90 REMARKS ON DR. CALDWELl/s 



healthy development, and that of the other portions of the system : 

 wherefore, they ought not to be diverted, by serious study, to any 

 other purpose. In early infancy, indeed, as well as afterwards, 

 exercise is essential to the health of the brain, but this should be 

 the general and pleasurable exercise of observation and action ; it 

 ought not to be the compulsory exercise of tasks. Early prodigies 

 of mind rarely attain mature distinction ; because, in such instances, 

 the brain was injured by premature exertion, and the general health 

 impaired. 



Dr. Caldwell is not an advocate for " Infant Schools ;" and it is 

 his opinion that, unless they are conducted with great discretion, 

 they cannot fail to " eventuate in mischief." Instead of confining 

 infants to inaction in crowded school-rooms, with saddened looks, 

 moist eyes, and aching heads, he would send them into gardens and 

 lawns, groves and pleasure-grounds, where we should meet them 

 breathing pure air, leaping, laughing, shouting, cropping flowers, 

 pursuing butterflies, collecting and looking at curious and beautiful 

 stones, shells, and insects, listening to the songs of birds, singing 

 themselves, admiring the bright blue arch of the heavens^ or gazing 

 at the thickening folds of the thunder-cloud, and doing all other 

 things fitted to promote health, develope and strengthen their 

 frames, and prepare them for the graver business of after life ; and, 

 instead of pale faces, flaccid flesh, and wasted bodies, we should find 

 them with ruddy cheeks, firm muscles, and with full and well- 

 formed limbs. Mr. Cox, the Doctor's intelligent and discriminating 

 annotator, entertains very different views regarding infant schools 

 and their practical advantages. With respect to the training of 

 infants, he observes, we ought to look not only to what is desirable, 

 but to what is practicable. Were gardens and lawns, groves and 

 pleasure grounds, within the reach of the generality of young chil- 

 dren residing in large and crowded cities, it might be said, with 

 some shew of reason, that most of their time ought to be spent in 

 such places. But the case being otherwise, the best substitute for 

 them must be resorted to ; and that substitute, Mr. Cox feels con- 

 vinced, is a rationally conducted infant school : he even holds such 

 a school to be far superior to the open fields, as a place of habitual 

 resort for children. He distinguishes the institutions of Owen and 

 Wilderspin with his perfect approbation. In them, the chief atten- 

 tion is devoted to physical education : for this purpose, there is a 

 large play-ground, to which the children are dismissed at short in- 

 tervals; and there they are found breathing wholesome air, leaping, 

 laughing, and shouting, as much as Dr. Caldwell himself could 



