6 INTRODUCTION. 
takes care of mistakes. Every human soul reaches 
toward the light in the most direct path open to it, 
and will correct its own errors as soon as it is devel- 
oped far enough. ‘There is no use in trying to force 
maturity ; teachers who trouble children beyond all 
reason, and worry over their mistakes, are fumbling 
at the roots of young plants that will grow if they are 
let alone long enough. 
The average mechanical work (spelling, construc- 
tion of sentences, writing, etc.) is better under this 
method than when more time is devoted to the me- 
chanics and less to the thought of composition. I 
have seen many reports of Burroughs’s essays from 
the pens of children more pleasing and reliable than 
the essays of some professional reviewers; in these 
papers I often find the children adding hittle sugges- 
tions of their own; as, “ Do birds dream?” One of 
the girls says her bird “ jumps in its sleep.” A little 
ten year old writes, “‘ Weeds are unuseful flowers,” 
and, “I like this book because there are real things 
in it.” Another thinks she “will look more care- 
fully ” if she ever gets out into the country again. 
For the development of close observation and good 
feeling toward the common things of life, I know of 
no writings better than those of John Burroughs. 
MARY E. BURT. 
JonES ScHoon, Curcaco, Sept. 1, 1887. 
