round training of the child's intelligence2 he wants the highest culture you can give him1 backed by carefully formed habits1 in order that he may have a conscience always alert1 supported by every power of the mind2 and such a conscience is the very flower of a noble life4 ,the instructed conscience may claim to be1 if not infallible1 at any rate nearly always right4 ,it is not generally mature until the man is mature2 young people1 however right-minded and earnest1 are apt to err1 chiefly because they fix their attention too much upon some one duty1 some one theory of life1 at the expense of much besides4 ,the ,good ,conscience of a ,child4--,but even the child1 with the growing conscience and the growing powers1 is able to say1 #8,no1 ,i can't2 it would not be right'2 #8,yes1 ,i will2 for it is right4' ,and once able to give either of these answers to the solicitations that assail him1 the child is able to live2 for the rest1 the development1 and what may be called the adjustment1 of conscience will keep pace with his intellectual growth4 ,but allowing that a great deal of various discipline must go to secure that final efflorescence of a good conscience1 what is to be done by way of training the conscience itself1 quickening the spiritual taste so that the least soupon of evil is detected and rejected8 ,children play with ,moral ,questions4--,there is no part of education more nice and delicate than this1 nor any in which grown-up people are more apt to blunder4 ,everyone knows how tiresome it is to discuss any nice moral question with children2 how they quibble1 suggest a hundred ingenious explanations or evasions1 fail to be shocked or to admire in the right place--in fact1 play with the whole question2 or1 what is more tiresome still1 are severe and righteous overmuch1 and #8deal damnation round' with much heartiness and goodwill4 ,sensible parents are often distressed at this want of conscience in the children2 but they are not greatly in fault2 the mature conscience demands to be backed up by the mature intellect1 and the children have neither the one nor the other4 ,discussions of the kind should be put down2 the children should not be encouraged to give their opinions on questions of right and wrong1 and little books should not be put into their hands which pronounce authoritatively upon conduct4 ,the ,bible the ,chief ,source of ,moral ,ideas4--,it would be well if the reticence of the ,bible in this respect were observed by the writers of children's books1 whether of story or history4 ,the child hears the history of ,joseph 7with reservations7 read from the ,bible1 which rarely offers comment or explanation4 ,he does not need to be told what was #8naughty' and what was #8good'2 there is no need to press home the teaching1 or the ,bible were written in vain1 and good and bad actions carry no witness with them4 ,let all the circumstances of the daily ,bible reading--the consecutive reading1 from the first chapter of ,genesis onwards1 with necessary omissions--be delightful to the child2 let him be in his mother's room1 in his mother's arms2 let that quarter of an hour be one of sweet leisure and sober gladness1 the child's whole interest being allowed to go to the story without distracting moral considerations2 and then1 the less talk the better2 the story will sink in1 and bring its own teaching1 a little now1 and more every year as he is able to bear it4 ,one such story will be in him a constantly growing1 fructifying moral idea4 ,tales fix attention upon ,conduct4--,the ,bible 7the fitting parts of it1 that is7 first and supreme2 but any true picture of life1 whether a tale of golden deeds or of faulty and struggling human life1 brings aliment to the growing conscience4 ,the child gets into the habit of fixing his attention on conduct2 actions are weighed by him1 at first1 by their consequences1 but by degrees his conscience acquires discriminating power1 and such and such behaviour is bad or good to him whatever its consequences4 ,and this silent growth of the moral faculty takes place all the more surely if the distraction of chatter on the subject is avoided2 for a thousand small movements of vanity and curiosity and mere love of talk are easily called into play1 and these take off the attention from the moral idea which should be conveyed to the conscience4 ,it is very important1 again1 that the child should not be allowed to condemn the conduct of the people about him4 ,whether he is right or wrong in his verdict1 is not the question2 the habit of bestowing blame will certainly blunt his conscience1 deaden his sensibility to the injunction1 8,judge not1 that ye be not judged40 ,ignorance of a ,child's ,conscience4--,but the child's own conduct3 surely he may be called upon to look into that8 ,his conduct1 including his words1 yes2 but his motives1 no2 nothing must be done to induce the evil habit of introspection4 ,also1 in setting the child to consider his ways1 regard must be had to the extreme ignorance of the childish conscience1 a degree of ignorance puzzling to grown-up people when they chance to discover it1 which is not often1 for the children1 notwithstanding their endless chatter and their friendly1 loving ways1 live very much to themselves4 ,they commit serious offences against truth1 modesty1 love1 and do not know that they have done wrong1 while some absurd featherweight of transgression oppresses their souls4 ,children will bite and hurt one another viciously1 commit petty thefts1 do such shocking things that their parents fear they must have very bad natures3 it is not necessarily so2 it is simply that the untaught conscience sees no clear boundary line between right and wrong1 and is as apt to err on the one side as the other4 ,i once saw a dying child of twelve who was wearing herself out with her great distress because she feared she had committed #8the unpardonable sin1' so she said 7how she picked up the phrase nobody knew72 and that was--that she had been saying her prayers without even kneeling up in bed6 ,the ignorance of children about the commonest matters of right and wrong is really pathetic2 and yet they are too often treated as if they knew all about it1 because #8they have consciences1' as if conscience were any more than a spiritual organ waiting for direction6 ,instructing the ,conscience--,kindness4--,that the children do wrong knowingly is another matter1 and requires1 alas1 no proving2 all ,i am pressing for is the real need there exists to instruct them in their duty2 and this1 not at haphazard1 but regularly and progressively4 ,kindness1 for instance1 is1 let us say1 the subject of instruction this week4 ,there is one of the talks with their mother that the children love--a short talk is best--about kindness4 ,kindness is love1 showing itself in act and word1 look and manner4 ,a well of love1 shut up and hidden in a little boy's heart1 does not do anybody much good2 the love must bubble up as a spring1 flow out in a stream1 and then it is kindness4 ,then will follow short daily talks about kind ways1 to brothers and sisters1 to playmates1 to parents1 to grown-up friends1 to servants1 to people in pain and trouble1 to dumb creatures1 to people we do not see but yet can think about--all in distress1 the heathen4 ,give the children one thought at a time1 and every time some lovely example of loving-kindness that will fire their hearts with the desire to do likewise4 ,take our ,lord's parable of the #8,good ,samaritan' for a model of instruction in morals4 ,let tale and talk make the children emulous of virtue1 and then give them the 8,go and do likewise10 the law4 ,having presented to them the idea of kindness in many aspects1 end with the law3 ,be kind1 or1 8,be kindly affectioned one to another40 ,let them know that this is the law of ,god for children and for grown-up people4 ,now1 conscience is instructed1 the feelings are enlisted on the side of duty1 and if the child is brought up1 it is for breaking the law of kindness1 a law that he knows of1 that his conscience convicts him in the breaking4 ,do not give children deterrent examples of error1 because of the sad proclivities of human nature1 but always tell them of beautiful #8,golden ,deeds1' small and great1 that shall stir them as trumpet-calls to the battle of life4 ,the ,conscience made effective by ,discipline4--,be courteous1 be candid1 be grateful1 be considerate1 be true2 there are aspects of duty enough to occupy the attention of mother and child for every day of the child-life2 and all the time1 the idea of duty is being formed1 and conscience is being educated and developed4 ,at the same time1 the mother exercises the friendly vigilance of a guardian angel1 being watchful1 not to catch the child tripping1 but to guide him into the acting out of the duty she has already made lovely in his eyes2 for it is only as we do that we learn to do1 and become strong in the doing4 ,as she instructs her child in duty1 she teaches him to listen to the voice of conscience as to the voice of ,god1 a #8,do this1' or #8,do it not1' within the breast1 to be obeyed with full assurance4 ,it is objected that we are making infallible1 not the divinely implanted conscience1 but that same conscience made effective by discipline4 ,it is even so2 in every department of life1 physical or spiritual1 human effort appears to be the condition of the ,divine energising2 there must be a stretching forth of the withered arm before it receives strength2 and we have every reason to believe that the instructed conscience1 being faithfully followed1 is divinely illuminated4 ,,iii4--,,the ,,divine ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,child 8,the very ,pulse of the ,machine40--,it is evident we have not yet reached 8,the very pulse of the machine40 ,habits1 feeling1 reason1 conscience--we have followed these into the inmost recesses of the child's life2 each acts upon the other1 but what acts upon the last3 what acts upon them all8 8,it is10 says a writer who has searched into the deep things of ,god--8it is a ,king that our spirits cry for1 to guide them1 discipline them1 unite them to each other2 to give them a victory over themselves1 a victory over the world4 ,it is a ,priest that our spirits cry out for1 to lift them above themselves to their ,god and ,father1--to make them partakers of ,his nature1 fellow-workers in carrying out ,his purposes4 ,christ's ,sacrifice is the one authentic testimony that ,he is both the ,priest and ,king of men40#dc ,parents have some ,power to ,enthrone the ,king4--,conscience1 we have seen1 is effective only as it is moved from within1 from that innermost chamber of ,mansoul1 that ,holy of ,holies1 the secrets of which are only known to the ,high-,priest1 who 8needed not that any man should tell ,him1 for ,he knew what was in man40 ,it is necessary1 however1 that we should gather up crumbs of fact and inference1 and set in order such knowledge as we have2 for the keys even of this innermost chamber are placed in the hands of parents1 and it is a great deal in their power to enthrone the ,king1 to induct the ,priest1 that every human spirit cries for4 ,the ,functions and ,life of the ,soul4--,we take it for granted in common speech that every soul is a #8living soul1' a fully developed1 full-grown soul2 but the language of the ,bible and that of general experience seem to point to startling conclusions4 ,it has been said of a great poet--with how much justice is not the question here--that if we could suppose any human being to be made without a soul1 he was such an abortive attempt2 for while he had reason1 imagination1 passions1 all the appetites and desires of an intelligent being1 he appeared to exercise not one of the functions of the soul4 ,now1 what are these functions1 the suspension of which calls the very existence of a man's soul in question8 ,we must go back to the axiom of ,augustine--8,the soul of man is for ,god1 as ,god is for the soul40 ,the soul has one appetite1 for the things of ,god2 breathes one air1 the breath1 the ,spirit of ,god2 has one desire1 for the knowledge of ,god2 one only joy1 in the face of ,god4 8,i want to live in the ,light of a ,countenance which never ceases to smile upon me10#dd is the language of the soul4 ,the direct action of the soul is all ,godward1 with a reflex action towards men4 ,the speech of the soul is prayer and praise1 the right hand of the soul is faith1 the light of the soul is love1 the love of ,god shed abroad upon it4 ,observe1 these are the functions1 this1 the life of the soul1 the only functions1 the only life it can have3 if it have not these1 it has no power to turn aside and find the 8life of its hand0 elsewhere4 ,as the conscience1 the will1 the reason1 is ineffective till it be nourished with its proper food1 exercised in its proper functions1 so of the soul2 and its chamber is dull1 with cobwebbed doors and clouded windows1 until it awake to its proper life2 not quite empty1 though1 for there is the nascent soul2 and the awakening into life takes place1 sometimes with the sudden shock1 the gracious miracle1 which we call conversion2 sometimes1 when the parents so will1 the soul of the child expands with a gentle1 sweet growth and gradual unfolding as of a flower4 ,there are torpid souls1 which are yet alive2 there are feeble1 sickly souls1 which are yet alive2 and there are souls which no movement ,godward ever quickens4 ,what is the ,life of the ,soul8--,this life of the soul1 what is it8 ,communicated life1 as when one lights a torch at the fire8 ,perhaps2 but it is something more intimate1 more unspeakable3 8,i am the ,life02 8,in ,him was life1 and the life was the light of men02 8,abide in ,me and ,i in you40 ,the truth is too ineffable to be uttered in any words but those given to us4 ,but it means this1 at least1 that the living soul does not abide alone in its place2 that place becomes the temple of the living ,god4 8,surely the ,lord is in this place1 and ,i knew it not4 ,how dreadful is this place60 ,the ,parent must present the ,idea of ,god to the ,soul of the ,child4--,but this holy mystery1 this union and communion of ,god and the soul1 how may human parents presume to meddle with it8 ,what can they do8 ,how can they promote it8 and is there not every risk that they may lay rude hands upon the ark8 ,in the first place1 it does not rest with the parent to choose whether he will or will not attempt to quicken and nourish this divine life in his child4 ,to do so is his bounden duty and service4 ,if he neglect or fail in this1 ,i am not sure how much it matters that he has fulfilled his duties in the physical1 moral1 and mental culture of his child1 except in so far as the child is the fitter for the divine service should the divine life be awakened in him4 ,but what can the parent do8 ,just this1 and no more3 he can present the idea of ,god to the soul of the child4 ,here1 as throughout his universe1 ,almighty ,god works by apparently inadequate means4 ,who would say that a bee can produce apple trees8 ,yet a bee flies from an apple tree laden with the pollen of its flowers3 this it unwittingly deposits on the stigmas of the flowers of the next tree it comes to4 ,the bee goes1 but the pollen remains1 but with all the length of the style between it and the immature ovule below4 ,that does not matter2 the ovule has no power to reach the pollen grain1 but the latter sends forth a slender tube1 within the tube of the style2 the ovule is reached2 behold1 then1 the fruit1 with its seed1 and1 if you like1 future apple trees6 ,accept the parable3 the parent is little better in this matter than the witless bee2 it is his part to deposit1 so to speak1 within reach of the soul of the child some fruitful idea of ,god2 the immature soul makes no effort towards that idea1 but the living ,word reaches down1 touches the soul1--and there is life2 growth and beauty1 flower and fruit4 ,must not make ,blundering ,efforts4--,i venture to ask you to look1 for once1 at these divine mysteries from the same philosophical standpoint we have taken up in regarding all the capabilities and functions of the child1 partly1 because it is instructive to see how the mysteries of the religious life appear when it is looked at from without its own sphere2 partly1 because ,i wish to rise by unbroken steps to the supreme function of the parent in the education of his child4 ,for here the similitude of the bee and the apple tree fails4 ,the parent must not make blundering1 witless efforts3 as this is the highest duty imposed upon him1 it is also the most delicate2 and he will have infinite need of faith and prayer1 tact and discretion1 humility1 gentleness1 love1 and sound judgment1 if he would present his child to ,god1 and the thought of ,god to the soul of his child4 ,god presented to ,children as an ,exactor and a ,punisher4--8,if we think of ,god as an exactor and not a giver10 it has been well said1 8exactors and not givers shall we become40 ,yet is not this the light in which ,god is most commonly set before the children--a ,pharaoh demanding his tale of bricks1 bricks of good behaviour and right-doing8 ,do not parents deliberately present ,god as an exactor1 to back up the feebleness of their own government2 and do they not freely utter1 on the part of ,god1 threats they would be unwilling to utter on their own part8 ,again1 what child has not heard from his nurse this1 delivered with much energy1 #8,god does not love you1 you naughty boy6 ,he will send you to the bad place6' ,and these two thoughts of ,god1 as an exactor and a punisher1 make up1 often enough1 all the idea the poor child gets of his ,father in heaven4 ,what fruit can come of this but aversion1 the turning away of the child from the face of his ,father8 ,what if1 instead1 were given to him the thought well expressed in the words1 8,the all-forgiving gentleness of ,god08 ,parents must select ,inspiring ,ideas4--,these are but two of many deterrent thoughts of ,god commonly presented to the tender soul2 and the mother1 who realises that the heart of her child may be irrevocably turned against ,god by the ideas of ,him imbibed in the nursery1 will feel the necessity for grave and careful thought1 and definite resolve1 as to what teaching her child shall receive on this momentous subject4 ,she will most likely forbid any mention of the ,divine ,name to the children1 except by their parents1 explaining at the same time that she does so because she cares so much that her children should get none but right thoughts on this great matter4 ,it is better that children should receive a few vital ideas that their souls may grow upon than a great deal of indefinite teaching4 ,we must ,teach only what we ,know4--,how to select these few quickening thoughts of the infinite ,god8 ,the selection is not so difficult to make as would appear at first sight4 ,in the first place1 we must teach that which we know1 know by the life of the soul1 not with any mere knowledge of the mind4 ,now1 of the vast mass of the doctrines and the precepts of religion1 we shall find that there are only a few vital truths that we have so taken into our being that we live upon them--this person1 these2 that person1 those2 some of us1 not more than a single one4 ,one or more1 these are the truths we must teach the children1 because these will come straight out of our hearts with the enthusiasm of conviction which rarely fails to carry its own idea into the spiritual life of another4 ,there is no more fruitful source of what it is hardly too much to call infant infidelity than the unreal dead words which are poured upon children about the best things1 with an artificial solemnity of tone and manner intended to make up for the want of living meaning in the words4 ,let the parent who only knows one thing from above teach his child that one2 more will come to him by the time the child is ready for more4 ,fitting and ,vital ,ideas4--,again1 there are some ideas of the spiritual life more proper than others to the life and needs of the child4 ,thus1 ,christ the ,joy-giver is more to him than ,christ the ,consoler4 ,and there are some few ideas which are as the daily bread of the soul1 without which life and growth are impossible4 ,all other teaching may be deferred until the child's needs bring him to it2 but whoever sends his child out into life without these vital ideas of the spiritual life1 sends him forth with a dormant soul1 however well-instructed he may be in theology4 ,the ,knowledge of ,god distinct from ,morality4--,again1 the knowledge of ,god is distinct from morality1 or what the children call #8being good1' though #8being good' follows from that knowledge4 ,but let these come in their right order4 ,do not bepreach the child to weariness about #8being good' as what he owes to ,god1 without letting in upon him first a little of that knowledge which shall make him good4 ,we are no longer suffering from an embarrassment of riches2 these limitations shut out so much of the ordinary teaching about divine things that the question becomes rather1 ,what shall we teach8 than1 ,how shall we choose8 ,the ,times and the ,manner of ,religious ,instruction4--,the next considerations that will press upon the mother are of the times1 and the manner1 of this teaching in the things of ,god4 ,it is better that these teachings be rare and precious1 than too frequent and slightly valued2 better not at all1 than that the child should be surfeited with the mere sight of spiritual food1 rudely served4 ,at the same time1 he must be built up in the faith1 and his lessons must be regular and progressive2 and here everything depends upon the tact of the mother4 ,spiritual teaching1 like the wafted odour of flowers1 should depend on which way the wind blows4 ,every now and then there occurs a holy moment1 felt to be holy by mother and child1 when the two are together--that is the moment for some deeply felt and softly spoken word about ,god1 such as the occasion gives rise to4 ,few words need be said1 no exhortation at all2 just the flash of conviction from the soul of the mother to the soul of the child4 ,is #8,our ,father' the thought thus laid upon the child's soul8 ,there will be1 perhaps1 no more than a sympathetic meeting of eyes hereafter1 between mother and child1 over a thousand showings forth of #8,our ,father's' love2 but the idea is growing1 becoming part of the child's spiritual life4 ,this is all3 no routine of spiritual teaching2 a dread of many words1 which are apt to smother the fire of the sacred life2 much self-restraint shown in the allowing of seeming opportunities to pass2 and all the time1 earnest purpose of heart1 and a definite scheme for the building up of the child in the faith4 ,it need not be added that1 to make another use of our ,lord's words1 8this kind cometh forth only by prayer40 ,it is as the mother gets wisdom liberally from above1 that she will be enabled for this divine task4 ,the ,reading of the ,bible4--,a word about the reading of the ,bible4 ,i think we make a mistake in burying the text under our endless comments and applications4 ,also1 ,i doubt if the picking out of individual verses1 and grinding these into the child until they cease to have any meaning for him1 is anything but a hindrance to the spiritual life4 ,the ,word is full of vital force1 capable of applying itself4 ,a seed1 light as thistledown1 wafted into the child's soul1 will take root downwards and bear fruit upwards4 ,what is required of us is1 that we should implant a love of the ,word2 that the most delightful moments of the child's day should be those in which his mother reads for him1 with sweet sympathy and holy gladness in voice and eyes1 the beautiful stories of the ,bible2 and now and then in the reading will occur one of those convictions1 passing from the soul of the mother to the soul of the child1 in which is the life of the ,spirit4 ,let the child grow1 so that1 8,new thoughts of ,god1 new hopes of heaven10 are a joy to him1 too2 things to be counted first amongst the blessings of a day4 ,above all1 do not read the ,bible at the child3 do not let any words of the ,scriptures be occasions for gibbeting his faults4 ,it is the office of the ,holy ,ghost to convince of sin2 and ,he is able to use the ,word for this purpose1 without risk of that hardening of the heart in which our clumsy dealings too often result4 ,the matter for this teaching of divine things will come out of every mother's own convictions4 ,i will attempt to speak of only one or two of those vital truths on which the spiritual life must sustain itself4 ,father and ,giver4--8,our ,father1 who is in heaven10 is perhaps the first idea of ,god which the mother will present to her child--,father and ,giver1 straight from whom comes all the gladness of every day4 #8,what a happy birthday our ,father has given to my little boy6' #8,the flowers are coming again2 our ,father has taken care of the life of the plants all through the winter cold6' #8,listen to that skylark6 ,it is a wonder how our ,father can put so much joy into the heart of one little bird4' #8,thank ,god for making my little girl so happy and merry6' ,out of this thought comes prayer1 the free utterance of the child's heart1 more often in thanks for the little joys of the day counted up than in desire1 just yet4 ,the words do not matter2 any simple form the child can understand will do2 the rising ,godward of the child-heart is the true prayer4 ,out of this thought1 too1 comes duty--the glad acknowledgment of the debt of service and obedience to a ,parent so gracious and benign--not ,one who exacts service at the sword's point1 as it were1 but ,one whom ,his children run to obey4 ,the ,essence of ,christianity is ,loyalty to a ,person4--,christ1 our ,king4 ,here is a thought to unseal the fountains of love and loyalty1 the treasures of faith and imagination1 bound up in the child4 ,the very essence of ,christianity is personal loyalty1 passionate loyalty to our adorable ,chief4 ,we have laid other foundations--regeneration1 sacraments1 justification1 works1 faith1 the ,bible--any one of which1 however necessary to salvation in its due place and proportion1 may become a religion about ,christ and without ,christ4 ,and now a time of sifting has come upon us1 and thoughtful people decline to know anything about our religious systems2 they write down all our orthodox beliefs as things not knowable4 ,perhaps this may be because1 in thinking much of our salvation1 we have put out of sight our ,king1 the divine fact which no soul of man to whom it is presented can ignore4 ,in the idea of ,christ is life2 let the thought of ,him once get touch of the soul1 and it rises up1 a living power1 independent of all formularies of the brain4 ,let us save ,christianity for our children by bringing them into allegiance to ,christ1 the ,king4 ,how8 ,how did the old ,cavaliers bring up sons and daughters1 in passionate loyalty and reverence for not too worthy princes8 ,their own hearts were full of it2 their lips spake it2 their acts proclaimed it2 the style of their clothes1 the ring of their voices1 the carriage of their heads--all was one proclamation of boundless devotion to their king and his cause4 ,that civil war1 whatever else it did1 or missed doing1 left a parable for ,christian people4 ,if a ,stuart prince could command such measure of loyalty1 what shall we say of 8the ,chief amongst ten thousand1 the altogether lovely08 ,jesus1 our ,saviour4 ,here is a thought to be brought tenderly before the child in the moments of misery that follow wrong-doing4 #8,my poor little boy1 you have been very naughty to-day6 ,could you not help it8' #8,no1 mother1' with sobs4 #8,no1 ,i suppose not2 but there is a way of help4' ,and then the mother tells her child how the ,lord ,jesus is our ,saviour1 because ,he saves us from our sins4 ,it is a matter of question when the child should first learn the #8,story of the ,cross4' ,one thinks it would be very delightful to begin with ,moses and the prophets3 to go through the ,old ,testament history1 tracing the gradual unfolding of the work and character of the ,messiah2 and then1 when their minds are full of the expectation of the ,jews1 to bring before them the mystery of the ,birth in ,bethlehem1 the humiliation of the ,cross4 ,but perhaps no gain in freshness of presentation would make up to the children for not having grown up with the associations of ,calvary and ,bethlehem always present to their minds4 ,one thing in this connection3 it is not well to allow the children in a careless familiarity with the ,name of ,jesus1 or in the use of hymns whose tone is not reverent4 8,ye call ,me ,master and ,lord2 and ye say well1 for so ,i am40 ,the ,indwelling of ,christ is a thought particularly fit for the children1 because their large faith does not stumble at the mystery1 their imagination leaps readily to the marvel1 that the ,king ,himself should inhabit a little child's heart4 #8,how am ,i to know ,he is come1 mother8' #8,when you are quite gentle1 sweet1 and happy1 it is because ,christ is within1-- #88,and when ,he comes1 ,he makes your face so fair1 ,your friends are glad1 and say1 #8,the ,king is there4'0' ,i will not attempt to indicate any more of the vital truths which the ,christian mother will present to her child2 having patience until they blossom and bear1 and his soul is as a very fruitful garden which the ,lord hath blessed4 ,but1 once more1 8,this kind cometh forth only by prayer40 ,,footnotes3 #dc ,maurice1 ,sermons on ,sacrifice4 #dd ,christmas ,day1 and other ,sermons4 ,appendices ,,appendix ,a ,appended is a list of books1 etc41 spoken of in various connections in this volume1 with particulars as to publisher or agent1 and price2 but it must be borne in mind that books of the kind are constantly going out of print1 and that the mention of these in the text is designed rather to indicate the sort of books it is desirable to use than to point out particular works4 ,indeed1 to regard this as a stereotyped list of school-books for young children would be unfair both to authors and publishers1 and also to the purchaser2 for there are1 no doubt1 many equally good books in the market at the present time1 and new works on similar lines are constantly issuing from the press4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ,publisher or ,page4 ,title4 ,author4 ,agent4 ,price4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ #ea ,wild ,flowers4 ,ann ,pratt4 ,s4,p4,c4,k4 #hs4 #ee ,nature ,note-books4 4444 ,to be had at #as4 and #bf ,victoria #as4 #f;d4 ,st41 ,s4,w4 each4 #eh ,the ,natural ,history ,gilbert ,white4 ,cassell4 #fs4 of ,selborne4 #fd ,the ,water ,babies4 ,chas4 ,kingsley4,macmillan4 #bs4 0 ,madam ,how and ,lady ,why4 0 0 #bs4 #f;d4 0 ,inmates of ,my ,house ,mrs ,brightwen4 ,fisher ,unwin4#bs4 and ,garden4 #fd ,wild ,nature ,won by ,mrs ,brightwen4 ,fisher ,unwin4#bs4 ,kindness4 0 ,eyes and ,no ,eyes ,series ,a4 ,buckley ,cassell4 #d;d4 and 7parts i4-vi474 7,mrs ,fisher74 #f;d4 each4 0 ,life and ,her ,children4 0 ,stanford4 #fs4 0 ,the ,fairy-land of 0 0 0 ,science4 0 ,the ,school of the ,w4 ,long4 ,ginn ,co4 #gs4 #f;d4 ,woods4 0 ,the ,little ,brother of 0 0 0 0 the ,bear4 0 ,wild ,nature's ,ways4 ,r4 ,kearton4 ,cassell4 #ajs4 #f;d4 0 ,living ,animals of the ,hutchinson4 #ajs4 #f;d4 ,world1 #b vols4 net4 each4 0 ,the ,lives of the ,hunted4 ,seton ,thompson4,nutt4 #fs4 net4 0 ,the ,biography o f 0 ,hodder 0 ,grizzly4 ,stoughton4 #hh ,scouting ,baden-,powell4 ,glaisher4 #as4 net4 #ia ,british ,birds in their ,rev4 ,c4 ,a4 ,s4,p4,c4,k4 #es4 ,haunts4 ,johns4 #aea ,alice in ,wonderland4 ,lewis ,carroll4 ,macmillan4 ,from #bs4 #aeb ,the ,swiss ,family ,routledge4 #bs4 ,robinson4 #aeb ,robinson ,crusoe4 ,d4 ,defoe4 0 ,from #bs4 #ahb ,childhood1 ,boyhood1 ,count ,tolstoi4 ,dent4 #cs4 #f;d4 and ,youth4 #ahd ,the ,story of a ,child4 ,margt4 ,deland4 ,longmans4 #es4 #aid ,helen ,keller4 ,an ,hodder #gs4 #f;d4 ,autobiography4 ,stoughton4 #aif,special ,reports on ,eyre #bs4 #f;d4 #bfc ,educational ,subjects1 ,spotiswoode4 #cs4 #b;d4 vol4 ii41 vol4 viii4 #bje ,parables from ,nature4 ,mrs ,gatty4 ,bell4 #cs4 0 ,prose ,poems4 ,mrs ,barbauld4 ,glaisher4 #f;d4 and #bs4 #bbb ,a ,delightful ,reading-,box4 ,sar4 ,m4 ,mason4 ,school #as4 #f;d4 ,dept ,south ,norwood4 0 ,recitation3 ,a ,handbook ,a4 ,burrell4 ,griffith #cs4 #f;d4 for ,teachers4 ,farran4 #bcb ,the ,world at ,home4 ,nelson4 0 #bcb ,the ,heroes of ,asgard4 ,a4 ,e4 ,keary4 ,macmillan4 #bs4 #f;d4 0 ,tanglewood ,tales4 ,n4 ,hawthorne4 ,blackwood4 #as4 #b;d4 #bcb ,the ,pilgrim's ,progress4 ,bunyan4 ,glaisher4 ,from #as4 #bcc ,plutarch's ,lives4 ,nat4 ,library4 ,cassell4 #c;d4 each4 #bhf #bcf ,a ,new ,handwriting for ,mrs ,bridges4 ,glaisher4 #bs4 #h;d4 ,teachers4 #bci ,dr ,roth's ,desk4 444 ,educational ,from #b4 ,supply1 #db;a ,holborn ,viaduct1 ,london4 #beb ,the ,bible for the ,young4 ,dr ,paterson ,sampson #as4 net4 ,smyth4 ,low4 a vol4 0 ,the ,holy ,gospels with 444 ,s4,p4,c4,k4 #b1 #bs4 ,illustrations from the ,old ,masters4 0 ,the ,illustrated ,new 444 ,r4,t4,s4 #as4 net4 ,testament4 0 ,penny ,illustrated ,gospels4 444 ,walters1 #ae #a;d4 each4 ,strand1 ,london4 #bec ,bypaths of ,bible ,knowledge1,professor ,sayce,r4,t4,s4 #bs4 each4 vols4 ii41 iii41 viii41 and others4 xvii4 #bfa ,the ,,abc ,arithmetic1 ,sonnenschein 444 #as4 each4 ,teachers'1 parts i4 and ,nesbitt4 and ii4 #bff ,the ,sciences4 ,e4 ,s4 ,holden4 ,ginn ,co4 #bs4 #f;d4 #bga #bff ,scientific ,dialogues4 ,joyce4 ,bell1 ,bohn's #es4 ,library4 #bfh ,the ,parents' ,review4 444 #bf ,victoria #f;d4 ,st41 ,london monthly4 ,s4,w4 #bgc ,the ,voyages of ,captain 444 ,routledge4 #bs4 ,cook4 ,newnes4 #cs4 #f;d4 #bge ,the ,tropical ,world4 ,dr ,hartwig4 ,longmans4 #gs4 net4 0 ,the ,polar ,world4 0 0 0 0 ,unbeaten ,tracks in ,mrs ,bishop4 ,murray4 #bs4 #f;d4 ,japan4 net4 #bgg ,the ,london ,geographical ,c4 ,m4 ,mason4 ,stanford4#deas4 to ,readers1 #e vols4 #bs4 #f;d4 ea4 #bhb ,ecclesiastical ,history of ,venerable ,dent4 #as4 #f;d4 ,england4 ,bede4 #bhe ,six ,old ,english ,chronicles4,bohn's ,library4 #es4 0 ,chronicles of the ,crusades4 0 0 0 ,the ,chronicles of ,edited by ,g 4 ,macmillan4 #cs4 #f;d4 ,froissart4 ,c4 ,macaulay4 #bhh ,old ,stories from ,british ,york ,powell4 ,longmans4 #as4 ,history4 0 ,sketches from ,british 0 0 0 ,history4 #bhi ,tales from ,st ,paul's4 ,mrs ,frewen ,sampson 0 ,lord4 ,low4 0 ,tales from ,westminster 0 0 0 ,abbey4 0 ,prisoners of the ,tower ,v4 ,brooke ,dent4 #es4 net4 of ,london4 ,hunt4 #bij ,a ,history of ,england4 ,h4 ,k4 ,o4 ,arnold,cassell4 #es4 ,forster4 0 ,the ,citizen ,reader4 0 0 #as4 #f;d4 0 ,the ,laws of ,everyday 0 0 0 ,life4 #bia ,a ,short ,history of the ,j4 ,r4 ,green4 ,macmillan4 #hs4 #f;d4 ,english ,people4 #bie ,first ,latin ,course4 ,scott ,jones4 ,blackie4 #as4 #f;d4 #cjb ,the ,art of ,teaching and ,m4 ,gouin4 ,philip #gs4 #f;d4 ,studying ,languages4 ,sons4 #cjf ,pictures for the ,modern ,dent4 #bs4 #f;d4 ,language ,series4 each4 #cji ,the ,perry ,pictures 7see ,glaisher4 #c;d4 ,art for ,schools ,association ,catalogue74 0 ,unser ,vater1 ,sontag1 ,ludwig ,richter4,grumbach1 #fs4 to etc4 ,leipzig4 #a;cs4 the set4 0 ,the ,fitzroy ,pictures ,bell ,sons4 ,from 7send for ,illustrated #bs4 #f;d4 ,catalogue74 each net4 #cad ,tonic ,solfa ,method4 ,curwen #as4 #f;d4 ,sons4 #cae ,child ,pianist ,method1 0 0 #as4 #f;d4 ,steps ,i4-,,vi4 #bs4 #f;d4 each4 0 ,child ,pianist ,method1 0 0 #bs4 #f;d4 ,teacher's ,guide1 #b vols4 each4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------------ ,,footnotes3 #de ,or ,glaisher1 #eh ,high ,street1 ,notting ,hill ,gate1 ,london4 ,,appendix ,b ,questions for the ,use of ,students#df ,,part ,i ,,some ,,preliminary ,,considerations #a4 ,show that children are a public trust4 ,what follows8 #b4 ,what questions does ,pestalozzi put to mothers8 #c4 ,what is ,mr ,herbert ,spencer's argument for the study of education8 #d4 ,how do parents usually proceed8 #e4 ,what is the strenuous part of a parent's work8 ,i4 ,a ,,method ,,of ,,education #a4 ,contrast four or five older theories with later1 and perhaps sounder notions4 #b4 ,point out the opposite characters of a system and a method4 #c4 ,why is a system tempting to parents8 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,child',s ,,estate #a4 ,what do the ,gospel sayings about children indicate8 #b4 ,what are the three commandments of the ,gospel code of education8 ,,iii4 ,,offending ,,the ,,children #a4 ,distinguish between #8offending' and #8despising' children4 #b4 ,what is to be said of parents whose children have #8no sense of ought'8 #c4 ,trace the steps by which a mother's #8no' comes to be disregarded4 #d4 ,why must parents themselves be law-compelled8 #e4 ,show that parents may offend their children by disregarding the laws of health4 #f4 ,by disregarding the laws of the intellectual life4 #g4 ,of the moral life4 ,,iv4 ,,despising ,,the ,,children #a4 ,show that children may be despised in the choice of a nurse4 #b4 ,by taking their faults too lightly4 ,v4 ,,hindering ,,the ,,children #a4 ,in what ways may parents hinder their children's access to ,god8 ,,vi4 ,,conditions ,,of ,,healthy ,,brain ,,activity #a4 ,what is the first condition of successful education8 #b4 ,show that daily efforts1 intellectual1 moral1 and physical1 are necessary for children4 #c4 ,on what principle is the blood-supply regulated8 #d4 ,show the importance of rest after meals4 #e4 ,what is the best time for lessons8 ,why8 #f4 ,on what principle should a time-table be arranged8 #g4 ,show that brain activity is affected by nourishment4 #h4 ,under what conditions does food increase the vital quality of the blood8 #i4 ,why must food be varied8 #aj4 ,show that children are spendthrifts of vitality4 #aa4 ,give a few useful hints concerning meals4 #ab4 ,why should there be talk at meals8 #ac4 ,give some rules to secure variety4 #ad4 ,show fully that air is as important as food4 #ae4 ,what have you to say of the children's daily walk8 #af4 ,what is meant by the oxygenation of the blood8 #ag4 ,show that oxygen has its limitations4 #ah4 ,what are the dangers of unchanged air in spacious rooms8 #ai4 #8,i feed ,alice on beef-tea4' ,why8 #bj4 ,what of ,alice's mind8 #ba4 ,what are the joys of ,wordsworth's #8,lucy'8 #bb4 ,show the danger of stuffy rooms4 #bc4 ,what principle must regulate ventilation8 #bd4 ,why is night air wholesome8 #be4 ,upon what physical facts does the need of sunshine depend8 #bf4 ,show that the skin does much scavenger's work4 #bg4 ,why do persons die of external scalds or burns8 #bh4 ,why is a daily bath necessary8 #bi4 ,give some instructions for clothing children4 ,,vii4 #8,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,law' ,,in ,,education #a4 ,what should be the method of all education8 #b4 ,why are common sense and good intentions not sufficient8 #c4 ,how may we meet the danger to religion arising from the blameless lives of some non-religious persons8 #d4 ,account for the superior morality of such non-believers4 #e4 ,show that all observance of law brings its reward4 #f4 ,show that parents should not lay up crucial difficulties for their children4 #g4 ,why should parents study mental and moral science8 ,,part ,,ii ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,life ,,for ,,the ,,children ,i4 ,a ,,growing ,,time #a4 ,why is out-of-door life for young children especially important in these days8 #b4 ,what are the gains of meals out of doors8 #c4 ,what might be accomplished by dwellers in towns and suburbs8 #d4 ,what five or six points should be remembered in a day in the open8 #e4 ,what of story-books or tale-telling on such occasions8 #f4 ,what of #8the baby'8 ,,ii4 #8,,sight-,,seeing' #a4 ,give an example of #8sight-seeing4' #b4 ,what five or six educational uses may be made of #8sight-seeing'8 #c4 ,show the value of discriminating observation4 ,,iii4 #8,,picture ,,painting' #a4 ,what is meant by #8picture painting'8 #b4 ,give an example4 #c4 ,show the value of this exercise4 #d4 ,what caution must be borne in mind8 #e4 ,what invaluable habit should this play tend to form8 #f4 ,what is the mother's part in the play8 #g4 ,what is the after-reward for taking pains in the act of seeing8 ,,iv4 ,,flowers ,,and ,,trees #a4 ,with what field crops may children become acquainted in your neighbourhood8 #b4 ,what should a child know about any wild flower of his neighbourhood8 #c4 ,how should children take up the study of trees8 #d4 ,show how the seasons should be followed in this study4 #e4 ,what does ,leigh ,hunt say about flowers8 #f4 ,what use should be made of calendars and note-books8 #g4 ,what of the child who says1 #8,i can't stop thinking'8 ,v4 #8,,living ,,creatures' #a4 ,what part of the pleasure in living creatures may be secured for town dwellers8 #b4 ,of what #8creatures' may children observe the habits8 #c4 ,what points about an insect should children observe8 #d4 ,how did ,white of ,selborne and ,audubon get their bent towards nature8 #e4 ,what can town children do in getting a knowledge of #8living creatures'8 #f4 ,show that nature-knowledge is the most important knowledge for young children4 #g4 ,what intellectual powers are trained in the child naturalist8 #h4 ,show that nature-work is especially valuable for girls4 ,,vi4 ,,field ,,lore ,,and ,,naturalists' ,,books #a4 ,should young children be taught the elements of natural science8 #b4 ,show the value of rough classifications4 #c4 ,contrast with classifications learnt from books4 #d4 ,what are the uses of ,naturalists' books8 #e4 ,name a few4 #f4 ,why should mothers and teachers have some knowledge of nature8 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,child ,,gets ,,knowledge ,,by ,,means ,,of ,,his ,,senses #a4 ,show1 from the behaviour of a baby1 that a child gets knowledge by means of his senses4 #b4 ,characterise ,nature's teaching4 #c4 ,wherein lies the danger of over-pressure8 #d4 ,why are object-lessons inefficient8 #e4 ,why does a child learn most from things8 #f4 ,give some examples showing that a sense of beauty comes from early contact with nature4 #g4 ,what does ,dickens say on the subject of a child's observing powers8 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,child ,,should ,,be ,,made ,,familiar ,,with ,,natural ,,objects #a4 ,compare town and country as to things worth observing4 #b4 ,how does the fact that every natural object is a member of a series affect education8 #c4 #8,power will pass more and more into the hands of scientific men'--how should this influence parents and teachers8 #d4 ,in what ways does intimacy with nature make for personal well-being8 ,,ix4 ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,geography #a4 ,show that small things may suggest great in pictorial geography4 #b4 ,what should children be taught to observe about the position of the sun8 #c4 ,what1 of clouds1 rain1 snow1 and hail8 #d4 ,show how1 by pacing1 a child should get the idea of distance4 #e4 ,what is the first step towards a knowledge of direction8 #f4 ,what practice should a child have in finding direction8 #g4 ,what compass-drill would you give him8 #h4 ,how should a child get the notion of boundaries8 #i4 ,when should he begin to make #8plans'8 #aj4 ,what geographical ideas should he get from his own neighbourhood8 ,x4 ,,the ,,child ,,and ,,mother ,,nature #a4 ,why must the mother refrain from much talk8 #b4 ,how is a new acquaintance begun8 #c4 ,what are the two things permissible to the mother8 ,,xi4 ,,out-,,of-,,door ,,games1 ,,etc4 #a4 ,why should not the ,french lesson be omitted8 #b4 ,why should children indulge in cries and shouts out of doors8 #c4 ,why should rondes be preserved8 #d4 ,what are the best ways of using skipping-rope and shuttlecock8 #e4 ,what is to be said for climbing8 #f4 ,what1 for woollen garments8 ,,xii4 ,,walks ,,in ,,bad ,,weather #a4 ,why are winter walks as necessary as summer walks8 #b4 ,what pleasures are connected with frost and snow8 #c4 ,how may children be kept alert on dull days8 #d4 ,how does winter lend itself to observation8 #e4 ,why are wet weather tramps wholesome and necessary8 #f4 ,what sort of garments are necessary8 ,why8 #g4 ,what precautions should be borne in mind8 ,,xiii4 #8,,red ,,indian' ,,life #a4 ,what do you understand by #8scouting'8 ,show the value of scouting4 #b4 ,describe a #8bird-stalking' expedition4 #c4 ,in what ways should these things afford training8 ,,xiv4 ,,the ,,children ,,require ,,country ,,air #a4 ,how may the essential proportion of oxygen be diminished8 #b4 ,how is excess of carbonic acid gas produced8 #c4 ,why do children1 especially1 need unvitiated1 unimpoverished air8 #d4 ,show that children require solar light4 #e4 ,describe a physical ideal for a child1 and show the use of having such an ideal4 ,,part ,,iii #8,,habit ,,is ,,ten ,,natures' ,i4 ,,education ,,based ,,upon ,,natural ,,law #a4 ,show that a healthy brain and outdoor life are conditions of education4 #b4 ,show that habit is the instrument by which parents work4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,children ,,have ,,no ,,self-,,compelling ,,power #a4 ,show that education is commonly a cul-de-sac4 #b4 ,name three great educational forces4 #c4 ,why are not these forces sufficient8 #d4 ,why are children incapable of steady effort8 #e4 ,why should young children be1 to some extent1 saved the effort of decision8 ,,iii4 ,,what ,,is #8,,nature'8 #a4 ,what may we state of the child as a human being8 #b4 ,show that all persons are born with the same primary desires4 #c4 ,and affections4 #d4 ,name affections common to us all4 #e4 ,what does the most elemental notion of human nature include8 #f4 ,what have you to say of the strength of nature plus heredity8 #g4 ,what manner of differences may physical conditions bring about8 #h4 ,of what is human nature the sum8 #i4 ,why must not the child be left to his human nature8 #aj4 ,what is the problem before the educator8 #aa4 ,show that divine grace works on the lines of human effort4 #ab4 ,why must not the trust of parents be supine8 ,,iv4 ,,habit ,,may ,,supplant #8,,nature' #a4 ,show that habit runs on the lines of nature4 #b4 ,how must habit work to be a lever8 #c4 ,show that a mother forms her children's habits involuntarily4 #d4 ,illustrate the fact that habit may force nature into new channels4 #e4 ,to what end must parents and teachers lay down the lines of habit8 ,v4 ,,the ,,laying ,,down ,,of ,,lines ,,of ,,habit #a4 ,show that parents initiate their children's habits of thought and feeling by their own behaviour4 #b4 ,does education in habit interfere with free-will8 #c4 ,show how good it is that habit should rule our thoughts4 #d4 ,show that habit is powerful even when the will decides4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,physiology ,,of ,,habit #a4 ,illustrate the fact that growing tissues form themselves to the modes of action required of them4 #b4 ,show fully and exactly why children should learn dancing1 swimming1 etc41 at an early age4 #c4 ,to what fact is the strength of moral habits probably due8 #d4 ,show the danger of persistent trains of thought4 #e4 ,what does the incessant regeneration of brain tissue imply to the educator8 #f4 ,show that to acquire artificial reflex action in certain directions is a great part of education4 #g4 ,what are the aims of intellectual and moral education8 #h4 ,show that character is affected by the acquired modification of brain tissue4 #i4 ,show the need for care with regard to outside influences4 ,,vii4 ,,the ,,forming ,,of ,a ,,habit--#8,,shut ,,the ,,door ,,after ,,you' #a4 ,what remains to be tried when neither time1 reward1 nor punishment is effective in curing a bad habit8 #b4 ,show that habit is a delight in itself4 #c4 ,show that misguided sympathy is a hindrance in the formation of habits4 #d4 ,what are the qualities necessary in the mother who would form habits in her children8 #e4 ,what are the stages in the formation of a habit8 #f4 ,which is the dangerous stage8 ,,viii4 ,,infant ,,habits #a4 ,show the necessity for cleanliness in the nursery4 #b4 ,how do cleanliness1 order1 etc41 educate a child8 #c4 ,why is the training of a sensitive nose an important part of education8 #d4 ,why should nurses know that the baby is ubiquitous8 #e4 ,show that personal cleanliness should be made an early habit4 #f4 ,how may parents approach the subjects of modesty and purity8 #g4 ,show how the habit of obedience and the sense of honour are safeguards4 #h4 ,what manner of life is the best safeguard8 #i4 ,give some suggestions with regard to #8order' in the nursery4 #aj4 ,show how and why the child of two should put away his playthings4 #aa4 ,distinguish between neatness and order4 #ab4 ,what occasions are there for regularity with an infant8 #ac4 ,show that irregularity leads to self-indulgence4 ,,ix4 ,,physical ,,exercises #a4 ,show the importance of daily physical exercises4 #b4 ,what moral qualities appear in alert movements8 #c4 ,suggest a drill of good manners4 #d4 ,how would you train the ear and voice8 #e4 ,how may the habit of music be cultivated8 #f4 ,show that the mother who trains habits can let her children alone4 ,,part ,,iv ,,some ,,habits ,,of ,,mind--,,some ,,moral ,,habits #a4 ,what can a knowledge of the science of education effect8 #b4 ,show that education in habit favours an easy life4 #c4 ,show how the mother's labours are eased by the fact that training in habits becomes a habit4 #d4 ,instance some habits inspired with the home atmosphere4 ,i4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,attention #a4 ,why is the habit of attention of supreme importance8 #b4 ,instance minds at the mercy of associations4 #c4 ,give instances from literature of the habit of wandering attention4 #d4 ,where is the harm of wandering attention8 #e4 ,how may the habit of attention be cultivated in the infant8 #f4 ,how would you cultivate attention to lessons8 #g4 ,what principles should help the teacher to make lessons attractive8 #h4 ,show the value of definite work in a given time4 #i4 ,on what principle must a time-table be drawn up8 #aj4 ,what is the natural reward of attention at lessons8 #aa4 ,what is to be said for and against emulation8 #ab4 ,what is the risk in employing affection as a motive8 #ac4 ,show that the attractiveness of knowledge is a sufficient motive to the learner4 #ad4 ,what is attention8 #ae4 ,how would you induce self-compelled attention8 #af4 ,what is the secret of over-pressure8 #ag4 ,how may parents be of use in the home-work of the day-school boy8 #ah4 ,describe a wholesome home-treatment for #8mooning4' #ai4 ,what have you to say of the discipline of consequences8 #bj4 ,show that rewards and punishments should be relative1 rather than natural1 consequences of conduct4 #ba4 ,distinguish between natural and educative consequences4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,habits ,,of ,,application1 ,,etc4 #a4 ,how may rapid mental effort be secured8 #b4 ,how may zeal be stimulated8 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,thinking #a4 ,give the example of thinking cited4 #b4 ,what operations are included in #8thinking'8 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,imagining #a4 ,what is the double danger of many books ministering to the sense of the incongruous8 #b4 ,show that commonplace tales leave nothing to the imagination4 #c4 ,in what way do tales of the imagination afford children a second life8 #d4 ,show that we can have great conceptions only as we have imagination4 #e4 ,upon what does imagination grow8 #f4 ,what lessons should feed imagination8 #g4 ,why8 #h4 ,show the educative value of the right story-books4 #i4 ,how would you promote the habit of thinking8 ,v4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,remembering #a4 ,distinguish between remembering and recollecting4 #b4 ,describe what is here called a #8spurious' memory4 #c4 ,what results from the fact that memory is a record on the brain substance8 #d4 ,made under what conditions8 #e4 ,show that recollection depends upon the law of association of ideas4 #f4 ,what is the condition for recollecting a course of lessons8 #g4 ,given1 what conditions1 may we say there is no limit to the recording power of the brain8 #h4 ,show that links of association are a condition of recollection4 ,where are these to be discovered8 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,habit ,,of ,,perfect ,,execution #a4 ,what national error hinders us from the effort to throw perfection into all we do8 #b4 ,show the danger of the habit of turning out imperfect work4 #c4 ,how may a child be taught to execute perfectly8 ,,vii4 ,,some ,,moral ,,habits--,,obedience #a4 ,what is the whole duty of a child8 #b4 ,what is the state opposed to obedience8 #c4 ,show that a parent has no right to forego obedience4 #d4 ,what is the true motive for obedience8 #e4 ,account for the fact that strictly brought up children are often failures4 #f4 ,why may parents and teachers expect obedience8 #g4 ,how may children be brought up to #8do as they choose'8 #h4 ,what manner of obedience is of lasting value to the child8 #i4 ,how may children be trained towards liberty8 ,,viii4 ,,truthfulness1 ,,etc4 #a4 ,what are the causes of lying8 #b4 ,show that all kinds of lying are vicious4 #c4 ,how is it that only one kind is