become stagnant; nay, he could almost wish himself at the bottom of his class again, that he might again have something to win-something to gain by his ability or perseverance. This is one evil of the usual method of the permanent arrangement of classes. In the next place, by such arrangement all the meritorious are found together in the top stations of the classes, and all the idle and inattentive at the bottom; the former, who need no spur, finding one in the emulous spirits of those near them, and the latter, who require excitement, and the influence of different characters, being left in contented ignominy and degradation, because shared with others as bad as themselves. Nothing, it is obvious, can be more desirable, or more likely to produce good effects, than the reverse of this; viz. the intermingling of the active and meritorious with those of opposite character; by the Circulating Classes of Mr. Stoat this object is attained, along with a remedy to the evil before complained of, namely, the cessation of interest and activity likely to take place in the mind of the scholar, when he finds that he has no higher post to attain to, than that which he then holds. The method of the circulating classes is as follows: each class is arranged in a circle, at one point of which is affixed a post, which may be termed the post of honour. On this post are suspended a certain number of medals, which are of course badges of honour; now, one side of this post may be said to be the highest place in the circle, and the other the lowest; but there is in fact no highest place, for as soon as a scholar has attained to the highest place in the class, he passes the post, with the reward of one medal, and is then, of course, in

the lowest place; if he again attain to the top of the class, he gains another medal, and once more passes the post into the lowest place; and so on, during the whole of the time the class is assem bled; at the close of school-hours the number of medals gained by each scholar is registered on a slate, which thus affords a record of the respective merits of the scholars. Thus, it will be perceived, the inert spirits of the school are continually coming in contact with those of the active, whilst the latter have never attained to a point, where exertion can attain for them no further honours or reward. Another peculiarity of method adopted by Mr. Stoat is-that the interrogative system is much used, and that the questions are asked, as well as the answers given, by the scholars themselves. The plan, in both respects, is applicable to all schools, wherein the children are taught in classes, to Sunday Schools, National Schools, and schools for the higher classes; and I would most urgently recommend to all concerned in the work of education, to make the experiment, as I am certain that its extension must be alike productive of benefit to master and scholars.

In conclusion, I would observe that as the foregoing remarks have been kindly made, in such manner it is my hope they will be received, and I wish it to be distinctly understood, that I am a well-wisher towards the established church, and that nothing I have said in these pages, can in any way be construed as tending to weaken, pull down, or undermine the truth as there professed, -the grand object is not to pull down, but to build up: and whoever sounds a false alarm, or contends that Infant Schools will have this tendency, I have no doubt (to say the least) that they will find

themselves ultimately mistaken. I most heartily wish that wherever there is a National School, there may be an Infant School, in its immediate vicinity.

t

CHAP. XIX.

A FEW HINTS FOR PARENTS ON THE SUBJECT OF NURSERY EDUCATION.

I WILL introduce this subject in the words of Mr. Black, an individual to whom parents and teachers are under considerable obligations.

"Many persons, eminent by their charitable acts, and who express themselves generally desirous of aiding in any plan which may contribute to the improvement and happiness of the poorer classes, have, nevertheless been unwilling to assist in the establishment of Infant Schools, fearful that the superior method pursued in these schools should render the children educated therein much better informed than the children of the richer classes, who might thus be supplanted in numerous lucrative and honorable situations in after-life.

"From this circumstance one of the two following conclusions must be drawn: either, that the system of education pursued in the higher schools is very faulty and imperfect; or that the fears of those ladies and gentlemen are entirely groundless.

"If the first be true, then, it cannot be denied, that the consequences, feared by the richer classes,

must necessarily take place, if, either from prejudice or apathy, they continue the same faulty and imperfect method of education which, by the expression of these fears, they positively declare is usually pursued in the higher schools; but the remedy is easy. Let the same good principles of tuition be introduced into nurseries, and into those schools to which the children of the rich are sent -and the latter will not fail to maintain their patrimonial ranks in society. They need then have no fear lest the poorer classes should become too intellectual, but, on the contrary, they will soon find that their own welfare, security, and happiness will not only be assured by, but will increase in proportion as the poorer classes gain knowledge, for by the method of instruction pursued in the Infant Schools, the knowledge there acquired is necessarily accompanied by the practice of industry, sobriety, honesty, benevolence and mutual kindness; in fine, by all the moral and religious virtues*."

To assist in this better method of instruction, the fellowing works have lately been published, and are sold by Messrs. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, Paternoster Row.

1st. The Student's Manual, being an Etymological and Explanatory Vocabulary of Words derived from the Greek, 2s. 6d.

2nd. An Etymological Dictionary of Words derived from the Latin, 63. 6d.

3rd. An Introductory Latin Grammar, for the use of Parents and Preparatory Preceptors, 2s. 6d.

4th. Companion to the Parents' Latin Grammar, being a Translation, word for word, of an interesting account, in Latin, of various Animals, 2s.

5th. The Paidophilean System of Education, applied to the French Language, 2 vols. 6s. 6d.

Specimens of these different works will be found in the Appendix.