The following work has been written for the use of schools and
families, as well as for miscellaneous readers. It embraces a class of
subjects in which every individual is deeply interested, and with
which, as a mere philosophical inspector of the affairs of men, he
should become acquainted.
They, however, challenge attention by considerations of greater moment
than mere curiosity; for, in the present age, a great proportion of
mankind pursue some kind of business as means of subsistence or
distinction; and in this country especially, such pursuit is deemed
honorable and, in fact, indispensable to a reputable position in the
community.
Nevertheless, it is a fact that cannot have escaped the attention of
persons of observation, that many individuals mistake their
appropriate calling, and engage in employments for which they have
neither mental nor physical adaptation; some learn a trade who should
have studied a profession; others study a profession who should have
learned a trade. Hence arise, in a great measure, the ill success and
discontent which so frequently attend the pursuits of men.
For these reasons, parents should be particularly cautious in the
choice of permanent employments for their children; and, in every
case, capacity should be especially regarded, without paying much
attention to the comparative favor in which the several employments
may be held; for a successful prosecution of an humble business is far
more honorable than inferiority or failure in one which may be greatly
esteemed.
To determine the particular genius of children, parents should give
them, at least, a superficial knowledge of the several trades and
professions. To do this effectually, a systematic course of
instruction should be given, not only at the family fireside and in
the schoolroom, but also at places where practical exhibitions of the
several employments may be seen. These means, together with a
competent literary education, and some tools and other facilities for
mechanical operations, can scarcely fail of furnishing clear
indications of intellectual bias.
The course just proposed is not only necessary to a judicious choice
of a trade or profession, but also as means of intellectual
improvement; and as such it should be pursued, at all events, even
though the choice of an employment were not in view.
We are endowed with a nature composed of many faculties both of the
intellectual and the animal kinds, and the reasoning faculties were
originally designed by the Creator to have the ascendency. In the
present moral condition of man, however, they do not commonly maintain
their right of precedence. This failure arises from imbecility,
originating, in part, from a deficiency in judicious cultivation, and
from the superior strength of the passions.
This condition is particularly conspicuous in youth, and shows itself
in disobedience to parents, and in various other aberrations from
moral duty. If, therefore, parents would have their children act a
reasonable part, while in their minority, and, also, after they have
assumed their stations in manhood, they must pursue a course of early
instruction, calculated to secure the ascendency of the reasoning
faculties.
The subjects for instruction best adapted to the cultivation of the
young mind are the _common things_ with which we are surrounded. This
is evident from the fact, that it uniformly expands with great
rapidity under their influence during the first three or four years of
life; for, it is from them, children obtain all their ideas, as well
as a knowledge of the language by which they are expressed.
The rapid progress of young children in the acquisition of knowledge
often excites the surprise of parents of observation, and the fact
that their improvement is almost imperceptible, after they have
attained to the age of four or five years, is equally surprising.
Why, it is often asked, do not children continue to advance in
knowledge with equal and increased rapidity, especially, as their
capabilities increase with age?
The solution of this question is not difficult. Children continue to
improve, while they have the means of doing so; but, having acquired a
knowledge of the objects within their reach, at least, so far as they
may be capable at the time, their advancement must consequently cease.
It is hardly necessary to remark, that the march of mind might be
continued with increased celerity, were new objects or subjects
continually presented.
In supplying subjects for mental improvement, as they may be needed at
the several stages of advancement, there can be but little difficulty,
since we are surrounded by works both of nature and of art. In fact,
the same subjects may be presented several times, and, at each
presentation, instructions might be given adapted to the particular
state of improvement in the pupil.
Instructions of this nature need never interfere injuriously with
those on the elementary branches of education, although the latter
would undoubtedly be considered of minor importance. Had they been
always regarded in this light, our schools would now present a far
more favorable aspect, and we should have been farther removed from
the ignorance and the barbarism of the middle ages.
