252 Advantages of Natural Science in Education. not familiar to him, as well as to analyze flowers to a considerable extent. In Zoology, some of the parts of Entomology would be most easy, as insects are so abundant, and many of their changes are so easily detected; of Herpetology, in relation to tortoises, lizards, &c.; of Conchology, in respect to land and fresh water shells in the country, and collection of shells along the shores of the ocean. Of birds and quadrupeds, the means of knowledge are increasing continually. The collection of specimens would be a healthy exercise, and exert a favorable influence over body and mind, while curiosity would be exerted and gratified. IV. Advantages of Natural Science in Education. Besides the value of the knowledge itself, there are indirect advantages attending the study of Natural History, some of which I shall briefly state. 1. This study calls into efficient action the power of discrimination. The constant tendency of the mind is, to consider things in the mass. Particularity requires attention, care, direct effort of the mind. Not a step can be taken in Natural History without discrimination. We must begin with particulars, and we must go on with particulars. And we must often begin with a very small part of one particular thing. The mind is trained to minuteness of examination, and to the improvement of its power of seeing and making distinctions. Thence the mind proceeds to generalization. The inductive philosophy is the glory of modern times. It begins with particulars, and ascends to general conclusions. 2. The relation of one part to another of an object, must be observed. The process of examination is fitted to induce the habit of attending to the relations of things, and of creating the power to consider the relations of things in all cases. 3. It leads to the adoption of system, arrangement, method, classification. Consider the multitude of facts in Chemistry, insulated and independent, until they were reduced to systematic order by some of the master spirits of modern times. In Botany, the wonderful genius of Linne brought into order the heterogeneous mass of its materials. This system, order, arrangement, is now a part of the subject itself, and the study cannot be prosecuted, without this part of logic being practically enforced upon the mind. 4. It awakens curiosity and opens the eyes to look with interest upon the works of God. It rouses the faculties from that listlessness, to which there is so strong a tendency in the naturally indolent state of mankind, and yields to the mind that gratification so desirable to be obtained from the very exercise of the powers. The Profession of Letters in China. 253 5. It stores the mind with objects of thought and interest, and prepares it to increase their number. These objects too, can attend us in all our excursions. The naturalist is ever surrounded with those objects which have roused a deep interest in his mind. Cicero's splendid panegyric on Literature is equally applicable to Natural History. 6. Though many of the subjects have less apparent contrivance, and design, and adaptation, than some others, yet these become more evident, as the knowledge is increased, and are finally seen on every side. The mind becomes more familiar with the works of the great Architect, and perceives more of the benevolence and wisdom of our heavenly Parent, if the study is conducted in the proper manner. Hence these studies exert a peculiar influence on the character of the young. The curiosity excited, and the objects presented continually on every side, offering employment for the mind, and exercise for the body, might naturally lead to important intellectual and moral results. I am aware that this advantage is not the most obvious, and I shall only confirm its truth by a mere allusion to several instances of young men who have, by an attention to Natural Science, been arrested in their mad career to intellectual and moral ruin. Some of these cases are known also to some members of the Lyceum. Some part of these indirect advantages must attend any considerable attention to this study, and be enjoyed in no small degree by the young. THE PROFESSION OF LETTERS IN CHINA. (Extracted from the Chinese Repository, of Canton, China.) [We have just received from Canton, a file of that interesting work, the Chinese Repository-from which we extract the following account of the much admired plans for the promotion of learning in that vast empire.] THE profession of letters in China is adopted with a view to office in the civil service, to attain the judge's bench and magistracy; or, perhaps, the government of provinces; or, it may even be, a seat in the ministerial cabinet, guiding the councils of the great emperor himself. Such elevation is possible to the poor scholar, the humble student of Confucian principles; and, tempted by the prospect, almost every family of a little property dedicates one or more of its sons to the study of books. But of the myriads of candidates throughout the empire, a few only can attain the degrees which render them eligible to office; and of those who are so far qualified, but a very small number are actually chosen to office. But those who are not chosen, and who have property, can, of course, get on well enough in the world; others are usually a burden to their kindred or their friends. Some become private tutors or public schoolmasters; but the frequently recurring examinations for higher degrees call persons away from these duties; and they seldom do well, unless they abandon the profession and pursuit. He who lives in the country, if he has attained the sew tsæ degree, must repair, however distant his residence, to the provincial chief city, to be examined for the next degree, that of keu jin. And he who has acquired this degree, must repair, every three years, from the extremities of the empire to Peking, to try for the tsin sze degree. In this manner, a man's time and resources are frittered away; and, if unsuccessful, he passes through life a continual prey to disappointment. Besides, there is a pride of caste cherished by these tuh shoo jin, or book-reading men, as they call themselves, which is a hindrance to their entering on any useful calling. They would rather beg of their kindred and friends, or even of the public, in the character of gentlemen scholars,' than put their hands to some useful occupation. It is to be regretted that the government allows such an idle course