into his college, and it is one indeed to be placed in a house, where the youth are carefully brought up, and no sensible parent will ever think otherwise. It would likewise in my opinion be prudent not blindly to receive all the scholars that should be offered, but first to be informed of their manners and characters, especially when they are somewhat grown up, and come from some other college or boarding-house.

But the most important point of discipline is never to suffer any scholar to remain in college that is capa ble of being prejudicial to others, either by corrupting the purity of their morals, or by inspiring them with a spirit of discontent and rebellion. In these two cases we may without scruple affirm the rule I am speaking of should be inviolably observed. To be convinced of it, we need only change the object, and ask one's self, whether one would leave a child that was sick of a contagious distemper with the rest. Is the infection of the morals then less dangerous, or attended with less fatal consequences? Can a principal, who has a just sense of religion, support this terrible, but true reflection, that God will one day demand of him on account of all the souls that should be lost in college, from his having declined to send away the corrupters, through views of interest, or too great complaisance, or even good nature? [r] Sanguinem ejus de manu tuâ requiram: his blood will I require at thy hand.

When I speak thus, I do not mean that every considerable fault, nor even every immoral action, is a reason for dismissing a scholar. The disease as such is not a reason for sending the sick person out of the infirmary, but only when it is known to be contagious, and capable of infecting others. Thus we must bear with a scholar for some time, but when we see that instructions, chiding, and punishments are ineffectual, and there is cause to apprehend that the evil may spread, the removal of him then becomes absolutely

necessary.

[r] Ezek. iii. 28.

I own there is no circumstance, which requires more prudence and discretion in the principal, than this I am speaking of. Nothing but the Spirit of God can keep him in a just medium, and inspire him with wisdom to behave so as not to offend through too great gentleness or too much severity. Nor can he in such a conjuncture implore too much his assistance and instruction.

Another means of preserving discipline and good order in a college, is firmly and discreetly to support and establish the authority of the lower masters, to stand stedfastly by them upon occasion, and never to blame them in the presence of the scholars, but to reserve what we have to say to them for their private ear, if it is judged necessary, and there to give them proper advice. To this end the principal should often see them, always receive them with humanity and civility, inform himself by them of the behaviour of the scholars, hear their complaints and opinions, and leave them entire liberty in order to gain their confidence. It is this union, this agreement and good understanding, which is the soul of government. The principal then hears all that passes, and all is managed by his directions. The masters, who are his arms, his ears and his eyes, receive all their motions from him, and he treats them also with the same tenderness, as the apple of his eye, and as so many parts of himself.

The vice-principal, upon whom the care of the discipline in general turns, and who almost universally holds the place, and supplies the absence of the principal, should in every thing follow his instructions. Vigilance, attention, and exactness, form his essential character. Nothing should escape him. During his recreations, whilst he is walking and talking with others, his eyes and his mind must be in another place. He must observe all that passes, and almost without seeming to do it; every motion, every conversation, every particular correspondence, and draw an advantage from them all. And the same may be said of all the other masters, who are equally obliged to be at

5

tentive,

tentive, and can more easily be so, as they have a smaller number of scholars to observe. There are some masters, who think in this point they may in conscience rely upon the person who is entrusted with the public discipline; but this is a mistake. For every master must answer for his scholars, and is obliged to watch over them at all times, when he is at liberty to do so.

We cannot too much recommend the doing every thing exactly in the time and moment appointed for it. There is little trouble in it, except in the beginning. When the custom is once established, the scholars observe it almost naturally, and without any difficulty. It is a pleasure to see a great number of boys disappear at once, as soon as the clock strikes, and leave the court empty; and it is a bad omen of the discipline of a college, when instead of a speedy departure they seem doubtful whether they shall go or no, and loiter one after another. And the same observation will hold good as to every thing else; their going into their classes, the refectory and the church. To establish this order, the principal and vice-principal must set the example, and be there always first.

