express their strongest convictions, even when it made against themselves; and that though the very young were very apt to do wrong things, they did not defend wrong in the abstract, ever. From all this, it was to be inferred, that the moral judgements of the majority would be higher than their conduct; while those few, whose conduct was more in proportion to their moral judgement, would still keep their high place, and occasionally throw their finer elements, into the general conscience, which might be called the treasury of the school.-I admitted the reasonableness of all this, and felt, that the plan would work for the benefit of the worst scholars, certainly, and might work for the benefit of the best; and I am bound to say, that no evil effects to the better portion, have transpired under my observation, quickened though it has been by my doubts; and that the majority of the school have made moral progress, which, considering their age, and the time that has transpired, is beyond all parallel in my observation-I say moral progress, and I wish to be understood, in the largest sense of that word, in which is included religious ideas, the sense of accountability, and the habit of virtuous effort.I, therefore, must acknowledge myself vanquished, as far as my skepticism regarded such a school as Mr. Alcott's, though I reserve my own opinion, respecting one of à very limited number of girls, of an age extending from the time they can read to the time when girls generally leave school. As it is the ideal of a girl's education to be educated by an accomplished mother, in the sacred retreat of home,-the nearest approach to these circumstances, is the ideal of a girl's school.

The methods of discipline, which I mentioned, as having been questioned, all arise out of this principle of having a common conscience, and these objections I will now briefly consider.

Mr. A. has an office of superintendent of conduct, including attitude, appearances of inattention, &c. This is delegated to scholars, selected for the day, whom sometimes he chooses himself, and sometimes the scholars choose, and o whom the whole always agree, promising to submit withut complaint to any punishments Mr. Alcott may found n their judgements, experience having proved to them,

that this office generally creates that sense of responsibility, which makes the marks strictly just; especially as they know that Mr. Alcott always reserves a right of judgement, over and above that of the superintendents. Of this office, I was very jealous at first. I predicted various evils. But the result has proved that Mr. Alcott was right in expecting from it excellent effects. The worst boys, when put into that office, become scrupulously just, and get an idea of superintending themselves, which nothing else can give them.

General discussion of the conduct of individual scholars, is also another method of discipline, arising out of the principle of forming a common conscience. The objections to this course are obvious. And I have felt some; though not those usually urged. And, with respect to the objections I made, I cannot say that any positive evil has been done, while I must admit that positive good does certainly arise. A degree of honesty, simplicity, self-surrender, and general acknowledgement of a standard of action beyond the control of any individual, are produced, such as no other school in the land, I will venture to say, can show; while all false pretensions, vanity, and self-exaltation, are completely taken down. Some persons have thought vanity was cherished in the school. But I think there can be no greater mistake. first display of a new scholar, is that of all his vanity, and this is so uniformly the case, that the development is quite amusing to a constant spectator. But this blossom is indeed short-lived. It soon falls, and the infant fruit of a sober estimate of himself appears.

The

In short, there can be no doubt, at all, that the immediate effect of this part of Mr. Alcott's plan, is favorable to self-knowledge and humility, when the scholars compare themselves with one another. It has been said, that the children are vain of the school, and think it is the only place where the right method is pursued, and that they are the only persons, in the world, who have the right standard, &c. A sort of party spirit about a school, is not uncommon with children, especially when there is any thing peculiar in the school. And if this is stronger than usual in this instance, it must be said, in defence of the children, that they constantly hear the most absurd misrepresentations of it, and of Mr. Alcott, from

people who judge without knowing the truth; and the most wild criticisms and enquiries concerning it, from those who are inclined to take marvellous views of it. They often tell Mr. Alcott, that people do not understand him or his school. And this is perfectly true. However, let the case be as it may, if the children overrate the school while they are in it, they are so much more liable to receive all its advantages; and they will soon be undeceived, after they

have left it.

Having spoken thus elaborately of the school, with respect to the principles and methods of moral culture, I will proceed to speak of it, with respect to its intellectual effects; and here, I, for one, have never had any doubts, in any particular. I think it can be proved a priori, and a posteriori, that the intellectual influences are, in all respects, salutary.

