Of course, it is more satisfactory to one’s own self-love, to make
every one who comes to one to learn, feel that he is a fool, and we
wise men; but, if our object is to teach well and usefully what we know
ourselves there cannot be a worse method. No man, however, is likely to
adopt it, so long as he is conscious that he has anything himself to
learn from his pupils; and as soon as he has arrived at the conviction
that they can teach him nothing—that it is henceforth to be all give
and no take—the sooner he throws up his office of teacher the better
it will be for himself, his pupils, and his country, whose sons he is
misguiding.