This disposition to exactness is of great weight in all the employments of life. It is a qualification absolutely necessary to all that are in authority. To this end it is requisite to descend to very minute particulars; to attend to every thing almost without seeming to do so; to foresee at a distance, and prepare for whatever is to be done; not to be satisfied with giving orders, but to be regularly informed whether they are executed, and how; to see that the slightest injunctions are observed, in order to prevent by that means the breaking of such as are more essential. There are some masters who despise exactness in little things, because they look upon them as trifles; but they do not consider, that though every one of these rules may appear, perhaps of very little moment in particular, yet joined all together they form what is called discipline and good order in a college, and that

negligence

negligence in some usually induces the ruin of the rest. I could here willingly apply the observation of Livy upon the point of religion. These ceremonies, [s] says he, seem now to us small and contemptible; but it was by not despising them, that our ancestors raised the republic to that height of grandeur to which it has now attained. Parca sunt hæc, sed parva ista non contemnendo majores nostri maximam hanc rem fecerunt.

Not that I think good order in a college should be made to consist in the great number of rules. The multiplicity of laws is not always the sign of a good government. [t] Ut antehac flagitiis, ita tunc legibus laborabatur, says Tacitus. They are rather for the masters who know the necessity and advantages of them, than for the scholars who are apt to rise up at the bare name of laws. The example of the former, and an habit of practising these rules contracted by the other, is a living law, preferable to all that are written. It were to be wished we could say of a college, what the same [u] Tacitus says of the Germans, that good morals there have more force than good laws in other places. Plus ibi boni mores valent, quam alibi bonæ leges.

ARTICLE IV.

OF EDUCATION.

BY this word I here understand the particular care that is taken in forming the manners and characters of youth, wherein I suppose a great part of education to consist.

This care relates either to the body or the mind: and it is the principal's business to see that both are improved.

We may refer all that concerns the body to neatness and gracefulness.

With reference to neatness, I cannot do better than quote the express terms of the statute and injunction

[s] Liv. lib. vi. n. 4I.

[t] Tacit. Annal. lib, iii. c. 25,

[u] De Mor. Ger. cap. 19.

of

of the university upon this subject, [r] "The masters "must take care that their scholars have no nastiness "nor any thing dirty or gross in their dress; that they "do not express a remarkable negligence in their ha bit; that their clothes be not torn, their hair un"combed, or their hands unwashed. For it is requisite not only to give them a good taste for learn"ing and the sciences, but also to teach them a civil "and courteous manner of behaviour, which are so necessary for society and the commerce of life. "the other hand, the boys must not be allowed to "be too gaudy and trim in their apparel, nor must they affect to have their hair trimmed up and "curled with too much care and art." This injunction is very judicious, as it commands us to avoid the two extremes, which are alike vitious. We must not therefore suffer any affectation of finery in the scholars, and much less those airs of petits maitres, by which they sometimes strive to distinguish themselves.

On

Gracefulness with reference to the boys consists in a good address, in having a countenance settled and modest, in walking with an easy and natural air, in keeping themselves upright, in making a handsome bow, in not falling into indecent postures, nor indulging a certain air of negligence. For this end dancing-masters are useful to a certain degree, and Quintilian approves of our making some use of them. [y] Ne illos quidem reprehendendos putem, qui paulum etiam palæstricis vacaverint. But he was far from allowing, that such persons should be employed in this office, as were infamous and scandalous by their very profession. Hos abesse ab eo, quem instituimus, quàm longissimè velim. He confines this study to a narrow compass and admits only of the few necessary circumstances we have described above. Ut recta sint brachia, ne indoctæ

[] Provideant pædagogi & ma gistri, ut sui discipuli abhorreant à cultu immundo, luculento, & agresti; ne sint insigniter negligentes in vestitu: ne discincti, impexi, illoti: ut non solùm in literaturá, sed etiam in communi vitæ usu civilem

humanitatem politioremque urbanitatem ediscant. Sed hi, neque lasciviant immodestiùs, neque tortos arte & studio capillos cincin nosve ferant. Stat. 14. Append.

[y] Quintil. lib. i. cap. ii.

Pus