4 AUTOBIOGRAPHY [CHAP. 1. 



the period when instruction commonly known as edu- 

 cation is imparted, it seems to me that this followed the 

 distinction between education and the mere acquirement 

 of knowledge (well brought out by one of the Cole- 

 ridges), and embraced the former much more fully than 

 is the case at the present day. There was no undue pres- 

 sure on bodily or mental powers, but the work was steady 

 and constant. The instruction, except in music, was given 

 by my mother, who had, in an eminent degree, the gift 

 of teaching. Although at the present time home educa- 

 tion is frequently held up to contempt, still some recollec- 

 tions of my own home teaching may be of interest. The 

 subjects studied were those included in what is called a 

 " solid English education." First in order was biblical know- 

 ledge and moral precepts, practical as well as expository, 

 which seem to have glided into my head without my being 

 aware how, excepting in the case of the enormity of any 

 deviation from truth. In each of the six week-days' work 

 came a chapter of Scripture, read aloud, half in English, 

 and half in French, by my sister and me. The " lessons," 

 i.e., recitation, inspection of exercises, &c., followed. The 

 subjects at first were few but they were thoroughly 

 explained. Geography, for example, was taken at first in its 

 broad bearings, viz., countries, provinces, chief towns, 

 mountains, rivers, and so on (what comes back to my mind 

 as corresponding to "large print"), and gradually the 

 "small print" was added, with as minute information as 

 was considered necessary. Use of the map was strictly 

 enforced, and repetition to impress it on the memory. I 

 seem to hear my mother inculcating briskness in giving 

 names of county towns "Northumberland ? Now then ! 

 quick as lightning, answer." " Newcastle, Morpeth and 

 Alnwick, in Northumberland " ; and to enforce attention a 

 tap of my mother's thimble on the table, or possibly, if 

 stupidity required great rousing, with more gentle applica- 

 tion on the top of my head. If things were bad beyond 

 endurance, the book was sent with a skim across the room, 

 which had an enlivening effect ; but this rarely happened. 

 My mother gave the morning hours to the work (unless 

 there was some higher claim upon them, such as my father 

 requiring her for some purpose or other) but she always 

 declared that she would have nothing to do with the prepa- 

 ration of lessons in the afternoon. If all went fairly well, as 

 usual, the passage for next day's lesson was carefully read 

 over at my mother's side, and difficulties explained, and 



