space, so that they could understand descriptions of the unseen and the remote, the scope of these lessons was enlarged, so as to take in the different kingdoms of nature, the arts, trades and occupations of men, and the more complicated affairs of society." pp. 139-40.

In these exercises, we are told, that there is no restriction as to subjects, and no limits assigned as to the degree or amount of information that may be imparted on the topic selected for the time being. These matters are left wholly to the good sense of the teacher, whose object simply is, to impart useful knowledge on various subjects, suited to the capacity and state of progress of the pupils,-a knowledge which may afterwards be reduced to the regularity of a system, when their minds have attained to sufficient maturity and strength to grapple with an entire subject, and to comprehend clearly the various relations which the parts bear to each other and to the whole :

"For years," he says, "their lessons are free from all the technicalities of science. The knowledge they already possess about common things is made the nucleus around which to collect more; and the language with which they are already familiar becomes the medium through which to communicate new ideas, and by which, whenever necessary, to explain new terms. There is no difficulty in explaining to a child, seven years of age, the distinctive marks by which nature intimates to us, at first sight, whether a plant is healthful or poisonous; or those by which, on inspecting the skeleton of an animal that lived thousands of years ago, we know whether it lived upon grass or grain or flesh. It is in this way that the pupil's mind is carried forward by an actual knowledge of things, until the time arrives for giving him classifications and nomenclatures. When a child knows a great many particular or individual things, he begins to perceive resemblance between some of them; and they then naturally assort themselves, as it were, in his mind, and arrange themselves into different groups. Then, by the aid of a teacher, he perfects a scientific classification among them,-bringing into each group all that belong to it. But soon the number of individuals in each group becomes so numerous, that he wants a cord to tie them together, or a vessel in which to hold them. Then, from the nomenclature of science, he receives a name which binds all the individuals of that group into one, ever afterwards. It is now that he perceives the truth and the beauty of classification and nomenclature."

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"The Prussian teacher has no book. He needs none. He teaches from a full mind. He cumbers and darkens the subject with no technical phraseology. He observes what proficiency the child has made, and then adapts his instructions, both in quality and amount, to the necessity of the case. He answers all questions. He solves all doubts. It is one of his objects, at every recitation, so to present ideas, that they shall start doubts and provoke questions. He con

nects the subject of each lesson with all kindred and collateral ones; and shows its relation to the every-day duties and buisness of life; and should the most ignorant man, or the most destitute vagrant in society, ask him 'of what use such knowledge can be?' he will prove to him, in a word, that some of his own pleasures or means of subsistence are dependent upon it, or have been created or improved by it.

In the mean time the children are delighted. Their perceptive powers are exercised. Their reflecting faculties are developed. Their moral sentiments are cultivated. All the attributes of the mind within, find answering qualities in the world without. Instead of any longer regarding the earth as a huge mass of dead matter,-without variety and without life,-its beautiful and boundless diversities of substance, its latent vitality and energies, gradually dawn forth, until, at length, they illuminate the whole soul, challenging its admiration for their utility, and its homage for the bounty of their Creator."pp. 142-3.

On the subject of religious instruction in the Prussian schools, Mr. Mann makes the following statement:

"Nothing receives more attention in the Prussian schools than the Bible. It is taken up early and studied systematically. The great events recorded in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; the character and lives of those wonderful men who, from age to age, were brought upon the stage of action, and through whose agency the future history and destiny of the race were to be so much modified; and especially, those sublime views of duty and of morality which are brought to light in the Gospel,-these are topics of daily and earnest inculcation, in every school. To these, in some schools, is added the history of the Christian religion, in connection with contemporary civil history."

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"In all the Protestant schools, Luther's Catechism is regularly taught; and in all the Roman Catholic schools, the Catechism of that communion. When the schools are mixed, they have combined literary with separate religious instruction; and here all the doctrines of the respective denomination are taught early and most assiduously. I well remember hearing a Roman Catholic priest inculcating upon a class of very young children the doctrine of transubstantiation. He illustrated it by the miracle of the water changed to wine, at the marriage feast of Cana; and said that he who could turn water into wine, could turn his own blood into the same element, and also his body into bread to be eaten with it. Contrary, then, to the principles of our own law, sectari:.nism is taught in all Prussian schools; but it is nevertheless true, as Professor Stowe says, that the Bible can be taught, and is taught, without it." pp. 144-45.

The following remarks are made on the subject of vocal and instrumental music in the Prussian schools:

"All Prussian teachers are masters not only of vocal, but of instrumental music. One is as certain to see a violin as a blackboard,

in every schoolroom. Generally speaking, the teachers whom I saw, played upon the organ also, and some of them upon the piano and other instruments. Music was not only taught in school as an accomplishment, but used as a recreation. It is a moral means of great efficacy. Its practice promotes health; it disarms anger, softens rough and turbulent natures, socializes, and brings the whole mind, as it were, into a state of fusion, from which condition the teacher can mould it into what forms he will, as it cools and hardens.."p. 145.

The character of the Prussian teachers is highly commended:

"I speak of the teachers whom I saw, and with whom I had more or less of personal intercourse; and, after some opportunity for the observation of public assemblies or bodies of men,-I do not hesitate to say, that if those teachers were brought together, in one body, I believe they would form as dignified, intelligent, benevolent-looking a company of men as could be collected from the same amount of population in any country. They were alike free from arrogant pretension and from the affectation of humility."

