66

Quest. Give proof of God's willingness to receive sinners? "Ans. The parable of the prodigal son.

"Verse 8. " My thoughts are not as your thoughts.'-Quest. Would there be any hope for sinners, if God's thoughts were as men's thoughts?

"Ans. No.

Quest. What are men's thoughts towards those who have done evil to them?

"Ans. Anger.

"Verse 9. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways,' &c.-Quest. Does this comparison go beyond the truth, or fall short of it?

"The question not at first understood, but carefully explained, and answered, that the comparison falls short of the truth.

"Verse 11. My word shall not return unto me void.'-Quest. Meaning of void?

"Ans. Empty, or without effect.

66

Quest. Show, by God's attributes, that we can believe in this promise?

"Ans. (One pupil)-He is omniscient, and knows that it will be so. (Another)-He has all power, (omnipotent,) and can bring it to pass.

"The foregoing are only some of the points touched upon, and there is only as much given here as will indicate the style and bearing of the examination, even the preceding being brought out more fully than is here shown, by natural and rapid series of questions. I have rarely, if ever, seen such copiousness of Scriptural matter, with readiness and aptness of application. Nearly the whole pupils answered well and pertinently; but, of course, with various degrees of power in quoting and illustration.

"We next had an examination upon the historical part of Scripture which was sustained with equal excellence, the pupils being full of information."

(63.)

"The whole Bible is read through, and Mr. himself with a commentary, &c., for the Bible lesson."

prepares

(64.)

"Scriptural instruction is pursued here more systematically than I have found elsewhere. The lesson, on Monday, relates to the life of Christ; on Tuesday, to the History of the Israelites; on Wednesday, it consists of some part of our Saviour's easy discourses; on Thursday, the History of the Israelites again; on Friday, the Acts of the Apostles; and Saturday is devoted to the Catechism. We had to-day a very particular examination. upon the 3d chapter of Matthew, which was yesterday's lesson. It was conducted with the same energy and intelligence as the other, with reference to Map of Palestine for localities mentioned.

"This School is in a promising and satisfactory condition, having more appearance of accurate methods adopted and persevered in, than

(65.)

*

*

*"

"Bible History.-They go about it in an orderly and businesslike way. Mr. has the Pictorial Bible in the School, which must be interesting and useful as an adjunct to the means of illustration. A minute examination was entered into upon the beginning of the Book of Joshua, which had been recently read.

"An excellent practice exists here of dictating questions, which the pupils carry home, and afterwards bring written answers, which are revised by Mr. and then written out fair in a book."

(66.)

"In English, a class of 20 having read this morning the 1st chapter of Ruth, was examined by us minutely upon the substance of it, and all the questions were satisfactorily answered. The examination branched out into relative matter in their previous reading, and was also addressed directly to the object of ascertaining their acquaintance with Scripture, and the appearance was excellent, more than ordinary proficiency being exhi

bited, for instance, in stating the localities of the tribes, and the names of the nations supplanted.

"The same class read Miriam's Song- Sound the loud timbrel,' &c.—with more care, correct emphasis, and feeling of the poetry, than we have found any where else upon this tour; and upon the substance, with the allusions and the corresponding Scripture matter generally, the appearance was of similar excellence as in the Bible lesson.

6

"The most advanced class (10 in number) was examined upon Miracles,' their nature, purpose, and evidence. This is teaching of a much higher order than is usually found in a Parish School. The answers were intelligent and distinct, and the pupils proved their entire understanding of what they answered, when tested. Thus, having stated that the greatest miracle Christ wrought, was rising from the dead, and that upon this was founded the Christian's faith and hope, the boy was asked by us to give a text containing that doctrine, and he quoted at once, If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain,'" &c.

CHAPTER XI.

METHOD OF TEACHING.-ENGLISH GRAMMAR.

Bacon's Remarks on Grammar-Its use not limited to the acquisition of Foreign Tongues-Decrease in proportion of Pupils learning Latin-Quotation from last Report-Increase in Pupils learning English Grammar since 1833-Instance of Philosophical Conception of use of Grammar-Verse affords best Exercise-Practical or Elementary Grammar-Abstract Rules too difficult for Beginners -Practice in Real School, Berlin-Frequent Error to teach Grammar as a distinct branch, unconnected with reading Lesson-Too few taught in some Schools-Objections considered-Difficulty from many Branches-Interference of Parents-Little progress possible-Advantages independent of the actual Progress-Ex

amples.

GRAMMAR has been commended by Lord Bacon as performing the function of an antidote to the confusion of tongues;* and it is obvious that his conception of it was nearly, if not altogether, limited to its application as an instrument in ac

"Neque tamen dignitas ejus parva censenda est, quandoquidem antidoti cujusdam vicibus fungatur contra maledictionem illam confusionis linguarum."

quiring languages previously unknown, when he goes on to say,-" Ejus in linguis quibusque vernaculis exiguus certe usus est, in externis perdiscendis latior, amplissimus vero in illis linguis, quæ vulgares esse desierunt, et in libris tantum perpetuantur." Nor can it be matter of surprise, that such a restricted view should have continued to be entertained, as long as the dead tongues remained the chief if not exclusive depositories of literature and knowledge. The acquirement of any other language by a strictly grammatical process cannot be accomplished without obtaining an insight into the philosophical structure of the vernacular tongue at the same time; and it was pointed out in last Report, that the circumstance of Latin being taught in the Parochial Schools had been the means of conferring upon the pupils a grammatical knowledge of English also, by a process thus rendered peculiarly intellectual.

The Tables appended to this Report, however, will show, that during the last ten years the number of pupils learning Latin has not increased in proportion to the enlarged general attendance, and there is therefore a corresponding limitation in the communication, through that particular channel, of the knowledge of the grammatical structure of the vernacular tongue. Before proceeding to inquire into the success which has attended the teaching of English Grammar in a direct and substantive form, it may be advantageous to revert to the remarks on this point contained in the former Report. These were of the following nature :—