to receive future instruction, not only with pleasure but with facility; and, above all, if he bear away with him the seeds of true religion and morality.

I would not, however, be here thought to imply, that much more than this may not, in very many instances, be attained. It is truly important distinctly to recollect, that it is the object of this system, rather to prepare the mind for instruction, than to fill it with knowledge; and that, if it have a preference for one part of the human being above another, it gives that preference decidedly rather to the improvement of the moral feeling, and the influence of true religion, than to the developement of the intellectual powers. I may now, on the other hand, remark, that, in endeavoring to produce both these results, as well as the others which are attainable, a judicious selection may be made of those things which approach the nearest to the future course of instruction, which it is proposed to pursue, and which may introduce it with advantage. It will appear, I hope, in the course of the following essay, that, in this view of the subject, the system of infant education requires only the superintendence of those who are interested in that object, to be made highly conducive to the preparation of the children of the poor for the modes of instruction which are followed in our National Schools. They will enter those establishments, not, as is too often the case, in a state of nearly total ignorance, and with, at the best, unsettled habits; but prepared, at least, to think, to feel, and to obey. The ground will have been broken up, many of the obnoxious weeds removed, and the seed sown; and the diligence of the judicious instructer will, in consequence, meet with a far earlier, and a far more satisfactory reward.

The eventual efficiency, indeed, of the system of infant education must depend almost entirely upon the cultivation which the mind of the children afterwards receives in the parochial schools; and it derives its peculiar suitableness to the present state of society, from the active and interested attention which is now given to those excellent establishments. It would be highly desirable, that, with every school for larger children, an infant institution should be so connected as to be under the same superintendence. The education in the latter might, by this arrangement, be made to assimilate itself to the instruction in the former; and we might then reasonably hope, that, although it should not be esteemed desirable to increase the range of their knowledge, we should yet send forth into society a class of persons, who, beyond the acquirement of the rules of right conduct, would have their minds imbued with the love of moral excellence and religion, and their heart prepared, under the influence of the best principles, for all the changes and chanees of this mortal life,'

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The Moral Influence of the Superintendent on a School of Infants.

THE authority of the master, in an assembly of whatever number of infants, under the age of seven years, as it is the first question which must occupy his mind, when entering on the duties of his office, so it will, with propriety, first fall under our notice, in the following treatise.

Now, a direct appeal to the reason of a child, of the average age of those admitted into these schools, can hardly be expected to be effectual. The instances to the contrary will, at any rate, be so rare, that it would be manifestly unsuitable to recommend this, as an adequate source of authority, in such an establishment. Infants are, generally speaking, to be ruled by moral influence. They follow that which they love. They avoid that which they fear. They endeavor to imitate that which they admire; and, taken in a more large sense, their mind assumes the character of that which is most constantly offered to their attention. But they are unable, at present, rationally to deduce consequences from the probabilities or the tendencies of things, or to give birth to a resolution, because of the evil or the good which may be contingent on a certain mode of action. Such considerations will suggest to the mind of the teacher of an infant school a source of authority most powerful and most effectual.

It is evident, then, that, if it is proposed to educate any number of infant children assembled together under the same roof, in order to establish a uniform and connected authority over them, some mode must be discovered for arresting and for fixing the attention of all. It is equally evident, too, that whenever this might be requisite, it should be possible to make the instructer himself the object of that attention. He must propose to himself, that the ear of the little multitude should be awake to his own voice, and that he should be able, at any time, to fix their eye upon his person. If he have not the free and ready command of these two senses, his endeavors to instruct his school must be altogether vain. By what means, then, may he secure this most necessary observation of himself? There are two which lye before him. He may, by a course of harshness and severity, excite their fears; and they will then regard him as an object of terror and dismay. Or he may win their affections to him; and they will then listen to his voice, and observe his person, as those of their kindest friend.

It is altogether unnecessary, I feel, that I should waste the time of the reader in endeavoring to prove, that fear is, under no circumstances, a suitable source of authority in an infant school,

Order, howsoever important in itself, is, in such an establishment, chiefly to be desired for its connection with a future good, and must, therefore, by no means be secured to the prejudice of farther instruction. If the infants fear their teacher, they will receive, with reluctance, or even dislike, that in which he may propose to give them information; and transferring their repugnance to his authority, and their dislike of his person to the object for which that authority is supported, will early imbibe a distaste for the acquirement of useful knowledge, and a feeling of resistance to all control.

It remains, then, that THE FIRST OBJECT OF THE TEACHER Of an

INFANT SCHOOL MUST BE TO CONCILIATE TO HIMSELF THE FOND AT

TACHMENTS OF HIS CHARGE. He may address himself constantly to one and another, in expressions of kindness and affection. He may sympathise with them in their little troubles. He may soothe their passions when they begin to rise, by a word of conciliation. He may unite in their amusements, and with them be childlike, without descending to folly.

