portant of all maternal offices, the guidance of the female mind in childhood and youth. The urgency of immediate concerns is too often pleaded as a sufficient reason for devolving, almost entirely, on others, the charge of what a mother, even under the disadvantages of limited time and opportunities, is best fitted to superintend. We do not wish to advance unqualified assertion for general truth; and we shall perhaps be more fully understood when we say that the moral results of education are, in the female sex especially, the most important; and that a mother's relation to her child is such as ensures that deep interest in the individual character of the pupil, and that intimate knowledge of disposition, which are the true springs of success in instruction, if the developement and formation of the whole mind are regarded. We admit farther that some mothers are, owing to various circumstances which cannot be brought under control, hindered from taking a personal part in the business of education. Still, there remains in our community a very numerous class of society, who are wanting neither in time nor means to accomplish most of their rational purposes, as far at least as education is concerned. In the progress of general sentiment, and the still more rapid improvement of education, families situated as we have mentioned are called, no doubt, to make greater efforts for the instruction of daughters; and it is indeed a respectable, or, rather, quite a fashionable thing, to patronize the best female schools. But expenditure is often in this way substituted for personal exertion; and education still remains at a distance too remote from the main interests of human life.

One of the chief wants of education in regard to the female sex, is that of the individual interest of mothers in the instruction of their daughters, or, at least, an enlightened efficient aid proceeding from maternal experience and observation. To supply this want is the object of the Thoughts on Domestic Education. The work is of course adapted more immediately to modes of life existing in England. But, after all due deduction on this score, there is a fund of enlightened sentiment and of sound judgment in the contents of this book, which render it a valuable source of instruction regarding female education and maternal duties. It is a work which, we hope, will aid in accomplishing extensive good, by suggesting hints and plans of exertion in the minds of individuals, and by contributing to turn the stream of female influence into that channel in which most of all, it is needed, the education of woman.

Having repeatedly made extracts of considerable length from the work before us, previous to its republication, we think it unnecessary at present to attempt to justify our high opinion of its merits by extensive quotations. The following passages are

selected from parts of the work not hitherto introduced in our pages.

It has been often declared, that children, for their early reading, prefer tales and stories; the fact is, they can understand no other; tales and stories must therefore be provided for them, conveying whatever instruction it is likely can be understood. But certainly every effort should be made to cause children to relish, as soon as possible, books of instruction and information; indeed the first step of education, is to inspire children with a love of learning, and a desire for information on the principle of its usefulness and agreeableness; this desire once implanted, and books of instruction would be eagerly demanded, and not sedulously shunned.

'But how is this desire to be implanted? The question is not so difficult of reply as may be deemed; let parents suggest and exhibit the benefits occurring from knowledge; this may be done in a variety of ways. Biography offers numerous instances of the happiness and usefulness dispensed by the wise and the learned; biography is pleasant reading, and therefore, it may be presumed, mothers often resort to it for amusement; let them select from it whatever may forward their views; can any one read the lives of Demosthenes, of Aristides, of Alfred, of Reynolds, of Franklin, and a hundred other departed worthies, without meeting with abundant matter to instil the value of improved talents into the minds of children? If she had no selfish pleasure in reading such histories, could a mother think her time lost in obtaining useful information for her offspring?

'The course of life and daily observation affords no limited number of interesting incidents, to demonstrate the benefits accruing from a well informed mind; how many neighbours and friends do not we perpetually notice sinking into misery from their own folly, or rising into respectability by their own merit. In the tone of pity, not of satire, should these fallings from happiness be noticed, for never let us risk making the heart hard, in the pursuit of making the head wise; let us inspire no other sentiment but that of commiseration for the unfortunate; let children be early led to distinguish between hatred of the crime, and pity of the criminal; guilt must be always detestable, but a thousand reasons may be urged to excuse the guilty; and this, without any fear of causing the child to suppose that in his turn, he may commit sin with a prospect of extenuation.

'One plain assertion will do this effectually; that every crime or folly held up to them for reprobation, they cannot fall into from ignorance of its direful nature, as probably did the erring persons they are therefore bid to pity.

'To speak of the merits of the wise and virtuous requires no

such precaution; although on this, as all other subjects, exaggeration should be studiously avoided, not only for the sake of good morals, (as exaggeration, being a departure from truth, is only a form of falsehood,) but because our precepts will not be efficacious unless drawn from just premises. Children are very shrewd in their reflections. If they once detect a mother shap ing her story to her moral, they will cease to believe that her moral ever springs from her story.

'In respect to books of science and general knowledge, a few of the best written may be agreeable to a child after nine years of age, but seldom before. If a parent be desirous that some insight into such knowledge should be earlier gained, she had better read the book herself, and give her children the information if contains in her own words. Much valuable instruction may be thus inculcated in very early life, and if parents are attentive to seize every opportunity of giving useful knowledge, every occasion when curiosity awakens inquiry, and the ductile mind is peculiarly fitted to receive information, it is impossible to say what bounds could be put to the improvement of the youthful mind. Children would not only gain a daily accession of information, but be fitted to understand future instruction-be disposed to desire it.

