children, by indiscreetly inculcating the virtue of silence. They should, likewise, from their earliest years, be taught to exercise their faculties on practical subjects: ideas should not merely be gathered from books; but the objects of nature, and the productions of art, should be gradually introduced and explained to them. Care should be taken to impress right and precise ideas: a hundred things had better be unknown to them, than one imperfectly. At the same time their capacities should be measured, and nothing laid before them which they are unable to comprehend. They should not be allowed to use any words, to which they cannot annex a definite signification. The gift of speech would not be so grossly misused in after life, nor confused ideas expressed in such a volume of words, were children early trained to pause upon every expression, and to value things, rather than the signs of things. Their temperament should be studied, and our treatment of them regulated by it. Vivacity, sensibility, and activity, are excellent qualities; but they require judicious restraint. Rudeness, inactivity, and sloth, should be properly stimulated, but not dispirited or stupified by harsh and sarcastic reproach. Ambition should not be the incentive by which children are incited to study and application; for if it ever become predominant, they are lost to real virtue and to real happiness. They should be trained to benevolence, compassion, and humility; to habits of self-denial; and to a strict command of their sensual appetite. Religious sentiments should be unremittingly instilled, and enforced by that best of all lessons -parental example. Teach them, that the best christian is not he who can elucidate divine truths most perspicuously, but he in whose life the doctrines of our Saviour are most practically visible. Let them confide entirely on the protection of God, and his blessing will assuredly accompany their worldly undertakings.

How transporting the joy which must diffuse itself through the souls of parents at their departure from the present scene, on beholding those who were com

mitted to their care, proceeding along the path of wis dom and virtue, when they contemplate them as good, useful, pious persons, citizens, parents, teachers, magistrates, subjects; when they think on the blessed influence of their sentiments and example; and when they consider themselves in the light of benefactors, both to the present and future generation.

A parent has the heart of his child in his hand: and he who, amidst the shades of retirement, and under the roof of obscurity, leads up one human heart to Heaven, does more than they who sink the largest sums in secular liberality. I turn from him, who with his dying breath endows hospitals, or enriches relatives, to gaze with affectionate reverence upon that poor man, who, as he lies upon the pillow of death, can say to this filial attendant of his last hour:"Silver and gold I have none to give thee, my child! but such as I have, give I unto thee. I have given thee good instruction; I have given thee a good example; and take now this dying counsel, Be not weary of well doing; take this eternal truth from my expiring tongue, pronounced in this honest and solemn hour by one who had substantial proof of it,-virtue is the most valuable possession of man; a good conscience is more precious than rubies; it has been thy father's prop through all his pilgrimage; it is his staff, in the dark valley through which he is now passing; in life, in death, let it comfort thee! Oh! poverty, envy not the crowns that kings can bequeath, while thou art able to leave such a legacy as this to thy progeny!"

The formation of the human character almost entirely depends on education; but the extreme rigour of schoolmasters and tyrannizing preceptors, who are always threatening, chiding, brawling, or striking their pupils, destroys their intellectual vigour, subdues their animal spirits, and dejects their hearts. Beza complains of a rigorous schoolmaster at Paris, whose unceasing vociferation and cruel discipline so sickened his mind, and alienated his heart from all enjoyment, that, after passing many months in melancholy distress, he resolved to put a period to his existence;

when, fortunately, as he was going to a convenient place for the purpose of committing this rash act, he met his uncle, who listened to his complaint, and removing his apprehension of future severity, by taking him from the dominion of this noisy flogger, and keeping him under his own roof, restored him in time to his right mind. And Trincavellius had a patient only nineteen years of age, whose mind had sunk into extreme melancholy, by reason of over study and his tutor's threats. But it is said, that "He who spares the rod spoils the child," and certainly excessive lenity or indulgence is of the two extremes more mischievous than harshness and severity. The affection of a too tender father and fond mother, like Esop's ape, frequently proves the ruin of their offspring, pampering their bodies, to the total injury of their minds. "They love them so foolishly," says Cardan, "that they rather seem to hate them, bringing them up not to virtue, but to vice; not to learning, but to riot; not to sober life and conversation, but to all sorts of pleasure and licentious behaviour." There is, upon this important subject, a happy mean, which should be attentively observed both by parents and preceptors. Plutarch, in his Treatise on Education, gives a special charge to all parents, not to commit their children to such as are indiscreet, passionate, light and giddy-headed; for the authority of those who teach is very often a detriment to those who desire to learn. A tutor, says Montaigne, should not be continually thundering instructions into the ears of his pupil as if he were pouring it through a funnel, but, after having put the lad, like a young horse, on a trot before him, to observe his paces and see what he is able to perform, should, according to the extent of his capacity, induce him to taste, to distinguish, and to find out things for himself; sometimes opening the way, at other times leaving it for him to open; and by abating or increasing his own pace, accommodate his precepts to the capacity of his pupil.

