fruit: however external caufes may in fome degree co-operate, it is the internal vigour and virtue of the tree that muft ripen the juices to their juft maturity." HARRIS.

I will add, that a boy will retain what he has acquired by his own labour, because he will know what it cost him. Οὐδεὶς ουσίαν, ην αυτός εκλήσατο, καλέφαγεν, ἦν δὲ παρ' άλλου παρέλαβε. A man does not ufually devour the fubftance which he has acquired himjelf; but that which he has received from another. CEPHISIDORI Apophthegma.

The late unfortunate Chatterton is a proof of the advantage of private and unaffifted application. He was indeed poffeffed of a very extraordinary genius; but he had alfo furnished himself with a great fhare of peculiar learning at the age of fixteen. Unprotected and untutored, he had made a progrefs feldom equalled at a more advanced age, by those who have enjoyed the affiftances of the best schools, and the most famous univerfities. true isit, ΕΑΝ ΗΣ ΦΙΛΟΜΑΘΗΣ ΕΣΗ ΠΟΛΥΜΑΘΗΣ, If you love learning, you will have learning.

So

"In ERASMUS we behold a man, who in the days of his youth, lying under no fmall DISAD

VANTAGES OF BIRTH AND EDUCATION, DEPRESSED BY POVERTY, FRIENDLESS AND UNSUPPORTED, CR. VERY SLENDERLY SUPPORTED, MADE HIS WAY THROUGH ALL THESE OBSTA

CLES, and, by the help of bright parts and coNSTANT APPLICATION, became one of the moft confiderable fcholars of his age, and acquired the favour and protection of princes, nobles and prelates, of the greatest names in church and ftate..

"After PERSONAL MERIT (fays BRUYERE), "it must be confeffed that high ftations and pom"pous titles are the principal and moft fplendid "marks of diftinction; AND HE WHO CANNOT BE AN ERASMUS, MUST THINK OF BEING A BISHOP." JORTIN. Other

66

Other inftances might be produced; but this of the great Erafmus may be INSTAR OMNIUM, or equivalent to all.

"Education (fays father Gerdil) may indeed be termed an art; but it is one of those arts which are fimply directory, forming nothing. The gardener, to whom a young plant is committed in charge, carefully tranfplants it into the most convenient fpot, defends it from every thing which may injure it, from the heat of the dog-days and the winter's froft. If it bends in its growth, he ftraightens it, though he is obliged to make ufe of violence, and fcruples not to use the knife for cutting off fuch ufelefs branches as would only serve to divert the course of that fap which is intended for its nourishment, and to make it bear fruit. The gardener forms nothing: all he does is to keep at a distance every thing that would interrupt nature in its operations. It is nature caufes the young plant to grow, and the inward energies of nature which extend to every part." Doctrina fed vim promovet infitam, Rectique cultus pectora roborant.

But learning advances the native strength to perfection, and right culture ftrengthens the inward powers.

HOR.

Injudicious parents are apt to think it hard, that their child must work fo much, when they provide fuch various and coftly affiftance. They are apt alfo to be unreasonably impatient in expecting to reap very early the fruits of their own expence and their child's labour. They are difpleafed if they fee not a hafty improvement: Let them attend to Plutarch, he who plants a vineyard, foon eats the grape; fo in other plantations a few months bring the fruit of our labours to our eye and taste. Oxen, horfes, fheep, &c. foon bring us profit, and do us much fervice in return for a little expence and

trouble.

But man's education is full of labour

trouble. and coft. The increase is flow, the fruit and comfort far off, not within fight.'

Sicuti enim horologii umbram progreffam fentimus, progredientem non cernimus: et fruticem aut herbam creviffe apparet, non apparet crefcere, ita et ingeniorum profectus. For as we perceive that the shadow Is MOVED upon the dial, yet do not fee it MOVING; and as it appears, that the Shrub or the grafs is GROWN, though it does not appear TO BE GROWING; just fo is the improvement of the understanding. JOACH. FORT. RINGEL.

CRESCIT OCCULTO VELUT ARBOR VO. It grows like a tree under the unfeen operation of time. HOR.

SECTION

XXVI.

ON LATE LEARNERS, AND ON PERSONS WHO WISH TO RECOVER THE ACQUISITIONS OF THEIR YOUTH.

Σωκράτης ἐν γήρα κιθαρίζων, και παρακρίνων ευίχανε και τις ἐιπονθ, κιθαρίζεις τηλικέτων ὢν ; κρεῖττον, ἔἶπεν, ὀψιμαθῆ εἶναι ἡ ἀμαθῆ. Socrates in his old age happened to be playing on the lyre, and thrumming away upon the strings, when fomebody came up and faid, What? are you, at your time of life, playing on the lyre? Aye, faid he, it is better to learn a thing late, than not to learn it at all. DEMOSTHENES.

Cato, literas Græcas ætate jam declinatâ didicit, ut effet hominibus documento, ea quoque percipi poffe quæ fenes concupifcent. QUINTILIAN.

THE

HE paffion for letters fhews itself at different periods of life. Many perfons have paffed through a fchool, without exhibiting either inclination or ability for literary pursuits, who have afterwards fhone in the world of letters with distinguished luftre. The faculties of their minds have expanded at a later period than common, or peculiar occafions have occurred to excite their induftry and emulation.

Others there are, who never were placed at a claffical fchool, and have either not had, or have not availed themselves of other opportunities of improving themselves; but who, when their judgment is matured by obfervation and expe

rience,

rience, earnestly wifh and endeavour to furnish themselves with the learning of a gentleman. They often mifcarry in their attempt, not from want of affiduity or of perfeverance, but from ignorance of a proper method *.

The

*The following is a letter of Erafmus, containing advice to a student:

Cum te incredibili quodam ardore literarum flagrare minimè dubitarem, hortatore nihil opus effe putavi, fed ejus quam ingreffus effes viæ duce modo, ac tanquam indice, id quod mei officii effe judicavi, videlicet, ut tibi veftigia quibus ipfe à puero effem ingreffus commonftrarem. Qua fi tu pari curâ accipias, quâ ego dicturus fum, futurum. confido, ut neque me monuiffe, neque te paruiffe pœnituerit.

Prima igitur cura fit, ut præceptorem tibi deligas quàm eruditiflimum. Neque enim fieri poteft, ut is rectè quenquam erudiat qui fit ipfe ineruditus. Quem fimulatque nactus fueris, fac omnibus modis efficias, ut ille patris in te, tu filii vicifsìm in illum induas affectum. Ad quod quidem cùm ipfa honefti ratio nos debet adhortari, quod non minus debeamus iis à quibus rectè vivendi rationem quàm à quibus vivendi initia fumpfimus; tum ifta mutua benevolentia tantum ad difcendum habet momenti, ut fruftra fis literarum præceptorem habiturus, nifi habueris et amicum.

Deinde, ut te illi et attentum et affiduum præbeas. Contentione enim immodicâ nonnunquam obruuntur ingenia difcentium. Affiduitas verò et mediocritate fuâ perdurat, et quotidianis incrementis majorem opinione acervum accumulat. Satietate cùm omnibus in rebus tum in literis nihil perniciofius. Laxanda eft igitur aliquoties illa literarum contentio, intermifcendi lufus; fed

liberales,