happened in things which did not image forth some movement of spiritual life.

The word blend was variously illustrated and defined. One little boy of five years old said, when a thing is made of one substance, and when we want it to be of a different color, some other substance is put over, and then the two are said to be blended. Mr. Alcott said, this boy's definitions are from his own mint; and then he explained this figure, by describing a mint.

Blind led to the idea of spiritual blindness. Mr. Alcott said, some of you, when you first came to this school, were spiritually blind; some are here now, who are spiritually blind; their outward eye is a very good one, but they do not seem to look inward. The spiritual eye is the soul itself; and he quoted Byron's words: "A thing of eyes," &c. He spoke of the causes of spiritual blindness. He said the reason that boy, with whom he had just been talking, could not understand the theory of punishment, was because his soul was blinded by the predominance of bodily fear, and outward things occupied his thoughts.

A great deal was said about the uses of the bodily eye; the cultivation of it, connected with a parallel advancement of spiritual vision; and the reciprocal influences of bodily and spiritual vision on each other, and on the advancement of the mind and soul.

At last he called for the slates of the superintendents, for there had been two. On one there was only the superintendent's own name; the other had several names, which were explained; and the boy had evidently been very careful to do justice. None thought he had been unjust. Mr. Alcott said what was set down did not warrant any punishment; they had all tried and had succeeded in being selfcontrolled and attentive. Before he said this, however, and while they were expecting punishment, a little boy said; I spoke, but he has not written me down. Mr. Alcott said, you are right to tell me.

After recess, I took my scholars into the other room. When they came back, Mr. Alcott asked who had been faulty; and several held up their hands. Mr. Alcott asked one of these what he had done? Played. Why? He

did not know. At last he said, he was thoughtless. Why? He did not know.

Mr. Alcott took him from his seat, and led him to the little boy, who gives such spiritual answers, and said: ask that little boy how you can learn to think? The little boy said, with his usual slow enunciation, and self-involved look, oh! he must employ all his thoughts. Well, said Mr. Alcott, that is very good advice. But I don't know how, said the boy. He don't know how ; said Mr. Alcott to the child; who replied, with a great effort to get out the words; Why, then he must set his heart to work! Very well, said Mr. Alcott; you must set your heart to work, and employ all your thoughts; and then you will not play, when you ought to be doing something else.

I found Mr. Alcott had given a writing lesson on the black tablets to the rest of the school, while I had had my Latin class in the other room.

February 7th.-I came and looked over my journal before the reading commenced, as it is to be read after recess.

At about ten o'clock, Mr. Alcott began to read the story of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. After he had finished it, he asked those who had any ideas about it, to hold up their hands. Two boys thought there was nothing mysterious about the story; it was very natural that so good a man as Abraham, should instantly do what God commanded him. Almost all agreed with them. But one boy said, it was very mysterious to him, that Abraham could have consented to the killing of his son. Mr. Alcott asked him if he doubted whether Abraham did right. He said, No, Abraham was good, and that makes it mysterious.

Now, said Mr. Alcott, I am going to ask all a question, of which you must think before you answer. What do you love best? God; said the first one addressed, without any hesitation. Mr. Alcott said, I should like a more deliberate and particular answer, and I will put the question in another form. Do you love any being or thing, as well as yourself? Yes, said he. Do you love any being or thing better than yourself? I do not know. The next said, he thought he loved God best, better than his mother, better than himself. All the most thoughtless boys were very sure

they loved God best; and also one or two of the most thoughtful. One little boy at first could not tell. At last, he said he thought it was his mother. Mr. Alcott asked if he loved her better than God? He said, No-but as well. Another little boy said, he loved his uncle Charles best. Why? He did not want to tell. Do you love him because he is good, or because he loves you; or because he has given you any thing? Because he is good. Did he ever give you any thing? Yes. Has he given you any thing lately? No, he is in England. The next little boy said, he loved God best, Jesus Christ next, and his mother next. Why do you love your mother? Because she takes care of me. Why do you love Jesus Christ? Because he is holy; (Mr. Alcott did not hear, and the second time he said, because he is good.) Why do you love God? Because he is good. Why do you love God better than Jesus Christ? Because he has more goodness. Do you love yourself? Not one grain. Don't you love your mind? That is not myself. What is yourself? My body. Don't you love it? No. Don't you love to feed it? Yes! said he, slowly, with surprise at this home question. Don't you love to feed it more than you ought to do? Yes, said he, with a sigh and a look of deep reflection.