visited on children8 #d4 ,how would you train a child in accuracy of statement8 #e4 ,how would you deal with exaggeration8 #f4 ,with ludicrous embellishments8 #g4 ,show that reverence1 consideration1 etc41 claim special attention in these days4 #h4 ,is temper born in a child8 #i4 ,show that1 not temper1 but tendency is #8born4' #aj4 ,how must parents correct such tendency8 #aa4 ,show fully the efficacy of changing the child's thoughts4 #ab4 ,distinguish between changing a child's thoughts and conveying to him the thought you intend him to think4 ,,part ,v ,,lessons ,,as ,,instruments ,,of ,,education ,i4 ,,the ,,matter ,,and ,,method ,,of ,,lessons #a4 ,discuss the statement1 ,this is #8an age of pedagogy4' #b4 ,why must parents reflect on the subject-matter of instruction8 #c4 ,show that home is the best growing ground for young children4 #d4 ,why must a mother have definite views8 #e4 ,what are the three questions for the mother8 #f4 ,show that children learn1 to grow4 #g4 ,show that any doctoring of the material of knowledge is unnecessary for a healthy child4 #h4 ,what is an idea8 #i4 ,show that an idea feeds1 grows1 and produces4 #aj4 ,what did ,sir ,walter ,scott and ,george ,stephenson each do with an idea8 #aa4 ,show the value of dominant ideas4 #ab4 ,why must lessons furnish ideas8 #ac4 ,what quality of knowledge should children get8 #ad4 ,what is the evil of #8diluted knowledge'8 #ae4 ,illustrate a child's power of getting knowledge 7,dr ,arnold74 #af4 ,what is the harm of lesson-books with pretty pictures and easy talk8 #ag4 ,what are the four tests which should be applied to children's lessons8 #ah4 ,give a rsum of six points already considered4 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,kindergarten ,,as ,a ,,place ,,of ,,education #a4 ,show that the mother is the best ,kindergrtnerin4 #b4 ,how may the child get education out of his daily nursery life8 #c4 ,show that the children's pursuit of real knowledge may be hindered by the kindergarten4 #d4 ,show that a just eye and a faithful hand may be trained at home4 #e4 ,in what respects does the kindergarten give a hint of the discipline proper for the nursery4 #f4 ,what temper should be cultivated in the nursery8 #g4 ,what general conclusion may we come to as to the principles and practices of the kindergarten8 ,,iii4 ,,further ,,consideration ,,of ,,the ,,kindergarten #a4 ,what anecdote of a child is quoted from ,tolstoi's ,childhood1 ,boyhood1 and ,youth8 #b4 ,why are such tales as ,miss ,deland's ,the ,story of a ,child valuable8 #c4 ,what do we owe to ,froebel8 #d4 ,what may we learn from the true ,kindergrtnerin8 #e4 ,comment upon1 #8,persons do not grow in a garden4' #f4 ,show that we must leave opportunity for the work of nature in education4 #g4 ,give instances showing the intelligence of children4 #h4 ,account for the pleasure children take in kindergarten games4 #i4 ,in what ways do teachers mediate too much8 #aj4 ,show the danger of personal magnetism in the teacher4 #aa4 ,show fully that the name #8kindergarten' implies a false analogy4 #ab4 ,what might be said concerning the ,froebel #8mother-games'8 #ac4 ,is the society of a large number of his equals in age the best for a young child8 #ad4 ,show the dangers of supplanting nature4 #ae4 ,what would you say regarding the importance of personal initiative8 #af4 ,in what ways must parents and teachers sow opportunities8 #ag4 ,do #8only' children profit by the kindergarten8 #ah4 ,in what ways should children be allowed some ordering of their lives8 #ai4 ,give a few of the lessons we may learn from the autobiography of ,helen ,keller4 #bj4 ,what conclusions does ,miss ,sullivan1 ,helen ,keller's teacher1 arrive at with regard to systems of education8 #ba4 ,account for the success of the kindergarten in the ,united ,states4 #bb4 ,what changes does ,mr ,thistleton ,mark observe8 #bc4 ,give some of the comments of ,dr ,stanley ,hall4 ,,iv4 ,,reading #a4 ,discuss the question of the age at which children should learn to read4 #b4 ,how did ,mrs ,wesley teach her children to read8 #c4 ,give a few hints for teaching the alphabet4 #d4 ,how would you introduce a child to word-making8 #e4 ,describe a lesson in word-making with long vowels1 etc4 #f4 ,how should the child's first reading lessons help him to spell8 #g4 ,give the steps of a reading lesson on #8,twinkle1 twinkle1 little star4' #h4 ,why is prose better in some ways than verse for early lessons8 #i4 ,describe a second reading lesson on #8,twinkle1 twinkle1 little star4' #aj4 ,show that slow and steady progress tends to careful enunciation4 #aa4 ,show how much a child might gain in a year's work on these lines4 #ab4 ,contrast this steady progress with the casual way in which children generally learn to read4 ,v4 ,,first ,,reading ,,lesson 7,two ,mothers ,confer7 ,,vi4 ,,reading ,,by ,,sight ,,and ,,by ,,sound #a4 ,why is learning to read hard work8 #b4 ,what are the symbols children must learn8 #c4 ,what do we definitely propose in teaching a child to read8 #d4 ,can the symbols he learns be interesting8 #e4 ,describe the stages of a lesson on #8,i like little ,pussy4' #f4 ,how does ,tommy learn to read sentences8 #g4 ,describe ,tommy's first spelling lesson4 #h4 ,how would you deal with the fact that like combinations have different sounds8 #i4 ,show that his reading lesson should afford moral training to a child4 ,,vii4 ,,recitation #8,,the ,,children',s ,,art' #a4 ,what should we aim at in teaching children to recite8 #b4 ,how should we proceed8 #c4 ,what should we avoid8 #d4 ,why may we expect success8 #e4 ,distinguish between reciting and memorising4 #f4 ,show that children have a natural capacity for memorising4 #g4 ,how would you teach them to memorise a poem8 ,,viii4 ,,reading ,,for ,,older ,,children #a4 ,to what two points must the teacher attend8 #b4 ,what is the most common and the monstrous defect in the education of the day8 #c4 ,how may we correct this defect8 #d4 ,what points require attention when the child is reading aloud8 #e4 ,what must the teacher be careful to avoid8 #f4 ,what is to be said for and against reading to children8 #g4 ,should children be questioned about the meaning of what they read8 #h4 ,why not8 #i4 ,suggest a better test of their intelligence4 #aj4 ,why is the selection of a child's early lesson-books a matter of great importance8 #aa4 ,what general rule should help in the choice of these8 #ab4 ,how may the attention of children be secured during a reading lesson8 #ac4 ,give two or three hints with regard to careful enunciation4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,narration #a4 ,prove from your own observation that children narrate by nature4 #b4 ,how should this power be used in their education8 #c4 ,what points must be borne in mind with regard to a child's narrations8 #d4 ,describe the method of a lesson4 ,x4 ,,writing #a4 ,how would you avoid the habit of careless work8 #b4 ,what printing should a child do before he comes to write8 #c4 ,what stages should be followed in teaching writing8 #d4 ,what is to be said about copperplate headlines8 #e4 ,why should children practise in text-hand8 #f4 ,what arguments are advanced in favour of a beautiful handwriting8 #g4 ,what is to be said for a beautiful basis for characteristic handwriting8 #h4 ,suggest a way of using ,a ,new ,handwriting4 ,,xi4 ,,transcription #a4 ,show the use of transcription before children write dictation4 #b4 ,what should children transcribe8 #c4 ,how should transcription help children to spell8 #d4 ,why should text-hand and double-ruled lines be used8 #e4 ,describe the proper position in writing4 #f4 ,how should children hold their pens8 #g4 ,what are the points of a good desk8 #h4 ,describe a school-table for little children4 ,,xii4 ,,spelling ,,and ,,dictation #a4 ,show how dictation may be made a cause of bad spelling4 #b4 ,what is the rationale of spelling8 #c4 ,what are the steps of a dictation lesson as it should be8 #d4 ,show clearly what principle is involved4 #e4 ,what are the two causes of illiterate spelling8 ,,xiii4 ,,composition #a4 ,show that the exaction of original composition from school-boys and school-girls is a futility4 #b4 ,and a moral injury to the children4 #c4 ,illustrate the sort of teaching that should be regarded as a public danger4 #d4 ,upon what condition does composition #8come by nature'8 ,,xiv4 ,,bible ,,lessons #a4 ,illustrate the religious receptivity of children4 #b4 ,what ,bible knowledge should children of nine have8 #c4 ,what would you say with regard to ,bible narratives done into modern ,english8 #d4 ,show fully why children should be made familiar with the text4 #e4 ,what conception should gradually unfold itself to them8 #f4 ,distinguish between essential and accidental truth4 #g4 ,in what event may it be said that #8the truths themselves will assuredly slip from our grasp'8 #h4 ,why should care be taken lest ,bible teaching stale upon the minds of children8 #i4 ,describe the method of a ,bible lesson4 #aj4 ,what use would you make of illustrations8 #aa4 ,what is to be said as to the learning by heart of ,bible passages8 ,,xv4 ,,arithmetic #a4 ,why is arithmetic important as a means of education8 #b4 ,how would you test a child's knowledge of principles8 #c4 ,why are long sums mischievous8 #d4 ,what mental exercise should a problem offer8 #e4 ,what caution must be observed8 #f4 ,how may arithmetic become an elementary training in mathematics8 #g4 ,how should a child demonstrate #d #g #bh8 #h4 ,how would you use buttons1 beans1 etc48 #i4 ,show how you would teach a child to work out an addition and subtraction table with each of the digits4 #aj4 ,when would you introduce multiplication and division tables8 #aa4 ,how would you teach division8 #ab4 ,what is the step between working with things and with abstract numbers8 #ac4 ,how would you introduce our system of notation8 #ad4 ,why8 #ae4 ,show fully how you would deal with #8tens4' #af4 ,how long should a child work with #8tens' and units only8 #ag4 ,what should follow8 #ah4 ,what rule must be observed throughout8 #ai4 ,how would you apply the same principle to weights and measures8 #bj4 ,what part should parcels play at this stage1 and why8 #ba4 ,show how the child should use a foot-rule4 #bb4 ,how would you exercise his judgment as to measures and weights4 #bc4 ,how does the idea of a fraction occur in this work with concrete quantities8 #bd4 ,what should be the moral value of the study of arithmetic8 #be4 ,how does the inferior teacher instil a disregard of truth and common honesty in this study8 #bf4 ,how would you deal with a #8wrong' sum8 #bg4 ,what should the daily arithmetic lesson be to the children8 #bh4 ,discuss the ,a ,b ,c ,arithmetic4 #bi4 ,what is to be said against accustoming young children to the sight of geometrical forms and figures8 ,,xvi4 ,,natural ,,philosophy #a4 ,show that childhood is the time for gathering materials for classification4 #b4 ,what does ,mr ,herbert ,spencer say as to the value of scientific pursuits8 #c4 ,show that children are able to comprehend principles4 #d4 ,mention some of the phenomena they might readily understand4 #e4 ,from the subjects taught successfully in a village school1 write a list of questions which intelligent children should be able to answer4 #f4 #8,the principles of natural philosophy are the principles of common sense4' ,show how this statement should be a key to our educational practice4 ,,xvii4 ,,geography #a4 ,wherein lies the peculiar educational value of geography8 #b4 ,how is geography commonly taught8 #c4 ,what sort of information about places do children and grown-up people enjoy8 #d4 ,why is the geography learnt at school of little use in after life8 #e4 ,what should a child learn in geography8 #f4 ,how should he get his rudimentary notions8 #g4 ,how should children be introduced to maps8 #h4 ,why should a child be made #8at home' in some one region8 #i4 ,why is it well to follow the steps of a traveller8 #aj4 ,mention a few books useful in this connection4 #aa4 ,how should maps be used in this kind of work8 #ab4 ,how should a child get his first notion of a glacier1 a caon1 etc48 #ac4 ,what course of reading might parents aim at between a child's fifth and his tenth year8 #ad4 ,how should young children get their lessons on place8 #ae4 ,how should they arrive at definitions8 #af4 ,what fundamental ideas should a child receive8 #ag4 ,how should he be introduced to the meaning of a map8 ,,xviii4 ,,history #a4 ,what is the intellectual and what the moral worth of history as an educational subject8 #b4 ,what is to be said of the usual ways of teaching ,english history8 #c4 ,what1 if the little text-book be moral or religious in tone8 #d4 ,what is the fatal mistake as regards the early teaching of history8 #e4 ,what is the better way8 #f4 ,what should a child know of the period in which any person1 about whom he is reading1 lived8 #g4 ,what moral gain may he get from such intimate knowledge8 #h4 ,what manner of books must be eschewed8 #i4 ,what is the least that should be done to introduce children to the history of ,england8 #aj4 ,why is the early history of a nation better fitted for children than its later records8 #aa4 ,why are the old ,chronicles profitable reading for them8 #ab4 ,name and comment upon a few of the ,chronicles upon which children's knowledge of history should rest4 #ac4 ,what effect on a child should the reading of such old ,chronicles have8 #ad4 ,show that children should know something of the heroic age of their own nation4 #ae4 ,what use may be made of ,geoffrey of ,monmouth's ,history of the ,british ,kings8 #af4 ,from what authority should a child get the story of the ,french wars8 #ag4 ,why do ,plutarch's ,lives afford the best preparation for the study of ,grecian and ,roman history8 #ah4 ,give two counsels which should regulate the teaching of history4 #ai4 ,upon what principles should history books for children be selected8 #bj4 ,mention one or two books that lend themselves to narrating4 #ba4 ,comment upon ,mr ,arnold ,forster's ,history of ,england4 #bb4 ,how would you help children to clearness with regard to dates8 #bc4 ,mention two or three ways in which children's minds work if their history books are of the proper quality4 ,,xix4 ,,grammar #a4 ,why is grammar uninteresting to a child8 #b4 ,why is ,english grammar peculiarly hard8 #c4 ,show that the ,latin grammar is easier4 #d4 ,show that the ,latin affords some help in the learning of ,english grammar4 #e4 ,why should a child begin with a sentence and not with the parts of speech8 #f4 ,write notes of one or two introductory lessons4 ,,xx4 ,,french #a4 ,how should ,french be acquired8 #b4 ,show that the learning of ,french is an education of the senses4 #c4 ,what are our two difficulties in speaking ,french8 #d4 ,show that these hindrances should be removed in childhood4 #e4 ,how8 #f4 ,how might the difficulty of accent be dealt with8 #g4 ,what half-dozen principles has ,m4 ,gouin made plain to us8 #h4 ,show that the ,series method enables a child to think in the new language4 #i4 ,trace fully the steps by which the author worked out his theory4 #aj4 ,how does he treat the difficulty of spelling8 #aa4 ,illustrate the facility with which a child learns a new language4 ,,xxi4 ,,pictorial ,,art1 ,,etc4 #a4 ,upon what two lines should the art training of children proceed8 #b4 ,how should picture-talks be regulated8 #c4 ,what gains may we hope for from this kind of teaching8 #d4 ,discuss the use of blobs in early drawing lessons4 #e4 ,what should be our aim in these lessons8 #f4 ,children have #8art' in them4 ,how should this fact affect our teaching8 #g4 ,what should we bear in mind in teaching clay-modelling to children8 #h4 ,name methods of teaching singing and the piano which are to be commended4 #i4 ,what physical exercises would you recommend8 #aj4 ,name some handicrafts suitable for young children4 ,,part ,,vi ,,the ,,will--,,the ,,conscience--,,the ,,divine ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,child ,i4 ,,the ,,will #a4 ,how is the government of ,mansoul carried on8 #b4 ,show that the executive power is vested in the will4 #c4 ,what is the will8 #d4 ,in what respects may persons go through life without a deliberate act of will8 #e4 ,show that character is the result of conduct regulated by will4 #f4 ,what are the three functions of the will8 #g4 ,what limitation of the will is disregarded by certain novelists8 #h4 ,show that parents blunder into this metaphysical error4 #i4 ,show that wilfulness indicates want of will-power4 #aj4 ,what is wilfulness8 #aa4 ,what are the superior and inferior functions of the will8 #ab4 ,show that the will does not always act for good4 #ac4 ,show that a disciplined will is necessary to heroic ,christian character4 #ad4 ,how would you distinguish between effective and non-effective persons8 #ae4 ,how does the will operate8 #af4 ,show how incentives1 diversion1 change of thought are severally aids to the will4 #ag4 ,what should be taught to children as to the #8way of the will'8 #ah4 ,show that power of will implies power of attention4 #ai4 ,show that habit may frustrate the will4 #bj4 ,show the necessity for the reasonable use of so effective an instrument4 #ba4 ,by what line of conduct should parents strengthen the wills of their children8 #bb4 ,how may children be taught to manage themselves8 #bc4 ,show that the education of the will is more important than that of the intellect4 ,,ii4 ,,conscience #a4 ,what are the functions of conscience8 #b4 ,what is implied in #8,i am1 ,i ought1 ,i can1 ,i will'8 #c4 ,what mistake is made by the inert parent with regard to the divine grace8 #d4 ,show that conscience is not an infallible guide4 #e4 ,how does ,adam ,smith illustrate the fact that conscience is