leges, it is necessary to consider separately the duty of the different persons who are employed in the education of youth, and have any relation to it. But as there are some general directions, which almost belong to all alike, I will begin this treatise with them, that I may avoid the repetitions, which would be otherways unavoidable. PART I. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS UPON THE EDUCATION OF YOUTH. I SHALL begin with desiring the reader when I talk of instructions, rules, precepts, and duties, which are terins that I cannot avoid employing in the subject I treat of, to do me so much justice as to think that I do not pretend to prescribe laws to any one, or to set up for a master or censurer of my brethren. My only design is to assist, if I can, such young persons as are entrusted with the education of children, who, for want of experience, are subject to commit a great many faults, as I own myself have formerly done; and I shall think myself very happy, if I can contribute to make them avoid them, by laying my reflections before them, or rather those of the ablest masters in point of education. For I shall here scarce say any thing of my own, especially in this first part, which is the most important, and should serve as the basis and foundation to all the rest. Athens and Rome shall still lend me their assistance. I shall likewise make use of two modern authors, and often without quoting them. These are M. de Fenelon, archbishop of Cambray, and Mr. Locke, whose writings upon this subject are justly very much esteemed. The last has some particular sentiments, which I would not always adopt. Besides, I question whether he was well skilled in the Greek tongue, and in the study of the Belles Lettres, at least he seems not to set the value upon them they deserve. But both of them may be of of very great use with relation to morals and conduct, not only to young masters, but to persons of greater experience. I have taken the liberty of making use of the labours of others, as I have thought fit, and I am inclined to think that the public will not be displeased at it, being content to have good things laid before them, without being concerned from whence they are taken. I shall reduce to twelve or thirteen articles the general instructions which relate to the education of youth. ARTICLE I. WHAT END WE SHOULD PROPOSE TO OURSELVES IN EDUCATION. [d] TO succeed in the education of youth, the first step in my opinion, is to lay down the end we should propose, to inquire by what means it is to be obtained, and to chuse out an able and experienced guide, who is able to conduct us safely to it. Though it be generally a very wise and judicious rule, to avoid all singularity, and to follow the received customs, yet I question whether in the point we now treat of, this principle does not admit of some exception, and whether we ought not to apprehend the dangers and inconveniences of blindly following the footsteps. of those who have gone before us, so as to consult custom more than reason, and the governing our actions rather by what others do, than by what they should do; from whence it often happens that an error once established is handed down from age to age, and becomes almost a certain law, from a notion that we ought to [d] Decernatur primùm & quò tendamus, & qua; non sine perito aliquo cui explorata sint ea, in quæ procedimus... Hic tritissima quæque via & celeberrima maximè decipit. Nihil ergo magis præstandum, quàm ne, pecorum ritu, sequamur antecedentium gregem, pergentes, non qua eundum est, sed qua itur non ad rationem, sed ad similitudinem vivimus. . . . . . Ita, dum unusquisque mavult credere, quàm judicare, versat nos & præcipitat traditus per manus error.. Non tam bene cum rebus humanis agi tur, ut meliora pluribus placeant: argumentum pessin i turba est. Senec. lib. de Vit. Beat. cap. i. & ii. x 2 act act like the rest of mankind, and follow the example of the greatest number. But human nature is not so happy as to have the greatest number always make the best choice, and we too frequently observe the contrary. If we consult our reason ever so little, it is easy to discern, that the end which masters should have in view, is not barely to teach their scholars Greek and Latin, how to make exercises and verses, to charge their memory with facts and historical dates, to draw up syllogisms in form, or to trace lines and figures upon paper. [e] These branches of learning I own are useful and valuable, but as means and not as the end; when they conduct us to other things, and not when we stop at them; when they serve us as preparatives and instruments for better knowledge, without which the rest would be useless. Youth would have cause to complain, if they were condemned to spend eight or ten of the best years of their life in learning, at a great expence, and with incredible pains, one or two languages, and some other matters of a like nature, which perhaps they