Memoranda. 189 
the object itself—thus giving a true and exact representa- 
tion of it, in place of the old, irksome, fatiguing and im- 
perfect way of description. In all the trials yet made, it 
has succeeded beyond expectation ; and from the nature of 
the method, it is capable of extension and variety ad infi- ° 
nitum, so as to accomplish the improvement of all the in- 
tellectual and physical faculties, calculated to meet the ex- 
pectations of the most refined civilization, and to inculcate 
useful knowledge by a natural, easy, and agreeable pro- 
cess—making not only youthful instruction, but all the use- 
ful and necessary operations of life, an amusement—con- 
verting the rugged and difficult voyage through the world 
into a pleasant recreation. This, you will say, is exaggera- 
tion and utopean, but—judge for yourself—do not let 
hear-say warp your opinion. So many live upon igno- 
rance that I have long turned a deaf ear to all they say 
against the cheap propagation of useful knowledge. 
This method is the apprenticeship of life, and the pupils 
become journeymen, and gain pay the moment they come 
from school; while by the old system they must serve 
from five to seven years apprenticeship, before they earn 
any pay, and are forced to forget the greatest part they 
have learned at school, to make room for the useful, that 
is to benefit them in their intercousre with men. 
The design of the school is to teach the pupils to avoid 
remorse, fear, nusery, and ennui. To accomplish the 
ist, they must act justly and correctly, viz. do as_ they 
would wish to be done by—2d, retain all their instinctive 
_ courage, and view every thing as it really is—3d, prac- 
tise economy and frugality in the indulgence of all the 
natural tastes and appetites, and a total prohibition against 
acquiring any artificia) physical wants—4th, obtain a 
knowledge of the works of nature and art, and an early 
habit of receiving pleasure from the examination of them. 
You will find the ground work in a smali pamphlet, enti- 
tled Neef’s Sketch, at William Duane’s, Philadelphia. 
Phiguepal’s method is a vast improvement on Neef’s. 
By the substitution of tangible substances and machinery, 
in place of tables, and of representations, in place of 
descriptions, great advantage is gained in conveying ideas 
to children; for the process of transferring the image to 
the mind, from the representation, is easy, direet, and 
