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a letter to him on the subject (free of postage) to Milan, or to Bologna, he will send in return drawings and models, or even a complete suit constructed according to his directions.

EDUCATION OF TEACHERS IN GER

MANY.

In Germany, seminaries for the education of popular teachers are conducted by distinguished divines of each state, who, for the most part, reside in the capital, and are the same persons who examine each clergyman three times before his ordination. Unless a candidate can give evidence of his ability, and of, at least, a two years' stay in those popular institutions where religious instruction is the main object, he is not allowed to teach any branch of knowledge whatever.

"There are whom heaven has blessed with store of wit,

Who want as much again to manage it."

INDUSTRY.

The heart and mind can as little lie barren as the earth whereon we move and have our being, and which, if it produce not herbs and fruit meet for the use of man, will be overrun with weeds and thorns. Muley Ismael, a personage of tyrannical celebrity in his day, always employed his troops in some active and useful work, when they were not engaged in war, "to keep them," he said, "from being devoured by the worm of indolence." In the same spirit one of our Elizabethan poets delivered his wholesome advice :

"Eschew the idle vein,

Flee, flee from doing nought!
For never was there idle brain
But bred an idle thought."

The following is the state of Knutsford gaol in Cheshire, at the beginning of the year 1829 :-For trial at the sessions, on charges of felony, 73; on charges of misdemeanor, 17; for Congleton sessions, 3; convicted prisoners, 157 total, 250; of which are, males 212; females 38, total 250 prisoners, and eleven children!

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master.

In no other department is the profi- each other, and not taught by the ciency of the boys in the Sessional School more striking than in ARITH

METIC.

Some of the boys multiply the longest line of figures by another figure-quite according to the common method-with perfect accuracy, in less than half a second to a figure. That is to say, they will multiply such a line of figures as

7,685928,165487,938764,

by 7, 8, or any other figure, in less than the sixth part of a minute. From such a line they will subtract another of the same length, in the ordinary way, in about seven seconds; and if allowed to perform the operation from left to right, while the question is under dictation-though it should be dictated with a rapidity which would not permit any one to take down merely the original figures-they will present the whole operation, both question and answer, in scarcely one second from the time of announcing the last figure. In addition, they will sum up seven lines of eight figures each, in the ordinary way, in less than one-third of a minute; and if allowed to perform the operation while the question is dictating, in about three seconds. All other calculations they perform with proportional celerity. These modes of working during dictation—when allowed-are suggestions of their own in their zeal to surpass

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While the principles, and various processes for carrying these principles into effect, have been explained, the application of these principles, and the selection of the particular operation, are, in each case, left to the pupils themselves, who frequently devise new combinations, and far shorter and easier methods, than have occurred to the Master. In many schools, a quite opposite practice prevails. In these, upon the same principle by which the pupil is compelled to repeat every rule in the same undeviating words, and to give every translation in precisely the master's own language, he is also required to perform every arithmetical calculation in the particular manner which has been peremptorily enjoined by the master, or has been prescribed in some particular book. With Mr. Wood, on the contrary, the scholar is not only permitted, but encouraged, to take his own way; and, accordingly, out of half a dozen of boys performing the same calculation, it not unfrequently happens that no two of them have been following the same method.

The mental arithmetic of the Sessional School is carried on as nearly as possible after the ordinary principles of slate arithmetic. The detail of the method is as complete as may be-the power acquired is surprising.

* Concluded from page 117.

ATHENEUM, VOL. 2, 3d series.

The experiment was, of course, at first confined to the highest class, and reached no farther than the easier questions: What is the price of so many yards at so many shillings or

at 6s. 8d., 3s. 4d., and ls. 8d., the integral parts of a pound? but was afterwards gradually extended to more difficult questions, such as the price of 272 yards at 10 3-4d. Mr. Wood originally had no difficulty in making the calculations himself mentally along with the children, but this he was soon obliged to give up, and to resort to the slate. This, too, he ere long discovered would not answer, as the children performed the calculation so much more rapidly, that much time was unnecessarily lost. He then, in self-defence, thought of resorting to the "Ready Reckoner," which has ever since been employed as the principal Catechism in such matters. Those who have never had an opportunity of witnessing the performances of these children in mental arithmetic, may form some estimate of it, when they are told, that on more than one occasion, when three or four of the best Arithmeticians were employed to answer one question in every page of the Reckoner, and selected from every variety of column in that page, (that is to say, the first question being 13 yards at a farthing, the second, 54 at a halfpenny, the third, 95 at three, farthings, and so on to the last, being perhaps 10,000 at 19s. 6d.) the whole questions being 147 in number, were answered seriatim within 20 minutes, including the time taken in announcing the questions. Each boy was, of course, according to custom, allowed to take the method he found easiest for himself.

