master has very little method, and only a few of such books as a committee or a body of negligent trustees or careless parish officers allow him. If the new scholar has already been in a school elsewhere, and acquired a little scripture knowledge, and learnt the arithmetical tables, the master knows not how to class him; for, his books not being systematized, he is at a loss how to make the already-acquired knowledge available, and thus the new scholar is put back into some book which he has perhaps read to satiety, or confined to the Bible as the only resource of the bewildered master. In a case like this, a list of books proper for children in the different stages of primary instruction, would at once enable the master to direct his scholars; for, upon inquiry, he would find that the newly-entered scholar had been reading in the previous school in No. 3, 6, or 9, and, consequently, had gone through the previous books, to which (except for the purpose of examination) he need not return. Thus the scholar, by reference to the “National list,” finds at once his place in the school; and, if he has begun in that same school ab initio, he has followed the course of reading, which will avail him when he passes elsewhere. To make the list of books complete, it will be necessary to begin with alphabets and primers, and carry a child of six or seven years old forward from six months to six months, until there be an aggregate of three years: the fourth year would! require Books of a higher description.

But while the child (who may only be permitted to remain for one or two years under the care of the National school teacher, and under the eye of the clergyman) is learning to read and write and cipher, he is to be taught, from the very first, religious and moral truth, and as he cannot acquire any instruction in these things by reading (for he is not yet able to read with sufficient ease), there only remains the method of oral instruction. For this purpose the master should be furnished with a book for every succeeding half year (beginning with the first), and therefore the list to be complete should contain, "The Master's Book for religious and moral instruction for the first half year;" ditto for the second half year," and so on to the fourth half year, when this auxiliary instruction would be superseded by the scholar being able to read the books of religion that might be put into his hands.

With these observations premised, the following will be the sets or series of Educational Books required :—

SERIES No. 1.-FOR THE FIRST HALF YEAR.

Alphabets. Lessons in one, two, and three Syllables.

Cards of figures and numeration.

Easy Hymns.

Lord's Prayer, Creed, and Ten Commandments, with questions and

answers.

Selections from the New Testament.

Prayers, for morning and evening.

An Easy Book of Maxims to be learnt.

The Master's Book for religion and morals for the first half year, to contain lessons on God, truth, honesty, reward and punishment, Christ's love, His Church, &c.

To be combined with the Four Gospels,

a portion of which to be read daily.

SERIES No. 2.-FOR THE SECOND HALF YEAR.

Reading Lessons in prose and easy poetry; containing simple accounts of animals, anecdotes illustrative of lying, drunkenness, stealing, &c.; some well-chosen Fables. The whole made into two books, designated Nos. 1, 2, of Second Series. Bible Stories, adapted in style to imperfect readers.

The Church Catechism Explained or made easy to the junior scholar.

Arithmetical tables.

First Step to Orthography.

Sacred Songs and familiar Rhymes.
Prayers for morning and evening.

A Book of Proverbs and Moral Sentences, tending to engraft in
the mind and memory a reverence for our Institutions in
Church and State.

The Master's Book for religious and moral Instruction for the second half year, to contain the principal features of Sacred History, as far as King David's time; moral lessons to be drawn from the same source; and the chief truths of Christianity.

To be combined with

the New Testament,

to be read daily.

SERIES No. 3.-FOR THE THIRD HALF YEAR.

(Reading Book, containing Natural History, with some entertain-
ing accounts of manners and customs of foreign nations,
sketches of Missionary labours, &c.

Scripture Geography, especially of the New Testament.
Arithmetic and Writing Book.

A familiar explanation of the services of the Church of England. An advanced set of books, similar to those for the second half year. The Master's Book for the third half year, to contain the Gospel History and the first planting of Christianity, with an account of the countries where it was first preached, the lives of New Testament characters drawn out as examples, an account of the Epistles and the churches to which they were addressed, and an illustration of our Liturgy and formularies as of Apostolic origin and scriptural character.

The Bible Class daily.

SERIES No. 4.-FOR THE FOURTH HALF YEAR.

Books of Trades for reading, or Treatises on different branches of mechanical art.

The Text Book of Geography.

The First step to Grammar, including punctuation, syllabic ana-
lysis, orthography, words of like sound but different significa-
tion, aspirates, emphasis, accentuation, &c.

Principal Events (chronologically arranged), and Outlines of the
History of the Empires of Antiquity.

The Master's Book for the fourth half year should contain the whole range of Bible History, with the history of the ancient Empires; an account of the Jews as a nation from the Captivity to the destruction of Jerusalem-Chronological Tables.

A Second Book should contain an Elementary Treatise on Language ̧

SERIES No. 5.-Books for THIRD YEAR SCHOLARS.
Geography generalized.

Arithmetic, extending to mensuration, land measuring, and guag-
ing.

History of England, particularly of the Reformation.

An account of our Ecclesiastical Polity, and of the Union of
Church and State.

The Elements of Physics, the use and means of ventilation, and
some account of our Machinery and Factories.
Agriculture and Horticulture, &c., for rustic schools.
Shipping, Mining, &c.

Grammar and Exercises.

No Master's Book required.

Feb. 13, 1843.

R. B.

[The want of regular sets of books for our middle and National schools seems to be felt more and more every day. If this Journal can be made in any way subservient towards the supply of this want, its pages will be always open for so excellent a purpose. The above paper will serve as a good beginning. Perhaps some of our correspondents will favour us with a few corrections or additions to this list; and, especially, describe at greater length the sort of books they feel in need of, referring, wherever practicable, to English or foreign books already in existence, that may serve in any respect as models.-ED.]

OUTLINE OF A COURSE OF LESSONS ON LANGUAGE, WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO OUR OWN.

