Principles of Education, Intellectual, Moral, and Physical

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Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1820 - Education - 477 pages
 

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Page 119 - Men take the words they find in use amongst their neighbours ; and that they may not seem ignorant what they stand for, use them confidently, without much troubling their heads about a certain fixed meaning ; whereby, besides the ease of it, they obtain this advantage, that as in such discourses they...
Page 119 - ... in the right, so they are as seldom to be convinced that they are in the wrong ; it being all one to go about to draw those men out of their mistakes who have no settled notions, as to dispossess a vagrant of his habitation, who has no settled abode.
Page 140 - I would recommend botany for its own sake. I have alluded to its benefits as a mental exercise ; nor can any study exceed it in raising curiosity, gratifying a taste for beauty and ingenuity of contrivance, or sharpening the powers of discrimination.
Page 130 - I have often been inclined to think, that the apparent coldness and selfishness of mankind may be traced, in a great measure, to a want of attention and a want of imagination. In the case of misfortunes which happen to ourselves, or to our near connections, neither of these powers is necessary to make us acquainted with our situation : so that we feel, of necessity, the correspondent emotions. But without an uncommon degree of both, it is impossible for any man to comprehend completely the situation...
Page 147 - But habits of reflection and good sense are all which are essential to the beneficial pursuit of mental science ; and with these it will in all cases lead to results highly important to individual welfare and usefulness. — The young, in particular, will be led, by an acquaintance with the practical laws of the mind, to perceive how their present conduct affects their future character and happiness; to perceive the importance of avoiding a frivolous employment of their time, without any end beyond...
Page 44 - ... praise, though he was perhaps pleased with the sympathy that was shown in his success. Sympathy is a better reward for young children in such circumstances than praise, because it does not excite vanity, and it is connected with benevolent feelings; besides, it is not so violent a stimulus as applause. Instead of increasing excitements to produce attention, we may vary them, which will have just the same effect.
Page 364 - ... in the evening; but it may be safely used at any time of the day, when there is no sense of chilliness present, when the heat of the surface is steadily above what is natural, and when there is no general or profuse sensible perspiration.
Page 152 - The pleasures of imagination are the next remove above the sensible ones, and have, in their proper place and degree, a great efficacy in improving and perfecting our natures. They are to men in the early part of \ their adult age, what playthings are to children ; they teach them / a love for regularity, exactness, truth, simplicity ; they lead them to the knowledge of many important truths relating to themselves, \ the external world, and its Author...
Page 222 - ... unhappily its virtuous advocates have thought disinterestedness an innate principle of the mind, and have considered it as the first step towards true worth of character, whereas it is in reality the last; and have, therefore, decked the commencement of virtue in colours which belong only to its completion : and hence two practical ill consequences have followed ; some persons have neglected the culture of disinterestedness, both in their own minds and in those of others, from supposing it to...
Page 130 - In • novel or a tragedy the picture is completely finished in all its parts, and we are made acquainted, not only with every circumstance on which the distress turns, but with the sentiments and feelings of every character with respect to his situation. In real life we see, in general, only detached scenes of the tragedy ; and the impression is slight, unless the imagination finishes the characters and supplies the incidents that are wanting.

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