patriotifm of a Spartan, dependent on 'nerves fteeled by a fevere education. We speak not now of opinions but of facts, and it is neceffary to clear this first step, which has involved us in fome difficulty and much error. If we could engage in the difcuffion at length, we should first distinguish between natural and moral causes, and to our investigation of national manners, as depending on national education, add alfo the more powerful influence of cuftoms, of opinions, and of government. We should then proceed to the more metaphyfical part, and confider the human mind as acting with energy and vigour, or with readiness and facility. When thefe ftates were compared with different correfponding ftates of body, it would be found that vigour might increafe fo far as to produce mental torpor, and weakness of body be connected with that mobility which is often united to the fervours of imagination and the brilliancies of genius. This is, however, only an outline; a sketch that we leave to be filled up by others. We fhould not, however, have been pofitive in the conclufion, if we had not followed this reafoning more clofely, and feen that the refult was well founded. If Mrs. Macaulay Graham will confider the fabject in this light, fhe will probably not be fo pofitive refpecting a connection, which, if it exifts, is subject to much limitation and many exceptions.

In the more particular details of corporeal management, there is fcarcely any thing to which we object. On this part our author is concife. While the thinks the cold to which the child's head is usually expofed in America, too fevere, the frequent cold-bathing, and the thin cap, which fhe allows, are fcarcely lefs fo; yet, on the whole, we do not perceive that The carries this fyftem too far. The giving a tea-spoonful of gravy to a child, if the ftomach is too much loaded with acidities, may not be improper, but it fhould be confidered as medicine not as food. That the taste of flesh is not natural to the human palate, is an affected refinement of Rouffeau, in which he feems to be followed at a diftance by Mrs. M. Graham. But if we had not numerous races of untutored favages to refer to, the ftructure of the teeth and intestines declare very onequivocally the views and defigns of Nature. Sugar our author is not greatly averfe to; but we have no proofs of its warmth'.and ftimulating powers.' In its natural state, as combined with vegetable mucilage, it is a proper and whalefome nutriment; when refined, we fufpect it is only not hurtful.

In their youthful plays and fports, boys and girls, Mrs. M. Graham thinks, fhould mix together, and the warmly contends for not depriving the daughters of a proper fhare of in

ftruction.

Atruction. The books at that age may be the fame, and her judgment on the various little works calculated for the nursery is found and accurate. The ornamental accomplishments fhe does not neglect; and it is of the utmost importance to point out, with our author, the neceffity of thofe little acquifitions which prevent time from being tedious, and the neglect of which lead to amufements and the gaming-table, as refources against idleness. We know of nothing fo advantageous to boys as to endeavour to acquire fome knowledge of every thing. They need not handle a faw or drive a nail, but should know the principle of every mechanical art that falls in their way; and should know alfo, which indeed the principles will teach, when it is well done.

In the feventh Letter, the obfervations on education, fo far as it refpects the cultivation of the mind, may be faid to begin. To inspire children with fortitude, by keeping imaginary terrors out of their fight, and to induce them to depend on their own exertions, is highly proper; and Mrs. M. Graham might have added, that it is equally neceffary to cultivate a calm equanimity, not to prevent the glow of hope, the eagernels of enquiry, or the rapture of poffeffion, which would be to make a good child a bad philofopher, but to preserve the mind from hurry in difficulties, from too great eagerness, or from too rapturous enjoyment.

The pleafures of hope, fo much celebrated by our fpecies, as the balfam of our woe, and the great fource of our happinefs, in my opinion, owes all its excellence to being contrafted with a flate of defpair, and the rank it holds in our esteem, from our ignorance. Yet fo univerfal is error on this particular, that the attentive eye of philofophy does not always escape the deception.

hat happiness only exifts in hope, is the maxim of the penetrating Helvetius; and all his rules of education are confequently grounded on this hypothefis. But from the invincible power of early impreffions, the fagacity of Helvetius must have discovered this truth, that hope of what is diftant, always fpeaks a prefent want; and that want and happiness can never unite. But though the moderns appear to be totally blind to this truth, yet the ftoicks were always in poffeffion of it, and their rules for obtaining wifdom, all tend to this one point of maintaining fuch a fovereignty over the mind and its defires, as fhould enable it to draw its happinefs from the present mo. ment, and to exert its powers on prefent objects.'

In this refpect we think Mrs. M. Graham counteracts one of thofe fources of happiness implanted in our nature, and an active ftimulus to our purfuits. Could it efcape our penetrating au

thor,

thor, that unless we hope we fhall never attempt; or that the moft miferable of human beings is he who has nothing to hope and as little to fear? In another place, we fufpect, that in endeavouring to check envy, fhe crushes emulation in the bud (p. 105.)

Mrs. M. Graham's obfervations on lying, and the means of correcting this depravity in children, are very judicious; and the following obfervations are in general accurate. We think, however, that he has not made a just distinction between the more ftrictly moral or the more general theology of the New Teftament, and the more abftrufe and controverted pasJages.

But as theology is a fubject too fublime and mysterious for the contemplation of the uncultivated mind, are we to breed up our children in a total ignorance of our faith, and a total inattention to the duties of religion? by no means. Habit is too neceffary for every purpofe we would wish to effect in human conduct, to be neglected in this important particular. Let us give much of habit and principle, but very little of doctrine. Let infants be taught to fupplicate the throne of grace, the moment they are able to return thanks for the important gift of fpeech, which bestows on us all our pre-eminence. But let their prayers be fimple and fhort. The Lord's prayer repeated twice a day, on mornings and evening, is fully fufficient during the period of infancy and childhood. And as we are not to be heard for our much speaking even ina more advanced ftate of youth, I would not infift on the repeating more prayers than the pater-nofter, and the confeffion of fins ; for I am of opinion, that there are no habits which can be more conducive to a religious ftate of mind, than the two following, viz. the habit of relying on divine goodness for the bestowing on us every favour, which in the total amount of things, will be the moft conducive to our happiness, and the habit of an entire submiflion of our desires to the will of the deity.