Were this view of education generally adopted, teachers would soon
find, that the business of communicating instructions to the young has
been changed from an irksome to a pleasant task, since their pupils
will have become studious and intellectual, and, consequently, more
capable of comprehending explanations upon every subject. Such a
course would also be attended with the incidental advantage of good
conduct on the part of pupils, inasmuch as the elevation of the
understanding over the passions uniformly tends to this result.
For carrying into practice a system of intellectual education, the
following work supplies as great an amount of materials as can be
embodied in the same compass. Every article may be made the foundation
of one lecture or more, which might have reference not only to the
particular subject on which it treats, but also to the meaning and
application of the words.
The articles have been concisely written, as must necessarily be the
case in all works embracing so great a variety of subjects. This
particular trait, however, need not be considered objectionable, since
all who may desire to read more extensively on any particular subject,
can easily obtain works which are exclusively devoted to it.
Prolix descriptions of machinery and of mechanical operations have
been studiously avoided; for it has been presumed, that all who might
have perseverance enough to read such details, would feel curiosity
sufficient to visit the shops and manufactories, and see the machines
and operations themselves. Nevertheless, enough has been said, in all
cases, to give a general idea of the business, and to guide in the
researches of those who may wish to obtain information by the
impressive method of actual inspection.
A great proportion of the whole work is occupied in recounting
historical facts, connected with the invention and progress of the
arts. The author was induced to pay especial attention to this branch
of history, from the consideration, that it furnishes very clear
indications of the real state of society in past ages, as well as at
the present time, and also that it would supply the reader with data,
by which he might, in some measure, determine the vast capabilities of
man.
This kind of historical information will be especially beneficial to
the youthful mind, by inducing a habit of investigation and
antiquarian research. In addition to this, a knowledge of the origin
and progress of the various employments which are in active operation
all around, will throw upon the busy world an aspect exceedingly
interesting.
It may be well, however, to caution the reader against expecting too
much information of this kind, in regard to most of the trades
practised in very ancient times. Many of the most useful inventions
were effected, before any permanent means of record had been devised;
and, in after ages, among the Greeks and Romans, the useful arts were
practised almost exclusively by slaves. The latter circumstance led to
their general neglect by the writers among these distinguished people.
The information which may be obtained from this work, especially when
accompanied by the inspection of the operations which it describes,
may be daily applied to some useful purpose. It will be particularly
valuable in furnishing subjects for conversation, and in preventing
the mind from continuing in, or from sinking into, a state of
indifference in regard to the busy scenes of this world.
In the composition of this work, all puerile expressions have been
avoided, not only because they would be offensive to adult individuals
of taste, but because they are at least useless, if not positively
injurious, to younger persons. What parent of reflection would suffer
his children to peruse a book calculated to induce or confirm a manner
of speaking or writing, which he would not have them use after having
arrived to manhood? Every sentence may be rendered perfectly plain by
appropriate explanations and illustrations.
No formal classification of the professions and trades has been
adopted, although those articles which treat of kindred subjects have
been placed near each other, and in that order which seemed to be the
most natural. The paragraphs of the several articles have been
numbered for the especial accommodation of classes in schools, but
this particular feature of the work need meet with no serious
objection from miscellaneous readers, as it has no other effect, in
reference to its use by them, than to give it the aspect of a
school-book.
While writing the articles on the different subjects, the author
consulted several works which embraced the arts and sciences
generally, as well as many which were more circumscribed in their
objects. He, however, relied more upon them for historical facts than
for a knowledge of the operations and processes which he had occasion
to detail. For this he depended, as far as practicable, upon his own
personal researches, although in the employment of appropriate
phraseology, he acknowledges his obligations to predecessors.
With the preceding remarks, the author submits his work to the public,
in the confident expectation, that the subjects which it embraces,
that the care which has been taken in its composition, and that the
skill of the artists employed in its embellishment, will secure to it
an abundant and liberal patronage.
[Illustration: FARMER.]