s us, or satiety creeps
in, and makes us wish to occupy our attention with any thing else rather
than with the task prescribed us. But this is no powerful obstacle.
The authority of the instructor, a grave look, and the exercise of a
moderate degree of patience will easily remove it in such a probationer
as we are here considering.

Another obstacle is presumption. The scholar is willing to conceive
well of his own capacity. He has a vanity in accomplishing the task
prescribed him in the shortest practicable time. He is impatient to go
away from the business imposed upon him, to things of his own election,
and occupations which his partialities and his temper prompt him to
pursue. He has a pride in saying to himself, "This, which was a business
given to occupy me for several hours, I can accomplish in less than
one." But the presumption arising out of these views is easily subdued.
If the pupil is wrong in his calculation, the actual experiment will
speedily convince him of his error. He is humbled by and ashamed of his
mistake. The merely being sent back to study his lesson afresh, is on
the face of the thing punishment enough.

It follows from this view of the matter, that an ingenuous youth,
endowed with sufficient capacity for the business prescribed him, may
be led on in the path of intellectual acquisition and improvement with a
silken cord. It will demand a certain degree of patience on the part
of the instructor. But Heaven knows, that this patience is sufficiently
called into requisition when the instructor shall be the greatest
disciplinarian that ever existed. Kind tones and encouragement will
animate the learner amidst many a difficult pass. A grave remark may
perhaps sometimes be called for. And, if the preceptor and the pupil
have gone on like friends, a grave remark, a look expressive of rebuke,
will be found a very powerful engine. The instructor should smooth the
business of instruction to his pupil, by appealing to his understanding,
developing his taste, and assisting him to remark the beauties of the
composition on which he is occupied.

I come now then to the consideration of the two engines mentioned in the
commencement of this Essay, reprehension and chastisement.

And here, as in what went before, I am reduced to the referring to my
own experience, and looking back into the history of my own mind.

I say then, that reprehension and reprimand can scarcely ever be
necessary. The pupil should u