allowable, or if otherwise, from taking dishonest means to come at them. Let the children see how ridiculous such tricks are as they see practised upon others, which have generally a bad success, and serve only to make them contemptible. Make them ashamed of themselves when you catch them in any dissimulation. Take from them, from time to time, what they are fond of, if they have endeavored to obtain it by any trick, and tell them they shall have it when they ask for it plainly and without artifice.

'Tis upon this point especially they must be put in mind of their honor. Make them comprehend the difference that there is between a child that loves truth and sincerity, upon whose word one may rely, in whom one may fully confide, and who is looked upon as incapable not only of lying and forgery, but of the least dissimulation; and another child who is always suspected and distrusted, and never believed, even though he speaks truth. We should carefully set before them what Cornelius Nepos observes of Epaminondas (and Plutarch says the same of Aristides), that he was so fond of truth that he never told a lie, not even in a jest.

9. Boys must be Genteel, Neat, and Exact.

Good breeding is one of the qualities which parents most desire in their children. The value they set upon it arises from their conversation with the world, where they find that almost everything is judged of by its outside. In short, the want of politeness takes off very much from the most solid merit, and makes virtue itself seem less valuable and lovely. A rough diamond can never serve as an ornament; it must be polished before it can be shown to advantage.

In talking thus I do not mean that we should exercise the children, or bring them up by measure and method to all the formal ceremonies which are fashionable in the world. Such treatment will only give them false notions, and fill them with a foolish vanity. Besides, this methodical civility, which consists only in forms of insipid compliments and the affectation of doing everything by rule and measure, is often more offensive than a natural clownishness. A behavior not over courteous, a bow ill made, a hat clumsily taken off, and a compliment ill turned, may deserve some little notice to be taken of them in an easy and gentle manner, but does not deserve sharp chiding or the being exposed to shame before company, and much less to be punished with severity. The going abroad into the world will soon correct these misde

meanors.

But the object is to go to the principle and root of the evil, and to conquer certain dispositions in the boys, which are directly opposite to the rules of society and conversation; such as a savage and clownish rudeness, which makes them careless about what may please or displease those that are about them;; self-love, which is concerned only in procuring its own profit and advantage; a haughtiness and pride which tempt us to look upon everything as our due, without our being under any obligation to others; a spirit of contradiction, finding fault, and raillery,

which blames everything, and takes pleasure only in giving pain. These are the faults against which we must declare an open war. Such boys as have been accustomed to be complaisant toward their companions, to oblige them to yield to them upon occasion, to say nothing which may offend them, and not be easily offended themselves at the discourse of others,-boys of this character, when they come abroad into the world, will soon learn the rules of civility and good breeding.

It is also to be wished that children should be accustomed to neatness, order, and exactness; that they take care of their dress, especially on Sundays and holidays, and such days as they go abroad; and that everything should be set in order in their chambers and upon their tables, and every book put in its place when they have done with it; that they should be ready to discharge their different duties precisely at the time appointed. This exactness is of great importance at all times and in every station of life.

All this is to be wished for, but must not, in my opinion, be exacted with severity, nor under pain of correction. For we must always distinguish the faults which arise from the levity of their age, from such as spring from indocility and perverseness. My method was to bring the boys to be very civil to such strangers as entered into the court during their recreation, and almost scrupulously exact in repairing to every exercise at the first sound of the clock, but not by menaces or correc-. tions. I publicly used to commend them for their civility to strangers, who complimented me upon it, and for the readiness wherewith they quitted their play, because they knew it would please me. I sometimes added, that though some of them were wanting in their little duties, I judged it must be through inadvertency, which was not surprising in the heat of play. I desired them to be more careful for the future, and to follow the example of the greatest part of their companions; and I succeeded better by these civilities than I could have done by all the chiding and menaces in the world.

10. Study must be made Agreeable.

This point depends very much on the first impressions, and it should be the great care of masters who teach children their letters, to do it in such manner that a child who is not yet capable of being fond of his book should not take an aversion to it, and the dislike continue when he grows up. For this reason, says Quintilian, his study must be made a diversion to him. The master must proceed by asking him easy questions. He must be encouraged by commendation, and allowed to set some value upon himself, and be pleased with having learned anything. Sometimes what he refuses to learn must be taught another, to raise his jealousy. We must enter into little disputes with him, and let him think that he has often the better; we must entice him likewise by little rewards, which children at that age are very fond of.

But the great secret, says Quintilian further, to make children love their books, is to make them fond of their master. In this case they willingly give ear to him, become tractable by him, strive to please him,

and take a pleasure in his lessons. They readily receive his advice and correction, are much affected with his commendation, and strive to merit his friendship by a proper discharge of their duty.

There is implanted in children, as in all mankind, a natural spirit of curiosity, or desire of knowledge and information, of which a good use may be made toward rendering their study agreeable. As everything is new to them, they are continually asking questions, and inquiring the name and use of everything they see. And they should be answered without expressing any pain or uneasiness. Their curiosity should be commended, and satisfied by clear and express answers, without anything in them that is deceitful or illusory; for they will soon find it out and be shocked at it.

In every art and science the first elements and principles have something in them that is dry and disheartening; for which reason it is of great service to abridge and facilitate the rudiments of the languages which are taught to children, and to take off from the bitterness of them as agreeably as we can.

When they are privately brought up, a careful and skilful master omits nothing that may make study agreeable to them. He takes their time, studies their taste, consults their humor, intermixes diversion with labor, seems to leave the choice to them, does not make their study reg. ular, stirs them up to it sometimes by refusing it, and by the cessation, or, rather, interruption of it. In a word, he puts on a thousand shapes, and invents a thousand artifices to compass what he aims at.

