though it may not much interfere with answer, that it is to be wished that the present. And to define with preci- they were all in a condition to pay for sion the terms employed in this dispute, the education of their own children; let us inquire, what is education? but till they are, the poorest should and who are the poor? Education is be educated by private subscription, that instruction which teaches men and by no other means, and for this their true interests, or those things weighty reason, that no government which are useful to them in the sta- will ever educate the children of the tion wherein they are placed. The poor as they ought; they will never poor are those which are chiefly sup- suffer them to be taught to reason, ported by their daily labour; and of either on themselves or those around these there must be different grada- them; they will compel them to be tions, according to the different prices taught to read a book which they can of their labour, and the different de- never understand, and which, theregrees of their industry. The next fore, can never have any influence thing to be enquired is, what educa- on their conduct: but as to the real tion is most proper for the poor? and ground and nature of their interest about this there are different opinions. and their duty, they will by such an To me it seems, that reading, writing, education remain as ignorant as the and the common rules of arithmetic, savages of New Holland. An eduare indispensably requisite even for cation which teaches even the lowest the poorest, and that those books are of the people to respect themselves as most proper for their perusal, if such men, and to endeavour by sobriety, are to be found, which teach them in industry, and continence, to obtain plain and simple language to reason those comforts which distinguish the —yes, to reason, (for they are reason- life of civilized men, from that of able creatures) on their relative situ- wandering savages, must be useful to ation in society, and the means by themselves and to society; but there which they may best promote their are times when even such an educaown comfort, and best perform their tion cannot relieve the condition of duties to their superiors and to each

other.

the poor, or raise them from abject poverty to cleanliness and comfort: Now in this instruction there are no for in a state in which the means of degrees, the same must be taught to subsistence are not adequate to the all, and more than this need not be support of its population, there will taught to any; what those among be vice and misery beyond the power them, who by their superior talents of education to counteract; but when can teach themselves, and so improve the evil begins to subside, and popu their condition as to rise to a higher lation is in some degree reduced to rank in society, does not interfere its level, then the benefit of education with this general rule; but it is an ar- will be felt, and if it continues to gument in its favour, because it shews, maintain its ground it will in a great that without the degree of instruc- measure prevent the return of a simition proportioned to their rank, their lar calamity, by teaching the people talents might have lain dormont. The to acquire their due weight in society, next question is, how long the chil- and prevent their falling again into dren of the poor ought to be educated? the state of squalid poverty: and I answer, till they have acquired the this is the great and only benefit knowledge which their station requires; and that time will vary according to the difference of their capacities, and of their teachers; but in no instance ought it to be less than five years, that is, from the age of five to ten, though in some it may be longer. The last and most important question remains to be considered, and that is, by whom, or at whose expense ought the children of the poor to be educated? to this I must

which education can bestow, for without it does this, it does little either for the public or for individuals, it may make the poor to be merely useful slaves, but it does not improve their condition as men, nor advance them in the scale of rational beings, without which, it is a vain pretence and a useless possession. It affords no security against popular excesses arising from popular ignorance, that is, ignorance of their true interest,

and leaves the rich at the mercy of posed, viz. an education which shall the mob, or the mob at the mercy of teach the mind, may not for a great the military; whereas, an education length of time find its way among the that tends to civilize the people, by poor, but till it does, I maintain that teaching them to reason and reflect on little good will be derived either to whatever they are concerned, will themselves or others, from mere for ever prevent them from being reading and writing, or repeating slaves or dupes, and prevent also their by rote the passages of a book which superiors from attempting measures has puzzled even learned divines to against the general good, when they comprehend. To all this I expect to know that their conduct will be can- hear it replied that it is impossible, vassed and condemned by an enlight- ridiculous, and dangerous, and many ened public, and that all their endea- other such pleasant epithets as are ge vours to raise a mob on their side by any nerally bestowed on those opinions watch-word of a party, will be fruit- which venture to reprove established less and unsuccessful: an education customs, or inveterate monopolies; but which shall preserve the people from it is my maxim on all subjects to enthe blind excesses of religious zeal deavour to go to the bottom, rather and the no less dangerous blindness than merely to skim the surface, and of savage ignorance, is the only edu- as truth will always bear to be both cation which is worth giving them, examined and practised, I have no which shall teach them their rights doubt concerning the final result of (for they have rights), and their what I have here proposed. dutes as men, independent of any sectarian principles of religion; and for this purpose it would be well that a small epitome of morality should be compiled for the use of schools, and even of grown persons, containing the most liberal and useful maxims of morality, selected from moral writers, beginning with the Old and New Testament, in which many va

Hartford, near Morpeth,

August 15th, 1807.

