desiring to have a new building erected or pleasuregrounds laid out, can communicate to his workmen more knowledge in a few minutes by drawing his plans, than he could by long hours of verbal explanation. So a traveller in a strange country can ofttimes convey more true knowledge by a rough sketch of some remarkable object in nature or art, than he could do by a labored description. In its higher departments, Drawing is well calculated to awaken the mind to the perception of new beauties, as it requires a careful study of nature; and when it rises from the sphere of an imitative art to that of a creative art, no other study can furnish higher or better culture for the judgment, the imagination, and the taste.

While it is agreed on all hands that children may begin to learn to draw when quite young-before they commence learning to write, teachers of Drawing differ very much as to the best method of instructing them. But although almost every system of Drawing differs in some of its details from all other systems, all of them may be arranged into two classes; and there are, therefore, two methods of teaching Drawing. The first commences with a straight line, as the simplest element used in Drawing, and may be called the Abstract Method; the second commences with objects, or the pictures of objects, and may be called the Concrete Method.

1. THE ABSTRACT METHOD. All objects that can be represented by drawing them are either bounded by straight or curved lines. The simplest of the two kinds of lines is the straight line; and.

hence, many teachers of Drawing commence their instruction with exercises on the straight line. Before the pupils commence their lessons, however, it might be well for the teacher to draw the outlines of several objects bounded by straight lines, upon the blackboard, and have them notice the kind of lines of which they are composed, and the manner in which one line is added to another to build them up. In short, pupils may be led to see by such an analysis, the purpose for which they are required to make lines, and why they should make them correctly. The best way of developing this method of teaching Drawing is by presenting brief descriptions of a series of exercises.

Straight Lines. ----

FIRST CLASS OF EXERCISES. These lines may be made of different lengths; they may be made perpendicular, horizontal, or inclined at different angles; they may converge, diverge, or run parallel; or they may be bisected, trisected, or divided into any required number of parts.

SECOND CLASS OF EXERCISES.-Combinations of two Straight Lines.-These combinations will be better understood by examples than by descriptions:

THIRD CLASS OF EXERCISES.-Combinations of three Straight Lines.-The following figures are examples of this kind of combinations:

AVI±‡VIDA

FOURTH CLASS OF EXERCISES.

Combinations of

more than three Straight Lines.-Under this class there may be included all triangles divided by a single straight line, squares, rectangles, rhombs, trapeziums, all kinds of polygons, and an immense number of other figures that can be made to furnish a great variety of lessons.

FIFTH CLASS OF EXERCISES.-The Imitation of real Objects bounded by Straight Lines.-This class of exercises is intended to give pupils practice in imitating the pictures of real objects bounded by straight lines. Among the thousands of objects suitable for the purpose, the following may be named as examples: boxes, books, blocks, posts, milestones, stools, tables, stars, crosses, doors, windows, houses, castles, &c.

SIXTH CLASS OF EXERCISES. -The Invention of Figures bounded by Straight Lines.-Drawing is not only an imitative but a creative art, and pupils should have practice in inventing figures. The teacher may first exhibit a few original designs upon the blackboard. From this the pupils will understand what is wanted; and if there is not soon an interested class, and eventually some fine work done by it, it will be contrary to my experience. Such

problems may be assigned as follows: given three, four, five, or any number of straight lines, to form a design of them; given a figure, a triangle, a square, or a parallelogram, to combine with straight lines; given one figure to combine with another; as triangle with triangle, triangle with square; squares, stars, hexagons, with one another.

SEVENTH CLASS OF EXERCISES.-Curved Lines.A few simple curves may be presented as examples :

Curved and Straight Lines.-Examples of such combinations may be found in sections of circles, sections of ellipses, cones, cylinders, many of the letters of the Alphabet, and thousands of objects.

NINTH CLASS OF EXERCISES.-The Invention of Figures bounded by Curved or Curved and Straight Lines.-This class of exercises opens a wide field for the display of ingenuity and taste.

After sufficient practice has been allowed in the preceding exercises, pupils may receive lessons in Shading and Perspective, but such remarks as I have to make concerning the methods of imparting such lessons will be postponed until something has been said of the second general method of teaching Drawing.

2 THE CONCRETE METHOD. -The concrete is the

most effective form in which knowledge can be communicated to children. We have found that lessons on objects should precede all other kinds of instruction; and it is very natural that children should take most interest in drawing the objects about which they are otherwise learning something. Any teacher can try the experiment for himself, and he will find that while children will be delighted to spend hours every day in trying to draw blocks, posts, houses, cats, or cows, they will soon grow tired of making lines, triangles, or circles. Nature thus indicates that the first lessons in Drawing should be in a concrete form. What if it be said that objects are not as simple as lines, or that it is impossible for a child to draw them correctly, the answer is ready, that in this way they learn everything else. Children do not first learn the elements but the wholes of things. Let them commence learning to draw as they commence learning other things, and it will be found that what is natural is the most effective. Children will even spend much time in "playing Drawing," if provided with proper materials. It is, doubtless, proper that pupils somewhat advanced should analyze figures, and commence with straight lines; but I am here speaking of instruction to beginners.

As with the Abstract method, the spirit of the Concrete method can be best appreciated from a series of exercises.

The Pictures of Ob

FIRST CLASS OF EXERCISES. jects.-It is more easy, and, I think, more interesting, for children to draw the pictures of objects than