their Knowledge*. Born they are, and too long con tinue, like the wild Afs's Colt . Not only quite def titute of heavenly wisdom, but ftupid to apprehend it, and averse to receive it. As foon as they are born they go aftray, and

Ther. Go aftray-To what is this owing, but to the bad Examples they behold? They catch the wayward Habit, from the irregular Converfation of others.

Afp. Is not this a Confirmation of my Point Why are they yielding Clay ‡ to each bad Impref fion?-Cafe-hardened Steel to every edifying Applis cation?-To do Mifchief, to be proud of their Ap parel, to feek Revenge |, they are not teachable only, but felf-taught. Whereas, if: You would affect them with a Sense of divine Things, or bring them acquainted with GOD their Maker; Line must be upon Line, Line upon Line: Precept must be apon Precept, Precept upon Precept: Here a little, and

Jer. x. 14.

+ Fob xi. 12. How keenly is this Comparifon pointed!-Like the Afs's, an Animal remarkable for its Stu pidity, even to a Proverb.-Like the Afs's Colt, which must be still more egregiously ftupid than the Dam.-Like the wild Afs's Colt, which is not only blockish, but stubborn and intractable; neither poffeffes valuable Qualities by Nature, nor will eafily receive them by Difcipline.The Image, in the Original, is yet more strongly touched. The comparitive Particle like is not in the Hebrew } born a wild Afs's Colt; or, as We should fay in English, mere wild, &c.

Cereus in Vitium flecti.

This is evident, from the Succefs of a Method, frequently but injudicioufly used to quiet Children. The Method I mean, of beating the Thing, which has raised their Indignation.

and there a little *.-What farther corroborates my Sentiment, is, That all these tender Toils of Erudition are generally unwelcome; are too often unfuccessful; nay, will always be ineffectual, without the Concurrence of Almighty Grace.

Befides, Theron, if this Propenfity to Evil be obfervable in all Children, it feems more than probable, that the unhappy Bias is derived from their Parents, rather than catched from their Neighbours; and owing, not to the Influence of external Examples, but to a Principle of internal Corruption +.-Neglect the Education of Children, and You are fure to have their Manners evil, their Lives unprofitable. Nay, only remit your Endeavours, and they lose what has been gained they start afide, like a broken Bow ‡. And wherefore this? Why do they not, without the Rules

A great Critic has laid down the following Rule, to be obferved in fine Writing;

'Tis not enough no Harfonefs gives Offence,

The Sound must be an Echo to the Senfe.

POPE's Effay on Criticism.

Never was this delicate Maxim more nicely exemplified, than in the above-cited Paffage of Ifaiah, Chap. xxviii. 13.-Another Inftance of the fame kind occurs in the feventh Verfe. Where the Language feems to mimic the reeling, fraggling, giddy Motions of a Drunkard: while it iterates and reiterates the Idea; expreffes the fame Thing, in a different and ftill different Manner; with an apparent, and, in this Cafe, a fignificant Circumrotation of Words.

+ St. Paul confeffes, that He and his Fellow-faints were, in their unconverted State, depraved: and this, not Sa Tv tv, by Custom or Habit, but quo, by Nature. Eph. ii. 3.

-Ad Mores Natura recurrit

Damnatos, fixa & mutari nefcia.

JUVEN.

Rules of Difcipline or Leffons of Inftruction, fpontaneously addict themselves to the Exercise of every Virtue? Just as the Cygnets, in yonder Canal, fpontaneously take to the Element of Water, and the Act of Swimming.

That Bed, in the Garden before Us, will fuggeft the Reason. It has been digged and dressed this very Day. It now lies smooth and clean. Not a single Weed appears on its Surface. Yet, how certainly will it, in a very little Time, produce a plenteous, Growth of those vegetable Nuifances?-Whence can this proceed? No Hand will fow them. No Wish will invite them. But the Seeds, though unperceived by any Eye, are already there. Diffeminated by the Winds, they have mixed themselves with the Mold, and are funk into the Soil.-So, juft fo, it is with our Children. The Seeds of Iniquity are within them; and, unless proper Diligence be exerted by Us, unless gracious Affiftance be vouchsafed from above, they will affuredly spring up; over-run their Souls; and difhonour their Lives.

