AN ESSAY ON EDUCATION.

KENNINGTON-HOUSE ACADEMY,

COMMERCIAL, MATHEMATICAL, AND PHILOSOPHICAL;

No. 38, KENNINGTON-LANE,

OPPOSITE CARLISLE CHAPEL, LAMBETH, NEAR LONDON;

CONDUCTED BY

A. NESBIT AND SONS,

WITH

PROPER AND EFFICIENT ASSISTANTS.

THE TERMS OF MESSRS. NESBITS' ESTABLISHMENT FOR BOTH BOARDERS AND DAY SCHOLARS, MAY BE KNOWN ON APPLICATION, EITHER PERSONALLY OR BY LETTER; AND THE MOST RESPECTABLE REFERENCES CAN BE GIVEN TO GENTLEMEN OF HIGH LITERARY ATTAINMENTS.

"The Degrees and the Species of Art and Skill, exhibited by the Human Race, are almost infinitely varied; and a long Space of Time must intervene before any Individual can attain to that Measure of Knowledge which he is capable of acquiring. This apparent Disadvantage, however, is amply compensated by the wide Range allowed to Human Intellect, and by the Capacity of mental Improvement, which is continued almost through the whole of Life."-SHEPHERD ON EDUCATION.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHORS, BY THOMAS RILEY.

AND PUBLISHED BY LONGMAN AND CO., LONDON; WILSON AND SONS, YORK; AND SOLD BY A. SOUTER AND CO., FLEET STREET; T. ALLMAN, HOLBORN; AND ALL OTHER BOOKSELLERS.

1841.

PRICE ONE SHILLING AND SIXPENCE.

651.

The following highly approved Books, have been written by Mr. A. NESBIT; and are all published by Longman and Co., London; Wilson and Sons, York; and may be had of the Author, and of all Booksellers.

Mr. Nesbit's Treatise on English Parsing, adapted to Murray's Grammar, has attained the Sixth Edition. This Work forms a Key to the First Part of Murray's Exercises; was highly approved by that Gentleman; and is considered, by competent judges, to be the best Treatise on English Parsing, that has ever been published. It is equally well adapted for Public Schools, Private Tuition, and Self Improvement; and abounds with Explanatory Notes and Observations, which will be found of great Advantage to Learners, in studying the English Language.

The Treatise on Practical Arithmetic, is in the Third Edition, and contains the most concise and general Methods of making Commercial Calculations, now universally adopted by Men of Business. The Work also comprises Forms of Receipts, Promissory Notes, Bills of Exchange, Bill Books, Invoice Books, Bills of Lading, Sale Books, Account Current Books, and Commercial Letters. In short, it forms a Complete Introduction to Book-keeping; has been introduced into many of the First Schools in the United Kingdom; and also into many of the Counting Houses in Manchester and other Commercial Towns; and it will be found well adapted for preparing Young Men for the proper discharge of their duty, when they enter upon the Transactions of REAL LIFE and BUSINESS.

The Treatise on Practical Mensuration, has reached the Tenth Edition, and treats Extensively on the Subject, in all its various departments; namely, Superficies, Solids, Conic Sections, Timber Measure, &c., &c. This Work will be found well worthy of the particular Attention, not only of those Young Gentlemen who are designed for Architects, Civil Engineers, &c., &c.; but also of Builders, Carpenters, Joiners, Masons, Bricklayers, Slaters, Tilers, Painters, Glaziers, Plumbers, and all other Artificers. The Work has been well received by the Public; and has, for many years, been a Standard Book, in Schools of the First Respectability;; and also in the Offices of Architects, Engineers, Timber Merchants, Builders, &c., &c.

The Treatise on Practical Land Surveying, has arrived at the Seventh Edition. This Work treats copiously on the various Methods of Measuring and Planning single Fields, Meres, and Woods, of every Shape and Denomination. It also contains FOUR of the most approved Methods of Surveying and Planning Large Estates, or Lordships; and describes the various processes pursued in Laying-out, Parting-off, and Dividing Land. This Work has for many years been a Leading Book in Schools, particularly in Agricultural Districts; and has been introduced into the Offices of many Land Surveyors, Civil Engineers, Commissioners of Inclosures, &c., &c., for the Advantage and Improvement of their YOUNG MEN.

