Let the nine parts of speech be distinctly understood.

Let the common forms of nouns and verbs, as to declension, tense, and mood, be well known.

A few of the chief elemental rules of Syntax (in the construction of sentences) will be sufficient.

3. WRITING.

Pupils, when writing, should be inspected as far as possible. The manner of holding the pen is of great moment.

I question whether writing on a slate, (either copying out, or composing,) say for half an hour every day, would not be a useful exercise; leading at once to right spelling, to punctuation, and to reflection.

4. ARITHMETIC.

Let the first four Rules of Arithmetic, Simple and Compound, be well understood, so as to be used with readiness. The pupil should be quite familiar with the tables of number, value, weight, distance, &c.

It is nothing to say that he may or will never want them: the learning of them (as well as of Grammar) is a valuable exercise of the mind-especially of the memory.

5. RELIGION.

Of Religion I can only say,

"This first, this last, this midst, this without end."

The Bible and the Book of Common Prayer will be always studied.

As to the Bible, Events and Characters are important things. But, Let the Doctrines of the Bible

The Spirit of the Bible

The Practical Laws of the Bible

be all taught clearly, distinctly, so that there shall be just

views of them in the mind. Most of our people have no adequate notions of these things. And why? Because in early years they were taught (if at all) partially, superficially, repeating things "by rote," that is, "words were uttered by mere memory without meaning;" at least, without comprehension of the sense.

6. HUMAN MIND.

I do not want my peasants to be Metaphysicians.

But why should not they have a few just notions of the wonderful powers or faculties (as we call them) of their own minds?

A few sound general notions on this subject may suffice; but these I account both valuable and desirable.

7. GEOGRAPHY AND ASTRONOMY.

An exact and extensive knowledge of these subjects is by no means necessary.

I therefore do not wish my pupils to have an exact knowledge of all the definitions in my work.

But why should not my little peasant, with an orange or a ball in his hand, be able to give a good idea of this globe, and of its principal parts, both continents and oceans?

Why should he not have a pretty correct idea of our own Island?

And to know the distances, the magnitudes, and the velocities, of some of the globes or bodies which compose our universe, must be pleasing, and may be beneficial.

It only remains that I mention,

8. HISTORY.

This is a boundless subject: and I cannot expect my peasants to know much about it.

But let the Bible be understood chronologically.

It is not difficult to gain a chronological view, in a general

way,

Of the civil History of Europe; and

Of the History of the Church. Further,

The History of our own country may be known; and

The History of the Church in our land.

In short, it is easy to fix on great events, and to see their place in the stream of time; so that there shall be in the mind, in an orderly form, a view of the ways of God in His providence towards His creatures.

Of the subjects of my third volume I say nothing. The teacher who has capable scholars, may perhaps derive some information from it,-an idea about a stone, or the earth's crust, or a plant, or an animal,—which he may communicate to them with delight and benefit.

The Teacher and Scholar will bear with me while I lay down a few plain practical hints.

1. Never be weary of teaching (and of attending to) first principles, in every department of knowledge.

2. Never look to Quantity; look to Manner: the proper question is not-How much? but it is, How well or ill?

3. Never be weary of going over the same ground again and again: "I have ploughed this ground:"-" Very well; plough it again."

4. Reading may be a rapid work of the tongue: very worthless.

5. Thinking is a slow work of the mind: this is invaluable. 6. He who teaches his scholars to think is the sound teacher. 7. Sound Thinkers are sound Scholars.

8. It is infinitely better to know a little well, than to know much superficially.

9. Do not teach too many things together: there must be variety; but too much of it is enfeebling and distracting.

10. Do not go to a second subject until the preceding one is pretty well understood.

11. You teach Geography-make it the one subject, until there be a good general idea of it in the pupil's mind.

I would speak in the same way of Grammar, or of any other subject.

12. If a difficulty occur, mark it down; and recur to it the next day, or the next week: it may then cease to be a difficulty.

13. Let me add one rule: Let a School be as quiet as it is possible: nothing loud, rough, angry, and stern on the part of the teacher: no clamour and vociferation on the part of pupils. Let every voice be low: let every spirit be love. Then a school will go on well-pleasantly-delightfully to all parties.

Such, then, are my views, which I wished you to see in the clearest form. If they be wrong, reject them; if defective, improve them; if just and sound, adopt and use them.

18

CHAPTER II.

MISCELLANEOUS.

SECTION I.

What is the difference between day and night?
The day is light; the night is dark.

What do you see in the day?

All surrounding objects-just as they are.

What do you see in the night?

Nothing: all objects are concealed.
Can you apply this to the mind of man?
Yes; very readily.
What may Knowledge be called?

The light of the mind: the day.

What may Ignorance be called?

The darkness of the mind: the night.

Of what does real knowledge consist?
Of right or true views of things.
What may our views or notions be?

Few, wrong, superficial, indistinct, &c.

What ought they to be?

Many, true, deep, clear, &c.

Have all men knowledge?

Most live in ignorance.

Why is this the case?

Because they will not read, think, and examine things.