tion lesson is a kind of trifling. If the information is of any consequence, it needs the attention to be kept well upon itself; if the language lesson is in earnest, it equally wants concentration of mind; and the rapid shifting to and fro rapidly between two totally different studies is adverse to both. A reading lesson is (1) a lesson for the mechanical art of reading, together with spelling, (2) a lesson in information, to be understood and remembered, and (3) a lesson in language. For a long time, the first lesson is the only thing considered: by and by, the second-the information-is taken in hand, and becomes a more and more engrossing part of the teacher's work, carrying, as a necessity, language with it. The third stage-language by itself-is the latest of the three; and needs a special handling, which will not be given, unless it have a certain hour allotted to it alone. The information passages may be used for the language lesson, but the information is not to be adverted to further than is necessary for considering the language; while there may be passages little suited for information, and well suited for language; such are extracts-poetry and prose, belonging more to the belles lettres. The lessons so isolated would be driven to take shape, and continuity; they would inevitably form a course, each lesson following on its predecessor. The teacher would have to make up his mind to a plan, and would not be at a loss to find some such substitutes for the beggarly grammatical elements as I have endeavoured to point out. The occasional committing of short elegant passages to memory might be associated with the language lesson.

When the age of Grammar is reached, the problem

CERTAIN DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.

349

of teaching it solves itself. It is a practical science, having general principles which become rules; these need to be explained and applied to the particular cases. Instead of adopting devious routes to escape difficulties, the teacher now follows the direct course as chalked out by the concurrence of the best grammarians. There is still considerable variation of views as to the working out of the details; and a few remarks may here be offered on the more important discrepancies.

I. I hold that the subject of Inflexion should be separated from the Parts of Speech. The defining, classing, and exemplifying of the Noun, Pronoun, &c. constitute one distinct and homogeneous operation; the inflecting of the inflected parts is quite a different subject, and is best prosecuted consecutively and without interruption.

2. The Analysis of Sentences,' which has been the turning-point of the radical reform in the Definition of the Parts of Speech, is not yet pushed to its legitimate conclusion in amending our Syntax. It enables us to take a sentence to pieces, and it puts qualifying phrases and clauses in their true light as equivalents of nouns, adjectives, and adverbs; but it leaves out of view the consideration of the right ordering of the sentence through the proper disposition of the qualifying adjuncts. Yet this has more to do with good composition, than all the rest of the grammar put together.

3. There is great interest, and some utility, in tracing the course of our language from the more ancient dialects, but this subject may easily run to a disproportionate length in the first stages of English teaching. Present meaning and use are the only guidance to the employ

ment of the language; the reference to archaic forms can sometimes account for a usage, but cannot control it.

THE HIGHER COMPOSITION.

Grammar and Rhetoric, or the Higher Composition, are not separated by any hard and fast line; yet the two departments are distinct. To be grammatical is one thing; to be perspicuous, terse, or unctuous, is another thing.

In the view we have taken of grammar teaching, results far beyond mere correctness are attained. Nevertheless there is still a large domain of instruction in Style; on entering which new methods are called into play.

Rhetoric, like grammar, has its rules, which are to be understood, exemplified, and carried into practice in composition. Moreover, these rules must be embodied in a systematic array; which supposes numerous explanations and definitions of important terms. The whole subject is divided into two Parts-one on Style in General, or the explanations, rules, and principles, applicable to every kind of composition; the other on the special Forms or Kinds of Composition, as Description, Narration, Exposition, Persuasion, Poetry.

In a separate work (English Composition and Rhetoric'), I have indicated what I consider a suitable arrangement of the details of the subject, and have also brought together and exemplified all the maxims and rules that I consider valuable. In commencing the first part (Style in general) with the Figures of Speech, I am guided by the universal recognition of certain leading designations, under which many of the Rhetorical prin

CHOICE OF EXERCISES.

35I

ciples are brought forward in advance. In point of fact, the Figures, well explained, are of themselves a short course of Rhetoric. The other matters required in a complete view of the Laws of Composition in general, are the Qualities of Style, and the laws of the Sentence and the Paragraph.

The explanation and exemplification of the various terms employed, and of the rules and principles of composition, would seem to indicate with sufficient clearness the course to be pursued in the higher department of composition. Still, there is a certain latitude in the choosing of exercises, and the practice of teachers is very various in that respect. We may, therefore, offer a few words on the point.

In the case of young pupils, there are very strong objections to Essay or Theme writing It is a contravention of the all-pervading principle of teaching-to do one thing at a time. The finding of the matter absorbs half or more than half the attention of the learner, and leaves little room for the study of the style. Besides which, the writer necessarily travels over a wide compass of expression, and it is impossible for the master to take notice of all the faults and inadvertences; while it is scarcely practicable to conduct a class, or impart simultaneous criticism, by means of essays.

In a composition exercise, the matter should be provided, and the pupils required to find a suitable expression. Something might be given in outline, which they are to expand; but even this is too much of a subject lesson at the early stages. The conversion of poetry into prose is a very convenient exercise; the danger is that, in stripping off the poetical form, the pupil does

not leave enough of energy and elegance to make good prose. A still better exercise, although less ready to hand, is to change the form of a given prose passage on some definite plan, arising out of the rhetorical lessons going on at the time:-to remove or insert figurative terms of expression; to pare down redundancies, or to supply in a too curt passage some needful expansion; to re-arrange sentences, upon definite principles; to alter the proportions of the Classical and the Saxon words; to vary, in all the best ways, the modes of expressing the same thing.

The standing devices connected with Agreement and Contrast should be well iterated. Under Agreement, come Example and Similitude; Contrast is the universal remedy of vagueness, and one of the chief arts of giving point to language.

How to order sentences in a paragraph is a high and arduous undertaking. It is best studied upon the passages that occur in reading; which passages may be prescribed for rearrangement, according to principles laid down. The making of a good paragraph is nearly the highest feat of orderly expression as such. The arrangement of a discourse contains scarcely any new difficulties of mere composition.

The exercise that seems to me to comply best with the requirements of the composition lesson, is the critical exegesis of good prose and poetry passages, conducted along with a course of rhetorical instruction. I have given abundant examples of this in another place ('English Composition and Rhetoric'). The pupil's mind, in these lessons, is wholly bent upon the ways and means of expression; and I scarcely know any other exercise