consecration to his work, a complete abandonment of self in the discharge of duty, which convinced every one of the uprightness and purity of his intentions. In the life and character of Dr. Arnold, we find a remarkable instance of the union of dignity and simplicity. The meekness, artlessness, and evident sincerity of the man in his whole behavior and intercourse with his pupils, always divested him of all appearance of moroseness and affectation. With fatherly and affectionate entreaty, he admonished the wayward and cheered the desponding. His pupils looked up to him with confidence, and spoke of him with affection. His life of manner, his sympathy with the ardor and freshness of youth, his familiar intercourse with them and real interest in their improvement and welfare, gave him a wonderful ascendency over the greater part of each generation of his pupils. There subsisted between him and them mutual affection and attachment. It was kindness of heart, sympathy with the young, devotion to his work, sincerity in every act of his life, a visible animation, enthusiasm and love with which he entered upon all his duties, which awakened, kept alive, and earnestly impressed the minds of the young, with the importance of knowledge, and of a life of activity, virtue and usefulness.

Dr. Arnold thus writes to an applicant for the situation of teacher in his celebrated school: "What I wish is, a man, who is a Christian and a gentleman, an active man and one who has common sense, and understands boys; that, belonging to a great public

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institution, and standing in a public and conspicuous situation, he should study things lovely and of good report;' that he should be public-spirited and liberal, and enter heartily into the interests, honor and general respectability and distinction of the society which he has joined; that he should have sufficient vigor of mind and thirst for knowledge to persist in adding to his own stores, without neglecting the full improvement of those whom he is teaching."

Are such, fellow-teachers, our qualifications for the important office we hold? Do we daily enter with fresh preparation, with interest, with energy, with the spirit of love and a sound mind upon our labors ? Do we at all times feel that principle of love, and that sincere devotion to our profession, which are to be regarded as the sign and measure of high souls, and which wisely directed will accomplish much? Our calling is honorable; our labors will be felt and appreciated, if we are faithful. Let us not be satisfied with our past success, nor our present attainments. Let our motto ever be onward, upward. Let us also be impressed with the vast importance of our office. We deal with mind. We are called to educate immortal beings. We are stamping upon their souls impressions, that will endure," when the sun shall be blotted out, and the moon and stars shall withdraw their shining." Should there be given to each one of us a broad tablet of polished silver, upon which we were required to inscribe some sentiment to be read by thousands on earth and by angels in Heaven, we should tremble in view of the important duty; we

should desire that the sentiment might be truthful and wise, and such as would be approved above. Now, there are placed in our hands many tablets, not indeed of silver and gold, but tablets, that shall endure when silver and gold shall have perished; the immortal tablets of youthful minds. Upon these we are inscribing principles and sentiments, which thousands of our fellow-men will read with grief or joy, which all the angels of light will one day look upon with tears, or behold with exultations of joy.

Fellow Teachers; let the character I have been portraying, be a model for us to imitate. Let his name be fragrant in our memory. Let his spirit, grateful as the breath of morning, be diffused through all our professional ranks and all our educational Associations. Let us study his principles and methods of instruction and discipline, till they shall reveal to us an elevating power, that shall give us yet more encouraging success in our noble work. Let us imbibe his ardent desire for the progress of the cause we love, that we may be enabled to do something for its advancement. Let us by fidelity in our labors and a consecration to the work entrusted to us, secure a measure of that reward, which gladdened his heart while living, and has since perpetuated his fame and his influence; that we may be honored by our pupils while we live, and be worthy when we are dead of being embalmed in their memory. The names of hero and statesman live in ever-during marble and splendid mausoleums; but the faithful teacher has a far better shrine in the

fond and grateful hearts, which he has fashioned

for immortality.

"What needs our Arnold for his honor'd bones,

The labor of an age, in piled stones?

Or that his hallow'd relics should be hid

Under a star-pointing pyramid ?

Dear son of memory, great heir of fame,

What need'st thou such weak witness of thy name?
Thou in our wonder and astonishment,
Hast built thyself a live-long monument,
And so sepulchred in such pomp dost lie,

That kings for such a tomb would wish to die."

LECTURE III.

SELF-RELIANCE.

BY WILLIAM H. WELLS,

OF NEWBURYPORT, MASS.

THE history of the world is the history of reforms and improvements in the education of the race.

Thales, and Pythagoras, and Socrates, and Plato, and Aristotle, and Quinctilian, were all distinguished as educational reformers.

Milton and Locke are later examples of uncommon powers of mind, that have been enlisted in the cause of educational improvement.

All the civilized nations of the world are now vying with each other in their efforts to advance the cause of popular instruction.

In our own country, a fresh impulse was given to this movement about a quarter of a century ago. The interest which was then awakened manifested itself in the publication of the Academician, at New York, by Albert and John W. Picket; in the appearance of several important Essays upon Popu