THE RURAL SOCRATE?. itj 



^ He had forefeen and guarded againil all the difficulties 

 ' they feared ; and replied, that good inftitutions, firm- 

 ^ ly adhered to, would defend them from all inconvc- 



* niencies capable of fruflrating their fchemc. — The fa- 

 ' ther compofed a code for the ufe of his children, which 

 ^ they mofi cordially accepted, and ever fmce have re- 

 ' ligioufly obferved. 



^ By thefe laws ^he whole parental authority devolves 

 ' to a general afT^bly of the family. This afTembly dif- 

 ' cuITes their various interefis, applies remedies to their 

 ' grievances, and decides what meafures are moR eligi' 

 ^ bJe. A man is not admitted to thefe deliberations till 

 ' he is twenty ye-ars of age. The afTembly appoints a 



* prefident to take care of the money, to fign refolutions^ 

 ' and to condudl: affairs in o^eneral ; but he is reilrained 

 ' to the difpofal often piJioles 3 beyond which fum the 

 ^ alfembly mud determine. 



' They never require of the prefident an account of 

 ^ his adminiflration ; nor have they ever repented this 

 ^ fingular confidence. — Their great maxim, and the 



* foundation of all their rules, is, an implicit reverence 



* for their own family ; which is inftiiled in infancy. 



* This principle is characterized in many anecdotes. — 



* Their fecond maxim is, never to foar above their 

 ' original rank. — Thus thePi^nous, which is the fami- 

 ^ ]y name*, have never varied from other peafants in the 

 ^ articles of drefs, food, and lodging. They are call- 

 ' ed by their chriftian name. The prefident alone has 

 ' the title of Mr. : they call hiin Mader Pignou. — All 

 ^ follow the plough with their laborers. 



' The children are educated in common without any 

 ' di{lin<ftion, by a woman intruded with the care of 

 ' them to a certain age. She has alfo the fuperintcnd- 

 ' anceofthe dairy, and of the fervants belonging to it. 



' The family rules extend to domedics, who are to 



* be prefent at morning and evening prayers, and to be 

 ^ regular in the praclice of all Chridian duties. ' If 



* M. de Mi rabeau calls ii Pincou ; bat I fnppofe Pignou is the pJO™ 

 vtoclal way of founding it. F. • 



