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4965 Smith (William), General idea of the College of Mirania. With a sketch of teaching science and religion in the several classes, and some account of its rise, establishment, and buildings. 8vo. N. Y. 1753

Tliis account contains “ Verses spoken at the opening of the College of Mi- rani a.”

“Mirania, gentlemen,” says the author, “is one of the Provinces of the New World, first settled by our countrymen, the English, above a century ago.

In what Degrees of Latitude, &c., it lies is of no importance. I am not 4 to write its history, but only to give an account of its College,” &c.

i

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4

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GENERAL

O F T H E

COLLEGE

MIRA N I A-,

WITH

A Sketch of the Method of teaching Science and Religion , in the fever al ClalTes :

AND

Some Account of its Rife, Eftablifhment and Buildings,

Addrefs’d more immediately to the Confideration of the T ruftees nominated, by the Legiflature, to receive Propofals, £s?r. relating to the Eftablifhment of a College in the Province of N RW-YORK*

Quid Leges fine Moribus vanes proficiunt ? Hor.

Nullum Animal morofius efi \ nullum majore Arte traffandum quam Homo . Natura Jequitur melius quam ducitur * Seneca.

N E W - Y O R K :

Printed and Sold by J. Parker and W;Weyman, atx the New Printing-Office in Beaver-Street , 1 753.

[Price One Shilling and SixPence.]

ess. m* .

THE

CONTENTS

VERSES fpoken at the opening of the College o itAirania, p. $ Introduction. P* 7

ObjeCt of Education, and Defign of our Creation, 10, n, 12

A grand Divifion of Mankind into two ClafTes. 13 » 1 4

Mechanics School, 24, is

Latin-School , l<>> 1 7

College } or five learned ClafTes ;

xft, or Greek Clafs, *7

id, or Mathematical Clafs, ibid

$ds or Philofophical Clafs, i?

4tb Clafs.—

Rhetoric, 19,20. Poetry, 21

Criticifm, ib. Composition, ib, 22. Taftc, 24, 25*

5*6 Clafs. 26

Animal Anatomy ; Agriculture, 26,

27

Hiftory, Politics, &c, 27* 38, z)

Oeconomy of the Clafies. 3 1. 32, Public Exercifes,

Declamation,

Dramatic Performances,

Englifil Language,

Modern Languages,

Matters in athletic Exercifes, lb, 38 Natural Religion and good Morals,

38, 39

as enforc’d in the

iftClafs in the Study of Homer, 4© ad Clafs, efpecially in the Study o Aftronomy, 4*

3d Clafs; chiefly in the Study ol Micrography, 4-

4th Clafs. 4#

5th Clafs, In the Study of

Agriculture, 47. By a Land- skip, ibid, 48

Tafte of true Greatnefs form’d,

By Hiftorical FaCts, 49, 50, s 1, 5 a»

S3

Love of the Britifh Conftitution,

;s, s$

Good EffeCts of fuch an Education,

S6, 5 7, 5 8, J9, &c-

Of the Edifice, <Si, 62, 6j

Method of filling up the ClafTes, and carrying the whole into Execution in five Years. 69

A Provincial annual Lottery, 70

An Englifil Lottery, ibid

Commencement, ibid

An Englifil School in eachTownfhip,

7*

And one Latin School in the moft con- venient Place in each County, ibid Conclusion, touching the Imitation of this Inftitution of Mirania, in the Province of New-YorJ^, 7 5

Poflfcript, containing part of a Letter from the Weft-Indies, with fome Remarks upon it, and upon the Religion to be eftablifhed in our College. 8 1 , CjTt,

34, 3 5 ibid

36

ibid , 37 ibid

The Reader is defir ed to cerreft roitb bis Pen , the following

ERRATA:

PAGE 17, line 17, read Euclid’s, p. 21, 1. 12, r. Ariftotle’s Poetics, p.24,1.22, after Time place a Comma, p.i&id. In the Note, 1. 10, r, majeftic. p. 29, 1. 3 i,f«r third, ^faid. p. 32, 1. 1. /«>*two, r. too. p.3I, 1. 1. r. videretur. p.45, 1. ax, r, God. p. 47> 1* to admire. p.4«j 1.4, r . odoriferous.

Advertifement.

