he character of the present work, our business is chiefly with the
former class; and we shall therefore advert very shortly to a few of
them, pointing out the intimations of Nature respecting them, and
giving a few hints as to the best methods by which they may be taught.

And first of all, _Religion and Morals_ are clearly pointed out by
Nature as a branch of education peculiarly necessary for the young. On
this we shall not here again enlarge, but shall merely refer the reader
to some of our previous pages, where it has been made sufficiently
clear.[30]

Next in importance as a branch of education plainly indicated by Nature,
we ought to rank _the principles of Natural Philosophy_. We say next _in
importance_, not _in time_; because they are evidently not to be taught
to the child in this order, although it will be found in experience that
these principles may be communicated by successive "steps" much sooner
than is generally thought.[31] Nature begins early; and so should we.
The very infant becomes practically a natural philosopher, and continues
to act regularly upon the truths or principles which experience enables
him to detect. He soon learns that flame burns, that clothes keep his
body warm, that stumbling will cause a fall, and that the support of a
chair or stool will prevent it. As he grows up he learns the danger of
handling sharp knives, hot irons, and burning coals; he learns to detect
some of the effects of the mechanical powers, which he frequently
applies, although he cannot explain them. This we perceive exemplified
in his ingenious contrivances in cutting his sticks, wrenching with
forks, hammering with stones, kicking with his toes, and afterwards more
powerfully with his heels; in trundling his hoop, in sailing his mimic
fleets by the force of his breath, and in adapting to the requisite
moving powers his wind and water mills. He even learns to know something
of the composition of forces, as we perceive by his contrivances in the
flying of his kite, the shooting of his marbles, and the rebounding of
his ball. Now, as these adaptations are never to be ranked under the
class of instinctive actions, but have been in every case acquired by
actual experience, it shews, that there is an outgoing of the mind in
search of principles, and we think it is probable, that these principles
are often, although perhaps but dimly perceived, from the various, and
frequently successful contrivances of the child in d