£60 E D U C A T I O K. 
ral ideas, and without fome (hare of learning, would be 
an unfit companion for thofe in the rank to which he is 
advanced ; a melancholy confideration, that after all the 
toils and cares of bufinefs, when he has acquired a prince¬ 
ly fortune, he mud be excluded from the fociety of men 
of equal condition, but fuperior education, or appear ri¬ 
diculous in it; that he mu ft be unfit for parliamentary 
or civil employments, though the influence of money 
may procure him admifiion to them all! Thofe, there¬ 
fore, who are intended for a genteel line of commercial 
purfuits, fhould beftow at lead as much attention on the 
cultivation of their minds, as on the mechanical attain¬ 
ments above-mentioned: and there is time enough for 
the accomplifhment of both purpofes, in the courfe 
of an education properly conducted, and long enough 
continued. 
We need not ufe argument in recommending the ftudy 
of French and geography to the intended merchant. 
Their obvious utility is univerfally underltood. It is 
well known, and much to be lamented, that the (hafts of 
wit and ridicule have often been fuccefsfully thrown at 
city magiftrates, and other public charadters, whofe offices 
ought to fecure refpedt. This unfortunate cireu.mfiance 
has been entirely owing to that defect in their education, 
which their wealth could never compenfate. Parents, 
therefore, who educate their fons for the accompting- 
hoitfe, fhould recoiled!, that they are not to remain there 
always: but fnould let their minds be early imbued with 
fuch a portion of genuine and elegant learning, as will 
remain with them, and conflitute them gentlemen what¬ 
ever may be their employment. 
The French language, now fo effential to the acquire¬ 
ments of every man of the world, as well as to the mer¬ 
chant, abounds with authors elegant, lively, learned, and 
claflical. To be ignorant of it, is therefore to cut off a 
copious fource of amufement and information. Perhaps 
the greater number of parents wifh rheir fons to learn 
French, chiefly that they may be enabled to fpeak the 
language. This is certainly a valuable attainment; but 
an ability to read and tafte the beauties of tiie celebrated 
French writers, is alfo highly valuable. To learn to fpeak 
French witii real elegance and with fluency, it will be ne- 
ceffary to give it great attention, or to refide fome time 
among the natives of France. To read it with eafe and 
critical accuracy, may be foon acquired with moderate 
application ; and it is, in every refpedt, a very eligible 
and valuable acquifition. Italian is alfo very defirable 
to a fcholar; but it is not ufually taught in fchools. He 
that tinderftands French ‘and Latin will foon be able to 
teach it himfeif, for it is very eafy to read and underftand 
it, if not to fpeak if. Let the (Indent read a chapter or 
two every other day, for two or three months, in an Ita¬ 
lian Teftament, and he will foon be able to read Guic¬ 
ciardini, arid other introductory Italian authors. 
The ornamental accomplifhments, fo far as there is 
room for them without breaking in upon others, are not 
to be negledted in the regular courfe of a polite educa¬ 
tion. They furnifh.engagement for the time ; filling up 
the (paces which would be otherwife worfe employed, 
they find matter for the judgment to work, upon, exercife 
the faculties, and keep them.fteady to one regular pur- 
fuit; they procure credit to the poiieffor, make menJ'odable 
by. being able to give mutual entertainment,, and thereby intro¬ 
duce opportunities of doing one another more important 
Cervices, by bringing them into better confidence and 
knowledge of their reciprocal wants. Though they ter¬ 
minate only in pleafure, yet the.amufements of life, when 
to be had without an after-reckoning, are. an object well 
worth the driving for. Boys therefore (hould be taught 
to value external graces only in a fubordinate degree ;. 