THE following Sheets were plan'd at the, fame Time with the Pam- dtyf on the Situation, he. 0f aur intended College, tublijh'd lafi °£lober; and dejign d to follow it •whenever the Public, by a more g{-

ZiJ!T7or^

tsr *7tl? m7Ts" 5- » *%'

'» J»Z £i. t ?&t2S£rJ% *- *'■»"'* w

. . 7 , . “ execution ; yet 1 <was alvuaxs convinced

that this is hut the lea ft Tart of nuhat nvaLt l r * i j • nqjtn-cea>-

ww.*, „ :,itU7ZL:z

itheC™ft'tut,on' G°™rnment, and Difcip, line ofaCollfge ; with which indeed Nothing can be compared ; W concerning which no Perfon 1 be-

3/’ ^ morefreiucintly employ'd his Thoughts than 1 have done. This

?t JUJ 1 afpean t0 ‘l°-e °?nf0rm aJUj} Uea ofthe StuJy an* Labor

• t mujl have cojl to bring all the Parts of the follcvjing Work into their prerent Order in fuch a fmall Cornfafs: A Lor, nf, king ecu' d hive

ZZ f%aJKefnt' t0 UndeT' butan “Sign'd Zeal for the Advance- !, f ftJulLue,'ature >« this uncultivated Corner of the Globe, and a fond Defire to make home Amends to the Public, on the main Suhieft, for their kind and unmerited Reception of the former Ejfay. J

cr Worf, '/ ^drefs'd more immediately to the Confideration of the Truftees, tho I am fenfihle that, by theDefign of their Nomination, they are not empower d to give any ab/olute Decifion on the Expediency of Pi opofals of this Nature. However, as they are the only Jl aiding Body, upon whom this great Workrefis, fo far as it is yet advanc'd, i, was pi oper to fend thefe Papers abroad under their Protection. The Manufcritt wou d have been prefen ted to them at their firfi public Meeting, had I not been advts d by fame of them, to whom 1 /hew'd it, as private Friends that fuch a Scheme cou'd be befi judg'd of in Print ; when every Per foil might have the calm Perufal of a Copy ; and that the fooner it appear'd, of the greater Service might it become.— As it was written with this ver- Intention, to give Men ofSenfe and Learning an Opportunity of blaming,, altenng, or improving it, before the Meeting of the General AJfembly / immediately committed it to the Prefs, without confuting Reputation,’ by advifing, as ufual, with fame of my very condefcending and learn' d City Friends, by which Means it might have appear'd to greater Advantage -■But as 1 have fill a letter Aim than any Reputation to be gain'd by the befi executed Thing of this Nature, 1 /hall not even envy my very Enemies the Pleafure they may find in deteflingfome ImperfeBions which, on more Thought, 1 cou'd have remov'd-, or others which, perhaps ,1 never intended to remove : Let them only /hew they can dofo with good Manners ; then every Error they difeover, or Improvement they propofe, on the fol¬ lowing Scheme, will be of fame Service to the Public, and Matter of great j$y to the Author,

Verfes fpoken at the Opening of

The College of M I R A N J A,

IT comes ! at laft, the premis’d AIR A comes !

Now Gofpel-Trutb lhall diffipate the Glooms Of Pagan- Err or ; and, in copious Streams,

O’er this dark Hemifphere , Jfhed faving Beams !

For, lo ! her azure Wing bright Science fpreads, 5 And foft-approaches to thefe new-found- Shades -, Exultant, ftretching forth her hallow’d Hands To plant her Laurels in ferener Lands !

Each Mufe around Her ftrikes the warbling String ;

And, mid Her Train, Peace , JuJlice , Freedom fing — 10 —A Goddess comes ! — they fing and rend the Air — A Goddess comes 1 to welcome Her prepare !

W oods,Brooks,Gales,F ountains, longunknown to Fame,. At length, as confcious of your future Claim,

Prepare to nurfe the Philofophic -Thought ; 1 5

To fwell the ferious, or th tfportive Note !

Prepare, ye Woods ! to yield the Sage your Shade 5 And wave ambrofial Verdures o’er his Head !

Ye Brooks ! prepare to prompt the Poet’ s Strains -,

And foftly murmur back his amorous Pains ! 20

Hade, O ye Gales ! your fpicy Sweets impart ;

In Mufic breathe Them to th’ exulting Heart 1 Ye Fountains ! haftc, th’ infpiring Wave to roll j And give Caft alian-Dr aught s to lave the Soul.

’Tis done ! — Woods, Brooks, Gales, Fountains, all,, And fay with general Voice— or feem to fay— (obey ;

—Hail,,

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40

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Hail, Heaven-defcended ! holy Science, hail ! Thrice- welcome to tnefe Climes ; here ever dwell.

