tates some repetition, and, for other reasons, is not altogether satisfactory. It, however, provides the necessary frame-work for a full discussion of different systems of government. The chapter on punishment is one of the best in the volume, but we do not wish this statement to be regarded as an indorsement of all the author's views upon this subject. It contains, however, much that we can indorse most heartily.

The discussion is, as a whole, too discursive to satisfy a logical mind, and the style is sometimes stilted and involved. The earnest teacher will, however, find much that is worthy of grateful reception. We thank the author for his well-directed efforts to elevate this department of school work to its true rank and position. We commend his book to parents and teachers.

THE TEACHER'S INSTITUTE; or, Familiar Hints to Young Teachers. By WILLIAM B. FOWLE. New York: Published by A. S. Barnes & Co. 1866.

We took up this book expecting to find something new and valuable. We lay it down wondering why it was published. It contains, it is true, many valuable hints, but it takes some patience to find them, and when found it happens that the best are not new. Nearly every chapter has at least one "familiar hint," to wit, that the author has published a book on the subject under consideration, and this "hint" is not unfrequently drawn out into a pretty full description or defence of such book with the assurance that it is superior to all other books of the kind published! We muster up the courage to suggest mildly, that when teachers buy "familiar hints," they do not care to pay for the author's opinions of his own productions. Several of the lectures included in the volume, were prepared more than twenty years ago, and the "hints" they contain are decidedly behind the profession. Among these lectures (and the best by the way) is one on "The Monitorial System," which he calls the "only invention of the nineteenth century." He affirms that the system in his hands and in the hands of others, was eminently successful, and surprise is expressed that it has not been generally adopted. We are informed that his book on this subject "is not now to be found," and so are favored with a few extracts. We regret to see the imprint of so excellent a house on so poor a book.

FIRST LESSONS IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR. By SIMON KERL, A.M., author of a series of English Grammars. New York: Ivison, Phinney, Blakeman & Co. 1866.

We look upon all our ordinary primary or introductory grammars as simple temptations to teachers to put children to the study of this branch at too early an age, and, consequently, as educational nuisances. The science of language is not a child's study, and no amount of simplification or abridgment can make it such. It requires a power and subtlety of mental analysis which children do not and ought not to possess. Indeed, the most difficult thing for a child to hold in the mind for the purpose of analysis, is a thought, and yet the analysis of language is pre-eminently the analysis of thought. It is true that a child may be early taught to recognize at sight many nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc., and to repeat memoriter the usual rules and definitions, but all this is the mere technical verbiage of the science, and, as all experience shows, is useless to the child. What he needs, at this early age, is daily practice in sentence-making and in the critical examination of the manner in which he can express and modify his own thoughts. In other words, synthesis must go before and prepare the way for analysis.

But comparing Mr. Kerl's "First Lessons" with other primary grammars of a similar character, we find it an excellent work. The author, in his preface, recognizes the folly of worrying children for years "in the abstractions of analysis and parsing," and to avoid this has divided the subject into three parts. The first part contains about one-hundred definitions, expressed in concise and simple language; the second

contains all the important inflections of the language; and the third is devoted to syntax with numerous exercises to teach the pupil how to avoid common errors. If the course of instruction here mapped out, is not designed for children, we can give the author credit for a high degree of success in simplification.

THE FIFTH READER, Containing an Introduction on the General Principles of Elocution; with a Thorough Method of Analysis, intended to develop the Pupil's Appreciation of the Thought and Emotion; and a Critical Phonic Analysis of English Words. Designed for the Use of Normal and High Schools, and the Highest Classes in Common Schools. By RICHARD EDWARDS, Principal of the Illinois State Normal University. Chicago: Geo. & C. W. Sherwood. 1866.

The author tells us in his preface that the single design of this reader is "to teach young persons to appreciate and read good English "-" to read understandingly and efectively." To attain this end it is assumed that the pupil must master the thought and emotion contained in every selection that he attempts to read. This we accept as the true aim and the true central idea of a school reader. To read understandingly and effectively, the pupil must understand and appreciate the thought and emotion of the passage. True reading, in other words, has its source in the centre of the thought and emotion of what is read, and, hence, the young must be taught to read with the understanding as well as with the voice-to read the thought and not merely articulate the words.

This end the author has sought to accomplish by beginning with the general scope of the selections and the meaning of the words, phrases, clauses and sentences contained therein, and ending with the emphases, inflections, quality of voice, etc., required to express the ascertained thought and emotion. This method is illustrated by a full analysis of six pieces, representing different classes of composition. A careful study of these suggestive analyses would be of great value to teachers.

The introduction contains an admirable series of lessons-teachable lessons-in Phonic Analysis, and a chapter containing the fundamental principles of vocal utterance, with concise and simple directions.

The selections have been made with good judgment, and are marked by a high degree of literary excellence. We are pleased to find so large a number of new pieces which possess superior merit as a means of teaching reading. The biographical and historical notes appended, present in a small compass much information of great value. In short, a careful examination of this work discloses a high degree of excellence in all the essential features of a good reader. If the remaining books of the "" 'Analytical Series" do not fall below this, it must take a high rank.

BULLIONS'S LATIN GRAMMAR. Revised by CHARLES D. MORRIS. New York: Sheldon & Co.

