242 The history of pedagogy.

He is content to require of women the four rules of arith-

metic ; orthography, in which he is not over exacting, for

' ' their ignorance of orthography should not be imputed to

them as a crime, since it is almost universal in their sex ; "

ancient history and the history of France, " which it is dis-

graceful to every good Frenchman not to know." 1 As to

reading, Rollin is quite as severe as Madame de Maintenon :

" The reading of comedies and tragedies may be very dan-

gerous for young ladies." He sanctions only Esther and

Athalie. Music and dancing are allowed, but without enthu-

siasm and with endless precautions : —

" An almost universal experience shows that the study of

music is an extraordinary dissipation."

"I do not know how the custom of having girls learn to

sing and play on instruments at such great expense has

become so common. ... I hear it said that as soon as they

enter on life's duties, they make no farther use of it."

259. The Study of French. ВЂ” Rollin is chiefly preoccu-

pied with the study of the ancient languages ; but he has the

merit, notwithstanding his predilection for exercises in Latin,

of having followed the example of the Jansenists so far as

the importance accorded to the French language is con-

cerned.

" It is a disgrace," he says, " that we are ignorant of our

own language ; and if we are willing to confess the truth, we

will almost all acknowledge that we have never studied it."

Rollin admitted that he was " much more proficient in the

study of Latin than in that of French." In the opening of

his Treatise, which he wrote in French only that he might

place himself within the reach of his young readers and their

parents, he excuses himself for making a trial in a kind of

1 Rollin does cot require it, however, of young men.

EOLLIN. 243

writing ivhich is almost new to him. And in congratulating

him on his work, d'Aguesseau wrote, "You speak French

as if it were your native tongue." Such was the Rector of

the University in France at the commencement of the

eighteenth century.

Let us think well of him, therefore, for having so over-

come his own habits of mind as to recommend the study of

French. He would have it learned, not only through use,

but also " through principles," and would have " the genius

of the language understood, and all its beauties studied."

Rollin has a high opinion of grammar, but would not

encourage a misuse of it : —

"Long-continued lessons on such dry matter might be-

come very tedious to pupils. Short questions, regularly

proposed each day after the manner of an ordinary conversa-

tion, in which they themselves would be consulted, and in

which the teacher would employ the art of having them tell

what he wished to make them learn, would teach them in the

way of amusement, and, by an insensible progress, con-

tinued for several years, they would acquire a profound

knowledge of the language."