a real power8 #f4 ,what do we know of conscience8 #g4 ,distinguish between a nascent and a trained conscience4 #h4 ,show that refinement of conscience cannot coexist with ignorance4 #i4 ,what are the processes implied in a #8conscientious' decision8 #aj4 ,what may be said of the instructed conscience8 #aa4 ,what may be expected of the good conscience of a child8 #ab4 ,show that children play with moral questions4 #ac4 ,how would you impart any of the moral ideas contained in the ,bible to a child8 #ad4 ,show the use of tales in the training of conscience4 #ae4 ,show the extreme ignorance of a child's conscience4 #af4 ,how would you instruct children in the duty of #8kindness1' for example8 #ag4 ,what is to be said of the conscience made effective by discipline8 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,divine ,,life ,,in ,,the ,,child #a4 ,what is the #8very pulse of the machine'8 #b4 ,show that parents have some power to enthrone the ,king4 #c4 ,define as far as you can the functions of the soul4 #d4 ,what is the life of the soul8 #e4 ,show by the illustration of the bee and the apple-tree what is the parent's part in quickening the ,divine life in his child4 #f4 ,show where the similitude of the bee and the apple-tree fails4 #g4 ,by what two deterrent ideas is ,god most often presented to children8 #h4 ,what precautions must a mother take to secure that her children get inspiring ideas of ,god8 #i4 ,what considerations should help us to select the quickening thoughts proper for children8 #aj4 ,how would you select fitting and vital ideas8 #aa4 ,show the danger of confounding #8being good' with knowing ,god4 #ab4 ,what cautions will the mother observe as to the times and the manner of religious instruction8 #ac4 ,make some suggestions for the reading of the ,bible4 #ad4 ,how might a mother give her child the idea of ,god as ,father and ,giver8 #ae4 ,how may children be brought up in allegiance to ,christ8 #af4 ,how would you bring the thought of their ,saviour home to children8 #ag4 ,show that the indwelling of ,christ is a thought fit for children4 ,,footnotes3 #df ,the students in question are persons preparing to become 8,qualified ,members0 of the ,parents' ,national ,educational ,union4 ,particulars may be had at the office1 #bh ,victoria ,street1 ,london1 ,s4,w4 ,,appendix ,c ,,the ,,examination ,,of ,a ,,child ,,of ,,seven ,,upon ,a ,,term',s ,,work ,,on ,,the ,,lines ,,indicated ,,in ,,this ,,volume ,,class #a;,b ,programme of the ,term's ,work1 on which the ,examination ,questions are set ,bible ,lessons4 ,the ,bible for the ,young1 by ,rev4 ,j4 ,paterson ,smyth 7,sampson1 ,low1 #as4 each72 ,exodus1 ,lessons i4-vii42 ,st ,mark's ,gospel1 i41 ii41 iii41 iv4 ,teacher to prepare beforehand as much of each lesson as the children can understand1 and to use the ,bible passages in teaching4 ,recitations4 ,to recite two poems1 to learn three hymns1 and a passage of six verses1 each1 from 7a7 ,exodus1 7b7 ,st ,mark's ,gospel 7part set for ,bible lessons74 ,longman's ,junior ,poetry ,book 7#as4 #f;d47 may be used1 or ,miss ,wood's ,a ,first ,book of ,poetry 7,macmillan1 #bs4 #f;d474 ,sums4 ,chapter xi41 ,a ,b ,c ,arithmetic 7,teacher's ,book1 part i41 #as42 ,sonnenschein74 ,tables up to twelve times twelve4 ,tables should be worked out in money thus3 7#ig #fc pence #es4 #c;d474 ,n4,b4--,the terms #8tens' and #8units1' etc41 should be used instead of #8staves' and #8cubes1' etc4 ,,beginners--,chapters vi41 vii41 viii4 ,books for ,pupils1 containing exercises only1 are published at #d;d4 each4 ,music4 ,child ,pianist 7,curwen ,son71 continue4 ,teacher's ,guide 7revised edition74 ,singing4 ,three ,french ,songs1 ,chansons d',enfants 7,librairie ,ch4 ,delagrave1 ,paris1 #as4 #f;d474 ,ten ,minutes' ,lessons in ,tonic ,sol-fa 7,curwen ,son74 ,three ,english songs from ,novello's ,school ,songs1 book xxi4 7#h;d474 ,drill4 ,light-,pole ,exercises and ,calisthenics1 from ,musical ,drills for ,standards 7,philip ,son1 #bs4 #i;d474 ,ex-students take ,house of ,education ,drills4 ,writing4 ,a ,new ,handwriting for ,teachers1 by ,m4 ,m4 ,bridges 7,mrs ,bridges1 ,yattenden1 ,newbury1 #bs4 #i;d471 page #b1 lines #a and #b2 page #c1 line #e4 ,two letters to be mastered each lesson4 ,transcribe from ,reading ,book in ,new ,handwriting and write a little from dictation4 ,reading4 ,read books used for ,history1 ,geography1 ,tales1 and ,hiawatha4 ,,backward ,,children4--,happy ,reader1 part ii41 by ,e4 ,l4 ,young 7,simpkin1 ,marshall1 ,co474 ,english ,history4 ,sketches from ,british ,history1 by ,f4 ,york ,powell 7,longmans1 #as4 #c;d471 lessons xx4-xxxi4 ,mrs ,frewen ,lord's ,tales from ,st ,paul's 7,sampson ,low1 #as471 pages #a-ai4 ,tales4 ,the ,pilgrim's ,progress 7,partridge1 #as471 pages #ajb-adh4 ,the ,heroes of ,asgard 7,macmillan1 #cs4 #f;d471 pages #ej-ajh4 ,two ,tales from ,mrs ,beesly's ,stories from the ,history of ,rome 7,macmillan1 #bs4 #f;d474 ,natural ,history4#dg ,keep ,nature ,note-,book4 ,watch and describe twelve birds4 ,the ,birds of the ,air1 by ,a4 ,buckley 7,cassell1 #f;d471 pages #ch-gi4 ,children to notice all they can themselves about birds4 ,wild ,nature ,won by ,kindness1 by ,mrs ,brightwen 7,fisher ,unwin1 #bs471 pages #ii-aci4 ,picture ,talk4 ,study six reproductions of ,j4 ,f4 ,millet's work 7see the ,perry ,pictures74 ,french4#dh ,the ,gouin ,method3 ,the ,study of ,french1 by ,eugne and ,duriaux 7,macmillan ,co41 #cs4 #f;d471 pages #ca1 #ce1 #cf1 #cg4 ,make new sentences with the words learnt in these ,series4 ,illustrated ,french ,primer1 by ,h4 ,bu 7,hachette ,co41 #as4 #f;d471 pages #aji-aab1 #ada-aej4 ,geography4 ,london ,geographical ,reader 7,stanford71 book ii4 7#as4 #f;d471 pages #a-ad4 ,book i4 7#as471 pages #a-aa4 ,map questions to be worked through with map before each lesson4 ,description of any rivers1 hills1 mountains1 etc41 the child may know of1 with plans4 ,work4 ,six twigs of trees 7not done before7 in brushwork4 ,for occasional use1 ,pour ,dessiner ,simplement1 par ,v4 ,jacquot et ,p4 ,ravoux 7,glaisher1 #cs4 #f;d471 cahier ii4 ,attend to garden 7,aunt ,mai's ,annual1 #ahid74 ,carton ,work1 by ,g4 ,c4 ,hewitt 7,king ,sons1 ,halifax1 #bs473 make a pillar-box1 a match-box1 a pen-tray1 and a vase4 ,smyrna rugs 7see ,aunt ,mai's ,annual1 #ahid74 ,children make their own designs4 ,self-,teaching ,needlework ,manual 7,longmans1 #as473 children to be exercised in stitches1 pages #a-ae4 ,use coarse canvas and wool2 then1 coloured cotton and coarse linen4 ,questions on ,preceding ,programme ,bible ,lessons4 ,i4 #a4 ,what do you know of ,moses as a little boy8 #b4 ,tell about ,moses and the burning bush4 ,,ii4 #a4 ,tell the story of ,jesus curing the man sick of the palsy4 #b4 ,when did ,jesus say1 8,peace1 be still08 ,tell all about it4 ,writing4 ,ia4 ,print 8,the field mouse has gone to ,ib4 ,write her nest40 ,natural ,history4 ,ia4 ,how does a beaver build his house8 ,ib4 #a4 ,tell one story about #8,blanche4' ,what have you noticed about any tits you have watched8 ,ia ,ib4 #b4 ,describe a rook1 a starling1 a chaffinch1 and tell anything you have noticed about them4 ,geography4 ,ib4 #a4 ,how can we tell that the earth is round8 #b4 ,what countries would you pass through going from ,england to ,russia by land8 #c4 ,what are the countries to the ,south of ,europe8 ,which countries have the most indented coastlines8 ,mention two inland seas and say where they are4 ,ia4 #a4 ,describe a forest in ,brazil4 #b4 ,tell about the ,indian's blow-pipe1 and a hanging nest4 ,can you draw a hanging nest8 ,number4 ,ib4 #a4 ,tom went to school at #f2 he was #h years and #c months at one school1 #d years at another1 #a year and #i months going round the world1 #c years and #c months in ,corea1 and #e months in ,japan4 ,how old was he then8 #b4 ,john had to take three cheques to the bank1 #age1 #acs4 #c;d41 #cj1 #gs4 #e;d41 and #hi1 #ais4 #aa;d4 ,how much did the cheques come to8 #c4 ,find the rent of four houses at #ag1 #hs4 #d;d4 a year each4 ,,beginners-- #a4 ,which is greater1 and by how much1 a quarter of a hundred or a fifth of a hundred8 #b4 ,how many pounds in a hundred shillings8 #c4 ,if tops cost #i;d4 for #e1 how much will #be cost8 ,ia4 #a4 ,if ,jack's dinner costs #as4 #f;d41 how much will he have to pay for himself and three friends8 #b4 ,if a copy of ,robinson ,crusoe cost #fs41 how many can ,i buy for #b1 #bs4 #j;d48 #c4 ,how many sixpences are equal to nine fourpenny pieces8 ,,beginners-- #a4 ,how many newts and how many robins have twenty-eight legs between them8 #b4 ,his father gave ,jack #a;d4 a week4 ,how many weeks must he save to buy a slate for #d;d48 ,picture ,talk4 ,describe from memory the picture of ,millet's you liked best4 ,tales4 ,ia4 ,tell a fairy tale4 ,ib4 #a4 ,tell about the trial of ,christian and ,faithful in ,vanity ,fair4 #b4 ,tell about ,odin's journey to ,jotunheim until he came to the land of giants4 or1 #c4 ,tell a short story from the ,history of ,rome4 ,history4 #a4 ,can you remember two ,scottish proverbs8 #b4 ,tell a story of ,john ,hall1 or ,wat ,tyler1 or ,robin ,hood4 #c4 ,tell what ,taswell says about the burning of ,st ,paul's4 ,what are the words over the north transept door8 ,reading4#di ,father to choose unseen passage1 marking words not known4 ,recitations4#di;a ,father to choose a poem1 a hymn1 and two ,bible passages4 ,singing4#di;a ,father to choose an ,english and a ,french song and1 7,ib71 two ,tonic ,sol-fa exercises4 ,drill4#di;a ,drill1 before parents4 ,music4#di;a ,examine in work done4 ,drawing4 7a7 ,an outline drawing with your brush of a bird and a cat1 7b7 a brushdrawing of an ash1 and a lime twig with leaf-buds4 ,work4#di;a ,outside friend to examine4 ,n4,b4--,the work suggested in the course of this volume is usually with a view to children in classes ,ia and ,ib1 but many children in their ninth year are fit for ,class ,,ii4 7,see ,appendix ,d74 ,b4 ,b41 aged #g4 ,,class ,,ib ,subjects taken #a4 ,bible ,lessons4 #b4 ,writing4 #c4 ,number4 #d4 ,picture ,talk4 #e4 ,geography4 #f4 ,tales4 #g4 ,natural ,history4 #h4 ,history4 #i4 ,reading4 #aj4 ,drawing4 ,the answers of all the children in this class reach much the same standard as those here printed4 ,the children in class ,ib range in age from seven to eight or eight and a half4 ,bible ,lessons ,i4 7#a7 ,when ,moses was born1 ,king ,pharaoh of ,egypt had ordered that all the new-born baby-boys should be killed1 and ,moses' mother hid him for three months and at last he grew so big that when he cried he would be heard4 ,so his mother made him a basket of bulrushes and put him in it in the water4 ,and she plastered it together so that the water would not get in4 ,and when ,pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe1 her servants walked along by the river1 and when she saw the basket in the river1 she asked her maid to bring it to her4 ,and when she opened the basket she saw the baby in it1 and she said that this was one of the ,hebrews' children4 ,then the baby's sister came and asked ,pharaoh's daughter if she would get a nurse for the baby1 and ,pharaoh's daughter said #8,yes4' ,and she brought a ,hebrew woman1 and it was the child's mother4 ,and ,pharaoh's daughter said that she would call him ,moses1 because she drew him out of the water4 ,then ,pharaoh's daughter gave the baby to his mother1 and she took him home and nursed him and she taught him to be good4 ,and then when he was pretty old he was taken to the palace and there he got a very good education4 7#b7 ,when ,moses was married1 he was out in the field keeping his wife's father's sheep when he saw a burning bush4 ,and a voice spoke out from the burning bush and said1 8,draw not nigh hither1 put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground40 ,it was ,god speaking to him1 and ,god told him to go and bring the children of ,israel out of ,egypt4 ,but ,moses said1 8,who am ,i to go to ,pharaoh8 he won't listen to me10 and ,god said that he would be with him4 ,but ,moses said1 8,pharaoh will not believe that ,god has spoken to me at all40 ,then ,god said1 8,i will teach you to make signs before ,pharaoh40 ,but ,moses said1 8,i am slow of speech40 ,and ,god was angry with ,moses and said that he would send his brother ,aaron to do the speaking4 ,,ii4 7#a7 ,jesus was surrounded with people and there was a man sick of the palsy wanted to see him2 and he was let down through the roof on his bed which was only a mattress4 ,and ,jesus said1 8,rise1 take up thy bed and walk40 ,and the man took up his bed and was cured4 7#b7 ,when ,jesus was crossing the sea of ,galilee with his disciples to the other side there arose a great storm1 and ,jesus' disciples thought that they would be thrown into the sea4 ,and they awoke ,jesus and said to him1 8,master1 carest thou not that we perish40 ,and ,jesus woke up and said to the sea and the foam1 8,peace1 be still40 ,and his disciples marvelled and said1 8,what manner of man is this that even the sea obeys him40 ,number ,ia4 #a4 #f_/4 #b4 #g copies4 #c4 #f sixpences4 ,beginners4-- #a4 #ad ,robins4 #b4 #d weeks4 ,picture ,talk #8,,the ,,first ,,step' ,in this picture ,i see a baby taking its first step alone4 ,the father is stretching out his arms to catch it1 then the baby toddles to its father4 ,they are not rich people and they live in a farm1 and the father had just left off his work when his wife met him in the garden and told him that his baby was going to walk alone for the first time4 ,geography #a4 ,we know that the world is round because if a sailor starts from his home and sails on and on without turning he will come back to the place he started from2 if you stand on the sea shore and watch a ship coming to-wards you1 you will first of all see the mast of the ship and then the hull last2 if you stand on a high place you will see that you are in the middle of a circle4 ,tales ,,from #8,,heroes ,,of ,,asgard' #b4 ,loki1 before he left ,jotunheim1 told his witch-wife to keep the children indoors1 for said he1 the sir will soon find out that we have a secret down here1 but while ,loki was away1 his wife could not keep ,jormungand in the house1 because he grew so big1 that she had to let his tail out of the door4 ,and ,odin saw ,jormungand's tail sticking out of the door1 so he dismounted ,air ,throne1 and said farewell to all the sir1 and then went to ,jotunheim1 but before he went he taught all the people how to fight and make armour1 and not to forget what he had taught them4 ,so he went on and on and on until he came to the ,golden ,van1 and asked him what his education was1 and what he did up here4 ,and the answer was1 that he gave wisdom1 but that it was so dear that many people turned away sorrowfully4 ,odin said1 8,what is the price8 ,i would willingly give my right hand40 ,but the ,van said it is your right eye you must give2 but ,odin didn't think the price too dear1 so he plucked his right eye out and gave it to the ,van4 ,then he got wisdom and set off for ,jotunheim4 ,at last he came to the very edge of ,jotunheim1 and then he peeped over to ,jotunheim and saw all the hideous creatures that lived down there2 and he hung over ,jotunheim two or three days and nights before he went in4 ,natural ,history #a4 ,there was a lady that wanted to have a pair of pigeons1 and a friend sent her two4 ,and when she opened the basket she found that the mate had flown away4 ,then the lady got a mate for the pigeon but the pigeon just pecked at it1 so the lady got another one1 that was white like herself1 and so she kept this one4 ,the female was named ,blanche2 and every day for four hours ,blanche would come in to the lady's room and take a rest on a great big ,bible that lay on the table4 #b4 ,tits are very fond of fat in the ,winter4 ,there are four different kinds of ,tits1 ,greater ,tit1 ,marsh ,tit1 ,blue ,tit1 and the ,cole ,tit4 ,and sometimes the tits sit at the entrance to a beehive and eat all the bees that come out4 ,they build in old letter-boxes sometimes4 ,the ,blue ,tits are great fighters1 and if you hang a basket outside your window with fat in it1 the ,blue ,tit will hang down and eat all it wants1 and act ,king of the ,castle4 ,and the ,cole ,tit takes away all it wants and stores it up4 ,rooks are black and very like crows1 and the way you will know them from crows is that they build altogether and crows don't4 ,when the rook is one year old1 it has a grey bald patch on its head4 ,starlings look black when you see them far off and when you see them near to you they look purple and white on their backs4 ,they build in hollow trees and in chimneys4 ,history #a4 ,one day when ,king ,james of ,scotland was staying with his friend ,mc,farlane1 he saw his geese running about in the yard and playing2 and the king laughed at them4 ,and that evening they had a goose for dinner and it was so lean and tough that the king could not help saying 8,mc,farlane1 your geese mind their play more than their meat40 ,and always after that people that played more than they worked were called ,mc,farlane's geese4 ,,robin ,,hood ,,and ,,the ,,foresters #b4 ,one day when ,robin ,hood was only sixteen1 he was walking in the ,forest with his bow and arrow1 when he met fifteen foresters1 who laughed at him when they saw the bigness of his bow4 ,then ,robin got angry with them and said1 8,i am only out bird-shooting to-day40 ,but they just laughed at him the more1 and he said1 8,i would wager my head1 ,i hit a deer at twelve score yards40 ,and they held him to his word1 and they staked one hundred shillings against that4 ,then they sent a deer galloping past him1 and just as he was taking aim1 one of the foresters jeeringly bade him remember his head was at stake1 because he was frightened he would lose his money4 ,and all the foresters marvelled