SIR, In a late report of the National Society, it is proposed that "the pupil shall be taught the rudiments of Latin; but the object of such teaching shall not be to ground him in a learned language, but to give him a more complete command of his own." Now, as the object is a knowledge of English, will you permit me most respectfully to submit to your notice the outline of a course of instruction having an immediate reference to this object, and possessing, among many other advantages, that of facilitating also the study of any foreign tongue.

I should not have ventured to address you on the subject, had I not witnessed the benefit resulting from the plan, even when pursued under many disadvantages; and my motive for doing so is the hope, that this may induce some of your readers to arrange such a set of lessons as may enable teachers to carry it out more fully (if it meet with approval), or, if this has already been done, to inform me where I may procure them. The order I pursue is—

(1.) Whatever is common to all languages, as the noun, verb, &c. (2.) The nine English parts of speech, exercises, parsing.

(3.) The most obvious syntactical differences in other tongues exhibited by means of sentences literally translated from the Latin, German, French, &c.

(4.) English syntax, and exercises on the rules of syntax.

(5.) Etymology. The history of our language; its derivation from other languages; and the consequent variations in its orthography, and the formation of its plurals.

The exercises for this most important part of the study are taken chiefly from a little work, entitled, "Orthographical and Etymological Exercises," published by E. and T. Bruce, Newcastle on Tyne,* of which I here subjoin a short specimen :

Root-" Again,"-Saxon (Aghen) i. e., a second time.

What part of speech is "again?"

Give a preposition signifying in opposition to.

Write again as it is sounded.

Give another monosyllable in which ai has the same sound.

Give the specific meaning in these cases:

Bring word again which way we shall go."

Against the Tiber's mouth.'

To provide against winter."

Give the Latin compounds now in use, corresponding to the old English words," Aghen-buying,"-" Aghen-rising,"-" Aghen-stand,” Aghen-say."

(6.) Examples of the same words used in different senses at different periods, and by different writers; and the gradual alteration in the meaning of words.

(7.) Specimens of our standard authors in chronological order. The sense of the passage to be given in modern English.

It is unnecessary to say, that I make no pretension to any new discovery; all I claim is the arrangement of the lessons, and putting them into an agreeable form. It has long been a source of regret to me, that so many years should be devoted to the attainment of a moderate degree of proficiency in languages which possess no literature comparable with our own, by persons who turn with distaste from the writings of our venerable divines and reformers, because their ideas are clothed in a quaint though expressive style; and I have attempted thus to supply to my own pupils, what appears to me a deficiency in English edu

cation.

The results have exceeded my expectations. I have found that these lessons afford a clearer insight into the principles of language than the mere study of any Grammar. I have also felt the value of such a mental training for my pupils as the exercise of discriminating between ideas which are really distinct, though at first sight they appear alike; in clothing each idea with its appropriate symbol, and in assigning to the words of an author the meaning he intended they should convey. But a conviction of my incompetence to execute the task efficiently, has rendered me anxious to know whether a similar plan has been adopted by abler persons, since my secluded situation has debarred me from gaining any information on the subject, till I was so fortunate as to meet with the "English Journal of Education," which will now be regularly forwarded to me. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, Northumberland, Feb. 6, 1843.

A PRIVATE GOVERNESS.

[It will save trouble, if our correspondents in recommending a book will give the name of the London Publisher, if there be one on the title page.— ED.]

A HELP TOWARDS ENSURING REGULAR ATTENDANCE

AT SCHOOLS.

THE paper in our first number, entitled, A SIMPLE METHOD OF ENSURING REGULAR ATTENDANCE IN SCHOOLS, has had, upon the whole, very much the sort of effect that we looked for. While it has been the means of remodelling several schools in various parts of the country; and while in every instance in which it has been fairly tried, it has been found completely to answer, and in not a few cases to put new life and vigour into the master and other school managers, there have been several objections started, but only one among the number for which we had not an answer ready made in the concluding part of the paper, the insertion of which is postponed only for want of room. This objection had reference to one minute particular only; but still, being addressed to the better feelings of humanity-a point of vital importance in education, it pleased us not a little. It was put forth in the form of a question, Whether the not allowing a child to ask leave of absence, or rather to be the bearer of a message to this purport from its parent, does not look like suspiciousness? We do not hesitate to say, that, if any master, under pretence of carrying out our method of ensuring good attendance, ever leads an honest simple-hearted child for a moment to imagine that its word is suspected or doubted, that master shall never have charge of a school or child over which we have any control. It is but a little matter that he does not understand the principles of the paper to which reference is made; for evidently he has no notion of anything but rules: his chief qualification for his office that which in all probability he would put into the fore-ground, is but a dead thing at the best-that he "knows the system.' The point, however, is, Have we fairly laid ourselves open to so serious an objection? If a child could read the paper as a whole, he would say, "No: it is law; law for every child-the best in the school. sent back, not because I am suspected of telling a lie; it is nothing to the point, whether I am delivering a message or inventing one; in either case I am transgressing a very simple and intelligible law." It might be added, too, that the method proposed saves a child from temptation, and consequently in some measure from suspicion.

I am

It would have been a pleasure to us to have inserted some of the letters we have received upon this subject, which indeed we should have done, had they not been so complimentary. The writers, however, will be better pleased to see the materials with which they have kindly furnished us, worked up as they are wanted. In fact, we have been frequently at a loss to know, whether a letter has been meant for insertion or not. The note that accompanied the valuable document that follows, gave us full authority to put it into the fire if we thought that the best place for it," which we certainly did not. A fortiori, however, we inferred that we might venture upon a few slight alterations, one great objection, however, to which is that it deprives us of the weight that the author's name would have carried along with it; for we dare not treat our correspondents, as some compilers of hymn