but of the general arrangements we carry away only the feeblest notion.

The intervention of the schoolmaster in the culture of imagination ought to repress the extravagant emotional preferences, and favour the complete and impartial exercise of that really great function of intellect—the power of conceiving, in all the exact lineaments and proportions, scenes and events that have not been experienced -the historical imagination, as distinguished from the poetical. Without rejecting the aid of emotional interest, an instructor endeavours to counterwork its bias and partiality, not to speak of its distortion and falsification of reality. The power of full concrete realization is a high effort of mind, rarely attained even by the educated: it is a talent in itself; and the snatches of fairyland engrained by the emotions of the marvellous are but the faintest approaches to such a power.

PROCEEDING FROM THE KNOWN TO THE UNKNOWN.

This is a favourite maxim of the teaching art, but it is seldom set forth in a way to afford definite guidance. There is a plain enough meaning in easy cases: an explanation should consist of references to facts already understood, otherwise it cannot itself be understood. This is merely the law of progress from the elementary to the composite; to master one stage of advancement before proceeding to the next. Anyone that consciously violates such a plain requirement is hopeless; and he that could lay his hand on his heart and say that he never once violated it, would merit immortal remembrance.

CONSECUTIVE ARRANGEMENT.

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If a demonstration proceeds upon principles not already understood; if a description contains terms with no meaning to the person addressed; if directions involve acts that have not been previously performed, the upshot is a failure. In the stage where instruction is given in the strict methodical form, as in a regular course of science, the consecutive arrangement is more or less adhered to, yet often not without difficulty. In the previous stages, where knowledge is given by snatches, there is no security for the right order. In fact, the most immature minds are exposed to the greatest jumbles; and one may wonder how they can imbibe information so supplied. The course may be inevitable, but it is not advantageous; and it will be necessary, in a subsequent chapter, to consider fully why the necessity arises, and how its bad effects may be mitigated.

In speech we can but bring forward one thing at a time; our facts and statements follow a serial order. Now, for the comprehension of a difficult subject, it would sometimes be desirable that two or three things should come abreast, and be simultaneously conceived. This is one obstacle that the pupil has to overcome. Another evil is, that our clearest and most elementary statement may unavoidably introduce matter that has not previously been comprehended, and so leave a blur or dark spot, obscuring all that follows, until such time as we come across something that lightens the darkness.

ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS.

These words are freely made use of in laying down directions for the guidance of the teacher. The meanings usually assigned to them are very hazy.

Analysis'

is the more distinct of the two; there being certain specific and well-known examples, as, 'the Analysis of the Sentence,' in grammar. Analysis applied to reading-lessons is not quite so obvious; the meaning suggested is that a complex object is viewed in its separate parts. Thus, a steam-engine could be analyzed into the cylinder, the parallel motion, the fly-wheel, the governor balls, and so on. on. This, however, does not need such a high-sounding name. 'Description' would suit quite as well.

The most scientific meaning of Analysis is that connected with the process of Abstraction. A concrete substance, as a mineral, or a plant, is analyzed into its constituent properties, by successive abstractions, whereby each in its turn is viewed apart. Such is the Natural History description of a mineral-the enumeration of its properties, mathematical, physical, and chemical. For this use the word is somewhat superfluous, and therefore misleading.

There is another form of Analysis, in the separation of a complex effect into its constituent effects, as in the revolution of the motion of a planet into the two tendencies centripetal and centrifugal. In the same sense, we may speak of analyzing a man's character or motives. So we may analyze a political situation, by assigning all the influences at work.

These meanings are all distinct enough, but they are not all in want of this special name, being otherwise provided for. Except in the well-understood instance of Grammatical Analysis, and in the last-mentioned case of composition of forces or agents, we should be much better without the word. Chemical Analysis and

SYNTHESIS AN ABSTRUSE NOTION.

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Geometrical Analysis are peculiar cases that need not be discussed.

More trouble is given by the word 'Synthesis,' although it ought to be in all respects the opposite or obverse of Analysis. There is a Grammatical Synthesis, worked out by Mr. Dalgleish into an exercise in grammar, in which the members of a sentence in separation are to be put in their places again. In the resolving of a complex object into its parts, with a view to orderly delineation, as a machine, there is no corresponding synthesis: the word has no meaning.

The abstractive separation of properties does not need any synthesis. When abstraction prepares us for making an inductive generalization, like the Law of Gravity, there is a counter process of deductive carrying out of the law to new cases, and this may be called synthesis; but 'deduction' is a better word.

When we analyze the forces at work in an operation -physical, mental, or social—we do not need to compound them again, unless we were supposing new situations, where the composition is differently made up. We could chalk out the orbit of a planet whose solar distance and other elements were different from the case of any known planet.

To express the conduct of any school-lesson, under either of the terms Analysis and Synthesis, is to produce the utmost confusion in the mind of a young teacher : as everything that the words cover is conveyed by other names, more expressive and more intelligible; such are Description, Explanation, Abstraction, Induction, Deduction.

OBJECT LESSONS.

Considerable ambiguity attaches to the phrase 'Object Teaching.' It seems to have come into use through Pestalozzi's system of imparting the abstractions of Number, &c., by concrete examples. This is a perfectly intelligible meaning, and lies also at the foundation of all teaching of general knowledge. In the carrying out of the system, the teacher brings forward such a selection of concrete objects as concur in some one general impression, notwithstanding great differences in other respects. To impress the number 'four,' a great many groups of four would be presented to the pupil; to impress the notion of a circle, many round objects would be adduced, differing in size, material, and other points.

The Object Lesson represents a totally different line of tuition, when it is looked upon as cultivating the senses or maturing the observing faculties. The former case related to generalities, this refers to specialities. When a pupil is set to discriminate nice shades of colour, or differences of musical tone, it is by presenting these to the senses and inciting the attention upon them. How far this is requisite in ordinary school education, is a doubtful matter. When a special art is taught, as painting or music, the delicate discrimination of degrees of colour or tones is a part of the teaching; but with a view to knowledge of the world, the same special training may not be necessary, except on set occasions or for select purposes. It is no part of the highest knowledge of things in general to possess a delicate tact in measuring lengths by the eye or weights by the hand.