an ill-seamed, struggling leak. The little that oozes out is a disgrace to the fountain, and a disappointment to reasonable expectations. We should make the knowledge which we merely look at, and pass by, a part of our own minds; it should be incorporated with, and become a part of our intellectual existence. Then, if we have the organs of speech, and a motive, there will be no hesitation, nor stammering, nor circumlocution, nor words without meaning. If we have an idea, we can impart it. We deceive ourselves when we apolo gize for our faulty expressions, by saying, “I know well enough, but I can't tell it." The fact is, we do not know; if we did, there never would be an occasion for such an apology. Now it will not do for teachers to make this confession to their pupils, and therefore they are obliged to say something; but you should know that it is easy to talk about every thing and yet say nothing.

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There is no other class of men in society who need the faculty of communicating knowledge so much as teachers; especially common school teachers. They are acting upon minds which are extremely limited; having but a very few ideas, and almost entirely unacquainted with the relations of things. They cannot get the meaning by hints, and inferences, and equivocal, half-expressions, as more mature minds may do, by close attention, and with some knowledge of the speaker's phraseology. No, you must speak the whole of it to children, with nothing more nor less, and in their

own idiom. With children, you have not intelligent minds to supply the want of intelligence; all that is perceived by them must be contained in the teacher's communication. It will now be acknowledged that teachers, more than any other class of men, need the faculty of transferring into other minds what may be worthy of existing in their own. A teacher should make it his unceasing study to acquire this power. He may obtain it by practice. If he will arrange his ideas, and connect them with proper words, and frequently express them, he will soon acquire the ability. And it will make a new man of any one; he will then feel and know his strength.

SECTION III.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS CONTINUED.

A TEACHER, besides possessing the requisite knowledge, and the ability of communicating it to others, should have a good moral character. His morals will be the standard by which the scholars will compare and regulate theirs. His conduct and deportment will be constantly before them; and from the respect he ought to have from his pupils, his life will be the model which they will imitate.

The teacher's sentiments, opinions, and even manners, will insensibly become the sentiments, opinions, and manners of the scholars. They will feel a full license to do whatever the teacher does. His actions will be appealed to as a justification of their own; and whatever the teacher considers right or wrong, will be considered as right or wrong by the scholars. The teacher's actions are under the eye of the children, and his mind, thoughts, and feelings by the side of theirs, more than any other individual's; whatever he may be, he will be sure to stamp his likeness with more or less faithfulness upon the minds of every one of his scholars. A teacher may, and generally will, mould the conformable, imitative mind of the child into his own image. To a great extent our teachers give us our character. If this be so (and we think no one will doubt it who has either observed or reflected), what is more important than a good moral character in a teacher!

Parents, if such a character is of any importance in your children, it is of just as much importance in their teachers. You must expect to see the same virtues or vices, and particularly the latter (for children, as well as those who are older, copy the evil of others with much more readiness and faithfulness than they do the good), taking root, and springing up into action in your children, that you see in their teacher. And, respected instructer, if you feel (and you should understand this matter) that your doctrines and practice are not right, Oh,

think of the consequence of your unhappy influence! Think of your responsibilities! Think of what will be required at your hands!

A teacher should govern himself. In this consists the great art of governing others. We lose all authority over others when we lose command of ourselves. The disloyalty of our passions requires a closer inspection and a stronger guard than any official government: and to rule your own spirit you will find much more difficult than the control of others. You will meet with many things which are keenly provocative; but always keep a close watch over yourself, and let nothing throw you off from your guard: let your judgment advise and control all your actions. If you will govern yourself, you will have a good government in your school. I never knew a teacher who was troubled in managing his scholars, that did not first lose the government of himself. All of those rebellious school farces, where teacher and scholar have tried their strength for mastery, commenced from some weakness or indiscretion on the part of the teacher. A man that has the strength of the law and of right, and a perfect command of himself, will have his authority acknowledged, and his government respected.

There is no employment in which the aid of a good judgment is more essential than in the teacher's; I mean the teachers of common schools. In all our incorporated academies, colleges, and seminaries, there are laws prescribing the duties of the

instructers and the conduct of the pupils. These laws are drawn up by learned, experienced men ; men who are not local, acting officers of the institution, but warm friends and general supervisors: the instructers must be directed by these laws, and require their obedience from the students. Now, there is no such supervision from the experienced and learned over the common school and its teacher; the instructers in these schools are their own legislators, judiciary, and executive; they publish their own laws to the colony, and they accuse, pass sentence, and punish. The professor of a college is not allowed to make his laws-he is not permitted to punish in case of their violation, but is obliged to report the offender and the offence to the president or the board of managers; they are neither legislative, judiciary, nor executive: but why? because they are not as fit for these offices as common school teachers? This certainly is not the reason. Is it because the laws of a college are more numerous and difficult? Is it because the government of the educated is more difficult than the government of the uneducated? Certainly not. The rules and regulations of a primary or district school are as numerous (and require more ingenuity in adapting them to the young minds and restless bodies of the children) as the laws of a college; and the pupils of a district school have generally lived without rule and restraint, and are certainly less prepared to perceive what is right and what is wrong, and conse