of the sense of seeing, whilst the singular observations of the children will sharpen his faculties, and make such an impression as to cause him to be more cautious in future; and many a scholar who is sitting in judgment will profit by the circumstance.) I have known the lives of several children saved by such simple lessons, and they are of as much importance as any that are taught, though I am not quite sure that all the teachers will think so.  Too many, to save trouble, will find fault with the swing; and I have known several instances where the swing had been taken down in consequence.  We have found the swing answer in all three countries; it strengthens the muscles, which, in physical education, is a matter of the highest importance.  It has been introduced into juvenile schools with similar success; and, also, in ladies’ boarding-schools I have personally inspected tine effects produced.  Under all these circumstances, and in every instance, I have found the most beneficial effects produced, provided the exercise was properly regulated and superintended.  It will not do, therefore, to have this important part of the system dispensed with.  The teachers must be present at all the exercises in the play-ground, or, more properly speaking, the training-ground.  Non-attention to this is a capital error; and, if persisted in, must be followed with dismissal.

CHAPTER VII.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS.

Teachers should practice what they teach—­Necessity of patience—­Mere automatons will not do for infant teachers—­Disadvantage of using excessive restraint—­A master and mistress more efficient than two mistresses—­Objections to the sole government of females—­Two frequent use of Divine names should be avoided—­General observations.

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—­“Such authority, in shew, When most severe and minist’ring all its force, Is but the graver countenance of love, Whose favour, like the clouds of spring may lower, And utter now and then an awful voice, But has a blessing in its darkest frown, Threat’ning at once and nourishing the plant.”—­Thomson.

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I enter on this chapter with a full recollection of the painful sense of incompetency I endured on becoming “a teacher of babes;” and this, I trust, will enable me to offer any remarks on the present subject with the humility that is desirable, blended with the confidence of experience.  It is a very common idea, that almost any person can educate little children, and that it requires little or no ability; but it will be found, on an enlightened and correct estimate of the work, that this is a very great mistake:  and I regret that this mistake has been made by those who professed to understand the system, and who have written upon it.  But there is just this slight difference between theory and practice:  theory