Welsh Journals

Y kM1> A KYNV>> Y BRUI> A S Y L W Y DD; OR, €í)$ ®ỳvonitlt mtìí <®Mtvütv. Rhíf. 9.] No. 8.] MEDI 15, 1828. SEPTiSJfflER 15, 1828. [Cyf. I. [Kol. X. THE PKIIiCIPI.ES ÄÎÎB SYSTESI OF GSHSEJÌL ENOWLEDGB AIÎÎ> ©P THE CONSTRUCTIOK OF Ä LAîTGTJÄGE SUITSD FOB TECHSTICAL AHD COSIEICH- PTJ3POS3S. 1. IN TIIE INITIATION of INFANTS While tlie importunce of instructing children, and more advanced stu- dents, to render them adecpiate to a profitable engagement in the business of life, becomes every day more generally acknowledged; and schools, Academies, and even Universities, multiply ; wliile legislatures begin to look more to these institutions than to sanguinary laws, and their various punishments of confineroent, banish- ment, and execution, for the safety of life and property ;* and, in a word, while the increase of wealth and secu- rity, and of enjoyment and harmony *See the Esarninations taken before the Committee for inquiring ínto the Criminal Laws, and its Report. We have never read greater nonsense, or bet- ter proofs of bad education, than is shewn in the repíies of Mr. Rawlínson on his examination before the Committee. His opinion and ex- perience of the nature of education, was that unless it be very partially conferred, it does not consist with honesty and gcod morals. If so, and there be no other cause of depravity, the probity and good morals of Mr. Rawlinson are beyond suspicion. He thought that crimes were to be attributed to the over cducation of children. Education gives one the use of his mental faculties, and these faciúties may cer- tainly be improperly used, to prevent which Mr. Rawlinson's remedy is to deprive ojie of their use. The hands liltewise are improperly used: to prevent crime, should every man have his hands cut oíF? The fact is that edu- cation can never be attended with bad conse- quences unless it be either partiaily and injudi- ciously conferred, or so long deferred, that bad habits become first too deeply rooted to be over- come by its good resolutions, and thus force all the abiíities acquired, to act in their support. c r. in society, is considered to depend principallyon education in its various gradations and departments; it is natural to expect, that some great improvement has taken place in the principles and method upon which the teacher sets to wrork. We do find that an infinite number of publica- tionSj having for their common object to promote such improvemeut, has issued from the press since the revival of knowledge and instruction. Among all the variety of materials, arrangements, and particular purposes wdiich such authors have adòpted, they seem all to have agreed that more attention and greater aid to the instruction of students were called for, in proportion as their greater proficience enabled them the better to shift for themselves. The first rudi- ments of instruction were thought below the notice of the more learned and talented authors. They preferred the insuperable task of correcting the habituated errors of the student, to anticipating them. The condescension of Mr. Locke, Dr.Watts, Dr.Paley, and some others, if we wrell recollect, to touch upon the subject of juvenile education, has been highly complimented; and these au- thors were far from considering that any great exertion was requisite on such occasion. They never troubled themselves to inquire wliat first prin- ciples should be fixed in the mind, of which to compound and direct all its