EXTRACTS from ELIAN'S VARIOUS
HISTORY. By Dr. TOULMIN.

[Continued from page 14.]

No. 48.-Of Timotheus and others, whose virtue was not beneficial to themselves.

THE Athenians at first bestowed

luable precepts are to be found, the highest praises on Timothough they are mixed with such an alloy of baser matter as to be of little theus, but when he failed in his deuse when the whole is taken toge- signs, neither his own former fortither without any choice or selection; tude, nor the merits of his ancestors, for though much of the Jewish and were of any advantage to him. TheChristian morality is eminently use- mistocles derived no advantage to ful, there is much in both the reli- himself from the naval fight at Salagions so exclusively limited to each, mis, nor from his embassy to Sparta ; that it can never be of general utility; in the execution of which he artfully and moreover, so much of them is concealed. the rebuilding the forti both above and contrary to reason, fications of Athens: for he was obliged that they restrain the free exercise of to fly not from Athens only, but from that faculty, so as to affect it in the all Greece. The victory at Platea same way that paralytic affection was of no service to Pausanias, the acts upon the body; and I do affirm, Lacedæmonian; but by his plots at that without men, even in the lowest Byzantium and his Persian disease, situation of life, are allowed the free he stained the glory of his former exercise of their reason on all subjects actions. The reputation of Phocion's which concern them as men and goodness was of little use to him; citizens, they can never be considered for though he had reached the age of as such, but will and must be treated seventy five, without doing the least like the beasts of the field, who are injury to the Athenians through that merely restrained and managed by long period, being suspected of a deforce or cunning. An education of sign to deliver Pinæum to Antipater, the nature which I have here, pro- he was condemned to death.

No. 49-Of Clinias and Achilles, tragedies, but devoted himself to phiand their application of Music to calm Anger.

losophy.

No. 53. That the Wicked sometimes cannot obtain rest even in death,

and of Pausanias.

Clinias, a man of virtuous manners, who had embraced the Pythagorean philosophy, if at any time he was Death itself is not always gain to the moved to anger, and perceived passion wicked, since they do not secure rest. rising in his bosom, immediately be- by it; for either they do not obtain fore it burst out and shewed how he the rights of the sepulchre, or if they was affected, took up his harp and be buried, they miss of the last hoplayed upon it. To those who asked nours and the common harbour for him the reason, be pleasantly replied, all. The Lacedæmonians, Epitimides "That I may compose myself." tells us, not only starved to death PauAchilles, in the Illiad, I observe, by sanias, when he favoured the king of recalling to memory, and singing to the Medes, but cast his dead body out the harp, the exploits of his ancestors, of their coasts. soothed his wrath. Being fond of No. 54.-The Old Ceus dyes his music, the harp was the first thing, from the spoils of an enemy, on which he laid hold. No. 50.-Cleomenes' sentiment con

cerning Homer and Hesiod. Cleomenes, in the style of his country, laconically said, "That Homer was the poet of the Lacedæmonians, for he sang of the art of war: but Hesiod of the Helotes, for agriculture was the subject of his verse." No. 51.-Of a Person who died with cheerfulness, in prospect of seeing celebrated persons, who were de

ceased.

Hair.

An old man, whose name was Ceüs, went to Lacedæmon; being in other respects of a proud spirit, he was ashamed of his old age; he endeavoured, therefore, to conceal his grey locks, by dying them. When he came into the presence of the Lacedæmonians, with his head thus disguised, he explained the reasons of his journey: Archidamus, the king of the Lacedæmonians, rose up and said, "What can this man offer that is sound, who not only has a lie in his heart, but shows deceit on his head." And he rejected his proposals; concluding on the character of Ceüs from what he saw.

