GRECIAN EDUCATION- 213 



The only material advantage which education now has above what 

 il had tlien is derived from the christian religion. In other matters it 

 has made very little or no real progress. In some things, it may be re- 

 garded as inferior. Physical education is certainly not carried to as 

 much perfection now as it was then. Aesthetical education is not supe- 

 rior to that which produced the tine prose writers and masterly poets of 

 Greece. The intellect is not more powerfully developed than it was in 

 the days of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. 



Much may, therefore, be learned from these ancient pedagogues, and 

 their precepts enforced, in our days, would be followed by valuable re- 

 sults. *'*'Every thing should combine to form man, from his youth, to 

 excellence of character, for even as the plant is then most certain to 

 reach perfection, ii' its first developements are beautiful, so man has in- 

 deed his natural distinction as an (tame) animal (^wav); yet does he 

 most need education, for without it he becomes the wildest animal ; but 

 through it he attains his highest destination, and becomes the tamest 

 (most cultivated), 3'ea, the most divine among all creatures. The first 

 food a child can receive is discipline and culture." 



Aristotle, particularly in his work on Politics, furnishes us very in- 

 structive ideas on the subject of education. Having devoted himself to 

 the education of Alexander, he became prepared both for theoretical and 

 practical agency in the matter. Every one must admit that he discusses 

 the whole subject with his wonted ability, and all must admire the depth 

 and comprehensiveness of his views. 



A very satisfactory summary, condensed from the extensive work of 

 Schwartz, has been given in Professor Smith's History of Education. 

 We extract some things from this, referring the reader for more ample 

 details to the work itself: 



"In learning arithmetic, the boys were made to distribute apples 

 among themselves, or exchange places, or transpose letters, attempting 

 the possible combinations, first with three, then with four. Sic. The 

 units were designated b}^ certain letters, the tens either by accented or 

 compound letters. 



In teaching Geometry, the figures were drawn on a board or in the 

 sand, and, according to the ancient method, the pupil was probably left, 

 in a great measure, to independent thought, being required to seek and 

 to find for himself. Instruction in the art of design [y^u.<piy.n) wa:> pret- 

 ty general in the time of Plato \ and Aristotle insists on its being prac- 

 tised, in order to cultivate the sense of the beautiful and the artistic 

 judgement. 



* J'rofc-3501 bmilh's History of Educdtion. 



