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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. by errata ned to tent une pelure. fapon A 1 2 3 1 2 3 i ♦ ; . S 6 32X PBINTEI>-NOT PUBLISHED.) KNOX'S COLLEGE-PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT. Toronto, C. W., QZd March, 1846. So tl)e iHtmber* of tl)( (ttolUflc (Commitlrc. DsAABasTHKBii : In the proapect of a meeting of the General Cummlttce, In the month of April, there are aome mBtt«ra to which I with to call your atteotioo. It is desirable that your ininds should be directed to these |yrior to your meeting, in crier that any measure which may be proposed, may not be absolutely new to you. Such members as may not be able to attend, will be, lerhapa, to good as to communicate their sentiments to me in writing, that Imay ascertain, in some degree, the mind of the Committee, b store submitttiiig any maaaure. Of course, any proposal that may meet your views, will still require the sanction of the Synod ; but auch sanctloo may b« counted on, provided only the Committee are unanimous, or pretty generally agreed. No other motive can be suppoeed to ioflaenM in* beyond a wish to see an Institution, on which so much depends, properly organired, and successfully conducted. 1 hav» struggled now for more than two yesrs, in forwarding certain measures, essential, as it appears to me, to the beat interesta of the College ; and my want of success, hitherto, has led me to make a last edort in this more formal way, that the demands of oooaoieoce and of duty may be satisfied. I. Too great facility iu the admission nf students, appears to me to be an evil which ought to be strenuously guarded agaloatooutiat oharactor as a training Bominary for the direct work Of tht mtntltry, II. While I hold these views advisedly, and attach great importance to them, I am nevertheless of opinion, that even the atudenta at College, at dutinct from thoie »/ the Academy, stand in need of much more preparatory training than they have been in the habit of receiving. Hero I use the terms, preparatory training, not in reference to furtlier tittrary pursuits, but rather in reference to studies peculiarly theological ; and therefore, high as may bo my hope of the indirect good to b« derived from the iastituticn of a preparatory .ichool or Academy, I am very clearly of opinion, that an additional Professor in the department of mental training, or philosophical education, is essential to the success of our Seminary ; and thit under auch an Institution our young men will be far more likely to realize the deiired advantage in point of intellectual progreas, than if mixed up with the pupil* of a mere Academy, or subjected to the ordinary routine of a grammar school. In t'-.efinl place ; the department of Knglish literature, with a npecial view to the principles of composition, associated alao with the rules of correct and graceful reading and oloculion, ought not to be overlooked. A special exercixo of this kind two of three times a week, would be highly advautageous ; but to mix it up with any school-hoy exorcise, would defeat its end. It must be greatly mental. The young men of the College, and they only, should be its subjects ; and they ought to view it as a part of philosophical training, far more closely connected than may appear at first sight with the more immediate objects of the Seminary< The disadvantages under which settlers in the provinces, in a literary view, labour, demonstrate the ncoessiiy of auch exerciaea ; while the age of the young men, and tlieir general status, aa to mental developoment, place them beyond tlM oniioftry rwig« oC, •cbolaatic forms, and render a training specially for themselves, absolutely essential. ""'' - '" < In the $ecoHd place : Interesting and important as may bo the prelections of a professor of mental and moral phlloaophy, it haa always appeared to me very desirable that snmething of a character more directly practical and elementary — I mean in a philoao- phical sense — should be provided for the young men. For example, (1). a plain common-sense view of the powers and rapacitlei of tha human mind, with rules for their improvement. This has little in common with the speculations of nietaphyaica, or tha mure recondite parts of intellectual philosophy ; but it may be highly advantageous as a preparation for such departments of human thought, i'i). An exhibition tf the nat'ire uf evidence, and the laws of its regulation. This is of very great importance in all punuits ; but its importance is mightily increased, when we take into view its hearings on the evidences of natural and revealed religion. (3). The laws of reasoning or logic proper — including ofcourse, correct, but condensed views of the melhoda of syllogism and induction, with analysis and synthesis, and the rules of correct drjinition, I know not a bettor mental exarciaa, than an occasional examination on the " ambiguous words," in Archbishop Whateley's l..ogic, or on the " definitions" in Taylor's Blemenia of Thought. '4). The nature and sources of prejudice ; the causes of error ; the i ' )la of Bacon, and the large tribe of fattaciti in argument, present a wide, but most inviting field for young enquirers ; and here i.ie dangerous errors afloat among phllosopherst aa to the nature of caiuation, demand careful searching. Some of the most plausible and pernicious forma of modem sceptielam may b« traced to these errors, it ). The ideal theory ought to be explained to our students, not only in its older forma, aa heM by the ancients, and by such earl'.er moderns as Des Cartes, Malebranche, and Ijocke, but as recently revived by Dr. Thomaa Brawa and his admirora. The theory is, that the mind