with the aids of long-sighted experience; Jed without difficulty; and this very circumto enable them to discover spots in the brightness of that world which dazzles them in prospect, though it is probable they will after all choose to believe their own eyes, rather than the offered glass,

stance serves afterwards to furnish not only literary pleasures, but moral advantages. For the knowledge which is acquired by unwearied assiduity, is lasting in the possession, and sweet to the possessor; both perhaps in proportion to the cost and labour of the acquisition. And though an able teacher ought to endeavour, by improving the communicating faculty in himself (for many know what they cannot teach) to soften every dif On female study, and initiation into know-ficulty; yet in spite of the kindness and abiledge.-Error of cultivating the imagi-lity with which he will smooth every obnation to the neglect of the judgment.struction, it is probably among the wise inBooks of reasoning recommended.

CHAP VIII.

As this little work by no means assumes the character of a general scheme of education, the author has purposely avoided expatiating largely on any kind of instruction, but as it happens to be connected, either immediately or remotely with objects of a moral or religious nature. Of course she has been so far from thinking it necessary to enter into the enumeration of those popular books which are used in general instruction, that she has purposely forborn to mention any. With such books the rising generation is far more copiously and ably furnished than any that has preceded it; and out of an excellent variety the judicious instructor can hardly fail to make such a selection as shall be beneficial to the pupil.

stitutions of Providence that great difficul ties should still remain. For education is but an initiation into that life of trial to which we are introduced on our entrance into this world. It is the first breaking into that state of toil and labour to which we are born, and to which sin has made us liable; and in this view of the subject the pains taken in the acquisition of learning may be converted to higher uses than such as are purely literary.

Will it not be ascribed to a captious singu larity, if I venture to remark that real knowledge and real piety, though they may have gained in many instances, have suffered in others from that profusion of little, amusing, sentimental books with which the youthful library overflows? Abundance has its danBut while due praise ought not to be with-gers as well as scarcity. In the first place held from the improved methods of commu-may not the multiplicity of these alluring nicating the elements of general knowledge; little works increase the natural reluctance yet is there not some danger that our very to those more dry and uninteresting studies advantages may lead us into error, by cau-of which, after all, the rudiments of every sing us to repose so confidently on the multi-part of learning must consist? And secondplied helps which facilitate the entrance into ly, is there not some danger (though there learning, as to render our pupils superficial are many honourable exceptions) that some through the very facility of acquirement? of those engaging narratives may serve to Where so much is done for them, may they infuse into the youthful heart a sort of spurinot be led to do too little for themselves? ous goodness, a confidence of virtue, a paand besides that exertion may slacken for rade of charity? And that the benevolent acwant of a spur, may there not be a moral tions with the recital of which they abound, disadvantage in possessing young persons when they are not made to flow from any with the notion that learning may be ac-source but feeling, may tend to inspire a quired without diligence, and knowledge be self-complacency, a self-gratulation, a attained without labour? Sound education stand by, for I am holier than thou! May never can be made a 'primrose path of dal-not the success with which the good deeds liance. Do what we will we cannot cheat of the little heroes are uniformly crowned; children into learning, or play them into knowledge, according to the conciliating smoothness of the modern creed, and the selfish indolence of the modern habits. There is no idle way to any acquisitions which really deserve the name. And as Euclid, in order to repress the impetuous love of popularity and an anxiety for vanity of greatness, told his sovereign that praise, in the place of that simple and unthere was no royal way to geometry, so the ostentatious rule of doing whatever good we fond mother may be assured that there is no do, because it is the will of God? The uni short cut to any other kind of learning; no versal substitution of this principle would privileged by-path cleared from the thorns tend to purify the worldly morality of many and briers of repulse and difficulty, for the a popular little story. And there are few accommodation of opulent inactivity or femi-dangers which good parents will more carenine weakness. The tree of knowledge, as fully guard against than that of giving their a punishment, perhaps, for its having been children a mere political piety; that sort of at first unfairly tasted, cannot now be claim-religion which just goes to make people

the invariable reward which is made the instant concomitant of well doing, furnish the young reader with false views of the condition of life, and the nature of the divine dealings with men? May they not help to suggest a false standard of morals, to infuse a

more respectable, and to stand well with some tincture of real local information is acthe world; a religion which is to save ap-quired by the perusal of the wildest fable, pearances without inculcating realities; a which will not be without its use in aiding religion which affects to preach peace and the future associations of the mind in all that good will to men,' but which forgets to give relates to eastern history and literature. glory to God in the highest.

