development. It includes an inquiry into the social, religious, and political conditions which have determined the peculiar form of education, and traces the line of educational progress from its humble beginnings down to the precious heritage of the present.

The history of education is a valuable study. Education stands in close relation to the civilization of a people. It is, at the same time, both a cause and an effect. Educational history, in setting forth the influences determining the peculiar character of education in any country, becomes to some extent a philosophy of history in general. As such it is a profound study. "The education of a people," says Dr. Henry Barnard, "bears a constant and most pre-eminently influential relation to its attainments and excellences-physical, mental, and moral. The national education is at once a cause and an effect of the national character; and accordingly, the history of education affords the only ready and perfect key to the history of the human race, and of each nation in it-an unfailing standard for estimating its advance or retreat upon the line of human prog

To speak more specifically, the study of educational history, by bringing the whole field within the range of our vision, broadens our views in regard to education/ By acquainting us with the views and methods of the past, it spares us the cost of repeating experiments and mistakes. It gives the origin of present educational systems, and shows what is correct in principle and valuable in method. It inspires educational workers with greater zeal by presenting the examples of self-sacrificing and illustrious teachers. And it is a necessary study in

order to complete the comprehensive scheme included in what is properly called the science of education.

Asia is the birthplace of the human race. The march of progress, following the course of the sun, has been westward through Europe to America, which completes the circle of the globe. Here the great problems of religion, science, government, and education will probably receive their final solution. Following the course of human progress, the history of education naturally divides itself as follows:

I. The Oriental countries, including China, India, Persia, Palestine, and Egypt.

II. The ancient classical nations, Greece and Rome. III. The Christian education of Europe and America, which is divided into-1. The period before the Reformation; and, 2. The period after the Reformation.

In this classification no account is taken of uncivilized peoples, since education with them consists almost exclusively in training the body for war and the chase. Their education is thus too primitive in its character to bring it within the scope of our present undertaking.

I.

THE ORIENTAL NATIONS.

A STRIKING fact, which throws great light upon Eastern education, is to be noted in reference to Oriental life. The individual there counts for nothing. A despotic external authority controls his destiny. Education does not aim to develop a perfect man or woman, but to prepare its subjects for their place in the established order of things. It does not aim to beautify the stone, but simply to fit it for its place in the wall. The source of this all-controlling authority varies in the different countries. In China it is fossilized tradition; in India, caste; in Persia, the state; among the Jews, the theocracy. In all the Oriental countries, this external authority determines the character of education; and, if this idea is firmly grasped, it will facilitate a thorough understanding of the educational systems of the East.

1. CHINA.

The Chinese Empire-that magnificent country which comprises a fourth part of the population of the globe— first claims our attention. Its people belong to the Mongolian race, whose genius is shown by the early invention of paper, printing, gunpowder, and the mariner's compass. Their character presents many points of

interest. They are industrious and economical; and in the relations of every-day life they are polite and kind. They honor their parents, love their children, and respect those in authority. Possessed of great patience, they endure oppression and suffering without a murmur. On the other hand, they are destitute of deep moral convictions. They are hypocritical and dishonest; and, once in authority, they are apt to become tyrannical, and even cruel. Their wives are held in contempt. Destitute of hope beyond the grave, and incapable of spiritual delights, their aspirations are confined to earthly objects. They are gross in their pleasures; and to acquire wealth, live in ease, and fill some public office, are the highest aims of their ambition.

Though one of the oldest nations in the world, the Chinese have for many ages made but little progress in civilization. They are very much the same to day that they were more than two thousand years ago. The collective life of the people has become petrified in fixed forms. Their customs, the relations of the various classes of society, the methods of business and labor, the administration of justice, and the whole circle of thought, have all been stereotyped. They are practically unchangeable.

Notwithstanding its evident imperfections, the Chinese regard their civilization with great complacency. They are the "celestials," and the rest of mankind are barbarians. The preservation of existing institutions is an object of constant care. All deviation from traditional customs is looked upon with disfavor, improvements are hardly tolerated, and the introduction of foreign culture is generally stigmatized as barbarous. With

such a national feeling, education can have but one end. Its object is to impress upon each generation traditional ideas and customs, and thus prepare it to take its place naturally in the established order of society. It does not aim at a development of the human faculties—it is simply a cramming of the memory.

To education in this defective form there is great stimulus in China. "The importance of generally instructing the people," says Williams, "was acknowledged even before the time of Confucius, and practiced to a good degree at an age when other nations in the world had no such system; and although in his day feudal institutions prevailed, and offices and rank were not attainable in the same manner as at present, yet magistrates and noblemen deemed it necessary to be well acquainted with their ancient writings. In the 'Book of Rites' it is said that, for the purposes of education among the ancients, villages had their schools, districts their academies, departments their colleges, and principalities their universities.' This, so far as we know, was altogether superior to what obtained among the Jews, Persians, and Syrians of the same period.” Education is forcibly and frequently inculcated in the classical Chinese literature, which is held in high esteem. The patronage of the wealthy makes education respectable and popular. Besides, education opens the only road to political preferment. All the officers of the Imperial Government are chosen from among those who have completed a long course of study and passed through the ordeal of several laborious and rigid examinations. Every community supports one or more primary schools, while the larger towns and cities have