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EDUCATION.

TH

HE Care of Education is a Work of the highest Moment, as all the Advantages or Miscarriages of a Man's Life are, in a great Meafure, dependent on it. 'Tis the Duty therefore of Parents to infufe into the untainted Youth early Notices of Juftice and Honour, that fo the poffible Advantages of good Parts may not take an evil Turn, nor be perverted to base and unworthy Purposes. It has been the Comparison of a celebrated Author, that as Marble in the Quarry fhews none of its inherent Beauties, till the Skill of the Polifher fetches out the Colours, makes the Surface fhine, 'and discovers every ornamental Cloud, Spot, and Vein that runs through the Body of it: So Education, after the fame Manner, when it works upon a noble Mind,' draws out to View every latent Virtue and Perfection, which without fuch Helps are never able to make their Appearance. Nor is the Want of Education a private Injury alone to the neglected Infant,

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Infant, but the Public likewise, in fome Degree, fuftains a Prejudice from it: It is an Evil, that, as it were, ftarves Pofterity, and defrauds our Country of those Persons, who, with due Care, might make an eminent Figure in their refpective Posts of Life For if we will trouble ourselves to look round with impartial Eyes, we fhall be convinc'd, that there are, indeed, but very few to whom Nature has been fo unkind, that they are not capable of fhining in fome Science or other. There is a certain Byafs towards Knowledge in every Mind, which may be ftrengthen'd and improv❜d by proper Applications.

It must be then the great Business and Concern of Parents to fet the Mind right, that on all Occafions it may be difpos'd to confent to nothing, but what may be fuitable to the Dignity and Excellency of a rational Creature. As the Difference to be found in the Manners and Abilities of Men, is owing more to their Education than to any thing elfe, we have Reason to conclude, that great Care is to be had of the forming Childrens Minds, and giving them that Seasoning early, which shall influence their Lives always after. For when they do well or ill, the Praise or Blame will be laid there; and when any Thing is done aukwardly, the common Saying

will pass upon them, That it is fuitable to their Breeding.

This very aptly brings into my Mind the Story of Lycurgus, the Lacedæmonian Lawgiver, as related by Plutarch. "He "took two Whelps of the fame Litter, "and order'd them to be bred in a quite "different Manner; a While after he took an Occafion, in an Affembly of the Peo

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ple, to difcourfe of what great Advan"tage the customary Practice of whol"fome Inftructions and Precepts was to "the Attainment of Virtue: In the Clofe "of his Harangue he told them, that to "infinuate his Arguments more power

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fully, he would make an Appeal to "their Senfes, and let them fee a De"monstration of his Words, by Example: "Upon this, the two Whelps were order'd "to be brought into the Hall, and there

was fet down to them a Difh of Frag"ments and a live Hare. One of the "Dogs immediately (as he had been bred) "flies upon the Hare, and the other as

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greedily runs to the Fragments. While "the People were mufing and racking "their Brains to find out the Moral of "this odd Proceeding: This, fays Lycur gus, is pursuant to what I before told you; for fee thofe Whelps do as they "were bred; and tho' they are both of the B 6 "fame

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"fame Litter, yet the Diversity of Breeding hath made the one a good Hound, "and the other a Curr, good for nothing

but to lick Pots or Difhes." The Effects of Nature and Habit are the fame in every Species as in an Human Body.. What Horfe, well manag'd from a Colt proves not eafily governable by the Rider? And are not the wildest and most favage Beafts made tame, and brought to Hand by Induftry? Youth is the proper and only Seafon for Erudition; and if it be neglected then, 'twill be too late, when Maturity renders the Mind too ftubborn and inflexible."

Fingit equum tenera docilem cervice Magifter
Ire viam, quam monftrat Eques, &c.
Says Horace,

The Fockey trains the young and tender Horfe,
While yet foft-mouth'd be breeds him to the
Course:

The Whelp, fince when th' Hall be learn'd to bark

At Buck-fkins ftuff'd, now ranges o'er the Park. Now, now, whilst young with virtuous Rules

begin;

Suck holy Precepts now, and free from Sin. What feafon'd first the Veffel keeps the Tafte.

CREECH.

The

The Mind is to be made obedient to Difcipline, and pliant to Reafon, while it is yet tender, and eafy to be bow'd; but if we fuffer ill Principles to get ground on Infancy, Vice to debauch, or Paffion to pervert Reason, in that unguarded Age; when we have once made an ill Child, 'tis a foolish Expectation to promife ourfelves he fhall prove a good Man. Shall we wonder afterwards to tafte the Waters bitter, when we ourselves have first poifon'd the Fountain?

If our Young ones labour under any Infirmity of Body, Nature knocks at our Breaft, and all the Fears and Affections of a Parent are alarm'd to remove their Uneasiness; if their Cheeks but flush, or Pulfes beat high, we are immediately apprehenfive of fome feverish Difpofition; and fhould we not have as watchful an Eye on the Torments and diftemper❜d Sallies of their Souls? Shall we let pernicious Habits take their Course in Youth, and flatter ourselves, that as Senfe ftrengthens, and Judgment grows ripe in them, they will correct in themfelves the faulty Indulgences of their childish Years, or at leaft be better feafon'd by Age for the Precepts we can give them against Folly or Immorality? 'Tis a Suppofition most erroneous in itself, and fatal in its Confequences;