"Among all the Prussian and Saxon teachers whom I saw, there were not half a dozen instances to remind one of those unpleasant characteristics,—what Lord Bacon would call the 'idol of the tribe,' or profession,-which sometimes degrade the name and disparage the sacred calling of a teacher. Generally speaking, there seemed to be a strong love for the employment, always a devotion to duty, and a profound conviction of the importance and sacredness of the office they filled. The only striking instance of disingenuousness or attempt at deception, which I saw, was that of a teacher who looked over the manuscript books of a large class of his scholars, selected the best, and, bringing it to me, said, 'In seeing one you see all.'

Whence came this beneficent order of men, scattered over the whole country, moulding the character of its people, and carrying them forward in a career of civilization more rapidly than any other people in the world are now advancing? This is a question which can be answered only by giving an account of the seminaries for teachers." pp. 145-46.

From this portion of Mr. Mann's Report, we shall make liberal extracts, as the subject is of great importance, and is very fully treated and ably handled by him. The number of institutions of this kind, which exist in Prussia, is not stated, but we are happy to learn, that it is sufficiently large to supply the schools of the whole country, from those of the lowest to those of the highest grade, with teachers of mature age, benevolent disposition, unaffected manners, and ample qualifications, both moral and intellectual, to teach any and all the branches of an ordinary education in a practical and

scientific manner. The subject of seminaries for teachers has, for the last twenty-five years, in Europe, and, latterly, in the United States, attracted much attention, although one was established at Stettin, in Pomerania, as far back as 1735. Prussia has led the way in this great improvement, and her example, in 1816, was followed by Holland. In 1833, when a national establishment for common schools was adopted by France, the creation of Normal schools constituted one of its principal features. In Scotland, there are now several of these excellent institutions in the capital cities,-one at Edinburgh, one at Glasgow, and a third connected with the Madras College at St. Andrews. Under the national system of education for Ireland, a Normal school has been established, in which already more than a thousand individuals have been educated for the profession of teachers. Lord Morpeth is said to have contributed £1000 towards the founding of this noble charity. The government of England has done nothing for the establishment of Normal schools, but one has been established at Battersea, by Mr. Kay Shuttleworth, a distinguished educationist, which is said to be in successful operation; and another has been fitted up by the church party, at the expense of $100,000, at Chelsea, near London. A national system of education was organized in Belgium in 1842, including two Normal schools, one at Lierre, in the province of Antwerp, and the other at Nivelles, in the province of Brabant. At St. Petersburgh, in Russia, there is also a similar institution for the instruction of teachers of every grade. In Austria, there is a national system of schools, but the government is despotic, and the attempt to introduce teachers' seminaries has failed.

In the United States, this subject is beginning generally to awaken a deep interest. In some of the States, Normal schools have been established. There is an excellent one at Bridgewater, Massachusetts, under the charge of Messrs. Tillinghast and Ritchie, one at Lexington under Mr. Pierce, and another at Barre. In New-York, the project of connecting a teachers' department with several of the principal academies, has not answered the expectation of the Legislature, and a change in the organization of the Normal schools in that State is in contemplation. In Alabama, a teachers' department has been recently engrafted upon the University, the success of which remains to be seen. The subject has been presented to the consideration of the Legislature of

South-Carolina, but no steps have yet been taken for the establishment of such seminary or seminaries among us.

The following is Mr. Mann's account of the seminaries for teachers in Prussia:

"From the year 1820 to 1830 or 1835, it was customary, in all accounts of Prussian education, to mention the number of these Seminaries for Teachers. This item of information has now become unimportant, as there are seminaries sufficient to supply the wants of the whole country. The stated term of residence at these seminaries is

ee years. Lately, and in a few places, a class of preliminary insututions has sprung up,-institutions where pupils are received in order to determine whether they are fit to become candidates to be candidates. As a pupil of the seminary is liable to be set aside for incompetency, even after a three years' course of study; so the pupils of these preliminary institutions, after having gone through with a shorter course, are liable to be set aside for incompetency to become competent.

Let us look for a moment at the guards and securities which, in that country, environ this sacred calling. In the first place, the teacher's profession holds such a high rank in public estimation, that none who have failed in other employments or departments of business, are encouraged to look upon school-keeping as an ultimate resource. Those, too, who, from any cause, despair of success in other departments of business or walks of life, have very slender prospects in looking forward to this. These considerations exclude at once all that inferior order of men, who, in some countries, constitute the main body of the teachers. Then come-though only in some parts of Prussia-these preliminary schools, where those who wish eventually to become teachers, go, in order to have their natural qualities and adaptation for school-keeping tested;-for it must be borne in mind that a man may have the most unexceptionable character, may be capable of mastering all the branches of study, may even be able to make most brilliant recitations from day to day; and yet, from some coldness or repulsiveness of manner, from harshness of voice, from some natural defect in his person or in one of his senses, he may be adjudged an unsuitable model or archetype for children to be conformed to, or to grow by; and hence he may be dismissed at the end of his probationary term of six months. At one of these preparatory schools, which I visited, the list of subjects at the examination-a part of which I saw-was divided into two classes, as follows:-1. Readiness in thinking, German language, including orthography and composition, history, description of the earth, knowledge of nature, thorough bass, calligraphy, drawing. 2. Religion, knowledge of the Bible, knowledge of nature, mental arithmetic, singing, violin playing, and readiness or facility in speaking.* The examination in all the branches of the first class was conducted in writing. To test

* It was a matter of great surprise to me, that, among the variety of branches taught in the People's Schools, I no where found Astronomy in the number. I know not how to account for the omission of a subject at once so enlarging to the intellect and so stimulating to devotional feelings,