LECTURE X. ON THE IMPORTANCE OF LINEAR DRAWING, AND ON THE METHODS OF TEACHING THE ART IN COMMON SCHOOLS AND OTHER SEMINARIES. BY WALTER R. JOHNSON, PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL OF PHILADELPHIA, AND PROFESSOR OF MECHANICS AND NATURAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE. THE second aphorism of Bacon's Novum Organum contains a maxim of practical wisdom to which instructers may profitably recur in conducting the arduous duties of their profession. The hand alone, unaided by tools and implements, and the understanding alone, if compelled to depend on its unassisted energies, will seldom accomplish any important purpose. The business of both is effected by appropriate instruments and means, the employment of which is not less necessary to the mind than to the hand.' Among the means of mental culture, and scientific progress to which the great philosopher alludes, it often happens, that, what conduces to give skill in manual execution, contributes likewise, in no slight degree, to foster and develope the faculties of the mind. While, therefore, mental power, moral feeling, delicate taste, and correct knowledge, are the ends of instruction, the means of their attainment must be constantly and distinctly kept in view. It were vain to expect the fruit of that tree, from which we had lopped the supporting branches and stripped the sheltering leaves. Equally preposterous were the anticipations of intellectual vigor, where we had required no efforts at comparing, judging, reasoning; or, of moral sensibility, where example, admonition, habit, had not conjoined their salutary influence; or, of refined sensibility to the beauties and deformities of nature and of art, where no models of excellence had been exhibited, and no discriminating guide had pointed out peculiar beauties or warned us of peculiar imperfections; or, of accurate comprehension of facts and principles, where verbal expressions alone had been presented to the understanding, and no exhibitions of things had rendered their application familiar. Among the primary means of effecting all these great ends of instruction, is the formation of a habit of accurate observation, with a view to obtain exact perceptions of things. And since the perceptions, especially of youth, are almost wholly founded on an examination of the forms and other sensible qualities of objects, it follows, that whatever renders these distinctly intelligible, and easily remembered, contributes, in an eminent degree, to promote the great aims of all rational instruction. The delineation of objects by the art of design, is so obviously calculated to produce the effects just mentioned, that we ought perhaps to deem its neglect, in a course of education pretending to be based on philosophical views, to be matter of no slight astonishment. It is generally admitted, that at an advanced period of education, when the art of composition has been learned, the description, in language, of scenes and objects, is a most useful exercise for impressing the distinctive peculiarities of the thing portrayed on the mind of him who describes it. We are in the habit of conceding, too, that the best mode to ex |