and without increasing the general expense. There is so much zeal for education in the United States, particularly in New England, that this condition of improvement I hope will occupy the minds of American philanthropists. They will consult the American annals of education and instruction, and learn what has been done in Europe, and in some parts of the United States, and what different teachers themselves propose in reference to Seminaries of this kind.

CHAPTER IV.

ON THE MUTUAL INFLUENCE OF THE FACULTIES, AS A MEANS OF EXCITEMENT.

THE fourth condition which contributes to increase the activity of the faculties, is their Mutual Influence. To employ this means it is necessary to understand, that each power may be active by its internal energy, or by its being excited by one or several other faculties; and that on the other hand, each power may be inactive either by its want of energy, or by the influence of other faculties This consideration deserves every attention in practical education. It supposes in the teacher

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who wishes to reap from it all the advantages possible, a knowledge of the primitive faculties of the mind, of the natural connection of their organs, and of the individual dispositions of him who is to be educated.

It is a general law, that organic parts which contribute to the same function excite one another. The organs of smell and taste, the nerves of hunger and thirst, and the digestive power, are in intimate connection. Smell and taste often whet appetite, and the appetite excites the sense of taste; it is therefore justly said, that hunger is the best cook. The internal feelings are equally subject to mutual influence. Amativeness, and philoprogenitiveness, frequently excite combativeness, viz. male animals fight more when under the influence of amativeness than at other periods. Females defend their young ones with more courage than any other object, Acquisitiveness and cautiousness, excite secretiveness to act. Attachment may put cautiousness into action, or we may fear for the sake of friends more than for others. Firmness may assist hope and justice, reverence and self-esteem; and it may be assisted by the other feelings. In short, each feeling may be stimulated by one or several others.

Mutual influence exists, also, with respect to the intellectual faculties, and is called Association of Ideas. Those persons, however who consider as

sociation as a primitive power, are mistaken, for the activity of at least two powers, whose functions are associated, is necessarily implied in its very existence. Now, this mutual influence takes place among the feelings as well as among the faculties of the understanding, and among feelings and intellectual faculties promiscuously; that is, one or several feelings may excite intellectual operations, and vice versa.

The mutual influence of the faculties is the basis of what is called Mnemonics, or of the art of strengthening memory. This art is very ancient, but in consequence of its principles not being sufficiently understood, it has been rejected by some, and extolled to excess by others. The great errors committed in mnemonics, resemble those committed in all branches of education, and in all sorts of institutions. Teachers of every sort look upon themselves as the standard for the whole of mankind, and commonly have recourse to that faculty which is the most active in them, reproduces the most easily its anterior perceptions, and excites other powers with the greatest facility. They err in overlooking the differences of the innate dispositions and talents of different individuals.

The most common kind of mnemonics is founded on language; that is, words recall individual notions. Written signs do the same, in bringing

to our recollection sounds and ideas; they depend on the faculty of configuration. If we resolve upon doing a thing in a distant place, and after setting out to go there, forget our design, and recollect it only on returning to the place where the resolution was first made, the power of locality is the means of mnemonics, and many teachers of mnemonics have recourse to this faculty; they combine ideas with places, and in thinking of the latter they remember the former. It seems that the ancient orators employed these means, in order to learn their discourses with greater facility. Their proceeding appears to be indicated by the expressions denoting the divisions of the subject, such as in the first, second, and third place, &c. This power may indeed, if it be strong, assist the other faculties. Persons endowed with it, may divide and subdivide, in their minds, a given place, and put into each compartment a particular notion, and the idea will be called to recollection, in thinking of the corner where it has been lodged. Locality, however, will be of little use to those who possess it only in a small degree; whilst if they be endowed with the power of Form in a high degree, they will combine a notion with a figure with great facility. We may also, with other mnemonists, have recourse to several faculties at the same time, to fix the recollection of an object.

This proceeding then may be applied with great advantage in education; but it is to be remembered, that the most active powers furnish the best means of mnemonics, and that any particular mode of association useful to one may be useless to another, on account of the differences in the innate faculties. The general rule is to exercise, at the same time, as many faculties as possible in combination with each other, and even with the senses. The activity of one or several faculties, may excite the peculiar action of mind we wish for. The smell of a flower may recall the place where we perceived it first, or many particular circumstances connected with it. The powers of Comparison and of Causality, are often usefully exercised to this purpose, particularly in persons who cannot learn by heart what they do not understand. Others who have Imitation and Ideality large, recollect easily things expressed with ideality. Every one remembers best those phenomena, or those points in history, which are in the most intimate relation with his strongest feelings and intellectual faculties. These faculties enter into action with the greatest facility, reproduce their sensations, that is, appear as memory, and excite the other faculties.

The strongest illustration of the effects of mutual influence among the faculties, is to be seen in the effect of emulation in children, and the desire of distinction among men. Many students learn