hardly at any time, except in the hours of sleep, leaving the mind without occupation. The actions and words of its attendants soon begin to be noticed and imitated; even its sufferings become auxiliary in the great process of furnishing the soul with new notions, and of unfolding its untried capacities.So that probably in the very first years of its life, there has been a gradual increase of knowledge, as great, when we consider that the mind was at first without ideas, as at any subsequent period.

§. 487. Of the introduction of imaginary and false ideas.

While the young mind, by the mere aid of that instrumentality, which the author of nature has furnished, is continually storing up important thoughts, it also receives false ideas from various sources. These erroneous intimations are not necessarily to be attributed to the imperfection of the senses, or to any thing originally in the constitution; for the child is now supposed to be arrived at that period, when the suggestions of nature may be aided, or counteracted, or misrepresented by parents and domestics.

In saying, that false notions may be introduced, we allude to the opinions, which children are led to entertain, of the existence of ghosts, spectres, or other imaginary beings. There is no want of true and important notions, which can be made an excuse for the introduction of such absurd ideas; and it ought to be made a great object to keep the mind as free from them as possible.

The greater heed is to be given to this direction, because permanently evil consequences are found to result from the neglect ofit. The introduction of ideas of ghosts, &c. in early life ever afterwards renders one incapable of enduring darkness or solitude with any tolerable degree of comfort.Attention should be given, in the early periods of infancy and childhood, to the developement of the passions. Those, which are vicious, should be checked and subdued,which can be done much more easily at that time, than afterwards. Virtuous and noble affections should be cherished; such as gratitude to parents, benevolence to the poor, regard and love for the truth.

§. 488. Of guarding against prejudices in general.

A superstitious belief in the agency of spiritual beings in the dark, which is early received, is only one of the many false notions, with which the mind is then liable to be impressed, by means of a wrong intellectual culture. The whole host of errours, which were mentioned in the chapter on Prejudices, may have their origin at the same time; even errours of a moral, political, and religious nature. It is difficult to assign a period, when the mind is too young and powerless to receive some faint notions on these subjects. Individuals can sometimes state, as far back as their memory can reach, circumstances, (perhaps an accidental remark, perhaps an unimportant religious ceremony,) which have had a permanent influence.

Prejudices so numerous and tenacious are introduced into the mind in childhood, that it requires much pains and time in after life to unlearn the false notions, to which we have been accustomed to render an implicit belief. The struggle against the influence, which they have acquired over us, will be found to be a severe one; and oftentimes it is quite unsuccessful. Many persons, who have been fully aware of the extent and evil nature of the tendencies, which were given to their minds in early life,have desired to counteract and annul their influence, and have made efforts to that purpose, but without effect. The seeds, that were sown in the nursery, and had borne their fruits in youth, had taken too deep root to be eradicated in the fullness of years. We conclude, therefore, that it is a part of all right education, and the duty of all, who are engaged in instructing young minds, scrupulously to guard against the admission of any thing other than the truth.

§. 489. Of an uniform developement of the mental powers.

It is a great object, to render the mind comprehensive, and liberal. This object is necessarily defeated, when there is an exclusive attention to one, or even more of our intellectual susceptibilities, to the neglect of others. Consequently, such a degree of culture seems very properly to be bestowed upon all of them, as will secure to them a good

share of strength and activity.Some persons possess imagination in a high degree, and the 'eye in a fine phrenzy rolling ;' but the vigour of the reasoning faculty is entirely demolished. They can picture in their imaginations, no less vividly than the writer himself, the scenes of love and war intheir favourite romances; but cannot grasp consecutive propositions, and feel the force of an argument. Others are mere reasoners without taste; having the power to follow out and fully subdue the difficulties of a demonstration, but without a soul to feel the touches of sentiment, or an ear for the harmonies of poetry.

We cannot help regarding such an education, which improves some of the intellectual powers,while others are greatly neglected, as erroneous and defective. It tends to defeat the great purpose of life, which is not to establish a superiority in a few individuals over the rest of mankind, but to render all qualified to fulfil, in the best manner possible, the duties of men, of citizens, of members of families, and above all of Christians.

