Having thus disposed of geography and arithmetic, in the last of which I doubt not your mathematical faculty will strike out something new, you will expect me to describe my modes of teaching language, as you know that to be my personal hobby. I think I might have other hobbies if I knew more. But I do think the teaching of language covers a great deal of ground, bringing into play, as it certainly does, so many faculties.
The first thing to be aimed at in language is, that it shall be clearly understood. It is not necessary to go out of one's own language to teach etymology. I take such words as funny, kindly, sweetly, and ask from what words those are derived.
"What does funny mean?" The answer will be, "Full of fun," or "Something that has fun in it." "What is kindly?" "Full of kindness." "What does agreeable mean?" "Something we like," said a little boy one day in answer to this question.
"Does every one like the same things?" said I.
"No."
"Then something may be agreeable to you that is not agreeable, to me."
"Yes."
"Can you think now what the word agreeable is made from?"
He could not think.
"A thing agrees with something in me that does not agree with something in you, perhaps. I do not like the perfume of a narcissus. It does not agree with my sense of smell, but it agrees with some people's sense of smell."