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fence.' For thus is falsehood always cowardly and full of fear. Let us remove the fear, if we would prevent the lie.

3. The teacher should take care to make it felt that he is on the side of his pupils. This is often difficult. In some schools the master has always been looked upon as an enemy, and the impression comes down by inheritance to all the children. The same, too, is the impression of parents, which makes the case still harder. But the difficulty will cease in the case of one who has a genuine sympathy for his pupils. They are quick to find out their friends; and if he is a true friend-a prudent, wise, and confiding friend, they cannot miss of sooner or later finding it out.

The common truth,- almost too common even for a proverb,—that we learn more from imitation than precept, is in everybody's mouth, and yet how much disregarded in practice. What higher object can be proposed than to teach the moral virtues, justice, liberality, charity, gentleness, generosity, humility? But how can he properly teach justice who is habitually unfair? or liberality, who is meanspirited? or charity, who is close and suspicious? or gentleness, who is rough and overbearing? or generosity, who is overreaching and selfish? or humility, who is proud, and querulous, and self-sufficient?

VII. Conscientiousness, and the desire of obeying the laws of God.

The highest object of education, I repeat, is to establish the dominion of these principles, and to form the habit of acting under their influence. This is to be accomplished by exercising them, or, so far as it depends on the teacher, by constantly appealing to them, so as to call them into action.

The conscience, beginning to act in very early childhood, is, in many individuals, more active then than at any future

period. The common course of education, both in school and out of school, is wrong in nothing else so much as in failing to give greater activity to the conscience. The child who is once habituated, as under a conscientious mother he may be, to ask the question "Is it right ?" in regard to every proposed action, might easily be led to continue to do this, and would then grow up, seeking always, and first of all, to do his duty. But how often are his scruples laughed at. How constantly does he see those about him acting from appetite, from malice, from passion, from self-interest, from desire of the approval of the world, from the wish to outstrip others, and from the other ordinary low motives. How constantly are these presented to himself. No wonder that the still, small voice of conscience is never heard, or, if heard, that it is stifled by the confused sounds about him. It should be our endeavour to change this state of things, to take the side of conscience, to point out what is wrong and what is right, and to suggest constantly the question, Is it right?—not always in so many words, but in such a manner that it shall really be asked within. With pupils of all ages, I have from no other source seen such satisfactory effects produced, as from the action of this principle and affection alone. I have never known a young person insensible to the simple statement," You can do better than this, and you ought;" nor any form of reward which produced its effect more clearly and certainly than being able to say, "You have done well"-" that is right"-" that is very

well!"

But the conscience is to be enlightened. This is to be done by teaching the child his relation to God, as his Author and the Creator of his conscience, as of everything else, thus showing the authority of the laws of God, and then showing what the laws of God are. The laws of the spiritual and moral nature are to be learned from the Bible,most distinctly and fully from the instructions of Jesus

Christ. For this purpose, a portion of the Gospels, or a selection from other parts, should, as I have repeatedly said, be read each day, and such assistance given, in pointing out and explaining the laws, as the teacher may be able to give. The two highest principles,-the sentiment of duty and reverence for God and his laws,-are thus made to act together.

The sphere of conscientiousness is enlarged by enlarging our views of the Creator's laws. When the body is admitted to be his workmanship, the laws of the structure of the body are his laws, and whatever is necessary to secure health becomes a part of duty. The parable of the talents, explained to signify all the talents, the powers of mind and of body, as well as the moral and religious faculties, will show that every part of our nature is to be conscientiously cultivated, improved, and perfected, according to the obvious purpose of its Creator.

I have placed this class of motives last, because it is the highest. It would, perhaps, be more proper to place it first, as it comprehends all others; and if we could teach. and govern perfectly, it would take the place of all others. As we advance' in knowledge of our duties and in skill, we shall approach more and more nearly to this end.

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BOOK V.

THE SCHOOLHOUSE.

CHAPTER I.

SITUATION.

"The outside of the building is as agreeable as the inside is convenient; it is situated on the prettiest side of the town, and has no communication with any other building. It has a magnificent view over a delightful country, a large kitchen-garden, a commodious court, and two flower-gardens."-COUSIN, The School at Bruhl.

So much do the future health, vigour, taste, and moral principles of the pupil depend upon the position, arrangement, and construction of the schoolhouse, that everything about it is important. When the most desirable situation can be selected, and the laws of health and the dictates of taste may be consulted, it should be placed on firm ground, on the southern declivity of a gently-sloping hill, open to the southwest, from which quarter come the pleasantest winds in summer, and protected on the northeast by the top of the hill or by a thick wood. From the road it should be remote enough to escape the noise, and dust, and danger, and yet near enough to be easily accessible by a path or walk, always dry. About it should be ample space, a part open for a play-ground, a part to be laid out in plots for flowers and shrubs, with winding alleys for walks. Damp places, in the vicinity of stagnant pools or unwholesome marshes, and bleak hilltops or dusty plains, should be carefully avoided. Tall trees should partially shade the grounds, not in stiff rows or heavy clumps, but scattered irregularly as if by the hand of Nature. Our native forests present such a choice of beautiful trees, that the grounds must be very extensive to afford room for even a single fine speci

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men of each; yet this should, if possible, be done, for children ought early to become familiar with the names, appearance, and properties of these noblest of inanimate things. The border of a natural wood may often be chosen for the site of a school; but if it is to be thinned out, or if trees are to be planted, and, from limited space, a selection is to be made, the kingly, magnificent oaks, the stately hickories, the spreading beech for its deep mass of shade, the maples for their rich and abundant foliage, the majestic elm, the useful ash, the soft and graceful birches, and the towering, columnar sycamore, claim precedence.* Next may come the picturesque locusts, with their hanging, fragrant flowers; the tulip-tree; the hemlock, best of evergreens; the celtis, or sweet gum; the nyssa, or tupelo, with horizontal branches and polished leaves; the walnut and butternut, the native poplar, and the aspen.

Of extremely beautiful American shrubs, the number is so great that I have no room for a list. What place intended to form the taste of the young, should be without the kalmias, rhododendrons, cornels, roses, viburnums, magnolias, clethras, honeysuckles, and spiræas? And whoever goes into the woods to gather these, will find a multitude of others which he will hardly consent to leave behind. The hilltop should be planted with evergreens, forming at all seasons a barrier against the winds from the north and

east.

Of the flower-plots little need be said. They must be left to the taste of the teacher and of cultivated persons in the district. I can only recommend our wild American plants, and again remind the reader that there is hardly a country town in New-York or New-England from whose woods and meadows a hundred kinds of flowers might not

* There are at least ten oaks, four hickories, three or four maples, and as many birches, native to our woods, and all deserving the character given above.

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