164) MEMOIRS OF 



ing to exalt the intelligence. This simple vil- 

 lage girl entered into the elevated views of her 

 master, even astonishing him by her happy sug- 

 gestions, which he unhesitatingly adopted in his 

 general plan of operation. She it was who re- 

 marked the difficulty that the labourers in the 

 fields experienced, in combining their agricul- 

 tural employments with the care of their younger 

 children, and who thought of collecting together, 

 even infants of the earliest age in spacious halls, 

 where, during the absence of their parents, some 

 intelligent instructresses should take care of, 

 amuse, teach them their letters, and exercise 

 them in employments adapted to their ages. 

 From this institution of Louise Scheppler arose 

 the infant schools of England and France, where 

 the children of the working classes, who would 

 otherwise be exposed to accidents and vicious 

 examples, are watched over, instructed, and pro- 

 tected. The honour of an idea which has pro- 

 duced such beautifid results is solely due to this 

 poor peasant of Ban de la Roche ; to this she 

 consecrated all her worldly means, and, what are 

 of more value, her youth and her health. Even 

 now, though advanced in years, she, without re- 

 ceiving the smallest compensation, assembles a 

 hundred children round her, from three to seven 



