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For Woman’s Work.
When nature, in a merry mood,
Is singing her own praises—
When every little dimpled dell
Laughs with its wealth of daisies;
When all the light of Heaven seems
To paint the earth with gladness.
And all the world is full of dreams
That are not tinged with sadness;
For Woman’s Work.
THE GREAT MASTERS OF EDUCATION, AND THE INVAL
UABLE PROFIT OF THEIR WRITINGS TO PARENTS.
N my reading of educational literature, I ofttimes wonder if par
ents could have any idea of the inestimable benefit which the
great masters of education would be to them, if they would be
so slow to avail themselves of their acquaintance. If parents
were given only a taste of the rich harvest which has been
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gleaned from the wisdom of the ages for the benefit of educators,
would they not make sacrifices cheerfully, if need be, in order to
possess themselves of these treasures?
“For the average parent, ” says Mrs. Malleson in early training
OF children, “educational thinkers seem to have existed in vain.
* * * They are at no trouble to settle which definition of education is
most satisfactory to them; they are not impressed with the importance
of the subject with which they have to deal. ’ ’
This is true; and yet I am fully convinced that it is not a fault of
wilful omission, but arises simply from the fact that the majority of
parents have never been brought face to face with the subject and made
to feel its importance. The idea that education is a part of the
home life, that it is not confined exclusively to the schoolroom, but is
begun in the nursery and continues throughout sentient existence, is
altogether new to the vast majority of people, and whenever intelli
gent, devoted parents realize fully the grave fact that they, and not
the school-teacher, lay the foundation of a child’s education, they
will meet the occasion promptly and rise to the required level of their
position;
If parents were told that Herbert Spencer’s little volume on
education, alone, contained more precious worth for them than the
contents of a vast library, would they not eagerly possess themselves
of its priceless wisdom? There is one single line in this little work
that will soften my dying pillow, viz: “the independent English
BOY IS FATHER OF THE INDEPENDENT ENGLISH MAN.” Next to the
Bible, that little book yields me greater comfort than any other piece
of work that ever came from the hands of man. I prophesy for this
work of education, not only inexpressible relief to thousands of parents,
but the greatest good to children that ever resulted from a single
volume of the kind • How often and how ardently do I wish that the
education of every youth in our country could be directed by the the
ory of this great philosopher and benefactor of mankind.
Again there are a few lines from Roger Ascham that would belike
a heavenly message to many a parent who fears the dullness or
stupidity of his child because he does not “learn fast.” My friend,
there is no such thing as “learning fast,” and that child who is
supposed to be doing so will suffer irreparably from the illusion. Os
this I wish to speak more fully hereafter. Here I will quote the lines
referred to in Ascham: “Quick wits are apt to take, unapt to keep,
easily got and quickly gone, soon hot and soon cold. They are like
sharp-edged tools—which enter easily, but do not penetrate deeply,
because their edges are soon turned. Hence, few quick wits are ever
profound. Exception is to be made for the excellently gifted, but, as
a matter of fact, the quick at school seldom turn out well as men;
they live obscurely, and die unknown. * * * Hard wits are the
hope of the school, and ultimately do society and the common
wealth more service.”
Now, if you happen to possess a child of this class, my dear reader,
can you not afford to patiently await the gradual illumination of his
so-called dull mind, knowing that the torch of reason once lighted,
though burning slowly, is yet sure of a steady, enduring flame?
From some other writer I gleaned the following on the same sub
ject: “Quick wits are seldom the best minds; they take for
granted as true what is given them as true, without exercising the
reasoning faculty in the least. Those who are slow to receive, want
to investigate the matter and understand it thoroughly before they
are willing to make a show of possessing it.” Now this latter plan,
you must know from experience, is the only way of really learning
a thing.
Madame Necker, ‘ ‘whose jewels possess as much color and brilliancy
as medicinal virtue, ’ ’ cannot fail to interest any lover of good literature;
and surely no one can read Ethics of Dust and Sesame and Lil
ies without feeling that our boys would become nobler and braver, our
girls sweeter and purer, if England’s chosen Laureate were studied
more closely and reverently.
Then there’s great hearted Richter, “Jean Paul, The Only One,”
under whose pen continually blossom the most startling and beautiful
flowers of speech, his writings reminding one of a massive and solidly
built structure, festooned and trellised with ever-green vines, and
garlanded with ever-blooming flowers. To be told that the avowed
object of this writer’s literary labors was to raise up the down-sunken
faith in God, virtue and immortality, is sufficient to recommend him
to any one. The chapter on The Lord’s Supper in Levana is a
sermon worthy of all the ages.