The irregular fancy of women is not suffiThere is a certain precocity of mind which ciently subdued by early application, nor is much helped on by these superficial modes tamed by labour, and the kind of knowledge of instruction; for frivolous reading will they commonly do acquire is early attained; produce its correspondent effect, in much and being chiefly some slight acquisition of less time than books of solid instruction; the memory, something which is given them the imagination being liable to be worked to get off by themselves, and not grounded upon, and the feelings to be set a-going, in their minds by comment and conversation, much faster than the understanding can be it is easy lost. The superficial question-andopened and the judgment enlightened. A answer-way, for instance, in which they talent for conversation should be the result often learn history, furnishes the mind with of instruction, not its precursor; it is a little to lean on: the events being detached golden fruit when suffered to ripen gradual- and separated, the actions having no links ly on the tree of knowledge; but if forced in to unite them with each other; the characthe hot-bed of a circulating library, it will ters not being interwoven by mutual relaturn out worthless and vapid in proportion tion; the chronology being reduced to disas it was artificial and premature. Girls connected dates, instead of presenting an who have been accustomed to devour a mul- unbroken series; of course, neither events, titude of frivolous books will converse and actions, characters, nor chronology, fasten write with a far greater appearance of skill themselves on the understanding, but rather as to style and sentiment at twelve or four-float in the memory as so many detached teen years old, than those of a more ad- episodes, than contribute to form the mind vanced age, who are under the discipline of and to enrich the judgment of the reader, severer studies: but the former having early in the important science of men and manattained to that low standard which had ners.

been held out to them, become stationary; The swarms of Abridgments, Beauties, while the latter, quietly progressive, are and Compendiums, which form too considepassing through just gradations to a higher rable a part of a young lady's library, may strain of mind; and those who early begin be considered in many instances as an infalwith talking and writing like women, com-lible receipt for making a superficial mind. monly end with thinking and acting like children.

The names of the renowned characters in history thus become familiar in the mouths I would not however prohibit such works of those who can neither attach to the ideas of imagination as suit this early period, of the person, the series of his actions, nor When moderately used they serve to stretch the peculiarities of his character. A few the faculties and expand the mind; but I fine passages from the poets (passages pershould prefer works of vigorous genius and haps which derived their chief beauty from pure unmixed fable to many of those tame their position and connexion) are huddled and more affected moral stories, which are together by some extract-maker, whose not grounded on Christian principle. I brief and disconnected patches of broken should suggest the use on the one hand of and discordant materials, while they inflame original and acknowledged fictions and on young readers with the vanity of reciting, the other, of accurate and simple facts; so neither fill the mind nor form the taste, and that truth and fable may ever be kept sepa- it is not difficult to trace back to their shalrate and distinct in the mind. There is low sources the hackneyed quotations of something that kindles fancy, awakens ge- certain accomplished young ladies, who will nius and excites new ideas in many of the be frequently found not to have come legitibold fictions of the east. And there is one mately by any thing they know. I mean not peculiar merit in the Arabian and some to have drawn it from its true spring, the other Oriental tales, which is, that they ex-original works of the author from which hibit striking, and in many respects faithful some beauty-monger has severed it. Huviews of the manners, habits, customs, and man inconsistency in this, as in other cases, religion of their respective countries; so that

:

wants to combine two irreconcileable things; it strives to unite the reputation of knowAn ingenious (and in many respects useful) French ledge with the pleasures of knowledge, forTreatise on Education, has too much encouraged this getting that nothing that is valuable can be political piety, by considering religion as a thing of obtained without sacrifices, and that if we human invention, rather than of divine institution; as a would purchase knowledge, we must pay thing creditable, rather than commanded: by erecting for it the fair and lawful price of time and the doctrine of expediency in the room of Christian industry. For this extract-reading, while simplicity; and wearing away the spirit of truth, by the it accommodates itself to the convenience, substitution of occasional deceit, equivocation, subter-illustrates the character of the age in which fuge and mental reservation. we live. The appetite for pleasure, and

that love of ease and indolence which is generated by it, leave little time or taste for sound improvement; while the vanity, which is equally a characteristic of the existing period, puts in its claim also for indulgence, and contrives to figure away by these little snatches of ornamental reading, caught in the short intervals of successive amuseinents.

which is already of too soft a texture, and should strengthen its feeble tone by invigorating reading.