In the first place, the cultivation of attention as a moral duty, with the constant exposition of all which interferes with it in instinctive habits, is of the first importance to the intellectual life. The mode in which this state of mind is cultivated, is not merely that of stating it as a duty, but stating it as a duty, after having used all the resources of his own and others' genius to attract and reward their attention. When a child has been led to enjoy his intellectual life, in any way, and then is made to observe whence his enjoyment has arisen,--he can feel and understand the argument of duty which may be urged in favor of attention, Those who commonly instruct children would be astonished, to witness the degree of attention which Mr. Alcott succeeds in obtaining from his scholars constantly. Indeed, the majority of adults might envy them. It is, generally speaking, complete, profound, and as continuous as any would wish the attention of children to be.

The first object of investigation is also in the highest degree fruitful for the intellect. Spirit, as it appears within themselves, whether in the form of feeling, law, or thought, is universally interesting. No subject interests children so much as self-analysis. To give name to inward movements of heart and mind, whether in themselves or others, is an employment of their faculties which will enchain the attention of the most volatile. There is no one class of objects

in external nature, which interests all children; for children are very differently gifted with respect to their sympathies with nature. But all are conscious of something within themselves which moves, thinks, and feels; and as a mere subject of curiosity, and of investigation, for the sake of knowledge, it may take place of all others. In order to investigate it, a great many things must be done, which are in themselves very agreeable. Mr. Alcott reads, and tells stories, calculated to excite various moral emotions. On these stories, he asks questions, in order to bring out from each, in words, the feelings which have been called forth. These feelings receive their name, and history, and place in the moral scale. Then books, and passages from books are read, calculated to exercise various intellectual faculties, such as Perception, Imagination, Judgement, Reason (both in apprehension and comprehension); and these various exercises of mind are discriminated and named. There can be no intellectual action more excellent than this, whether we consider the real exercise given to the mind, or its intrinsic interest to the children, and consequently the naturalness of the exercise. And its good influence with respect to preparing for the study of Science is literally incalculable. There is not a single thing that cannot be studied with comparative ease, by a child, who can be taught what faculties he must use, and how they are to be brought to bear on the subject, and what influence on those faculties the subject will have, after it is mastered.

on.

But Mr. Alcott would not sequestrate children from Nature, even while this preparatory study of spirit is going He would be very thankful to throw all the precious influences of a country life, its rural employments, its healthful recreations, its beautiful scenery, around his scholars' minds. He thinks that the forms of nature, as furniture for the imagination, and an address to the sentiments of wonder and beauty and also as a delight to the eye, and as models for the pencil, cannot be too early presented, or too lovingly dwelt upon. In lieu of these circumstances, which of course cannot be procured in Boston, he reads to them of all in nature which is calculated to delight the imagination and heart. He surrounds them,

*

also, with statuary and pictures in his school-room; and he has drawing taught to all his scholars, by a gentleman who probably possesses the spirit of Art more completely than any instructor who has ever taught in this country.

And in the lessons on words, in the spelling, reading, and grammatical exercises, on which the intellectual benefits of Mr. Alcott's school are mainly based, if the spiritual part of language is dwelt on so much, both as a means and as an effect of the study of the Spirit within; yet the names of external objects as external, and the technical terms of art, are not necessarily excluded. A great deal of knowledge of things is conveyed in this way, and attention is more and more directed to this part of language, as scholars continue at the school, and need less and less exclusive conversation on the subjects appertaining to moral discipline.

The more scientific study of nature, also, Mr. Alcott thinks has its place in education, nor is he sure that he shall always exclude it from his school, although the age of his scholars, together with his views as to what ought to be taught first, throw natural science out of his course, excepting what is included in the study of Language, Geography, and Arithmetic, on the plans mentioned in the Record. Is it however, peculiar to his school, that attainments in the natural sciences are not made at the age of twelve? Will not most persons admit that, however difficult soulanalysis may be, it is still more difficult for children to seize Science, which is "nature without the matter; that, the Laws of the Eternal Spirit displayed in external nature, are far more abstracted from their own consciousness, than are those emotions and moral laws, to which Mr. Alcott so often directs their attention? There is not a little illusion on this subject of science. If children learn the names of the stars; if they gather flowers into herbariums; and

* Mr. Francis Graeter: who has in contemplation to publish a work developing the whole art of drawing, especially from nature, in the same way as he has often done orally to such pupils as have received the most benefit from him; and more completely than he could do in a course of desultory lessons; more completely than has ever been done in a book for learners. We trust no discouragement from publishers and booksellers will prevent or delay this great desideratum to all lovers of the pencil.