because ,robin ,hood hit the deer4 ,but ,robin ,hood said he wouldn't take any man's money1 except the man's money who had tried to put him out when he was taking aim2 and that1 he said1 8we will spend on a feast for us all40 ,then the man that had lost his money1 made a cut at ,robin1 but ,robin dashed nimbly aside1 and ran away one hundred yards1 and then he turned round1 and shot the man that had tried to put him out when he was taking aim4 ,the foresters saw his fall1 and all ran for ,robin ,hood1 but he shot them down dead or badly wounded as they came to him4 ,the friends of these foresters got ,robin ,hood outlawed for this act4 99 99 99 99 99 7,children in ,classes #a;a and #a;b narrate the answers to their examination questions1 which are written at their dictation47 ,,footnotes3 #dg ,where there are children in ,ia as well in ,ib1 both classes should work together1 doing the work of ,ib in the subjects thus indicated2 or1 if the children are backward1 that of ,ia4 #dh ,see note1 page #chh4 #di ,subjects thus indicated to be marked according to ,regulations4 ,,appendix ,d ,,the ,,examination ,,of ,a ,,child ,,in ,,his ,,ninth ,,year ,,upon ,a ,,term',s ,,work ,,on ,,the ,,lines ,,indicated ,,in ,,this ,,volume ,,class ,,ii ,programme of the ,term's ,work1 on which the ,examination ,questions are set ,bible ,lessons4 ,the ,bible for the ,young1 by ,rev4 ,j4 ,paterson ,smyth 7,sampson ,low1 #as4 each vol472 ,exodus1 ,lessons i4-vii4 inclusive4 ,st ,mark's ,gospel1 chapters i41 ii41 iii41 iv4 ,teacher to prepare beforehand1 and to use the ,bible passages in teaching4 ,answers to the ,catechism with explanations as far as the ,lord's ,prayer 7optional74 ,recitations4 ,lyra ,heroica 7,nutt1 #bs4 #f;d471 ,boadicea1 and ,a ,welcome4 ,two hymns and two passages of twelve verses each1 one from ,exodus1 one from ,st ,mark4 ,french4 ,the ,gouin ,series2 pages #gf1 #gh1 #hj1 #hb1 #hd1 #ic1 from ,the ,study of ,french1 by ,eugne and ,duriaux 7#ahih edition1 ,macmillan ,co41 #cs4 #f;d474 ,little ,french ,folk1 by ,c4 ,t4 ,onions 7,simpkin ,marshall1 #bs471 pages #ae-be4 ,make new sentences with the words learnt in the ,series4 ,recite two poems from ,la ,lyre ,enfantine 7,hachette ,co41 #as4 #c;d474 ,latin4 ,a ,first ,latin ,course1 by ,e4 ,h4 ,scott and ,f4 ,jones 7,blackie1 #as4 #f;d471 pages #a-aj1 #fg-ga1 and vocabularies4 ,revise work carefully by means of exercises1 and make fresh sentences with all the words learnt4 ,boys may1 if desired1 take ,latin instead of ,german2 in this case they should take ,hall's ,child's ,first ,latin ,book 7,murray1 #bs471 pages #a-bc in addition4 ,,beginners1 ,a ,first ,latin ,course1 by ,e4 ,h4 ,scott and ,f4 ,jones1 pages #a-e1 with vocabularies and exercises on pages #fg1 #fh1 #fi4 ,german4 ,little ,german ,folk1 by ,m4 ,schramm 7,the ,norland ,press1 #bs471 pages #af-bj inclusive1 to be learnt orally1 only4 ,drill4 ,light-,pole and ,calisthenic ,exercises1 from ,musical ,drill for ,standards 7,philip ,son1 #as4 #f;d474 ,ex-students take ,house of ,education ,drills4 ,music4 ,continue ,child ,pianist 7,curwen ,son72 teacher using the ,teacher's ,guide4 ,singing4 ,two ,french songs1 ,la ,lyre des coles2 two ,german songs1 ,deutscher ,liedergarten 7each of these1 ,curwen ,son1 #bs4 #f;d474 ,two new ,english songs from ,novello's ,school ,songs1 book xxi4 7#h;d474 ,ten ,minutes' ,lessons in ,tonic ,sol-fa 7,curwen ,son74 ,geography4 ,london ,geographical ,readers 7,stanford73 book ii4 7#as4 #f;d471 pages #a-bb2 book iii4 7#bs4 #c;d471 pages #a-bf2 map questions to be answered from map and then from memory1 and then in filling up blank map from memory before each lesson4 ,all geography to be learnt with map4 ,children to make memory maps4 ,know something about foreign places coming into notice in the current newspapers4 ,the ,school ,atlas1 edited by ,h4 ,o4 ,arnold-,forster 7#cg ,bedford ,street1 ,london1 #cs474 ,english ,grammar4 ,a ,short ,english ,grammar1 by ,professor ,meiklejohn 7,holden1 #as471 pages #be-eb4 ,parse and point out ,subjects1 ,verbs1 ,objects4 ,,beginners1 pages #e-be4 ,writing4 ,a ,new ,handwriting for ,teachers1 by ,m4 ,m4 ,bridges 7,mrs ,bridges1 ,yattenden1 ,newbury1 #bs4 #i;d4 post free72 practise pages #a1 #b1 #c4 ,two perfectly-written lines every day4 ,transcribe some of your favourite passages from ,shakespeare's ,julius ,csar1 with page #f as model4 ,dictation4 ,two pages at a time to be prepared carefully2 then a paragraph from these pages to be written from dictation or from memory4 ,the ,citizen ,reader1 by ,h4 ,o4 ,arnold-,forster 7,cassell1 #as4 #f;d471 chapters vi41 vii41 viii4 7both parts74 ,plutarch's #8,lives4' ,plutarch's ,julius ,csar 7omitting unsuitable parts7 7,cassell's ,national ,library1 #c;d474 ,english ,history4 ,a ,history of ,england1 by ,h4 ,o4 ,arnold-,forster 7,cassell1 #es471 pages #a-ef 7,b4,c4 #ee-;,a4,d4 #hga74 ,read from ,shakespeare's ,julius ,csar 7,cassell's ,national ,library1 #c;d474 ,read contemporary parts from ,old ,stories from ,british ,history 7,longmans1 #as474 ,french ,history4 ,a ,first ,history of ,france1 by ,l4 ,creighton 7,longmans1 #cs4 #f;d471 pages #b-bb1 to be contemporary with ,english history4 ,any time over should be given to ,english history4 ,drawing4 ,pour ,dessiner ,simplement1 par ,v4 ,jacquot et ,p4 ,ravoux 7,glaisher1 #cs4 #f;d471 cahiers ii4 and iii41 for occasional use4 ,twelve twigs of trees with leaf-buds in brushdrawing4 ,original brushdrawings from scenes in ,julius ,csar4 ,garden 7or section of7 drawn to scale2 and1 ,join the ,portfolio of ,painting 7see ,the ,children's ,quarterly74 ,picture ,talk4 ,study six reproductions of ,j4 ,f4 ,millet's work 7see ,perry ,pictures74 ,reading4 ,geography1 ,english history1 ,french history1 should afford exercise in careful reading4 ,the ,morte ,d',arthur1 ,selections by ,c4 ,l4 ,thomson 7,marshall1 #bs41 pages #aij-bch71 or1 poetry1 to be read on ,thursdays4 ,nature ,lore4 7,tuesday7 ,buckley's ,fairy ,land of ,science 7,stanford71 pages #ii-abc4 7,wednesday7 ,the ,sciences1 by ,e4 ,s4 ,holden 7,ginn ,co41 #bs4 #f;d471 pages #a-cd4 ,seaside and ,wayside may also be used4 ,keep a ,nature ,note-book4 ,record1 when you see them1 and describe twelve birds and notice all you can about them4 7,saturday7 ,birds of the ,air1 by ,mrs ,fisher 7,cassell1 #f;d471 pages #ch-gi4 ,all members must take in ,the ,children's ,quarterly4 ,arithmetic4 ,a ,b ,c ,arithmetic1 ,teacher's ,book1 part ii4 7,sonnenschein ,nesbitt1 #as471 pages #ic-aaa4 ,mental ,arithmetic and ,numeration for five minutes on alternate days4 ,mair's ,mental ,arithmetic 7,sonnenschein1 #i;d474 ,steady progress4 ,much care with tables4 ,,beginners1 #a-bg4 ,composition4 ,the ,citizen ,reader1 by ,h4 ,o4 ,arnold-,forster 7,cassell1 #as4 #i;d471 chapters vi41 vii41 viii4 7both parts74 ,selections from ,morte ,d',arthur4 ,read and write substance4 ,young children who cannot write easily may narrate4 ,work4 ,cardboard ,modelling1 by ,a4 ,sutcliffe and ,w4 ,nelson 7,philip ,son1 #bs4 #f;d471 or1 better1 ,a ,manual of ,cardboard ,modelling1 by ,h4 ,heaton 7,newmann ,son1 #es474 ,make a set of furniture for the bedroom of your doll's house4 ,make the curtains1 rugs1 bed linen1 and counterpane for this bedroom4 ,self-,teaching ,needlework ,manual 7,longmans1 #as474 ,practise stitches on pages #ae-bd4 ,attend to ,garden 7,aunt ,mai's ,annual1 #ahid74 ,questions on ,preceding ,programme ,bible ,lessons4 ,i4 #a4 8,take this child and nurse it for me40 ,tell what you know about the education and early life of the child4 #b4 8,who made thee a ruler and a judge over us80 8,take off the shoes from off thy feet40 ,on what occasions were these words used8 ,tell the whole story in each case4 ,,ii4 #a4 7a7 8,come ye after me40 7b7 8,arise1 take up thy bed40 7c7 8,stretch forth thine hand40 7d7 8,peace1 be still40 ,tell all about the occasions when these words were used4 #b4 ,give1 as far as you can in the words of the ,bible1 the ,parable of the ,sower4 ,writing4 ,write from memory two lines of ,a ,welcome4 ,dictation4 ,the ,citizen ,reader1 page #gi1 #b4 ,composition4 ,describe your favourite scene from ,julius ,csar1 or1 the picture of ,j4 ,f4 ,millet's that you like best4 ,english ,grammar4 #a4 ,analyse and parse the words in italics1-- 8,o1 when do fairies hide their heads8 ,when snow lies on the hills1 ,when frost has spoiled their mossy beds1 ,and crystallised their rills40 #b4 ,make sentences using the following words1 and parse each of them3 this1 which1 herself1 many1 above1 after1 once1 very1 that4 ,,beginners-- #a4 ,pick out the nouns1 adverbs1 prepositions1 and verbs in 7#a74 #b4 ,make sentences containing the following words1 and say what part of speech each is3 her1 carry1 very1 to1 on1 before1 soon1 all1 since4 ,english ,history4 #a4 8,you can put me to death but you will gain more honour if you spare my life40 ,what do you know of the speaker8 #b4 ,what history is there in the words ,manchester1 ,thursday1 ,saturday1 ,oxford8 ,who gave us these words8 #c4 8,from the fury of the ,northmen1 good ,lord deliver us40 ,what do you know about these ,northmen8 ,french ,history4 #a4 8,martin has clothed me with his garment40 ,tell what you know about this ,martin4 ,on what day of the year do we remember him8 #b4 8,thus did you break the vase at ,soissons40 ,tell what you know of the speaker4 #c4 ,what do you know of ,charles the ,great8 ,plutarch's #8,lives4' #a4 8,arms and laws do not flourish together40 ,who said this8 ,tell the story4 #b4 ,describe one of ,csar's expeditions into ,gaul4 ,natural ,history4 #a4 ,what are earth-pillars1 landslips1 and pot-holes8 ,how are they caused8 ,describe some work of water as a sculptor that you have seen4 #b4 ,make a diagram1 giving the names and the sizes as near as you can of the planets4 ,which planets have you seen8 ,what do you know about ,jupiter and ,saturn8 #c4 ,describe a rook1 a starling1 a jackdaw1 a thrush4 ,tell anything you have noticed about them4 ,geography4 #a4 ,what countries can ,i visit in going from ,england by sea through the ,mediterranean to the ,black ,sea8 #b4 ,what are the boundaries of ,austria1 ,switzerland1 ,greece8 #c4 ,draw a map of ,northumberland1 putting in the river ,tyne and the chief towns on its banks4 #d4 ,describe a journey in the ,lake ,district4 ,french4 #a4 ,recite ,les ,cerises and the poem learnt4 #b4 ,name1 in ,french1 the various parts of a house1 and make six sentences1 using the words4 ,german4 #a4 ,tell1 in ,german1 all you can about the pictures on pages #ah and #ai of ,little ,german ,folks4 #b4 ,make three new sentences with some of the words you have learnt4 ,latin4 #a4 ,translate into ,latin3 7a7 ,the road is not safe2 7b7 ,the slave is ,roman2 7c7 ,here is a wide road2 7d7 ,the town has four big gates2 7e7 ,the poet's daughter is tall4 #b4 ,make sentences1 using the words1--sex1 ,romani1 magnae1 pila1 iratus1 cujus1 dux1 octo1 reliqui1 vos4 ,,boys ,,only4 #c4 ,decline fully1--bona malus1 niger equus1 vir liber4 ,,beginners-- #a4 ,do the first half of question #b above4 #b4 ,answer in ,latin the questions1--,ubi est porta8 ,quot portae sunt8 ,estne servus magnus8 ,arithmetic4 #a4 ,if a railway guard travels #bcjc miles a week1 how much does he travel in twelve days8 #b4 ,find the interest on 7a7 #aa1 #aes41 7b7 #g1 #afs41 at #e for one year4 #c4 ,what sum of money multiplied by #aa will give #ch1jbj1 #ds4 #i;d48 ,,beginners-- #a4 ,how much is each of the following numbers--#aig1 #ica1 #bdj1 #ii1 short of #ajjj8 #b4 ,if quill pens cost #abs4 a thousand1 how much would #bej cost8 #c4 ,how many florins in #ajjj shillings8 ,drawing4 7a7 ,an outline of a bird with your brush4 7b7 ,an original brush-drawing from ,julius ,csar4 7c7 ,a birch1 and an elm twig4 ,recitations4#ej ,father to choose a poem1 and ten verses from ,st ,mark and ten verses from ,exodus4 ,reading4#ej;a ,father to choose unseen poem1 marking words not known4 ,music4#ej;a ,examine in work done4 ,singing4#ej;a ,father to choose an ,english1 a ,french1 and a ,german song1 and two ,tonic ,sol-fa exercises4 ,drill4#ej;a ,drill1 before parents4 ,work4#ej;a ,outside friend to examine4 ,a4 ,a41 aged #i years ,subjects taken ,scripture4 ,english ,history4 ,french ,history4 ,natural ,history4 ,geography4 ,writing4 ,dictation4 ,arithmetic4 ,french4 ,composition4 ,drawing4 ,english ,grammar4 ,plutarch's ,lives4 ,french ,,les ,,cerises4 #a4 ,albert a envie de manger des cerises4 ,il court au verger1 et grimpe un cerisier4 ,albert se pose califourchon1 sur une branche4 ,d'il1 il choisit les plus belles cerises1 ,il cueille les plus mres1 ,et les mange au fur et mesure4 ,,dieu ,qui dit au soleil sur la terre ,d'eclairer tout homme et tout lieu1 ,qui donne la nuit son mystre1 ,o mes enfants1 c'est ,dieu4 ,le bluet le ciel superbe4 ,qui les a teints d'un mme bleu1 ,qui verdit l'emeraude l'herbe8 ,o mes enfants1 c'est ,dieu4 #ea ,qui donne au bosquet son ombrage1 ,et quand l'oiseau chante au milieu1 ,qui donne l'oiseau son ramage8 ,o mes enfants1 c'est ,dieu4 ,qui donne chacun chaque chose1 ,a l'un beaucoup1 l'autre peu1 ,moins au ciron1 plus la rose8 ,o mes enfants1 c'est ,dieu4 ,qui donne vos mres ce charme1 ,de rire votre moindre jeu1 ,pleurant votre moindre larme8 ,o mes enfants1 c'est ,dieu4 #b4 ,les murs1 les portes1 la salle manger1 la cuisine1 le feu4#eb ,composition ,,julius ,c,,sar ,my favourite scene from ,julius ,csar is where ,mark ,antony makes his speech to the people about ,csar1 and they all think it such a good one1 and wished to destroy the conspirators who had killed ,csar4 ,he tells them that he had thrice offered the crown to ,csar and yet he had refused it1 and yet ,brutus in his speech had said that the deed was done for the good of the country in case ,csar should get to be the ,king1 which would not be good for ,rome4 ,antony said that in ,csar's will he had left to every one of the people a sum of money1 and left his shaded gardens for the public use4 ,english ,grammar #a4 ,nouns--fairies1 heads1 snow1 hills1 frost1 beds1 rills4 ,preposition--on4 ,verbs--hide1 lies1 spoiled1 has1 crystallised4 #b4 her ,pronoun4 carry ,verb4 very to ,preposition4 on ,preposition4 before ,preposition4 soon all ,adjective4 since ,preposition4 ,were you with her8 ,will you carry this8 ,yesterday was very wet4 ,are you going to ,london8 ,london is on the ,thames4 ,please walk on before us4 ,we will be there soon4 ,that is all4 ,since you are not coming ,i will not come4 ,plutarch's #8,lives' #a4 ,these words 8,arms and laws do not flourish together10 were said by ,julius ,csar in answer to a book that had been written by a greater orator than himself called ,cicero4 ,in this he said that the people could not expect him to be such a great orator as ,cicero who had studied all his life for ,csar had to fight and could not study4 #b4 ,when ,csar first went into ,gaul to fight against the ,helvetians and the ,tigurini he sent out his lieutenant to fight the ,tigurini4 ,his lieutenant defeated them so he went on to fight the ,helvetians who had burnt #djj of their villages1 and #ab of their large towns4 ,he marched against them and after having fought them he defeated them and he made the prisoners he took resettle in the land and rebuild the towns and villages they had burnt for fear that other tribes from ,germany should come and settle in a country that was left with no inhabitants4 ,arithmetic #a4 #ajjj #ajjj #ajjj #ajjj #aig #ica #bdj #ii ---- ---- ---- ---- #hjc #fi #gfj #ija #b4 ,if quill pens cost #abs4 a thousand1 how much would #bej cost8 #d7ab ---- #c ,ans4 #cs4 four #bej4 #c4 ,how many florins in #ajjj shillings8 #b7ajjj ----- #ejj ,ans4 #ejj florins4 ,english ,history #a4 ,caractacus was one of the early ,british chiefs who held out against the ,romans for a long time4 ,after he had been fighting many times he was defeated and taken prisoner by the ,romans and was then brought before the ,r4 ,governor1 where he was tried4 ,the ,roman ,governor wished to put him to death1 but he said 8,you can put me to death but you will more honour if you spare my life40 ,so after a time he was let go1 and the ,governor said for his brave words he was to be well treated4 #b4 ,chester or ,castra in ,latin meant camp1 so therefore in the word ,manchester it is shown that the ,romans had a camp there and that tells us it is a old town4 #b4 7b7 ,when we use the word ,thursday1 we are bringing the old ,saxon ,god ,thor into our mind1 as it was on this day that the ,saxons worshipped this ,god4#ec 7c7 ,when we say the word ,saturday1 we are again recalling the old ,saxon ,god1 whose name was ,saturn1 the planet which we now have1 and it was on this day that the ,saxons worshipped their old ,god4#ec;a #c4 ,the ,northmen were a wild race who came from ,germany and ,denmark1 and they were always coming and invading ,england as the ,saxons had done before them4 ,canute was their greatest king and he had many flatterers at his court1 and they said that everything would obey him1 the water1 the sun and the moon1 etc4 ,so one day he ordered his chair to be carried to the water's edge and then he said to the sea 8,come no further on my land10 but of course the sea still came on1 and his courtiers had to rush and save him from getting very wet4 ,the ,northmen plundered the land and burnt it1 so that the ,saxons all wanted to get rid of them1 and some of the ,bishops prayed 8,from the fury of the ,northmen1 good ,lord deliver us40#ec;a ,natural ,history #a4 ,earth pillars are pillars of earth generally with a stone on the top4 ,where they are now was once all level ground1 but the rain came and washed away the softest clay1 then the sun came1 and hardened the other into cracks4 ,then more rain came and washed that away1 but occasionally there was a large stone which