84 GRECIAN EDUCATION. 



wickedness. The distinction of animals, not noxious to man, he for- 

 bade. These are but a brief specimen of the maxims of this distinguish- 

 ed sage, Jt is, however, as much as is needed to make us acquainted 

 with the philosopher who stood at the head of the Ionic school. Our 

 attention should now be turned to the course he pursued in developing 

 the faculties of the human mind. His reputation will rise in our estima- 

 tion when we contemplate his agency in calling forth the faculties of the 

 human mind. Parents, in his view, were the proper instructors of their 

 ofispring, and their separation was the greatest injury. In this then, is 

 a striking difference between him and Lycurgus. Religious education, 

 which was so important an element in his scheme, was the ground of 

 the required connection betvveen parents and their children. The whole 

 period of youth was dedicated to education and each age had its appro- 

 priate treatment. 



In eating and drinking children are easily trained to what is proper, 

 and nature makes this training necessary. The inferior animals are oth- 

 erwise provided for. Boys should be habituated to abstinence and reg- 

 ularity and likewise young men, otherwise boyish irregularities, such as 

 idleness and playfulness, will be united to the headiness and excesses of 

 youth. In neglect of this, many of the defects of later life, have their 

 origin at an earlier period, for instance, ambition. 



Pvthagoras taught Mathematics, Astronomy, Natural Pliilosophy and 

 various branches of the healing art. Astrology he considered of no val- 

 ue. Divination and physiognomy he reduced to fixed principles. 



Differing, says Schwartz, from most others, who have distinguished 

 themselves, he combined the philosopher with the teacher. He so ex- 

 ercised the minds of his pupds as to give them a direction and impulse 

 which prevented their becoming the mere echo of their teacher, as is so 

 frequently the case. They became independent thinkers capable of ma- 

 turing their own minds. A capacity for this was his special aim ; this 

 was the Ev/ju^B-ta^ which he regarded as combining three elements, 



His pupils were required to impress deeply upon their minds what 

 they were taught, and not permitted to advance a step till they had done 

 so. Before rising in the morning, they repeated verbatim, what they 

 had learned the day before and previously. In this way, tliey were ex- 

 cited to reflection and study. They were required to be engaged with 

 the whole soul in whatever they undertook. Study was made a serious 

 business. It was not pursued as it is too often now. 



Now very frequently every artifice is resorted to in order to escape 

 study, to render null and void the advantages we enjoy. 



