Prussia and the German System of Education. 31 



then written, and short essays on themes such as may be 

 furnished by texts from the Book of Proverbs, and other 

 sentences of the kind ; and thus gradual advancement is 

 made to all the higher and graver modes of composition. 



4. Application of arithmetic and the mathematics to the 

 business of life, including surveying, civil engineering, etc. 



The utility of this branch of instruction, and the mode 

 of it, after what has already been said, are probably too 

 obvious to need any further illustration. 



5. Elements of drawing. 



For this the pupils have already been prepared by the 

 exercises in ornamental writing, in the previous part of 

 the course. They have already acquired that accuracy 

 of sight and steadiness of hand which are among the most 

 essential requisites to drawing well. The first exercises 

 are in drawing lines, and the most simple mathematical 

 figures, such as the square, the cube, the triangle, the paral- 

 lelogram; generally from wooden models, placed at some 

 little distance on a shelf, before the class.' From this they 

 proceed to architectural figures, such as doors, windows, 

 columns, facades. Then the figures of animals, such as a 

 horse, a cow, an elephant; first from other pictures, and 

 then from nature. A plant, a rose, or some flower is 

 placed upon a shelf, and the class make a picture of it. 



From this they proceed to landscape painting, historical 

 painting and the higher branches of the art, according to 

 their time and capacity. All learn enough of drawing to 

 use it in the common business of life, such as plotting a 

 field, laying out a canal, or drawing the plan of a building; 

 and many attain to a high degree of excellence. 



6. Exercises in singing and the science of music. 



The instructions of the previous parts are extended as 

 far as possible, and include singing and playing at sight, 

 and the more abstruse and difficult branches of the science 

 and art of music. 