With Shade and Silence, far from dire Alarms ;

The Trumpet’s horrid Clang, and Din of Arms ! 30

To Thee we offer every fofter Seat ;

Each funny Lawn ; or fylvan fweet Retreat ; (Grove ; Each Flower- verg’d Stream ; each ff Amber-droppin^ Each Vale of P leafure ; and each Bower of Love : Where youthful Nature , with ftupendous Scenes,

Lifts all the Powers ; and all the Frame ferenes.

O then ! here fix,— ( Earthy Water, Air invite!)

And bid a New-Britannia fpring to Light! —

Smit-deep, I antedate the Golden Days ;

And drive to paint them in fublimer Lays !

Behold ! on Periods, Periods brightening rife !

On JV orthies , W irthies croud before mine Eyes y See ! other Bacons, Newtons, Lockes appear ; And to the Skies our Laureat-Honors rear.

See ! mid undying Greens , they lie infpir’d.

On moffy Beds, by heavenly Vifions fir’d ;

Aloft they foar, on Contemplation's Wing,

O’ er Worlds and Worlds—and reach th’ eternal King Awak’d by other Suns, and kindling ftrong With pureft Ardors for celeftial Song ,

Lo ! other Popes and Spencers glad-refound The rural Lay to Shepherds dancing round \

Find other Lwit'nams in each bowery Wood ;

And other Mullas in each fylvan Flood.

Lo ! the wild Indian, foften’d by their Song, 55

Emerging from his Arbors , bounds along The green Savannah patient of the Lore Of Dove-ey’d IVifdom — and is rude no more:

Hark

45

50

4 Amber, in this Place, is a general Name for Gum?, Refins and all odorous vegetable Juices, exfuding from Trees, Shrubs & Herbs.

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Hark ! even his Babes MESSIAH *s Praife proclaim ; Or fondly learn to lifp JEHOVAH' s Name ! 60

O Science ! onward thus thy Reign extend O’er Realms yet unexplor’d till Time fhall end ;

Till Death-like Ignorance forfake the Ball,

And Life-endearing Knowlege cover all *,

Till wounded Slavery feek her native Hell,

In triple Bonds eternally to dwell /

Not tracklefs Defarts ihall thy Progrefs ftay ;

Rocks, Mountains, Floods, before Thee muft give Way. Sequefter’d Vales, at thy Approach, fhall fing $

And with the Voice of cheerful Labor ring. yQ

Where Wolves now howl, fhall polifh’d Villas rife j And towery Cities grow into the Skies. —

* “ Earth's diftant Ends our Glory Jhall behold ;

“ And the NEW- World launch forth to feek the OLD."

INTRODUCTION.

To the TRUSTEES, &c. Gentlemen,

TO every One that has the Intereft and Reputation of this Province at Heart, particularly to You, it muft give a very fenfible Satisfaction to behold, at length, the general At¬ tention drawn towards the Eftablifhing a public Seminary in it, under the Patronage of the Government, for the Inftitution of Youth in the liberal Arts and Sciences . The Spirit now feems to burn fo much the ftronger in Proportion to its Slownefs in Catching ; and gives fire Prefage that we fhall not only re¬ trieve our Honor, by rivaling the foremoft of our Neighbors in this truly pious Work, but as far out-do them as they

have

% Theft two Lines from Pope’i Windfor-Forefy 399.

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have got the Start of Us, and as our fuperior Abilities have put it in our Power.

The Day, on which it is expe&ed the General Affembly will meet, draws near ; when, in Confequence of a Vote of laft Scffions, this important Affair will be the Subjed of their De¬ liberations. And, as the Plan or Idea of the whole Inftitution ought, firft of all, to be fix’d, that every Step they take may tend uniformly to the Execution of the fame, it is the indifpen- fable Duty of every Perfon of Learning and Leifure, to affiff with his unbyafs’d Thoughts on this Head^ I, therefore, thought it incumbent on me to contribute my Mite for this, good Pur- pole, as well to exonerate myfelf of what I owe the State, as to fatisfy the Expe6tations of fome Gentlemen who have a Right at all Times to command me.

