1792,  — on teaching the Englifh language. 149 
by the preceptor. A little tale, or story, or historical in- 
cident will be best; and let each of them be desired to 
bring, not a transcription of that from memory, but an ab- 
stract of it, in which they fhould aim at giving a clear 
idea of it, always in the fewest words pofsible. For that 
purpose they fhould be desired to distinguith, in their own 
mind, the circumstances that are efsentially necefsary. and 
important, from those that are more frivolous or improper, 
taking care toreject the last, and to seize only the great and. 
leading ideas, thus concentring, as it were into a focus, alf 
the good thoughts, so as to make a strong and vivid imprefsion. 
By exercises of this sort, under the correction of a judicious 
preceptor, the attention of the pupil would be directed 
towards thoughts instead of words. The way to find good 
words, is first to.obtain clear ideas. The man who thinks 
justly, will never be satisfied with a slovenly phraseology. 
The man whose mind is imprefsed with a vivid idea, will 
not fail to find a forcible exprefsion. He who wants to 
reach the heart, will soon perceive that he must not play 
with the fancy. Thus will be introduced a taste for that 
manly, dignified eloquence which speaks to the heart and 
understanding, whose greatest ornaments are purity and 
simplicity alone. 
In the prosecution of this plan, our author will have 
three Goliaths.to encounter, Johnson, Gibbon, Sterne. 
‘He has, however, the satisfaction to know, that they are 
already gone to sleep with their fathers, while Xenophon 
and Thucydides still continue to be admired. It is those 
writings, alone, that are simple and pure, which continue 
to be read for ages. Affectation and bombast may please 
by their novelty ; but when that is over, they only ex- 
cite disgust and cqntempt. ‘The little book by our coun- 
tryman Dr John Gregory, on the comparative state of 
man, whose language is so natural, so simple, and se 
