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Where Character is chiefly formed.

the schoolmaster. It can be done in the study of almost any thing whatever. The wisdom of God, in the works of Creation and Providence, shines out every where; and he must be a stupid teacher indeed, who does not perceive it; and an unfortunate one-if such a person there be-who has not the art of directing that way, the attention of his pupils. Perhaps the mind of the young cannot be more readily drawn to look through Nature up to Nature's God, than in the study of the anatomy and physiology of the human being. A teacher, however, whose heart is full on this subject will find God-we mean now through his laws-every where; not in men alone, not in the huge animal, or the gigantic tree alone; but in the meanest of all animal and vegetable and mineral forms; nay, in the simpler elements of water, earth, air, &c.

But we must reserve for another occasion, the most important as well as most interesting method-for common schools-of engaging the attention of the young, and leading out their affections to their Father in Heaven. On that, we shall dwell at considerable length; for we flatter ourselves that if we present nothing which is truly valuable, it will at least have one recommendation; that of novelty. It is a plan of religious instruction, of which, it is believed, few district school teachers-possibly none but ourselves—have, to any considerable extent availed themselves; but to which no parent of any christian sect whatever, would ever think of objecting for a single moment.

INSTRUCTION BY HOUSEKEEPERS.

[THE following is extracted from a volume 424 pages, written by the editor of this journal, and just published by George W. Light of this city, entitled 'The Young Housekeeper, or Thoughts on Food and Cookery.' Though intended principally for housekeepers, it is, after all, in its bearing and tendency, little else than a work on physical education.]

'We boast of our literary institutions-our infant schools, our common schools, our high schools, our institutes, our colleges, our universities. But what is the influence of these, excellent as it may be, compared with that of the kitchen and parlor ? Say what we will, it is here-exactly here-that our characters, even in a literary point of view, are determined. I would not say formed; for of this, I am not so sure. But I have never yet

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known, personally-others may have known such instances-of a lover of knowledge or moral progress, who was not initiated into this love by those who had the control of his early infancy and his childhood. On the contrary, I could fill half this volume with anecdotes of those in whom the seeds of that love of literature and science which they subsequently manifested, was sown in early infancy by that maternal teacher whose influence is, after all, most awakening, most impressive, and most perma

nent.

Were it left to my choice to say which of two things the world should have-the right sort of household management and education, with no school instruction whatever, or the best sort of school education of every grade, but without any thing done in the household beyond what is now done by nine tenths if not nineteen twentieths of mankind-I should not hesitate a moment to decide on the former. Such is the value I attach to the domestic institution and the family school; and such are my conceptions of the native dignity of housekeeping.

I do not mean by all this, that the house-keeper is to have, necessarily, her set hours and set lessons of instruction, though I wish her to have time for even these. But I mean that she should so manage in all concerns of the household-and these it is which, as I shall never cease to repeat, go far to form character, the great object and end of education-that the results, along with the aid of those who co-operate with her, shall do more for the children which form a part of it, than all else which is done for them, directly or indirectly, in the whole process of their forming stage of progress. But is not that the truest, noblest literary institution in the world-nay, is it not more than all others-which secures all this as its inevitable results?

Let me not be understood as saying, that in the present state of things, every housewife who had leisure to do things as she ought, and to control things as she ought, would do them right. There would be still, as there now is, both good and bad education. But even as the general knowledge of housewives now is, the common belief that the family is more important, because more influential on character than all other schools, would be in favor of human happiness, provided they would adopt, as speedily as may be, those principles, and that rational system of housekeeping, which it is the object of this work to recommend and inculcate.

I would have the young housekeeper form and pursue a meditated plan or system for her own comfort and health, but much more for the sake of her own peace, and quiet, and edification. I would have her do so for the comfort also of her hus

band and children, who are certainly, at all times, the more happy for it, in body and mind. But I would have her do so, above all, that she may find time not only to do her work slowly and instruct her daughters-yes, and her sons, too-in regard to the nature of her employments; but to give them numerous lessons in philosophy, chemistry, natural history, physiology, health, &c.

Nor should I be satisfied till she had so simplified her business, as to find time, even for set lessons in her family, both in the forenoon and in the afternoon. The education-the right education-of a family of children, seems to me, I must say again, the more important part of the duty of a housekeeper, provided she is, at the same time, as I maintain she generally should be, the wife and the mother.

But this subject of combining house-keeping with maternal instruction, cannot be pursued to its full extent in this volume. I will only repeat here a remark which can never be too often repeated, that the combination of elementary instruction with household duties, is one of the best methods-perhaps the only successful method-which can ever be devised for rendering the family what it was obviously intended by Divine Providence it should be, the most agreeable as well as most happy place in the world, for the young of both sexes.

