The Teacher | Page 4

almost wish to have some other similar work assigned him, that

he might have another opportunity to contrive some plan for its easy
accomplishment.
Looking at an object to be accomplished, or an evil to be remedied,
then studying its nature and extent, and devising and executing some
means for effecting the purpose desired, is, in all cases, a source of
pleasure; especially when, by the process, we bring to view or into
operation new powers, or powers heretofore hidden, whether they are
our own powers, or those of objects upon which we act. Experimenting
has a sort of magical fascination for all. Some do not like the trouble of
making preparations, but all are eager to see the results. Contrive a new
machine, and every body will be interested to witness or to hear of its
operation. Develop any heretofore unknown properties of matter, or
secure some new useful effect from laws which men have not hitherto
employed for their purposes, and the interest of all around you will be
excited to observe your results; and, especially, you will yourself take a
deep and permanent pleasure in guiding and controlling the power you
have thus obtained.
This is peculiarly the case with experiments upon mind, or experiments
for producing effects through the medium of voluntary acts of others,
making it necessary that the contriver should take into consideration the
laws of mind in forming his plans. To illustrate this by rather a childish
case: I once knew a boy who was employed by his father to remove all
the loose small stones, which, from the peculiar nature of the ground,
had accumulated in the road before the house. The boy was set at work
by his father to take them up, and throw them over into the pasture
across the way. He soon got tired of picking up the stones one by one,
and so he sat down upon the bank to try to devise some better means of
accomplishing his work. He at length conceived and adopted the
following plan: He set up in the pasture a narrow board for a target, or,
as boys would call it, a mark, and then, collecting all the boys of the
neighborhood, he proposed to them an amusement which boys are
always ready for--firing at a mark. The stones in the road furnished the
ammunition, and, of course, in a very short time the road was cleared;
the boys working for the accomplishment of their leader's task, when
they supposed they were only finding amusement for themselves.

Here, now, is experimenting upon the mind--the production of useful
effect with rapidity and ease by the intervention of proper
instrumentality--the conversion, by means of a little knowledge of
human nature, of that which would have otherwise been dull and
fatiguing labor into a most animating sport, giving pleasure to twenty
instead of tedious labor to one. Now the contrivance and execution of
such plans is a source of positive pleasure. It is always pleasant to bring
even the properties and powers of matter into requisition to promote
our designs; but there is a far higher pleasure in controlling, and
guiding, and moulding to our purpose the movements of mind.
It is this which gives interest to the plans and operation of human
governments. Governments can, in fact, do little by actual force. Nearly
all the power that is held, even by the most despotic executive, must be
based on an adroit management of the principles of human nature, so as
to lead men voluntarily to co-operate with the leader in his plans. Even
an army could not be got into battle, in many cases, without a most
ingenious arrangement, by means of which half a dozen men can drive,
literally drive, as many thousands into the very face of danger and
death. The difficulty of leading men to battle must have been, for a
long time, a very perplexing one to generals. It was at last removed by
the very simple expedient of creating a greater danger behind than there
is before. Without ingenuity of contrivance like this, turning one
principle of human nature against another, and making it for the
momentary interest of men to act in a given way, no government could
stand.
I know of nothing which illustrates more perfectly the way by which a
knowledge of human nature is to be turned to account in managing
human minds than a plan which was adopted for clearing the galleries
of the British House of Commons many years ago, before the present
Houses of Parliament were built. There was then, as now, a gallery
appropriated to spectators, and it was customary to require these
visitors to retire when a vote was to be taken or private business was to
be transacted. When the