It is hardly possible to give a list of all the books that have been found amusing and instructive to young people. An attempt at such a notice will be found in another part of this volume. But it will be right to suggest, in this place, that the juvenile library should not contain many books; a few, carefully selected, will suffice. Children will hence be compelled to repeated perusal, and more knowledge is gained from the repeated perusal of a few books, than the desultory single reading of numerous volumes.

"The practice of giving the morning to studious pursuits should be as early as possible confirmed into habit, and girls, who have completed the course of education, should be urged regularly to devote a few hours to useful studies every morning, as soon after breakfast as possible; not only thereby to avoid the risk of interruption, but to give the powers of the mind, undistracted by other claims of duty or of pleasure, to the service of the mind.

'It is a question whether making memoranda of what is read is beneficial or not. The act of writing it down may indeed assist to fix the desired information in the recollection, but does not the benefit stop there? How seldom is the paper of memoranda looked into? Besides which, when it is written down, it seems unnecessary to load the memory with the passage, so that it is forgotten without effort to retain it. Now, if knowledge is only desirable as far as it is useful, it should be hoarded where it is

most accessible. The book of memoranda cannot be always carried about with us, but our memories are unalienable. It were better, then, not to write memoranda, but to fix a few clear recollections in the memory. So much may not be attempted to be recollected, but what is remembered will be remembered clearly, and the information will be always with us ready for use.

'Reading aloud is recommended, as giving the united assistance of the eye and the ear to the memory. But this advantage can only accrue to the reader, and therefore young persons should never be satisfied with hearing a book read, unless it is some slight work, not demanding thought nor deserving recollection. The mother ought always to be present at the readings, and as much as possible assist in explaining difficult passages, and be prompt in commenting judiciously on the sentiments or events pourtrayed. In reading history, a well informed parent may thus render incalculable benefits, not only in explaining the relation of events to one another, but in leading the young mind to reflect on actions, and comment on characters.

'It has been found highly beneficial to ask a child, after her reading lesson, to describe what she has been reading about; the expectation of this question, induces a closer attention, and thus lays the foundation of a habit of attentive reading. A judicious mother may also gradually lead her pupils to form rational opinions on what they read; at first, some small helps may be given to the young reasoner, but, by degrees, she will acquire fluency in describing events, and an increasing power of reasoning upon them; we may be assured the more we urge children to use their intellectual faculties, the stronger will those faculties become.

'Indeed the best aim of education is to teach children to think for themselves; parents are too apt to save them this exertion, and to think for them; those children who are early thrown on their own mental resources, generally become clever men and women. It would be no difficult matter to guide the thoughts of children imperceptibly to just conclusions; thus, in reading De Foe's admirable story of Robinson Crusoe, the young reader might easily be led into a familiar chat respecting the conduct of its hero, and if himself incapable of pointing out the merits or failings depicted, a consciousness of them could be insensibly awakened in his mind; thus the industry, the ingenuity, the resignation displayed by Crusoe might be noticed and praised.

Sandford and Merton is a work generally read with earnestness, and offers many incidents and traits for reflection; when Tommy and Harry are lost in the wood, on a cold winter's day, it is natural to observe how superior the sensible clown to his fine gentleman companion, first, in keeping up his spirits, and thereby lessening the mournfulness of their situation, and, secondly,

in having sense to add dry wood to the fire accidently found; it were well to add a remark on the advantage that would have accrued to both, had either little boy known how to produce a fire.

As childhood passes into youth, a graver strain of reasoning may be indulged, and though memoranda from books are not advised, written remarks of our sentiments upon them are highly desirable; thus, as soon as a work is perused, let some notice of its contents and of our opinion of them be inserted in a book kept for the purpose; the more concise these observations the better.'

The Little Philosopher, or the Infant School at Home. No. 1. Boston. 1829. Carter & Hendee. 18mo. pp. 36. This is the first of a series of books particularly calculated to aid in the important department of maternal instruction. Like Mrs Hamilton's 'Questions,' it consists of interrogatories intended to develope the reasoning powers of the child, and to direct them to such a course of exertion as will readily elicit answers; but it is suited for children of an earlier age than the 'Questions; and in the 'Number' before us, it is confined entirely to the physical properties of bodies-the first principles of natural philosophy.

The subjects embraced, are Shape, Colour, Hardness and Softness, Weight, Light, Fire, Water, Earth.'

As an example of the manner in which these subjects are presented to the infant understanding, we present the first series of questions on Water.

'Has water any colour? Taste? Smell?

Is it heavy?

Where does water come from? From wells and springs, from brooks and rivers, and from the skies when it rains.

Does it ever become hard?

What makes it become hard?

What is it called when it becomes hard?

Suppose you put some ice in a warm place, what becomes of it? What does it turn to?

Suppose you put some water over the fire, what becomes of it? It boils and grows less and less, until it has boiled all away. What does it turn to? Steam.

What becomes of the steam? It goes off into the air, and is spread all about. Why do we not see it? Because it is too thin. What are the clouds? They are this water, which has gathered again in the air, so that we can see it.'

To persons of any reflection the utility of a course of fireside instruction, conducted in this manner, must be apparent at a single glance. The importance of cultivating an early habit of attention and investigation concerning the properties of external