loved Aristotle no less than his own father, becaus he said, he was indebted to the one for living, ar to the other for living well.

It is a great fault in a prince not to take care the education of his own children, it is no less blan able to neglect that of the citizens in general. Pl tarch very judiciously observes, in the parallel he dra between Lycurgus and Numa, that it was a like n gligence which rendered all the good designs and gre institutions of the latter useless. The passage is ve remarkable. "All the labour of Numa, says he, w "took pains only to maintain the peace and tranqu

lity of Rome, vanished with him; and he was "sooner dead than the temple of Janus, which "had constantly kept shut, as if he had really co "fined the dæmon of war in it, was immediate "opened again, and all Italy filled with blood a

6.6

slaughter. Thus the most beautiful and best of "institutions was but of short duration, as it want "the sole tie capable of maintaining it, which v "the education of youth."

It was the opposite conduct which so long preserv the laws of Lycurgus in full force. For, as the sa Plutarch observes, "the religion of an oath, whi "he required of the Lacedæmonians, would ha "been but a weak support after his death, if by ec "cation he had not imprinted the laws in their ma ners. By education he made them imbibe the le "of his form of government almost with their m

by making it, in a manner, familiar and natural "them. Thus we see the principal of his instituti "subsisted above five hundred years, like a good a "a strong dye, which had penetrated into the v "substance of the soul."

All these great men of antiquity were therefore p suaded as Plutarch observes of Lycurgus in parti lar that the most essential duty of a lawgiver, an▪ consequence of a prince, was to establish good ru for the education of youth, and to see that they w exactly observed. It is surprising to consider how

t

from Plato and Aristotle, especially in what res to nurses. [r] He requires with those wise phiphers, that in the choice that is made of them, e should not only be taken that they had no bad les of speaking, but also that a special regard uld be had to their manners and disposition, and reason he gives for it is admirable: "For what is earned, says he, at that age, is easily imprinted in he mind, and leaves deep marks behind it; which re not easily to be effaced, as in the case of a new essel, which long preserves the tincture of the rst liquor poured into it; and like wool, which an never recover its first whiteness, after it has een once dyed; and the misfortune is, that bad abits last longer than good ones."

s] It is for the same reason that these philosoers look upon it as one of the most essential duties those who are entrusted with the education of chiln, to remove from them as far as possible the ves and domestics, whose discourses and exams may be prejudicial to them.

To this they add a piece of advice, which will conmn a great many Christian fathers and masters, e require that boys should not only be prevented m reading any comedies, or seeing any theatrical ow, before they arrive at a certain age, but that all tures, sculptures, or tapestry which may lay any incent and dangerous image before the eyes of chilen should be absolutely banished their cities. They sire that the magistrates should carefully watch over

the execution of this ordinance; and that they sh oblige the workmen, even such as were most in trious, who refuse to submit to it, to carry their skill to some other place. [t] They were persua that from such objects as these that were adapte flatter the passions and foment vice, there arose a of contagious and pestilential air, that was at le insensibly capable of infecting the masters themse who breathe it every moment without fear and pre tion; and that these objects were like so many soned flowers, which exhale a deadly odour, the r to be feared, as it was the less suspected, and ever peared agreeable. These wise philosophers requi the other hand, that everything in a city should t and inspire virtue; inscriptions, pictures, statues, p and conversations; and that from every thing th presented to the senses, and should strike the and ears, there should be formed a kind of salu air and breath, which should imperceptibly insin into the souls of children, and, assisted by the struction of the master, should incline them from tenderest years to the love of probity and a re for the honest and the decent. There is a beauty delicacy in the original text, of which no other guage is capable; and though this passage be so what long, I have thought proper to quote a g part of it, to give some idea of Plato's style.

I shall now return to my subject, and conclude first article, with desiring the reader to consider the pagans themselves always looked upon the of the education of children, as the most esse duty of parents, magistrates and princes, becau is of the last importance during the rest of lives, to have good principles instilled into them the beginning. In short, while their minds are tender and flexible, they may be turned and mana as we please; whereas age and long habit will n faults almost incorrigible. [u] Frangas enim c quàm corrigas, quæ in pravum induruerunt. [] Plat. lib. iii. de Rep, [z] Quintil. lib, i. cap. 3.

OUGHT TO BE PREFERRED.

DURING the whole time I have been engaged the education of youth, being thoroughly sensible the dangers which occur both in private houses great schools, I have never présumed to give ade upon this subject, and have always contented self with applying as carefully as I could to the inaction of the youth, which Divine Providence comted to my care. I think I ought still to observe same neutrality, and leave it to the prudence of ents to decide a question, which certainly admits great difficulties on both sides.

[] Quintilian has discoursed upon this point with at prolixity and eloquence. The passage is one of most beautiful in his work, and deserves to be read the original. I shall here give an extract of it. He begins with answering two objections, which ususlly made against public schools.

The first relates to purity of morals, which they etend is here exposed to the greatest dangers. Was s the case, he thinks we should not hesitate a mont; [y] the care of living well being infinitely preable to that of speaking well. But, he says, the ager is equal on both sides; that the whole depends on the natural disposition of the children, and the e that is taken of their education; that usually the 1 springs from the parents themselves, by the bad amples they set their children. They every day, says , hear and see such things as they ought to be igrant of during their whole lives. [] All this passes

*] Quintil. lib. i. cap. 1.

y] Potior mihi ratio vivendi hotè, quam vel optimè dicendi vi

etur.

natura. Discunt hæc miseri, antequam sciant vitia esse. Inde soluti ac fluentes, non áccipiunt è scholis mala ista, sed in scholas afferunt.

into habit, and soon after into nature. The I children find themselves vicious before they know vice is. Thus breathing nothing but luxury and p sure, they do not derive their irregularity from schools, but bring it thither.

The second objection concerns the advancemen their studies, which must be greater in a private ho where the master has but one scholar to inst Quintilian does not allow it for several reasons, w he lays down; but he adds, that this inconvenie though it were real, is abundantly made good by great advantages which follow upon a public educat

[a] First, a public education emboldens a yo man, gives him courage, early accustoms him n be afraid of appearing in public, and cures him certain pusillanimity, which naturally attends a pri and retired life; whereas in secret he usually g languid and dejected, he rusts in a manner, or falls into an opposite extreme, becomes conce setting a greater value upon himself than upon ot from having no person to compare himself with.

Second and third, In a public school there ar quaintances formed, which often last as long as and there is a certain knowledge of the world to b quired, which can be learned only in society. Q tilian does not insist much upon these two ad tages, and seems to set no great value on them.

Fourth, The great advantage of schools is em tion. A child there improves both by what is sa himself and what is said to others. He will every see his master approve one thing, and correct anot blame the idlenes of this boy, and commend the ligence of that; and will be the better for it all. love of glory will serve him as an incentive to

[a] Ante omnia füturus orator, cui in maximâ celebritate & in mediâ reip. luce vivendum est, assuescat jam à tenero non reformidare homines, neque illa solitaria & velut umbratili vita pallescere. Excitanda mens & attollenda semper

est, quæ in hujusmodi secre languescit, & quendam ve opaco situm ducit; aut cont mescit inani persuasione. N est enim sibi nimium tribua se nemini comparat.