38 The Concept of Method 



10. Everything must be taught according to one and the same 

 method. (Didactica Magna: XVII.) 



Drawing his illustrations always from organic nature, and mak- 

 ing the tgg and the growing plant his favorite analogies, Co- 

 menius summarises his method as follows : 



I. Principles of Method 



(i) Begin by a careful selection of materials (2) Prepare the 

 materials so that they actually strive to attain the form (3) De- 

 velop everything from beginnings which, though insignificant in 

 appearance, possess great potential strength (4) Advance from 

 what is easy to what is more difficult (5) Do not overburden 

 yourself, but be content with a little (6) Do not hurry, but ad- 

 vance slowly (7) Compel nothing to advance that is not driven 

 forward by its own mature strength (8) Assist the operation in 

 every possible manner (9) Only those things should be taught 

 whose application can be easily demonstrated (10) Be uniform 

 in all operations. (Didactica Magna: XVII.) 



II. Canons of Practice 



(i) Only those subjects that are of real use are to be taken 

 in hand (2) These are to be taught without digression or inter- 

 ruption (3) A thorough grounding must precede instruction in 

 detail (4) This grounding must be carefully given (5) All that 

 follows must be based on this grounding, and on nothing else 

 (6) In every subject that consists of several parts, these parts 

 must be linked together as much as possible (7) All that comes 

 later must be based on what has gone before (&) Great stress 

 must be laid on the points of resemblance between cognate sub- 

 jects (9) All studies must be arranged with reference to the 

 intelligence and memory of the pupils and the nature of the 

 language (10) Knowledge must be fixed in the memory by con- 

 stant practice. (Didactica Magna: XVIII.) 



III. The Function of the Senses 



( I ) The commencement of knowledge must always come from 

 the senses (for the understanding possesses nothing that it has 

 not first derived from the senses). 



