PREFACE 



TO THE FIRST EDITION. 



IT has been generally supposed that fame or emolu- 

 ment is the only stimulus to authorship ; yet had not 

 motives of a more mixed character actuated the pre- 

 sent writer, the following pages would never have ap- 

 peared to solicit the indulgence, or deprecate the 

 severity of criticism. 



After devoting a considerable number of those years 

 which are most valuable in the life of man to practical 

 education ; after ascertaining, by experience, the value 

 of every scheme of improvement, the propriety of 

 which had recommended itself in theory to his under- 

 standing; after combining the knowledge of the school 

 with the suggestions of his own mind in the study ; 

 after verifying different plans of instruction with all 

 the attention in his power ; lie hopes that it will not 

 be deemed presumption in him to hint, that he is sen- 

 sible of some existing defects in the general modes of 

 education in this country ; nor can it be misbecoming 

 his character or situation to assist in removing them. 



With all the enthusiasm for the learned languages 

 which a classical education cannot fail to inspire, he 

 must declare that too much time is spent by the gener- 

 ality of youth in acquiring a knowledge of words only, 

 while the reasoning powers are suffered to lie dormant 

 A 3 



