Difficulties must be explained; questions must be answered; the path must be smoothed, and the way pointed out by a guide who has traveled it before, or it will be impossible for the pupil to go on.

This is the part of our subject which we now approach.
The great principle which is to guide the teacher in this part of his duty is this: _Assist your pupils in such a way as to lead them, as soon as possible, to do without assistance._ This is fundamental.

In a short time they will be away from your reach; they will have no teacher to consult; and unless you teach them how to understand books themselves, they must necessarily stop suddenly in their course the moment you cease to help them forward.

I shall proceed, therefore, to consider the subject in the following plan: 1.

Means of exciting interest in study.
2.