gives them cotton, or rice, or sugar, which they cannot themselves produce? Is any portion less abundant in wealth because the Pacific slope and the bleak mountains of Nevada shell out such stores of gold and silver and all precious metals?

Next the Professor considered the connections of Physical Geography and the development of the human race. Presuming that the first pair were sheltered in the Eden of Asia, where revelation, ethnology, and all history concur to trace them, he showed how the Caucasus to the north and the mountain ranges on the south, forced their growing family to migrate when the land became too straitened for them along the peninsulas of the Mediterranean and of Southern Asia, and how the present distribution of the human family could scarcely have been produced from any other very distant starting point. In Asia humanity spent its boyhood. There the race spread itself, very much as that great division seems on the map to the eye: huge, shapeless, graceless. In Europe it reached its bearded manhood; in Greece attaining its most exquisite sense of beauty; in Rome clothing itself with its greatest power. The Professor showed how the very geography of Europe, crossed and intercrossed with mountains, its outlines deeply indented by the sea, and its divisions made almost impassable, fitted it for the home of distinct, belligerant, conflicting States. European history is, as it geographically might be presumed, one long series of wars. Scarcely a foot of soil but has been fought over. Yet its States that are most powerful are so by the union of smaller States which the complicated mountain ranges do not forbid to be united. Spain never was great till Castile, Leon, and Arragon were made one. France was weak till the whole Gallic race acknowledged the same Government. Great Britain assumed her imperial proportions only, when all of Europe that nature would permit to be united under British sway were brought together. Still these separate nationalities were not an unmixed injury to the race. They had begotten separate and rival schools in art and science. The conflict between people so narrowly yet so surely separated was not confined to arms; but they struggled with all appliances for the mastership in every civilized art, and great advantage to the human family was the result. But when strife had wrought its work of discipline, when all was ready, the curtain of the Western Ocean was lifted, and behold, a New World! And not its bleak side turned to the Old Nations, but that coast line which is indented with scores of welcoming harbors. How different would the last two centuries of American history have read if the Pacific side had been turned towards Europe! How long they may have beaten along its shore, searching in vain for so narrow an entrance as the Golden Gate!

The lecturer dwelt eloquently upon the characteristics of our country that invited emigration from Europe, and deduced the style of man that our land should produce. He should have the endurance of the Englishman, the vivacity of the Frenchman, the phlegm of the Turk, the heart of the Irishman, the dignity of the Spaniard, the eye and ear for beauty of the Italian, and the unquenchable patriotism of the Pole. America was never destined to be the home of aristocrats or slaves. Somebody has said that Europe was the paradise of the upper classes, the purgatory of the middle classes, the hell of the poor. Our land is the poor man's home. Its destiny is to teach that all men, no matter what the conformation of their skulls or the color of their skins, may be free, happy, virtuous. It is the land for one people, and never can be the home of two nations. There was but one devil-that was slavery-potent enough to attempt to check us in the career we had started on. That monstrosity must be annihilated-that devil must be slain. [Applause.] Then nothing can prevent our progress toward the glorious goal that the reign of man, the hope of Christians, and the physical geography of the land had pointed out as ours. Break the neck of that devil, slavery, which has launched this war upon us-crush it utterly out, and nothing can disturb our peace again for years. Our people are aroused at

last; they see what a birthright they may lose by sluggishness, what a future they insure by timely action to preserve what we have and punish and extinguish treason. They will not be untrue to their trust. When they resolve at all hazards that every creature who bears the image of God is empowered to have and to hold for himself and heirs that image forever, with all the rights the Creator meant it to carry with it, they will insure us one country, one Constitution, one destiny.

We have above but feebly indicated the trend of the great thoughts with which the lecture abounded. It was frequently interrupted by applause, and when it ended, a volunteer quartette, under the lead of Mr. Elliott, sang a patriotic song or two, and then the evening's entertainment was over.

THIRD DAY.

WEDNESDAY, May 6th.

The President called the Institute to order at nine o'clock, A. M. The Rev. A. Higbie, of Napa, offered prayer.

The President read the following communication:

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES,

TURA Francis, May 5th, 1863.}

To Hon. John Swett, Superintendent Public Instruction :

At a meeting of the California Academy of Natural Sciences, held May fourth, it was resolved that the rooms of the Academy be opened to the members of the Teacher's Institute every afternoon during the present week, from four o'clock to five o'clock and thirty minutes. The rooms are at 622 Clay street, near Montgomery, third story.

LEANDER RANSOM, President.

In explanation, the President stated that at the rooms of the Academy of Natural Sciences was to be found the largest collection of mineral and other specimens in the State. It was an extremely valuable and interesting collection, and he certainly recommended those who had never visited it to avail themselves of the invitation. The rooms were situated at No. 622 Clay street, near Montgomery.

Mr. Ellis H. Holmes was called to the Chair.

TEXT BOOKS.

The report of the Committee on Text Books was called for as next in order.

The Secretary read the following report:

The Committee on Text Books respectfully recommend that the following be adopted for use in the Schools of the State:

Readers.-Marcius Willson's series.

Geographhy.-Fordyce A. Allen's Primary; S. S. Cornell's Primary; D. M. War

ren's Intermediate; and D. M. Warren's Physical Geography. Pelton's Outline Maps. Arithmetic.-James S. Eaton's Primary; Warren Colburn's Intellectual; and Horatio N. Robinson's Practical Arithmetic.

Grammars.-Quackenbos' English Grammar; and Greene's Oral Instruction, (for Teachers only.)