It is almost unnecessary to add, that should the time ever arrive, when the sons and daughters of our citizens come to prefer the kitchen, the parlor, the garden and the chamber, and the company and familiar conversation of the mother and of each other, to all the pleasures and enjoyments to be found abroad, half the temptation, and half the vice and crime in the world, will be prevented.'

PREPARATORY, OR FAMILY INSTRUCTION.

UNDER this head, I might include all that kind of instruction which is given either at home or at school, or which is believed to be indispensably necessary, prior to a child's commencing the regular study of any of the sciences. Thus, before he commences the study of grammar, as such, there is a process of preparation for it, which is of the utmost importance, if we mean to have the subsequent study of this science either pleasant or useful. It is for want of this preparation, more than for any other reason, that grammar now is and long has been considered both dry and unintelligible.

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The same remarks might be made in reference to geography, history, arithmetic, chemistry, and even reading. In short, there is an immense work to be done by the mother, ere the child is fit to be subjected to the ordinary processes of the schools, even of infant schools.-The following is one of the most important exercises with which I am acquainted. They are represented as actually taking place, in the family of a friend.

The mother would take first, a pint of some kind of liquid, usually water, and, in the presence of the family, pour it into various vessels. First, perhaps, she would pour it into a large bowl or basin, then into a pail, then into a large bottle, then into a spider, and then into a large kettle.

The object of all this, was to enable the children to judge of the capacity of vessels. Few of the young have the least conception how much a pint is, when not in a pint or quart measure. Ask them to guess to what depth a pint of water would fill a given pan or basin of large size, and they would not have, in general, the most distant conception of the truth.

Exercises which would enable a child to judge of the capacity of vessels of various sizes, would be of the utmost importance, not only in themselves, but as a means of disciplining the mental faculties. They would cultivate, at the same time, perception, attention, memory, comparison and judgment. It can hardly be said that they would cultivate the eye, directly; although they would have an effect which would at least be adequate to such a result. For though a child who could judge well of the capacity of all sorts of vessels, could hardly be said to see them any better than another child who knew nothing at all about it, yet it would certainly improve his observation. He would go through the world with his eyes open' much more; and if his eye sight was really no better, in the abstract, he would actually see more.

6

But I am proceeding with my reasonings faster than with my facts. Mrs Thomson would not only show her children how much a pint was in various forms, by pouring it into vessels of various shapes and sizes; but also by filling up a large vessel, pint by pint, and letting them see how many pints it actually

held.

Suppose it to be a common wooden pail. She first pours into it a pint of water. The children are required to observe how deep it fills the pail. Another pint is added. They examine again. The question is now asked, perhaps; How many pints do you think the pail will hold, if we keep pouring in?—I have taken for granted here, what I presume to be a matter of fact, that before they are introduced to these exercises, they are taught

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First Lessons in Arithmetic.

to count fifty or one hundred; for the art of counting as far at least as twenty, if not fifty, should, as it appears to me, be one of the child's earliest lessons.

This being premised, I say, the children are all asked to judge how many pints the vessel will hold. In doing this, care is taken, usually, to begin with one of the youngest, that their opinion may be as unbiassed and unprejudiced as possible. Great care ought also to be taken that those who judge best do not indulge in triumphing over those whose judgment is less perfect.

Mrs T. found no difficulty of securing the attention of her children, and indeed the action of all their faculties, during these exercises; but she sometimes wondered at the apparent obtuseness of perception in some of them. The progress of the latter faculty was exceedingly slow. However, it was always evident to her that there was progress; and this was a sufficient encouragement to her to persevere.

She had never yet had a son or daughter who could not, at the age of six, judge with far greater accuracy of the capacity of all sorts of vessels presented to the eye, than most adults can who have never been subjected to any such discipline. Even the youngest, who is not yet quite six, and whose progress has been slower than either of the others, will tell, with surpris ing accuracy, how much a large or small vessel of the most uncouth shape will hold-such as a demijohn, or a cask, or a wooden bottle.

It is in the progress of exercises like these, that they are taught how much a pint is; and also how much a gallon is. None of these names are indeed presented at first, except the standard name; a pint. After some time, however, when they become familiar with pints, they are taught that a quart is two of these pints; and that a gallon is eight of them, or four quarts.

They are also shown the component parts of a pint; and taught to judge of these too with accuracy. In this process, they learn the name of gill; and that a pint is four gills. They are also led to observe that two gills make half a pint, and two half gills make make one gill.

These exercises, suitably managed, are an introduction to arithmetic, as well as a discipline to the mental faculties. Who does not see that every one of them is an arithmetical lesson ? You pour two pints of water into a quart measure. Here is tangible evidence, to the child, that one pint and one pint make two pints. You empty the quart measure four times into the gallon measure; and what is this but the adding together of several smaller sums to make a larger one, or a sum total? And the same remark might be made of every lesson which is given on