1807.] . ss surpassing 
der than himself. Franklin was the 
youngest of twelve children; Joel Bar- 
low of ten; Dr, Beattie of six. Mo- 
zart, whén but three years eld, used to 
be present wlien his sister, who was se- 
yen, was taking her lesson on the harpsi- 
chord, And the two great orators, whose 
recent and papa “loss the British se- 
nate is still every day’deploring, Fox and 
Pitt, were both younger bnoshens.) 
Bat it is not from instances collected 
at random that [ have derived the con- 
je ‘ture which { am attempting to estab- 
lish; it -has originated’ with me from an 
ebservation of more than thirty years, 
and { feel no hesitation in appealing to 
what must have been observed in this re-" 
spect by any person whose thoughts have 
chanced to be lead the same way. 
Independent of the exclusion from the 
paternal rank and estate, which, in this 
country, forces younger brothers to rise 
i the world by their own exertions, and 
acts as a powerlul stimulus to the ac- 
quirement of superior talents and abii- 
liti ies, the advantage of younger brothers 
ever the eider in the cultivation of .the 
mind is so obvious, that did they even 
not generally excel them .in talents and 
capacity, | might almost say as Voltaire 
said of an occurrence related in. his [is- 
tory of Charles X1L, the truth of which 
was called into question, “ if it. be not 
$0, it ought to he so;” for exampéie 
- teaches, ave emulation guickens. Ina 
family united’ by. the bouds of aifection, 
whatever the elder children know is 
eagerly communicated to the younger 
ones ; even the lesson that was irksomely 
got, is repeated with pleasure. Lt is 
astonishing with what interest a little boy 
of three listens to the chit-chat of a sister 
ef seven. How many ideas steal into 
lis mind; which without her company he 
would have been four years in acquiring » ! 
How many -impressions. atich would have 
left- but a slight trace, are couverted into 
vivid ideas! Look at ney: boy of five, 
who is meeting his brother coming from 
§chool.’ In laying hold of h is books, he 
Secretly wishes for the time when he shal I 
be allow éd: to read thems. Soon the two 
_ brothers are going to play together. An 
open ficld is the scene of their sport. 
Mark what efforts little George makes to 
run as well as Juhin. They are vain, it is 
true; yet his linbs are sooner rendered 
Supple, and his motions ave much guicker 
than those of John were at the same age. 
Thus George’s body and mind are both 
mioré vapidiy improved by having a bro- 
ther five years older than himself. If 
the surprising citects of the intercourse, 
0% 
the Elder in Mental Ab ilitios. 
July G, 1807. 
11] 
between mind and mind be acknowledged, 
it will also readily be allowed that they, 
must understand each other; 
that one must be capable of making itself” 
understood by the other. 
case with children. The elder ones make 
themselyes better understood by the 
younger ; and their communications guin- 
ing interest from being conveyed | in lan- 
guage adapted to the capacity of the lat- 
ter, these undeystand them better than 
they would a furmal teacher. Add to 
this, that they are thus taught withovt 
perceiving it, notat regular hours, or with 
pragmatical sameness, but without evel 
knowing that they are instructed. Ge 
and learn from your sister, 1s an os 
tion which will rarely be welcomed by 
young boy: but, Go and play with Ne 
sister, though im fact he be always oa 
larging the romele of his ideas in his si 
ter’s company, 1s a delightful invitation, 
In this manner younger brothers get a 
start of three or four years before the el- 
der. They know at twelve nearly as much 
as the latter at fifteen ; and the ti rst stock 
of knowledge having ‘been laid in with- 
out either pain or constraint, renders the 
access to learning more easy 2 and agreea- 
ble. In short they enjoy a longer and 
better instruction. 1 argue that both 
brothers finish their: ee non at the 
same period of life, for mstance at eigh- 
teen years of age. The hoy at twelve and 
the lad at fifteen being nearly at the same 
point of mental eequirements, he who has 
sIx years to. receive the benefit of judici- 
ous instruction has an evident advanta age 
over him who has only three years left 
for the completion of his education. 
Considered in this point of view, my 
hypothesis, st presume, will adimit of little 
opposition. At all events it shows that 
it is expedient to surround a young child 
with ehildven a few years older; that the 
first instructions ought to be ‘conveyed 
unperceived; and that a regular and early 
confinement to school deri its purpose. 
Jt may also be regarded-as a proof ta 
be added to the evidences already pro- 
luced in favour of the assertion that man 
is entirely the work of the cireumstances 
in which he is place at an early period of 
life, and that genius is acquired. 
But to enlarge on the importance of 
having the source of mental abilities as- 
certained, is unnecessary. Let it first be 
proved to demonstration that genius is 
acquired; it will then be oy to show ja 
what manner it is most surely acquired. 
Yow"s Xe. 
Pimlico, DanteL De VILEAU. 
ie 
or at least,. 
Either is the | 
: 
: 
