CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, C. F. CLAY, MANAGER. London: FETTER LANE, E.C. Glasgow: 50, WELLINGTON STREET. Leipzig: F. A. BROCKHAUS. [All Rights reserved.] Educational Opinion from the Renaissance By S. S. LAURIE, A.M., LL.D. Professor of the Institutes and CAMBRIDGE: at the University Press. 1905 PREFATORY NOTE. I VENTURE to issue these Lectures in the conviction that the study of the History of Education in the writings of the most distinguished representatives of various schools of thought is an important part of the general preparation of those who adopt the profession of Schoolmaster. To present a general historical outline of opinion I have found in practice to be uninstructive as compared with an analytic exposition of the doctrines of eminent writers themselves. At the same time, the leading characteristics of the historical development have to be indicated. To deal with the whole question of education during the period of transition from the scholastic philosophy and monastic and cathedral schools down to these times or even to 1600, which may be regarded as the beginning of the Modern period, is beyond my power. And even if I had the necessary learning, I doubt if by so doing I would serve the purpose I have in view so well as by selecting representative C3751 men and interesting students of education in their methods. For my purpose is the education of those who mean to devote their lives to education. The student, who adds to a study of this volume the accounts of Rousseau, Pestalozzi and Froebel in Quick's Educational Biographies and some good exposition of Herbart, will have a very fair acquaintance with the main lines of educational opinion since the Renaissance. I would apologise for the large space I give to Locke, did I not think that his Thoughts read along with his Conduct of the Understanding is, spite of some obvious faults, the best treatise on education which has ever appeared with the (doubtful) exception of Quintilian. UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGII, December 1902. S. S. L. NOTE. Four of the sixteen chapters of this volume have appeared in books now for some time out of print. |