of Boniell Life 1) 99-100 3 7 SCHEME for the CLASSES of a GRAMMAR SCHOOL. WHEN the introduction, or formation of nouns and verbs, is perfectly mastered, let them learn Corderius by Mr. Clarke, beginning at the fame time Clafs II. Learns Eutropius and Cornelius Nepos, or N. B. The first clafs gets for their part every morn- They are examined in the rules which they have learned every Thursday and Saturday. The second clafs doth the fame whilft they are in Eu- Class III. Ovid's Metamorphofes in the morning, and Part is in the Latin rules till they are perfect in them, Afterwards they proceed to Virgil, beginning at the fame time to write themes and verfes, and to learn Greek; from thence paffing on to Horace, &c. as fhall feem moft proper. 8 I know I know not well what books to direct you to, because you have not informed me what ftudy you will apply yourself to. I believe it will be moft for your advantage to apply yourself wholly to the languages, till you go to the University. The Greek authors I think it best for you to read are thefe: Thus you will be tolerably skilled in all the dialects, /2 beginning with the Attic, to which the reft must be referred. In the ftudy of Latin, it is proper not to read the later authors, till you are well versed in those of the pureft ages; as Terence, Tully, Cæfar, Salluft, Nepos, Velleius Paterculus, Virgil, Horace, Phædrus. The greatest and most necessary task still remains, to attain a habit of expreffion, without which knowledge is of little ufe. This is neceffary in Latin, and more neceffary in English and can only be acquired by a daily imitation of the best and correcteft authors. 13 GENERAL RULES of the ESSEX-HEAD CLUB, commenced the 10th of DECEMBER, 1783. "To day deep thoughts with me resolve to drench MILTON. I. THE Club fhall confift of twenty-four members. The meetings fhall be on the Monday, Wednesday *, and Saturday, of every week; but on the week before Eafter-day there fhall be no meeting. II. Every member is at liberty to introduce a friend once in a week, but not oftner. III. Two members fhall oblige themselves to attend in their turn every night from eight to ten o'clock, or procure two to attend in their room. IV. Every member prefent at the Club fhall spend at leaft fix-pence; and every man who ftays away, fhall forfeit three-pence. V. The master of the houfe fhall keep an account of the abfent members, and deliver to the prefident of the night a lift of the forfeits incurred. VI. When any member returns after abfence, he fhall immediately lay down his forfeits; which if he omits to do, the prefident fhall require them of him. VII. There fhall be no general reckoning, but every member shall adjust his own expences. VIII. The night of indifpenfible attendance will come to every member once a month. Whoever shall for three months together omit to attend himself, or by sub *Several of the members being fellows of the Royal Society, this night was afterwards changed to Thursday, for their convenience, ftitution stitution-nor fhall make any apology on the fourth month, fhall be confidered as having abdicated the Club. IX. When a vacancy is to be filled, the name of the candidate, and of the member recommending him, shall stand in the Club-room three nights: on the fourth he may be chofen by ballot, fix members at least being prefent, and two-thirds of the ballot being in his favour, or the majority, should the numbers not be divisible by three. X. The mafter of the house fhall give notice, fix days before, to each of those members whofe turn of neceffary attendance is come. The notice may be in these words: ["Sir, On<<the of will be your turn of prefiding at "the Effex-head; your company is therefore earnestly "requested."] One penny shall be left by each member for the waiter. NIGHTLY RULES of the ESSEX-HEAD CLUB. I. The prefident will collect feven-pence from each member at his entrance, marking his attendance thus V; and three-pence for every preceding night which is not marked against his name in the book thus V. II. The forfeits to be paid over to the landlord. The seven-pence to be confidered as part of each member's diftinct reckoning. III. Two letters of notice are to be forwarded each night, by the Penny-poft, to the prefidents of that day feven-night, as by lift of the members. IV. When the forfeits are paid, they should be noted in the book thus W. LETTER LETTER O N DU HALDE'S HISTORY OF CHINA, 1738. HERE are few nations in the world, more talked TH of, or lefs known, than the Chinese. The confused and imperfect account which travellers have given of their grandeur, their fciences and their policy, have hitherto excited admiration, but have not been fufficient to fatisfy even a fuperficial curiofity. I therefore return you my thanks for having undertaken, at fo great an expence, to convey to English readers the most copious and accurate account, yet published, of that remote and celebrated people, whofe antiquity, magnificence, power, wisdom, peculiar customs, and excellent conftitution, undoubtedly deserve the attention of the public. As the fatisfaction found in reading defcriptions of diftant countries arifes from a comparison which every reader naturally makes, between the ideas which he receives from the relation, and those which were familiar to him before; or, in other words, between the countries with which he is acquainted, and that which the author |