the various European languages, and among them our own, to be translated into Greek: but many of the works to which we allude are not at all calculated to exercise any beneficial influence on the Greek nation; nor has any attempt yet been made to present them with a series of elementary books which might serve as the basis for instruction. In some departments, books of merit were used in the University of Corfu a few years back, and perhaps are still in use; but nothing at all corresponding to the design of the present translator has yet been conceived. It is his wish, he says, at the close of his Preface, to accomplish something beyond the present translation. The total want of elementary books for the Greeks, written in a manner suitable to be generally understood, has determined him to translate the greater part of what the Society has published; the profits of the present translation, whatever they may be, are to be devoted to the printing of other works. The treatises on Mathematical and Physical Geography' were (December, 1830) in the press.

The translation is accompanied by two maps of Greece, founded on those published by the Society, with some few alterations, and the insertion of the names in Greek characters. We regret to say, that the engraver has committed a considerable number of mistakes in the orthography of the names, and has not corrected some errors that are pretty obvious; but we ought to add, that it was engraved at Corfu by a young Greek who is almost self-instructed. As far as the execution of the map is concerned, it is very creditable, and better than what we see in most German books.

The study of the modern Greek language and of its pronunciation has hitherto made little progress in this country; nor perhaps can we expect that it should form part of regular school education. We think, however, that the more advanced boys in our schools would be pleased to compare the Greek of Petrides with the English original; a careful study of a dozen pages will enable them to read nearly the whole with little difficulty. Those who have occasion to go to modern Greece at the present day, find the acquisition of the language very easy, if they be provided with only a moderate stock of school Greek; and we have no doubt that a good Greek scholar would not require more than a few weeks of constant practice, to enable him to understand the people and converse in their language. Greece, it is to be hoped, will now enjoy repose; and though it will take many years to raise it to wealth and political security, we may still anticipate a rapid improvement. At Nauplia and Athens there are now printing-presses; many active and enlightened foreigners are at this moment in the APRIL-JULY, 1833.

I

country; and among the Greeks themselves there are not wanting examples of men of character and acquirements, anxious to give stability to the new state of things, and to their countrymen the advantages of knowledge.

6

We here present our readers with a short specimen of the translation from p. 49 of the original, beginning, Since the Persian war, Athens had become the seat of philosophy,' &c. Those who feel any interest in the matter will have no great difficulty in referring to the English original.

