prevailing Distemper of Avarice, that makes them only confider the present Moneys they fave by this frugal Impiety, without having any diftant Views to the fatal Confequences refulting from their fparing, but unjuftifiable, Conduct and Oeconomy. The firft, but certain Iffue of this Neglect of Education, is, that the Youth becomes the Mark of Public Contempt and Derifion : The Follies, he cannot by the bare Force of unedified Nature fmother or correct, lay him open to the Observations, and thence malicious Detractions of Company: All their Wit and Envy is employ'd to found his Want of Understanding; and when his Weakness has betray'd him to the Enemy, they moft ungeneroufly infult the Wretch, and make him a Tool to their Pleasure and Raillery. Whoever certainly would with Serioufnefs perufe the Satyrical Character my Lord Rochefter has given of an unpolish'd Country Squire, would firmly refolve to make it his Endeavour to protect his Son from deferving the Lash of fuch Satire.

In Eafter Term,

My young Mafter's Worship comes to Town; From Pedagogue and Mother just fet free, The hopeful Heir of a great Family,

That with ftrong Beer and Beef the Country

rules,

And

And ever fince the Conquest have been Fools.And still with careful Profpect to maintain That Character, left croffing of the Grain Should mend the Booby-breed, his Friends provide

A Coufin of his own to be his Bride. ·And thus fet out

With an Estate, no Wit, and a young Wife, The folid Comforts of a Coxcomb's Life,

Dunghil and Peafe forfook, he comes to Town, Turns Spark, learns to be lewd, and is undone.

It may be made an Obfervation of general Proof, and a Rule which admits of very few Exceptions, That your raw undifciplin'd Youth is ever fond of affuming the Character of a Fine Gentleman; but he pants after only the Bravery and Outfide of their Compofition; is affected with the Charms and Freedom of their Mien, and apes it with an aukward, but diffolute Gallantry. From this acquired Fop, he studies to make himfelf a Rake; thinks 'tis fine and fashionable to frequent public Places, where Men of referv'd Notions and Principles decline being feen: Is ambitious of feeming to know the Town, be converfant with Gallantries and Extravagance; gleans the Hiftories of romantic Intrigues from Coffee-House Converfation, and puts them

upon

Yet

upon the next Company for his own. tho' he talks with all the fpecious Informa tion, he is this Woman's Cully, and the Sharper's Bubble. If of a timorous and cowardly Difpofition, perhaps, he is only impotent in Vice, and a vain Affecter of being thought wild: If he have the Seeds' of Daring and Refolution in his Soul, he steps boldly into Enormities, and is only afraid of being counted Sober and Precife: efteems all religious Duties Superftition and Prieft-craft; a modeft and virtuous Behaviour stupid and fimple; looks on Morality as an unmanly Tye on his Temper; and that it is a Diminution to him either to be' careful of his own Fame, or his Creditors Wants. Thus, thro' Contempt of a found and orderly Way of Living, he precipitates himfelf into riotous and fervile Pleafures. Then will thofe Parents dearly repent, when it is too late to amend it, and vex themfelves even to Diftraction for thofe vicious Courfes of their Children, unto which their own. Neglect hath betray'd them. When they behold them fquandering their Subftance in Feafting, fhaking it off with Rooks at the Hazard-Table, employing it to compound a Drunken Battery, or lavifhing it in the Support of a Strumpet's Extravagance; while by all thefe purfued Amusements of a deprav'd Inclination, they are only purchafing

chafing Diseases, riding Poft after Poverty, and running themselves both out of Health and Credit.

One might be much more prolix in enumerating the ill Effects and Miscarriages that attend the Want of a regular Education; but let every Man's Imagination, from this fhort View, widen the Profpect of his own Thoughts; let him confider, in the Compafs of his own Acquaintance, who has been faulty in this Regard, and then trace the known Confequence of that Error. If not yet fo, let him in Fancy make himfelf a future Father, look with Deteftation on an Omiffion that brands himself and his Pofterity, and be ashamed to train up an Heir to his Fortunes, whom the whole World will judge imperfect, and but half made. I look upon a Wife Father, like an Artful Painter; the begetting his Child is only chalking out the Grofs Lines of his Piece; Educating him, is laying the Colours, and the Manner of that Education, is the Strength and Felicity of his Lights and Shades: By the Boldness of the Strokes, and finishing Beauties, every one will determine of the Workman's Skill and Accuracy; by the Want of Strength, or Deviation of Nature, they will as readily find out his Ignorance or Careleffnefs: This Image puts me in Mind of a Story not unapplicable

unapplicable to thefe deficient and unperforming Fathers. 'Tis faid, A wretched Painter, fhewing Apelles a Picture, told him withal, That be bad taken a very little Time to draw it. If thou hadst not told me fo, faid Apelles, I fee Caufe enough to believe it was a bafty Draught. The Manners, and Deportment of our Sons will be strong Evidences of our Negligence in cultivating them, and lay us open to the Reproof of every judicious Obfervator.

'Tis plain, therefore, that a good Education, and regular Inftruction, are the best Portions we can bestow on our Children, and fuch only as can truly enrich them; and those two afford great Helps and Affistances towards the Attainment of Virtue and Felicity. For all other good Things are but Human, and of fmall Value, fuch as will hardly recompence the Industry requir'd to the getting of them. We all might defire to be well defcended; but 'tis of our Anceftor's Goods, not our own: Riches are valuable, but the Goods of Fortune, who frequently takes them from the Poffeffors,

and carries them to those that never fo much as hop'd for them. Glory is a Thing deferving Refpect, but unftable; Beauty is a Bleffing, but of a fhort Continuance; Health a precious Enjoyment, but eafily impair'd; Strength a Quality of Defire

and