of life as is that of the unsuccessful candidate, by at length rewarding those who without merit, have persevered to old age in this unproductive occupation,-rewarding them with the degree they have so long sought, when its attainment has ceased to be advantageous. The following is a portrait of a living, unsuccessful Chinese scholar. A few days ago, a man, about forty-eight years of age, with a respectable head, but clothed in filthy, ragged, worn out garments, passed and repassed before my window, now and then looking up. Being engaged, I took no notice of him at the time. The next day he came again, and seated himself on a stone opposite to the window, looking up occasionally. Observing this, I sent a servant, one of his own countrymen, to ask him if he wished for anything. The man returned, and said he was a northcountry man, and did not want anything; he was waiting for somebody. Knowing the unwillingness of natives to reveal the truth to each other, I sent and asked the poor, ragged stranger into the house, that I might speak to him myself. He came, and as soon as the back of the other Chinese was turned, he knelt Poverty and Misery of a Scholar. 255 down before me, and knocked his forehead against the floor, then rose, and unrolled a dirty paper containing a statement of what he was. 'He was a native of Fuhkeen province, a keu jin graduate, and had been thrice at Peking, trying for the next degree, without success. He had exhausted all his own money, had tired his friends by repeated application for money, and had tried to earn a little by writing scrolls and papers, but could seldom get above 200 cash a day; he had not sufficient food, and his raiment had been gradually reduced to what I saw. The other day he wanted to kneel down in the streets and beg of me, but Chinese were constantly passing, and he was ashamed. I gave him a dollar to satisfy his immediate want of food, and bid him come again in two days, that I might have time to think what to do for him. I then sent natives to inquire about him. All they could learn was, that he was one of those north-countrymen, who, being friendless and without employment, sink into a state of beggary; instances of which frequently occur. There was no suspicion of his being a bad man. 'He came, according to appointment, in the same filthy rags,but having his head clean shaved and his beard dressed. I had been thinking how to clothe him, and feared it would be expensive should I employ my own people, who would make a job of it and take a large per centage. I therefore asked my beggarfriend himself, for what he could get a second hand suit of clothes. He immediately made a minute estimate of the cost of each article, and thought that for two dollars he could dress himself in a summer suit of clean second hand clothes. Pleased at being able so cheaply to supply his wants, I gave him three dollars. He returned in about two hours, bringing a complete suit, neatly wrapped up in paper, and three quarters of a dollar left. Yesterday he appeared in clean, decent raiment. I conversed two hours with him, concerning Formosa, Ningpo, Soochow, Peking, &c. He is of course acquainted with his native dialect, Fuhkeen; he also converses in the mandarin dialect, elegantly. He read and wrote in my presence. I have no doubt of the general truth of his story. His father held the office of cheheen for many years, from which he retired about twelve years ago, at the age of eighty, having acquired or saved only about six thousand dollars. Part of this he distributed among three sons, of whom my friend doctor Ting is one. Allured by the fame of its riches and liberality, he came to Canton. He has thrice been assisted to repair to Peking, to seek higher honors and office; but he almost despairs of further aid, "for how," says he "can I hope that heaven will 256 On the Importance of Elementary Instruction. rain down three hundred dollars."* However, he means, next year, to try his patrons once more. If he fails this time, Ting intends to abandon the pursuit, for he will then be in his 50th year; he will then conclude that it is his destiny to be poor. Like most of the Confucianists, he is intellectually a proud, selfsufficient fatalist, apparently resigned and yielding, but not humble, -giving up exertion, and submitting to opposition, but with undiminished pride of spirit. For these men never take blame to themselves, but charge all the ills that befall them, to their destiny. 'Such is a specimen of an unfortunate Chinese literary adventurer. He has classical learning, but not much useful knowledge, beyond an acquaintance merely with what he has seen. He asked me, when we sailed beyond England, and go as far as it was possible for us to go, what it is we at last find-on the suppo sition that earth and ocean are a plane surface! As long as China secludes itself from the rest of mankind, it must remain ignorant and conceited. If men were merely brute animals, the present policy might be a wise one; but since a rational nature is characteristic of men, the Chinese certainly injure themselves by their exclusiveness.' ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION. (Extracted for the Annals of Education from a letter to the Editor.) [We received, several years since, a letter from a friend urging the impor tance of improvement in the elementary branches of education. The truths it presents are so important, and so applicable even to the present condition of our schools, that we hope they may excite some additional interest in this important part of the field of labor before us.] CAN you not devote yourself to that particular department of Education which relates to children from eight years of age downwards to the period when their instruction may be made to commence? Here must begin the great work of reform. Here, the public mind is the least disposed to act. Here there is, I fear, too much apathy, and a mistaken notion prevailing, that all at * A keu jin graduate, joining with three or four others, can go to Peking and come back for this sum. The candidates are allowed to pass the custom houses without being searched; and they wish to be at court about twenty days before the examinations commence, to recover from the fatigues of the journey, and refresh their memories a little with the classics. Many of the men of Keaying chow are barbers, and exercise their skill in this way on the road to Peking, instead of spending the whole time in unprofitable journeying, |