sTUDt xiv. 339 



by the fide of a peafant's child, leaning on his 

 little ftick, drefled in canvas, in the very middle of 

 winter, and carryings in a fatchel, his little books, 

 and his flice of brown bread, for the provifion of 

 the whole day. Thus they would both learn to 

 know each other, before they came to be feparated 

 for ever. The child of the rich man would be in- 

 fhrudted to impart of his fuperfluity, to him who 

 is frequently deftined to fupport the affluent out 

 of his own neceflary pittance. Thefe children, of 

 all ranks, crowned with flowers, and diftributed 

 into choirs, would affift in our public procefiions. 

 Their age, their order, their fongs, and their in- 

 nocence, would prefent, in thefe, a fpeftacle more 

 auguft, than the lackeys of the Great bearing the 

 coats of arms of their mafters palled to wax-tapers, 

 and beyond all contradidion, much more affeâ:ing 

 than the hedges of foldiers and bayonets with 

 whit h, on fuch occalions, a God of Peace is en- 

 compafled, 



Tn this fchool, children might be taught to read 

 and to cipher. Ingenious men have, for this effedV, 

 contrived boards, and methods fimple, prompt, 

 and agreeable , but fchoolmaflers have been at 

 great pains to render them uftlefs, becaufe they 

 deftroyed their empire, and made education pro- 

 ceed fafter tiian was conlîftent with their emolu- 

 ment. If you wilh children to learn quickly to 



z 2 read. 