would seldom have occasion to use. The end of masters, in the long course of their studies, is to habituate their scholars to the serious application of mind, to make them love. and value the sciences, and to cultivate in them such a taste as shall make them thirst after them when they are gone from school; to point out the method of attaining them, and make them thoroughly sensible of their use and value; and by that means to dispose them for the different employments to which it shall please God to call them. Besides this, the end of masters should be to improve their hearts and understandings, to protect their innocence, to inspire them with principles of honour and probity, to train them [e] Liberalia studia hactenus utilia sunt, si præparent ingenium, nou detinent... Rudimenta sunt nostra, non opera... Non discere debemus ista, sed didicisse... Quid ex kis artibus metun demit, cupidita tem eximit, libidinem frænat? Senec. up up to good habits, to correct and subdue in them by gentle means the ill inclinations they shall be observed to have, [f] such as pride, insolence, an high opinion of themselves, and a saucy vanity continually employed in lessening others, a blind self-love, solely attentive to its own advantage, a spirit of raillery, which is pleased with offending and insulting others, an insolence and sloth, which renders all the good t qualities of the mind useless. ARTICLE II. TO STUDY THE CHARACTER OF CHILDREN, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEM WELL. EDUCATION, properly speaking, is the art of managing and forming the mind. Of all sciences it is the most difficult, the most intricate, and at the same time the most important, but yet not sufficiently studied. To judge of it by common experience, one would say, that of all animals man is the most untractable. It is the judicious reflection which Xenophon makes in his beautiful preface to the Cyropedia. After he has observed, that we never see flocks of sheep or oxen rebel against their leaders, whereas nothing is more common amongst men ;` it seems says he, a natural conclusion from hence, that it is more difficult to command over man than over beasts. But casting his eyes upon Cyrus who governed so many provinces in peace, and was equally beloved by the people he had conquered, and his natural subjects, [g] he concludes, that the fault must arise, not from those who are unwilling to obey, but from the superiors, who not how to govern. [f] Imprimis insolentiam & nimiam æstimationem sui, tumoremque elatum supra ceteros & amorem rerum suarum cœcum & improvidum, dicacitatem & superbiam contumeliis gaudentem, desidiam dissolutionemque segnis ani mi indormientis sibi. Senec. lib. de Vit. Beat. cap. i. [3] οὔτε τῶν ἀδυνάτων ἔτε τῶν χαρ λεπῶν ἔργων ἐςὶν ἀνθρώπων ἄρχειν, ἤν τις ἐπισαμένως τότο πράτῃ. X 3 The The same may be said in some measure of those who are entrusted with the education of children. [h] It must be owned that the mind of man, even in his infancy, bears the yoke with impatience, and naturally inclines to what is forbidden. [i] But what we must conclude from hence is, that for this very reason he requires more precaution and address, and that he' yields more willingly to mildness and violence, sequitur faciliùs, quàm ducitur. We sometimes see a highmettled horse caper and guaw the bit, and refuse to obey the spur; it is because he who is upon him, has a hard and heavy hand, knows not how to guide him, and checks the bridle when he ought not. Give this horse, who has a very tender mouth, an understanding and skilful rider, and he will check all his sallies, and with a light hand govern him with pleasure, generosi atque nobiles equi meliùs facili fræno reguntur. [k] To compass this end, the master's first care is thoroughly to study and search into the genius and character of the children, for by this he must regulate his conduct. [1] There are some who are lazy and remiss, unless they are continually called upon, and others cannot bear to be imperiously treated; some will be restrained by fear, and others, on the contrary discouraged. We can gain nothing out of some, but by mere labour and application; and others only will study by fits and starts; to endeavour to bring them all to a level, and make them submit to one and the same rule, is to attempt to force nature. The prudence of the master will consist in keeping a medium, equally removed from the two extreines; for here the ill so closely borders upon the good, that it is easy [h] Natura contumax est humanus animus, & in contrarium atque arduum nitens, sequiturque faciliùs quàm ducitur. Senec. de Clemen. lib. i. cap. 24. [] Nullum animal morosius est, nullum majore arte tractundum, quàm homo: nulli magis parcen dum. Ibid. cap. 17. [k] Ibid. cap. 24. [] Sunt quidam, nisi institeris remissi: quidam imperia indignantur; quosdam continet metus, quosdam debilitat: alios continuatio, extundit, in aliis plus impetus facit, Quint. lib. i. cap. 3. to |