While I was ruminating upon the Conftitutions of the feveral Colleges, I had either personally vifited or read of, without be¬ ing able to fix on any Thing* I durfi: recommend as a Model worthy our Imitation, I chanc’d to fall into the Company of a valuable young Gentleman, named Evander , who is a Per¬ fon of fome Diftin£tion of the Province of Mirania . After fome Converfation on learn’d Topics, he was led to give me an Account of a Seminary eftablifh’d about twelve Years ago in that Province, in which I thought I perceiv’d all that feems excellent in the ancient and modern Injlitutions reduc’d to the greateft Method and Simplicity. This I have prefum’d to pro- pofe to your Confideration ; which, as it may be further improv’d by you, and other learn’d Men among us, feems extremely well adapted to the Circumftances of this Province of New- York , as we are now entirely fuch as the Miranians were when they founded their College, with Regard to Riches, Trade and the Number of People.

Mirania , Gentlemen, is one of the Provinces of the New- World firft fettled by our Country-Men, the Englifb , above a Century ago. In what Degrees of Lat. lAc. it lies, is of no Importance \ I am not to write its Hiftory, but only to give a general Account of its College and the Method of Education practis’d in it ; which, as nearly as I can remember, I {hall do in Evander' s own Words, as I am fenfible that every Deviation from them wou’d be a Blemifh.— After a modeft Apology, with which I {hall not trouble You, he began as follows.—

Evander’s

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Evander’jt Account of the College of

MIRAxNIA, Sc.

♦

44 had been the peculiar Happinefs of my

£|§ If& Countrymen, ever fince their firft Settlement,

• enjoy an uninterrupted Tranquillity ; at

Peace with theirNeighbours, unrival’d in their Trade, and bleft in the Adminiftration of a Succeflion of mild and juft Governors, who had the real Intereft of the Province at Heart. Thefe favorable Circiimftances had, from time to time, befides conftant Supplies from the Mother-Country, invited over vaft Numbers of Foreigners,, who, quitting their native Land, fought a calm Retreat in Mirania ; where under the Protection of wile and equal Laws, and far beyond the Reach of Prieftly Domination, and the> rapacious Minions of fcep- tred Robbers, they might dare to think for themfelves, ~ dare to challenge and enjoy the Fruits of their own Induftry.

Thus, about twelve Years agor the Miranians faw themfelves a mighty and florifhing People, in Poffefiion of an extenfive Country, capable of producing all the Neceffaries, and many of the Superfluities of Life. They refledfed that the only Method of making thefe natural Advantages of lafting Ufe to themfelves and Pofterity,-- the only infallible Source of Tranquillity, Happinefs and Glory,— was to-contrive and execute a proper Scheme for forming a Succeflion of fober, virtuous, induftrious Citizens, and checking the Courfe of growing Iaixury. They were fenfible, that tho* a Combination of lucky Circumftances, almoft wholly independent on them, had rais’d them fo high, they fliou’d be wanting to themfelves if they depended longer on blind Chance for any Thing which was now in their Power to command. They were convinced that, without a previous good Education, the beft Laws are little better than Verba minantia, and, con- llder’d as fuch, will be dup’d and broke thro’ with Im-

B punity>

■

IT

:i

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pumty by illuftrious Villains That the Magiftrate can at j)eft but fright Vice into a Corner, and that ’tis Edu¬ cation alone can mend and redtify the Heart ; —That no Government can fubfift long on Violence and brute Force ; and that Nature follows eafily when treated rationally, but will not bear to be led, or driven. They faw alfo, that among the Foreigners, who were as numerous as the Englifh, many Diftindlions were forming upon their different Cuftoms, Languages and Extradtions, which, by creating feparate Interefts, might in the Iffue prove fatal to the Government. They wifely judg’d, therefore, that Nothing cou’d fo much contribute to make fuch a Mixture of People coalefce and unite in one common Intereft, as the common Education of all the Youth at the fame public Schools under the Eye of the civil Autho¬ rity. Thus, faid they, indiffoluble Connexions and Friendfhips will be form’d; Prejudices worn off; and the Youth will in Time either forget their very Extrac¬ tion, or from a more liberal Education, and manly Turn of Thought, learn to contemn thofe little ridiculous Diftindtions that arife among the Vulgar, becaufe their Fathers firfi: fpoke a different Language, or drew Air in a different Clime.

With thefe Views the Mirant an s applied themfelves to projedt a Plan of Education ; every Perfon of Genius, Learningand Experience offering their impartial Thoughts on this Subjedt, whether they were in a private or public Capacity ; as fenfible that an Undertaking of fuch lading Confcquences demanded the united Councils, — the Heads and Hearts of a whole Country.