prevented the water washing the clay away and there it remained beneath1 thus forming an earth pillar with a stone on the top4 ,when the stone comes off1 the pillar is almost sure to fall down for then it is no longer protected from the rain4 ,diagram of four earth pillars #a4 7b7 ,a landslip is a large piece of land which has fallen away from the top of a cliff1 or the side of a hill4 ,it is caused by the rain sinking down through some soil until it comes to a hard rock1 and then more and more rain coming1 it makes a regular little pond or pool4 ,this makes the foundation of the hill or cliff very unsafe4 ,then it begins to fall away1 and thus gradually the whole part goes down1 and that is how the landslip is caused4#ed #a4 7c7 ,pot-holes are round holes at the sides of a waterfall4 ,they are caused by the water coming down and bringing little stones with it1 and beating them against the rock on each side of the waterfall1 so that it gradually pounds away the side of the rock till it makes it into a round hole4 ,if you look in these holes you will generally find one or two round stones1 which have been used by the water for pounding the rock4 ,when the water has broken these stones to tiny little bits1 it brings others down1 which it uses in the same way1 and so it continues to make the pot-hole4#ed;a ,i have noticed a waterfall in ,ireland gradually cutting itself deeper and deeper into the earth1 and carrying down the rocks from up above4#ee #c4 7a7 ,a rook is a fairly large black bird4 ,it does a great deal of good to the farmers by eating the grubs which are in their fields1 though it eats a little corn1 but it does much more good than evil4 ,once several farmers decided to shoot all the rooks round about1 expecting to get a very good crop1 but instead of this they had only a very little corn1 so that they had to induce more rooks to come and settle there again4 ,rooks generally fly in flocks4 ,they make their nests high up in tall trees1 and use the same nests each year1 repairing them every now and then in the winter to keep them all right for the next nesting time4#ee;a #c4 7b7 ,a starling is also a black bird1 but it has bright colours on the tips of its wings so that it does not look nearly as black as a rook4 ,it is the smallest of its family1 the crow is the largest4 ,it feeds generally upon grubs1 though it will eat bread and corn when it cannot get other food4 ,its eggs are pale blue1 and there are from four to five of them in the nest1 which is generally built half-way up a tree or in old buildings and barns4#ee;a #c4 7c7 ,a jackdaw is another black bird1 though it has a little grey on the head and a little on the body4 ,it belongs to the crow family and builds its nest very high up1 and so is very hard to find4 ,the nest is made of straw and bits of dry grass and other little bits of old stuff4 ,its eggs are the same colour as the starling4#ee;a #c4 7d7 ,the colours of a thrush are1 on the back a browny grey1 the throat and breast are a whity grey with spots of brown1 the tail also brown with a little white and spots underneath1 and the wings are brown like the back4 ,its nest is made of dry grass1 etc41 and other bits of old stuff1 and the inside is lined with mud4 ,its eggs are generally about four1 occasionally five4 ,they are a beautiful blue colour with spots of brownish black4 ,it sings very beautifully4 ,once a little thrush was known to die from having sung too violently1 and by that breaking one of its bloodvessels4#ef ,i have noticed that the thrush sings very loudly1 and that the sort of song he sings is--#8,pretty ,mary' or #8,pretty ,joey4' ,when we put out crumbs for the birds in the morning1 the thrush does not come so much as the other birds1 such as sparrows and black-birds1 etc4#ef;a ,scripture ,i4 #a4 ,there had been a law made by the king of ,egypt that all the ,hebrew children should be put to death so ,moses' mother took her little babe ,moses to the river's side in a cradle which she had made and pushed it out until it went into the reeds on the other side4 ,when ,pharoah's 7sic7 daughter came down to bathe in the river1 she heard the baby crying1 and told some of her maids to fetch the cradle and see what was in it4 ,when she found it was a little baby she thought she would keep it1 as she had none herself4 ,before this ,moses' mother had put her daughter to watch what would happen to the baby1 and when she saw the ,princess take it1 she came and asked if she should get a nurse for it4 ,the ,princess said to the mother 8,take this child and nurse it for me40 ,so ,moses was taken into the palace and nursed there and was treated as a prince4 ,all royal children were very well educated so ,moses was taken to school and had to study very hard4 ,when he had learned reading and writing1 he went to college at ,on1 where there was a ,university and here he studied all the arts and laws of the ,egyptians4 ,we know he was a great warrior because we told him coming back in triumph after defeating some of the enemies of ,pharoah 7sic74 ,,ii4 #a4 7a7 ,jesus was walking along by the ,sea of ,galilee when he saw two fishermen1 whose names were ,andrew and ,simon ,peter1 and they were mending their nets4 ,he turned to them1 wishing them to be his disciples and said 8,come ye after me40 ,so they left their nets and followed ,him4#eg 7b7 ,jesus was in ,peter's house at ,capernaum and as he healed the people there was a great crowd round about and a man which had palsy could not get in4 ,so his four friends which were carrying him lifted him up on to the roof1 and then opened the trap door1 and let him down unto ,jesus4 ,when ,jesus saw their faith ,he said 8,is it easier to say forgive thee thy sins10 or to say 8,arise and take up thy bed40 ,then ,he turned to the man and said 8,arise1 take up thy bed and go to thy house40 ,so the man was healed4#eg;a 7c7 ,after ,jesus had healed the man with the withered hand the ,pharisees took counsel with the ,herodians how they could destroy ,him1 but ,jesus took a boat to sail across the ,sea of ,galilee to the other shore4 ,as ,he was going1 ,he fell asleep in the boat4 ,when they got about half-way across a great storm came on1 so that the boat was almost full of water and ,his disciples were frightened1 and woke ,him up and said 8,master1 save us1 for otherwise we shall drown40 ,then ,jesus woke and said1 8,have ye so little faith1 that ye are frightened at this storm40 ,so ,he got up1 and said to the winds and the storm 8,peace1 be still0 and the storm ceased1 and there was a great calm4 ,then the disciples marvelled and said to themselves 8,who is this1 that even the winds and the waves obey40#eg;a ,,ii4 #b4 ,a sower went forth to sow1 and as he sowed some of the seeds fell by the way side and the fowls of the air came along1 and ate them up2 others fell upon rocky places1 where there was no depth of earth1 and they sprang up quickly but when the sun came out it scorched them up--others fell among thorns and prickles1 so that when they came up1 they were choked and could not live1 and others fell among good soil and produced fruit1 some thirty fold1 some sixty1 and some a hundred4#eh ,french ,history #a4 ,martin1 who was afterwards made saint1 came from ,germany4 ,when he was only about ten years old he ran away from home to become a monk1 but he was taken by the ,romans to be made a soldier4 ,one day while he was a soldier he was coming out of town when he saw a beggar without anything on him who was asking for alms1 so he took out his purse but he found he had no money in it so taking his sword he cut his cloak in half and gave one half to the beggar4 ,in a dream that night he saw ,god clothed in half a cloak and ,he said to the angels around ,him 8,martin who is not yet a ,christian has clothed me with his garment40 ,so he took it as a sign that he should be made a ,christian and so he went to the ,bishop and was baptized4 ,after he left the army1 he studied some time in ,italy and then came back to ,gaul and founded the first ,christian monastery at ,tours4 ,he went from place to place with his disciples preaching and teaching and he was one of the most famous early ,christian teachers4 #b4 ,clovis was one of the great ,merovingian kings4 ,when he was only about sixteen years old1 he was made king of the ,franks4 ,after they had been plundering a church the ,bishop of ,rheims asked ,clovis if he would send him back a silver vase which had originally belonged to that church1 so ,clovis sent back a message saying he would1 if it fell to his share1 but otherwise he could not4 ,when all the treasure was collected1 ,clovis asked if the silver vase could be given to him and all agreed but one man1 who said that rather than let him have it1 he would break it1 so he took his sword and smashed it in little pieces4 ,this was at ,soissons4 ,some time after1 when he was reviewing his army1 he saw the same man that had broken the vase1 and as his sword was hanging not quite properly1 he told the man to right it4 ,as the man was doing so1 he drew out his own sword1 and cut the man's head off1 saying at the same time 8,thus did you break the vase at ,soissons40 ,later on1 when he was fighting a battle1 he was not yet a ,christian1 and the fight was going against him1 so he called out 8,if ,i win this battle1 ,i will serve the ,lord of my wife10 she being already a ,christian1 and as he did win1 he was baptized by the ,bishop1 who had already received the pieces of the vase which had been broken4 ,as he was being baptized the ,bishop said to him 8,adore what you have burnt1 burn what you have adored40#ei #c4 ,charles the ,great1 or ,charlemange1 as he is usually called1 was one of the very greatest ,emperors4 ,his empire stretched to the mouth of the ,elbe in ,germany1 to the ,theiss in ,austria1 half of ,italy1 the whole of ,france and a small piece of ,spain4 ,he was called the ,emperor of the ,west1 and had been made so by the ,pope4 ,there had not been an ,emperor of the ,west for a long time1 there having been nobody great enough for the position4 ,he was a very good king1 and had schools built all over the country1 and thus he made a ,christian empire amidst all the wild races there4 ,he placed ,counts over the different parts to see that all was done well there1 and if they could not manage anything1 they were to send up to ,charlemange4 ,he had also two chief ministers whom he sent round to the different places to see that the ,counts did their work rightly4 ,he liked to live best at a place in ,germany called ,aachen1 and it was there he died4#ei;a ,geography #a4 ,in going a tour from ,england through the ,mediterranean to the ,black ,sea1 ,i could go first to ,france1 then to ,spain and ,portugal1 then reach ,gibraltar1 and on one side be ,africa1 and on the other ,spain4 ,then ,i would see ,france again and then ,italy with the ,island of ,sicily4 ,then ,i would pass ,turkey and ,greece1 and come to the ,straits of ,constantinople1 and reaching the ,black ,sea ,i could visit ,russia4 #b4 ,the boundaries of ,austria are-- ,north1 ,germany and ,russia4 ,south1 ,turkey4 ,east1 ,russia and ,turkey4 ,west1 ,adriatic ,sea and ,italy4 ,the boundaries of ,switzerland3-- ,north1 ,germany4 ,south1 ,italy4 ,east1 ,austria4 ,west1 ,france4 ,the boundaries of ,greece are-- ,north1 ,turkey4 ,south1 ,mediterranean4 ,east1 ,archipelago4 ,west1 ,adriatic ,sea4 #d4 ,a journey in the lake ,district would be very beautiful1 especially in summer4 ,derwent-water is the most beautiful of the lakes1 but ,windermere is the largest of all4 ,the ,lake ,district is called the playground of ,england1 because people go there to see the glorious scenery4 ,there are many mountains of which ,helvyllen is the monarch1 but ,scaw-fell is higher4 ,there are lots of other mountains with curious names1 one is the ,pillar another the ,saddle-back1 and there is a waterfall there which has a lot of water rushing down4 ,the poets ,southy 7sic7 and ,wordsworth lived in the ,lake ,district1 and ,southey has written a poem about the waterfall splashing and dashing4 ,one of the towns is called ,ambleside and from there the coachs 7sic7 start for the lakes4 #e4 ,a ,map of ,northumberland4 ,this boy has written the whole of his papers1 excepting where #8dictated' is indicated by the figure #8#a4' ,children in ,class ,,ii4 may write part and dictate part of their examination work1 as to write the whole would be tiring for the younger pupils4 ,parents and teachers are so often at a loss as to whether the work of the children they are teaching does1 or does not1 reach a fair average standard1 and as to whether their education is conducted on lines too broad or too narrow1 that these specimens of children's work may be of use by way of a fair average standard4 ,the programme of the term's work for each child is given1 as well as the examination questions the children have answered4 ,it will be seen that the plan of their studies is very much the same as would be adopted in the case of advanced students1 that is to say1 the children read during the term an appointed number of pages or chapters in a considerable number of books written with intelligence4 ,i think that the style of the children's answers justifies this method of teaching2 they speak out of a full and satisfying knowledge of their subjects4 ,it is astonishing what repose of mind children gain when they entirely comprehend their lessons1 and that they should remember what they have fully understood is a matter of course4 ,the little girl 7,appendix ,c7 has dictated all her answers1 but sends specimens of her writing and reading4 ,the boy's work is partly dictated and partly written by himself4 ,i have indicated the end of each dictated answer4 ,his diagrams1 maps1 drawings1 are very good4 ,his pointing1 spelling1 etc41 have been carefully preserved4 ,having been educated upon books for three years1 spelling and composition have come to him as matters of course4 ,hundreds of children educated in the same way are constantly producing comparable results4 ,some children1 as one in fifty1 perhaps1 are inveterately bad spellers1 but no child taught in this way fails to compose with ease and vigour4 ,the habit of narration in ordinary lessons makes the dictation of answers to examination questions a very simple matter4 ,i should add that this work is done during morning school1 which lasts two and a half 7for the girl7 to three hours 7for the boy71 out of which time half an hour is given to drill and play4 ,no preparation is done in the evenings4 ,the afternoons are spent in field work1 handicrafts1 etc41 but no book work is done except in the morning school-hours4 ,,footnotes3 #ej ,subjects thus indicated to be marked according to ,regulations4 #ea ,dictated to end4 #eb ,dictated4 #ec ,dictated4 #ed ,dictated4 #ee ,dictated4 #ef ,dictated4 #eg ,dictated4 #eh ,dictated4 ,some ,scripture answers omitted for want of space4 #ei ,dictated4 ,index ,accuracy1 #afe4 ,adam ,bede1 #fi4 ,affection as a motive1 #add4 ,affections1 the1 #aja4 ,air1 as important as food1 #bh2 unchanged1 #ca2 night1 wholesome1 #cd2 country1 #ib2 unvitiated1 #ic4 ,airings1 indoor1 #cc4 ,alfred1 ,king1 #bhc4 ,alphabet1 teaching the1 #bja4 ,ants1 how to keep1 #eg4 ,application1 habits of1 #adi1 #aej4 ,arithmetic1 the teaching of1 #bec-bfd2 a means of training1 #bfj4 ,arnold1 ,dr1 #age4 ,art1 pictorial1 #cjg-cac4 ,artificial reflex actions1 #aaf4 ,asser1 #bhc4 ,association1 a mind at the mercy of1 #ach2 the law of1 #aeg2 a condition of recollection1 #aeh4 ,attention1 habit of1 #hf1 #acg-adi2 wandering1 #aci2 to things1 #ada2 what is81 #ade2 self-compelled1 #ade4 ,audubon1 #ei4 ,augustine1 ,st1 #ccj4 ,austen1 ,jane1 #hc4 ,autobiography of ,mary ,howitt1 #bdh4 ,avebury1 ,lord1 #ef4 ,baby is ubiquitous1 the1 #abf4 ,bath1 the daily1 #cf4 ,bede1 the ,venerable1 #bhd1 #bhe4 ,beef-tea1 #cb4 ,bible1 lessons1 #bdg-bec2 method of1 lessons1 #bea2 recitations in1 lessons1 #bec2 the chief source of moral ideas1 #ccf2 the reading of the1 #cdh4 #8,bird-stalking1' #hi-ib4 ,blood1 certain causes affect the quality of the1 #be4 ,books1 field-lore and naturalists'1 #fb2 uses of naturalists'1 #fd2 lesson1 #bbi4 ,brain1 conditions of healthy1 activity1 #bj2 all mind labour means wear of1 tissue1 #ba2 a healthy1 #if2 incessant regeneration of1 tissue1 #aae2 no limit to recording power of the1 #aeh4 ,bridgman1 ,laura1 #aie4 ,burns1 #abf4 ,calendars1 naturalists'1 #ed4 ,carpenter1 ,dr1 #fh1 #aaa1 #aab1 #aaf1 #aca4 ,cerebration1 unconscious1 #ajh4 ,change1 of occupation1 #bc2 the child's thoughts1 #afg1 #cbe4 ,character affected by acquired modifications of brain tissue1 #aah2 the result of conduct regulated by will1 #cbj4 ,charles ,,ii41 #bi4 ,charts1 history1 #bic4 ,child1 the estate of the1 #aa2 divine estimate of the1 #ab4 ,children1 are public trusts1 #a2 training of1 dreadfully defective1 #c2 offending the1 #ac-ag2 are born law-abiding1 #ac2 must perceive that their governors are law-compelled1 #ae2 should have the best of their mothers1 #ag2 despising the1 #ag2 hindering the1 #ai2 the faults of1 are serious1 #ai2 relationships of1 with ,god1 #ai2 the1 walk every day1 #bi2 out-of-door life for the1 #db-ie2 should know field-crops1 #ea2 should follow the seasons1 #eb2 should be encouraged to watch1 #eg2 what town1 can do1 #ei2 get knowledge by means of their senses1 #fe2 learn from things1 #fg2 should be made familiar with natural objects1 #fi2 and mother nature1 #gh-hj2 require country air1 #ib2 a physical ideal for1 #id2 have no self-compelling power1 #ih2 are incapable of steady effort1 #ii2 should be saved the effort of decision1 #ajj2 must not be left to their human nature1 #ajb2 habits of1 are formed involuntarily1 #aje2 should learn dancing1 etc41 at an early age1 #aac2 should