To assist our pupils in geography, we prefer a globe to common maps. In the country, with the assistance of a common carpenter and plasterer, a large globe of lath and plaster may be made for the instruction and entertainment of a numerous family of children. Upon this they should delineate, from time to time, by their longitude and latitude, such places as they become acquainted with in reading or conversation; the capital cities, for instance, of the different countries of Europe, the rivers, and the neighbouring towns, till at last the outline might be added. For the sake of convenience, the lines may be first delineated on a piece of paper, from which they may be accurately transferred to their proper places on the globe, by the intervention of black-leaded paper, or by pricking the lines through the paper, and pouncing powdered blue through the holes, upon the surface of the globe.

Another invention has occurred to us for teaching geography and history together. Priestley's Chart of History, though constructed with great ingenuity, does not invite the attention of young people: there is an intricacy in the detail which is not obvious at first. To remedy what appears to us a difficulty, we propose that twenty-eight or thirty octavo maps of the globe should be engraved, upon these should be traced in succession the different situations of the different countries of the world, as to power and extent, during each respective century: different colours might denote the principal divisions of the world in each of

these maps; and the same colour always denoting the same country, with the addition of one strong colour, red for instance, to distinguish that country which had at each period the principal dominion. On the margin of these maps the names of the illustrious persons, and the reigning opinions of each country should be inserted. Thus, history, geography, and chronology would appear at once to the eye, in their proper order and regular succession, divided into centuries and periods which easily occur to recollection.-Edgeworth.

To explain to a family of children the causes of day and night, the succession of the seasons, the changes of the moon, and the nature of eclipses, I would recommend a small manual orrery, consisting only of the sun, earth, and moon, because the revolutions of the earth are much more clearly shown in one of these, where the earth is sufficiently large to have the different countries clearly delineated on it, than they can be in those orreries that comprise the whole solar system, unless made on a very large scale. The orreries here recommended may be had from three guineas upwards, according to the size; and being easily carried from house to house, several families living in the same neighbourhood may purchase one among them, as a lecture on this subject once a month would be sufficient. Instead of the small brass sun in the centre, a wax candle or patent lamp with the glass round it might be substituted, and by darkening the room the illuminated parts of the earth and moon may be easily distinguished. Possibly families re

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siding in London may be able occasionally to hire one of these orreries of a mathematical instrument maker.

The revolutions of the planets are of much less importance than those of the earth, but they may be easily explained to young people by the following plan: Let the orbits of the planets be chalked out on the floor, and set a large lamp on a table in the middle of the room to represent the sun: then place twelve chairs round the room for the signs of the zodiac, and let seven children of different sizes represent the planets. A child of four years old might be called Mercury, one of six Venus, and a grown person Saturn. The children may then be taught to move round the sun in the orbits of the planets they are to represent, observing the relative periods of time in which each makes its revolution. To render this walking orrery more entertaining, the whole procession may move to slow music, and as the heads of the children should be considered as representing the bodies of the planets, the Herschel, Saturn, and Jupiter may fix balls round their heads for the satellites. The child who represents the earth may, in like manner, carry a moon,

It is not necessary for those who do not make a practical use of astronomy, to be acquainted with all the different constellations; but since this branch of the science only requires eye-sight and memory, it may be considered as a very proper amusement for children and young persons. Having procured maps of the northern and southern hemispheres, the pupils may be taught to delineate all the constellations visible in

England on separate cards of dark blue pasteboard, forming the stars of gold paper. They should draw the points of the compass on the back of each card, and also note by what constellations they are bounded. These they may take with them when walking out at night, and, with the assistance of a lantern, compare them with the stars in the heavens, and thus find out the different constellations.

Another excellent method is to mark out the con stellations on pieces of glass, and place them in the magic lantern, requiring the children to name the constellations as they appear on the wall.-Editor.

CHAPTER XX.

Writing, Arithmetic, and Book-keeping.

WHEN a child has learned to hold his pen well, then get a plate engraved with copies in any hand you wish him to write, and have several sheets of it printed off in red ink, and let him fill these up with black ink, only showing him where to take up his pen, and where to begin the letters. When he is perfect in this, he will soon write the same hand on fair paper.

I would certainly advise all gentlemen to learn perfectly merchant's accounts, and not to think it a skill that belongs not to them, because it has chiefly been practised by men of traffic. When a youth has once got the skill of keeping accounts, perhaps it will not

be amiss that his father from thenceforth require him to do it in all his concernments.-Locke.

I would advise all young persons to learn to make their own pens, and to do it dexterously according to rule. Many persons write very ill merely for want of a good pen; and why should we depend on another for so small an object, and that so frequently wanted? Rollin.

When a youth has acquired a readiness in writing and numbers, he may learn the beautiful and useful art of book-keeping according to the Italian method. Though this piece of knowledge is more immediately useful for traders, it ought not to be neglected by any person whatever. Many an estate might have been saved, had the owner of it known how to keep correct accounts of his income and expenses. Were there only the beauty and elegance of this art to recommend it, no wise parent would let his son be without what may be so easily acquired.-Burgh.

I have observed that writing is the most fatiguing of all the lessons children learn; nor indeed can any thing be more tiresome than to fill a large page by repeating one or two phrases which contain only two lines. I have therefore had extracts from instructing and amusing books written by an excellent master, and use them as copies for my children. Some of them are written large for their first copies, others in a