The Objedt they kept always in Sight, was the eafieft, fimpleft and moft natural Method of forming Youth to the Knowlege andExercife of private and public Virtue ; and therefore they did not fcruple to rejedl fome Things commonly taught at Colleges ; to add others ; and fhorten or invert the Order of others, as beft fuited their Circumftances. They often had this Sentence in their Mouth, which I think, in other Words, I have read in

Tillotson,

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Tillotson, —That the Knowledge of what tends neither directly nor indirectly to make better Men and better Citizens, is but a Knowlege of Trifles ; it is not Learn¬ ing but a fpecious and ingenious fort of Idleneis. «v c muft not then, faid they, wilder ourfelves in the Search of Truth, among the Rubbifli contain’d in the valt Tomes of ancient Rabbies, Commentators and School¬ men ; nor in the more refin’d Speculations of modern Metaphyficians concerning Spirit, Matter, &c. nor yet in the polemic Writings about Grace, Predeltination, moral Agency, the Trinity, &c. &c. which fo enflame the World at this Day, to the Difgrace of Chnltian Meeknefs and Charity. The Years of Methufalem would be far too fhort to attain any Proficiency in all the Difputes and Refearches of this Kind, which have fo long puzzled the learn’d World, and are ftill as much undecided as at firft. Almighty God feems to have fet the Knowledge of many Things beyond our prefent Ken, on purpofe to confound our Pride, and whifper to us continually the Degeneracy and Imper¬ fection of our Nature, and when we confider fuch Things in this Light, we make the only proper Ufe of them : For, fuppofe we could live long enough to become as well vers’d in all thefe Points, as the molt fubtle Doctor that ever breath’d, what would it con¬ tribute to the main Point, the making better Men and Citizens ? Why, juft nothing at all ! We ought then, continued they, rejecting Things fuperfluous and hypo- thetical, to mount diredtly up to fundamental Principles, and endeavour to afcertain the Relations we ftand in to GOD and univerfal Intelligence , that we may luftain, with Dignity, the Rank affign d us among intellecfua Natures, and move in Concert, with the reft of Creation in accomplifhing the great End of all Things.

To fatisfy ourfelves of this,— -Quid fumus, et quid- nam viffuri gignimur — requires no fuch Depth of Un« derftanding, no fuch fubtle Reafonings and tedious Refearches, as fome would perfuade us. tor, beiidcs

Will T C i Wl ’ C?°d has glven Int»mations of his

Will to us, by appealing to our Senfes in the Conftitu

tion of our Nature, and the Conftitution and Harmony of the material Umverfe. We have only to reafon hi Analogy, and chaftife our Reafonings by thefe holv Oracles Then the lead Attention will convince ul that what God chiefly expeds of us here, is to love Hun, and all his Creatures, for his fake • it. «• thro’ the Medium of Benevolence and ChStv tS lnconGderable Differences which, in a State of ’imper- feflion, mu t fubfitt among free Agents, and wEh God himfelf, perhaps, views with Pleafure .... to do always the greateft Good in our Power, whether to our- Jelves or Fellow-Creatures, of whatever Country Sed¬ er Denomination they may be ;-to ad a juft and’honeft Part in our focial Capacity and laftly, as much as poffible to repair the Ruins of our Nature, by impro¬ ving and enlarging our Faculties, and confirming our- felves in Habits of Virtue, that thus we may in fome fort , be qualified to .be replac’d in our original high Rank, to which, thro’ the Redeemer’s Merit, we may yet aipire to rife, and be advanc’d from Stage to Stao-e

of Perfedion and Blifs, thro’ all the endlefs Periods of our Being. —

l o fay, or even think, our prefent Span is too fhort for thefe Purpores, is Prefumption, is /hocking Impiety it is to arraign the Councils of the moft High, and charge him with Injuftice. We have, in reality, not only Time enough to obey the Didates of our ferious Affedions by leai ning and di/charging the Duties we owe to God and Man, but fufficient left for Recreation, and innocent Amufcment ; unlefs we will make Life too Ihort by creating Bufine/s for ourlelves which no Way concerns us, and turning our Attention to Subjeds which, after all our Searches and Rcfearches, will make us neither wifer nor better than when we firft fet out.

