EDUCATION, AS XT IS ANU AS IT SHOULD BE. 81 



With regard to Logic, it is usually attempted to be imparted in even 

 a worse manner than Greek and Latin. It is often taught by those 

 who have small " Causality" and " Insight into Human Nature," and 

 the attempt is, of course, futile. I would recommend all those who 

 have been engaged in this department to peruse the Testimonials 

 published by Combe, in which the various eminent writers concur that 

 uo sound system of Logic can be taught without Phrenology. One 

 writer says, " Convinced as I have been that Phrenology is the true 

 philosophy of mind, I cannot but regard it, not only as conducive to 

 the successful teaching of a Logic class, but as the only foundation 

 on which sound Logic can he reared." How many there are, alas 1 

 who will be obliged to express the same sentiments as another writer — 

 « An old student myself in the Logic class, I can never look back 

 but with regret on the barren path I then found myself obliged to 

 tread." 



Nor is it possible to teach language as it should be taught without 

 an intimate acquaintance with Phrenology ; and yet how many there 

 are who undertake this without even knowing the names or the num- 

 ber of the primitive faculties of the human mind I It is ignorance 

 like this, conjoined with an unfavourable development, that prompts 

 to their insane mode of proceeding, a mode equally unsound whether 

 we regard the manner or the matter. It would hardly be believed, 

 but I can vouch for the fact, that one-half of the time devoted to lan- 

 guage is not unfrequently expended on — grammar / I shall cite 

 the opinion of Lord Kames on this point. " In teaching a language 

 it is the universal rule to begin with grammar, and to do everything 

 by rule. I affirm this to be a most preposterous method. Grammar 

 is contrived for men, not for children. Its natural place is between 

 language and logic ; it ought to close the lectures on the farmer, and 

 to be the first lectures on the latter. It is a gross deception that a 

 language cannot he taught without rules. A boy who is forced 

 into grammar rules makes a shift to apply them [from rather exten- 

 sive observation, I should rather doubt whether even this was the 

 case] ; but he applies them by rote, like a Parrot. Boys, for the 

 knowledge they acquire of a language, are not indebted to dry rules, 

 but to practice and observation. To this day I never think without 

 shuddering of Despautcr's grammar, which was my daily persecution 

 during the most important period of life. Curiosity, when I was 

 further advanced in years, prompted me to look at a book that had 

 given me so much trouble. At this time I understood the rules per- 

 voL. vri., NO. XXI. L 