Mr. Wood afterwards put the mental arithmetic in a more systematic train, commencing it simultaneously with the slate arithmetic, which improvement has been found of the greatest advantage, and has clearly evinced, that, though in the acquisition of this, as of everything else, there is a variety of aptitude in children, all may arrive at it to an extent,

which could not naturally be foreseen, and has been found highly beneficial. At the very commencement of Arithmetic, the child is taught to answer how many are 1 and 2, 3 and 3, 6 and 4, 10 and 5, 15 and 6, 21 and 7, &c. In preparing to enter upon subtraction, in like manner, he is asked, Take 1 from 100, how many remain? 2 from 99, 3 from 97, 4 from 94, 5 from 90, &c. So also, before entering upon multiplication, he is taught to answer twice 2, three times 3, four times 4, &c.

"What is this," it may be asked," but the old multiplication table?" So it undoubtedly is; and this, he begs leave to add, is the only way in which this table is now learned in the school, and it has been found a far more effectual, as well as more pleasing mode of learning it, than when it was enjoined as a task. Formerly nothing about the school was more annoying or more difficult to accomplish, than learning this table: now, without any such table at all, or any annoyance, (for the present practice is literally a sport,) the object is infinitely better accomplished. Our readers cannot fail to remark, how much this practice is in unison with the rest of the system in its other departments. When the children are entering upon division, they are practised in a similar manner as in multiplication, only having the questions inverted; for example, how many eights are in 100? In the same manner, in entering upon the compound rules, they are made acquainted with the money tables, &c. and practised upon them mentally.

Finally, geography is taught very effectually, as far as it goes-in the Sessional School. This part of study, indeed, is not obligatory with pupils; but was bestowed as a boon, during extra hours, when it suited Mr. Wood to attend, upon such as volunteeredwhile among the volunteers none were allowed to enter who were not distinguished for propriety of conduct.

In carrying this plan into execution, Mr. Wood put no books into the hands of the children, nor prescribed to them any tasks to be learned at home. He

set maps before them, and pointed out to them, and afterwards required them to point out to him, the various places on those maps, describing at the same time anything remarkable connected with these places. As

soon as they were able to do this sufficiently well upon the map, they were next transferred to a mere blank board, and required in the same manner to point out upon it the position of the same places, with their relative situations to each other. He has found this method remarkably successful in imprinting the map on the memories of the scholars. He by no means says, that the use of books ought to be proscribed in the study of geography, but much more use qught undoubtedly to be made of maps. With regard to ourselves, at the time of entering upon the study of geography, we may mention what we presume must also have occurred to many others, that we learned the names almost entirely from the book, as if they had been a mere vocabulary, and could much more easily have pointed out the word in the book, than the place on the map. The use of the blank board too, has, in Mr. Wood's opinion, considerable advantages, which do not belong to the employment even of outline maps, though without names! The outline too often directly suggests at once both the existence and position of a country, which, where the board is used, are brought to recollection merely by the map engraved on the memory.

Hitherto we have purposely overlooked two excellent chapters—one on Emulation, Places, and Prizes-and another on Punishments-that we might not be interrupted in our abridgment of the other principles and details of the scheme. Mr. Wood, like all other sensible people, who know anything of human nature, sets a high value on Emulation as a strong stimulative passion in the youthful mind. Yet have some superstitionists loudly condemned this fundamental principle of all the arrangements of the Sessional School, and of all good

schools-as one utterly malignant and diabolical, and that ought not only to be banished from every seminary of education, but entirely extirpated from the human heart. But a noble principle like this laughs to scorn the power of the base superstition that would destroy it. Secure in its generosity against the entrance, or at least the permanent abode, of envy, the heart of the young boy actively and ardently engaged in the pursuit of knowledge, along with his fellows, expands and exults in emulation. With every fresh exertion of power-with every new acquisition of knowledge— · with every honorable triumph-Emulation becomes purer and purer, and more akin to a moral virtue.

