VIEWS ON EDUCATION 201 



should be made to cultivate tlie weak part of many minds when 

 young, and to get them to see the use of such things. When a 

 fellow can see the drift of what he learns, then he is eager to 

 learn what would otherwise be fearfully dry ; and I should 

 always try to begin with the application and then lead back to 

 the methods, even though the whole thing had to be gone over 

 again in reversed order, methods first, then applications. I 

 think that idea is rapidly growing. I am sure that the right 

 plan is, to take an example, to teach geography by mapping a 

 garden with the assistance of the child, and extending from the 

 known to the unknown. 



I remember that Martineau in an address lately said that he 

 had tried to learn the things he didn't take to naturally, so as 

 to balance his mind ; being convinced that what he liked he would 

 learn in odd times and almost without trying. I dare say a great 

 swell like Martineau might take such liberties with himself, but 

 I am doubtful if his method is generally applicable. My experi- 

 ence personally and of most others is that one has a dislike to 

 learn anything. Do you think that is general ? . . . I think a 

 looy when he is set to find out the properties of a metal, say silver, 

 through its salts takes leave of his sober senses and imagines he 

 is beginning a series of magical transformations. I said to a 

 fellow yesterday, 'Suppose you saw a sheep, how would you 

 recognise it as a sheep ? ' He grinned and described a sheep. 

 I then said, ' Now, suppose you saw its skeleton, how wd. you 

 tell it belonged to a sheep ? ' He named feet and teeth. I 

 then told him that he must learn to know exactly in the same 

 sort of way various properties of silver, so that if he came across 

 it he should recognise it again. I think he took me up. I often 

 wonder that a fellow who apparently conducts the ordinary 

 business of life sensibly should run amuck as soon as he tries a 

 slight extension of his every-day experiments. I think the first 

 thing to do is to eliminate the element of mystery which hangs 

 round these things and show a fellow that he is as great a fool. 



