INTELLECTUAL EDUCATION. 



go on to general faSs and (latcments. In like manner with 

 rcfpeft to words, it is fufficicnt if we can give a clear idea 

 of the fignification of a word as it occurs : it will after- 

 wards be an excellent employment of the uiiderftaiiding to 

 combine thefe meanings logelhc-r, fo as to generalize the 

 term ; and where the mind lias been well cultivated, this will 

 be done almoft without our dircft eJTorts. But it lliould 

 not unfrequently conllitute a dired cxcrcife in the more 

 advanced periods of education, to trace out that common 

 fignification which a word has throughout all its varieties of 

 fignification; and previoufly to this, it is defirable to ac- 

 cullom the young to cxpecl that the particular force of a 

 word which they have acquired is by no means the only one, 

 and to be ready to receive the change of meaning which the 

 circumftances of the conneilion may require, or which the 

 writer may, by his definitions, endeavour to communicate to 

 his readers. 



The wrong application of words is one of the chief ob- 

 ftacles in the acquifition of knov.ledge, and conilitutes the 

 c;iufe of fome of our earlieft and llrongcft-prcjuJices. By 

 the magic power of afibciatioii, not only do the conneftions 

 cf ideas fuggeft combinations of words, but combinations 

 of words, in innumerable inllances, produce connexions of 

 ideas. And this ought to furnidi to the early inftruflor, a 

 powerful motive to caution in the employment of words ; fo 

 that, in his communications with his pupils, he may avoid, 

 not only thofe modes of cxprefTion which are in themfelves 

 calculated to convey wrong ideas, but thofe alfo which mud 

 convey wrong ideas in confequence of the partial knowl.dge 

 poGelTed by thofe who hear them. It (liould be a leading 

 objeft, in every department of education, fince it is totally 

 impoffible to give full and complete ideas, to render thofe 

 which we can communicate clear and correft. Where this 

 objeft is fteadiiy purfued, the underrtanding may be ex- 

 pefted for itfelf to feek, and wil', in all probabihty, acquire 

 all which is neceflary beyond. 



But notwithflanding all the care and felf-culture of pa- 

 rents and inftruftors, numerous erroneous aifociations will 

 be formed or imbibed, whieh will warp the judgment from 

 the perception of truth, and fometimes obfcure it. A 

 large proportion of them operate through the medium of 

 .the affeftions ; and fome attention will be paid to thefe 

 under the h^ad of Mokai, Education ; but ftill many 

 remain which arife from the ambiguities of language, 

 from partial obfervation, from accidental combinations of 

 external objefts, &c. Thefe will often give way to the 

 gradual developement of the mental faculties, and the ac- 

 quifition of knowledge ; but fometimes thefe irregular aflb- 

 ciations will continue for a long period to perplex and mif- 

 lead the underftanding. It is highly dellrable, therefore, 

 to watch for them, and, where they arc difcovcred, to take 

 fuitable means for de'.lroying them. When we perceive a 

 -want of readinefs to admit obvious truths which are level 

 to the progrefs of the intellect, we may ufually conclude 

 that fome incorrecl idea has been connected with the words 

 employed. Sometimes the immediate end may be gained by 

 a cliange of words ; but it is, perhaps, generally preferable 

 to endeavour to enter into the little mind and trace its errors 

 and their fources. Wc remember once difcovering that a 

 child had formed the prepofterous idea, that the dull which 

 flies about in the road is in part compofed of the particles 

 of the human body ; an idea derived (by fome procefs of 

 reafoning, which we do not now recol'edt, aided no doubt 

 by an effort of the imaginaticm,) from impreffions received 

 from the words in the burial fervice, " dull to dull." Here, 

 and in fimilar cafes, to difcovcr the hnk and to feparate it, 

 are almoll the fame thing. It is one great advantage of 



domeftic education, that it enables the parent or inttruflor 

 to watch over the early aflbciations, and to prevent the 

 formation, or effeft the difunion, of many which are in- 

 jurious to the acquifition of knowledge, and what is ftill 

 more important, unfriendly to the moral judgment, and to the 

 happinefs of the individual. To have the power of availing 

 themfelves of ihis advantage, however, parents muil ac- 

 cuilom their children lo view them as friends, to open (heir 

 httle minds to them with the utnioll confidence ; they mud 

 treat their erroneous judgments with mildnefs, and be habi- 

 tually careful in their own modes of expreflion in their pre- 

 fence, and efpecially in their direft communications with 

 them. 



Before quitting the fubjeft of words we would add, that 

 it is very defirable to accuttom children to the peculiar terms 

 cf fcience and art, as foon as they can uaderfland their 

 meaning. In very many inllances this can be done with 

 eafc, not as a formal objeft, but in the courfe of convcr- 

 fatior, or while explaining what is n et with in books. 

 When the terms are become fcim;liar, and are pretty well 

 underftood, the difficulties attendnig the acquifition of any 

 fcience are greatly lifFcied. Even familiarity with the mere 

 words employed, is of fome fervice when we begin a new 

 branch of knowledge ; but in many cafes even clear ideas 

 may be early obtained in connection with fcientific lan- 

 guage, which v,-ill efTcdually prejjaie the \\ay for future 

 progrefs. Suppofe, for iiutaiice, the leading terms of geo- 

 metry are early exp ained, by means of figures or models, 

 not only will the uinleillandiiig receive fon-.e exercife by the 

 acquifition ul dilliuct ideas in conneftion with words, but 

 it will be ready whenever the reafoning powers are fuffi- 

 ciently matured to be direfted to geometry, to enter upon 

 the field without that perplexity which is fo often produced 

 by the multitude of new words as well of new ideas. The 

 utmolt care fliould, however, be taken to make our expla- 

 nations correft as far they go. If poflible, ciiildren fiiould 

 have nothing to unlearn ;_ and though we cannot eft'eft this 

 completely, yet more depends than is ufually fuppofed upon ■ 

 thofe who have to guide the early aflociations and mould the 

 habit ; and the lefs error enters the mind, the more readily 

 will truth find admittance. 



XI. " It is more likely," fays Mifs Edgeworth, " that 

 nv'it fliould be engrafted upon judgment, than that judgment 

 fliould be engrafted upon wit." Numerous excellent ob- 

 fervations may be found in her Practical Education refpeft- 

 ing the cultivation of the underftanding ; we fliall conclude 

 what we have advanced on the fubjeft, by quoting her very 

 judicious remarks on the fubjeft of the early cultivation of 

 wit. 



« We have advifed, that the judgment of children fliould 

 be exercifed upon the objecls of their fenfes. It is fcarcely 

 poffiblc that they flioidd reafon upon the lubiefts which are 

 Ibmetimes propofed to thein : with refpeft to manners and 

 fociety, thay have had no experience, confequently they can 

 form no judgment. By imprudently endeavouring to turn 

 the attention of children to converfation that is unfuited to 

 them, people may give the ,i^p,arancc of early intelligence, 

 and a certain readinefs of repartee and fluency of expreflion ; 

 but thefe are tranfient advantages. Smart, witty children 

 amufe the circle for a few hours, and are forgotten ; and we 

 may obferve, that almoit all children who are praifcd and 

 admired for fprightlinefs and wit, reafon abfurdly, and con- 

 tinue ign»rant. Wit and judgment depend upon different 

 and oppofite habits of mind. Wit fearches for remote re- 

 femblances between objefts or thoughts apparently diflimi- 

 lar. Judgment compares the objedts placed before it, in 

 order to find out their differences rather than their refem. 



blaiices. 



