INTELLECTUAL EDUCATION. 



tie preceding iHtfllectual liabits or faciiltiis, principally 

 with a view to thofe operations, which are ufually referred 

 to the heads of iuclgment and reafoning, and to thofe opera- 

 tions of the aflbciative posver by which ideas are combined 

 and aflbciated with words. 



The foundation of an accurate, difcriminating judgment, 

 can only be laid in the acquifition of clear perceptions. 

 During the period of infancy (that is, before the ufe of 

 words is underllood), this is almoll tlie fole object of in- 

 tsUecludl education; and where this is properly attended 

 to, unlefs in very unfavourable circumftances, the develope- 

 ment of the underftanding will afterwards go on with fuc- 

 cefs. Where this has been neglefted, the injurious efFefts 

 are fcldom completely remedied. The acquiiition of clear 

 perceptions does not, however, necelTarily introduce the 

 operations of comparifon, difcrimination, and judgment ; but 

 when thefe are exercifed, the perception is thereby rendered 

 more acute and aftive. The perceptive powers are necef- 

 farily improved in proportion to the attention of the mind 

 to the objects of perception ; and whatever excites the 

 operations of the mind, is produdlive of that pleafure which 

 attends every natural and gentle exercife of the mental fa- 

 culties, more or lefs in every period of life, but particularly 

 in thofe to which education- is chiefly direfted. Every fuch 

 exercife of the mental facidties in connexion with the ob- 

 jects of perception, tends to excite the attention to thofe 

 objefts, and confequently to improve the perception. And 

 thus it is, as in every period of the intelleftual culture, that 

 the proper exercife of one faculty tends to the general im- 

 provement of the mind. But to compare, to difcriminate, 

 and to judge, does not neceffarily follow from the exercife 

 of the perception. In the more complicated perceptions, 

 numerous judgments are often included ; but for the for- 

 mation of thofe fimple ones which are the full exercife of 

 the mind, nothing more is requifite than retention of ideas, 

 and that elementary exercife of the alTociative power by 

 which two or more ideas, derived from the fame or fimilar 

 objefls, are connected witli the appearance, &c. of tlie 

 object, fo as to be at once recalled by it, and by degrees 

 combined with it : neverthelefs, where the mind is attive, 

 and fuitable opportunities are given, it very eaily begins to 

 employ thofe faculties of the mind on the notions prcfented 

 by the fenfes. We have obferved, even at the age of twelve 

 months, inftanccs of tlie moit decided nature, proving the 

 attentive examination and accurate difcrimination of the ob- 

 jects of fenfation. Ainong others, we recal to mind a httle 

 circumftance which we obferved with great fatisfaCtion, where 

 parental partiality was not concerned. A boy, of a fine in- 

 telligent caft of countenance, but not at all able to fpeak, 

 had a ftrawberry with its llalk on, and a red garden daify 

 not fully opened, and which very much refembled the ftraw- 

 berry, placed before him. He had feveral times before 

 eaten ftrawberries, and of courfe had an infantine motive 

 for difcrimination. He looked firft at one, and then at the 

 other ; at laft he took up the daify, but without putting it 

 to his nofe or mouth, he continued obferving it, and after 

 fome time he put it down and took up the ftrawberry, which 

 he almoft immediately ate. Hence it might be fnppofed, on 

 the one hand, that there was an operation ofreafoning ; and, 

 on the other, that it was fimply a judgment, formed by com- 

 parifon of the fenfations. 



The truth appears to lie between the two fuppofitions. 

 As far as we can form an idea of the operation of the in- 

 fant mind, the cafe was this. There certainly was comi- 

 fidcrable refemblance between the two objcfts, or the child 

 (whofe difcriminative powers were obvioufly clear) would- 

 haic at once cho.^en the right one ; but having ukca up the 



Vol. XIX. 



daify, it did not, on minute obferva,tion, prefcnt thofe ajj- 

 pcarances which excited the connected pleafurable feelingj, 

 already aflbciated with the conception and name of ths 

 ftrawberry, and confequently did not excite the difpofitJon 

 to cat it. The judgment was not a diredt intentional one, 

 and confequently differed from thofe which we employ by 

 the ufe of words ; but the procefs was the fame with that 

 which continually takes place in our own minds. The re- 

 jection of the daify was in confequence of the perception 

 of diverfity, or at leaft the want of perception of complete 

 firailarity between the fenfation and the conception vviiich 

 had been produced by the frequent fight of the fruit. In 

 this inftance we have no doubt that words were employed to 

 fet the comparifon in motion. Ciiildren often underttand 

 many words before they can at all utter articulate founds. 

 The child was probably told that one was a ftrawberry and 

 the other a daify, and that he might cat the ftrawberry. 



3uch comparifons fiiou'd oft-.-a be produced, but at firft 

 the objects ftiould, as much as pofllble, be fuch, that the 

 comparifon may be fuggefted by the wants of the cafe ; and 

 it fhould, confequently, be always employed on objefts 

 which are completely within the grafp of the mind, at leaft; 

 in the view which we wifti to have taken of them. It would 

 be abfurd, for inftance, to lead a child to compare any of 

 the qualities of a guinea and a (hilling, but thofe which are 

 obvious to the fight or the touch. Inftances will be con- 

 tinually occurring (where proper room is given for the exer- 

 cife of the faculties), in which comparifon will take place 

 without any effort on the part of the parent ; but- it v ill 

 ufually be found expedient fometimes to bring about the em- 

 ployment of the judgment direAly ; and provided we take 

 care never to make it painful, by difpleafure at inaccuracy, 

 or by loo much foHcitude as to the refult, it may be done 

 witli great advantage. We never can be without objects to 

 exercife comparifon, when children underftand the meaning 

 of coinmon words, even if they cannot tkemfelves properly 

 employ them. The fize of things, theii" colour,, ftiape, 

 fmoothnefs, weight, &c. (according to the degree in \shich 

 the underftanding is developed, and the meaning of words 

 underftood), furnifh conftant means for leading to obfcrve 

 refemblances and differences in their various combinations ; 

 and the perception of thefe conftitutes difcrimination. 



Thefe things would doubtlefs appear trifling to many of 

 our readers ; but in all probabihty thofe who may confult 

 this article will view tilings in a different light. Difcrimi- 

 nation of judgment is a quahty than which no one is more 

 eflential in the purfuit of truth ; the ready perception of 

 refemblances among diverfities, and fti'.l more the quick and 

 accurate perception of diverfity in the midft of refemblances, 

 conftitute fome of the moft important operations of the un- 

 derftanding. And fuch difcrimination will ufually be pro- 

 duced, where the mind is awakened by having fufficient 

 fcope and exercife of its faculties. We may often leave it 

 to its own filent progrefs ; and if we encoiu'age accurate 

 and attentive obfervation, and the corredt ufe of words, dif- 

 crimination will, in all probability, be foimd to follow as a 

 natural confequence. But it muft alfo be our endeavour, 

 to awaken and exercife the mind by diredt attention on our 

 part ; and provided we meafure our efforts by the degree 

 in which the underftanding is developed, and do not attempt 

 to force it, but only to guide and employ it, we may rcafon- 

 ably indulge the confidence that llie work of education is 

 going on fiiccefsfully, and that we are beginning a progrefs 

 of intellect, from which the moft fatisfadory relults may be 

 expcftcd. 



This quality of aecuratj; difcrimination ftiould be kept in 



view and exercifed in every -part of education. It is, indeed, 



K k. the 



