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THE INFANT SYSTEM,

FOR

DEVELOPING THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL POWERS OF ALL CHILDREN,

FROM ONE TO SEVEN YEARS OF AGE

BY SAMUEL WILDERSPIN, INVENTOR OF THE SYSTEM OF INFANT TRAINING.

"Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me."Matt. xviii. 5.

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones." Matt.xvii. 10.

EIGHTH EDITION, CAREFULLY REVISED.

1852.

PREFACE

In again presenting this volume to the world, I trust I feel thankfulto God for the favour with which the Infant System has been received,and for all the aid I have enjoyed in my course of labour. Had themeasures I originated for the development of the infant mind, and theimprovement of the moral character, been sanctioned at first, as manynow think they should have been, their progress would, undoubtedly,have been far greater; but when I consider what has been accomplishedunder the divine benediction, and amid greater difficulties than everbeset the path of an individual similarly occupied, I know not how toexpress the gratitude of which I am conscious. It seems proper andeven necessary to remark, that the system explained in this volume, isthe result of many years of labour. Thousands of children have beenattentively observed, and for the necessities that arose in theirinstruction, provision has been made. Others have doubtless reachedsome of the conclusions at which I have arrived, but this is onlyanother instance of the coincidence in judgment and effort, oftendiscoverable in persons far apart, whose attention has been directedto similiar subjects; but with the exception of the elliptical plan,devised by Dr. Gilchrist, I am not aware that I owe an idea orcontrivance to any individual whatever. Upwards of twenty-fivethousand children have been now under my own care, in various parts ofthe United Kingdom, whose age has not exceeded six years; myself, mydaughters, and my agents, have organized many score of schools, andthus I have had opportunities of studying the infant mind and heart,such as none of my contemporaries have ever possessed.

Still I am aware I have much to learn. I am far less satisfied withthe extent of my knowledge, and far less confident of its perfectionand completeness now than I was in the earlier part of my course.The whole energies of my mind, however, having been thrown upon thesubject, and the whole of my time for the third of a century havingbeen zealously devoted to it, I trust the volume will containknowledge of a more plain, simple, and practical character than iselsewhere to be found:—perhaps it may not be presumption to say thancan elsewhere be found. Should I have the pleasure to labour foryears to come, I trust I shall have much more to communicate on thesubject.

Two editions of this work in its former state have been printed inGerman; and it has also been reprinted in America. I have, however,felt it due to the friends of education, to make this volume ascomplete as possible, and though still occasionally engaged insuperintending and organizing schools, I have felt it necessary torevise this eighth edition very carefully throughout, and commence itwith a new and additional chapter.

Moor Cottage,
Westgate Common,
Wakefield,
Nov