PREFACE. 



accompanies the adult in every phase of his existence, and, far 

 from becoming extinct with the last throb of the heart, revives 

 before the unknown shadows of the grave. What, then, is 

 there in the whole world of greater importance to follow and 

 direct than the movements and impulses of this curiosity, of 

 these uncertain pulsations of the soul ? In this lies the secret 

 of all education ; and upon education depends the future of 

 humanity. 



Unfortunately, he continues, the methods hitherto employed 

 have been absolutely insufficient. And the insufficiency is 

 most notable as regards the imperfect and defective training 

 given to the instinct of curiosity. Observe the child. Of 

 everything which excites his attention, he never fails to ask 

 you the reason why. It is thus that he enters into the con- 

 nexion of " cause " and " effect." It is a sign. But instead 

 of following up this natural indication, and developing the 

 thought by the exercise of the reason, we proceed as if the 

 being under our charge were incapable of reason ; we over- 

 load the memory of the child with a multitude of words, 

 whose value he cannot understand until later in life, and 

 perhaps never. The true direction of the mind is to pro- 

 ceed from the thought to the word, and not from the word 

 to the thought. It is for want of having recognised and 

 applied this principle that our educational systems have 

 failed so utterly. 