Αἱ ̓Αθῆναι, ὕστερον ἀπὸ τὸν Περσικὸν πόλεμον, κατεστήθησαν ἡ καθέδρα τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ τῶν τεχνῶν, αἱ ὁποῖαι διὰ πολλοῦ ἤνε θησαν εἰς τοὺς καιροὺς τῆς ἡσυχίας της πλουσιότητος καὶ τοῦ πολιτισμοῦ τῆς Ἰωνίας, καὶ αἱ ὁποῖαι ὅμως ἕως τότε ὀλίγον ἦταν καλλιεργημέναι εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα. Η αὔξησις τῶν ἐνεψυχώθη μὲ ἐλευ θεριότητα ὑπὸ τὰς κυβερνήσεις τοῦ Θεμιστοκλέους, καὶ τοῦ Κίμωνος, καὶ ἐκείνη τοῦ Περικλέους ἐπροχώρησεν ἀκόμι περισσότερον εἰς τὸν ἴδιον δρόμον. Η πόλις ἐστολίσθη μὲ ἀριστουργήματα τῆς γλυπτικής, της ζωγραφικής, καὶ τῆς ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς· αἱ θρησκευτικαὶ ἑορταί ἐσυνοδεύοντο μὲ συνηρεσίας εἰς τὴν ποιητικὴν καὶ τὴν Μουσικήν. Η τραγῳδία, ὁποῦ πρῶτα ἦταν χωριατικὴ ᾠδὴ εἰς τιμὴν τοῦ Βάκχου, ἀνυψώθη ἀπὸ Θέσπιν, Φρύνιχον, καὶ ἄλλους, εἰς διαγραφὴν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πράξεων καὶ παθημάτων· ἐνεδύθη ἀπὸ τὸν Αἰσχύλον μὲ τὸ μέγιστον ὕψος τῶν στοχασμῶν καὶ ἐκφράσεως, καὶ ἐπαῤῥησιάσθη μὲ ὅλα τὰ βοηθήματα τῆς Σκηνικής τέχνης, καὶ ἀκόμη κατεστήθη ὠφελίμη ἀπὸ τὸν Σοφοκλῆν, τὸν Εὐριπίδην καὶ ἄλλους πολλοὺς ἀξιολόγους ποιητάς. Αἱ κωμῳδίαι μολοντοῦτο ἐπαῤῥησιάζοντο, τῇ ἀλη θεία, μὲ αὐθάδειαν ἄσεμνον, καὶ μὲ ἀναίσχυντον ἐξύβρισιν προσω πικὴν, ὅμως ἦταν γεμάται ἀπὸ ἀγχίνοιαν καὶ χαριεντισμὸν, ἀπὸ ζωηρὰς εικόνας χαρακτήρων, καὶ ἀπὸ ὀξὺ πολιτικὸν περίπαιγμα. Πολλοὶ περίφημοι φιλόσοφοι διέτριβαν εἰς τὰς ̓Αθήνας, καὶ οἱ Πολι ται ἔτρεχαν κοπαδιαστὰ νὰ τοὺς ἀκούουν νὰ ὁμιλοῦν εἰς τὰς στοὺς καὶ εἰς ἄλλους τόπους δημοσίας συναναστροφής.

As far as we are able to judge, the translator has rendered the sense of the original with fidelity; how far he may have succeeded in attaining a style which his countrymen will admire, we are not able to determine. The language does not appear to us to be so perspicuous as the best specimens of Coraë.

Sketch of the System of Education, Moral and Intellectual, in practice at the Schools of Bruce Castle, Tottenham, and Hazelwood, near Birmingham. London: Baldwin and Co. 1833.

It is by no means a common thing among us, for instructors of youth to inform the public what are the principles on which they base their system of moral and intellectual discipline; we may safely assert also, that it is not common for parents to give themselves the trouble of inquiring. Accident for the most part, and not deliberate choice, determines the schools in which our children are to be educated; and accident therefore governs the most important period of our life.

We are of opinion that the system developed in this sketch is well worth the attention both of parents and teachers; it may induce parents to consider more seriously what ought to be the object of education, and teachers, who are anxious to discharge their duty, may derive benefit from the experience of others. We have often had occasion to remark, that it is a great error to lay down modes of instruction as absolute, as admitting of no modifications or deviations: but still there must be some principles in education, about which all may agree; and it is the inculcation of these fundamental laws which is more likely to produce good, than the minute details of any system, however excellent. In saying this, we do not mean to imply that a minute account of the operations of a good school is not a highly instructive lesson; but it is not the adoption of a few detached methods, which will operate a beneficial change in general education; nothing but a thorough conviction of the truth of certain great principles, and a faithful adherence to them in practice, can accomplish that revolution which we wish to see extended from one end of this island to the other. We beg our readers not to be alarmed at the word revolution, which, in our sense of the term, is, we hope, no very bad thing. It is in the words of the Sketch, ' to render pupils in the highest degree virtuous and intelligent men; and at the same time so to modify the education of each, as to enable him to pass with honour, success and happiness, through that path in life into which he will probably be thrown.' If a whole nation could accomplish this, it would be the noblest of revolutions, and the last that would be wanted. Let every parent reflect, that he may contribute to it if he chooses.

