XVII. JOHN AMOS COMENIUS.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

John Amos Comenius, one of the most influential of modern educators, was born at Komna in Moravia, March 28, 1592. His family belonged to the earnest Protestant organization known as Moravian Brethren, in which he subsequently became a distinguished preacher and bishop. In youth he displayed an eager thirst for knowledge; but his experience in the schools of the time opened his eyes to many defects in method and discipline, which later in life he earnestly endeavored to remedy. After studying at the College of Herborn and the University of Heidelberg, he took charge, in 1616, of the Moravian congregation at Fulneck, and in connection with his pastoral duties assumed direction of the recently established school there. But the busy and happy life which he had thus entered upon, was disturbed by the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War. In 1621 Fulneck was sacked by the Spaniards. Comenius lost all his property, including his library; and owing to the intolerance of the Austrian government, he was compelled at length to seek refuge at Lissa in Poland.

At Lissa he was placed at the head of the Moravian gymnasium, and he turned his attention anew to the theory and practice of education. He perused with deep interest the works of Ratich and Bacon, but observed "here and there," to use his own words, some defects and gaps. Therefore, after many workings and tossings of my thoughts, by reducing everything to the immovable law.

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of nature, I lighted upon my 'Great Didactic,' which shows the art of readily and solidly teaching all men all things." This work, which remained in manuscript till 1649, is one of the greatest of all books on educational theory and method; and though, after a temporary vogue, it was neglected for some two hundred years, its principles in recent decades have done much to reform the schools of Christendom.

Comenius next set about reforming the teaching of Latin, which was then carried on in the most unscientific manner.· Schools were little short of a terror to boys; instruction in unintelligible Latin grammars was accompanied with an inconsiderate and sometimes cruel use of the rod. Comen>ius emphasized the teaching of things as well as of words. As he states it in his "Gate of Tongues Unlocked" (Janua Linguarum Reserata), which was published in 1631, “My fundamental principle - an irrefragable law of didactics is that the understanding and the tongue should advance in parallel lines always." This book had an immense success, and was translated into no fewer than a dozen European languages.

The fame of Comenius was now well established throughout Europe. In 1641 he was invited to England to reform education and to establish a "universal college." But the time was not propitious. The excitement and uncertainty connected with the approaching civil war threw all his plans into confusion. At this juncture he accepted an invitation to visit Sweden. There he elaborately discussed with Oxenstiern, "the eagle of the North," his great educational schemes. His cherished pansophic plans were not encouraged; and as a result of this conference, he withdrew to Elbing in Prussia and devoted the next four years to the preparation of his "Latest Method with Languages (Methodus Linguarum Novissima), in which he laid down

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the principle that words and things should be learned together; that theory should not be divorced from practice; and that study should advance by easy gradations. This work appeared in 1648.

In 1650 Comenius established a model school at Patak in Hungary, where he produced his "World Illustrated" (Orbis Pictus), the most famous of all his writings. This work contains, as stated on the title-page, “the pictures and names of all the principal things in the world, and of all the principal occupations of man.” It was designed to lay a solid foundation of knowledge in accurate sense-perception. "The foundation of all knowledge," as Comenius explained, "consists in representing clearly to the senses sensible objects, so that they can be apprehended easily."

In 1654 Comenius returned to Lissa, where one more misfortune awaited him. Two years later the town was plundered by the Poles, and he lost his house, books, and above all, his manuscripts. "This loss," he said, “I shall cease to lament only when I cease to breathe." After several months' wandering in Germany, he was offered an asylum at Amsterdam by Laurence de Geer. Here he spent the remaining years of his life, devoting himself to teaching as a means of support, and to the promulgation and defense of his educational views. His last days were somewhat imbittered by envious attacks upon his character and methods, but in all his trials he exhibited a meek, forbearing Christian spirit. He died in 1671 at the advanced age of eighty years.

The following selection is taken from Keatinge's translation of "The Great Didactic." The opening paragraphs present important or fundamental views from the earlier chapters. The sixteenth chapter is given in full for two reasons: I. It exhibits the process, not always convincing perhaps, by which the great Moravian arrives at his con

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clusions; and 2, The principles he lays down as the foundation upon which the imposing superstructure of his educational system is based.

SELECTION FROM COMENIUS.

THE GREAT DIDACTIC.

1. The seeds of knowledge, of virtue, and of piety are naturally implanted in us; but the actual knowledge, virtue, and piety are not so given. These must be acquired by prayer, by education, and by action. He gave no bad definition who said that man was a "teachable animal." And indeed it is only by a proper education that he can become a

man.

2. All who have been born to man's estate have been born with the same end in view, namely, that they may be men, that is to say, rational creatures, the lords of other creatures, and the images of their Creator. All, therefore, must be brought on to a point at which, being properly imbued with wisdom, virtue, and piety, they may usefully employ the present life and be worthily prepared for that to come. God himself has frequently asserted that with him there is no respect of persons, so that if, while we admit some to the culture of the intellect, we exclude others, we commit an injury not only against those who share the same nature as ourselves, but against God himself, who wishes to be acknowledged, to be loved, and to be praised by all upon whom he has impressed his image. In this respect the fervor of all men will increase in proportion to the flame of knowledge that has been kindled. For our love is in direct ratio to our knowledge.

3. Nor can any sufficient reason be given why the weaker sex (to give a word of advice on this point in particular)

should be altogether excluded from the pursuit of knowledge, whether in Latin or in their mother-tongue. They also are formed in the image of God, and share in his grace and in the kingdom of the world to come. They are endowed with equal sharpness of mind and capacity for knowledge (often with more than the opposite sex), and they are able to attain the highest positions, since they have often been called by God himself to rule over nations, to give sound advice to kings and princes, to the study of medicine and of other things which benefit the human race, even to the office of prophesying and of inveighing against priests and bishops. Why, therefore, should we admit them to the alphabet, and afterwards drive them away from books? Do we fear their folly? The more we occupy their thoughts, so much the less will the folly that arises from emptiness of mind find a place.

4. Things themselves, as far as they concern us, can be divided into three classes only: 1, Objects that we can observe, such as the heavens, the earth, and all that is in them; 2, Objects that we can imitate, such as the marvelous order which pervades all things, and which man ought to imitate in his actions; 3, Objects that we can enjoy, such as the grace of God and his manifold blessing here and for eternity. If man is to acquit himself creditably when brought into contact with this order of nature, he must be trained to know the things that are spread out for his observation in this marvelous amphitheatre, to do the things that it is right for him to do, and finally, to enjoy those things of which the most benign Creator, treating him as a guest in his house, has with liberal hand given him the fruition.

5. I call a school that fulfils its function perfectly, one which is a true forging-place of men; where the minds of those who learn are illuminated by the light of wisdom, so