Lea, a] 
manufactures and trade can be conveyed to our people.—What 
pains ought not to be taken to diffufe it throughout the king- 
dom! Reading and writing Englifh fhould, therefore, be fedu- 
loufly taught to every child in the nation, without exception 
of fex, ob{curity, ‘or indigence. 
I po not propofe the teaching of the Englifh language ac- 
cording to the abftract and metaphyfical rules of grammar, 
the comprehenfion of which is above the capacities of all chil- 
dren, and would be utterly ufelefs to the poor. But let the 
practice of ufing this language univerfally and exclufively be 
ftudioufly encouraged amongft the lower orders of the people, 
fo that infants may lifp it in their cradles and children pre- 
fer it in their plays. Then will the care of a well-informed 
fchool-mafter eafily correct vulgarifms, and by degrees accuf- 
tom the meaneft peafant to juft habits of fpeech. The accom- 
plifhment of this obje@ I take to be the firft and moft indif- 
penfable ftep towards national improvement. 
Tue fuperftru€ture to be erected on this foundation fhould 
be fuited to the wants and to the habits of men neceffitated 
to earn their bread by the fweat of their brow. 
VuLcar arithmetic is adapted to every capacity, and ufeful 
to perfons in every ftation. The common rules, and the man- 
ner of their application, fhould therefore be taught to all. 
Tue elder boys might, in my opinion, be eafily and very 
profitably inftructed in fome knowledge of the mechanic powers. 
I do not mean to recommend the teaching of geometry, or 
any 
ete os oo 
