in this last sense. Sley, being a vehicle in common use with us and unknown in England, has a claim, we confess, to a place in an English Dictionary; but we insert it here to remark, that we have commonly, we believe always, seen it spelled sleigh, as a word of correspondent sound is written weigh. “Slump, v. i. to sink or fall into water or mud, through ice or other hard surface, [N. E.]" This word is certainly unworthy of a place in such a work. Spry is a word which has neither use nor dignity. "Lengthy, a. somewhat long, applied chiefly to writings or discourses. This is the worst of the whole catalogue of Americanisms. We might as well make strengthy to mean strong, or somewhat strong, and breadthy, somewhat broad. If of so low a word it were necessary to show the precise meaning, we might say that Mr. Webster has mistaken it, for the vulgar usually employ it to mean long even to tediousness, as his discourse was very lengthy. Test is a verb only in writers of an inferiour rank, who disregard all the landmarks of language. Tote is marked by Mr. Webster Virg. but we believe it a native vulgarism of Massachusetts. Whop never fell under our notice before.

Of this base class of words some are forgotten, with which a Columbian dictionary might be enriched, such as Illy, Approbate, Dabster, Chunky, Composuist, with keep, span, and spunk in their perverted meanings. Perhaps there are many others; but we dare not mention them, lest Mr. Webster, to shew his impartiality, should advance them also to an honour they can never retain. We have now completed what we proposed to ourselves; and perhaps our readers will not regret that we have attempted no more. We have marked with candour the most prominent faults in this work; and if it be asked why so little is said in commendation of it, we shall desire every one to compare it with Johnson. That some words of real value and importance are found in it, which are not in the standard Lexicon of our language, is readily admitted; but so many dangerous novelties are inserted, that no man can safely consult it without comparison with others. From the future labours of Mr. Webster we expect some amusement and some advantage in explaining our language, so far as its Saxon derivation is concerned; but he must remember that a volume of the Augustan age of our literature is of more value than all the play-things of etymology.

ART. 12.

Sketch of a plan and method of education, founded on an analysis of the human faculties and natural reason, suitable for the offspring of a free people, and for all rational beings. By Joseph Neef, formerly a coadjutor of Pestalozzi, at the school near Berne, in Swisserland. Philadelphia, printed for the author. 1808. pp.

168. 12mo.

Mr. Neef, the author of the work which we have undertaken to review, professes himself to be a disciple of Pestalozzi, who

has rendered himself known in Europe, not only by his peculiar mode of instruction, but likewise by giving his pupils the accomplishments of gentlemen, as well as the knowledge of scholars. From the reputation of Pestalozzi, we took up this work with no common degree of interest, and with a strong prepossession in its favour; but we had not read many pages, before we discovered, that, whatever talents and science might belong to the mas. ter, the disciple was only an empirick.

Mr. Neef proposed opening a school in the vicinity of Philadelphia, to be conducted upon the principles of Pestalozzi; and this book was written for the purpose of giving the publick a knowledge of those principles, and of his own ability to carry them into practice. He is anxious to decry every other system but his own, and to represent all other instructers as ignorant, designing pedagogues, who with a few hard words deceive the publick and pass themselves off for learned.

We shall present our readers with an analysis of the work, and leave them to judge how far Mr. Neef is likely by his intended seminary to fulfil the expectations raised by the character of Pestalozzi. Mr. Neef commences his system of education at the age of five. His professed principle is to follow nature, which, according to his plan, is not to teach his pupils any thing, but to make them discover every thing for themselves. His great object is really to form a new system. He therefore is at great pains to differ from every thing established, in unimportant as well as important points. He would not only give new names to the parts of speech, notes in musick, &c. but, not contented with these changes, he even wishes to establish a new language of his own, and thinks that congress ought to aid his project.

