I will make three preliminary remarks. First, the student must bring to this work the same earnestness that he gives to that pursuit of his daily life upon which he has been or may be dependent for his livelihood. Second, in the study of language by correspondence, the path marked out by the experience of the ages is the path in which the correspondence student must go. The gateway of that path is the grammar of the language; and no student can pass through it till he possess the key which shall unlock its bars. To own a grammar is therefore a necessity. I am ready to believe that in oral teaching of a language, actual study of grammar, as grammar, may be put over into the final years of the course, giving the early years to the undisputed control of synthetic methods; but for the correspondence student, a grammar is an essential. Third, the student must be willing to follow the most minute directions of his teacher, without question, no matter how simple or how difficult a matter their performances may seem to be. To obey is the first essential to success.
Let us now look at a _method_ for learning a language or science. It is not given as _the method_ in use in the schools, but only as a means of showing that the thing proposed is possible. There should be for the beginner four papers for every lesson; or four kinds of work to be done.
_First_—There should be a paper _stating principles to be learned_, and adding complete references to the text-book upon which they are based, that the student may add to his teacher’s dictum, the confirmation of his own research. Let it be distinctly noted that this paper is _to contain statements of principles to be learned_, and is not to be a mere budget of directions to paragraphs and sections of a text-book. The advantages to be gained by such a method of study are too obvious to need elaboration here.
_Second_—There should be a paper giving abundant and apt illustrations of those principles, derived from the best sources, adapted to the pupil’s knowledge, and different from any which have been otherwise brought to his notice. These illustrations of principles should be memorized by the student and should form the basis of the paper containing the test of the student’s work.