poorly done. Right actions must be admired by the children themselves, and be done by them as occasion requires, because of their recognised goodness, else there is an unnecessary and wasteful strain upon the educational machinery. All educational appliances work at a disadvantage when the effort of the teacher is not supported by a basis of character in the scholars. Hence a great deal is done in the earliest stages of education if a large amount of time is bestowed upon training the children in habits of self-government. Ingenuity may be exercised in discovering the most agreeable and varied methods of attempting this, but the thing itself must be done. The earlier it is begun the easier is the task; the more thoroughly it is done in the opening years of school life, the more rapid the progress in after years. But at no time in an educational course can the teacher wisely surrender all regard to the influence he is exercising upon the character of his pupils. In maturer years, when learning for its own sake may be expected from those who present themselves for instruction, we may reasonably expect that foundation-work is not to be done in morals, any more than in instruction, but even then no teacher can do his utmost for his pupils unless it is made obvious to them that he reckons on character, and deals with them on the assumption of its possession.

If all this be admitted, it must be clear that weight of moral character is essential for high success in teaching. The teacher can exercise

influence over the scholars only according to what is in himself. He cannot lift them higher than he is himself, or induce them to attempt to reach an eminence which he is not himself striving to attain. Far above every other consideration, as a pledge of success in professional work, is the possession of high moral character.

CHAPTER I.

SELF-C

SELF-GOVERNMENT.

NELF-CONTROL is the first requisite for success in teaching. The work of governing even the youngest children requires government of one's-self. A man must have his powers under command, if others are to have the full benefit of his guidance. This rule holds in all spheres. It is essential for a high standard of success in any profession. Only in this way can the physician give his patient the full benefit of his knowledge and skill. On this condition. alone can a man sway an audience with any share of that power which belongs to the orator. On no other condition can a teacher in reality become master over his scholars. Selfcommand is essential even for teaching a single child, much more when a person must govern, in order to teach, large numbers of children.

Another phase of this rule is seen when things are looked at from the children's point of view. The youngest children are quick in observation. They readily discover what de

gree of control is maintained by those over them. Guided by their own observations, they quietly submit to be governed only in so far as they recognise the elements of governing power in their superiors. Fond of liberty, prone to catch at a passing opportunity for diversion, children are quick in taking advantage of any deficiency in the power of command, any laxity in the exercise of control, or want of observation. These characteristics are so uniform that they cannot be overlooked. He who would succeed as a teacher must recognise them,-must enjoy their comical side, and not merely be disturbed by the test to which they subject himself, but must utilize them so as to make them contribute

towards government. The restlessness of children is inevitable,-their fondness for fun is delightfully helpful in saving school work from prosaic monotony. In harmony with these admissions, they must be governed. He who would control them easily and wisely must keep himself in harmony with the children, which certainly implies that he keep himself in good humour, and shun irritation.

School government must be a reign of justice. It must be recognised as such by the pupils, and honoured by them accordingly. For this self-control in the teacher is the one essential. Deficiency in self-command will speedily unsettle the very foundations of discipline. It will lead to frequent examples of injustice in the use of authority, which more than anything else risks the discipline of

the school. Resentment, which naturally arises under consciousness of injustice, is roused in the hearts of the scholars. No obstacle to school-management could be more serious. The sense of right is opposed to existing authority, which is as perilous for the School as for the State. It is easy to conceive how detrimental to school-order this must be. Every one who has had anything to do with teaching understands it. Some of the pupils are swayed by a feeling of irritation against their teacher,signs appear of a disposition to make game of the lessons, the teacher becomes restless,-in an excited manner he challenges first one, then another; he threatens to do a good deal more than he carries out, and at last he is hurried into an angry castigation of some of his pupils without complete certainty of his position. His cane has been rattling mercilessly on the table, disturbing the nerves of everybody within hearing, but now it comes down upon the pupils in a style so unguarded that every one of them feels he needs to look out for his safety. Not unfrequently at such times scholars are punished, not for any fault of their own, but simply on account of the want of self-command in their teacher. The recollection of my own blundering in this way makes it easy to describe the scene; and the painfulness of the recollection greatly strengthens the desire I feel to contribute in some degree to the help of those who have to pass through the ordeal connected with the attainment of self-control. A teacher cannot hope altogether to maintain