*

Ther. Let Us leave the Children, and make Men the Subject of our Enquiry.

Afp. In this Respect, Theron,

Men are but Children of a larger Growth.

We may leave the Veft or Hanging-fleeve Coat, but We shall still find the Follies of the Child.-In Youth,

* Whoever chooses to examine the Seeds, the poisonous Seeds, which are lodged in this Nursery of all Evil, may fee a Sample of them in our LORD's Description, Mark vii. 20, 21, 22, 23. Where He characterizes the Heart, not barely of the hypocritical Pharifee, or the abandoned Publican, but of Mankind in general.

Youth, what low Ambition, and Fondness for defpi cable Pleafures.-In Manhood, what a keen Purfuit of transitory Wealth; yet what a cold Inattention to GOD and Holinefs !-Men, and Men" too of enlarged Understanding, whofe Penetration on other Subjects, is piercing as the Eagle's Sight, are, on the most important Points, blind as the incaverned Mole.

Ther. What is the Understanding like the most dim-fighted Animal, when lodged in her darkest Retirement? That fublime Faculty of the Soul; which lends her Eye to all the reft; fits at the Helm, and directs their Motions!

Afp. You remember, I prefume, that beautiful Paffage in Milton *; which Mr. Addison so highly admires, and fo judiciously illustrates. The Paffage I mean, where the Archangel Michael comes down, to advertise Adam of future Events, and to execute the Sentence of divine Juftice.

Ther. I remember it perfectly well.-In the East, the great Light of Day lies under an Eclipfe. In the Weft, a bright Cloud defcends, more luminous than the Sun itself. The whole Theatre of Nature is darkened, that this glorious Machine may appear in all its Magnificence and Beauty.-From this radiant Meteor, the Potentate of Heaven alights; and advances, with a majestic Statelinefs, to meet Adam.

Afp. Should You see fuch an august Personage, alighting from his splendid Chariot, and walking amidst the thronged Streets of a City?-Should You behold every One intent upon his Bufinefs or DiverLions; ftruck with no Awe; paying no reverential. Regard

* Book XI, 203, Ece

Regard to this celeftial Vifitant; what would You think?

Ther. I fhould certainly fufpect, that fome fuperior Power had drawn a Veil over their Sight, and hid this wonderful Spectacle from their View.

Afp. Such is really the Cafe with all Mankind by Nature, and with the Generality of People, during their whole Life. - GOD, the infinitely great GOD, is in every Place. Yet how few advert to his Prefence !-All Nature exhibits Him to their Senses; yet, perhaps, He is not in any of their Thoughts.

The Sun, clothed in tranfcendent Brightness, most illustriously displays his MAKER's Glory. The Moon, though dreft in fainter Beams, has Luftre enough to fhew Us the adorable DEITY, and his marvelous Perfections. The Stars, fixed as they are at an unmeasurable Distance, and lessened almost to a Point, come in with their Evidence, and magnify their CREATOR to a gazing but unaffected World.

The Air whispers his Clemency in the gentle, the refreshing Gales of Spring. If We take no Notice of this foft perfuafive Addrefs, the Tone is elevated; the Majefty of JEHOVAH founds aloud, in roaring Winds, and rending Storms. Yet both Expedients fail. Man is like the deaf Adder, that stoppeth her Ears. He refufeth to hear the Voice of the Charmers, charm they never so sweetly, never fo forcibly.

Each Flower, arrayed in Beauty, and breathing Perfume, courts our Affections for its infinitely amiable AUTHOR.-Not a Bird that fings among the Branches, nor a Brook that murmurs over the VOL. II. Pebbles,

e