“What is the use of that?” In future this is the sacred formula, the formula by which he and I test every action of our lives.  This is the question with which I invariably answer all his questions; it serves to check the stream of foolish and tiresome questions with which children weary those about them.  These incessant questions produce no result, and their object is rather to get a hold over you than to gain any real advantage.  A pupil, who has been really taught only to want to know what is useful, questions like Socrates; he never asks a question without a reason for it, for he knows he will be required to give his reason before he gets an answer.

See what a powerful instrument I have put into your hands for use with your pupil.  As he does not know the reason for anything you can reduce him to silence almost at will; and what advantages do your knowledge and experience give you to show him the usefulness of what you suggest.  For, make no mistake about it, when you put this question to him, you are teaching him to put it to you, and you must expect that whatever you suggest to him in the future he will follow your own example and ask, “What is the use of this?”

Perhaps this is the greatest of the tutor’s difficulties.  If you merely try to put the child off when he asks a question, and if you give him a single reason he is not able to understand, if he finds that you reason according to your own ideas, not his, he will think what you tell him is good for you but not for him; you will lose his confidence and all your labour is thrown away.  But what master will stop short and confess his faults to his pupil?  We all make it a rule never to own to the faults we really have.  Now I would make it a rule to admit even the faults I have not, if I could not make my reasons clear to him; as my conduct will always be intelligible to him, he will never doubt me and I shall gain more credit by confessing my imaginary faults than those who conceal their real defects.

In the first place do not forget that it is rarely your business to suggest what he ought to learn; it is for him to want to learn, to seek and to find it.  You should put it within his reach, you should skilfully awaken the desire and supply him with means for its satisfaction.  So your questions should be few and well-chosen, and as he will always have more questions to put to you than you to him, you will always have the advantage and will be able to ask all the oftener, “What is the use of that question?” Moreover, as it matters little what he learns provided he understands it and knows how to use it, as soon as you cannot give him a suitable explanation give him none at all.  Do not hesitate to say, “I have no good answer to give you; I was wrong, let us drop the subject.”  If your teaching was really ill-chosen there is no harm in dropping it altogether; if it was not, with a little care you will soon find an opportunity of making its use apparent to him.