mean? A. A nine-sided figure. Q. What is an irregular nonagon? A. A nine-sided figure whose sides and angles are not equal.

Deca-gon.

Q. What is this? A. A regular deca-gon. Q. What does a decagon mean? A. A ten-sided figure. Q. Why is it called a decagon? A. Because it has ten sides and ten angles, and there are both regular and irregular decagons.

Rect-angle or Oblong.

Q. What is this? A. A rectangle or oblong. Q. How many sides and angles has it? A. Four, the same as a square. Q. What is the difference between a rect-angle and a square? A. A rectangle has two long sides and the other two are much shorter, but a square has its sides equal.

Rhomb.

Q. What is this? A. A rhomb. Q. What is the difference between a rhomb and a rectangle? A. The sides of the rhomb are equal, but the sides of the rectangle are not all equal. Q. Is there any other difference? A. Yes, the angles of the rectangle are equal, but the rhomb has only its opposite angles equal.

Rhomboid.

Q. What is this? A. A rhomboid. Q. What is the difference between a rhomb and a rhom

boid? A. The sides of the rhomboid are not equal, nor yet its angles, but the sides of the rhomb are equal.

Q. What is this? A. A trapezoid. Q. How many sides has it? A. Four sides and four angles, but it has only two of its angles equal, which are opposite to each other.

Q. What do we call these figures that have four sides? A. Tetragons, tetra meaning four. Q. Are they called by any other name? A. Yes, they are called quadri-laterals, or quadr-angles. Q. How many regular tetragons are there among those we have mentioned? A. One, and that is the square, all the others are irregular tetragons, because their sides and angles are not all equal. Q. By what name would you call the whole of the figures on this board? A. Polygons; those that have their sides and angles equal we would call regular polygons. Q. What would you call those whose sides and angles were not equal? A. Irregular polygons, and the smallest number of sides a polygon can have is three, and the number of corners are always equal to the number of sides.

Q. What is this? A. An ellipse or an oval. Q. What shape is the top or crown of my hat? A. Circular. Q. What shape is that part which comes on my forehead and the back part of my head? A. Öval.

The other polygons are taught the children in rotation, in the same simple manner, all tending to please and edify them. They are taught the principle of brick-building, by wooden blocks, made the proper size, so that they may build the front of a house, walls, &c. They may also be

taught the principle, in some degree, by which bridges are built, and we have children who can spring an arch, and tell the names of every thing connected with it; in short, there is scarcely any thing of which children are not capable, if we so simplify the things that they can comprehend them. Perhaps it may be thought that I am going into an extreme in attempting to teach infants these things; but if any person doubts the possibility of infants being taught thus, they can satisfy themselves by calling at the schools; and I once more beg leave to remark, that variety forms the most pleasing food for the human mind. And I have found that children are not too young to learn these and many other things still more complicated, but that I have been too old to teach them.

T S

CHAPTER XIII.

PLAN FOR TEACHING INFANT CHILDREN BY THE AID OF PICTURES AND CONVERSATION.

The most barren ground, by manuring, may be made to produce good fruit; the fiercest beasts by art, are made tame; so are moral virtues acquired by education properly applied.

TO give the children general information, it has been found advisable to have recourse to pictures* of natural history, such as of birds, beasts, fishes, flowers, insects, &c. all of which tend to shew the glory of God; and as colours attract the attention of the children as soon as any thing, they eagerly enquire what such a thing is, and this gives the teacher an opportunity of instructing them to great advantage; for when a child of his own free will eagerly desires to be informed, he is sure to profit by the information then imparted.

* See life of Dr. Doddridge :-" His parents brought him up in the early knowledge of religion, before he could read his mother taught him the history of the Old and New Testament, by the assistance of some Dutch tiles in the chimney of the room, where they usually sat; and accompanied her instructions with such wise and pious reflections, as made strong and lasting impressions upon his heart."

We use also pictures of public buildings, and of the different trades; by the former, the children acquire much information, from the explanations which are given to them of the use of the buildings, in what year they were built, &c.; whilst by the latter, we are enabled to find out the bias of a child's inclination. Some would like to be shoemakers, others builders, others weavers, brewers, &c.; in short it is both pleasing and edifying to hear the children give answers to the different questions. I remember one little boy who said he should like to be a doctor; and when asked why he made choice of that profession, in preference to any other, his answer was, "Because he should like to cure all the sick people." If parents did but study the inclinations of their children a little more than they do, I humbly conceive, that there would be more eminent men in every profession, than there are. It is great imprudence to determine what business children may be adapted for, before their tempers and inclinations are well known; every one, it has been wisely observed, is best in his own profession-that which fits us best, is best; nor is any thing more fitting than that every one should consider his own genius and capacity, and act accordingly.

But as it is possible that a person may be very clever in his business or profession, and yet not be a Christian, it has been thought necessary to direct the children's attention to the Scriptures, even at this early age, and to endeavour, if possible, to lay a solid foundation of piety in the infant mind, by teaching them to venerate the Bible, and to fear and love its Divine Author. Many difficulties lie in the way of attaining so desirable an end; the principal one arises not from their