"Then two equal parts of four each, make eight; or one of these equal parts, which is four, is the half of eight.

"He brings forward four more balls, as in all other instances, the next on each of the four highest lines. "How many equal parts are there now?-Three. "How many are there in each equal part?-Four. "How many are there altogether?-Twelve.

"Then four is the third equal part, or the third of twelve.

"He may thus proceed uutil he has divided all the balls of the four highest lines into equal parts of four in each, and arrives at the conclusion, that four is the tenth part of forty. By this method the teacher explains and illustrates the first table of regular numbers, when used in the order, from the parts to the whole, and from the lower to the higher numbers.

"I would particularly urge it upon the teacher, that every method of explanation by the abacus, should proceed extremely slow, that every child may have sufficient time allowed to observe carefully the movements of the balls; otherwise the purpose of the lesson will be altogether lost, and the children will repeat whatever the teacher may suggest without any better knowledge of the subject.

Examination of the Children in the Table, learned in the foregoing manner.

"The next step in the order of instruction in numbers is an examination of the children in what they have hitherto attained. This also is conducted by the teacher, while the children are arranged in the gallery.

"An examination may be pursued in any one of the following modes.

"1. In regular order, successively through each line, in each method of using the table, that is in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions.

"2. In irregular order, but following both the successive lines, and the distinctions of method in using the table; that is, in addition or subtraction, or multiplication, or division, or fractions; varying the questions only

in the particular line or method under examination. As, for addition :

"How many are two and four? two and ten? two and eight? two and six?

"3. In irregular order, preserving only the distinctions of modes of using the table, and not the succession of lines, as,

"How many are four times six? three times nine? seven times two?

"4. In irregular order, preserving the succession of numbers and of lines, but not the distinction of modes, as

"How many are two and two? Take two from four, how many are left? How many are twice two? How many two's are there in four? What part is two of four?

"5. In irregular order, preserving the succession of the lines, but not the order of numbers, or of the modes of calculation, as,

"How many are three times two? Take two from eight how many are left? How many are six times two? How many two's are there in ten? What part is two of four?

"6. In irregular order preserving neither the succession of numbers nor of lines, nor the distinctions of methods of using the table; as,

"How many are three times six? What is five the half of? How many fours are there in twelve? Take nine from twenty-seven how many remain?"

INSTRUCTION IN GRAMMAR.

The method of giving instruction in English grammar in the Edinburgh Sessional School, is thus described by Mr. Wood.

"In the commencement, nothing more is done than explaining the nature of a Noun, and calling upon the pupil to pick out all the nouns, which occur in any passage he has been reading. He is next taught to distinguish their genders and numbers; but cases are reserved,

till he has learnt the verb and preposition, and can thus be rendered acquainted with their object and use. If the technical names of singular and plural, &c. at first puzzle him, he is still made acquainted with the grammatical distinction, by varying the forms of the question. Thus, in place of asking the number of the word boys, we may ask why it is boys and not boy: and, on being told, that it is because there are more than one, we may then, till the word becomes familiar, tell him that this is called plural. As soon as he can distinguish nouns tolerably well, the pupil is next instructed in the nature of Articles, and called upon to illustrate what he has been taught, by its application to the passage before him. He is next in similar manner taught, by means of examining the nature of Adjectives, their applications, and their modes of comparison. Then, in like manner, Pronouns, and afterwards Verbs; leading him gradually by examples to understand their differences in point of mood, time, number, and person. Then Prepositions; after which the distinction of cases in nouns is explained. Then Adverbs, with the distinction betwixt them and adjectives. Then Conjunctions, and lastly Interjections.