When children have been taught to read a selection of thofe pfalms which are the fimpleft in their compofition, and convey, in the eafieft manner to be apprehended, ideas of the power and benevolence of God, a choice of hymns may be selected on the fame principle, and fome plain practical moral fermons may alfo form part of their religious ftudy; but the Bible and New Teftament I would totally exclude. I think I fee you start, Hortenfia, at this heterodox notion; but conftant as has been the practice of the reformed churches of putting the facred writings into the hands of children, and ignorant adults, I look upon it to be a great mistake in point of prudence, and that it has been the grand fource both of infidelity and fanaticism. For as the understanding of the fcriptures in the prefent day depends on a great extent of critical knowledge and obfervation, they can feldom be understood by the unlearned; and though

no

no prohibitions ought to fhut up the fountain of our faith from the infpection of the curious and in elligent, it is undoubtedly a molt prepofterous conduct to make it part of the devotional exercifes of the illiterate, and of those whole tender years and confined knowledge unfits them for the talk of deep and critical reflection.'

Our author's remarks alfo on corporal punishments are very proper that diffimulation which is inculcated by obliging children to own the juftice of their punishment, and to thank the chaftifers, is properly pointed out; and no parent can read the following anecdote without a fecret tremor.

I have heard a ftory of this kind, Hortenfia, which from its catastrophe, drew tears into my eyes, and which the tendernefs of your difpofition will make you regard as interesting. A child, who by the force of difcipline had been made to belie her fentiments, and to return thanks for her mortifications, had a medicine administered to her; and after every bitter fip the made a curtefy, and called out as fhe had been taught, "I thank you for my good stuff." Unfortunately there was a mistake in the medicine; and the child, after having fuffered great mifery during the night, died the next morning, to the inconfolable grief of her parents, whofe tender forrow was much heightened at the recollection of the thanks which had been extorted for the draught of death.'

In the fourteenth Letter, for our limits prevent us from following our author very clofely, the fubject of literary education begins. We have often had occafion to speak of it; and while opinions were fo various, it was neceflary to feek for certain principles. Nothing could be fo certain in this refpect, as thofe facts which are collected from obferving the gradual developement of the human mind. Memory is difcovered very early, and rapidly advances to perfection; and it is in general as tenacious as it is greedy. Obfervation and reflection come foon after, and we think fufficient ufe has not been made of their early appearance and connection. Reafoning on fimple and visible objects, with moderate accuracy, is fcarcely obferved till near the age of fourteen, and abstract ideas with abfract reafoning are ftill more late in their appearance. Judgment comes last of all; and though we may fometimes find it in a forward state from nineteen to twenty-one, we have feldom feen it perfected till after twenty-five. Before that time, vivacity, a lucky conjecture, or a more formal folemnity, have affumed its appearance; fometimes alfo it may feem to be correct, but it is feldom folid, matured, or confiftent, till about the period we mention.

If thefe facts are accurate, one fundamental error will be difcovered in our author's plan, viz. deferring mathematics

till the age of twenty-one or twenty-two. We would recommend it to commence at fourteen; and if it be contended that pure mathematics relate to abstract ideas, we should nfwer, that this difcovery may be left to a future æra. The lines and points may be taken as fuch, and the marks of algebraic notation be confidered as a kind of short-hand, to avoid writing numbers at length. The advantages of this plan are, that it habituates the youth to rigid reafoning, to confidering the neceffary dependence of one ftep on another, and above all, to undeviating attention.

Previous to the age of eighteen, Mrs. M. Graham would teach experimental philofophy and natural hiftory; the latter from Pliny and Buffon. The authors are badly chofen, and the advice is fo general that we can fcarcely judge of it. The great outline of natural hiftory may be taught earlier; we mean the distinction of the great claffes of nature in each kingdom; but the more fcientific part must be reserved for a future period. If, therefore, the means the firft, fhe is too late; if the fecond part, fhe is too early. Pliny alfo, is in every refpect an improper book for that time of life. Geography, in other words the modern geography, we do not perceive that he has mentioned; it fhould undoubtedly be combined with hiftory, and the ancient geography with the claffics. Obliging' boys to compofe with celerity, though fupported by the opinion of Johnson, is, we fufpect, improper: we believe the more common doctrine, learn at first to do things well, and you will foon learn to do them quick,' is better founded.

At

any rate it is an unneceffary charge, for the charms of liberty and play are fufficient incitements to rapid compofition.

In other refpects, our author's plan is, we think well founded, and her anfwer to the fuppofed objections of her correfpondent, judicious. Her remarks on Richardfon's Clarifia Harlowe, and mifs Burney's Cecilia, in her examination of proper works of amusement, are fo juft as to tempt us to tranícribe them :

Clariffa Harlow, though reprefented as a paragon of piety and moral excellence, is pohtive and conceited; and all her dif treffes are brought upon her by the adhering to fome very whimfical notions which he has entertained of duty and propriety of conduct. She will not carry her fubmiffion far enough to render her father happy by marrying the man he has chofen for her bufband; nor will the defend herself from his unjust resentment, by afferting her rights to an independent fortune left to her by an indulgent grandfather. She fuffers herfelf to be tricked into the power of a known rake, and incurs the utmost injury from her lituation, by neither taking the opportunities which offered to get clear of him, nor by infifling on his acting the bonourable part. According to the rules of tragedy, the hi

tory