After dilating upon his method of giving children the first rudiments of knowledge, by making them observe the obvious qualities of things around them, Mr. Neef proceeds to distinguish all knowledge into four orders. "The first order of our knowledge," he says, includes that, which we derive from our own immediate feeling. The second order contains the knowledge, which we possess through the medium of our mental powers. The third comprehends the knowledge, which we deduce from analogy. The fourth order of our knowledge is that, which we acquire through the testimony and evidence of our fellow men."

These definitions are not very clear. Analogy is certainly carried on by means of our mental powers, and the second order comprehends the third. But by his explanations he confines the second order to memory, and now there seems to be no place for the power which we enjoy of reasoning upon our own mental faculties.

The second section is upon numbers and calculations. If Mr. Neef can be said to belong to any school of philosophy, it is to the modern, as he possesses all its prejudices against the ancients and against religion, and the same preference of the exact sciences to all other knowledge. This section therefore, as laying

the foundation of the future greatness of his pupils, occupies a great degree of attention."

Familiar objects are made use of to give them the first ideas of numbers. A table is then given to them divided into ten rows of ten squares. In the first row the squares are undivided; in the second they are divided into two, in the third into three parts, and so on, so that in the last row each square is divided into ten spaces. By means of this table and of two others nearly similar his boys are not only taught what are usually termed the four first rules in arithmetick, but, without knowing a figure, can at once answer such questions, as would puzzle many persons, who had finished their studies with every assistance of time and figures. The following is set down as an example :

"A general of cavalry wanted a number of horses, and had ordered an agent of the army to procure them. The agent bought at first but six horses, at one louis d'or a piece. After this bargain, he bought some more horses, but at a much higher rate he believed; however the general would take all the horses, which he had bought for him, at the same price which he had paid for the latter ones; and in this case he would have received 480 louis d'or. But the general, not much pleased with the horses, or suspecting perhaps the honesty of his agent, deducted 5 louis d'or for each horse. Notwithstanding this considerable deduction, the agent gained yet six louis d'or upon his bargain; how many horses did he furnish, and how did he pay for the latter ones? This question and a hundred more of the same abstruse description were solved by my pupils, children, who were from nine to ten years old; and who, twenty months before that period, found it very difficult to conceive that one and one made two."

Of the advantages to be derived from learning children to calculate without figures we are fully sensible, nor have we any disposition to question Mr. Neef's veracity; but we think, that these children must be of a different species from what the world has hitherto known.

Mr. Neef is extremely fearful of treading in the beaten path, and is at great pains to let his readers know, that he is determined to depart from all the established modes and maxims of the world. It has usually been thought necessary to make children learn many things, of which at the moment they might be unable to comprehend the reason, but of the truth and importance of which their improved understandings would at some future time inform them. Mr. Neef is completely opposed to this plan; he chooses, that his pupils should know nothing which they do not discover themselves, and will even tell them the most absurd lies, that they may find out their falsehood. In answer to the charge of teaching them lying, he says,

"You think moreover, that by telling my pupils premeditated falsehoods I teach them lying; but this is a very gross mistake of yours. It is not by telling children voluntary or involuntary lies, that we teach them lying; it is, on the contrary, the very best way to prevent their becoming liars. For whenever a child perceives that a person tells an untruth, he feels most cer-tainly a kind of contempt for the liar, and finds the lie itself ridiculous and contemptible. But it is an evident fact, that we never choose for our models those whom we despise, that we never imitate those actions, for which

1

we contemn and ridicule others, because nobody wants to be either despised or ridiculed."

Suppose for a moment this reasoning to hold good, and that the love of truth and abhorrence of falsehood would not be affected in the minds of youth by the practice of their only guide and instructer; yet how can he possibly retain his influence over them, while he is degrading himself in their eyes. We cannot conceive that, children can receive any injury from believing upon authority things beyond their comprehension, provided they are at the same time taught to make use of their reason with respect to those things, to which it is competent. But we do think, that when children are taught always to follow their own opinions, from their own examinations alone, they will be ever liable to form hasty conclusions, and obstinately to adhere to them.