and great care (hould be taken, that they, may not be 
viewed in fo favourable a light as to appear capable of 
becoming the fubftitutes of moral and intellectual excel¬ 
lence. When the boy is once taught to efteem religion, 
fcarning, truth, benevolence, and a power of becoming 
Ufeful to himfeif an-d'others, as they ought to be efteemed 
as qualities which do honour to human nature, and ex¬ 
ceed all the little arts of pleafing by external deportment, 
as much as a reafonable nature exceeds the be dial; then 
let him be introduced to the ftudy of thofe arts, whofe 
true ufe and end are to make virtue appear dill more 
amiable. When we take a view of the feparate parts 
that conflitute perfonal elegance, we immediately know 
the feeds that are proper to be cherifhed in the infant 
mind, to bring forth the beauteous production. The vir¬ 
tues (hould be cultivated early with facred care. Good¬ 
nature, modefly, affability, and a kind concern for others, 
fhould be carefully inculcated ; and an eafy unconftrained 
dominion acquired by habit over the pafiions. A mind 
thus finely prepared, is capable of the higheft luftre of 
elegance; which is afterwards attained with as little la¬ 
bour as our firft language, by only affociating with grace¬ 
ful people of different characters, from whom an habitual 
gracefulnefs will be acquired, that will bear the natural. 
unaffeCted (tamp of our own minds: in (liort, it will be- 
our own character and genius (tripped of its native rude- 
nefs, and enriched with beauty and attraction. With 
thefe ideas in his mind, let the boy learn to dance. It 
will contribute to his health and to his growth. It will, 
give the human form, in the embellilhment of which na¬ 
ture has bellowed peculiar care, the power of difplaying 
its natural beauty and fymmetry. It will (Lengthen the 
limbs, and render them fit for their proper exertion. A 
(kill in the art, independent of other advantages, is de- 
iirable, as it enables young people to join in a diver- 
lion, which, in decent company, is no lefs innocent than 
pleafing. 
Fencing, as a gymnaftic art, is highly ufeful in (Length¬ 
ening the body. In feveral walks of life, cultom hath 
rendered it effentially requifite. If the fcholar choofes to 
purfue it, and has a convenient opportunity, he (hould 
not negleCt it; fince it furnifhes an excellent mode.of bo¬ 
dily exercife, after the. labour of the mind in a fedentary 
employ rtient. The learning of the military exercife, which 
is now ve-ry common, is alfo, in feveral points of view, 
beneficial. It gives a manlinefs of mien, it renders the 
body ereCt, and the limbs rob lift ; and it qualifies youth 
to defend their country in an effectual manner, when c'alled 
out by an emergency. It may likewife have an indirect 
influence, in infpiring manly fentiments, and inflnuating 
a love of order. 
Mufic furnidles a fweet amufement to the man of let¬ 
ters. Boys are not often initiated in it at fchools. With 
great propriety, they are ufually left to follow, in this 
particular, the impulfe of their genius or their inclination. 
Without the co-operation of thefe, no valuable proficiency* 
is ever made in performing on a mufical inftrument. 
Scarcely any art is purfued, invita Minerva, or without a 
natural turn for it, fo unfuccefsfully as mulic. And in- 
’deed to arrive at any great excellence in it, requires more 
time and attention, than-can well be bellowed by him 
who follows any other purfuit with ardour. The lover 
of mufic, who has full employment of another kind, and 
who has not any very remarkable degree of genius for 
mufic, (liculd content himfeif with hearing (kilful per¬ 
formers; opportunities, for which abound in this culti¬ 
vated age and nation. 
Drawing is frequently taught at fchools ; not often with 
any Angular fuccefs. It is, however, a very convenient 
as well as agreeable accomplLlhment; and, where a ge¬ 
nius for it evidently appears, no care (hould be (pared in 
its cultivation. In general, whatever ornamental accom- 
pliihments the (Indent may with to purfue, he (hould call 
to mind what has often been repeated with a figh, that 
life is (hort, and art long. A puflion which parents of 
the prefent age are apt to run into is, to make children 
learn all things; the languages, the feiences; mufic, the 
exercifbs, and painting. Thus the child foon becomes a. 
talker in all, but a mailer in none. He thus acquires a 
fuperficial fondnefs for every thing, and only (hews his 
x ignorance^ 
