140 ON THE EDUCATION OF 



the o in the word horse, immediately before being brought to 

 that animal. His attention will not require to be turned to the 

 r till he is to be made acquainted with such words as home, 

 home, and hot. In like manner, when he is to be made ac- 

 quainted with the word horn, coinciding with horse in the first 

 three letters, his attention will be directed to the fourth. The 

 first three will probably by that time be so familial* to his 

 tact as to require but little tracing, on the same principle on 

 which other persons learn by habit to read syllables and words 

 without spelling. 



He ought to receive in the very beginning a considerable va- 

 riety of words ; for, though he is not likely to learn many tho- 

 roughly at once, he will thus have a chance of sooner under- 

 standing the design with which they are given. A iew should 

 be more particularly forced on his attention ; and, as it is by 

 distinguishing objects which are nearly allied that he will soonest 

 perceive the utility of language, it would be advisable to direct 

 his mind, in the first place, to a single class of objects, such as 

 the articles of food and drink, the names of which might be gi- 

 ven to him very fully. When he sits at table, the name of each 

 article may be placed beside it, and opportunities thus allowed 

 him to practise this species of association. Significant words 

 may next be appended to other familiar objects which admit of 

 it. The frequent repetition of these associations is probably a 

 better method of producing an impression on the memory, than 

 the exaction of a task which requires exertion of mind. A 

 deep interest may be excited by making him handle the name 

 of a favourite object, such as the word milk or bread, a few mi- 

 nutes before the object itself is given to him. The association 

 will thus be aided by the operation of encouraging hope or 

 pleasing curiosity. This will be both a milder and more effec- 

 tual expedient, than to make his proficiency the condition of 



the 



