358 
the benefit of his health, employed himself in superintend¬ 
ing- a school, consisting of sixty children, who made a rapid 
improvement under his instruction. It was his object 
to expand and inform the understandings, rather than to 
load the memories of his pupils, by imparting just ideas, 
and enforcing them by the plainest illustrations. This is 
evidently the most certain method of instilling knowledge 
into children, whose capacities are necessarily confined: 
and to burthen their memories continually with fresh matter, 
without explanation or illustration, tends only to confuse 
and weary them, without advancing a step nearer the great 
object in view. 
During the time Mr. Jones remained at the Mauritius, 
he experienced the most kind and unremitting attention 
from his Excellency, Governor Farquhar, and Charles 
Telfair, Esq.; by whose assiduity he was once more re¬ 
stored to perfect health, and prepared to resume his 
labours at Madagascar, in conjunction with his colleague, 
the Rev. Mr. Griffith. An opportunity of the most 
favourable nature presented itself of obtaining an intro¬ 
duction at the court of Radama, when Mr. Hastie pro¬ 
ceeded thither to treat for the abolition of the slave-trade, 
and of this Mr. Jones determined to avail himself. Of his 
arrival and journey to the capital, the reader is already 
informed. The reception he met with from Radama, the 
king of Ova, was highly flattering, and he soon found the 
benefit of the introduction he had received. Immediately 
after the affair of the slave-trade had been disposed of, 
Mr. Jones took an opportunity of conversing with the king 
on the subject of his mission, the nature of which had been 
previously explained to him by Mr. Hastie: he therefore 
assured Mr. Jones that he had nothing so much at heart as 
the instruction of his people, and requested him to inform 
the directors of the Missionary Society, that his protec¬ 
tion and support should be extended to any missionaries 
they might think proper to send over.—“ Help me,” said 
