Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-09-07
Original setsrfIIanv.
Education Of Children.

A~ASe~SNhNDfs ~ N~ftNSNf 1'f'
ANY man may have noticed in himself,
tIfat whenever ne has been for sometime
employed in a particular kind of mental ex-
ercise, he has acquired degree Of facility
IN il, become fond Of it for amusement, and
is always inclined TO resort to that, or some.
thing analogous 70 il, as the means OF inves-
tlgating any new subject, which falls under
his inspection. When we first enter on The
study of any science, we find il obscure and
Ardu)us its theOrerns are hard TO retain, and
It's arguments difficult 70 race. But, wien
we have familisrized ourselves BY practice
with The ideas and modes Of thinking pecu-
liar to it, we mol only follow its trains OF rea
soning with readiness, but are disposed to
introduce Il on improper occasions, and ar
que from It's principles. where they are TO-
tally napplicsble. Hence The surprizing f..
ciiny, which some men acquire IN mslhemat
ical calculation and the nabit so often no
ticed in pers rs devoted TO that science, Of
creating every subject with It's method cal
AID minute precision of estimating not only
uusntity but quality By number and meas
ure. Hence also The very common opinion
that scholars distinguished for 3eiIes.let
tres requirements, are unit for difficult and
deep research. These peculiar modes Of
HABITS class of habits no less common,
perhaps more permanent, and ct curse no
s-,sru- ~ nc neglected In the education OF
children, than moral ORes. There are some
studies which may 50 much eHsFOs. Tie at
tentlOn, even al very early age, IS 20 ex-
ciude all relish for others; and Il such an
exclusive prediction is suffered 20 govern,
the faculties will be but pAruahy cultivated,
the mind viii acquire kind OF constitution.
81 bias, which viii be forever dragging II
from q natural cOut Sc, lis views will be con-
Uacted, its judgments precipitste, us TEN
per unequal aud peev,sh IL Will indeed be
s1ie 10 act with fzcIity within is wUnsed
sphere. but totally lost without IL may
perhaps advance very iet IA is favOriie pur-
sltit, but such cOhfln5 TO narrow chan
Tclo u eXertiOn will inevitably give A kind
IF dlspro7ortion sUd general weakness, fatal
20 all manly and nille effort, But without
looking iDrwsrd ID -heu future Characters,
tie efiect Of intelsc lsi habit may bs pei
ce'Yed, hy It's immediate operation on lie
minds u Children Tue rxeTcise 10 which
they are most fr quently directed, because
we mos, Easy both for themselves aud their
instruc ors, is that u The memory but
certainly a is not Tie m.sl useful They
comm. 70 memory % coming over task
ume alter time, tiil they find, Oh removing
theH eyes from tie BOOK, TIE words Tecur
70 them arranged in their proper order.
lhe process partaSes some what OF the ma
,uce o. mecharicsl one, very much resem
Ding that, BY which We learn 10 move the
hagers with such facility and almost invol
unfairly on the musical instrument : and is
20 lar from maturing the SandlRg,
That 4 has an effect, by leading the mind to
different tram e sctIop, 20 prevent any ex-
-rclSe q i Il may generally be remarked,
toat child, WHO has been much aceusg0m-
I'd 70 mere committing o memory, Is not 30
ready % comprehend q definition or draw
sn inference, As enc who has lad 10 txer-
case It al. Indeed the exercise, If this
faculty, considered SIMPLY SIS an exercise. ia
OF less consequence, than IL generally imsg.
fned. II IS "a inpcr Rnce, HAT ,ye should ",
constantly resS0ring Up some ling. either
words or ideas, for use IN hle, tor tAer- is
no end 10 our wants Ia dat res pect but The
faculty Itself may be easily cultivated, ard
will readily lose and regain sgain the i'm
provemenl Il has made. Lei peisOn
spend swo hours sdsy l0r a month ~ men.
tsl aaIthmeucal operations, and he VIA hud
BY that time be can 60 thrp' The longest
processes without difficulty OF errors +: bUt
ne omit the Practice, lie viii find IN three
OF iour months, that his faculty. IL retaining
numbers has entirely left him, and would he
renew y, he saust begin sgs,n with short
calculations IA tllAt kind " effort of The
IMAGINATION, Sy which, in The study Of zeoe-
rap y, maps arc referred 10 he surface az
the earth, he force Of intellectual habit i
peculiarly sppRFents Many children, even
a. an advanced age, for vsnJ al practice fIad
i extremely difficult; but habit SOON rem
uers e easy even to the Youngest, and to
those an other studies he most unsuccessful.
hwS0so De an endless task n slluds 10 eve