’A traveller gives us information respecting foreign countries; a metaphysician instructs us in the principles of moral science—­principles drawn from facts already known to us.  The two processes may take place at the same time:  a child in learning a lesson receives both information and instruction:  he is taught things he never knew before, and also taught to apply and make use of what he does know already.  In fact, pure mathematics is the only branch of instruction which includes no information, as the propositions are all based on principles previously assumed.  In short, a person who is informed, knows something he did not before; one who is instructed, understands something he did not before; one who is taught, can do something he could not do before.

’Education is more comprehensive than any of the other words before us.  It includes the whole course of moral and intellectual teaching.  One who gives occasional lessons is not said to educate.  To educate (agreeably to its derivation, from “e-duco,” not “in-duco"), includes the drawing out of the faculties, so as to teach the pupil how to teach him_self_; which is one of the most valuable of arts.

’Moral training, considered by itself, is called “teaching;” this constitutes no exception to the rule laid down, as its object is to enable us, not to know, but to do what is right.’—­(P. 32-34.)

’Few words, perhaps, are more apt to be misapplied than the string of adjectives treated of in the section next quoted—­namely, benevolent, beneficent, charitable, munificent, liberal, bountiful, philanthropic.

’Benevolent and beneficent, together with their conjugates, have curiously diverged from their original meaning.  Etymologically, “benevolent” implied merely wishing well to others, and “beneficent” doing well; now, “benevolent” includes both kinds of feelings and actions, and “beneficent” is restricted to acts of kindness on a great scale, and generally performed by some one of exalted station and character:  hence, we speak of the “beneficence” rather than the “benevolence” of the Creator.  It may perhaps be said to follow from this, that “benevolent” draws our attention more to the character of the agent; “beneficent,” to that of the act performed—­retaining, so far, a tinge of their etymology.

’"Charitable” (when not used in reference to a mild and candid judgment of others) seems to be restricted to one kind of benevolence—­that which consists in alms-giving.

’"Munificent” resembles “beneficent,” in referring always to favours on a large scale, and conferred by superiors; but there is this important difference, that “beneficent” always implies some real and essential good done, while “munificent,” as its derivation implies, may be applied equally to any gift, whether really useful or not.  One who makes a present of jewellery or pictures to a friend, is munificent, but would not be called “beneficent.”  If he raised a distressed family from starvation, the word “beneficent” would be more appropriate.  But one who gives largely to the public, or to some institution, is called munificent.  It seems to convey the idea of splendour.  No one can be called munificent who does not give on a large scale.