6j> THE RURAL SOCRATES. 



" may he not often aflociate with the diffipated part of 

 " mankind ? - 1 will guard him from it as much as pof- 

 '' fible, faid the generous officer.'' — '' Whatever reli- 

 *' ance I have on your goodnefs, Sir, (replied Kliyogg) 

 " I beo; ag un to .-obferve, that your itation in life will 

 ** not allow you to watch his condu6"i with the vigilance 

 *' necefTary to my tranquillity. My children are Icarce- 

 *' ly a momernt out of my fight : they accompany either 

 *' mv brother or mvfeif through the whole^courfe 

 *' of country bufmefs ; and on Sundays I pais m.y time 

 *' agreeably, in reading with them, or in fmging pfalms, 

 *' or in waikjng over fields which our hands have culti- 

 *' vated ; where I explain to them the different parts of 

 *' agriculture, and remark with what fii'guiar liberality 

 *' Providence has rewarded our labor. By this fyflem 

 ^' of education they will efcape the evil of bad example ; 

 ^' fo long, ^t leaft, as my own life continues irreproach- 

 '' able.- — I find (faid my friend) your maxims of educa- 

 ^' tion prudent end fenlible ; but you have feven fons in 

 *' your family, who cannot always be kept at home : 

 ^' you mufl by fome means or other, endeavor to pro- 

 *^' cure them (bme eflabllQiment ; and on this fuppofition 

 *' the army is not to be defpifed : many a worthy man 

 *' makes his fortune there.'' — -".I acknowledge it, Sir, 

 ^' but 1 have a competency for all my fons, provided 

 ^^ they unite to regularity of condu(5]:, that ardor for 

 ^' work, which nothing ought toextiwguifli. This very 

 "' eftate, which has fupported me hitherto, will fupport 

 *' them and their defcendants, if Providence thinks fit^ 

 ^^ when cultivate d with care and induffcry." — '' But 

 '^' furcly happinefs is to be found in other flates, as well 

 "■^ as in huibandry." — '' Indiiputabiy it may, by thofe 

 *' who have been habituated to them from their infan- 

 '•^ cy, and have made themtiicir conllant iludy. Prov- 

 '^^ idertce having placed me in a farm, 1 have inflruifted 

 *-^ my children in agriculture : Hiey are ignorant of eve- 

 '-' ry thing elfe : their ideas, their hopes of happinefs, 

 '■ ^r-^ br-:^pdcfi to the blciTmg ^vf favorable feafons on 



*^ their 



