254. Different Opinions. ВЂ” Rollin has always had warm

admirers. Voltaire called the Treatise a book " forever

useful," and whatever may be our reservations on the defi-

ciences, and on the short and narrow views of certain parts

of the pedagogy of Rolliu, we must subscribe to this iudff-

ment. But we shall not go so far as to accept the enthusi-

astic declarations of Villemain, who complains that the study

of the Treatise is neglected in our time, " as if new methods

had been discovered for training the intelligence aud the

heart" ; and he adds, " Since the Treatise on Studies, not a

forward step has been taken." This is to undervalue all the

earnest efforts that have been made for two centuries by

ROLLIN. 237

educators just as profound as was the ever timid and cautious

Rollin. When we compare the precepts of the Treatise with

the reforms which the spirit of progress has already effected,

and particularly with those which it will effect, we are

astonished to hear Nisard say: "In educational matters,

the Treatise on Studies is the unique book, or better still,

the book."

To put such a burden of pompous praise on Rollin is to

compromise his real worth ; and without ceasing to do

justice to his wise and judicious spirit, we wish to employ

more discretion in our admiration.

255. Division of the Treatise on Studies. ВЂ” Before

calling attention to the most interesting parts of the Treatise

on Studies, let us briefly state the object of the eight books

of which it is composed.

The Treatise opens with a Preliminary Discourse which

recites the advantages of instruction.

The title of the first book is : Exercises which are proper

for very young children; of the education of girls. Rollin

acknowledges that he treats only very superficially "this

double subject," which is foreign to his original plan. In

fact, the first edition of his Treatise on Studies contained but

seven books, and it is only in 17:34 that he wrote, " at the

urgent requests and prayers of several persons," that short

essay on the education of boys and girls which first appeared

under the form of a supplement, and which became the first

book of the work only in the subsequent editions.

The different subjects proper for training the youth in

the public schools, that is, in the colleges, — such is the

object of the six books which follow : Book II. Of the learn-

ing of the languages; that is, the study of Greek and Latin;

Book III. Of poetry; Book IV. Of rhetoric; Book V. Of

238 THE HISTORY OF PEDAGOGY.

the three kinds of eloquence; Book VI. Of history ; Book

VII. Of philosophy .

Book VIII., the last, entitled Of the interior government

of schools and colleges, has a particular character. It does

not treat of studies and intellectual exercises, but of disci-

pline and moral education. It is, on all accounts, the most

original and interesting part of Rollin's work, and it opens

to us the treasures of his experience. This eighth book has

been justly called the " Memoirs of Rollin." That which

constitutes its merit and its charm is that the author here at

last decides to be himself. He does not quote the ancients

so much ; but he speaks in his own name, and relates what

he has done, or what he has seen done.

256. General Reflections on Education. — There is

little to be gathered out of the Preliminary Discourse of

Rollin. He is but slightly successful in general reflections.

When he ventures to philosophize, Rollin easily falls into

platitudes. He has a dissertation to prove that "study

gives the mind more breadth and elevation ; and that study

gives capacity for business."

On the purpose of education, Rollin, who copies the

moderns when he does not translate from the ancients, is

content with reproducing the preamble of the regulations of

Henry IV., which assigned to studies three purposes : learn-

ing, morals and manners, and religion.

" The happiness of kingdoms and peoples, and particularly

of a Christian State, depends on the good education of the

youth, where the purpose is to cultivate and to polish, by the

study of the sciences, the intelligence, still rude, of the young,

and thus to fit them for filling worthily the different vocations

to which they are destined, without which they will be useless

to the State ; and finally, to teach them the sincere religious

ROLLIN. 239

practices which God requires of them, the inviolable attach-

ment they owe to their fathers and mothers and to their

country, and the respect and obedience which they are bound

to render princes and magistrates."

257. Primary Studies. — Rollin is original when he in-

troduces us to the classes of the great colleges where he has

lived ; but is much less so when he speaks to us of little

children, whom he has never seen near at hand. He has

never known family life, and scarcely ever visited public

schools ; and it is through his recollections of Quintilian that

he speaks to us of children.

There is, then, but little to note in the few pages that he

has devoted to the studies of the first years, from three to

six or seven.

One of the most interesting things we find here, perhaps,

is the method which he recommends for learning to read, — ■

" the typographic cabinet of du Mas." "It is a novelty,"

says the wise Rollin, "and it is quite common and natural

that we should be suspicious of this word novelty." But

after the examination, he decides in favor of the system in

question, which consists in making of instruction in reading,

something analogous to the work of an apprentice who is

learning to print. The pupil has before him a table, and on

this table is placed a set of pigeon-holes, " logettes," which

contain the letters of the alphabet, printed on cards. The

pupil is to arrange on the table the different letters needed to

construct the words required of him. The reasons thai

Rollin gives for recommending this method, successful tests

of which he had seen made, prove that he had t;d<en into

account the nature of the child and his need of activity : —

"This method of learning to read, besides several other

advantages, has one which seems to me very considerable, —

240 THE HISTORY OF PEDAGOGY.

it is that of being amusing and agreeable, and of not having

the appearance of study. Nothing is more wearisome or

tedious in infancy than severe mental effort while the body

is in a state of repose. With this device, the' mind of the

child is not wearied. He need not make a painful effort at

recollection, because the distinction and the name of the

boxes strike his senses. He is not constrained to a posture

that is oppressive by being always tied to the place where he

is made to read. There is free activity for eyes, hands, and

feet. The child looks for his letters, takes them out,

arranges them, overturns them, separates them, and finally

replaces them in their boxes. This movement is very much

to his taste, and is exactly adapted to the active and restless

disposition of that age."

Eollin seems really to believe that there " is no danger in

beginning with the reading of Latin." However, "for the

schools of the poor, and for those in the country, it is

better," he says, "to fall in with the opinion of those who

believe that it is necessary to begin with the reading of

French."