The third section is upon geometry, which is to be learned nearly in the same way, and at the same time as numbers and calculation. The same kind of tables are to be made use of; and, after acquiring the knowledge of straight lines and angles, the pupils are to try their knowledge upon every surrounding object. After which they are to learn the geometry of Legendre, who, Mr: Neef says, follows Euclid and Archimedes. This respect for the ancients is a deviation from his plan, for which we are unable to

account.

Drawing, which is the subject of the next section, is closely connected in this work with geometry. The boys are to learn to draw the various geometrical figures, without the assistance of compass or ruler; and having effected this, must apply their 'knowledge to the surrounding objects and then must learn light and shade and perspective.

By these previous studies Mr. Neef thinks his pupils will be prepared for writing and reading. Cadmus wrote before he could either read or spell, and they are to do the same. The author adds: "The same way, which, in all likelihood, he took to contrive his sublime art, we shall likewise endeavour to take." He thinks his pupils may possibly adopt the Chinese method of writing; but is rather inclined to suppose they will prefer the alphabetick. We were surprised, that no objection was made to pens, ink and paper, for the arguments are as strong in favour of the papyrus and reed of the ancients, as of the method of writing of Cadmus. Upon his own principles, his pupils should have invented all these things over again.

After examining in a cursory manner the nature of sounds, he proceeds, in the person of Cadmus, to point out the defects of our alphabet. Different sounds, he says, are expressed by the same letter, and the same sound by different letters. He then breaks forth into the most passionate language, calling upon the legislature to interfere :

"Bid your legislators take up the all important subject, bid them choose a few select but capable men; not those, who are by privilege denominated learned, but men of sense, who understand your language. Let these men,

after mature deliberation and examination of the business, determine the number of simple, double and nasal sounds, and of simple articulations, which are to be found in them. Next let some of your geometricians dis play their genius and exert their skill in contriving an adequate number of the most plain, simple, commodious and, at the same time, easily distinguishable signs or letters, &c." "As to your books they may be preserved." "They will show your future generations, from what barbarity your reformation has saved them."

Should this plan not succeed, he concludes, that he shall be obliged to let his children fight their way through the absurdities of the common alphabet.

The sixth section is upon grammar, a subject upon which Mr. Neef is perfectly absurd. A new character is here introduced, Mr. Oldschool, by which he means every instructer but Pestalozzi and himself. Mr. O. appears to be introduced for no other purpose, than to say absurd things, and be laughed at. Our author names almost every grammatical term, to say it shall not be found in his grammar; and employs several pages to shew the impropriety of calling a verb by its usual name, to prove that it is not necessary to a sentence, and that it has no voices. He says, march is called a neuter verb. "When therefore the French grand army marched from Boulogne to Austerlitz, it was perfectly inactive."

Mr. Neef divides grammar into "Ideology, Lexigraphy and Syntax." "Ideology shall acquaint us with the materials of speech; lexigraphy shall dissect them; and syntax shall employ them." A copious abuse upon the author of Nature Displayed concludes this section.

The seventh section is upon ethicks or morals. He divides all religions into two kinds, dogmas and morals. the first he means all revealed religions, which he considers as possessing an equal degree of merit, or rather as being equally devoid of it. Considering religion, therefore, merely as a thing of fashion, he supposes that every parent would choose, that his child should profess the same dogmas as himself; but as it would be impossible for him to know what each of these might be, he shall consider it no part of his business; but shall confine himself to those moral principles, which have been maintained by all religions in all times, to abhor certain great crimes, and to comprehend the being and attributes of God.

Amidst the nonsense of this work we discover many useful notions, of which we have an instance in his mode of giving his pupils their first impressions of the Supreme Being. From every object around them, which affords either pleasure or delight, and from their own powers, he teaches them to look up to that Being, from whom coineth every good gift. In this manner benevolence is associated in the strongest manner with the idea of Deity, and even this imperfect system of natural religion is made interesting. It frequently happens, that, in the minds of youth, severe justice and great power are the only notions that are associated with Deity. They are taught, that most of