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French language correctly, unless they had acquired it in early life. In this respect, I feel no hesitation in saying that your plan is highly judicious. In other countries they employ foreign nurses, so that children may learn to speak foreign languages as early as their mother tongue.

Yours, very respectfully,

JAMES BUCHANAN.

From the Hon. Joseph Barnes, late President Judge of the District Court of Philadelphia.

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Dear Sir: All who read your System of Education for the Girard College for Orphans" with the attention that I have done, will be fully convinced, I believe, of the unspeakable advantages to society that may be derived from Mr. Girard's eleemosynary bequest to orphans.

The adaptation of the domestic circle to the certain and easy acquirement of the living languages, furnishing at the same time, and in the same way, the means of moral instruction, is, in my judgment, a distinguishing excellence in your system of education.

If Mr. Girard's will provides for the establishment of a college upon the magnificent scale you contemplate, few children are more blessed in the care of their parents, than the orphan may be in Mr. Girard's beneficence. Very respectfully, yours,

JOSEPH BARNES.

From Rufus Babcock, Jr., D.D., late President of Waterville

College.

Sir: I have examined, with interest and pleasure, your outlines of a "System of Education for the Girard College for Orphans." Some experience in the arduous duties of conducting the studies of a college course, has convinced me of the immense importance of endeavouring to awaken and inform the public mind in reference to the whole plan of liberal education which is to be continued in this country. On the one hand the rage for innovation, urged on principally by the indiscreet and inexperienced, threatens disaster to the system: and, on the other, a blind and undeviating adherence to precedent examples, is in danger of disgusting and alienating the more enlightened and discriminating, who demand, with obvious propriety, a reason for approving any course besides its antiquity. The establishment of a new institution, with ample pecuniary endowment, to be perpetually under the popular direction of a great city, certainly affords a happy opportunity for candidly and thoroughly examining the system of education about to be adopted.

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With your plan for the infant class, I am highly pleased. The method you have proposed for gaining a complete knowledge of the French and Spanish languages, will undoubtedly commend itself to public favour. Permit me to suggest the immense importance of securing for these orphan boys, at that tender age, the advantages of a home, approximating as nearly as possible to the best regulated domestic circles. If they are ever to become good members of society, the acquisitions unconsciously made in the family circle, and in early life, will be found invaluable.

I regret that more expansion is not given to your outline of the course for the second, or grammar class. I can by no means be satisfied to have these boys, after profiting by the admirable method proposed for acquiring modern languages, merely "pursue the ordinary preparatory steps" in the acquisition of the Latin and Greek languages, before entering on the collegiate course. These preparatory steps are of paramount importance, and deficiency here, has ordinarily been as general, as it is lamentable and almost irreparable. For one, I can never be content, in a grand experiment like this, to pursue the "ordinary steps" in this part of the course; and sincerely hope you will develop a plan for this grammar class to occupy, as you propose, four full years, and to give it that kind of efficiency and completeness, which its intrinsic as well as relative importance demands. This too, permit me to add, seems to be the very point on which the public sentiment most needs to be informed, and guided to a correct result.

In reference to the scientific and collegiate classes, the general course which you have marked out seems to me judicious. Were I to hazard a discriminating remark, it would be, that the mathematical part of the course you have laid down appears more full and perfect than the others. I should also prefer leaving the arrangement and general sequence of the usual studies in each department almost entirely to the head of that department, who would of course be more competent to judge in his own sphere of what was best, than any one else. I would extend this license even to the selection of the classical authors to be read in each year, allowing such a variation in successive classes as would serve to keep alive the interest and enthusiasm of the teachers themselves.

Perhaps, too, it might not be difficult to specify some slight deficiences in this course, but I have already been led too great a length, and will not farther particularize. With renewed assurances of my ardent desire that every competent individual, in this community especially, would give such attention to this subject as his own and the public interest in this noble charity justly demand; and with cordial thanks to yourself for the pains-taking concern you have evinced to promote its welfare,

I am, sir, with sincere respect and esteem, yours,

RUFUS BABCOCK, JR.

From Mathew Carey, Esq.

Dear Sir: I have read your System of Education with the attention the importance of the subject demands, and have no hesitation in declaring, that I consider it the best I have known or read of, for attaining the grand object of a rational education-the qualifying lads for future usefulness. Wherever introduced it will rescue them from the great error of all the systems I am acquainted with, that is, the miserable waste of time in the early stage of education, when the retentive powers of the memory render every day invaluable for storing it with the rudiments of general knowledge.

Yours, respectfully,

MATHEW CAREY.

From the Hon. John Reed, LL. D., Professor of Law in Dickinson College, and President Judge of the Ninth District Court, Pennsylvania.

Dear Sir: I have looked over your sketch of a System of Education for Girard College, with an interest proportioned to its importance; and I am gratified in being able to bear my testimony, with the numerous other persons to whom it has been submitted, favourably.

I have had some sort of connexion, for the last thirty years, with colleges and academies, and I have watched their operations with some minuteness. I have seen much to disapprove.

