extent on the qualifications of the teacher, and the power of exciting interest in the pupils.

Another important particular was the exact and thorough knowledge gained by repetitions of lessons and general examinations. When any kind of knowledge is gained with little interest and in an indistinct way, it soon fades from the memory, and thus many pupils lose nearly as fast as they gain. Our method was a weekly review, with the anticipation of a fortnight public examination before visitors at the close of each term. And if laggards were found in any class, they were liable to be detained after school and drilled till the neglected lesson was perfect. Our aim was to have all so perfect in daily lessons that the weeks of examination would not be periods of unusual exertion except to the dull or the negligent, who were then special objects of attention from the chief teachers. Indeed, it was the rule to give most care and labor to the weaker lambs of the fold, whatever were the cause of their deficiencies. It is too often the case that, for the credit of the school or the pleasure of teaching the brightest and best, this rule is reversed.

Another method, and one that excited the most notice, both in this country and abroad, was the attempt to remedy defects of mind, body and habits, and the conviction, strongly expressed, that this is practicable, and should be the prominent aim of all educators. This important principle was so successfully illustrated, even in so short a time and with such limited advantages, that some details to illustrate will be given.

The attempt to remedy physical defects came about in this manner: An English lady of fine person and manner came to us as a teacher of what then had no name, but now would be called Calisthenics. She gave a large number of the exercises that are in my work on Physiology and Calisthenics, published by the Harpers, and narrated how she had cured deformities in others by her methods. What interested us most was her assurance that, until maturity, she had a curvature of the spine that was a sad deformity, being what was called a humpback, and yet there she was, a model of fine proportion and gracefulness. The whole school took lessons of her, and I added others; and though the results were not conspicuous, they convinced me that far more might be done in this direction than was ever imagined or would be credited without ocular demonstration. From this came the system of Calisthenics which I invented, which spread all over the country, and which Dio Lewis, courteously giving me due credit, modified and made additions to, some of which

I deem not improvements but objectionable, for reasons stated elsewhere.

Still more interesting were some of our attempts in remedying intellectual defects. For example, our best mathematical teacher came with the case of a bright pupil who could not be made to understand the reasoning process in demonstrating a proposition in Euclid. She had a quick memory, would learn the letters and the demonstration as a mere memoriter exercise, and when, in the diagram, the teacher substituted figures for letters, in a few minutes she would commit to memory the change so as to repeat the exercise as a mere effort of memory. I took the case myself, and at first was convinced of an entire lacking of some mental power. But perseverance conquered, and, as soon as she understood the process, she was delighted with her lessons, and eventually became one of my best teachers in mathematics.

In another case, a pupil who was not remarkably bright in any direction, seemed entirely destitute of the faculties that appreciate poetry and fine writing. Mrs. Stowe having her in her class of composition, we experimented as to what could be done to remedy this deficiency. The result was she not only acquired a taste for poetry and imaginative writing, but composed a piece of poetry which was read at our public examination as one of the best selections of composition. These examples, among many others, were proof of the possibility of remedying, to a certain extent, any intellectual defect, and of the practicability of thus securing, by educational training, a well-balanced mind.

Another feature of the school, which at that time was unusual, was the mode of government pursued. One of the teachers, whose character was suited to such duties, was appointed Governess. Her duties included the care of the building and apparatus, and the enforcing of rules of order and neatness. She presided in the study hall, assembled and dismissed school, attended to the sending and return of classes, saw that each class had its teacher, received daily reports of lessons and behavior, and kept a record and school journal. Excuses, permissions, and acknowledgements of violated rules were made to the Governess, and, while presiding in the hall, she attended to classes in penmanship. This released the teachers from all these responsibilities.

At first, the principles of competition and emulation were freely employed, but experience taught a safer and better way; for a school of one hundred and fifty was more perfectly governed without these

principles than by their aid. No prizes were given, no rewards were offered for any degree of comparative merit, but the following were the chief methods employed:

The pupils from abroad, numbering 120 to 160, were distributed into such private families as would coöperate in promoting a healthful moral influence, and, in most cases, with a teacher in the same family. Multitudes all over the land will remember with gratitude Mrs. Dr. Cogswell, Mrs. Maj. Caldwell, Mrs. Dr. Strong, Mrs. Henry L. Ellsworth, Mrs. William Watson, and other ladies of high position, culture, and religious principle, who were happy to aid in this good work by receiving a teacher, and from four to ten scholars as boarders, and who proved invaluable helpers in all efforts for the good of the school.

Next and chief was the harmonious personal influence of the teachers. It was expected that they would mingle with the scholars as companions to aid in their studies and share their amusements, and thus gain a knowledge of their habits and peculiarities. The sympathy and coöperation of the ten or twelve assistant pupils was equal to that of the principal teachers, and, in some cases, was superior, owing to their more intimate access to their companions.

