ii PREFACE. 



particular laws of the organization, according to 

 which their influence is exerted, that the recom- 

 mendation given may rest, as far as possible, on 

 the foundation of nature, and not on the doubtful 

 authority of any individual. Many of the valuable 

 treatises which have already appeared on the sub- 

 jects of health and of education seem to me to 

 have failed in making an adequate impression on 

 the public mind, chiefly from this basis not having 

 been brought sufficiently into view ; and thus not 

 only have the evils arising from defective education 

 been unjustly and invidiously charged against edu- 

 cation itself, but the most opposite methods have 

 been advocated and practised, with equal earnest- 

 ness and plausibility, where a direct reference to 

 the laws of the organization would at once have 

 dissipated doubt and placed truth in its clearest 

 light. 



It is not uninstructive to remark, that, in the case 

 of the lower animals, the necessity of modifying the 

 method of cultivation according to the peculiarities 

 of constitution which they present, has been long 

 perceived and consistently acted on, and with such 

 success as to afford us good reason for applying the 

 same rule to our own species, and for regarding 

 every mode of education as erroneous and ineffi- 

 cient which is not in harmony with the higher na- 

 ture of man. The extent, indeed, to which, by fol- 

 lowing this plan, we can carry our influence over 

 the lower animals, and secure the development and 

 efficiency of almost every organ, has often been the 

 theme of admiration and surprise : and there can 