Hence it appears, continued they, of what lading Importance it is, to accuftom Youth early -to diftingui/h

:thc

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the True from the Falfe, by directing their Studies to fuch Things as come more immediately home to their Bufinefs and Bofoms. Were Men as generally agreed what theft Things are, as they foon would be, cou’d they lay Paffion and Prejudice wholly afide, then indeed the Bufinefs of Education wou’d be fhort, eafy and pleafant ; and the Government of Mirania would have found no Difficulty in fixing on a proper and unexcep¬ tionable Plan for this Purpofe. But they faw with Concern, that while there were Paffion, Prejudice, Cuftom, Malice, Pride, Ignorance and different Opi¬ nions in the Province to ftruggle with, the befl Scheme they could concert would not be alike acceptable to all, and would be liable to many Exceptions and Mifcon- ftrudtions.— No matter ; That did not deter them from their Duty. They had the noble Refolution to follow the unbiafs’d Dictates of their own Good Senfe, confcious that, tho’ they could not project an inexceptionable, far lefs a perfect, Plan, they ffiould acquit themfelves to GOD, and the uncorrupted Judgment of Pofterity, by rendering it as perfect as they cou’d, and delivering it down in a Condition of being improved as often as Circumftances might alter, and Experience difeover De¬ fects in it.-— But it would be needlefs to trouble you with all the Difficulties and Toils they encountered, be¬ fore they brought the Scheme to the Point of Perfection aim’d at I fhall give an Account of the feveral Gaffes, and Method of Study, as they are at prefent : after that I fhall give an Account of the Building, and conclude with taking Notice of the chief Steps t^ken by them in carrying the whole into Execution. This is what is moft material for your Purpofe. You muff not, how¬ ever expect, I can be very particular in this Account : A full Detail of every Thing worth Notice in fuch an Inftitution, would furniffi Matter for a Volume-, which •would be an ufeful Book, if done by an able Pen.

With Regard to Learning, the Miranians divide the whole Body of People into two grand Gaffes. The

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Firft confifts of thofe defigned . for the learned Profef- fions ; by which they underftand Divinity , Law , Phyfic , Agriculture , and the chief Offices of the State. The Second Clafs of thofe defign’d for Mechanic Profeffions,, and all the remaining People of the Country. Such a Divifion is abfolutely neceffary : For, if the fhorteft Way of forming Youth to aft in their proper Spheres, as. good Men and good Citizens ought always to be the Objeft of Education, thefe two Gaffes fhould be edu¬ cated on a very different Plan. The Knowlege of the learned Languages, as the Means of acquiring other ufe~ ful Knowlege, is indifpenfibly neceffary to the firft Clafs, To the Second, the Time thus fpent is entiiely thrown away, as they never have any Occafion to make ufe of thofe Languages. A more general Tinfture of the Sciences, except Arithmetic and Mathematics, will alfo ferve their Purpofe.

Any Scheme then,, that either propofes to teach both thefe grand Claffes after the fame Manner, or is wholly calculated for one of them, without regarding the other, muft be very defeftive. And yet fo it is, that Colleges are almoft unverfally calculated for the Firft Clafs •, while a collegiate School for breeding Mechanics, is rarely to be met with. This Clafs of People, by far the moft numerous, and alfo the Hands and Strength, of every Government,, are overlook’d, and have No¬ thing but this wretched Alternative left them ; either to glean what Scraps of Science they can at private Schools, (often under no Regulations as to Morals or Method) or to go thro’ a Courfe of Learning at Colleges, for which they have heither Time nor Ufe.

Thefe Confiderations gave Rife to what is call’d the. Mechanic's School in this Seminary. It might, how¬ ever, as well have been call’d a diftinft College * for it is no Way connefted with what is call’d the College, (by Way of Diftinftion) than by being under the Infpeftion of the fame Truftees, and the Government of the fame Head, whom they call Provojl or Principal . Moft of

( is )

the Branches of Science , taught in the College, are taught in this School •, but then they are taught without Lan¬ guages, and in a more compendious Manner, as the Circumftances and Bufinefs of the Mechanic require. This School is fo much like the Englifli School in Phi¬ ladelphia, , firft fketch’d out by the very ingenious and worthy Mr . Franklin , that a particular Account of it here is needlefs. The Miranians only differ in this, that they teach every Thing neceffary for the Mechanic , in this School, without fuffering the Youth of it to. have Recourfe to the mathematical, or any other Profeffor in the College, or learn’d Caffes •, which 5tis thought wou’d be inconvenient, as they ‘muff be taught at a dif¬ ferent Hour, and by a different Method from what thefc Profeffors teach the faid learn5 d Claffes. — They took Care at firft to put a Mafter, and Ufhers, in the Me¬ chanics School, capable to teach all the Branches of Sci¬ ence neceffary for the Mechanic, in all the . Perfection requifite. The Expence * is the fame that it would be by the Pennfylvanian Method •, becaufe the Number of Inftructors in every School, can always be proportioned to the Number of Scholars. — In this School, nine Years compleat the Mechanic’s Education ; proportionable to which there are nine Forms or Claffes. In the Three loweft, Englifh is taught grammatically, and as a Lan¬ guage, with Writing. In the fix higher Claffes, Engl if! 3 and Writing are continued, at the fame Time that