It will be the object also of the teacher of an infant school to be himself the EXAMPLE of his little flock; and he will, therefore, in his communications of kindness to his pupils, have this farther end in view. While he endeavors to soothe their minds to peacefulness, he will personally set before them in himself those modes of feeling and of action, which shall awaken their incipient admiration, and afford them a pattern which, in some future period, they may with pleasure and safety follow. To the success of this attempt, the alacrity of disposition always attendant on that early age will lend a very effectual aid. The ear of an infant is engaged, and the eye is fixed, the one by the variations of tone, and the other by changes of the human countenance, much sooner, and with far greater effect, than those of the person who is advanced farther into the scene of life, and whose mind is occupied by concerns of higher moment. Scarcely an intonation of the voice of him who is the object of their affections, will be without its comparative effect. Scarcely an action will escape their notice.

The authority of the teacher, as far as it has hitherto been considered, is direct. It will follow, that we now proceed to the indirect influence which the circumstances of his school afford him over the mind and the feelings of his little flock. That which is most powerful, is found in their MUTUAL SYMPATHIES AND EXAMPLE. The effect of this influence, when under a judicious management, it is impossible to estimate, without having been personally a witness of it. It operates in every part of the system. Such indeed is the nature of the system; the variety is so continual, and the cheerful attention of the children is, in one way or another, so unremittingly kept alive, that whatsoever may be the theory of the case, the

real difficulty consists, not in the suppression of evil passion, but in correcting an incessant buoyancy of spirit. It will suggest itself immediately to the mind of the intelligent reader, that, should an evil excitement nevertheless appear, it may be quickly soothed, by placing the child who is thus affected under the care of others, whose passions are at rest. The flow of good feeling will almost immediately absorb the evil, and the fretful sob give way to a sympathetic delight.

cess.

Personal emulation is avoided, because it is unnecessary to sucThe lessons are, for the most part, communicated at once to the whole school assembled; and are learned in the same tone of voice, with one simultaneous clap of the hand-to the same footfall, or to the same beat of the tambarine. The consequence of this is, unity, not division; sympathy, not aversion; and the children are very frequently seen, when, in the hours of play, they meet in their rambles, to fall into the order of their school, and commence their little song together.

If, farther, the force of EXAMPLE, in the character of the teacher, be great, it is abundantly more effectual in the infants on each other. In the former instance they admire and cheerfully acknowledge the good influence. In the latter they attempt imitation. It is not, indeed, to be supposed, that, in an infant under six years of age, any very confirmed moral habits can be impressed. The tender thought has begun only to germinate, and it requires constant example, and the unceasing presence of favorable circumstances, to encourage the growth of the rising principle, and to give it the force of an habitual determination. But, while such considerations throw some doubt over the permanent effect of this system, unless followed up by subsequent education, they seem to set before us a more reasonable hope of preparing the mind of infants for the best future habits: as an acquired evil is much more easily removed at this early age, than when the mind has approached nearer to maturity; and the example and sympathy, of which we now speak, make that cure for the present almost inevitable as well as rapid. In an infant school, the eye never wanders over that which is depraved, nor is the ear assailed by the language of impiety. The universal pleasure which appears on every hand, is connected with the practice of that which is excellent; and if one be introduced to the little flock, who has previously indulged some bad habit, he almost insensibly loses the evil, in assimilating himself to the character of those around him.

The means of influence in an infant school, within the power of the teacher, which remain to be considered, are of a more techni

cal character.

The first of these is, THE FORM OF THE SCHOOL-ROOM, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH HE THERE MAY INTRODUCE. Concerning the former, some remarks will be offered hereafter. I shall for the present satisfy myself in saying, that the children should be so placed in the room that attention may be accompanied with the smallest possible bodily exertion; and that the position of the instructer should be equally distant from the greatest part of his little flock; in order that he may appear to address them without pain to himself, and without the tones of anger to them. The room should be spacious, freely aired and lighted, and the walls frequently and well whitewashed. It should have every appearance of simplicity, and cleanliness, and health. The effect of this arrangement is irresistible. The infants leave, it is presumed, small and crowded, and too often dirty, rooms, for one which is cleanly and cheerful. The feeling which is connected with such a change is almost necessarily pleasurable, and they look forward to the hours when they are to be assembled as to a scene of real amusement and comfort.

If the teacher be judicious, many different modes, by which to increase the efficiency of this source of influence, will suggest themselves to him. Let the very walls of the school speak to him. Scripture pictures, especially those which tend to illustrate the life of the Savior, may be placed there with the best effect: for, although they may, at present, communicate to the mind of the child no connected history, they may prepare him for that course of thought which will aid his conceptions, when the narrative may be hereafter laid before him. The same remarks may be made concerning subjects of natural history. They will impress insensibly on the mind correct ideas of form, and figure, and color, in connection with the names of the various animals which may be presented to his eyes.

Nor would I omit short and expressive passages from the scriptures; bearing on the first and most simple principles of our religion, and the earliest duties of human life. These should be printed in very large characters, and meet the eye of the little pupils on every hand. To be very particular on these topics is hardly desirable, as this mode of influencing the little infants may manifestly be varied according to the taste of the superintendent of the school. How possible is it thus to cast a sort of moral atmosphere around their minds, and to elicit their first energies on those things which are both pleasing and salutary!

Among the subordinate means for throwing an influence over an assembly of infants, we may next adduce MELODY. The effect of music, however simple, on the minds of children, is one of those things which nature herself has taught us. Pain and sickness and anxiety are often forgotten by the babe whose ear has been gained