put away their playthings1 #acj2 should be let alone1 #acd2 should execute perfectly1 #aei2 must have desire to obey1 #afa2 learn1 to grow1 #aga2 learn1 to get ideas1 #agc2 learn1 to get knowledge1 #agd2 literature proper for1 #agf2 danger of undervaluing intelligence of1 #ahf2 should be allowed some ordering of their lives1 #aid2 #8only1' #aic2 narrate by nature1 #bca2 enjoy the ,bible1 #bdg2 should know the ,bible text1 #bdh2 have art in them1 #cac2 should be taught the way of the will1 #cbf2 play with moral questions1 #ccf4 ,christ1 our ,king1 #cej2 the indwelling of1 #ceb4 ,christianity1 the essence of1 #cej4 ,christmas ,day and other ,sermons1 #cda1 #cdb4 ,cinderella1 #ach4 ,classification1 first-hand1 #fc4 ,clay-modelling1 #cac4 ,cleanliness1 #abd1 #abg4 ,climbing1 #hc4 ,clothing1 #hd4 ,cobbe1 ,frances ,power1 #ajb4 ,code of education in the ,gospels1 #ab4 ,coleridge1 #fa1 #cah1 #ccg4 ,common sense1 #cg4 ,compass drill1 #gf4 ,composition1 #bdc-bdg2 lessons in1 #bde2 comes by nature1 #bdg4 ,conditions of healthy brain activity1 #bj-cg ,conscience1 is judge and lawgiver1 #cbi2 is not an infallible guide1 #cca2 a real power1 #ccb2 a spiritual sense1 #ccb2 an undeveloped capability in children1 #ccc2 the uninstructed1 #ccd2 the instructed1 #cce2 a child's good1 #cce2 of a child ignorant1 #cch2 instructing the1 #cci2 made effective by discipline1 #cdj4 ,consequences1 natural and educative1 of conduct1 #adh4 ,copperfield1 ,david1 #fi4 ,cowper1 #bb1 #hf4 ,creatures1 living1 #ef-fb4 ,cul-de-sac1 an educational1 #hi4 ,darwin1 #ajg4 ,dates in history teaching1 #bhi4 ,dawes1 the ,rev4 ,richard1 #bgj4 ,days in the open1 #dc4 ,decision1 a #8conscientious1' #ccd4 ,desires1 the1 #ajj4 ,desks1 #bci1 #bfe4 ,despising the children1 #ag-ai4 ,dickens1 ,charles1 #fi1 #ahf1 #bfc4 ,dictation1 #bdj2 steps of a lesson in1 #bda4 ,diogenes and the ,naughty ,boys of ,troy1 #aeb4 ,direction1 in geography lessons1 #gd2 practice in finding1 #ge4 ,distance1 in geography lessons1 #gc4 ,diversion1 #cbd4 ,divine life in the child1 the1 #cda-ceb4 ,drawing lessons1 #cab4 ,drills1 #cae4 ,duty of a child1 the whole1 #afj4 ,edgeworth1 ,maria1 #adh4 ,education1 by ,herbert ,spencer1 #d4 ,education1 traditional methods of1 #f2 code of1 in the ,gospels1 #ab2 #8the reign of law' in1 #cg2 based upon natural law1 #if-acd2 is the formation of habits1 #ig2 intellectual and moral1 #aag2 infant1 #abe2 in habits favours an easy life1 #ace2 a science of1 #ace2 lessons as instruments of1 #afi-caf4 ,educational forces1 ,love1 ,law1 ,religion1 #ii4 ,educator1 problem before the1 #ajc4 ,emulation1 #adc4 ,enunciation1 #bcj4 ,esau1 #dj4 ,evans1 ,mr1 #fi4 ,evenings at ,home1 #bfe4 ,exaggeration1 #afe4 ,exercise1 mental1 #ba2 daily physical1 #acb-acd4 ,family is the unit of the nation1 the1 #e4 ,farrar1 ,dean1 #ef4 ,faults of children1 the1 #ai4 ,faust1 ,marlowe's1 #ajg1 #aai4 ,field lore1 #fb-fe4 ,fleming1 ,marjorie1 #bbc4 ,flowers1 and trees1 #ea-ef2 field1 and the life-history of plants1 #ea2 ,leigh ,hunt on1 #ec4 ,francis1 ,s41 #fj4 ,free-will and habit1 #aaj4 ,french ,home ,life1 #g4 ,french1 the1 lesson1 #hj1 #aeg1 #cjj-cjg2 ,m4 ,gouin's method1 #cjb2 the ,series1 #cjc4 ,froebel1 #agi1 #ahe1 #aig1 #aih4 ,games1 out-of-door1 #hj2 noisy1 #ha4 ,garden of ,eden1 the1 #abh4 ,garments1 porous1 #cf2 for walks in bad weather1 #hg4 ,geography1 out-of-door1 #gb-gh2 pictorial1 #gb2 physical1 #gc2 #8distance1' #gc2 #8direction1' #gd2 use of compass in1 #gf2 #8boundaries1' #gg2 #8plans1' #gg2 local1 #gh1 #bga-bgi2 should be interesting1 #bgc2 how to begin1 #bgc2 maps1 #bge2 general knowledge of1 #bgf2 particular knowledge of1 #bgf2 definitions1 #bgg2 fundamental ideas of1 #bgg4 ,god1 relationship of children with1 #ai2 allegiance to1 #ch2 the ,law-giver1 #ci2 presented as an ,exactor1 #cde2 the knowledge of1 distinct from morality1 #cdg2 the ,father and ,giver1 #cdi4 ,gordon1 #cbb4 ,gospels1 the code of education in the1 #ab1 #ai4 ,gouin1 ,m41 #cjd4 ,grace1 divine1 works on lines of human effort1 #ajd4 ,grammar1 #bie-cjj2 a difficult study1 #bie2 ,latin1 #bie2 ,english1 a logical study1 #bie2 first lessons in1 #bif-cjj4 ,guido's #8,magdalen1' #cbb4 ,habit1 is ten natures1 #if-acd2 the instrument by which parents work1 #ig2 may supplant nature1 #aje2 runs on the lines of nature1 #aje2 may be a lever1 #aje2 a1 is formed involuntarily1 #aje2 forces nature into new channels1 #ajf2 lines of1 must be laid down1 #ajg2 direction of lines of1 #aji2 and free-will1 #aaj2 rules our thoughts and acts1 #aaj2 powerful even when the will decides1 #aaa2 the physiology of1 #aaa-aah2 the forming of a1 #aai-abd2 a delight in itself1 #aba2 stages in formation of a1 #abb2 of music1 #acc2 of attention1 #acg2 of application1 #adi2 of thinking1 #aej2 of imagining1 #aea2 of remembering1 #aed2 of perfect execution1 #aei2 of obedience1 #afj-afd2 may frustrate the will1 #cbf2 of self-management1 #cbh4 ,habits1 moral and mental1 #aac2 infant1 #abd-acb2 of time and place1 #aca2 of mind1 #ace-afh2 moral1 #ace-afh2 training in1 becomes a habit1 #acf2 inspired in the home atmosphere1 #acg2 slipshod1 #bbi4 ,hall1 ,dr ,stanley1 #aih4 ,handicrafts1 #cae4 ,havelock1 #cbb4 ,head1 ,captain1 #aej4 ,heidelberg1 #aei4 ,heredity1 #aja4 ,hindering the children1 #ai1 #bj4 ,history1 the teaching of1 #bgi-bie2 a storehouse of ideas1 #bgi2 #8outlines1' mischievous1 #bhj2 early1 best fitted for children1 #bha2 chronicles1 #bhb2 myths1 #bhd2 books1 #bhg2 dates in teaching1 #bia2 narrating and illustrations1 #bid2 #8playing at1' #bid4 ,home1 the best growing ground for young children1 #agj2 work1 #adg4 ,honour1 the sense of1 #abh4 ,houdin1 #hf4 ,howe1 ,dr1 #aie4 ,hullah1 ,mr1 #acc4 ,human nature1 #aja1 #ajb4 ,hunt1 ,leigh1 #ec4 ,huxley1 #bc1 #aaf4 ,ideas1 children learn1 to get1 #agc2 grow and produce after their kind1 #agc2 ,scott and ,stevenson worked with1 #agd2 value of dominant1 #agd2 lessons must furnish1 #agd2 fitting and vital1 #cdg4 ,illustrations1 original1 #caa4 ,imagination1 tales of the1 #aeb2 and great conceptions1 #aeb2 grows1 #aec4 ,imagining1 the habit of1 #aea-aed4 ,inattention1 #bbi4 ,incongruous1 sense of the1 #aea4 ,indian ,mutiny1 the1 #cce4 ,inertness of parents1 the1 #ccb4 ,influence1 outside1 #aah4 ,initiative1 the importance of personal1 #aib4 ,intelligence1 the danger of undervaluing children's1 #ahf4 ,intentions1 good1 and common sense1 #cg4 ,intimacy with nature1 #ga4 ,intimations of ,immortality1 #aa-ab4 ,jerusalem1 #hb4 ,jesus1 our ,saviour1 #cea4 ,keller1 ,helen1 #aid-aif4 ,kindergarten1 the1 method1 #h1 #hb1 #agj2 the1 as a place of education1 #agh-aii2 the nursery need not be a1 #agi2 field of knowledge too circumscribed in the1 #agi2 #8occupations1' #ahj2 #8sweetness and light' in the1 #ahj2 further considerations of the1 #ahb-aii2 a false analogy1 #ahi2 ,miss ,sullivan on the1 #aie2 the1 in the ,united ,states1 #aif2 ,mr ,thistleton ,mark on the1 #aig2 ,dr ,stanley ,hall on the1 #aih4 ,kindergrtnerin1 the mother the best1 #agh2 the true1 #ahe1 #ahh4 ,kindness1 #cci4 ,kingsley1 #eh1 #ga4 ,king's ,somborne ,school1 #bfh4 ,knowledge1 nature1 #fa2 attractiveness of1 #ade2 the doctoring of the material of1 #agb2 children learn1 to get1 #agd2 diluted1 #age2 ,dr ,arnold's1 as a child1 #age2 of ,god distinct from morality1 #cdg4 ,landseer1 #cji4 ,law1 reign of1 in education1 #cg2 #8mind' and #8matter' equally governed by1 #ci2 antagonism to1 shown by some religious persons1 #ci2 and love as educational forces1 #ii2 ensures liberty1 #afd4 ,laws of health1 #af2 of the intellectual and moral life1 #af4 ,laws of ,thought1 ,thompson's1 #aej4 ,lesson1 must recall the last1 each1 #aef2 books1 #bbi4 ,lessons1 attractive1 #ada2 as instruments of education1 #afi-caf2 must furnish ideas1 #agd4 ,life of ,wesley1 ,southey's1 #bjj4 ,life1 out-of-door1 #ib-ie2 the divine1 in the child1 #cda-cec4 ,light1 solar1 #id4 ,literature1 proper for children1 #agf4 ,lives1 law-abiding1 often more blameless than pious1 #ch4 ,livingstone1 ,dr1 #aja1 #bgd1 #bge4 ,logic1 ,j4 ,s4 ,mill's1 #bfa4 ,lucy1 ,wordsworth's1 #cc4 ,lycidas1 #bbe4 ,lying1 three causes of1 #afd1 #afe4 ,macaulay's schoolboy1 #cj4 ,magnetism in the teacher1 personal1 #ahh4 ,malmesbury1 ,william of1 #bhc4 ,manners1 good1 #acb4 ,mansoul1 the government of1 #cag4 ,maps1 #bge2 the meaning of1 #bgh4 ,mark1 ,mr ,thistleton1 #aig4 ,marlowe1 #aai4 ,masterly inactivity1 #e1 #acd1 #aib4 ,mathematics1 the preparation for1 #bfc4 ,maurice1 ,f4 ,d41 #cda1 #cdb4 ,meals1 concerning1 #be2 talk at1 #bf2 variety in1 #bg2 out of doors1 #db4 ,memorising1 #bbd4 ,memory1 a #8spurious1' #aee2 a record in the brain substance1 #aee4 ,men1 grown1 lose habit of observation1 #fi2 power will pass into the hands of scientific1 #ga4 ,mental effort1 rapid1 #adi4 ,mental ,physiology1 ,dr ,carpenter's1 #fh1 #aaa1 #aab1 #aaf1 #aca4 ,method1 a way to an end1 #h2 kindergarten1 #h2 a system easier than a1 #i4 ,methods1 traditional1 of education1 #f4 ,mill1 ,j4 ,s41 #bfa1 #cbc4 ,miller1 ,miss1 #bag4 ,mind1 labour means wear of brain1 #ba2 and matter equally governed by law1 #ci4 ,modesty1 #abh4 ,modifications1 acquired1 of brain tissue1 #aah4 ,monmouth1 ,geoffrey of1 #bhe4 #8,mooning1' #adg4 ,moore1 the ,rev4 ,h4 ,a41 #bgj4 ,morell's ,introduction to ,mental ,philosophy1 #fh1 #cbi4 ,morley1 ,professor1 #bhc4 #8,mother-games' too strenuous for children1 #aij4 ,mother1 the1 the best kindergrtnerin1 #agh4 ,mothers1 owe a #8thinking' love to their children1 #b2 form their children's habits involuntarily1 #aje2 and teachers should know about nature1 #fd2 must refrain from too much talk1 #gh4 ,music1 the habit of1 #acc1 #cad4 ,narrating1 the art of1 #bca-bcc4 ,natural philosophy1 #bfd-bga4 ,naturalist1 mental training of a child1 #fa4 ,naturalists' books1 #fd4 ,nature1 diaries1 #ed1 #fb1 #fe2 work most important for young children1 #fa2 especially valuable for girls1 #fb2 mothers and teachers should know about1 #fd2 the teaching of1 #fe2 intimacy with1 makes for personal well-being1 #ga2 what is1 #ajj2 plus heredity1 #aja2 elemental notion of human1 #aja2 plus physical conditions1 #ajb2 human1 the sum of certain attributes1 #ajb2 as an educator1 #ahf2 danger of supplanting1 #aia4 ,neatness akin to order1 #acj4 ,newton1 ,sir ,isaac1 #ed4 ,nightingale1 ,florence1 #cbb4 ,nose1 a sensitive1 #abe4 ,notation1 #beg4 ,nourishment1 mental1 #bd4 #8,nurse1' #ah4 ,obedience1 habit of1 #abh1 #afj2 no accidental duty1 #afa2 must be expected1 #afb4 ,object lessons1 #fg4 ,observation1 discriminating1 #dg2 grown men lose habit of1 #fi2 in winter1 #he4 ,occupation1 change of1 #bc4 ,offending the children1 #ac-ag4 ,opinion1 the force of public1 in the home1 #eh4 ,order1 habit of1 #abi4 ,overpressure1 #ff1 #adf4 ,osborne1 ,george1 #bdc4 ,othello1 #d4 ,out-of-door life for the children1 #dc-de4 ,oxygen1 has its limitation1 #cj2 the essential proportion of1 #ib4 #8,pacing1' #gc4 ,palace ,tales1 by ,h4 ,fielding1 #bif4 ,paradise ,lost1 #bd1 #bbf4 ,parents1 may offend by disregarding laws of health and of the intellectual and moral life1 #af2 must acquaint themselves with principles of physiology and moral science1 #dj2 the trust of1 must not be supine1 #ajd2 must lay down laws of habit1 #ajg2 must expect obedience1 #afb2 must reflect on subject-matter of instruction1 #afi2 must sow opportunities1 #aib2 inertness of1 #cca2 have some power to enthrone the ,king1 #cda2 must present idea of ,god to children1 #cdc2 must not make blundering efforts1 #cdd2 must select inspiring ideas1 #cdf2 must teach only what they know1 #cdf4 ,parents' ,review1 the1 #bgj4 ,paul1 ,st1 #cbb4 ,persistence1 #abb4 ,persons1 born with the same primary desires and affections1 all1 #ajj1 #aja2 the requirements of1 #ahf4 ,perspiration1 free1 #ce2 insensible1 #ce4 ,pestalozzi1 #b4 #8,picture-painting1' #dh-ea2 method of1 #dh2 a strain on the attention1 #dh2 fully and in detail1 #di2 the mother's part in1 #di2 a means of after solace1 #ej4 ,picture-talk1 #cji4 #8,plans' in teaching geography1 #gg4 ,plato1 #ahe4 ,pleasures connected with frost and snow1 #he4 ,plutarch's ,lives1 #bcc1 #bhf4 ,possibilities of a day in the open1 #dc4 ,power1 no limit to the recording1 of the brain1 #aeh4 ,priestley's1 ,dr1 ,lectures on ,history1 #agf4 ,printing1 #bcd4 ,problems in arithmetic1 #beg4 ,pronunciation1 careful1 #bjf4 ,prospero1 #cj4 ,punch1 #id4 ,punishments1 #adh4 ,purity1 #abh4 ,pussy ,box1 #bbb4 ,reading1 #aii-bbb2 at sight1 #bjd2 the1 of prose1 #bjd2 ordinary method of teaching1 #bjf2 the first1 lessons1 #bjg-bbb2 by sight and by sound1 #bad2 handwriting1 #bad2 arbitrary symbols1 #bae2 sentences1 #bah2 moral training in1 lessons1 #bba2 for older children1 #bbf-bcj2 the habit of1 #bbg2 aloud to children1 #bbg4 ,recitation1 #bbb-bbf4 ,recollection1 #aed2 and the law of association1 #aeg4 #8,red ,indian' life1 #hh4 ,reflex actions may be acquired1 artificial1 #aaf4 ,regularity in infant education1 #aca4 ,religion as an educational force1 #ii4 ,religious instruction1 #cdg4 ,remembering1 #aed4 ,rest1 #bb2 after meals1 #bb4 ,reverence1 for life1 #fb1 #aff4 ,rewards1 #adh4 ,reynolds1 ,sir ,joshua1 #cad4 ,richter1 ,j4 ,paul1 #hh4 ,robinson ,crusoe1 #aeb1 #ahg1 #bcb4 ,rondes1 #hb4 ,rosamund and the ,purple ,jar1 #adh4 ,ruskin1 #aee1 #bfc1 #cab4 ,scott and ,stevenson worked with ideas1 #agd4 ,scott1 ,sir ,walter1 #bbc4 #8,sight-seeing1' #de-dh2 how to do1 #df2 educational uses of1 #df4 ,simpson1 ,sir ,james1 #ahe4 ,singing1 #cad4 ,skipping-rope and shuttlecock1 #hc4 ,smith1 ,adam1 #ccc4 ,smollett's ,history of ,england1 #age4 ,soul1 the functions and life of the1 #cdb2 what is the life of the81 #cdc4 ,southey's ,life of ,wesley1 #bjj4 ,spelling1 early1 #bjc2 bad1 #bdj2 the rationale of1 #bda2 causes of illiterate1 #bdc4 ,spencer1 ,herbert1 #c1 #d1 #bfe4 ,steele1 ,richard1 #bbc4 ,sullivan1 ,miss1 #aie4 ,sun1 the1 #gc4 ,sunshine1 #cd4 ,swanwick1 ,miss ,anna1 #bbe4 ,system easier than a method1 ,a1 #i4 ,table for little children1 a1 #bdj4 ,tact1 #abb4 ,teachers1 should know about nature1 #fd2 must lay down laws of habit1 #ajg2 mediate too much1 #ahh2 must sow opportunities1 #aib4 ,temper1 #aff2 not1 but tendency1 #aff2 new habit of1 #afg4 ,tennyson1 #eb1 #fc1 #fi1 #ccj4 ,tests applied to children's lessons1 four1 #agg4 ,text-hand1 #bce1 #bch4 ,the ,ancient ,mariner1 #fa4 ,the ,heir of ,redclyffe1 #cbc4 ,the ,mill on the ,floss1 #fi4 ,theology1 nursery1 #bj4 ,thermopyl1 #ahg4 ,things1 children learn from1 #fg4 ,thinking comes by practice1 #aec4 ,thompson's ,laws of ,thought1 #aej4 ,thought1 persistent trains of1 #aad4 ,thoughts1 think themselves1 #ajh2 change the child's1 #afg4 ,time-tables1 #adb4 ,tintern ,abbey1 #ej4 ,tolstoi1 the childhood of1 #ahb4 ,tonic ,sol-fa1 #cad4 ,training1 of children #8dreadfully defective1' #c2 of ear and voice1 #acc2 mental1 of a child naturalist1 #fa2 of a just eye and faithful hand1 #ahj2 in habits becomes a habit1 #acf4 ,tramps in wet weather1 #hg4 ,transcription1 #bch-bdj4 ,trees and flowers1 #ea-ef2 the study of1 #eb4 ,trench1 ,archbishop1 #ee4 ,truth1 essential and accidental1 #bdi4 ,truthfulness1 #afd1 #afe4 ,tuileries1 ,the1 #ei4 ,ulysses1 #ahg4 ,vanity ,fair1 #bdc4 ,ventilation1 #cc4 ,walks1 in bad weather1 #he-hh2 winter1 #he2 garments for1 #hg4 ,watchfulness1 #abb4 ,weighing and measuring1 #bei4 ,wesley1 ,mrs1 #aii4 ,wilfulness1 what is8 #cba4 ,will1 #cag-cbi2 executive power vested in the1 #cag2 what is the81 #cah2 persons may go through life without deliberate act of1 #cah2 three functions of1 #cai2 wilfulness indicates want of1 power1 #cbj2 the1 has superior and inferior functions1 #cba2 the1 is not a moral faculty1 #cbb2 the1 must be disciplined1 #cbb2 the sole practical faculty of man1 #cbc2 how the1 operates1 #cbc2 the way of the1 #cbd2 power of1 implies power of attention1 #cbf2 habit may frustrate the1 #cbf2 how to strengthen the1 #cbg2 education of the1 #cbi4 ,word-making1 #bjb1 #bjc4 ,words a weariness1 #ada4 ,wordsworth1 #aa1 #ab1 #cc1 #ej1 #fi1 #gi1 #ahh4 ,work1 definite1 in a given time1 #adb4 ,writing1 #bcc-bdj2 position in1 #bci4 #8,w4 ,v41' #ahh4 ,zambesi1 the tribes of the1 #aja4 ,zeal must be stimulated1 #adi4 ,as allusion has been made to the ,parents' ,national ,educational ,union and its various agencies1 especially of the ,parents' ,review ,school1 it may be well to add that information about these may be had from the ,secretary4 ,the 8,questions for the ,use of ,readers0 are inserted with a view to the ,p4,n4,e4,u4 ,,reading ,,course4 ,persons who wish to become 8,qualified ,members0 of the ,union by undertaking this course should communicate with the ,secretary1 #bf ,victoria ,street1 ,london1 ,s4,w4 ,,printed ,,by ,,neill ,,and ,,co41 ,,ltd41 ,,edinburgh4 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,this book was written in a period when many words had not become standardized in their spelling4 ,words may have multiple spelling variations or inconsistent hyphenation in the text4 ,these have been left unchanged unless indicated below4 ,words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores1 like this2 those in bold are surrounded by equal signs1 like this4 ,footnotes were renumbered sequentially and were moved to the end of each ,part4 ,several footnotes have multiple anchors4 ,subsequent anchors are identified with an 8a0 following the anchor number4 ,obvious printing errors1 such as backwards1 upside down1 unprinted1 or partially printed letters1 were corrected4 ,final stops missing at the end of sentences and abbreviations were added4 ,the following items were changed3 ,added missing accents to words in ,italian in the poem preceding the ,preface4 ,added missing word3 ,let them once get in touch4 ,spelling corrections3 ,they must be bept kept in consequences from certain premisses premises ,in this connecton connection but thus this much is evident at the royal vill villa