seei only images of its own creation or the representations of things without it* tad not tilings themaelvea. Thia ia the famous hypothesis out of which Bishop Berkeley formed his theory of the non-exiatenee of a material world ; and following out whose principles, Hume succeeded in satisfying himself that neither mind nor matter had any existence. The world ia under infinite obligations to such men as Reid, Stewart, Campbell, Beattie, and others, who exposed the baeeleasnesa of the theory, and appealed surccss.'blly to primary principles of human belief, aa ultimate facta In the arrangements of Qod. I tremble when I think of the readiness with which the exploded theory has been received; bccauic I look upon It as not oaly dtsttaoUva of all the evidence from final cautea, In proof of the existence of Ood, but aa directly lubvenlre of all belief In tba ■rij^v- exiitenee of any beingi in the univene except oanelvM. (6). Modern diieoreriea and apeeulations in Geology, render It eRsential that our young men ihould be informed on auch aubjectSf ao aa to detect and expow the fallaciea of auch writera aa the authora of the " Conatitutioii of Man," and " the Veitigea of creation," and auch information may be eaaily communicated irreapective altogether of any peculiar fondneaa for the exact aciencea. The theory of " world building," aa wall aa the theory of " ideaa," will aoon fall before the leaaona and the inductive proceaiea of an exact logic. I wish it to be diatinctly uoderatood, that according to my conceptions of preparatory training, Knox's College is, in regard to the above matters, essentially defective ; and my complaints on this account, for two years p&st, I da not feel ashamed to acknow- ledge. My brethren may deem them groundless, but all I aak is enquiry, and a fair tribunal for final judgment. HI. The remarks hitherto made, respect the Institution in its primary bearings only, but I attach to them great importance in any circamstancea, and more especially in the present poaition of our young country, aa contraated with the advancing intellect of the age. It must not, however, be inferred, that my objections are limited to the elementary or preliminary departments of study. In the higher walks of metaphysical and moral science, I would desiderate for our atudents a pretty full view of the leading queations in morals, and the various tkeoria of morals which have been put forth with such philosophical parade, by ingenious men. An acquaintance with these is necessary, together with a knowledge of their comparative merits, and above all, an exposure of their errora, when tried by the test of revelation. Along with this, I would recommend a concise system of Christian ethics. When in October, 1844, I received the appointment from the Synod, " to be the Professor of Theology, and to have the charge of training the young men for the holy miniatry," I undertook the office under an impreasion that it comprehended the right and the obligation to aee that the preliminary training, aa distinct from what ia properly theological, waa adapted to the end in view. The young men I waa led to conaider as all tludetUt in theology, that ia, " under training for the holy ministry ;" and thia is the plain explanation of the fact, that ao aoon aa I aaw, or thought I aaw, a deficiency in the "training" department — a deficiency which neither the learning nor the assiduity of the professor of " science and literature" appeared to me likely to supply — I set myself in some temporary way, to make up the deficiency. With this view, besides personal examinations, I prepared and delivered to the students, in November and December 1841), about twenty lectures on the philosophy of mind, and the nature of mental discipline ; the Baconian method of Induction, with its relations to theological study ; the theories of morals ; and the errors of Brown's moral system, in reference to the scripture doctrine of rewards. I also sought to obtain the assistance of several intelligent mini^'era of our own body, who might devote a month or two to such studies for tHe benefit of the young men, the chcrch supplying their pulpits in the mean time. Although disappointed in thia expectation, I still resolved to make another attempt, and In September, 1846, 1 applied for the second time, personally to Mr. Baine of Gait, to undertake the department of Logic, with a special reference to ihe pWotophi/ of evidence. He entertained the proposal favourably, and took with him a copy of " Hedge's Elements of I^gic," for examination as to its fitness to be used as a text book. Circumstances prevented this plan from being realized ; and at the commencement of the Session of 1840-7, I found for the first time that I had been labouring under a misapprehension as to the extent of the powers entrusted to me, and that in reality, the preliminary department of study, waa wholly independent of that allotted to theology, and that with this Utt only bad I to do. On the arrival of Mr. McCorkle, however, in November 1846, 1 made known to him my difl^culties in regard to the preparatory claaaea ; and on finding that he had been engaged for several years in giving lessons to young men at Glasgow College, in Logic and Rhetoric, (prior to their entrance on the more direct departments of philosophy), I drew up and read to the College Committee, a scheme for the winter studies, which would have put under that gentleman all the students who had not been instructed in these branches. I succeeded so far as to obtain the consent of t!ie College Committee to his undertaking a class for Rhetoric ; but Logic waa not included, and even the time allotted for the other, only two houri in the week, was far too