This work, although purporting to be a revision of Bullions's Latin Grammar, is essentially a new work. In typographical execution it surpasses its popular and excellent competitor, Harkness's Latin Grammar. The latter work made a great advance upon previous Latin Grammars by using heavy-faced type to indicate those syllables of words that do not belong to the root. This plan has also been adopted by Morris, but he has judiciously extended the use of distinctive type to the rules and notes in syntax. The treatment of the Subjunctive Mood in both is excellent, but that in Morris's is slightly better. The merits of both works are great, but, although I use Harkness's, I rather incline to the idea that so far as these two works are concerned, the superiority is with Morris's. For teachers who use the English method of pronouncing Latin, they are both inferior to Andrews and Stoddard's in orthoepical aids, because in neither is there either division of syllables or accent marks in the paradigms. t

When importuned for recommendations, or bored by requests to be "a little easy" with some ill-prepared candidate for pedagogical honors, I have often thought of the "Base-Line" school district. It was "very backward." Why? Incompetent "makebelieves," protiges, foster-children of indulgent boards of school examiners, had kept it so. It would never have found the line of march which progress takes, if a thorough, enthusiastic teacher had not set it in motion in the right direction. I know it may seem hard-hearted to refuse a certificate or recommendation to one struggling with poverty, but I have never yet seen any treatise on morality which permitted indulgences for the sin of lying. If a candidate is not qualified to teach the branches required by statute, it is an unmitigated falsehood to certify that he is and to recommend him as "worthy the consideration of boards of education," a barefaced attempt to swindle the community. It makes no difference whether the one asking or receiving such recommendation be rich or poor. The educational interests of the State must not be jeopardized to further the interests or add to the comforts of any one class. The poor should ever be

treated with extreme kindness and consideration; those struggling for a higher intellectual and a nobler spiritual life should be aided and encouraged in every honorable manner; but Providence requires no sacrifice of integrity to help on its work. True charity never winks at falsehood. Tact, experience, qualifications being equal, none can be blamed for preferring a needy applicant. One may go farther than that even, in the case of inexperienced holders of certificates-but to prefer one simply because he is in need of employment or encouragement, is very questionable morality. Still, I do not think there is a board of examiners in our State, whose members are not importuned, again and again, to forfeit their self-respect in this manner-and I know one man, if not more, who has never been known to cast a vote against any applicant; he is so good-natured.

Our facilities for obtaining an education are now so great, that there is no plausible excuse for lack of scholarship when these facilities are not abused. There is, however, a morbid anxiety exhibited by some teachers to advance their pupils into the higher before they are thoroughly acquainted with the common branches of an English education. The consequence of this wrong-headed course is, that candidates able to pass fair examinations in algebra fail in their attempts to explain some of the simplest principles in arithmetic, and those au fait in descriptive astronomy can not locate a half dozen of the largest cities on the globe, and are unable to describe the route by water from Cincinnati to Liverpool. An intelligent member of the board of education of one of our principal cities informed me that their county board of examiners rarely granted anything better than third-rate certificates to the graduates of their high school. An occasional thorough review of the common branches, viewing them in the light of higher, more abstract knowledge, would not only remedy this evil, but tend to give a practical character to what are now purely disciplinary studies. County examiners should require from applicants of this character even higher qualifications than from those not favored with their advantages and opportunities—always remembering that the average quality of every product never exceeds the minimum quality demanded. If we want thorough teachers we must ask for them. If we do that we shall get them; not otherwise. If the "professors" in some of our seminaries,

high schools and colleges can not make teachers out of the material furnished them, others may be found who can.

I have not so much professional pride as to demand that all school examiners shall be practical teachers. There are several lawyers, doctors and clergymen of my acquaintance, men of enlightened views, honest, intelligent, who have interested themselves for years in our public schools, and whose judgment of the qualifications of teachers is worthy of all consideration. They are doing good work in county boards, and I honor them for it. They know that trustees of public interests should not prostitute them to base, sordid purposes, and act accordingly. We can not afford to lose their aid or influence. But I do object to the appointment of lawyers in the "pin-feather" stage of existence, and of professional politicians who care for self only, to sit in judgment on me and my co-workers. No other profession except ours is insulted and outraged in this manner. Nine-tenths of the "BaseLine" districts are "very backward," so that "almost any one can teach them," because their destinies are in the hands of such conceited, incapable nobodies as these. In certain localities, the hue and cry which is raised whenever rigid examinations are attempted, leads to their appointment. In one instance, a probate judge, to quiet an opposition to his re-nomination, was induced to beg, as a personal favor, that an appointee of sterling integrity would resign that he might please the people by appointing one whose conscience was more elastic than his. In striking contrast with this is the conduct of another, who, on the resignation of an entire board because they were not sustained by the community generally in raising the standard of qualifications, reappointed them, with the assurance that they should have the countenance and support of his office at least.

It is not probable that more than one in a hundred of those now engaged in teaching intend to make it a permanent employment. I can not blame them for it: teaching, especially in country districts, does not offer sufficient pecuniary inducements to lead one to devote the energies of a lifetime to it. There is no reason, however, why any one should be excused from a thorough preparation for even a temporar employment. None do so in the arts of handicraft. You never hear a blacksmith, or one who claims to be such, attempting to apologize for a bungling piece of