3ô6 STUDIES OF KATURE. 



phrafeology, but as deftitute of common fenfe as 

 many others of the kind. Is not a child, itiflu- 

 cnced by the emulation of the fchools, under the 

 necelfity of renouncing it, from the very firft ftep 

 be makes in the World, if he means to be fup- 

 portable to his equals, and to himfelf ? If he pro- 

 pofes to himfelf no other objedt but his own ad- 

 vancement, Will he not be afflided at the profpe- 

 rity of another ? Will he not, in the courte of his 

 progrefs, be liable to have his mind torn with the 

 averfions, the jealoufies, and the defires, which muft 

 deprave it, both phyfically and morally ? Do not 

 Philofophy and Religion impofe on him the necef- 

 lity, of exerting himfelf every day of his life, to 

 eradicate thofe faults of education? The World 

 itfelf obliges him to mafk their hideous afpecl. 

 Here is a fine perfpedive opened to human life, 

 in which we are conftrained to employ the half of 

 our days, in deftroying, with a thoufand painful 

 efforts, what had been raifing up in the other, with 

 fo many tears, and fo much parade. 



We have borrowed thofe vices from the Greeks, 

 without being aware, that they had contributed to 

 their perpetual divifions, and to their final ruin. 

 The greateft part, at leaft, of their exercifes, had 

 the good of their Country, as the leading objeft. 

 If there were propofed, among the Greeks, prizes 

 for fiiperloriiy in \vrefi:ling, in boxing, in throwing 



the 



