ish to pursue history, let the student, for some
time confine himself chiefly, perhaps exclusively, to that branch.

The _natural_ order of commencing and pursuing this branch without an
instructor, and I think in schools also, is the following. For example,
you take up a book, or it may be a newspaper, since these are swarming
every where at the present time, and read that a person has just
deceased, who was at _Yorktown_, in Virginia, during the whole _siege_,
in the American _revolution_. I am supposing here that you have already
learned where Yorktown is; for geography, to some extent at least,
should precede history; but if not, I would let it pass for the moment,
since we cannot do every thing at once, and proceed to inquire about
the siege, and revolution. If you have any books whatever, on history,
within your reach, do not give up the pursuit till you have attained a
measure of success. Find out, _when_ the _siege_ in question
_happened_, by _whom_, and by _how many thousand troops_ it was carried
on; and _who_ and _how many_ the besieged were.

He who follows out this plan, will soon find his mind reaching beyond
the mere events alluded to in the newspaper, both forward and backward.
As in the example already mentioned, for I cannot think of a
better;--What were the consequences of this siege?--Did it help to
bring about peace, and how soon?--And did the two nations ever engage
in war afterward?--If so, how soon, and with what results? What became
of the French troops and of the good La Fayette? This would lead to the
study of French history for the last forty years. On the other hand,
Where had Washington and La Fayette and Cornwallis been employed,
previous to the siege of Yorktown? What battles had they fought, and
with what success? What led to the quarrel between Great Britain and
the United States? &c. Thus we should naturally go backward, step by
step, until we should get much of modern history clustered round this
single event of the siege of Yorktown. The same course should be
pursued in the case of any other event, either ancient or modern. If
newspapers are not thus read, they dissipate the mind, and probably do
about as much harm as good.

It is deemed disgraceful--and ought to be--for any young man at this
day to be ignorant of the geography and history of the country in which
he lives. And yet it is no uncommon occurrence. However it argues much
against the excellence of our systems of educatio