the whole subject has been almost totally neglected. So much depends upon the manner, in which knowledge is presented to the understanding of the learner. But within these few years, improvements have been made, in the elementary books upon this subject, which have brought it into notice. It is now very generally, though I am far from believing very successfully, taught in our schools.

The manner of teaching it by question and answer, which is the manner adopted by the books most approved at present, is objectionable; although it enables the young learner to seem to have acquired great knowledge of the subject. The questions direct the learner to the most important facts, no doubt, but that is of little consequence to him, so long as he is unable, or not prepared to comprehend them. He connects the question and its answer by some artificial association, and will repeat a passage, containing important information, with verbal accuracy. To the hearers, who have already acquired a knowledge of the subject, and who attach to the words, a definite and correct meaning, the child seems to possess an astonishing fund of knowledge. But it is apprehended, that many a child, who thus delights and astonishes his parents, and gains his book and instructer great renown, would make as sorry a figure on a more careful examination, as the child mentioned by Miss Hamilton. After answering to all his questions, and giving an accurate account of the statisticks of Turkey, on being asked

81

where Turkey was, a question not in the book, replied, "in the yard with the poults."

The improvements in our school books, upon this subject, have consisted in greater attention and accuracy in the collection of authentick and important facts, and in a more consistent arrangement of them. But by far the most important improvement is the introduction of maps. The principle of using maps, deserves the most unqualified approbation. For when the object and meaning of a map are thoroughly understood by the pupil, it aids him to confine his attention, and form a conception of the relative magnitude of continents, mountains, and rivers, and of the relative situation of places, better than the most laboured descriptions, without such aid. But the principle of arrangement, upon which all the books upon this subject have been written, I beg leave to object to decidedly and strongly. The pupil is presented in the onset, with a map of the whole world, reduced to the size of a hat crown. In connexion with this,

he is directed to read a description of the largest rivers, mountains, and seas; and also to commit to memory some account of the character and manners of the principal nations. Perhaps he will now be required to learn the amount of exports and imports of the most commercial nations to the accuracy of a farthing.

Some, not content with presenting the whole earth to the first and single glance of the young learner, and, as if determined to push the absurdity of the plan to the

11

utmost, have given the whole solar system to the child, for his first lesson in geography. This is called setting up landmarks, and getting a general knowledge of the subject; but so far from that, in my view, it is getting no knowledge at all. It is only a confusion of words, without any definite meaning attached to them.

The subject is begun precisely at the wrong end. If it is addressed to the understanding of the young learner, this arrangement seems to presume, that he will take a deeper interest in, and better comprehend the general features of the world, embracing its largest mountains and rivers, and the characters of nations, of whose existence he has never before heard, than of the roads, hills, and rivers of his own neighbourhood, and the boundaries of his own town, county, or state. Besides, he can get no adequate idea of the magnitude of the largest mountains and rivers in the world, except by comparing them with the mountains and rivers, which he has seen, and of which he has formed some definite idea.

In forming a conception of a distant mountain or river, which we have never seen, we proceed precisely as we do in forming a conception of any other magnitude. We fix upon something of the same kind, which is known, as a unit of measure; and then compare and discover the relation of what is known, with what is unknown. form some idea of a mountain twice as high as the hill before his eyes; or he could form a tolerable

So the child could

83

conception of a river, three times as long and as broad, as the brook, which runs before his father's door, or the river, he may, perhaps, have seen in a neighbouring town; but tell him, at once, the Himmaleh mountains in Asia, are 25,669 feet high; and the river Amazon, in South America, extends 3500 miles in length, and empties into the ocean on the equator, from a mouth of 150 miles wide, and I am much mistaken, if he forms the least conception of what he is told.

The correct plan for an elementary geography, would begin hearer home, with a description, and if practicable, with a map of the town, in which the young learner lives. Or if that is too particular for general use, the instructer must supply the description; and the map begin with his own county, or state, in which he will of course be most interested. From this he may proceed to his whole country or kingdom, and thence to more general divisions of the earth. The map will of course be reduced in its scale, and the descriptions grow less and less minute, as the places are farther removed; or from any cause, are less interesting. If I have remarked with freedom. on the state of books upon this subject, it has been without reference to persons, and with the single motive of inducing those authors, to whom we are already indebted for many improvements, to examine their plans, and see if one cannot be adopted, more consonant to the principles of the youthful mind.

LETTER VI.

It would be easy to multiply examples of the inductive method of communicating knowledge upon other subjects, but I shall confine myself to one more. Arithmetick deserves the place, both because it affords an opportunity to obviate some of the prejudices, which exist against it, as a study for young learners; and at the same time, to examine the leading features of a system, already before the publick, and written upon the principle to be illustrated. Improvements in the method of teaching numbers have been more slowly made, than in any other branch of elementary instruction. This can hardly be accounted for, except that the subject has always been considered one of peculiar and intrinsick difficulties, which could not be encountered successfully, but by those few minds, favoured of Heaven, with a sort of mathematical inspiration.

Under such discouraging impressions, we need not be surprised, that no one has appeared to convince the publick by example, that the subject is not so intrinsically difficult, as has been imagined; in fact, that it is completely level to any capacity, which can comprehend any subject. The consequence of the miserable state of the books, has been, that while all