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To begin at the beginning, in correct essay style, I must endeavour to define what History is.

Its primary meaning most probably is, a “ Record of the Past,” its secondary “a True Story apart from a Romance.”

As a “ Record of the Past,” History is as dear to every contemplative, I would almost say, to every reasonable, human being, as the Parish Register to the sexton, or the Fly Leaf in the Family Bible to the grandmother.

We love to turn over its pages and look proudly and fondly at the names of our forefathers ; we feel ourselves exalted by the perpetuation of their fame, and it is with a kind of family pride that we read, think, or talk of our country's heroes. We dwell upon their achievements with a kinsman's affection and tell our hearts that we belong to a noble race which God had made good, -very capable of much good.

On the other hand, do not records of shameful deeds, of broken faith, of cowardice, subterfuge, cruelty, arouse within us feelings of indignation, of shame? do we not feel ourselves dishonoured when we peruse or contemplate them? Do we not wish that we could stamp out their names and memories for ever? Do we not feel that a sore point is touched, a rankling wound opened, when their misdeeds, their sins of omission and commission, are expatiated upon, and made the subject of careless conversation or banter. Do we not feel the blush mantling to our cheeks, and our tongues glued to our mouths by a sensation similar to that we should feel if the family honour had suffered, and honesty made us powerless to defend the culprit ?

Or it may be that feelings of irritation are aroused, and we attempt to vindicate the accused and silence the accuser, at the same time vainly endeavouring to convince ourselves of the innocency of our client by deliberately pushing all testimony of his guilt away from us.

Usually, when such disgracerul acts or motives are brought to our notice, we feel that the race, though capable of good, is equally capable of bad ; we sometimes fall upon our knees and pray that we and our children may be kept from all evil inclinations, which, alas ! Man's History so plainly proves, continually beset our fallen nature.

We will return to our second definition “A True Story, as apart from a Romance."

A true story, let us not lose sight of this fact, do not let us teach as History, myths and fables.

I do not say “Do not teach them with History," but be very careful to keep them distinct-separate them entirely from the narrative.

Accuracy is one important habit we have to cultivate in our pupils, and History, it properly taught, is a great aid to the acquirement of it.

If our children see their instructors carefully disentangling for them the complicated web of early History, omitting no opportunity of telling them an interesting story bearing upon History, but most carefully impressing upon them the fact, that it is not reliable information, that it is imaginative and therefore not History, they will presently endeavour to untie a few knots for themselves.

They will look at the web with critical eyes, Is there not a Aaw here? Is this a part of the original web, or is it not rather some foreign substarice adhering, which with patience I can separate? Thus a long step on the road to accuracy will be gained. It is necesary to train our children to accuracy in the acquirenient of knowledge—not for mere abstract learning sake- but because the habit thus acquired becomes fixed in their character, and they themselves become more strictly true, inasmuch as they have unconsciously learnt to balance their own words and actions, learnt to distinguish between simple truth and exaggeration in others. I have noticed that habits of exactness in study – the power of analysing—and the rejection of fiction under any other name but fiction

-invariably tends to strengthen the traits of honesty and dependableness. Such mental training makes self deceit less possible and increases the capacity for forming unprejudiced judgments. So I maintain that, the careful analytical teaching of History conduces to the formation of a satisfactory character.

I agree with Freeman that all the interesting myths connected with any History should be taught, because they have generally some germ of truth in them and because they act as a good digestive. They are as mustard to pork. Plain History does not agree with young children, or very well with their elders, unless they can take with it something pungent and relishable.

Perhaps I may be allowed another simile from the table. Salt taken with beef is wholesome and necessary, but salt rubbed in the beef is injurious to health.

In the same way, spirited, amusing, or touching fables make History much more enjoyable, and therefore much more learnable. They bring out its full meaning, as salt eaten from the side of the plate brings out the favour of beef, but if the beef be impregnated with it the favour of the salt predominates.

I repeat my former statement, that History, especially a nation's individual History, is very precious to us. But to my utter sur. prise and amazement, I have heard girls say, since I came to the Cape, that “History is dry and unnecessary; and that they do not wish to learn it; their parents think it a waste of time.” And what put the cap upon my astonishment was, to find that the study of the History of their own country in South Africa, to which they are really so loyal and which is dear to many of them as their own heart's blood, was particularly distasteful to them and was dropped from their course of study directly they had satisfied the Public Examiners in their knowledge of a few of the leading events.