Nineteen principles of attainment' are here laid down, as the basis of the whole system; but it is remarked, that public opinion and the habits of the pupils already formed, determine,

to a certain extent, how far these principles can be followed. This is a most important consideration. When we are so ready to blame teachers for not introducing better methods into their schools, and substituting useful information for much that is useless, we must bear in mind that parents are not always prepared for such a change, and that a hasty attempt at reformation might prove the ruin of the teacher. The goodness of a school is generally measured by a standard, which would often prove very unfavourable to the introduction of new principles. Suppose, for example, a teacher, of whose qualifications no one could doubt, should announce that the study of Latin or Greek, particularly as now conducted, is of no manner of use even to the sons of the rich, who are designed for business, for the army, for the navy, and for a great many other occupations that might be mentioned; and that instead of wasting the usual portion of time on these studies, he proposed to instruct his pupils in English, French and German, in Geography, Mathematics, and the Physical and Moral Sciences; and that he further proposed to introduce such a moral discipline, as would give his pupils habits of veracity, punctuality, and industry, and all those qualities on which success in life depends, what would be the result? Some would laugh at him for his pains; and others, who believed that he could accomplish what he promised, would still yield to the force of custom, and quietly submit their children to the slavery of Latin verse, and the perplexity of ill-learned Greek.

Such considerations as these must necessarily modify to a great extent the first principle laid down.

1. Every study should receive attention in proportion to its importance, measured by its effect on the welfare and happiness of the individual pursuing it, and of society at large.'

There is no objection to lay down such a principle which, we believe, will be universally admitted; but the measure proposed is the very thing in dispute. One man has one measure, and his neighbour a different one. The proposition still involves in itself the very essence of the great debateable question, What should education be?' The principle, however, by being distinctly laid down may excite discussion, and thus do good.

We refer to the Sketch for a detail of these principles, noticing only a few which we conceive to be indisputable, and essential for the proper training of every human being.

4. The formation of good habits, and the development of the mental and bodily powers, are of much greater importance than early acquirements.

10. Every child should be accustomed from infancy, thoroughly, to examine every idea which is presented to his mind, and to determine, whether he does or does not fully comprehend it.

16. Artificial rewards and punishments, being evils, (though at present necessary ones,) should be used in the smallest possible degree.'

The meaning of No. 16, which we hold to be a principle of the highest importance, will be better understood by referring to the pamphlet for No. 15, and the remarks there made upon it.

Under the head of Modes of Attainment, the first is Punctuality and Economy of Time;' that virtue, without which no plan of education, however good, can lead to good results, and no talent, however great, can effect anything either beneficial to the individual, or of enduring advantage to his country.

'The success attending the arrangements for securing punctuality has been highly gratifying. The principles on which these arrangements are formed are, first, that everything laid down as a boy's duty shall, to an absolute certainty, be required of him; and, secondly, that he shall know the precise time by which his various duties are to be performed. Thus a boy knows, that the instant the clock strikes seven, the bell for morning-school will ring; that at a signal given, an exact number of seconds after the first stroke on the bell, he shall be expected to be in the muster-room; and that in twenty seconds more, he must occupy a particular place in that room. The boy is fully aware, that though he may be in his place as much before the time as he chooses, if he be a single second too late, he will incur a certain loss, which, though of small amount, is sufficient to produce the desired effect.

Under the influence of this arrangement, we have known boys go on for more than four years without a single deviation from punctuality, arising from illness or any cause whatever; and yet the same precision is required at the first muster after the holidays, as on ordinary occasions. At these times, though the pupil may have gone to a distance of a hundred and fifty or two hundred miles, and though we may not have received any communication about his return, nevertheless, we count with almost absolute certainty on his appearance at the first muster.'

Modes of teaching have, of late years, attracted much more attention than the discussion of the question, What ought to be taught?' The discussion of modes of teaching, even when the subject taught is not of primary importance, is still a matter that requires our best attention; for a really judicious and complete mode of imparting any knowledge, must be considered as a good mental discipline. We are not, however, of the opinion of those who think it is unimportant what children learn, provided they be well drilled (to use an appropriate military term); but still the mode of teaching may be so good,