short. Still, good was done by this arrangement ; and looking back upon it as an experiment on a small scali^ it saema to me to have bean a sueceaaful one, and amply to bear out my suggestions and views in the matter. From alt that I can hear, it does net seem to me that the deficiency has been at all supplied during the winter session now drawing to its close. Of course, the proceedings of the Synod at Kingston In June last, precluded me from taking any part in College arrangements ; but I still entertained the hope, that some proposal would have h(>en made to me, to supplement a defect whose existence had not been questioned. When this waa not done, I made ofi'er privately to the students, that if any number, not fewer than six, wished an hour a day for logic and practical dialectics, my time and my labour were at their command. The time of the young men, however, was so fully taken up by other pursuits, that this number could not be obtained, and nothing was done till about a month ago, when my much esteemed friend. Dr. Willis, resolved to devote two hours weekly to the work. His elasa for Logic, however, embraced none of the junior $tudenti ; and its application to the senior classes rather confirmed than disproved the soundness of my impressions. It ia needless to conceal the fact, that the real dif'ciilty in occupying the long neglected field, hss arisen from a feeling of delicacy towards the learned and accomplishsd gentleman who holds the chair of " science and literature," or " mental and moral philoaophy," and on whopi domain it is supposed that the Professorship of Logic would seriously trench. My reply to this has alwaya been, that the field is already too largo fur any one man — that the number of students is yearly increasing — and that in point of fact, the field remains virtually not taken up at all. Ami asking too much for our rising institution, when I plead for a second Professor in the preparatory department ? Or am I in error when I say, that beyond all question, the mental discipline with which t think the students ought to be privileged, so far from proving injurious, would rather pave the way for a more just appreciation of the prelectiona both of Professor Esson and of Dr. Willis t In point of fact the Synod did, in Junn last, express an approval of the suggestion in the College Report, as to the necessity of an " additional Professor," (Record, p. 203), while they left it to the College Commit^ to fix " the preci$e place which he should occupy." Mr. Bayne was, moreover, empowered to obtain if poaaible, auch a profesror from Scotland, but it appears that his inatructians were not eufficiently specific to guide the Colonial Committee in the selection of such a person as might be qualified to fill the situation in view. One object of my atatement will be gained if it aucceeda in impressing on the College Committee, the aenae of a glaring existing defect, and the necessity of obtaining the eervices of a leeond Professor in the preparatory department, under the deaignation perhaps, of the " Professor of Logic, Rhetoric, and Mental discipline." I am aware of the objection on the ground of expense ; but I am not inclined to infer from this that no cfTurt should be made to supplement an existing defect by the means which are in our power. There arc members of Synod, who, if asked, would cheerfully give their services gratuitously, for periods more or less extensive. Dr. Willis also, might with ease, appropriate one hour daily to thia department ; taking in connection with it, perhaps, the evidences of Christianity, aa afTurding the very best specimens of the application of that part of Logic which has to do with the rules of evidence. With regard to myself, it would give me great pleasure to assist the young men in any way that may be thought best, to the extent of an hour a day. During the tbaence of Dr. Willia this summer, nothing would to me be more p'eaaant than to make myself in any meaaure uaeful in the department of mental training to the atudenta who may remain in the city or near it. ■ ,i . .-. I need acareely aay, that from what I have learned of the feelings of the Free Chnrch of Scotland towards uf, in the very department to which thia letter refers, I am very aure that they will most readily aaaist us, by the misslop of a Deputy, in the end of autumn, who might be qualified and inclined to give help in the preparatory atudiea of the young men, during part, at letat, of Um wlnUr aetaon, or until a permanent arrangement can be made. jder It essential the authors of ctive altogether ' will soon fall is, in re^rd to oed to acknow- eat importance mcing intellect departments of ' of the leading ingenious men. an exposure of m ethics, md to have the nprehended the the end in view. and this is the t — a deficiency > supply — I set I prepared and i the nature of iioraU ; and the tance of several nen, the chfrch attempt, and in 5, with a special ige'a Elements g realized ; and rehenslon as to pendent of that the preparatory liege, in Logic fe Committee, a tructed in these Rhetoric ; but Btill, good was «a a suecessful ;er session now ing any part in ilement a defect if any number, ommand. The ,nd nothing was the work. His confirmed than om a feeling of ental and moral :ply to this has ig— and that in lead for a second ne with which I >reciation of the to the necessity which he should appears that his It be qualified to Committee, the ;ory department, should be made if asked, would appropriate one the very best If, it would give r- During the e useful in the lit, in the very puty, in the end Mrt, at least, of Although the present communication has respect mainly to the preparatory department of the Colleg