y say, known anywhere? Here and there exceptional instances will be
found, as we have before said, both in this country and in Europe, of men
and women devoted to their noble profession, between whom and their pupils
there has grown up the strongest bond of parental and fraternal affection.
To these teachers the pupils run in every difficulty for its solution, in
every danger for protection; but with these exceptions the teacher is
looked upon as a task-master, sometimes even as a spy; the tasks set to be
shirked as much as possible, the observation of the teacher to be eluded
and deceived.

Lesson-time over, the children resort to their tame animals, to their
weaving-machines, their wind-mills and dams; to their gardens, kites and
ships; to swimming, rowing, foot-ball, marbles, leap-frog, base-ball and
cricket. In the practice of these games, skill, dexterity and knowledge
are acquired of which the pupils appreciate the utility, and enjoy not
only for present, but for anticipated future use.

Natural History, to be taught in school and made a reality, by following
the guide given us by nature in the amusements to which children resort of
their own accord, should be a prominent subject of instruction and
training in the school. Cultivating the faculties of observation and of
analysis, it should be among the earliest subjects of instruction, and, at
the same time, of amusement.

But they ought not to be taught from books; nature and the teacher are the
only books to be employed until considerable progress has been made by the
pupils. It is so easy to procure the things themselves for the study of
botany; an abundant supply of wild flowers can be so readily obtained,
sufficient to enable each child to be supplied with specimens for
examination and dissection. The interest of the children in their study
can be so easily awakened and sustained by the judicious teacher, the
difficulties of the supposed hard words of scientific names disappear so
readily, that the real difficulty is to understand how so obvious a
subject of instruction is either wholly banished from the schools, or
sought to be taught only from books, without any reference to living
nature.

The variety and multiplicity of insect life affords ample opportunity for
the study of that branch of natural history--and entomology would be found
not less beautiful and interesting than botany; the delightful excursions
in which teachers and pupils would join for th