be cultivated, in order to the proper improvement of the intellect; but, which of these faculties can be trained, where a school is a place of misrule and a scene of disorder? Can the memory be improved, in the midst of interruption? Can the taste be formed, in the midst of irregularity?—the judgment rendered accurate and acute, from examples only of its abuse? And as for imagination, how far it can be accurately educated, in such circumstances, I need not stop to inquire.

I said it is one of the objects of education, to cultivate the kind and social affections. From the proper exercise of these, much of the happiness of life must flow. But, in a school without discipline, they must find a soil more sterile than the Nubian desert, and blasts colder than the winds of Greenland, -vapors more destructive than the breath of the siroc. And yet, what is man, without a heart, without affections? What is man, when he makes himself the centre of the universe? What is man, unsocial, sordid, misanthropic, but a libel on himself, as he came from the hands of his Maker?

The child, who is never taught to bow to any law but that of self-will, to submit to no restraint but positive necessity,to regard any right but his own, is equally unfitted to possess or communicate enjoyment. While at school, he is in the midst of a miniature world; and if he is not led to cherish kind and sympathetic emotions towards those around him, he will, of course, be left to cherish feelings of an opposite char

acter.

But this is not all. A school, not brought under proper discipline, is often the hot-bed of the evil passions. Anger, revenge, malevolence, selfishness, develop a most vigorous growth, and too often attain a gigantic strength.

The school, then, devoid of order, law and submission, does not merely fail of accomplishing the positive good that is intended, but does lay the foundation for great and lasting evils, both to its members and society. Here, indeed, are taken,

perhaps, the first regular lessons in nullification, and are formed the first resolves to set at defiance the laws of society and of Jehovah. Let me illustrate, by an example. "I did not mind her, and she can't make me do it," said a little urchin, as he fled from the school-house, the other day, after having broken the hold of his teacher. "I did n't mind her, and I never will mind another teacher as long as I live." The teacher exclaimed, "Well, I am glad you are gone!" How many such lessons have been taken in our schools, entrusted to the care of inefficient teachers, or in the family of inefficient parents, another day will fully disclose. That they are not unfrequent, the confessions of criminals too fully show.

A habit of cheerfully submitting to the laws under which we are placed by our Creator, is, obviously, one of the highest value. Without it, happiness must be an unusual guest. Without it, safety is out of the question.

After these suggestions, with regard to its importance, it will be a very natural inquiry, What is healthful discipline? and another would follow immediately, How is it to be secured? I shall not, however, attempt a direct answer to either, but advert to some results, which do not indicate healthful discipline.

1. Feelings are sometimes cherished by children, that laws are barriers to their enjoyments. Such feelings indicate, I conceive, erroneous discipline.

On no subject, surely, is it so important that correct impressions should be produced on the minds of children, as with regard to the object and tendency of laws, both divine and human.

The following sentiment, expressed by a former president of the Institute,* all, I am sure, must adopt: "It hath pleased Almighty God, to place us under a constitution of universal

* Rev. Dr. Wayland.

law. This having been established by a perfectly wise Creator, it may be easily supposed, will remain unchangeable. His laws will not be altered for our convenience. We may obey them or disobey them; we may see them or not see them; we may be wise or unwise; but they will be rigidly and unalterably enforced. Thus must it ever be, until we have the power

to resist Omnipotence.

"Again: It is sufficiently evident, that the very constitution, which God has established, is, with infinite wisdom and benevolence, devised for just such a being, physical, intellectual and moral, as man.

"By obedience to the laws of God, man may be as happy as his present state will allow. Misery, sooner or later, is always the result of a violation of those laws our Creator has established. Hence, our great business here, is to know and obey the laws of our Creator."

It cannot be asserted, I know, that all human laws are adapted to secure the highest happiness of those for whom they are designed; for, through passion, pride and prejudice, laws may be made by those, to whom a law-making power is delegated, that are wrong, are arrayed in opposition to the laws of God. Such laws may exist. But, is it saying more than the truth, that, in our own land, the laws of society, in general, are established in wisdom, and cannot be violated with impunity? They are not intended to endanger our safety, invade our rights, or defeat our enjoyment, but to secure them all. So far as founded in reason,- -so far as they are derived from the great laws of our Maker, if obeyed, they must, they will do it.

Whenever modes of discipline are adopted in a family or school, that have a tendency to lead its subjects to the belief, that the laws under which they are necessarily placed are cruel, are opposed to their safety and enjoyment,—that discipline fails to be healthful. For, human nature being what it is,

there will be efforts, either secretly to evade law and authority, or directly to trample them under feet.

2. That discipline is faulty, which naturally leads its subjects to be disaffected towards him who administers it.

Order must be maintained in schools and families, or they cease to be a blessing. The appropriate head of both is, by common consent, to govern those who compose the one or the other. This office, is both honorable and dignified, and of course, ought to be faithfully filled, and its duties judiciously performed.

If the laws and regulations are good, and are obeyed, they secure happiness. If, therefore, the subjects of discipline cherish feelings of hatred to the office or to the officer, there must be something wrong, for the object of discipline is not secured.

But it will perhaps, be asked, whether it is possible, to inflict punishment on an offender, without his being disaffected towards the administrator? I do not assert, that it can in all cases be done, so as to prevent angry feelings, at the time, from being cherished, but I do suppose, it can be done so as to bring the conscience, in the hours of calm reflection, to the side of the administrator; and if this be not secured, the benefit of punishment is at least only partial. Nor have I, in my own experience, ever found evidence to believe, that the instances are numerous where punishment, rightly administered, will, even at the time of administering it, produce anger, or array the delinquent against the law which requires his pun

ishment.

But I freely acknowledge, that I should betray great ignorance of human nature, not to expect this result in many schools, with their present organization. I refer to those, especially, where large numbers of children are placed in a single school,-large numbers, who are sent to school, year after year as a business to which they must attend, and who do not find, in their accommodations, their comfort, health or

intellectual improvement regarded; and where, to be awed into present subjection, they are placed under more than martial law. If no schools of this kind now exist, undoubtedly such have existed; those a principal object of which was to keep, confine, but not to educate the young. Will it be objected, that the position I assume militates against the discipline of our Creator?-that the position I have taken implies defect in his government, because many are displeased with his providences, and fret against the Lord under chastisement? I grant, that many in this world are displeased with God's dispensations. They hate Hin without a cause." But let it be remembered, the system of God's government is not fully developed in this world, and in that, where final awards are to be administered,-we read that "every mouth will be stopped."

When the nature of law is rightly understood, and the inevitable consequences of its visitation are known, how can any one feel disaffected towards him, who rightly administers the penalty? It is a law that fire will burn, and water will drown. How unnatural, to suppose, that you will be angry with the element, for consequences, which you know must result from thrusting your hand into the former, or throwing yourself into the latter. A good law, must have a penalty attached to its violation, for how can it be a good law without this? And if it becomes my duty, as a parent or teacher, to inflict that penalty, do I properly administer it, if it leaves the subject disaf fected towards me?

Will it be said by any one, that there is a practical difficulty, -that in this imperfect state, it is very difficult to inflict punishment, under the influence of right feelings? This is admitted; but still, ought I to proceed to do it, when I know I am under the influence of wrong feelings? If I do it thus, can I expect good to result from it, to the subject? Ought I to expect he will or can cherish right feelings towards the law, or him who administers it?

+