Chapter XVIII: Act I: Scene I

BLANC’S _Palace_.

(_Enter_ BLANC, CERVIN, WEISHORN, JUNGFRAU, ROSA, FINSTERAARHORN,
MÖNCH.)

BLANC.

Are we all met?

WEISHORN.

Yes, we are; we must not speak too loud, for Schreckhorn is outside the door.

CERVIN.

Schreckhorn outside the door! impossible!

FINSTERAARHORN.

Fear nothing.

CERVIN.

Finster, really, this is too bad: you wish to have us all in the lockup; yes, you who hardly dare to show your face!

ROSA.

Blanc, my husband, please send Finster out.

JUNGFRAU.

Blanc, don’t, don’t.—Rosa, what do you mean; do you wish to deliver Finster into the hands of Schreckhorn?

MÖNCH.

Peace! peace! (_Exeunt omnes._)

(_Enter_ SCHRECKHORN _and_ SILBERHORN.)

SCHRECKHORN.

Silberhorn, pay me your debts.

SILBERHORN.

Please, my lord.

SCHRECKHORN.

Please is nothing to me; pay!

SILBERHORN.

Blanc, come and help me. (_Enter_ BLANC.)

SCHRECKHORN.

I condemn you both to lose fifty feet of your height.

BLANC.

Ah! (_Exeunt omnes_).

SCENE II.

_The Same._

(_Enter_ BLANC _and_ SIMPLON.)

BLANC.

Would it not be better if you called in Chimoulari?

SIMPLON.

Yes, I will immediately. (_Exeunt duo._)

SCENE III.

_The Same._

(_Enter_ BLANC, CHIMOULARI, DWALAGIRI, _and_ EVEREST.)

CHIMOULARI.

Blanc, what do you want?

BLANC.

To make war against Schreckhorn.

DWALAGIRI.

That is very easy.

EVEREST.

I will be general. (_Exeunt._)

SCENE IV.

_The Same._

(_Enter_ SCHRECKHORN _and_ EVEREST.)

EVEREST.

Down with Thee.

SCHRECKHORN.

I will bring thee to nothing!

(EVEREST _knocks down_ SCHRECKHORN, _kills him, and goes out_.)

SCENE V.

_The Same._

(_Enter_ BLANC, CHIMOULARI, _and_ EVEREST.)

EVEREST.

I have killed Schreckhorn.

CHIMOULARI.

Now, Blanc, give me the Empire of the Alps.

BLANC.

Must I yield it? yes, I suppose.

(EVEREST _and_ BLANC _exeunt_.)

CHIMOULARI.

Now am I monarch of all around me! let me rejoice.

* * * * *

I do not give this little drama as a wonderful work for a child of between nine and ten, but to show what I think any child of average powers might do, spontaneously and with pleasure, if only parents and teachers could be brought to understand that the area of their teaching should be expanded to its natural limits, that is to the history of man, and to a general acquaintance with our earth. The proper starting point for the former is the history, in its widest sense, of the towns and localities with which the child is familiar; and for the latter the natural objects, mountains, rivers, valleys, plains, vegetation, animal life, meteorology, &c., of the same localities. The teacher should then pass on, in both these departments, from what has been understood, because it has been seen, to what will be understood, though not seen, because it differs in certain particulars, that can be explained, from what is already understood. So much for the area: and an equally great change must be brought about in the manner of teaching. We must adopt the natural method as well as the natural area; that is to say, we must teach orally and conversationally. In this way only can what is taught to a child be made intelligible. And if it be not made intelligible it cannot possibly interest. One step more: all about man and nature, that has thus been taught orally and conversationally, should always be subsequently repeated in the child’s own words. This, among many other great advantages, cultivates as nothing else can, because, again, in the natural way, both the power of attention and the power of continuous extemporary expression. Teaching by the book and by heart—well so phrased, for the understanding has nothing to do with it, and it takes all heart out of a child—has, among others, this conspicuous evil, that at the cost to the child of compulsory ignorance, and gratuitously-engendered aversion to mental effort, it saves nothing, except the necessity, in the teacher, of knowing anything about what he professes to teach.

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