By softness, I cannot be supposed to mean imbecility of understanding, but natural softness of heart, and pliancy of temper, together with that indolence of spirit which is fostered by indulging in seducing books, and in the general habits of fashionable life.

Besides, the taste, thus pampered with I mean not here to recommend books delicious morsels, is early vitiated. The which are immediately religious, but such as young reader of these clustered beauties exercise the reasoning faculties, teach the conceives a disrelish for every thing which mind to get acquainted with its own nature, is plain, and grows impatient, if obliged to and to stir up its own powers. Let not a get through those equally necessary though timid young lady start if I should venture to less showy parts of a work, in which per- recommend to her, after a proper course of haps the author gives the best proof of his preparatory reading, to swallow and digest judgment by keeping under that occasional such strong meat as Watts's or Duncan's brilliancy and incidental ornament, of which little book of Logic, some part of Mr. these superficial students are in constant Locke's Essay on the Human Understandpursuit. In all well-written books, there is ing, and bishop Butler's Analogy. Where much that is good which is not dazzling; there is leisure, and capacity, and an able and these shallow critics should be taught, friend to comment and to counsel, works of that it is for the embellishment of the more this nature might be profitably substituted tame and uninteresting parts of his work, in the place of so much English sentiment, that the judicious poet commonly reserves French philosophy, Italian love-songs, and those flowers, whose beauty is defaced when fantastic German imagery and magic wonthey are plucked from the garland into which he had so skilfully woven them.

ders.-While such enervating or absurd books sadly disqualify the reader for solid The remark, however, as far as it relates pursuit or vigorous thinking, the studies to abridgments, is by no means of general here recommended would act upon the application; there are many valuable works constitution of the mind as a kind of alterawhich from their bulk would be almost in-tive, and, if I may be allowed the expres accessible to a great number of readers, and sion, would help to brace the intellectual a considerable part of which may not be stamina. generally useful. Even in the best written This suggestion, is, however, by no means books there is often superfluous matter; au- intended to exclude works of taste and imathors are apt to get enamoured of their sub- gination, which must always make the ornaject, and to dwell too long on it: every per-mental part, and of course a very considerason cannot find time to read a longer work ble part, of female studies. It is only intion any subject, and yet it may be well for mated, that they should not form them enthem to know something on almost every tirely and exclusively. For what is called, subject; those, therefore, who abridge vo- dry, tough reading, independent of the luminous works judiciously, render service knowledge it conveys, is useful as an habit, to the community. But there seems, if I and wholesome as an exercise. Serious stumay venture the remark, to be a mistake in dy serves to harden the mind for more trythe use of abridgments. They are put sys-ing conflicts; it lifts the reader from sensatematically into the hands of youth, who tion to intellect; it abstracts her from the have, or ought to have, leisure for the works world and its vanities; it fixes a wandering at large; while abridgments seem more spirit, and fortifies a weak one; it divorces immediately calculated for persons in more her from matter; it corrects the spirit of triadvanced life, who wish to recall something fling which she naturally contracts from the they had forgotten; who want to restore old frivolous turn of female conversation and the ideas rather than acquire new ones; or they petty nature of female employments; it conare useful for persons immersed in the busi-centrates her attention, assists her in a habit ness of the world; who have little leisure of excluding trivial thoughts, and thus even for voluminous reading: they are excellent to refresh the mind, but not competent to form it; they serve to bring back what had been formerly known, but do not supply a fund of knowledge.

helps to qualify her for religious pursuits.Yes, I repeat it, there is to woman a Christian use to be made of sober studies; while books of an opposite cast, however unexceptionable they may be sometimes found in Perhaps there is some analogy between point of expression, however free from evil the mental and bodily conformation of wo-in its more gross and palpable shapes, yet men. The instructor therefore should imi- from their very nature and constitution they tate the physician. If the latter prescribe excite a spirit of relaxation, by exhibiting bracing medicines for a body of which deli-scenes and suggesting ideas which soften the cacy is the disease, the former would do well mind and set the fancy at work; they take to prohibit relaxing reading for a mind off wholesome restraints, diminish sober

