act like the rest of mankind, and follow the exa of the greater number. But human nature is n happy as to have the greatest number always the best choice, and we too frequently observ contrary. If we consult our reason ever so little, it is ea discern, that the end which masters should ha view, is not barely to teach their scholars Greek Latin, how to make exercises and verses, to cl their memory with facts and historical dates draw up syllogisms in form, or to trace lines a gures upon paper. [e] These branches of learn own are useful and valuable, but as means and n the end; when they conduct us to other things, an when we stop at them; when they serve us as p ratives and instruments for better knowledge, v out which the rest would be useless. Youth w have cause to complain, if they were condemne spend eight or ten of the best years of their li learning, at a great expence, and with incredible p one or two languages, and some other matters like nature, which perhaps they would seldom occasion to use. The end of masters, in the course of their studies, is to habituate their schola the serious application of mind, to make them and value the sciences, and to cultivate in them a taste as shall make them thirst after them when are gone from school; to point out the method d taining them, and make them thoroughly sensit their use and value; and by that means to dis them for the different employments to which it please God to call them. Besides this, the ei masters should be to improve their hearts and ut standings, to protect their innocence, to inspire with principles of honour and probity, to train [e] Liberalia studia hactenus utilia sunt, si præparent ingenium, non detinent... Rudimenta sunt nostra, non opera... Non discere debemus ista, sed didicisse... Quid ex his artibus metum demit, cupidita tem eximit, libidinem fræna Nihil apud illas invenies que timere, vetet cupere: quæ q ignorat, alia frustra scit. Epist. 88. ntive to its own advantage, a spirit of railery, ch is pleased with offending and insulting others, nsolence and sloth, which renders all the good ities of the mind useless. ARTICLE IL STUDY THE CHARACTER OF CHILDREN, IN RDER TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEM WELL. DUCATION, properly speaking, is the art of aging and forming the mind. Of all sciences it e most difficult, the most intricate, and at the e time the most important, but yet not sufficientudied. To judge of it by common experience, would say, that of all animals man is the most actable. It is the judicious reflection which ophon makes in his beautiful preface to the Cyedia. After he has observed, that we never see xs of sheep or oxen rebel against their leaders, reas nothing is more common amongst men; it ns, says he, a natural conclusion from hence, that it ore difficult to command over man than over ts. But casting his eyes upon Cyrus who goed so many provinces in peace, and was equally ved by the people he had conquered, and his nasubjects, [g] he concludes, that the fault must , not from those who are unwilling to obey, but a the superiors, who know not how to govern. The same may be said in some measure of the who are entrusted with the education of children. It must be owned that the mind of man, even in infancy, bears the yoke with impatience, and natura inclines to what is forbidden. [i] But what we m conclude from hence is, that for this very reason requires more precaution and address, and that yields more willingly to mildness and violence, se tur faciliùs, quàm ducitur. We sometimes see a hi mettled horse caper and gnaw the bit, and refus obey the spur; it is because he who is upon him, a hard and heavy hand, knows not how to guide and checks the bridle when he ought not. Give horse, who has a very tender mouth, an understa ing and skilful rider, and he will check all his sal and with a light hand govern him with pleasure, nerosi atque nobiles equi meliùs facili fræno guntur. [k] To compass this end, the master's first ca thoroughly to study and search into the genius character of the children, for by this he must regu his conduct. [] There are some who are lazy and miss, unless they are continually called upon, others cannot bear to be imperiously treated; s will be restrained by fear, and others, on the cont discouraged. We can gain nothing out of some by mere labour and application; and others only study by fits and starts; to endeavour to bring all to a level, and make them submit to one and same rule, is to attempt to force nature. The dence of the master will consist in keeping a med equally removed from the two extremes; for the illso closely borders upon the good, that it is [b] Natura contumax est humanus animus, & in contrarium atque arduum nitens, sequiturque faciliùs quàm ducitur. Senec, de Clemen, lib. i. cap. 24. [] Nullum animal morosius est, nullum majore arte tractandum, quàm homo: nulli magis parcen dum. Ibid. cap. 17. [4] Ibid. cap. 24. [1] Sunt quidam, nisi in remissi quidam imperia in tur: quosdam continet quosdam debilitat: alios co tio extundit, in aliis plus i facit. Quint. lib. i. cap. 3. ption. refore eep a just temand hold an even hand between these two inconences, after the example of Isocrates in the case of prus and Theopompus, who were of a very dift character. [n] This great master, who was as essful in his instructions as his writings, (as aps from his scholars and his books) making use of dle to give a check to the vivacity of the one, a spur to awaker- the sluggishness of the other, not aim at reducing them both to the same stan His end in taking away from the one, and adto the other, was to carry each of them to that peron of which their natural capacity would admit. his model we must follow in the education of ren. They carry within them the principles, and manner the seeds of all virtues and vices; and the cipal point is thoroughly to study at first their geand character, to become acquainted with their our, their disposition and talents; and above all, iscover their passions and prevailing inclinations, with a view or expectation of entirely changing temper, of making him gay, for instance, who aturally grave, or him serious who is of a lively ] Difficile regimen est... & 21. Clarissimus ille præceptor Isocrates, quem non magis libri bene dixisse, quàm discipuli bene docuisse testantur, dicebat se calcaribus in Ephoro, contrà autem in Theopompo frænis uti solere. Alterum enim exultantem verborum audacia reprimebat, alterum cunctantem & quasi verecundantem incitabat. Neque eos similes effecit inter se, sed tantùm alteri affinxit, de altero limavit, ut id confirmaret in utroque, quod utriusque natura pateretur. Quint. lib. ii. c. 8. Cic. lib. iii. de Orat, n. 36. and chearful disposition. It is with certain charac as with personal defects, they may be somewhat dressed, but not absolutely cured. Now the wa growing acquainted in this manner with children, give them great liberty to discover their inclinat whilst young, to let them follow their natural b in order to discern it the better; to comply with little infirmities, to encourage them to let us see th to observe them whilst they think least of it, espec at their [o] play, when they shew their tempers n for children are naturally plain, and without rese but as soon as they think themselves taken notic they throw themselves under a restraint, and keep on their guard. [p] It is of great moment also to distinguish the ture of the faults which prevail in youth. In gen we may hope that those, wherein age, bad educa ignorance, being seduced, and ill example have share, are not without remedy; and, on the hand, we may believe, that such as are natu rooted in the mind, and in the corruption of the h will be very difficult to be got over, such as do dealing and hypocrisy, flattery, an inclination to stories, to sow divisions, to envy or detract, a di sition to scoff, and especially at the advice them, and at things sacred, a natural oppositio reason, and, what is a consequence of it, a read to take things in a wrong sense. ARTICLE III. TO ASSUME AN IMMEDIATE AUTHORITY OV THE CHILDREN. THIS maxim is of the utmost moment du their whole education, and for all persons who charged with it. By authority, I mean a certai and ascendant, which imprints respect and pro obedience. It is neither age nor stature, the tone o [o] Mores se inter ludendum cap. 3. simpliciùs detegunt. Quint. lib. i. [p] Lettres de Piété, tom. |