Before the pupil enters on this table, let him be made perfect, in the small numerals, and he will most certainly accomplish it in two or three hours without difficulty, as I have often found by experience. I have not given a repetition of the same numbers, as is too often done, to the great annoyance and perplexity of the child, as well as trouble, to the teacher. I see no necessity for a child's repeating 4 times 8, and 8 times 4; 5 times 7, and 7 times 5, &c. for if the numbers are learned one way, it is sufficient. I never found, if I pointed out to the young tyro, that the product was always the same, whether the greater or the lesser number was the multiplier, but he easily comprehended it. If a pupil then is once told that 8 times 4, is the same as 4 times 8, &c. he will no doubt recollect it; but this need not be commented on at all, till he comes to put the rule into practise, lest it may serve to perplex, rather than instruct.-Let the table be learned exactly as it stands, thus, 4 times 6 dose-4 times 7 dare, &c.-then ask how many dose and dare amount to, and if the pupil is perfect in the numerals, he will instantly answer. reason why children in general are so long attaining this table, in the usual manner is, because there being so many numbers to be remembered, they produce the utmost confusion in the mind.

The

FOREIGN GRAMMAR.

The application of this Science to Foreign Grammar, I have many times incontestibly proved by taking a boy from a Lancasterian (or any charity school) and have taught him to conjugate a Latin Verb thro' all its moods, persons, and tenses, in two hours; not merely repeated the terminations, (for this alone is a silly thing) but has given the English, as he proceeded, or in any manner asked him. In the month of June, 1813, when at Greenock, I took a boy from the charity school of that. town, who knew not a particle of Grammar, and taught him to conjugate two Latin Verbs in about three hours. When lecturing in Dublin in the month of February, 1814, a lad from the Lancasterian-school, School-street; after six hours instruc-, tion, conjugated four Latin Verbs, carrying them all thro' at the same time, giving the English to each, to the great astonishment of all present.

The plan is this I write it out, and put the first syllable of the verb or verbs, down only at the beginning, directing the learner to add it to each termination as he proceeds; I also point out to him the different endings, observing that the second person singular ends in s, the third in t, the first person plural ends in mus, the second in tis, and the third in nt. I set down the persons but once, i. e. in the Present Tense, Indicative Mood, and

after explaining them to the boy, and telling him that they must be applied in the same manner to all the Tenses (with the trifling variation of the second and third person singular,) I proceed to instruct him how to put each Tense in a square, and how to know his Tenses by his auxiliary verbs English; for instance, if I were to ask him where he would find his Preterperfect Indicative Mood, he would answer in his third square; and further observe, that he knew it by the verb have. I have found by experience, that a boy will conjugate two or four verbs together, in nearly the same time that he will one, when arranged in the manner following; for after he is gone thro' the Present Tense, Indicative, he will proceed with as much ease as if it was but one. Make him repeat the Latin and English of the verbs that he is to conjugate till he is perfect, as amo, I love---moneo,

advise, &c. so that he may comprehend the meaning of each. Begin by putting the Indica tive Mood, Present Tense of all the four verbs into the first square, and read them across, as amo, I love; Moneo, I advise; Rego, I rule; Audio, I hear, &c. You perceive that each Tense is to occupy a square, as they are numbered, except that I have put the Preterperfect, and the Future Tenses, Potential Mood, in the same square, (the 9) as there is no difference in the ending of these, but in the first person.

Whatever objections some persons may have to this mode of learning the declensions of nouns and verbs, I can assure them from experience, that a boy will master them in one eighth part of the time which he can by the usual method. First, because the verbs being arranged in this manner, the task appears much less than it is, and the learner is

thereby encouraged to proceed. Secondly, by putting each declension of a noun and adjective, or each Tense of a verb in a different square prevents embarrasment; for by directing the eye to the place, and repeating each particular till perfect, a strong association arises between the eye of the mind, and the place of locality, (the same as there is between the ear and a note in music) and when the pupil is asked for any person in any Tense, he knows immediately where to look for that Tense, and thereby is not likely to confound one with another.

Each adjective may also be united to its corresponding substantive, and both declined together; this would save much time, besides, the pupil would learn at once to join them as bona musa, &c.

In giving directions for learning every thing which concerns the squares, I have continually admonished the Student not to pore intensely on the page, but give a mere glance at it, and take off just as much at once as the mind will contain for the moment, and look towards the square repeating it till perfect; and thus proceed with the next portion Without looking at the place of locality, while learning any thing, there will be no association between the eye of the mind and the place; it moreover enlivens the faculties, and entirely prevents that stupidity which often occurs, by too earnestly fixing the eye for a long time on the same spot, i. e. the book.

2 B