"In order to illustrate our method of teaching grammar, let us take the commencement of a passage in the school collection. The grandest, the most sublime, and extraordinary object, we have yet seen, is Fingal's Cave, in the isle of Staffa. It is a natural grotto, of stupendous size, formed by ranges of columns,' &c. If the class be only commencing this study, after telling them that all names are NOUNS, we desire them to pick out the nouns in the passage before them; when the first boy will give 'object,' the second Fingal's,' the third cave,' and so forth, till they have exhausted the remaining nouns, isle,' 'Staffa,' 'grotto,' 'size,' 'ranges,' 'columns.' When they are a little farther advanced, the first boy at the time of naming the noun 'object' will be asked why it is 'object,' and not objects, and the distinction of singular and plural will be pointed out to him, and so on with the rest. After a little time, in place of putting the question in this form, the boy will be asked at once whether the noun is singular or plural? why? and what it would have been if it had been plural? As soon as these words sin

gular and plural are so familiar, as not only to be easily distinguished from each other, but readily brought to recollection, the question is put in this form, Of what number is object? why? &c. A similar process is observed with regard to the Genders. The Cases, as we mentioned, are at this period omitted.

"After the class have been for a sufficient time exercised exclusively on nouns, they next take the ARTICLES along with them. After their nature, object, and distinction have been explained, the boys are then called upon to point out the articles contained in the particular passage. After the first boy has given 'the,' he is asked what every article is prefixed to? what noun the' is prefixed to in the present instance? what would be the difference between the object,' and an object? and the distinction between the definite and indefinite article is then explained. As the children become better acquainted with this distinction, they are asked at once, Whether 'the' is the definite or indefinite article? and, when these terms are sufficiently familiar to them to be brought easily to recollection, the question is put generally, What kind of article is the ?" What other kind of article is there? &c. The second boy is in like manner called upon to mention the next article in the passage, which also happens to be 'the, and to be connected with the same noun object.' The third boy will in like manner mention the subsequent article 'the,' and its connexion with the noun 'isle.' And the fourth will give the article 'a,' and mention at the same time its connexion with the noun 'grotto.' In this last case, in addition to the former questions, the child will be asked why the article here is a and not an.

"ADJECTIVES follow next in order. After having pointed out the difference betwixt these and substantive nouns, and the manner in which the former are employed to qualify the latter, the children are required seriatim to point out the different adjectives in the passage. Thus the first boy will give 'grandest.' He is then asked, 'what every adjective qualifies? what noun grandest' here qualifies?' and, when the pupil is sufficiently advanced to be able to understand the degrees of comparison, he is further asked of what degree of comparison grandest

is? what it would have been if it had been positive? and what if it had been comparative? In like manner the other adjectives 'sublime,' 'extraordinary,' 'natural,' 'stupendous,' are successively disposed of.

"PRONOUNS are next explained, and the children being called upon to mention the first one in the passage, the boy at the top answers 'we.' He is then asked what a pronoun is used in place of? and what 'we' is put for in this passage? what kind of pronoun it is? of what number? why? and what it would have been if it had been. singular? The next boy having in like manner given the pronoun it,' is asked what it is used in place of? what kind of a pronoun it is? of what gender? why? what it would have been if it had been feminine? and what if it had been masculine? of what number it is? why? and what it would have been if it had been plural?

"The VERB and PARTICIPLE follow next. Their nature and object having been explained, the children are called upon to select the first verb in the passage, which is 'have.' When they are sufficiently acquainted with the nature of the verb itself, they are farther instructed with regard to its different variations. Thus, in the present instance, the child, who has given the word 'have,' is next asked of what mood it is? and why? of what time? what it would have been if it had been past time? of what number? why? of what person? and why? The second boy having in like manner given the verb 'is,' is asked of what mood it is? why? and what it would have been if it had been subjunctive? of what time? and what it would have been if it had been past instead of present? of what number? why? and what it would have been if it had been plural? of what person? why? what it would have been if it had been of the second person? and what if it had been of the first? The participles will then be selected; and the boy who mentions 'seen' is asked whether it is the present or the past participle? what it would have been if it had been the other participle? and what if it had been the past time of the verb? The participle formed' will then be disposed of in like manner.

"PREPOSITIONS are next explained and selected. The first boy having made mention of 'in,' is asked what every preposition is placed before? and before what noun