The following character of the good schoolmaster, drawn by Fuller, is admirable for its justness and

good sense. It is given, verbatim, from the fourth edition of his Holy State and Profane State, printed

in 1633:

"The good Schoolmaster.-There is scarce any profession in the commonwealth more necessary, which is so slightly performed. The reasons whereof, I conceive to be these: first, young scholars make this calling their refuge; yea, perchance, before they have taken any degree in the university, commence schoolmasters in the country, as if nothing else were required to set up this profession but only a rod and a ferula. Secondly, others who are able, use it only as a passage to better preferment, to patch the rents in their present fortune, till they can provide a new one, and betake themselves to some more gainful calling. Thirdly, they are disheartened from doing their best, with the miserable reward which in some places they receive, being masters to their children and slaves to their parents. Fourthly, being grown rich they grow negligent, and scorn to touch the school but by proxy of the usher. But see how well our schoolmaster behaves himself. His genius inclines him with delight to his profession. Some men had as lieve be school boyes as schoolmasters, to be tyed to the school, as Cooper's Dictionary and Scapula's Lexicon are chained to the desk therein; and though great scholars, and skillful in other arts, are bunglers in this; but God of his goodness hath fitted several men for several callings, that the necessity of church and state, in all conditions, may be provided for. So that he who beholds the fabrick thereof, may say, God hewed out the stone, and appointed it to lie in this very place, for it would fit none other so well, and here it doth most excellent. And thus God mouldeth some for a schoolmaster's life, undertaking it with desire and delight, and discharging it with dexterity and happy success. He studieth his scholars' natures as carefully as they their books; and ranks their dispositions into several forms. And though it may seem difficult for him in a great school to descend to all particulars, yet experienced schoolmasters may quickly make a grammar of boyes' natures, and reduce them all, saving some few exceptions, to these general rules :

"1. Those that are ingenious and industrious. The conjunction of two such planets in a youth, presage much good unto him. To such a lad a frown may be a whipping, and a whipping a death; yea, where their master whips them once, shame whips them all the week after. Such natures he useth with all gentleness.

"2. Those that are ingenious and idle. These think, with the hare in the fable, that running with snails, so they count the rest of their school-fellows, they shall come soon enough

to the post, though sleeping a good while before their starting. Oh! a good rod would finely take them napping.

"3. Those that are dull and diligent. Wines, the stronger they be, the more lees they have when they are new. Many boys are muddy-headed till they be clarified with age, and such afterwards prove the best. Bristol diamonds are both bright, and squared, and pointed by nature, and yet are soft and worthless; whereas orient ones in India are rough and rugged naturally. Hard, rugged, and dull natures of youth, acquit themselves after the jewells of the countrey, and, therefore, their dulness at first is to be borne with, if they be diligent. That schoolmaster deserves to be beaten himself, who beats nature in a boy for a fault. And I question whether all the whipping in the world can make their parts which are naturally sluggish, rise one minute before the hour nature hath appointed.

4. Those that are invincibly dull, and negligent also. Correction may reform the latter, not amend the former. All the whetting in the world can never set a rasour's edge on that which hath no steel in it. Such boyes he consigneth over to other professions. Shipwrights and boatmakers will choose those crooked pieces of timber which other carpenters refuse. Those make excellent merchants and mechanicks

which will not serve for scholars.

"He is able, diligent, and methodical, in his teaching; not leading them rather in a circle than forwards. He minces his precepts for children to swallow, hanging clogs on the nimbleness of his own soul, that his scholars may go along with him. "He is and will be known to be an absolute monarch in his school. If cockering mothers proffer him money to purchase their sons' exemption from his rod, to live, as it were, in a peculiar, out of their master's jurisdiction, with disdain he refuseth it, and scorns the late custome in some places, of commuting whipping into money, and ransoming boyes from the rod at a set price. If he hath a stubborn youth, correction proof, he debaseth not his authority by contesting with him, but fairly, if he can, puts him away before his obstinacy hath infected others.

"He is moderate in inflicting deserved correction. Many a schoolmaster spends his time rather in tearing his scholars' flesh with whipping than giving them good education. No wonder if his scholars hate the muses, being presented unto them in the shapes of fiends and furies. Junius complains of his schoolmaster's cruelty; and the following are the lamentable verses of poor Tusser in his own life :

From Paul's I went, to Eton sent,
To learn straightwaies the Latin phrase,