At the frequent meeting of my teachers and assistant pupils, the names of all the pupils were called over, and suggestions sought as to what each one needed, and then those requiring most attention were committed to the special love and care of the one best qualified to aid. Every morning it was my duty to read the Bible and conduct the religious worship, the teachers all being present, and prepared to cooperate in all that I proposed for moral and religious culture. In all the duties urged, I always found authority and support in the Divine Word. I endeavored to present God as a loving Father, and to make it plain that his 'glory,' like that of earthly parents, consisted in the virtue and true happiness of all his children. I showed them that there are right ways and wrong ways of making ourselves and others happy; that Jesus Christ came to teach the only right way; and that those only can be truly and forever happy who make it their chief aim to follow his example and teachings. I showed them that our Heavenly Parent is chiefly glorious. as the Great Happiness Maker, and that the first sermon of our Lord teaches that it is by making true happiness that we become children of God.*

Blessed are the happiness-makers, for they are the children of God' is the more correct translation from the Syriac, which was the language of Jesus Christ.

By such public instructions, and by private meetings for prayer and conversation with both teachers and scholars, a silent religious influence pervaded the school. Each teacher and assistant pupil, and all the scholars who had commenced a religious life, were requested to select at least one member of the school who was not thus committed, and suggestions were made as to the best way to exert an influence either by conversation or notes. At these private meetings, results were reported and further counsel obtained. for several years, every term witnessed what would be called a 'revival of religion,' though like the kingdom of Heaven which 'cometh without observation,' it was quiet and gentle as the falling of the dew.

Thus

Many were, thus, not only led to commence a religious life, but were taught the duty and best methods of influencing others. Such success imparted the conviction that, should moral and religious influence have its proper place in the methods of any school, few pupils would ever leave it destitute of a true and cheerful piety.

But, in order to such success, it would be requisite that at least one properly qualified teacher should have it her special department thus to guide other teachers as her helpers, to watch over the habits, correct the faults, and form the principles of all the pupils. In the celebrated institution of Fellenberg, at Hofwyll, there was one class of educators in distinction from those teachers whose chief labor was the communication of knowledge and the developing of intellect. Education in this country will never reach its highest end, till the care of the physical, social, and moral interests shall take precedence of mere intellectual development and acquirements.

In this account, reference is had chiefly to the last years of my care of the school, after the teachers had more or less learned to share my responsibilities.

All espionage by which the misconduct of companions was reported, involving disgrace or penalties, was discouraged. But it is rarely the case that any pupils will object to having their companions speak freely of their faults, when a teacher with the best of motives seeks to know deficiencies that they may be remedied. It can easily be found who are willing, and those who are not should receive increased care and watchfulness from the teachers.

Few, except those who have followed a similar course, are aware how practicable it is to cure almost every defect of person, habits, manners, temper, and principles. The indolent can be made industrious, the volatile be made regular, the ill-natured, amiable; the

selfish, regardful of the feelings and rights of others; the obstinate and impracticable, yielding and docile. But to do all this requires a rare degree of self-denial, patience, perseverance, and ingenuity in the teacher, together with experience and instruction from those who have had experience.

Learning by Teaching.

The most remarkable case of the culture of undeveloped or deficient intellectual faculties, in the Hartford Seminary, was my own. In Mental Philosophy I had neither taste nor acquirements, and so I gave my first class in that study to a teacher who claimed to be much interested in it. She was my room-mate, and an entire novice in abstract reasoning. She had a very intelligent class, who plied her with questions, so that she was constantly appealing to me for aid. Eventually, I took the class myself. Soon I became deeply interested in this study; for I had been led to my profession by most profound and agitating fears of dangers in the life to come, not only for myself, but for a dear friend who, according to the views in which I had been trained, had died unprepared. What must we do to be saved?' became the agonizing inquiry for myself and all I loved most.

While I was simultaneously teaching Mental Philosophy and the Bible, I gradually learned that the interpretation of the Bible and the true mode of training mind to safety in both this and the future life were based on the nature of mind and the proper modes of control as developed in philosophical writings. Thus excited by the practical bearing of the study, I sought and read Locke, Reid, Stewart, Brown, and other works in English, and also went to those who read Greek and German for the views of Aristotle and Kant. In this course, I not only gained great relief as to religious views, but much to aid in the culture of mind.

Then I began to give lectures to the school, and, finally, I had them printed as a text-book for my classes.*

[* That the book bad singular merit, in spite of the suspected orthodoxy of some of the views of religious truth, is evident from the estimation in which it was held by Prof. McGuffey of Miami University, Ohio, afterwards Professor of Mental Philosophy in the University of Virginia. After reading the book, he introduced it as the text-book of his college class, and at the close of that term wrote to me thus:

'We however have not discharged our obligations to you when the book is paid for. For my part, I have rarely derived more pleasure or advantage from the same number of pages. Your book possesses, in no ordinary degree, that best of all qualities in a text-book, incentives to investigation. In many things I esteem it fearlessly original, as well as felicitously correct. I should rejoice to see a new edition supplying the canceled pages, and perhaps the causes that induced this suppression do not now exist in equal force.'

A professor in another institution wrote to a friend of mine thus:

'We have sent for Abercrombie's work on Mental Science, but I doubt whether it will be of