The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-25

science, wealth, and morals, sELf-ISsrRuc
, TON" The motto :. Nature before book ana
) dyaring before ,oriting," constantly acted upon
would do much TO secure such instruction, Il
fix such a ivot The sentiment has been tina
books were the first, the principal, and almost
the only instruments 10 fit young beings FOL
their future yocations Ii is not now
Other sentiments, which will bear the test OF
common sense ard OF universal experience, have
taken the place of that, equally preposterous
and mischIevous, running thousands upon
thousands of the very best minds ever created
In German schools reetations on most sub
iects are conducted without any use of a book
either by the pupil or teacher. That is as il
should be- In some--perhaps all-of the nor
NAL schools in this country it is now funda-
mental principle that, before the pupils are
qualified to teach they must be able to conduct
recitations without the Of books. In
an address by Daniel Webster, given some,
months since al an agricultural fair, he remarked,
I"AI the knowledge we get from books is very
little, and that little not worth much" As a DIS
of Knowledge books are good; as the principal
sources Of dependence, they are false, and sadly
| disastrous.
The moment the eye. the hand, and the heart
generally take the place Of books, as the prn-
cipal agents of instruction, truants will never
be heard of; rowdies, who are only truants
having taken several degree in advance, will
soon be out of market; on houses of refuge for
juvenile denquents may bs written TO LET )"
and the place upon our court dockets for
! Michigan conspirators" will be left black.
No subjects for placing upon this "grand
pivot" for securing the agency OF the eye, hand,
and heart, are more appropriate than the first
principles" of farming and mechanism To coli
ect and arrange specimens of geology, showing
the elements of soils; to prepare and perform
chemical experiments, showing the nature of
those elements; to make and combine the ee-
mentary figures, or forms Of mechanism, show
ing the endless varieties of beauty and utility,
furnish to active, sprghtly, generous young
spirits the objects of their eager pursuit, sources
of rich and greatly varied instructions employ
ment for their active minds, objects for their
lofty aspirngs. They bring into action in aid
of each other the eye, hand, and heart--muscle,
mind, and soul.
The process is as simple direct easy, and
certain as the operations are delightful, and the
fruits rich and abundant can be commenced
any day or moment, in any school or family in
the whole world, when the parent or teacher
wishes to have it SO. Let any teacher say to his
pupils, "Children, YOU may 60 out and see how
many different kinds OF stone you can find, and
bring in one of each kind" and a "CABMET OF
AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY" will be well com
menced. The names, properties, and uses of
these beginnings with others coming in their
train, will be certain soon to follow-not GER
tain how, but certain to come in some way.
Let the same teacher, or any teacher or parent,
say to the young spirits under his guidance
You may draw upon your states or cut from
paper figure with three equal sides, being care
full that the sides all exactly equal that done,
the most important element in the mechanism
of the universe-rich, beautiful, and glorious
is actually formed by the hands of company of
animated "sELF-INsTRUcToEs." The next step,
and all steps which may follow in endless pro-
gression, in the delightful employment, in the
rich instructions under the inspiring motive of
unfolding the glorious works of God, so glori-
ously and wonderfully exhibited in the mechan-
| ism of the heavens and of the earth, will be
| equally simple with the first. A better sugges-
ton on this great and Interesting subject, per-
haps cannot be made than for all schools, on
their next opening, to try the experiment in the
| first lessons as proposed on agriculture and
mechanism.
EXPERIMENTAL teacher in New York had
pupil who dehed the authority both of the pa
rent and himself, in requiring the various ordi
nary lessons from books. AT the suggestion
and persuasion of the teacher, the parent en-
couraged his son in collecting for their home a
"cabinei Of curiosiiies" Almost Immediately
the rebel son and pupil became the delight of
the family and the ornament of the school.
DECISIVE BArTLEs-The decisive battles of
the world, those of which, to use Halam's
words, "a contrary event would have essen
TALLY varied the drama of the world in all its
subsequent scenes" are numbered as fifteen by
Professor Greasy, who fills the chair of ancient
and modern history in the University of Lon
don they are the grand subject of two volumes
by him, just from Bentley's press These bat
ties are--l. The battle of Marathon, fought
| 400 B. c., in which the Greeks under Themisto.
cles defeated the Persans under Darius, thereby
turning back a tide of Asiatic invasion, which
else would have swept over Europe: 9 The
battle of Syracuse, Al 3 b. c., in which the Athe
MAN power was broken, and the west of Europe
saved from Greek domination g. The battle of
Arbela, 33l B. c., in which Alexander, by the
defeat of Darius, established his power in Asia,
and by the introduction of European civiliza-
tion produced an effect which may even yet be
traced there: 4. The battle of the Metarus,
fought 207 3. c., in which the Romans, under
the Consul Nero, defeated the Carthagenians
under Hasdrubal, and by which the supremacy
VI tht Ettth ltfubft WIS tNIsDN>icu. %. Inc
victory of Arminius, A. ID. 8, over the Roman
legions under Varus, which secured Gaul from
Roman domination: g. The battle of Chalons,
A. ID. 45l, in which Aetius defeated Atta the
Hun, the self styled g Scourge of God" and
saved Europe from entire devastation: 7. The
battle of Tours, A. ID. 1872, in which Charles Mar
tel, by the defeat of the Saracens, averted the
Mahommedan yoke from Europe: g. The bat
tie of Hastings, A. ID. 1906, in which William of
Normandy was victorious over the Anglo Saxon
Harold and the result of which was the lorna
ton of the Anglo-Norman nation, which now is
dominant in the world 8. The battle of Or.
leans, A. ID. 1929, in which the English were de-
feated, and the independent existence of France
secured: 10. The defeat Of the Spanish Ar
mazda, A. ID. 1888, which crushed the hopes of
Papacy in ENGLAND: IL. The battle Of Blen-
helm, A. d. l704, in which Marlborough, by the
defeat Of Tallard, broke the power and crushed
the ambitious schemes Of Louis XIV: IL. The
defeat Of Charles XII, by Peter the Great, at
Pultowa, A. d. 1909, which secur d the stability
of the Muscovte Empire: 49, The battle Of
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