(To be continued.)
PLEASANT FANCIES.
BY FANNY FENTRILL.
When all ths bright-eyed flowers seem
To smile in baby wonder,
And fling their kisses to the breeze,
And nod, and gravely ponder;
When every breeze that flutters by,
Is freighted with such kisses—
We wonder if that other life
Can brighter be, than this is!
Mrs. Mary Ware.
WOMAN’S WORK.
For Woman’s Work.
within a score of years, Corea was virtually an unknown
country to Americans, as foreigners were not allowed to land
there. A few Catholic priests, ardent missionaries of their
faith, had contrived to establish themselves on the coast, and, in 1857,
counted their converts by the thousands; but they had suffered persis
tent and cruel persecution.
In 1871, a party of Coreans, in their zeal to keep strangers out of
the country, murdered the crew of an American merchantman. Tc
avenge the death of her citizens, the United States government im
mediately sent an expedition against Corea. The Americans, with
little loss to themselves, bombarded and captured a Fort and obtained
indemnity for the insult.
For the last few years, Corea, having shaken herself loose from the
bond that held her tributary to China, has kept a representative in
Washington City to look after her interests. The Corean Minister
and his suit excited a great deal of interest when they appeared at
the President’s receptions. Their clothes, made of very rich mate
rial, but cut in strange Eastern fashion, caught and held the eye of
the crowd.
The attention that these strangers excited, roused a curiosity about
their country, that has brought us much informatiofi; for, of course, a
representative of the United States now resides at the court of their
King.
Corea, or, as the natives call it, Gaolee, is a peninsula situated
south of Manchooria, between the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea.
On the south and west, its coast is lined with small islands. Moun
tains, valleys and forests diversify the mainland. The mild provinces
of the south produce cotton, rice, luscious fruits, wine and tobacco.
The country abounds in gold—and silver, iron and copper are found
in considerable quantities. The mountain sides are rich in vegetation,
and covered with fine timber. The great forests are the homes of
tigers, wild-boars and sables. Tiger-skins, ginseng, and cotton fa
brics, are their principal exports.
In government, Corea is an absolute monarchy, and King-ki-tao is
the capital. Rude and warlike, the inhabitants were once much
feared as pirates; but contact with more civilized nations, and a
wholesome fear of their big guns, has improved them in this respect.
They speak a dialect of the wide-spread Mongolian language. Polyg
amy is generally practised; the prevailing religion is Buddhism —
not as believed and practised in India, but in a corrupted form.
But that which has most interested the general public of America,
are the marvelous natural curiosities which abound in Corea. Near
Kin-Slianeao, there is a hot mineral spring whose medicinal virtues
are so extraordinary that patients dipped in its waters will be cured,
no matter what disease afflicts them. At least this is what the natives
tell.
Then Corea contains two wonderful springs that have the breadth
of the whole peninsula between them, yet they seem to be connected
in a peculiar manner. When one is full, the other is always empty.
This would not be so strange if it were all, for such springs are found
in other lands; but the peculiarity of these is that one is as bitter as
gall, and the other always pure and sweet.
The land contains a cavern, the like of which is found in no other
country. On Lookout Mountain, in Tennesse, there are two holes
called the Blowing Springs, from one of which issues cold air, and
from the other hot air; but from this curious cave in Corea, an icy
cold wind blows perpetually, with such terrible force that a strong
man, trying to stand before it, will be carried off his feet,
Quite as wonderful is a forest of large pine trees. This forest can
not be destroyed. The trees may be cut down and the roots injured
in any way that the ingenuity of man can devise, but directly a tree
will sprout up in that same place.
The Coreans regard with great veneration what they call the
“floating stone,” and in front of it have erected a palace in its honor.
The stone, which is of immense size, is somewhat in the shape of a
cube; and the wonder of it is that, while it appears to be resting on
the ground, if two men at opposite ends of a rope pass it under the
they encounter no more obstruction than if the stone were sus
pended in the air. Another stone of equal interest is the “hot stone,”
which, red hot, lies on the top of a high hill; and, so far as the
Coreans know, has always lain there.
Whether any intelligent traveller has ever seen any of these curi
osities, or whether their wonders are an exaggeration of the natives to
excite respect for their country, the writer knows not. “I tell the tale
as it was told to me.”
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Corea.
Orianna Matthews.
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