21 FEBRUARY 1829, Page 12

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL-BOOKS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.

Sm—Your notice of Mr. Croker's Elementary Geography, induces me to hope that you will not deem the following observations altogether unworthy of a place in the columns of the SPECTATOR. If the press will condescend to employ its giant force, I am confident that a general reform must take place in the present elementary school-books.

It is customary with parents, when about to send a child to school, to pur- chase a spelling-book themselves : they inquire for the best work, and are shown Mayor's Spelling-book, with a vaunting title-page, setting forth that it is the " three hundredth edition, carefully revised and improved." It is em- bellished with a frontispiece containing two views of an acadamy—the one representing a stupid-looking fellow in a pulpit, interrogating a class with his hat on ; the other, a fat old gentleman with a greasy nightcap (Dr. Mayor him- self, perhaps) hearing a boy's lesson : -eerily a charming specimen of the graphic art . But proceed we to the book. At page 118, we are treated with an " alphabetical collection of words nearly the same in sound, but different in signification." After having selected the errors, I shall leave to the public to judge how much it has been revised and improved; and whether it is not calculated to mislead thousands, who, under the tuition of dunderheaded schoolmasters, may perhaps never learn better till they have felt the biting sting of satire and ridicule. Words 21(avor's Definitions

All . . To he sick or to make sick Air . To breathe Beer • To drink

Bruise . • To break Complement ▪ The remainder

Deer In a park

Dew . • Moisture

Dough . • Paste •

Words Manor's Definitions

Fair . . Handsome Flue . Down Flour • . For bread Groan . . A sigh Heart . . In the stomach

Heel . . . Part of a shoe Kill . . To murder

Night . Darkness

Knot . To UNTIE Lesson . In reading

Pale . . Colour

Pillar . A round column REASON . ARGUMENT

Time . . . . Leisure Weigh. . . In scales

Such a classification (not to speak of the superlative stupidity of the de- finitions) is pregnant with the causes to which much of vulgar mispronuncia- tion is to be attributed :—" Accidence, Accidents—Acts, Ax—Are, Ere—

Aunt, Haunt—Assistance, Assistants," &c. Dr. Mayor observes in his preface—" A just maxim, a humane principle,

a germ of knowledge early imbibed, will be permanent and fixed." Three only of these just maxims, humane principles, or germs . of (Mayor's) know- ledge, will sufficiently exemplify the nature of the sublime system of morality set forth in the 19th century, by a clergyman of the Church of England, for the instruction of youth.

"Moral and practical observations, which ought to be committed to memory at an early age." 1st. "A man may have a thousand intimate acquaintances, and not a friend amongst them all."

This sentiment betrays a feeling unworthy of a member of the Church- 'tis a misanthropic, churlish idea : but what shall we say to the next ?-2- " Never expect lawyers to settle diaputes,nor justice from the decision oflawyers."

This is indeed a liberal sentiment to impress on the mind of a child ! and infinitely are the rising generation indebted to Dr, Mayor for his zeal in pick- ing and culling such liberal sentiments! But in case the precept should be overlooked, it is inserted again in another shape—

" Fools go to law, and knaves prefer the arbitration of lawyers."

Now if some choleric fellow, just for the experiment, should break Dr. Mayor's head, and bruise (or by his definition, break) his bones—to whom would he apply for redress? he could neither expect lawyers to settle his dispute, nor could he expect justice; and—he would be a knave for asking it.

Such are but a few among the glaring errors and inconsistencies abounding in Dr. Mayor's revised and improved Spelling-book ; to which I shall again recur in a future letter. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c.

Prospect House Academy, Copenhagen Fields. EnzsEzEtt COLLINS.