approved by, and he received every encouragement and help from, his friends Pastor Schinz (of Zurich), Lavater, Füssli, Iselin (registrar of Basle), and other influential persons.

Of this purpose of theirs he says: "My wife had much to suffer because of our position; nevertheless nothing could shake, either in her or in me, the intention to consecrate our time, our strength, and the remainder of our fortune to the simplification of the instruction and the domestic education of the people" (Swan Song). So, during the winter of 1774-75 they began their work. Pestalozzi received at his house some children whom he gathered together from the neighbourhood: little mendicants whom he found in the villages and on the roads. He clothed and fed them, and cared for them with a father's affection. He had them always with him, and let them take part in all his work in the garden, on the farm, and in the house. In bad weather they were occupied in spinning cotton in a large room which formed one floor of his farmhouse. Only a very short time was devoted to lessons, and often the instruction was given whilst the children were working with their hands. He did not make haste to teach them to read and to write, being persuaded that this talent was of no use until they knew how to talk. But he unceasingly occupied them in the exercise of language, concerning subjects which were furnished by their own life, and he made them repeat passages from the Bible until they knew them by heart.

He finally had about twenty children. These made great progress both in manual and mental work, and developed most satisfactorily in morals and in health. Many more were anxious to share in the advantages

which were offered; but Pestalozzi had already more than his means allowed, though eagerly anxious to take in others. The experiment attracted general attention, and was highly approved and admired. Subscriptions were offered him, and he was advised to make a public appeal for support.

So Pestalozzi drew up, in 1776, an "Appeal to the friends and benefactors of humanity who may be willing to support an institution designed to provide education and work for poor country children". After describing how he had already proved the practicability and success of reforming both the minds and morals of destitute and degraded children, he gives the following undertaking, provided that sufficient money is advanced to him: "The money will be paid back in ten years. . . . The number of children admitted shall be according to the financial support given to me. I promise to teach all the children to read, write and calculate. I promise to initiate all the boys, so far as my knowledge and position permit me, in all the practical processes of small farming. I understand the means of cultivation which will, from a small area of land, yield the most abundant products. I promise to teach them how to lay down artificial grass-land; to look after and develop the fattening of cattle; to know by extensive experiments the different grasses and the importance of their proper mixings; the nature and the use of marl; the effects, still disputed, of the repeated use of lime; the management of fruit trees, and, perhaps, of a few forest trees.

"All this will arise out of the position and needs of my estate, so that such efforts will always be work connected with the needs of the house, and not in the least a study which necessitates unproductive outlay.

It will also be the household needs which will furnish the young girls opportunity to learn gardening, domestic work and needle-work. The principal occupation in bad weather will be the spinning of fine cotton.

"I promise to give them religious instruction, considered as a matter of conscience, and to do all that in me lies to develop in them a pure and tender heart."

He goes on to point out that the most gratifying success has attended his experiment with the twenty children he has already with him; and states that he will be personally responsible for all future charges connected with them. He undertakes to make an annual report of his work to the subscribers, and asks that the work shall be inspected, and no money given to him unless he carries out his promises. After mentioning the names of well-known men who are supporting him, he makes a final appeal for the confidence and support of all "friends of humanity".

The response to this appeal was, on the whole, satisfactory-the Council of Commerce of the Bern Republic promised to help-and Pestalozzi was enabled to go on with his work. In accordance with his promise to give his patrons a full account of his work Pestalozzi wrote letters to the Ephemerides. In these he sets forth his views as best way of reforming the working classes, through the education of their children in establishments which combine agriculture and manufacture for their training. He holds that such institutions will be self-supporting, because of the earnings of the children.

He says: "It is possible to improve their growth, strength and health by a very simple and economical diet; for their nourishment consists [at Neuhof] almost

entirely of vegetables, though their work is most constant and diligent. Nevertheless they are robust: the strongest go about in the open bareheaded and without shoes or stockings Jacobi the only son of the director. is not treated differently). It is possible in a short time, to make them reasonably skilful in their work. and at the same time to lead them to acquire soch school knowledge as is suitable to their position" Even the weakest and most feeble-minded may be redeemed, if the director be a true father in his relations to the children-but no other way will do the children be kept from the influence of their parents: and stay in the institution for five or six years. Pestalozzi found it necessary to have a written agreement with parents as to the conditions of admission, so grossly did they abuse the privileges of the institution.

The Bern Agricultural Society appointed some wellknown and competent men to inspect the establishment, in 1778, and then issued a report in which they express their full confidence in Pestalozzi and his work. The report was issued as a pamphlet, which contained also an account by Pestalozzi himself, with a detailed description of the thirty-seven pupils. These descriptions give us some idea of the difficulties of the work; e.g., "They [two sisters, aged nineteen and eleven] came to me three years ago, extremely neglected in body and mind; they had spent their lives in begging. We have had indescribable trouble to implant the beginnings of order, truthfulness and industry in them. The degree of brutishness and ignorance in the elder passes all belief, and her idleness is chronic. . . . Henri Vogt, of Mandach, eleven; has been here three years; can weave well: has begun to write : works well at French and

arithmetic is exact and careful in everything; but his heart seems to me to be cunning, deceitful, suspicious and greedy; he has good health. . . . Maria Bæchli, eight; excessively feeble in intelligence and body. But it will be very very interesting for humanity to see that imbecile children, roughly brought up, who would have had no resource except the madhouse, may be, by affectionate attentions appropriate to their feebleness, saved from this misery, and enabled to secure a modest livelihood and an independent life. . . . Henri Fuchsli, of Brugg, seven; has only been here a few weeks; seems gifted."

The staff is thus described by Pestalozzi: "For the conduct of the establishment and in the interests of the children, I get the most valuable assistance from Mlle. Madelon Spindler, of Strasbourg, who possesses extraordinary ability and astonishing activity. I have, besides, a master for weaving, and two experienced weavers; a mistress for spinning, and two young women spinners; a man who with the work of winding combines the teaching of elementary reading, as well as two menials and two women-servants almost wholly occupied in farm-work."

In spite of all his hopes and efforts Pestalozzi's unpractical nature again betrayed him, and financial difficulties once more assailed him. He tried to find a remedy for this by considerably increasing the number of children; but this only increased the evil. Parents who were themselves common beggars complained most bitterly against him, and persuaded their children to run away so that they might enjoy the earnings that the training and skill they got from Pestalozzi would enable them to obtain-but not before they had got a