Page:Home Education by Isaac Taylor (1838).djvu/161

 It will be convenient to consider the various instances of mental conformation, most needful to be regarded in our modes of culture, under the two general classes ofThose which must be specified on account of some apparent deficiency of intellectual structure, and, Those which claim regard on account of some peculiar talent, or a general superiority of understanding.

For the first then of these two classes. The instances most easily discriminated are those in which a morbid delicacy of constitution impairs the power of attention, and produces a wayward listlessness, and general inability to hold to any train of ideas, beyond a few moments. These cases are not likely to be mistaken; nor can there be a question as to the course to be pursued, which should aim at nothing but the corroboration of the animal economy, Ill health, whether accidental or constitutional, never fails to make itself apparent in other modes than in the mere in-disposition to learn; and therefore a reluctance to learn, falsely excused on the plea of ill health, may be readily detected. Real disease is sure to be indicated by want of appetite, deficient muscular substance, unquiet sleep, and fitful animal spirits. The treatment of such cases does not appertain to our subject. Need it be said that there can be no greater cruelty than that of working a brain poorly supplied with blood, and wanting in nervous energy!

And yet there is much that may be done, even with a sickly child, in keeping the mind alivetasks and books out of the question. Sickliness, intellectually considered, is infancy protracted; and the mental treatment proper to a healthy child of three or four years old, is nearly what must be resorted to with an infirm one of ten or twelve. A child must be labouring under active disease who will not listen to desultory, yet instructive conversation, or to a little reading. ‘Those ingenious devices too, for conveying instruction, which we should discard generally, may be