prevent his improvement, and may perhaps occafion his ruin. It is not rigid to explode those fanciful modes of inftruction which injure, while they indulge, the inexperienced pupil. But it would be rigid not to unite the agreeable with the ufeful, whenever the union can be effected. Books, therefore, written for the use of children, fhould be rendered pleafing to the eye and to the imagination. They fhould abound in cuts *, and should be adorned with gilding, and every attractive colour. The matter fhould be not only intelligible to the weakeft capacity, but interesting. Fables are universally used, and with great propriety. No one wants to be informed how many, and how various, are the books in our language adapted to the use of children. Even the common fpelling-books, though they exhibit no great ingenuity in their compilation †, are fufficiently well calculated to teach the art of reading, and have been instrumental in teaching by far the greater part of the *At firft a plain alphabet, clearly and diftintly printed on fine paper, is the most adviseable; for the child will not look at the letter when there is a print of fome more amufing object at its fide. When it can read a little, fo as to know fomething of the meaning of the prints, then they are proper. + If they were printed on a better type and paper, I think they might fuperfede the ufe of all other initiatory compilations. Learning is under greater obligations than fhe is willing to allow to Mefirs. Dilworth, Dyche, and other moft ufeful, though not very illuftrious, authors of fpellingbooks. nation, from their first appearance. A * poetess of our own times, remarkably diftinguished by her tafte and genius, has condefcended to compofe little books for the initiation of children in reading, and they feem well adapted to effect her laudable purpose. The greateft objection to the very early inftruction which I recommend is, that, when injudiciously directed, it may injure the health of the tender pupil. But it may certainly be fo conducted, as neither to injure health †, nor to preclude that lovely cheerfulness which marks and adorns the vernal feafon of life. All corporeal punishment, and all immoderate re * Mrs. Barbauld, whofe condefcenfion in writing thefe little books, is not lefs amiable than her ingenuity. "There is nothing to hinder a child from acquiring every ufeful branch of knowledge, and every elegant accomplishment fuited to his age, WITHOUT IMPAIRING HIS CONSTITUTION; but then the greatest attention must be had to the powers of the body and the mind, that they neither be allowed To LANGUISH FOR WANT OF EXERCISE, nor be exerted beyond what they can bear." Dr. GREGORY. This amiable writer has, however, used fome arguments, which, I fear, will induce very indulgent parents to put off inftruction too long. What he fays is plaufible. But I think he ufes fome arguments which I fhall call argumenta ad matres. † Ου λυπόντα δεῖ ΠΑΙΔΑΡΙΟΝ ἐλθὲν ἀλλα θοντά τις Correct your LITTLE ONE by winning arts wel MENANDER ftraint, ftraint, must be prohibited. Praife, careffes, and rewards, are the best incitements to application. If thefe will not operate, the point muft for a while be given up. A more favourable feafon will foon arrive, under proper management. Thefe motives, however, will feldom fail, when applied by the parents, or by those who with the real intereft of the child at heart, have alfo integrity and diligence to promote it. Such qualities are certainly more defirable in the first inftructors, than learning and great abilities *. * Quidam literis inftituendos, qui minores feptem annis effent, non putaverunt, quod illa prima ætas et intellectum difciplinarum capere et laborem pati non poffit. Quid meliùs alioqui facient, ex quo loqui poterunt ? Faciant enim aliquid neceffe eft. Aut cur hoc, quantulumcunque eft, ufque ad feptem annos lucrum faftidiamus? Nam certè quamlibet parum fit quod contulerit ætas prior, majora tamen aliqua difcet puer eo ipfo anno, quo minora didiciffet. Hoc per fingulos annos prorogatum in fummam proficit; et, quantum in infantia præfumptum eft temporis, adolefcentiæ acquiritur. Non ergo perdamus primum ftatim tempus: atque eo minus, quòd initia literarum folâ memoriâ conftant; quæ non modò jam eft in parvis, fed tum etiam tenaciffima eft. Some have thought that none should be inftructed in letters who are under seven years of age, becaufe that early period can neither comprehend learning nor endure labour. But what can they do better from the time at which they are able to talk? For fomething they must do. Or why should we flight the gain, little as it is, which accrues before the age of feven? For certainly, however little that may be which the preceding age shall have contributed, yet the boy will be learning greater things in that very year, in which he would otherwife have been learning fmaller. This, extended to feveral years, amounts to a fum; and whatever is anticipated in infancy, is an acquifition to the period of youth. Let us not then throw away even the very first period; and the less fo, as the elements of learning require memory alone, which is not only found in little boys, but is very tenacious in them. QUINTILIAN, SECTION II. ON DISCOVERING WHETHER OR NOT THERE TINATION, ACCORDING TO APPEARAN- Ut fæpè fumma ingenia in occulto latent! ·M UCH has been faid on the neceffity of studying the natural propenfity of the pupil, and of directing him to thofe peculiar ftudies to which he appears particularly adapted by nature. Mafters have been cenfured for giving their inftructions without a due difcrimination, and for training a great number of boys, of different tempers and deftinations, exactly in the fame method. The cenfure is often mifplaced; for it feldom happens that the opinion of the mafter has any influence in determining either the future profeffion of the boy, or the particular modes of preparation for it. The parent, for inftance, who has friends in the Church or in the State, fends his child to the grammar-fchool, where he is to be qualified for the univerfity. Perhaps chance, or the caprice of the child, or an opinion that he is not likely to make his way in any other road, determine the father in felecting him for a learned or a clerical life. The mafter receives him into his fchool. He can feldom have a competent trial of him, previous to admiffion. To refuse him, even if he defpaired of his fucceeding as a fcholar,. would |