INTRODUCTION XVll 



in us, but because it constitutes an important 

 part of the spiritual wealth of the world, and the 

 practical man will not listen to you. He demands 

 results, deeds, achievements, and has no use for a 

 training which has anything else in view. He 

 does not realize that the cultivation of the capacity 

 for simple pleasures, for the pleasures of home, for 

 a love of animals and of nature, may be the most 

 practical thing in the world. He does not under- 

 stand that a system of education which, while it 

 seeks to enrich the student with the garnered 

 wealth of all the ages, h.ys stress on homely 

 joys and unassuming virtues, may still be as con- 

 ducive to national well-being, and have as marked 

 a tendency to promote what should be called 

 civilization, as the system that aims at nothing ex- 

 cept developing the capacity to do things, and 

 a determination to employ it. Ruskin doubtless 

 was guilty of a gross exaggeration when he said 

 that "All other efforts in education are futile till 

 you have taught your people to love fields, birds, 

 and flowers." But if he had said that the develop- 

 ment of the love of such things, in those who have a 

 capacity for it, is second in importance to nothing 

 except the forming of character, who could have 

 questioned his statement ? 

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