Your Committee would also recommend that one hour each day be devoted to the discussion of text books; that the Secretary be provided with a blank book, in which he shall keep a list of the different text books suggested by members, and that at any time during the sessions or recesses of the Convention, the County Superintendents, Trustees, and Teachers of the Public Schools, are requested to place a mark against the book which they prefer. It is thought that in this way the sense of the Convention can be obtained most easily, quietly, and satisfactorily. The result to be made known near the close of the Convention.

GEORGE W. MINNS, Chairman.

Professor Minns said the Committee had not reviewed the different books, but they simply presented the names of those which they recommended. There had been reports submitted to two Conventions, and published, with reference to all those books except Quackenbos' English Grammar, and the subject had been considered at length, particularly by the last State Convention at Sacramento. It seemed to him that they were in possession of all the information requisite, and what they wanted now was to come to a vote. They wished to have the matter decided if possible. Every one knew it was very difficult for Teachers to agree upon text books. One reason why lawyers were not allowed to sit upon a jury was, because twelve of them never could agree upon anything, and he supposed Teachers were in the same category with reference to text books. [Laughter.] It appeared to the committee that the time for discussion on this subject had gone by, and they were afraid if they got into it again it would never terminate.

Mr. Higbie moved the adoption of the report. Carried. Mr. John Bagnall, of Colusa, made a telling little speech on the subject of talking out loud enough to be heard. He enjoyed very much what he had heard so far, but would be obliged to refrain from giving any opinion to his Colusa fellow Teachers as to what he had not heard.

Mr. J. C. Pelton moved, in order to bring the question of text books further before the Convention, that they approve of Quackenbos' History of the United States, which was put, and lost.

Mr. Pelton said he made the motion simply for discussion. He had heard that book very highly spoken of as combining all the practical qualities of a good small primary history. It had

a very pleasant detail, and was calculated to introduce favorably the more elaborate works which followed.

Mr. J. L. Wilbur, of Yolo, said he felt like congratulating the Institute that this subject was in able hands, and expressed the utmost confidence in the impartiality of the committee, and the intelligence and patriotism of the State Board. He had no desire to hear any great amount of discussion on text books in the four primary studies, and was willing to rest it with that noble body. He knew little about Quackenbos' History, but so far as he had examined it, it was quack without the boss. He admired Willson's clearness and fairness, and regarded him, as an author and writer, far superior to Quackenbos.

Mr. Harris, of Sacramento, said if the motion had been made to include all histories it would not have been voted down. He moved to take up for discussion Histories of the United States, which was carried. He proceeded to advocate Willson for his scholarship, system, conciseness, patriotism, and correct proportion in the treatment of small and great events.

Mr. Higbie concurred, but said there was another work which he thought better still-Lossing; because it contained all the elements of Willson, together with references to other parts, like a polyglott bible.

Dr. Henry Gibbons, of San Francisco, thought it would be well to advise that no text book be used which had not been published within three months, and that no advice be considered as operative for more than three or four months; one text book, however old, would be much better than constant changes. Every three months the Teacher wanted a new set; before scholars could get the hang of the new text book they would have to get the hang of the new Schoolmaster. [Laughter.] It was a serious tax on parents, and ought not to be suffered. There was more in the oldest of text books than many of the Teachers in California knew. [Applause.]

Mr. J. C. Pelton also felt the evils of the confusion arising from the infliction of a multiplicity of text books. He had obtained a little insight into how it was done. Teachers should be living text books, and children need not then be crammed with senseless formulas. He had often thought of a remark he once heard made by the present Superintendent of Public Instruction, while Principal of the Rincon School: "After all, bear in mind that blackboards are not the heavens, and chalk marks are not the stars." [Applause.]

Mr. Thomas Ewing spoke highly of Weld & Quackenbos' New Grammar. He did not believe that any text book would do in our Schools-Smith's, for instance. The main feature of Weld & Quackenbos' Grammar was, that it commenced with plain, simple principles of analysis, and after that gave concise definitions, leaving out the rest of the matter found in ordinary text books, which should be given orally by the Teacher.

The President said he would like to embrace this opportunity to notice "The Only Sure Guide to the English Tongue." It was an old book, and he did not know that it could be obtained in any of the book stores, but it possessed the advantage of being illustrated. It was published a century ago, and he had placed it on the table for examination.

Mr. Harris, of Sacramento, regarded text books as made for the convenience of the Teacher. The question to ask was, which was the most convenient, or which would make the work most easy for the Teacher? not, which would make it easier for the scholar to learn independently of the Teacher? After deciding what it was to make the Teacher's work easy, it would not be difficult to determine whether Robinson, Thompson, Quackenbos, Bullion, Wells, or Clark, was best. In that view, he advocated Willson, Bullion's Grammar, Thompson's Practical Arithmetic, and Davies' series in mathematics.

The President resumed the Chair, and announced that the time for this discussion had expired. He gave notice that the Board of Examination was under the necessity of holding a session at eleven o'clock this morning, at which candidates for State certificates should be present.

Mr. D. C. Stone, Principal of the Grammar School at Marysville, was introduced to the Institute, and proceeded to deliver a lecture on Grammar."

OPTICS.

Miss Clark's Model School class recited a lesson in Optics, first introducing themselves with a song, accompanied by Mr. Mitchell on the piano. Miss Clark said they had been charged with calling familiar things by terrific names; certainly they had not uttered them in terrific voices. It had been intimated, too, that one of the papers read yesterday gently ridiculed the very method of teaching grammar on which they prided themselves. She feared that those who were terrified yesterday