The reasons for this repugnance I shall discuss presently. I wish now to say, -that these young ladies, though they may find historical lessons irksome, as many find a roll of the family pedigree uninteresting, still do love the history of their country though it may be not so intensely as others. It is a closed casket to them, nevertheless it is a prized one.

Does not each one of these wax hot when reminded of unfairness or duplicity from which their country has sometimes suffered at the hand of strangers ? Does not the face of each one of them glow with enthusiasm when relating to foreigners some achievement of an Africander?

Does not the heart of each one with German blood beating in her veins warm towards an Englishman who enlarges upon the virtues of Luther? Is not every one of Dutch extraction proud to feel that England once owed its salvation to a Hollander ?

Do not the English colonists honour the memory of Wellington, who never was beaten?

I suppose the main reason why Cape girls find history wearisome is, because we have not discovered the knack of imparting its knowledge pleasantly. We do not manage to rouse their enthusiasm, perhaps because our own interest flags, our energies being jaded by over much work.

The teacher's first object in every lesson should be to arouse interest- this step gained, the others in the formidable ladder are easily mounted.

Interest gives perseverance, courage, a ready understanding, and surely leads to success at last, In order to arouse interest, it is absolutely necessary that we should first be interested ourselves. Children are very ready to detect shams, and they would instinctively feel our lack of real interest and respond to our true feelings, instead of to our pretended ones.

Counterfeit never answers, especially in teaching; we must give gold, not aluminium.

It a teacher does not possess interest, she must purchase it at the price of hard work. Careful preparation for each lesson cannot fail to give a teacher interest in imparting it. We are naturally pleased to give out knowledge we have lately acquired; we like other people to see that this new possession is really ours, and what better proof can there be than the power of imparting it.

It is not absolutely necessary for a teacher to be trained -- if she is thoroughly interested she will see what her pupils need and procure it for them, let the cost to herself be what it may.

The cost to Cape teachers is not triling,— Time being with us such a valuable commodity—but it is worth the price. I know no greater satisfaction than that of having given a good lesson.

When possible (I know it is not always possible, with so many calls upon our time, so many loving young ones needing our attention, our assistance or our sympathy), each lesson should be carefully prepared over night and revised before delivery. Get up information in the evening, arrange it in the morning. Eat our mental food in the evening, ruminate in the morning.

Our manner must be bright and earnest when we take our class, it must also be varied, it must have its lights and shades ; but I need not enlarge upon manner of delivery, because if the matter be a living thing to us, it will naturally bear the blossom of attractive manner.

Having once planted the tree in the garden of our mind, we must not think our work is done, we must keep it watered, or we shall find we have tasteless fruit. Even if we do happen to have prepared enough at one time for two lessons, do not let us trust to that. Lessons prepared a week ago always fall Aat.

We should write out the notes again or sit with the old ones before us for half an hour, and form new connecting links and enlargements in our minds. An old lesson given is as unsuccessful as a sermon delivered a second time, it sounds unreal, cut and dried; but if the minister re-writes his old sermon, or cooks his notes afresh, it is as a new dish to himself and therefore to his audience. In the same way, an old lesson, thoroughly warmed up again and garnished, is perhaps more palatable than the original joint would be.

The first step, then, towards arousing irterest in our History lessons we will consider as a conceded point, viz. :-to have it ourselves. This is undoubtedly the chief point, as in every other lesson ; interest being reciprocal.

The second is to embellish the plain facts with legends and anec, dotes wherever they will fit.

A plain woman wishing to gain attention, cannot afford to dis. pense with the accessories of ornament, lace and feathers. Neither can the plain facts of History expect to secure admirers if unadorned.

Honesty requires that we should acknowledge the power of the ornament, that we should say "yes, it is my fine feathers which make me such a fine bird, but they have not been donned in vain, since they have brought you to my side. Now study me and see if my plain face is expressionless. I know my own power ; having gained your notice and approbation, you will become my companion and lover."

The third step in securing interest for our History lessons is to vary the programme as much as possible. If our teaching be entirely oral we find the children grow fidgetty long before the prescribed hour has drawn to an end. As a rule children are incapable