* I can think of no folid Obje&ion to fuch an Inftitution for Me¬ chanics. This Clafs of People muftbe educated as well as the other; and, were it neceffary, it might be prov’d to a Demonftration, that a lefs Number of Inftrudors, and confequently a lefs Expence, can educate them in a Collection of Schools, in the Collegiate or Society Way, than when difpers’d at feparate Schools. How much greater the Succefs mult be, and how much more confident with found Policy, in the former Cafe, will be evinc'd in the Courfe of this Narrative.— Should fuch an Inftitution for Mechanics, be included in the general one propofed in this Province, as I hope it will, and fhould not this Sketch, together with that of the Englifh School of Philadelphia^ be fatisfattory, I may afterwards give a more particular idea of it.

Accompts,

, ( i6 )

Accompts Mathematics, Ethics, Oratory, Chronology, Hiftory, the moft plain and ufeful Parts of natural and

mechanic Philofophy, are taught ; to which is added,

fomething of Hufbandry andChymiftry, which, as im- prov d of late, they efteem of great Ufe to everyMechanic. Thus, at about fifteen Years of Age, the Mechanic’s Education is finifii d 5 and he comes out well qualified to make a good Figure in every Profeffion wherein Lan¬ guages are not required. All thefe Clafles are taught' at prefent by one Mailer and two Uffiers, but more mult loon be wanted. The Matter, whofe Place is of very great Confequence, and next in Truft to the Head

Si,, SeminaiT, is Vice* Principal, and governs the vVhole in the Abfence, or during the Indifpofition of tne Principal. The Miranians value themfelves highly on the Newnefs and Peculiarity of this School ; and often tell Strangers that, as a trading People, it is of as great Importance to them, as the College for breeding Men for the learn’d Profeffions. Indeed they fpeak of erecting it foon into a feparate College, and calling it Barnard- College, in Honour of a famous Alderman of Mirania , who has left a very confiderable Sum for en¬ dowing it as a College. Then the two Colleges will be call d the Univerjity of Mirania, a Name the Seminary js alieady intitled to. I proceed now to fpeak of the five learned Clafles, at prelent call’d the College, pre¬ paratory to which is

The LAPIN SCHOOL.

This School is divided into five Clafles, proportiona¬ ble to the five Years the Youth continue in it ; which is long enough, as the Latin Tongue is here taught in the moft familiar and approved IVIethod, without bur¬ dening the Memory too much with Rules. Such of the Youth as difcover Genius, and are intended for the learn’d Profeffions, are remov’d from the third Clafs of the Mechanic’s School, to be entered into this, orovided

they

( 17 )

they be nine Years of Age, can write tolerably, and read and articulate the Englifh Tongue. The firft four Years are wholly given to the Latin Tongue, and im¬ proving the Boys inEnglilh and Writing at leifure Hours. The fifth Year, the higheft Clafs divide the Day between Latin and Greek, ; proceeding thro’ the Declenfions, Conjugations, St. Luke9 s Gofpel, Lucian's Dialogues, &c. Thus at 14 Years of Age, well vers’d in the Latin- Tongue, with fome Tinfture of the Greek, the Youth are enter’d into —

The Greek Clafs , being the firft, or loweft of what is call’d the College. — In this, as in every other Clafs, the Youth remain one Year. In the Forenoon, they read Theocritus' Idyllia , with fome feleft Pieces of Hef- fiod , Homer , and Xenophon : In the Afternon, they learn Arithmetic, vulgar and decimal ; Merchants Accompts, fome Parts of Algebra, and the firft fix Books of Euclid's Elements. — The Mafter of this Clafs is ftyled Profeffor of Greek : His Place is of very great Importance, for giving the Youth an Opportunity of acquiring the Greek in all its Elegance and Purity, from a Mafter whofe par¬ ticular Profeffion that Language is. Without this Know- lege of Greek, which is not to be acquir’d at Latim- Schools, efpecially in the Country, (from which the Country Youth muft, however, be immediately admitted into the learn’ d Clafles or College ) it will appear, as we go along, impoflible for them to bear their Part right in the remaining Studies * nothing being read but the ori¬ ginal Authors.

