To draw OBLIQUE parallel lines.

EXAMPLE III.

EXPLANATION.-Lines are said to be oblique when they slant in any direction; that is, when they are not either horizontal or vertical.

INSTRUCTION.-1. Draw the lines in parts as before; commencing at the top as in the last exercise, but drawing the lines in a slanting direction, from the right towards the left.

EXERCISES.-1. A few examples of lines slanting in the direction just described;-after which

EXAMPLE IV.

may be introduced.

This is only a different form of the preceding exercise; inasmuch as here the lines slant from the left towards the right.

QUESTIONS upon lines oblique, vertical, horizontal, and parallel.

CHAPTER VII.

On Collective Teaching, as applied to the subsequent Lessons.

1. Thus far the lessons have been arranged with a view to assist children in their first efforts at drawing straight lines. The subsequent exercises assume that instruction of this kind has been given, and are intended to embrace collective teaching also. The number of children in each class may now be increased, and the teacher may give his lessons at the writing gallery.

2. In the majority of Infant Schools a gallery of some kind is provided;-it is very desirable that there should be a gallery for collective teaching in every school, but where such is wanting, a substitute may be formed by arranging the forms in successive rows one behind the other. For the construction of galleries and their adaptation to practical purposes, and for a description of the various kinds of school furniture and apparatus required in teaching drawing and writing, the Author must refer to his work, entitled "Methods and Mechanism for Teaching Writing." In this place, it is sufficient to say, 'that a gallery of some kind ought to be constructed, and that an easel and a black board, and chalk and a chalk-holder should be provided for the teacher,

and that the pupils should be supplied with pencils and slate or paper, and a sponge* or india-rubber. It is desirable also that suitable boxes and proper places or closets should be provided for depositing the materials when out of use.

3. One of the objects aimed at in collective teaching, should be to accustom the pupils to draw lines from dictation. Diagrams of the lines or figures to be drawn should be placed before the gallery, a little to the right of the pupils. To these the teacher should refer in giving his lesson, dictating the several parts of the example in succession, and occasionally illustrating its most important or difficult parts by sketching them upon the black board. Such a mode of teaching makes the eye of the children auxiliary to the ear in receiving instruction; and not only so, but as the teacher, by occasional sketches, points out the most important lines in the example, he imperceptibly impresses upon his pupils' minds that the construction of a figure depends upon the arrangement and combination of its parts,-that every constructed form is susceptible of being analysed,and that the elements which enter into such construction are few and very simple. By this means he habituates the children to an analytical mode of

* See a contrivance for moistening the sponge without allowing the pupils to dip it into water, described in the Author's "Methods and Mechanism for Teaching Writing."

† See the Author's "Diagrams Illustrative of Form," which are engraved for this purpose.

thinking, which, in their subsequent studies, will be found of great advantage.

4. The teacher must watch his pupils with great care, in order to prevent their making any line whatever in the form of an UPSTROKE. In the exercises here prescribed, whether they be right lines or curves, and in every instance, except in the concluding chapter, where the contrary is directed, the lines or curves must be commenced at such a point as will make them proceed in either a downward or a horizontal direction. It must be observed also that no part of a line, being more than one inch in length, should be made without taking the pencil off the paper and changing the point on which the hand rests. In drawing every line the greatest accuracy should be insisted on.

5. The mode of correcting faults, where the teaching is collective, requires some attention, and various plans have been suggested for this purpose. The main defect of the collective method consists in the habits of inattention, which it sometimes allows where the teacher wants that tact which makes every pupil feel that the instruction, although given collectively, is addressed to himself. In any case, however, that mode of correcting faults must be the best which offers the most complete test of individual effort; and, hence, the teacher will sometimes find it useful to examine the slates or papers at the conclusion of the lesson, and after crossing the defective

lines, and making the pupils change their slates, &c. with one another, endeavour to ascertain their knowledge of the subject by familiar and judicious questions; and then inducing them to compare each others' productions with the model or example, lead them to point out and correct one anothers' faults. Other plans might be mentioned, but such will be familiar to almost every teacher.

6. It can scarcely be necessary to remark, that it is not intended, that every infant, previously to commencing writing, should draw every example contained in the subsequent lessons;- neither where the figures are used by the more advanced pupils, as preparatory to outline drawing, that every example should be drawn by them. In both cases it is expected that the teacher will exercise a proper discretion.

The FIRST LESSON ON THE GALLERY may consist of horizontal lines, drawn in parts, parallel to one another, and made of equal length; thus,

To vary this exercise the same lines may be lengthened at both ends:-shewing that "a straight line can be produced to any length from either extremity."

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