The very eye of an emulous boy laughs with light-his brow is irradiated by the happiness of his heartand all his deportment dignified. What though, in such contests, there be occasional fits of disappointment, dissatisfaction, displeasure-nay, even envy and jealousy themselves? These clouds pass soon away from the healthful exercise of the moral and intellectual powers, in a school where all is life, spirit, and animation, and where upright, straight-forward, open, cheerful, fair, and honorable conduct, is at all times found to be the best adapted for securing success and distinction. That boys, when animated by emulation, should be supposed all anxious to outstrip each other by any means in their power, however base and unworthy, shows in the mind of those who harbor such a suspicion, or entertain such a belief, a consciousness of something contemptible and low indeed, and alien altogether to the natural dispositions of youth. It is soon seen in a good school, that nothing can prosper but good conduct; and that strong conviction of the understanding meeting with the warm feelings of the heart, the boy cherishes not only with self-respect, but with high self-satisfaction, cherishes-at once and obeys it,-a principle in his nature, which blamelessly leads him on to rejoicing triumphs, and encourages him by

brighter prospects in all his unhumiliating defeats. Emulation is always allied, during its gladsome work, with other principles better, perhaps, even than itself and so far from being akin to envy-envy is incompatible with it in the same bosom-and never gains an entrance into a boy's heart, till emulation has deserted it, and left it in its feebleness or hopelessness a prey to that other poisoning and gnawing passion. Envy is a passion rather of the old and impotent. Youth has seldom any temptation to be envious; for it is contented, in the main, with its own ever fresh-springing streams of gladness; and as long as no baleful hand seals up their fountains, the heart of the boy sings inwardly at his tasks, dearer to him, and more dearly beloved, though he may not know it even than his sports, his plays, and his pastimes. Who ever saw a boy of any worth made miserable by tumbling down twenty places at a wrong word? He screws up the nerves and sinews of his soul-and look at him again, and you see him with a glowing visage at the head of his class. Deaden or destroy emulation, and a school will be like a quaker meeting unmoved by the spirit.

The opponents of this principle, as Mr. Wood observes, may now be divided into two classes-those who oppose it on moral grounds, and as contrary to the true dignity of man, and those who oppose it as contrary to the genuine spirit of Christianity or evangelism. The true dignity of man! Man is by no means so dignified a being as these moralists would fain make him out to be-and they know that intimately by their own experi

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spired alone by the pure, unmingled love of knowledge, would be a little monster unfit to live. And pray, if emulation must not be permitted to breathe in the school, on what principle can it be suffered to knuckle down at taw, or play at leap-frog, or marbles on the play-ground? Must boys run no races ? What is to be done with the wretch who excels at foot or hand-ball? With the boy who so far lowers the "dignity of man," as with super-puerile agility, to put all his fellows to shame at "touch the bonnet?" Why-were emulation extinguished in human nature, ninetenths of all the boys in the world would lie a-bed till they were pulled out duly, every morning, by the legs, by father or mother, actuated by a strong sense of duty. The playground would be converted into a penitentiary-and a holiday would be duller than a general fast.

But emulation is unchristian and unevangelical? It is nowhere said to be so in the New Testament—in many places said to be the very reverse. But then, according to a Mr. Campbell of Carbrook, a reverend Cesar Malan of Geneva "seems to have set this question at rest." No man ever set any question at rest. Mr. Campbell of Carbrook indeed may have set the General Assembly asleep

but that is another affair altogether for the General Assembly awoke again, on Mr. Campbell setting himself at rest, and is awake at this hour. Mr. Campbell of Carbrook, and the Reverend Cesar Malan of Geneva, are two as silly persons as may be met with on a midsummer's day-even in a district remarkable for the numbers of its old women-and, in ludicrous inconsistency with their own doctrine, have striven with the most strenuous emulation to outdo each other in folly and fanaticism. The one narrates the following scene, said to have occurred in a seminary which-as Mr. Wood says he "presumptuously, I had almost said profanely, hesitates not to call an EVANGELICAL THEOCRACY!!" and the other conceives,

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