The Treatise on Practical Gauging, will be found to contain every Thing on that Subject, which is necessary for Young Gentlemen to understand, previously to their becoming Candidates for the Excise or Customs; as it treats of the various Methods of Gauging and Inching Utensils of every Denomination.

A SHORT

ESSAY ON EDUCATION;

WITH

OBSERVATIONS AND REMARKS

ON

THE DUTIES OF TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND PUPILS.

MR. NESBIT and SONS most respectfully embrace this Opportunity of presenting their very grateful Acknowledgments, to their Friends and the Public, for the liberal and extensive Patronage with which they have been honoured, since they opened their Academy; and wish to assure them that it shall ever be their highest Ambition to merit the Continuation and Increase of their Favours, Kindness, and Support.

This, they are fully aware, can only be accomplished by persevering and renewed Exertions in discharging the Duties of their Office with Diligence, Punctuality, and Propriety; but above all, with Efficacy and Success, as regards the general Improvement of their Pupils in Scientific, Useful, and Practical Knowledge.

Every attention is paid to the Health, Happiness, and Morals of both the Boarders and Day Scholars; and proper Time is allowed them for Amusement, Exercise, and Recreation; as without these, Health and Cheerfulness cannot be preserved; and Mr. Nesbit and Sons

feel a confident Hope, that their Abilities, Assiduity, and long Experience in the Education of Youth, will enable them to give General Satisfaction to those Parents and Guardians who may place their Sons or Wards in the Establishment.

MR. NESBIT and SONS feel great Pleasure in announcing to their Friends and the Public, that they have lately erected a Large and Commodious SchoolRoom, which is well lighted and ventilated; and fitted up in the most convenient manner, for the Reception, Accommodation, and Comfort of their Pupils.

It is well known that Health of Body and Vivacity of Spirits, cannot long be preserved without good and convenient Ventilation; and a free and copious admission of pure, atmospheric Air into those Apartments designed for the Education of Youth.

Both these desirable Advantages have been effectually secured by the peculiar Manner in which they have constructed the Building; and they have also made such internal Arrangements as will be of great Utility in conducting the Business of the School; besides being of the utmost Importance in promoting both their own Health and Comfort, and likewise the Health, Comfort, and Happiness of their Pupils.

THE FIRST AND GRAND CONSIDERATION, in bringing up and educating Youth, is to endeavour to preserve and promote their Health, and the Buoyancy of their Spirits, by making them comfortable, cheerful, and happy; for without Health and Spirits, little Progress will ever be made in the Acquisition of Knowledge.These desirable Objects can only be obtained by sufficient Exercise in the open Air, by kind and gentle

Treatment, by making all their Studies as easy and as delightful to them as possible; and by proving to them that the whole of your Exertions and Instructions are intended to advance their Moral and Intellectual Improvement, and to make them Useful and Honourable Members of Society.

It must be acknowledged that the Dispositions of Children are extremely diversified. Some are mild, gentle, tractable, and even endearing; and others are obstinate, headstrong, resolute, and very untoward, in all their actions. To these it becomes our Duty to administer Reproof, Admonition, Advice, and sometimes Correction; but all this should be done in a mild and gentle Manner, in Order to prove that it is only our Intention to produce a desirable Change in the Manners, Tempers, and Dispositions of our Pupils; and not to gratify any Whim or Caprice that may have arisen in our own Minds, from their careless or improper Conduct.

As the Happiness of Parents, and also that of their Children are inseparably bound up together; nothing is more likely to secure Peace, Comfort, and Prosperity to both, than the regular Advancement of the latter in General, Scientific, Moral, and Religious Knowledge. These are Attainments of the utmost Value and Importance, both as regards this World and that which is to come; and should always be kept in View by PARENTS, by GUARDIANS, and by all INSTRUCTORS OF YOUTH.