No. 55.-in Aphorism of Lysander, or Philip, on perjury.

Cerdicas, a citizen of Megalopolis, as he was dying, said to his family, that "on calm consideration, it was an agreeable thing to him to resign life; for he hoped that he should meet with and join Pythagoras the Youth are to be overreached by philosopher, Hecateus the historian, dice, men by oaths. Some have Olympus, the musician, and Homer ascribed this saying to Lysander; the poet." As he was thus express- others to Philip of Macedon: to ing himself, the tradition is, he whomsoever it belongs, it is not, in breathed his last. my opinion, agreeable to rectitude. No. 52.-Of Plato. Is it not wonderful, if I do not assent Plato, the son of Ariston, first ap. to the sayings of Lysander: he was plied himself to poetry, and wrote in a tyrant. My disposition appears heroic measure; he afterwards, in from this; that I am displeased with disgust, burnt his poems; for, on this maxim.

comparing them with Homer, he per- No. 56.-The punishment of Maceived their inferiority. He then careus' cruelty, by the Gods. courted the tragic muse, and com- Macareus, an inhabitant of Mitylené, posed a tragedy of four fables; he had delivered it to the actors, and was becoming a candidate for public applause, when, before the celebration of the Bacchanalia, hearing Socrates, and captivated as with a Siren's voice, he not only gave up the contest for fame on the stage, and left off writing

a priest of Bacchus, was to appearance a mild and gentle man, but was really the most impious of men. A stranger came and deposited with him a quantity of gold; Macareus opened the ground in a recess of the temple, and digging a hole, hid the gold. In a course of time, the stranger returned

to his citizens.

When Pisistratus was in the government, he sent for all who were walking idly in the market-place, and enquired why they were loitering there, and said, "If any man's ploughing ox is dead, let him go, take one of mine and set to work: if any one wants seed, he shall be supplied from me.'

For he feared that idleness would be a snare to them. No. 59.-Of truth and beneficence. Pythagoras said, "that the Gods had bestowed on men two most excellent gifts; to speak the truth, and to perform beneficent deeds:" and he added, that each resembled the divine works.

and demanded the gold; Macareus, No. 58.-The conduct of Pisistratus leading him into the inner part of the temple, killed him; and digging up the gold, buried the stranger in the place of it. As this was done without the knowledge of men, he supposed it was hidden from the Gods; but the event did not answer this apprehension. In a few days the triennial feast of the deity returned. As he was offering sacrifices to Bacchus, and his two boys left at home in the house, were imitating the sacerdotal office of their father, they advanced to the paternal altar, the sacrifices yet burning: the younger offered his neck, the elder meeting with a knife carelessly thrown aside, slew his brother, as a victim. The servants of the house, observing it, cried out. The mother hearing the noise, ran out, and seeing one son dead and the other holding the bloody knife, and seizing a half-burnt firebrand, killed her surviving son. The news reached Macareus; he, leaving the expiation unfinished, flew into the house in violent haste and passion, and with a thyrsis* which he had in his hand, slew his wife. These daring atrocities were in every one's mouth. Macareus was apprehended, and being put to the torture, confessed his deeds in the recesses of the temple; and under the punishment, he breathed his last. The man who had been

wife and children.

No. 60.-Of Theramenes.

When Theramenes resided in a certain house, on going out of it, immediately his foot slid and he fell down: the Athenians flocked around from all quarters and congratulated his unexpected safety. He, to the amazement of all, answered, “ Oh, Jupiter! for what event hast thou preserved me?" Not long after he was seized by the Thirty Tyrants, and compelled to drink hemlock.

REMARKS on the BERMUDA ISLANDS, and particularly on the ISLAND ST. GEORGE. (From the Annales du Muséum d'Histoire Naturale) EMBARKED at Bourdeaux the

th February, 1800, for the

iniquitously murdered, received public honours, and was buried by the order of the God. Macareus thus met United States: the object of my voywith his deserved fate, in the loss of age was to forward to the imperial his own life, and in the deaths of his administration of forests and waters, a great quantity of grains and plants No. 57.-On the perishable nature of of forest trees, which might be natu all things, and of the world itself. ralized in France, and thrive in the It is not surprising if man, through uncultivated lands where our indigethe necessity of his nature, which is nous trees would not grow. On the transient and mortal, decays; when 23d of March, the American vessel we see that rivers are dried up, and are in which I had taken my passage was informed that the highest mountains amarine by the Leander, an English shrink away. Sailors tell us, that vessel of war. commanded by Capt. Etna is much less than it was for- Witheby, who suspecting it to be merly; and that Parnassus and Pierian freighted by French merchants, sent Olympus are likewise diminished. it to Halifax, the chief English station They also who profess to study the nature of all things, say that the world itself will perish.