With regard to the "Infant Class” in your plan, I have nothing to remark but a distinct approval. The subsequent arrangements, with some modifications, might obviate many of the prevalent evils:-first, pupils are put to the Latin and Greek grammars at too young an age; second, without a sufficient amount of previous preparation; third, the English language is not sufficiently attended to; fourth, Latin and Greek are very imperfectly taught. Cures for these evils would be incorporated under your second head, or "Grammar Class."

A course of previous preparation in English grammar, arithmetic, geography, writing, &c. I would suppose might well occupy the pupils until twelve, or as I would prefer, till fourteen years of age. A proportionably less time might be required in the grammar class.

Under the fourth or collegiate class, some evils, I would suppose, might also be remedied:-first, students enter our colleges too young; second, English literature is not taught to a sufficient extent; third, classification should be regulated by age, acquirements, and capacity.

I would prefer their entering college, rather than graduating, at eighteen. It should be a postulate in instruction, "To present to the mind, the difficul

ties of the course, at the right point of development." Boys who have fallen behind and been dismissed with disgrace, a few years afterwards, probably, would have overcome every difficulty, and stood high in their classes. It is remarked in experience, that precocity at school augurs badly in after life, although it may be rewarded with the first honours of the college.

It has always occurred to me, that in making an English scholar, there should be a distinct "Professor of English Literature."* I would bring into the course, the study of well selected English books-English classics. A good employment in this department, would be translating some standard French and Spanish works into English.

The object of your third, or scientific class, is effected in almost all our colleges, by allowing irregular students. This has some positive advantages, although it often is used to indulge laziness or evade study. Some minds are more apt in acquiring a knowledge of some particular branches than others. Some cannot study with pleasure, nor with advantage, a long course of mathematics; some falter in the Greek; some in chemistry, &c.; while the same persons may excel in the Latin, English, French or Spanish languages, or belles lettres generally. These aptitudes or antipathies are not to be disregarded in very young pupils. A latitude is given by the introduction of the "Scientific Class," which I esteem of very high value.

I like much your notion of not continuing very young pupils too long a time at once, under the pressure of study. Two hours, well spent, are better than ten; and I am not an advocate for protracted studies, in any of the classes, or in after life: acquirements are but the tools to operate with—reflection and conversation are the best mediums through which to learn to use them with skill. A dexterous use of them makes the valuable practical man. A man of mere book knowledge is no better than the books themselves. Foot ball is as valuable in a college as the black board. Collision knocks out the sparks of wit, and prepares the mind for action.

After all, rules or plans, however just and appropriate, will not make a good institution; much must essentially depend upon the common sense of the Faculty, and of the separate professors and teachers. If they are practical men, and of competent learning, they will be rules to themselves. Please accept an assurance of respect and esteem.

JOHN REED.

*The 4th line from the bottom of the 12th page reads thus: "There shall be, in addition to the usual Professors in Colleges," &c. This line necessarily contemplates a Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature, and as it requires but little sagacity to perceive that this Institution will take the lead in Science and Literature, it is hoped that this highly important professorship will be sustained by ample talents and erudition, not only to be a blessing to the Institution for which it is intended, but to our country itself, in diffusing a correct taste, and establishing sound principles of English LiteD. M.

rature.

From General James Tallmadge, New York.

Dear Sir: I have your letter, with the proposed "System of Education for the Girard College."

A new system, with peculiar modifications, is required to carry into effect the views of this liberal donation. The plan submitted seems admirably well contrived for the purpose; but, after the most promising plan, deficiencies may be found which the light of experience only can correct. May not Descriptive Geometry* be well added to the scientific class? It is extensively adopted in France, and considered of great value in the art of construction, especially in architecture and engineering.

The standard of education is well kept up in the "Collegiate class." The course of study sanctioned by the experience of ages, and almost uniformly observed in the scientific and literary establishments of Europe, has afforded a model for most of the colleges in this country. It was well adapted to the purposes, structure and condition of society in Europe, but the difference in the form of our government, and the habits and condition of our people, call for modifications not before required, and for extension over a space, and a new order of society, which were not contemplated to be embraced by the model. You were therefore left without a guide for the first three classes.

The plan proposed appears to me to be well contrived for the objects in view. Foreign languages can be most successfully acquired in infancy; and the plan of introducing families and children, speaking only those languages, is essential to their successful teaching. I place much stress on this department, and consider it the best part of your System. Foreign languages are thus easily acquired, and even without the irksomeness of study, which ought not to be much imposed on infancy. The age, and readiness, at which a child learns to speak its mother tongue, affords a useful hint to be applied to the teaching of other languages. In the north of Europe different languages are currently spoken. They are acquired not only in infancy, but from nurses and governesses, introduced into the families, and taking particular charge of the children at different ages and for a given time. This process is so easy, that the children speak three or four languages, and cannot tell

* After the work had gone to press, it was discovered that this interesting branch of geometry, through oversight, was omitted; but it will of course be included in the other geometrical studies.

The General's very sensible and judicious letter, which coincides with sentiments long entertained, is the more highly prized from the consideration of the advantages he has had to form correct opinions, derived from his recent, extensive tour of observation through the continent of Europe; in which were afforded ample opportunities of examining and comparing the various systems of education, conducted in some of the most flourishing colleges and universities that have ever blest and illumined our dark world with the light of science. D. M.