which the individual is susceptible; and thus prepare him for every period, and every sphere of action, to which he may be called.

It is by no means intended to form all according to a single model, or to raise all to the same degree of elevation. On the contrary, each child is considered as destined by Divine Providence to a particular sphere of mental and social activity, which is indicated by the talents bestowed on him, and the circumstances in which he is placed. "No educator," says Fellenberg, "should permit himself to misapprehend or to pervert, according to his own contracted views, that which the Creator has thus ordered in infinite wisdom." He should seek not to create or to annihilate, but to develope and direct the faculties and dispositions of his pupils, in reference to the destination thus indicated. It would be as absurd to employ the same occupation or the same discipline, in the same extent, for each individual, as to prescribe the same remedy, in the same dose, for every constitution. This intellectual quackery, like that which is found in medicine, is the most easy, and unhappily often the most profitable, to the practitioner, but is often ruinous, always dangerous to the patient.

It is also deemed of essential importance to maintain the due proportion of developement, in the various faculties. "As often," says Fellenberg, "as I have observed one faculty excessively cultivated at the expense of others belonging to the individual system, I have found a crippled being, an imperfect character the invariable result. It is only by means of a harmonious developement of every faculty of our nature, on one connected system, that we can hope to see COMPLETE MEN issue from our institutions, men who may become the saviors of their country, and the benefactors of mankind." To form such characters is more important than to produce mere scholars however distinguished; and this is the object on which the eyeof the educator should be fixed, and to which every part of his instruction and discipline should be directed, if he means to fill the exalted office of being "a fellow worker with God."

You ask with natural anxiety, in what manner does Fellenberg attain this object;-what is it which gives this pre-eminence to Hofwyl, among the institutions of Europe.

If I were called on to describe to you the "kill or cure" methods of an empiric, or the round of beats and rolls and solemn pauses, when nothing else will answer, to which a military drummer reduces every variety of music, the story would be soon told. But if I were to give an account of the delicate combination and endless variations of remedies and treatment, in the practice of a skilful physician in a lazaretto containing patients in every stage of danger and disease and convalescence, or the manner in which the musician manages the notes and stops and swells

of an organ, and combines low and high, quick and slow, accordant and discordant notes to produce the harmony which enchants us; you would allow me a volume, and would suspect my capacity or my faithfulness, if I attempted to crowd it into a letter. You would naturally suspect me not less, if I were to attempt in the same compass to tell you how a skilful educator manages the mind, whose anatomy and physiology seem almost subjects for divination rather than observation; or how he trains into harmony a set of feelings which surpass in number and contrast, all the tones and variations of which music can boast. I will attempt however to point out a few of the more striking traits in the system, warning you at the same time, that it must be considered imperfect even as a sketch of the institution; and that I am compelled to refer you to a detailed account, which I owe it to my country to prepare as soon as Providence shall permit-as the only means in my power of giving you distinct ideas of a system of education, which it required months of examination to become familiar with.

In a brief outline of his views which he communicated to me in manuscript, Fellenberg observes, "Our first object on the reception of a new pupil, is to obtain an accurate knowledge of his individual character, with all its resources and defects, physical, intellectual, and moral."

Great care is taken to provide for the physical developement and education, by every means of general application. The extent and airiness of the studies and dormitories and play grounds, is strikingly contrasted with that wretched system of economy, which sometimes seeks to accumulate the greatest number of pupils in a given space; and sacrifices their future health and usefulness, to motives of immediate gain. Their occupations are carefully regulated, in the Literary and Practical institutions; each lesson continues but an hour, and is interrupted by a short interval of relaxation for body and mind. Three regular periods are assigned in the day, when the pupils are as absolutely required to engage in some form of exercise, either in games, in gardening, in mechanical labor, or gymnastic evolutions, as they are to attend to the other duties of the school. Their food is simple, and their hours of sleep are regulated according to their age.

But in addition to this, the constitution of every individual is submitted to the examination and continued observation of a physician connected with the establishment; and the amount not merely of food and exercise and sleep, but of mental occupation, is proportioned to the peculiar capacity and necessities of the individual. Some who have been sent to Fellenberg for literary instruction, he deems it necessary to occupy for months together chiefly in active pursuits; and has refused to be accessary to the VOL. II.

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ruin of their constitution or character, which he believed would result from the injudicious anxiety of their parents, for their rapid intellectual progress.

In regard to moral discipline, the prominent means employed are incessant vigilance and parental kindness in the instructor, and constant occupation in the pupil. "He who educates," says Fellenberg,"must be like the Savior, the child's best friend and not his tyrant," and must imitate the unsleeping but often invisible watchfulness of divine providence. In correspondence with these maxims, several persons, including two of his sons, are employed exclusively as educators. These are always present with the pupils in their studies, their chambers, and their play ground; and learn and correct their characters, and gain their affections by constant familiar intercourse, and a frequent participation in their

amusements.

In pursuing this subject he observes, "The great art in education consists in knowing how to occupy every moment of life, in well directed and useful activity of the youthful powers, so that nothing evil shall find room to develope itself;" and among all the exterior means of improvement it is his maxim, that "Industry is the great moralizer of man.”

