350 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



But, before we could pretend to eftablilh thefe 

 National Schools, we mufl; have men formed to 

 prefide in them. I would not have them chofen 

 from among thofe who are moft powerfully recom- 

 mended. The more recommendations they might 

 have, the more would they be given to intrigue, 

 and, confequently, the lefs would be their virtue. 

 The enquiry made concerning them ought not to 

 be, Is he a wit, a bright man, a Philofopher ? But, 

 Is he fond of children ? Does he frequent the un- 

 fortunate rather than the great ? Is he a man of 

 fenfibility ? Does he poffefs virtue ? With perfons 

 offucha charaéler, we fhould be furnifhed with 

 mafhers proper for conducing the public educa- 

 tion. Befides, I could wifh to change the appella- 

 tion of Mafter and Dodor, as harfh and lofty. I 

 would have their titles to import the friends of 

 childhood, the fathers of the Country 5 and thefe I 

 would have exprefled by beautiful Greek names, 

 in order to unite to the refpeâ: due to their func- 

 tions, the myfterioufnefs of their titles. Their con- 

 dition, as being deftined to form citizens for the 

 Nation, fhould be, at leaft, as noble, and as di- 

 flinguilhtd, as that of the Squires who manage 

 horles in the Courts cf Princes. A titled magi- 

 ftrate fliould prefide every day in each fchool. It 

 would be very becoming, that the magiPcrates 

 fhould caufe to be trained up, under their own 

 eyes, to juftice, and to the Laws, the children 



whom 



