MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 141 



for the school-room, the church, or other public occasions, not forgetting even 

 the home want. 



Such bouquets may, of course, be farther utilized, and that in a manner 

 highly calculated to interest and instruct the makers especially, by using tliem 

 directly, as a means of illustrating the school-room "talks'' hereinbefore 

 spoken of ; and they may and should also be used, in the same manner, to add 

 interest to an occasional oral lesson upon some branch of Botany, or other 

 kindred subjects, as, for instance, the peculiar habits of certain plants, the 

 necessities upon which the success of their growth or fructification seems to 

 depend ; or even the so slightly recognized, yet important sesthetical bearing 

 which indulgence in their culture is known to exert upon the human mind ; 

 and, through it, upon the great and important subject of human civilization 

 and elevation ; not forgetting that children, even more readily than older per- 

 sons, may be led to "look tlirough nature up to nature's God," and in so do- 

 ing be taught the more fully to comprehend something of the beauty and 

 wonderful fitness of the great system of dependences and compensations 

 under which the great Author of Nature has framed the world in which we 

 all have our existence. 



Prof. 0. D. Lawton, of Lawton, Van Buren county, kindly sent in a paper 

 in response to the letter of questions. 



PROFESSOR LAWTOis'S OPIi^ION". 



The interest which men manifest in a subject seems, frequently, to be in an 

 inverse ratio to its importance. They readily excite themselves into zeal and 

 passion during a political canvass, — manifesting a degree of interest and ex- 

 citement that would indicate that their very existence depended upen the suc- 

 cess of the particular party to whose fortunes and principles they have given 

 their adherence and advocacy. Only let some party question be started, 

 whether from the halls of Congress or in the town caucus, and every heart is 

 on fire, every tongue is unloosed ; time and money are freely consumed in a 

 strife, which is a mere contest of passion, the interest transient, and probably 

 the purpose sought to be accomplished of doubtful utility. 



But let it be a question in regard to the education of their children — per- 

 haps to provide a more commodious building with a view to their health, com- 

 fort, and convenience — perhaps to engage a more competent instructor, — ques- 

 tions of the deepest utility ; and ten to one they will quietly button up their pockets 

 with the utmost unconcern, probably remarking that the old school house is good 

 enough, as good as they had when they were boys, and guess that with a little 

 fixing up it will answer. And then they have no idea of paying some city chap 

 big wages to come in there and teach their children new-fangled notions I Thus 

 let it be a matter fraught with the deepest interests of humanity, one over 

 which reason watches but ambition wakes not, and you will cry in vain for 

 the attention which tlie importance of your subject should inspire. The ears 

 of the community, so alert for gossip over matters of little concern, are 

 shut, and the zeal that becomes rampant in petty political contests is dead, 

 and the voice of the demagogue, usually clamorous, is suddenly silent and 

 dumb. 



But still the world moves in education as in everything else, and with all our 

 perversity we have made considerable progress, if not to the extent that polit- 

 ical aspirants, courting loopular favor, are wont to boast. We are very apt to en- 

 deavor to make up in strains of vaporing bombast for lack of real value and merit. 

 If there is one thing, before all others, which it is cur duty and interest to en- 