In conformity with this maxim, the day is divided into its regular periods of occupation and relaxation, so that every hour is completely filled up. The idler can find no companion, and the observer almost feels himself drawn into the current of activity, which is continually flowing before him. The industry of the literary pupils is their study, and their relaxation consists in labor and exercise. The poorer pupils, on the contrary, who are destined to a life of labor, or are unable to procure an education by other means, are disciplined by labor to habits of effort and selfdenial; and study becomes their relaxation and amusement, in which they exhibit the highest gratification and interest. From eight to ten hours are devoted by each class of mature pupils to their respective labors, and the remainder to relaxation; but much less is assigned, and more frequent intervals are allowed, to the younger or those of a feeble constitution. No standard like Procrustes' bed is ever applied to determine what a mind shall accomplish, or a constitution shall endure ;-while the powers of all are called forth to the highest degree of activity of which they are capable.

In connection with this, another principle not less important is adopted, that the developement of a child should not be pushed on too rapidly, that the mind especially should not be driven on at the expense of the body, or to the neglect of the heart. All the efforts of misjudging teachers and parents, who wish to see their children early prodigies, in the view of Fellenberg, only sacrifice the fruit,

in order to produce an earlier expansion of the flower; and resemble the hot-house in their influence in forcing a plant, whose feebleness or early decay, must be proportioned to the unnatural rapidity of its growth, and the want of symmetry in its parts.

For similar reasons, Fellenberg is anxious that the child should not be considered as a mere vessel to be filled, or a mass of matter to be cast in the mold, and stamped with the image and superscription, of the self-appointed manufacturer of men. He should be treated as a plant of wonderful delicacy in its texture, whose organization can be changed, or even fully understood, only by its Creator; but with which our concern is to observe its nature, to place it in its proper soil, to give it its appropriate nutriment, to guard it against the dangers which we can avert; and while we plant and water to look to him who giveth the increase, to supply and to maintain that mysterious principle of life which comes from him alone, but which our neglect or our officious interference may check or destroy. He should be treated as a voluntary agent, "whose personal activity operating on himself, and the materials furnished for the exercise of his faculties, is the only effectual means for their complete developement and cultivation."

By thus regulating his views and measures, not according to a preconceived and invariable plan, but in reference to the individual character of the pupil; by adapting the objects presented to his age and capacity, and to the wonderful variety of his intellectual powers; by cultivating the habit of incessant industry, and gaining his affection and confidence; no necessity is felt for that system of artificial stimuli which are usually employed. The native love of activity which belongs to every child, is believed sufficient to urge him forward, when his habits have not been previously spoiled, provided the subjects and periods of study are such as demand only that degree of maturity, and that power of attention which he possesses; and do not interfere with that degree and frequency of muscular movement, which are imperiously demanded for the developement of the body. That this is not a mere theory the example of Hofwyl abundantly proves. There are neither first nor last, neither medals nor rewards nor public exhibitions, and yet I have never seen so much faithfulness of application, so much punctuality in exercises, among such a number of pupils, nor so much love of study. I have seen the most idle acquire habits of application under this treatment, and shall never forget the sympathy of one of this character with a boy, who on account of feeble health, passed some days in play. "Poor fellow, how unhappy he must be. He has nothing to do."

In regard to the general course of education and instruction, I cannot better describe it to you in brief terms, than in the words of

Fellenberg himself, extracted from the manuscript already referred to.

"A great variety of exercises of the body and the senses, are employed to prepare these instruments of the human soul, for the fulfilment of their destination. It is by means of such exercises, that every man should acquire a knowledge of his physical strength, and attain confidence with regard to those efforts of which he is capable, instead of that fool-hardiness which endangers the existence of who have not learned to estimate their own powers many,

correctly.

"All the various relations of space should be presented to the eye, to be observed and combined in the manner best adapted to form the coup d'oril. Instruction in design, renders us important service in this respect. Every pupil should thus attain the power of re-producing the forms he has observed, and of delineating them with facility; and should learn to discover their beauty, and distinguish them from their contrasts. It is only where the talent is remarkable, that the attempt should be made to render the pupil an artist. The cultivation of the ear, by means of vocal and instrumental music, is not less important to complete the developement of the human being. The organs of speech, the memory, the understanding and the taste should be formed in the same manner, by instruction and a variety of exercises in language, vocal music, and declamation. The same faculties and powers should also be made to contribute to the cultivation of devotional feeling. In the study of natural history, the power of observation is developed in reference to natural objects. In the history of mankind, the same faculty is employed upon the phenomena of human nature and human relations, and the moral taste is cultivated. At the same time, the faculty of conceiving with correctness, and of employing and combining with readiness, the materials collected by the mind, and especially by the reasoning faculty, should be brought into exercise by means of forms and numbers, exhibited in their multiplied and varied relations.

"The social life of our pupils, contributes materially to the formation of their moral character. The principles developed in their experience of practical life among themselves, which gradually extends with their age and the progress of their minds, serve as the basis of this branch of education.

"According to the example of Divine Providence, we watch over this little world, in which our pupils live and act, with an ever vigilant, but often invisible care, and constantly endeavor to render its character more pure and elevated. At the same time that the various improvements in science and art are applied to the benefit of our pupils, their sound religious education should be continually kept in view in every branch of study. This is also the object of a