VA Javelin wrapped round with ivy, used in the feasts of Bacchus. UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. VIII.

in Nova Scotia, in order that the admiralty judge there might decide whether it should be detained or not. I alone of all the passengers had orders to go on board the Leander, where I remained during the forty three days that the cruise lasted. This vexatious 2 D

nication

As

circumstance, which kept me near by the point of another island. It is six hundred leagues from Charles- bordered with contiguous rocks of a town, gave me however, an opportu- blackish colour, whose height varies nity of seeing the Bermuda Islands, from five to twenty-five feet. where the Leander put in on the 7th a whole it looks like a long hill, the of April to lay in a store of water. inequalities of which, form so many They remained there eight days, and little vallies. On the heights the soil I obtained from the captain, who is arid and sandy, permitting sonietreated me with great politeness, per- times the rocks to be visible; on the mission to go on shore several times; lower spots, on the contrary, the earth and I availed myself of this permis- is brown, argillaceous, slightly moist, s.on to make those observations which and the vigour of the vegetation anform the basis of the present commu- nounces the extreme fertility of the land. The number of islands which form Three fourths of the island are the Archipelago of the Bermudas covered with wood; the rest is partly is very considerable, and the inhabi- cultivated; except when it is so and tants say that they are as many as that it is not susceptible of it. there are days in the year. The The plants natural to the country largest are not, according to their ac- are not numerous; and though my count, more than twelve or thirteen journeys in the island were rapidly miles in length. The smallest look perforined, I may venture to assert that like the points of rocks just appear- the number of species does not exceed ing above the surface of the water: one hundred and fifty. Among these the whole ocupying a space of about plants are found many of the old conthirty-five miles in length, by about tinent, which do not appear to have twenty-five in breadth. Towards the been transported thither; such are north, banks of rocks, not very low verbascum thapsus, anagallis arvenbeneath the water cover a surface of sis, mucurialis annua, leontodon tanear forty miles, and render the ap- raxacum, plantago major, urtica proach dangerous to vessels. urens, gentiana nana, oxalis acetoThese islands, though not so elevated sella, &c. With regard to the other as the Azores, present at a distance plants, I had not opportunity of exanearly the same appearance, offering mining many of them; but I colto the sight lofty and extensive hills lected the grains of all those which covered with a sombre verdure. They had been preserved since the last are not surrounded by a flat and sandy year, among others, those of a shrub shore like the coast of the Floridas, but whose aromatic leaves have a strong bordered by high rocks, against which resemblance to sage, whence it is the waves of the ocean break and called sagesbash by the inhabitants; foam. a pretty species of verbena, and of a That near which the English ves- small mendicago, each foot of which sels anchored is called St. George. occupies about one inch of ground: It is also the name of the chief this last is the most common plant of establishment. Hamilton is another the country. It is to be seen every Island about fifteen miles distant; where, and forms almost the sole and these are the only towns that are verdure of the place; for the surface to be found in the Bermudas. There is not, as in Europe and the United are no junctions of houses which may States, covered principally with cow be regarded as villages. grass, and this family of plants is at Bermudas by far too scarce.

The island of St. George, the only one that I visited, is situated to the north of the Archipelago. It is the second in size, being about nine miles long, by three miles broad in some places, and only a quarter of a mile in others. The streight which separates its southern coast from the island of St. David, forms the port, the enrance of which is greatly contracted

The juniperus bermudiana, called by the inhabitants cedar, is the only forest tree in the islands; all of them are covered with it, and hence that gloomy and sombre aspect which they present at a distance. It grows in all soils, and under every sort of exposure; but in the vallies its vegetation is more vigorous than on the