And as Alexan

mindedness, impair the general powers of throw the generality of readers at such an resistance, and at best feed habits of impro- unapproachable distance as to check preper indulgence, and nourish a vain and vi-sumption, instead of exciting it. Who are sionary indolence, which lays the mind open those ever multiplying authors, that with unto error and the heart to seduction. paralleled fecundity are overstocking the Women are little accustomed to close rea- world with their quick succeeding progeny? soning on any subject; still less do they inure They are NOVEL-WRITERS; the easiness of their minds to consider particular parts of a whose productions is at once the cause of subject; they are not habituated to turn a their own fruitfulness, and of the almost intruth round, and view it in all its varied as- finitely numerous race of imitators to whom pects and positions, and this perhaps is one they give birth. Such is the frightful facility cause (as will be observed in another place*) of this species of composition, that every of the too great confidence they are disposed raw girl, while she reads, is tempted to fanto place in their own opinions. Though cy that she can also write. their imagination is already too lively, and der, on perusing the Iliad, found by congetheir judgment naturally incorrect; in edu- nial sympathy the image of Achilles stampcating them we go on to stimulate the ima-ed on his own ardent soul, and felt himself gination, while we neglect the regulation of the hero he was studying; and as Corregio, the judgment. They already want ballast, on first beholding a picture which exhibited and we make their education consist in con- the perfection of the graphic art, prophetitinually crowding more sail than they can cally felt all his own future greatness, and carry. Their intellectual powers being so cried out in rapture, And I too am a painlittle strengthened by exercise, makes eve-ter!' so a thorough-paced novel-reading ry petty business appear a hardship to miss, at the close of every tissue of hackthem: whereas serious study would be use- neyed adventures, feels within herself the ful, were it only that it leads the mind to the stirring impulse of corresponding genius, habit of conquering difficulties. But it is pe- and triumphantly exclaims, And I too am culiarly hard to turn at once from the indo- an author! The glutted imagination soon lent repose of light reading, from the con- overflows with the redundance of cheap sencerns of mere animal life, the objects of timent and plentiful incident, and by a sort sense, or the frivolousness of female chit of arithmetical proportion, is enabled by the chat; it is peculiarly hard, I say, to a mind perusal of any three novels, to produce a so softened, to rescue itself from the domi- fourth; till every fresh production, like the nion of self indulgence, to resume its powers, prolific progeny of Banquo, is followed by to call home its scattered strength, to shut out every foreign intrusion, to force back a spring so unnaturally bent, and to devote itself to religious reading, to active business, to sober reflection, to self-examination. Whereas to an intellect accustomed to think at all, the difficulty of thinking seriously is obviously lessened.

Another, and another, and another!

Is a lady, however destitute of talents, education, or knowledge of the world, whose studies have been completed by a circulating library, in any distress of mind? the writing a novel suggests itself as the best soother of her sorrows! Does she labour unFar be it from me to desire to make scho- der any depression of circumstances? wrilastic ladies or female dialecticians; but ting a novel occurs, as the readiest receipt there is little fear that the kind of books for mending them! And she solaces her here recommended, if thoroughly studied, imagination with the conviction that the suband not superficially skimmed, will make scription which has been extorted by her them pedants or induce conceit; for by show-importunity, or given to her necessities, has ing them the possible powers of the human been offered as an homage to her genius. mind, you will bring them to see the little- And this confidence instantly levies a fresh ness of their own; and surely to get ac- contribution for a succeeding work. Capaquainted with the mind, to regulate, to in-city and cultivation are so little taken into form it; to show it its own ignorance and its own nature, does not seem the way to puff it up. But let her who is disposed to be elated with her literary acquisitions, check the rising vanity by calling to mind the just remark of Swift, that after all her boasted acquirements, a woman will, generally speaking, be found to possess less of what is called learning than a common schoolboy.'

Neither is there any fear that this sort of reading will convert ladies into authors. The direct contrary effect will be likely to be produced by the perusal of writers who

the account, that writing a book seems to be now considered as the only sure resource which the idle and the illiterate have always in their power.

