I should like to explain one or two points, first, that though for all quotations I have referred to the most commonly used translations of Froebel’s writings, yet I have frequently given my own rendering when the other seemed inadequate; secondly, that I have endeavoured to give the context as often as possible, and have also given the actual German words, that I might not be accused of reading in modern ideas which are not really in the text; and, lastly, that I have purposely repeated quotations rather than give my readers the trouble of turning back to another page. In conclusion may I take this opportunity of paying grateful thanks first to Miss Alice Words and to Miss K. M. Clarke, without whose kind encouragement I should never have completed my task, and also to Professor Alexander for several helpful suggestions, and to Miss Ida Sachs for friendly help. E. R. MURRAY. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. FROEBEL’S ANTICIPATION OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY 1 II. FROEBEL’S ANALYSIS OF MIND 12 III. WILL AND ITS EARLY MANIFESTATIONS 22 IV. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARLIEST CONSCIOUSNESS 36 V. HOW CONSCIOUSNESS IS DIFFERENTIATED.--THE PLACE OF ACTION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERCEPTION AND OF FEELING 47 VI. INSTINCT AND INSTINCTS 66 VII. PLAY AND ITS RELATION TO WORK 122 VIII. FROEBEL’S PLAY-MATERIAL AND ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE 148 IX. WEAK POINTS CONSIDERED 168 X. SOME CRITICISMS ANSWERED 190 APPENDIX I. ON THE MEANING OF THE WORD “ACTIVITY” 213 APPENDIX II. COMPARISON OF PLAYS NOTED BY FROEBEL WITH THE ENUMERATION GIVEN BY GROOS 219 INDEX 225 EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES To the Works of Froebel quoted in the text E = EDUCATION OF MAN. TRANSLATED BY W. N. HAILMANN. M = MUTTER U. KOSE LIEDER. TRANSLATED BY F. AND E. LORD. P = PEDAGOGICS OF THE KINDERGARTEN. TRANSLATED BY JOSEPHINE JARVIS. L = LETTERS. } TRANSLATED BY EMILIE MICHAELIS A = AUTOBIOGRAPHY. } AND H. KEATLEY MOORE, B.A., B.MUS. CHAPTER I FROEBEL’S ANTICIPATION OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY “_A great man condemns the world to the task of explaining him._”