arly
footsteps which time insensibly obliterates. How few possess, like
Faruknaz in the Persian tale, the happy art of transfusing their own
souls into the bosoms of others!

We shall not pity the reader whom we have dragged through Garretson's
Exercises, if we can save one trembling little pilgrim from that
"slough of despond." We hope that the patient, quiet mode of teaching
classical literature, which we have found to succeed in a few
instances, may be found equally successful in others; we are not
conscious of having exaggerated, and we sincerely wish that some
intelligent, benevolent parents may verify our experiments upon their
own children.

The great difficulty which has been found in attempts to instruct
children in science, has, we apprehend, arisen from the theoretic
manner in which preceptors have proceeded. The knowledge that cannot
be immediately applied to use, has no interest for children, has no
hold upon their memories; they may learn the principles of mechanics,
or geometry, or chemistry; but if they have no means of applying their
knowledge, it is quickly forgotten, and nothing but the disgust
connected with the recollection of useless labour remains in the
pupil's mind. It has been our object, in treating of these subjects,
to show how they may be made interesting to young people; and for this
purpose we should point out to them, in the daily, active business of
life, the practical use of scientific knowledge. Their senses should
be exercised in experiments, and these experiments should be simple,
distinct, and applicable to some object in which our pupils are
immediately interested. We are not solicitous about the quantity of
knowledge that is obtained at any given age, but we are extremely
anxious that the desire to learn should continually increase, and
that whatever is taught should be taught with that perspicuity, which
improves the general understanding. If the first principles of science
are once clearly understood, there is no danger that the pupil should
not, at any subsequent period of his life, improve his practical
skill, and increase his knowledge to whatever degree he thinks proper.

We have hitherto proceeded without discussing the comparative
advantages of public or private education. Whether children are to be
educated at home, or to be sent to public seminaries, the same course
of education, during the first years of their lives, should be
pursued; and the preparatory care of p