New-York tribune., 1866-12-27
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE

rim, holding HE hands long enough in the desired
position TO make him feel what 1t Is require. After
time he is 10 be placed in full rev OF group OF
children initiating motions that are made for them
Motions ofdlferent limbs, of the whole body, OF the
evee lps tongue etc., taught in succession, and
special attention 10 paid TO tho organs whose action IS
most defective. Thus the child is gradually brought
TO realize that every part Of the body may be called
upon to answer the summons OF an external viii, ana
must be at all times ready and this sense nParts 10
the cOuneQance sooner or later, permeBeDl express
sion of intelligence.
Thenext thngi 10 educate the senses and the first
TO be trained is the sense Of touch because it tpe
most general ell the other senses being in fact only
notifications Of II. The same principles which we
have traced IN the parts of DR.. seguin's system al
ready described are followed in the improvement of
these functions, we'll as Of the faculty OF speech,
and the memory and imagination. The foundation OF
the Doctors method is the principle Of COMPARISON
which he desgnates as natures own method OF
teaching mankind" lie makes great use OF music, OF
drawing (for which many idiots have decided apu-
thde) and Of object.lessOns
He next passes TO the moral treatment OF the pa
tient defining this branch of education to be !" the
systematic action of will upon another n view OF lts
Improvement" Punishment iE,o be avoided until It
is certain that the undetandngof the wrong preceded
its commission. Rewards and earesses must also he
given very cautiously because when inludicously sp
piled they break the continuity OF efforts begun ana
cause diversion from set tasks and relaxation OF
the WILL What the pupil viii not 90 al The command
of the teacher, he will often initiate from the actions
Of another child. So idiots, however incapable, can
be made to act efficiently one upOnnnothor II we know
how TO oppose the Yvaeious to the immobie, the
loquaciOus 10 the mute, the initiative TO the c@rc'
less the affectionate to the indifferent. Never
theless obedience must be taught, though Sc
verify is to be avoided, and Dr. Seguin gives some
very curous details of the careful method by which
the teacher ought to give emphasis to his commnnds
his looks his gestures, his attitude, even the position
of his feet helping to enforce the directions given by
bis lips Concurrently with the teaching Of obedience
the master must begin to the gentler forms Of In.
ducement which conduct the child gradually from pas.
siye subsection to earnest selfgovernment. The ap.
petite is conquered and made to cOnduce TO moral and
mental improvement. As the patient makes progress
and comes out of the first and nearly despairng pc
rod of his training he is taught to work for short
time every day--in no case more than four or hve
hours out Of the twentyfOur, and always with some
definite objects and much time as possible is de.
voted to what DIR. Seguin calls the most sensible OF
our duties, that of making the pupils merry by sports,
games, music dancing, and theatrical performances.
The development of the sense of affection, which the
author well SAYS is the end of his teaching as il was
its beginning must be through the power of love. We
must teach the child that he is loved and make him
eager TO love in his turn.
DIR. Seguin describes in detail what Institution
for the training of idiots ought TO be- and cites num-
Der of interesting cases. many Of them from his own
practice. showing the. results of his system, and
throwing light upon certain Of the causes OF idiOcy
which deserve the careful attention Of parents His
treatise is valuable contribution both TO science and
philanthropy; and we can hardly say more in its
praise than that it is worthy of the distinguished repu-
taton of its author.