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any thing of what passes in private. Masters who act only by reason and rule, have no need to impose this silence and secrecy upon their scholars, which has something odious and tyrannical in it, and which the parents have just cause to complain of. By communicating their authority to the masters, they did not design to divest themselves of it. Nothing is more just or reasonable than to consult with them upon the manner of managing their children, to act wholly in concert with them, to take their advice, enter into their views, and, in a word, to have an entire confidence and openness on both sides, which leaves a liberty of mutually declaring what they judge will be most advantageous for the children. I suppose that the parents are such as they should be, and that they require nothing contrary to a Christian education. If it be otherwise, the preceptors, by bearing with patience and condescension all that may be endured, may proceed with gentle and moderate remonstrances. When these prove useless, it is their duty to retire, and quit an employment wherein they are not allowed to follow the light of their conscience, or discharge their duty; but they should quit it in a civil manner, without expressing any ill humour, or breaking with the parents.

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What I have said of the good understanding between tutors and parents, must likewise be understood with reference to the principal of a college. When the children are there, it is with him they are chiefly intrusted. It is he who is charged with the discipline of the college, both in public and private, and it is he who answers for all that passes there. Now, without the subordination I am speaking of, he is not in a condition to discharge the essential duties of his place and character.

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Among the virtues of a good master, vigilance and assiduity are some of the chief. He cannot carry them too far, provided it be without constraint and affectation. He is a guardian angel to the children; there is no moment in which he is not charged with their conduct. If his absence, or want of care, for they

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master's care must extend to the servants, who pon their children, and it is not the least of his tions, though it is generally not known or not d. As[f] Quintilian observes, we have as much to apprehend danger from vicious servants, as Dad companions who have usually better edu, and more honour, nec tutior inter servos malos, ingenuos parùm modestos, conversatio est. He be careful therefore never to leave a child alone the servants, unless he is fully assured of their y and piety; for such there are, of whom paand masters cannot take too much care. children, especially when they are young, are and inconstant in their dispositions, it is proper they never should be out of their master's sight, ven whilst they are at their studies in private. His ence alone will very much contribute to make attentive, by fixing their imagination, and save abundance of distraction and negligence, from ce arise the faults they make in their composi, that afterwards occasions the chiding and coron, which might have been avoided by the asis, rather than the troublesome and pressing dilie of the master. This Quintilian insinuates by the wing words, assiduus sit potiùs quàm immodicus. [e] Rom. xii. 8. [f] Lib. i. cap. 2.

Assiduity must not seem difficult in the college, where the masters are absolutely at liberty during the whole time of the classes, which would render them entirely inexcusable, if they failed in this point: whereas the same assiduity is very severe and a great confinement in private houses, where the preceptor is obliged to attend his scholars all the day long. It is wise in the parents, and, I may say, for their interest too, to endeavour as much as possible to soften this restraint, by allowing the master every week an afternoon entirely to himself, and taking upon themselves the care of the children during that time. There is no constitution that can hold out under so continual a confinement. A preceptor should have a time to unbend, to visit his friends, to keep up his acquaintance, to advise with them about his studies, and the difficulties he meets with in the education of his charge; in a word, not to be always confined to his scholar. It is not easy to express how much this condescension of the parents encourages the masters, and renders their zeal more lively and vigilant.

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I have already taken notice, that a master must never act by passion, humour, or fancy. It is one of the greatest faults in education, as it never escapes the discerning eye of the scholars, renders all the good qualifications of the master almost useless, and deprives his instructions and admonitions of almost all their authority; and what is yet very grievous, those who act most by humour are apt to perceive it least, and often take it ill to be put in mind of it, though it is the best office that a friend can do them.

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I am ashamed to mention here certain injurious terms which are sometimes used towards the scholars, such as blockead, beast, ass, &c. Nor would I do it, if I did not know that these terms were often in the mouths of some masters. Does such language arise from reason, good breeding, or good understanding? Is it not evident that it must be either the effect of a mean education, or of a clownish disposition, which knows not

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shamed of. The famous Origen taught grama subsistance, and had the happines of preall his life long the remembrance and love of verty, wherein his father left him at his death. an excellent model for masters. The salary t for their pains is certainly very lawful, and served. However I would not have that the otive, nor even the prevailing one, which enhem to it, but that the will of God, and the of sanctifying themselves, should have the first ncipal share in it. The cruelty of parents ofiges masters to haggle with them, and dispute the terms of their salary. It were to be wished, e generosity of parents on one hand, and the restedness of masters on the other, might preny occasion for this kind of agreements, which, opinion have something mean and sordid in It might be well for the latter to rely a little upon Providence than they usually do, and I ever observed that it has ever failed those who bsolutely confided in it.

ews of interest are unworthy a preceptor, that y Christian, those of vanity and ambition are no . I have often admired what St. Augustine says motive, which engaged Nebrides to take upon e instruction of youth, a motive directly oppothe two faults I am here speaking of. [g] He t. Augustine's intimate friend, and had left his ry, his estate, and mother to follow him to , without any other reason, than to give himp with his friend, to asearch after truth and wiswhich they both pursued with equal zeal. He not refuse, at his instant entreaties, to become [g] Conf. 1. vi. c. 10.

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an assistant to Verecundus, who taught a school at Milan. It was not, says St. Augustine, the desire of gain which induced Nebrides to take upon him this employment, since he might have had a much more profitable one if he had pleased; and still less was it through any motive of vanity or ambition, as he had always shunned the acquaintance of great men, desiring only the obscurity of a peaceable retreat, wherein he might give up his whole time to the study of wisdom.

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This example puts me in mind of another, which is no less admirable, and relates to the educationof a young gentleman of great quality. [h] The faher, full of ambition, thought only of raising his so to great employments in the state, and the mother, tho was a true Christian, of making him great in heaven. She thought she could only succeed in her desiresby giving him an holy education, and to this end she posed to a monk, whom she had desired to come to Antioch, to leave his mountain and retirement, ad take upon him the care of her son. She conjured hm to it in so earnest and pathetical a manner, protesting to him that he should answer for the soul of that chill, that he thought he was under an obligation not to Efuse it. The success answered the hopes of the pios mother. The child, instructed by his excellent precetor, made an extraordinary progress in the science, and still more in piety. Gay, civil, affable and ol liging to every body, he insinuated himself by the agreeable behaviour into the favour of his companion which gave him an opportunity of gaining over several of them, and leading them to embrace virtue. St. Chrysostom, who was an eye-witness to this fact,. has given us the history of it, but more at length than I have here quoted it.

What I gather from these two examples, and with which I shall end this chapter, is, that piety is the most essential and important qualification in a preceptor, that which should be preferred to all the rest, and adds an infinite value to them. It inspires the masters

[h] St. Chrve de Vit Monach lib ii

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