May the author be indulged in a short digression while she remarks, though rather out of its place, that the corruption occasioned by these books has spread so wide, and descended so low, as to have become one of the most universal, as well as most pernicious sources of corruption among us, Not only among milliners, mantua-makers, and other trades where numbers work together, the labour of one girl is frequently sacrificed, that she may be spared to read those mischievous books to the others; but

*

she has been assured by clergymen who a lesson of religion. In the study of history, have witnessed the fact, that they are pro- the instructor will accustom the pupil not cured and greedily read in the wards of our merely to store her memory with facts and hospitals! an awful hint, that those who teach anecdotes, and to ascertain dates and the poor to read, should not only take care epochs: but she will accustom her also to to furnish them with principles which will trace effects to their causes, to examine the lead them to abhor corrupt books, but that secret springs of action, and accurately to they should also furnish them with such observe the operations of the passions. It books as shall strengthen and confirm their is only meant to notice here some few of the principles. And let every Christian re-moral benefits which may be derived from a member, that there is no other way enter- judicious perusal of history; and from among ing truly into the spirit of that divine prayer, other points of instruction, I select the folwhich petitions that the name of God may lowing:* be hallowed,' that his kingdom (of grace) may come,' and that his will may be done on earth as it is in heaven,' that by each individual contributing according to his measure to accomplish the work for which he prays; for to pray that these great objects may be promoted, without contributing to their promotion by our exertions, our money, and our influence, is a palpable inconsistency.

CHAP. IX.

The study of history may serve to give a clearer insight into the corruption of human nature:

It may help to show the plan of Providence in the direction of events, and in the use of unworthy instruments:

It may assist in the vindication of Providence, in the common failure of virtue, and the frequent success of vice:

It may lead to a distrust of our own judg

ment:

It may contribute to our improvement in self-knowledge,

But to prove to the pupil the important doctrine of human corruption from the stu

On the religious and moral use of history dy of history, will require a truly Christian

and geography.

WHILE every sort of useful knowledge should be carefully imparted to young persons, it should be imparted not merely for its own sake, but also for the sake of its subserviency to higher things. All human learning should be taught, not as an end, but a means; and in this view even a lesson of history or geography may be converted into

commentator in the friend with whom the work is perused. For, from the low standard of right established by the generality of historians, who erect so many persons into good characters who fall short of the true idea of Christian virtue, the unassisted reader will be liable to form very imperfect views of what is real goodness; and will conclude, as his author sometimes does, that the true idea of human natare is to be taken from the medium between his best and his *The above facts furnish no argument on the side of Worst characters; without acquiring a just those who would keep the poor in ignorance. Those notion of that prevalence of evil; which, in who cannot read can hear, and are likely to hear to worse spite of those few brighter luminaries that purpose than those who have been better taught. And here and there just serve to gild the gloom that ignorance furnishes no security for integrity either of history, tends abundantly to establish the in morals or politics, the late revolts in more than one doctrine. It will indeed be continually escountry, remarkable for the ignorance of the poor fully tablishing itself by those who, in perusing illustrate. It is earnestly hoped that the above facts may the history of mankind, carefully mark the tend to impress ladies with the importance of superin-rise and progress of sin, from the first timid tending the instruction of the poor, and of making it an irruption of an evil thought, to the fearless indispensable part of their charity to give them moral and religious books.

It were to be wished that more historians resembled The late celebrated Henry Fielding (a man not likely the excellent Rollin in the religious and moral torn to be suspected of over-strictness) assured a particular given to his writings of this kind.-But here may I be friend of the author, that during his long administration permitted to observe incidentally (for it is not immediof justice in Bow-street, only six Scotchmen were ately analogous to my subject) that there is one disad brought before him. The remark did not proceed from vantage which attends the common practice of setting any national partiality in the magistrate, but was pro-young ladies to read ancient history and geography in duced by him in proof of the effect of a sober end religi-French or Italian, who have not been previously well ous education among the lower ranks, on their morals and conduct.

See farther the sentiments of a still more celebrated cotemporary on the duty of instructing the poor.We have been taught that the circumstance of the Gospel's being preached to the poor was one of the surest tests of its mission. We think, therefore, that those do not believe it who do not take care it should be preached to the poor.'

Burke on the French Revolution.

grounded in the pronunciation of classical names of persons and places in our own language. The foreign termination of Greek and Roman names are often very different from the English, and where they are first se quired are frequently retained and adopted in their stead, so as to give an illiterate appearance to the car versation of some women who are not really ignorant. And this defective pronunciation is the more to be guarded against in the education of ladies who are not taught quantity as boys are.