§. 490. Of diversities in genius and temper.

Striking differences are sometimes discernible in the temper and genius of youth. It is not always easy to say what they may be owing to,whether to something original in the mental organization, or to some accidental circumstances, nor is it of great importance. In the process of education these differences should be regarded, and a preference should be given to those parts of study, for which the mind appears to have a natural inclination.-Not only individuals have mental characteristics, which distinguish them from other individuals; there are also hereditary traits in families, which go down from generation to generation. The members of one family successively discover a fondness for abstract speculation, for all studies, which require the closest application of the reasoning powers; while the successive members of another are distinguished for vivacity, wit, imagination. But while some reference ought to be had, in the course of an education to these circumstances, and a preference should be given,

in the selection of pursuits, to such personal and hereditary inclinations, there should be the greater caution in seeing that other pursuits, to which there is supposed to be a natural aversion, be not wholly neglected. The man of imagination is not to leave his reasoning powers to neglect; nor should the lover of mathematics forego those methods of intellectual culture, by which the taste may be quickened and improved. An exclusive attention to a particular pursuit, even when it seems to be warranted by the high claims of genius, would be inconsistent with that developement and exercise of all the intellectual powers, which we conceive to be implied in a perfect education.

§. 491. Of moral and religious education,

It ought not to be forgotten in the early periods of education, that man is a moral being, and that he is, even in the commencement of life, susceptible of instruction in the distinctions of right and wrong. The doctrine, which Rousseau and others have studiously advanced, that childhood and youth are incapable of receiving moral and religious ideas, has provoked an indignant and triumphant opposition. It is both unsound in point of fact, and most pernicious in its tendency. All experience goes against it.

In France, where it has found its most numerous advocates, its evil results have been very deeply felt. A recent French writer, who cannot be suspected of giving unfavourable representations of his countrymen without a eause, thinks, that the widely spread domestic corruption. and miseries, which he acknowledges to exist, can be corrected only by a greater attention to early moral education. This remark implies, that the origin of those evils is to be found in the neglect of such education.

As a first great principle in morals and religion, let the minds of the young be taught, that there is a God. It is true, they will not understand his nature; but does any one understand it? Can the most mature and enlightened mind explain the mysteries of the Supreme Being? But even children may have notions of God, which approach

aware, although we are Let the existence, there

more nearly to truth than we are unable to say precisely how far. fore, of the Supreme Being be carefully inculcated from the first moment, when access can be had to the mind.. Let it be associated with the rising and setting of the sun; with woods and waters; with that starry sky, which elevated the devotions of the Psalmist; with all the appearances of nature. When the young have become impressed with this idea, the natural consequence will be, that they will feel themselves under control and government, when absent from parents, guardians, and instructers. They believe, they remember, that there is a Being every where present; and this belief will be found to operate as a powerful restraint on evil propensities and actions.

Having begun with the idea of a God, children should next be instructed, as soon as they are able to read, in certain portions of the Bible, that great system of duty, submission, and hope. It is no serious objection, if they do not fully understand the import of every passage, which is read, or committed to memory. Something will be understood, which will be valuable in the end; and the more so, because it will be associated with all the delightful recollections of early days. It is this part of education, which most effectually promotes individual happiness, making life comfortable amid all its roughnesses and trials; which maintains peace in families, and affords security to the commonwealth. In general, no length of time, no change of circumstances wholly destroys its propitious influence. And without it, without a belief in the existence of God, and a high sense of accountability, all sciences will be in vain; all other attainments will utterly fail of making men happy, and widely useful.

Multitudes of illustrations might be introduced to confirm the views of this section. How natural is the following incident! And how agreeable, therefore, to sound philosophy!" When I was a little child, (said a religious man,) my mother used to bid me kneel beside her, and place her hand upon my head, while she prayed. Ere I was old enough to know her worth, she died, and I was