aim at the illumination of the passage in those aspects: the pupil's interest in life may thus be brightened and deepened, and he may be induced to think and reason for himself regarding human character and motive. The study of a passage in literature with a view to the elucidation of its human interest may be said to correspond to an object-lesson in an elementary course, or an experimental lesson in physics or chemistry in a more advanced curriculum. It is an experiment in humanistic investigation, as the latter is in scientific investigation. Just as, after an experiment in physics or chemistry has been performed, a boy may be asked to explain the inferences to be drawn from it regarding the natural world, so in literary study he may be asked to explain, regarding the world of thought and feeling, the inferences to be drawn from a passage or "experiment" in literature. From the answers received the teacher will come to know his pupils more intimately, will be able to gauge more accurately their quickness of understanding and sympathy, their capacity for thought and feeling.

In addition to the oral work, written exercises (to be done either at home or in class) should be set. The pupils may be required at suitable intervals to summarize the content of the book, and, on the conclusion of the first reading, to write in as few words as possible an account of the essential theme set forth in the work as a whole. Suitable passages of poetry may be set for paraphrase; the meaning of pregnant prose sentences may be expressed more fully; and picturesque characters and scenes may be described in the pupil's own words.

Side by side with, and in close relation to, the study of the content, in the senior classes, the study of structure may proceed. The essence of literary structure is that it is marked by unity in difference, by the adaptation of means to the attainment of an artistic end. Different, though interrelated, phases of the subject under treatment may be presented: there may be a main theme, and a larger or smaller number of minor themes according to the greater or less complexity of the structure; and all these will be related to one another and to the whole scheme by an underlying artistic purpose. The teacher's object here is to secure that the pupil perceives the different aspects of the structure as distinct from one another, and also as related and unified in a complete whole. Thus, in a novel or a drama, the various threads of the plot are woven in the first portion of the work; and the teacher's questioning should enable the pupil to distinguish and describe these as they are introduced: at the end of a chapter or a scene the questions may be asked-With which thread of the plot is this chapter or scene mainly concerned? and: Is any other thread introduced, with a view to maintaining the reader's interest in it and keeping before his mind the interrelations of the various threads?

The structural form of a literary work may often be conveniently shown by a tabular scheme, the different parts of the structure being represented in parallel columns1. Each column may be headed by a title which

1 See The Teaching of English in the Elementary and Secondary School. By Percival Chubb. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1905. Page 282.

be

shall express briefly the subject-matter of its section; and the chief details to be included under it may written below the title.

Scheme for the Study of Structure.

Theme (or Thread) 1 Theme (or Thread) 2 Theme (or Thread) 3

In such a tabular form the distinct development of the different aspects of the subject-matter will be clearly seen; and at the end of the form there may be added a statement dealing with the interrelations of the sections.

The close connexion between content and structure in literature is thus made evident. The study of structural form cannot be carried on apart from the study of the subject-matter which is formulated by it; nor can the content of literature be fully appreciated apart from the form which defines it.

It follows from this circumstance that in the senior classes-whenever the study of structure and a more adequate study of the content of literature are aimed at-the literary productions that are read should be complete in themselves, showing a developed artistic

structure.

The question is often asked whether complete texts or selected passages should be read in class. The foregoing remarks carry with them the implication that after the age of 12 or 13 the use of incomplete selected passages should be avoided, since they afford no means for the more formal study of structure. In favour of the use of selections, however, something may be said so far as the junior classes are concerned. In these classes we cannot hope to gain for the pupils all that is to be derived from the study of literature: their attention is to be directed mainly to the content of what is read, and this may be done when selected passages are used. Indeed, it may be claimed that here selections possess an advantage over complete texts, in that a volume of good selections may reflect more varied aspects of life; and every teacher knows how necessary variety of subject-matter is in order that the interest of young pupils may be sustained. It may be held, then, that up to the age of 12 or 13 a volume of selections containing appropriate subject-matter, and including, in addition to extracts, a number of short poems and prose pieces individually forming complete wholes, is a suitable form of text-book.

After a book has been read with a view to the general comprehension of the subject-matter and structure, it may be re-read-this time with a view to the study of linguistic details and style.

The old method of studying our literary masterpieces in schools proceeded on the idea that they were to be used mainly as a means of imparting to pupils information relating to grammar, philology, or literary expression: the matter or content of literature was

neglected in favour of the study of formal details. Within the last few years there has set in a reaction against this mode of treatment, and the tendency of "the reformed method" is to emphasize the importance of studying the content of literary works. There can be no doubt that this tendency is in a right direction: as was remarked in the preceding chapter, the aim which gives validity to the teaching of literature at every stage of the curriculum is the humanizing and enriching of the pupil's nature, through the study of the subject-matter; and that aim cannot be realized if the masterpieces of literature are used merely, or chiefly, as a medium for instruction in grammatical, philological, or literary detail. At the same time, we must be careful to take from literature, in the successive stages of the curriculum, all that the study of it is able to give; and since after the age of 12 or 13 a pupil may profitably make some study of the subject on the side of structural form and language, we must not indiscriminately all through the curriculum direct our pupils' attention exclusively to the content. We shall be confirmed in this opinion if we reflect that the content of literature is vitally interconnected with its form, and cannot be fully considered apart from it.

One of the most important points on which the teacher has to decide is the amount of detailed formal treatment that should be given. This will be determined partly by the nature and form of the book that is being studied, and partly by the stage of development of the pupil. There are certain classes of literaturefor example, the novel-that are not well adapted for the exposition of linguistic and literary details. On