This way in college is not practicable. In a common chamber and a numerous class, discipline and good order require an uniform rule, and that all should follow it exactly; and herein lies the great difficulty of managing them. A master must have a good capacity, a great deal of skill to guide and direct the reins of so many different characters, whereof some are brisk and impetuous, others slow and phlegmatic; whereof some want the spur, and others the bridle,-to manage, I say, all these dispositions at the same time, and yet so as to make them all move by concert, and lead all to the same point, notwithstanding this difference of temper. It must be owned that, in the business of education, 'tis here that the greatest ability and prudence are required.

This is only to be obtained by great gentleness, reason, moderation, coolness, and patience. This great principle must be always in view, that study depends upon the will, which admits of no constraint. Studium discendi voluntate quae cogi non potest constat. We may confine the body, make a scholar sit at his table against his inclination, double his labor by punishment, force him to finish a task that is imposed on him, and, for that end, take away from him his play and recreation; but can laboring thus upon force be properly called study? And what will follow upon it but the hatred both of books and learning and masters, too, very often as long as they live? The will, therefore, must be gained, and this can only be by mildness, friendliness, and persuasion, and, above all, by the allurement of pleasure.

As we are born idle, enemies to labor, and still more to constraint, it

is not surprising that, as all the pleasure lies on one side, and all the trouble on the other-all the trouble in study, and all the pleasure in diversion-a child should bear the one with impatience, and run zealously after the other. The skill of the master lies in making study agreeable, and teaching his scholar to find a pleasure in it; to which end play and recreation may very much contribute.

11. Rest and Recreation.

A great many reasons oblige us to grant rest and recreation to the children. First, the care of their health, which should go before that of knowledge. Now nothing is more prejudicial to it than too long and constant an application, which insensibly wears and weakens the organs, which in that age are very tender, and incapable of taking great pains. And this gives me an opportunity of advising and entreating parents not to push their children too much upon study in their early years, but to deny themselves the pleasure of seeing them make a figure before their time. For besides that these ripe fruits seldom come to maturity, and their early advancements resemble those seeds that are cast upon the surface of the earth, which spring up immediately, but take no root, nothing is more pernicious to the health of children than these untimely efforts, though the ill effect be not immediately perceived.

If they are prejudicial to the body, they are no less dangerous to the mind, which is exhausted and rendered dull by a continual application, and, like the earth, stands in need of a stated alternative of labor and rest, in order to preserve its force and vigor.

Besides, as we have already observed, the boys, after they have refreshed themselves awhile, return to their studies with more cheerfulness and a better heart, and this little relaxation animates them with fresh courage, whereas constraint shocks and disheartens them.

I add with Quintilian, and the boys will doubtless agree to it, that a moderate inclination for play should not displease in them, as it is often a mark of vivacity. In short, can we expect much ardor for study in a child who, at an age that is naturally brisk and gay, is always heavy, pensive, and indifferent even for its play?

But in this, as in everything else, we must use discretion and observe a medium which consists in not refusing them diversion, for fear they should grow out of love with study, and likewise in not granting too much, for fear they should grow habituated to idleness.

The choice in this point requires some care; we need be under no concern about procuring them pleasures,-they invent enough of themselves. It suffices to leave them to themselves, and observe them without constraint, in order to keep them in temper when they grow too

warm.

The diversions they love best, and which are likewise most suitable to them, are such as are attended with some bodily motion. They are satisfied if they do but often change place. A ball, a kite, a top, are an high delight to them, as also walking and running.

There are plays of ingenuity, wherein there is instruction mixed with

diversion, which may sometimes find a place when the body is less disposed for motion, or the time and season oblige them to be confined within doors.

As play is designed for a recreation, I question whether we ought commonly to allow the children such as require almost as much application as study. James the first, king of Great Britain, in the instructions he left his son how to govern well, amongst other advice concerning play, forbids him chess, for this reason, that it is rather a study than a recreation.

Plays of hazard, such as cards and dice, which are now become so fashionable, deserve still more to be forbid the boys. "Tis a shame to our age, that rational persons cannot pass a few hours together without cards in their hands. It will be well for the scholars if they carry from college, and long retain, an ignorance and contempt for all diversions of this nature.

It is a principle in education, which cannot be too much inculcated upon parents and masters, to inspire children in general with a taste for such things as are simple. They should neither feed upon delicate dishes, nor be entertained with elegant diversions. The temper of the soul is corrupted, as well as the taste, by the pursuit of sharp and poignant pleasures; and as the use of ragouts makes common food that is plainly dressed seem tasteless and insipid, so great emotions of the soul procure a disrelish to the ordinary diversions of youth.

We see parents, says M. de Fénelon, that are otherwise well-designing people, carry their children themselves to the public shows, and pretend by thus mixing poison with healthful food, to give them a good education, and would look upon it as cruel and austere to deny them this medley of good and evil. He must be very little acquainted with human nature, who does not see that this sort of diversion cannot fail of creating a disgust in the boys for the serious and busy life, to which, however, they are designed, and make them consider plain and innocent pleasures as insipid and insupportable.

12. Tuition of Boys by Discourse and Example.

What I have lately said shows how much this is an indispensable duty of masters. As it is often requisite to fortify the children beforehand against the discourses and examples of their parents, as well as against the false prejudices and false principles that are delivered in common conversations, and authorized by an almost general practice; they should be to them that guardian and monitor which Seneca so often speaks of, to keep them or deliver them from popular errors, and to inspire them with such principles as are conformable to right and sound reason. It is requisite, therefore, that they have a thorough sense of themselves; that they think and talk always of wisdom and truth. For nothing can be said before children without effect, and they regulate their fears and desires by the discourses they hear.

"Tis for this reason that Quintilian, as we have already observed, advises masters to speak often to their disciples of honesty and justice.