226 Human Physiology. 



It follows that the whole body, and all its paits and organs, 

 with the exceptions already noted, can be brought by judicious 

 training into their best form, highest condition, and healthiest, 

 most harmonious, and most powerful action. The fingers can 

 be trained to all kinds of skilful manipulations, notably to a 

 wonderful power of execution in playing instrumental music. 

 The eye can he trained or educated to the perception of form, 

 light and shade, and the gradations and harmonies of colour 

 to all that makes the artist, where some degree of artistic talent 

 exists. So the mind can be exercised to reason logically, or to 

 calculate accurately, or to strong, clear, and graceful expres- 

 sion in speech and writing ; and mind and body can be trained 

 together to grace and elegance of manners, and all that belongs 

 to good behaviour. 



It must not be forgotten, however, that the natural talent 

 must first exist. There must be an ear for music a natural 

 power of perceiving the relations of sounds, or much effort may 

 be wasted. There are great numbers whom no amount of 

 training can ever make musicians, painters, or sculptors. Poets 

 are born, not made; but where there is poetical talent, it can 

 be greatly improved. 



What we shall try to teach or learn is a question of economy. 

 Will it pay ? It will never pay to keep a child to music if ear, 

 and taste, and the love of it be wanting. The time and talent 

 for other things wasted in this way are incalculable. Not much 

 is gained by efforts to make artists of those in whom the facul- 

 ties of form, size, and colour are deficient. Boys are put to 

 learn engineering or architecture who lack the necessary talents 

 or gifts for these pursuits, and who painfully blunder through a 

 series of failures during their whole lives, because they, or their 

 parents or guardians, have mistaken their vocation. There is 

 for every one some employment to which he is best suited. 

 The first step in education should be to ascertain the talents, 

 capacities, and aptitudes of the pupil, and then develop, train, 