There were no more new ideas given. I intimated that I thought many had answered as if the question was, What ought you to love best? which produced a few remarks from Mr. Alcott.

CHAP. III.

ANALYSIS OF A HUMAN BEING.

I have now given about five weeks of the Journal. But before quite dismissing it, I will give some farther extracts, comprising a weekly exercise, which was suggested by the following conversation, on the 9th of February.

The word bless came up among the words of the spelling lesson. It was defined as wishing well to others; wishing God's blessing; making happy. Mr. Alcott asked, if any one felt he comprehended all its meaning? No hands were raised, and a small boy said: Mr. Alcott, I do not believe you comprehend all its meaning yourself. Mr. Alcott asked what blessings God gives? They answered severally, food; sun; air; clothing; dwellings; flowers; wisdom; our souls; parents. Do we have blessings whether we deserve them or not? Some said yes; some said no. But there is one blessing greater than all you have mentioned. They severally answered, after some consideration, Spirit; God's Spirit; the Bible.

The Bible, said Mr. Alcott, is God in words. But the Bible is not the only Revelation of God. There are many Bibles, to those who think. Nature, the outward world, is a Bible. Its objects typify God's thoughts. The soul is a Bible. What do we read in the passions? I will tell you: God's punishments, for the passions are the overmastering effects of indulgence. What tremendous pains they involve, by necessity!

But what blessings have you had? who thinks little, but who catches the He replied, the Bible. How is that

a

He addressed a boy, habit of answering. blessing? said Mr.

Alcott. The Lord blesses us with it, said he. In what way? He makes us happy. With the Bible? He makes us good. Your answers do not sound as if they were your own reflections; but like parrotry. Tell me what blessings you have been blessed with to-day. With a mind. Are you thoughtless? said I, (referring to a confession or excuse he always makes, when he has done wrong.) Yes. But does not thoughtless mean without thoughts? Yes. Can there be a mind without thoughts? No. Then how can you say your mind is a blessing to you? I have been baptized, said he. How is that a blessing? It purified me. Are you pure, purified? I was for a little while after I was baptized. Was your soul or your body baptized? My body. Does not purity belong to the mind? Yes. Do truth and love keep the mind pure? Do you understand what I mean, when I say, the soul is baptized with truth and love? Yes. Was your soul ever baptized so? Yes. How often? Every day. How long does it last? A little while.

All these answers seemed given without thought; and Mr. Alcott pursued it still farther, his object being to show this fancifully worded boy, that he had no self-knowledge; and that his ideas were not representations of his own thoughts and feelings, but mere verbal associations, and meaningless images. This boy's memory of words and images, which has been over-cultivated, is great; and he seems to have been led into a shallow activity of mind and tongue, that deceives himself. I thought he was enlightened a little to-day; and the rest of the scholars, who were very attentive, and occasionally joined in the conversation with much intelligence, evidently understood his mind very well, and were guarded against the same fallacy.

Mr. Alcott here opened the Bible, and read the beatitudes in paraphrase, thus:

Blessed, inconceivably happy, are those who feel as if they were without any thing; for such are prepared to receive Heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn; for comfort comes to the mourner that others cannot understand.

Blessed are they that desire goodness more than any thing else; for they shall be filled with it.

Blessed are they that are kind and merciful; for they will not be in danger of being cruelly treated.