[
322]
therefore, that a course of lectures on French literary history and criticism, amounting perhaps to about twenty, delivered in the latter part of each year, to those who have made the most progress in the language, would be useful.
To increase their utility, perhaps it would be well to take three hours in the week, on days not occupied with instruction in the language, and give two of them to lectures, and the third to an examination of the pupils, both in what they have learnt from the
French teacher, and what they have heard of the professor's lectures, which I will make in French to those who are able and disposed to exercise themselves in speaking the language.
This course would seem to close up the studies of those who should be about to leave the instruction of the
French teacher; and to them I would propose to confine it, as I do not think it would be useful to any others.
The other course, which would be on Spanish literary history and criticism, may be made in the same way, and be delivered as often, accompanied with a similar examination; but, as it would not be quite so long,—if the rule of relative importance is to be observed, and a very few would attend it,—I should like to have it extemporaneous, both because I think more can be taught in this way, where the number of the instructed is small, and because I should like to exercise myself in this form of instruction.
Both courses, it seems to me, should be given merely to
teach, never attempting to produce a popular effect; and as, in this case, utility would be their only object, I am disposed to think the attendance on them should be only by those persons who have made some progress under the instructions of the
French teacher, and that there should be such an understanding and concert between him and the lecturer as to make the
Smith establishment
one whole, through their joint efforts.
Under any arrangement, however, these things seem to be important,—that the attendance should be
purely voluntary, that the course should not be divided into two parts and delivered in successive years, and that the class should never be large, since my only object here, too, would be to teach, and this can be best done where the number is small.