SECOND CLASS .

The next Year is fpent in this Clafs ; the Mafter of which is ftyled Profeffor of Mathematics . He carries the Youth forward in Algebra ; teaches the eleventh and twelfth Books of Euclid , Geometry, Aftronomy, Chro¬ nology, Navigation, and the other moft ufeful Branches of the Mathematics. So much of Logics and Metaphyfics as is ufeful, is join’d with Mathematics : But a fmall Space of Time ferves for thefe Studies *, Logics, in particular,

us commonly underftood, being in great Difrepute among them. They, therefore, bend their chief Attention this Year, to the more advantageous Study of Mathematics, which, by the Bye, they efteern the beft Syftern of Logics that can be given to Youth. The Evolution of ma¬ thematical Truths, thro8 a Chain of Propofitions, con¬ tributes more, in one Year, fay they, to expand the Fa¬ culties of the Mind, and aceuftom it, by a juft Atten¬ tion to intricate Subjects, to reafon clofely, and in Train, than a Life fpent in the fophiftical Diftindtions and idle Jargon of School-Logic. At proper Seafons, when the Weather permits, this Oafs is exercis’d in practical Geometry ; in furveying Lands, Waters ; and in plot¬ ting and ornamenting the Maps of fuch Surveys. There is a weekly Exercife for their further Improvement in Greek and Latin.

THIRD CLASS.

. The Matter of this Clafs is call’d profejfor of Philofo - ■pby. The Day is divided between the Studies of Ethics and Phyfics ; Under the latter, the Miranians compre¬ hend Natural Hiftory ; Mechanic, or corpufcular Phi- lofophy, and experimental Philofophy •, for the Uluftra- tion of which, they are provided with a complete Appara¬ tus. With Regard to Ethics, they feem to think that a full, yet compendious, Syftern, calculated by fome found Philofopher, tor Youth at Colleges, is a Book ftill wanted. They own, that the Englifh excel! in de¬ tach’d Pieces on all moral Subjedts * but thefe, fay they, are only the — disjefta membra Ethices, — No one Author has handled the Subjedt of Ethics, in all its Ramifications, with a View to the Information ot Youth •. And ’tis dangerous as well as difficult, to learn Morals from dif¬ ferent Authors, moll of whom claffi with one another-; or had their peculiar Notions to propagate, and favorite Syftems to eredt. — In this Clafs, at prefent, they read the Philofoph. Books of Plato and Cicero, in their Ori¬ ginals, with Locke , Hutchinfon , ddV. the ProfdTor,

taking Care to guard the Youth again!! every Thing in ° • which

NMM

1

I

( 19.) , , ,

which thefe Authors (land lingular, —But they have a Method peculiar almoft to themfeives, of teaching Morals, upon which they lay the greateft Strefs, and that is by hiftorical Fafts ; of which I fln.aH fpeak by and by. — The private Reading of fuch Books as Derham , Nettleton , on Virtue and Happinefs, &c. are recom¬ mended for the greater Improvement of the Youth in the Studies of this Clafs •, the Profeffor, from 1 ime to

Time, fatisfying himfelf, by proper Queftions, what Advantage they reap from Inch Books: Ido not mention Keil , Gravefandy Newton's Princip. &c. becaufe claffical Books ; and fuppos’d in the Study of natural Philofophy. — —

FOURTH CLASS.

The Mailer of this Clafs is flyled Profeffor of Rhetoric and Poetry. As it is in this and the following Clafs, con¬ tinued Evander^ that my Countrymen bring all that has been before taught, home to the Bufinefs of Life, and are more lingular in their Method ; I mult beg to be fomething more particular in the Account of them. A great Stock of Learning, without knowing howto make it ufeful in the Condudt of Life, is of little Significancy. You may obferve, that what has chiefly been aim’d at, in the .foregoing Claflfes, is to teach Youth to think well , that is, clofely and juftly. When this is attain’d, it is a noble Bafis ; but wou’d, however, be ufelefs without its Superftrudlure ; without teaching them to call forth, and avail themfelves of, their Thoughts, in writing ,

J peaking , acting and living well. To make Youth Matters of the firft two, viz. writing and fpeaking well, which are the Bufinefs of this Clafs, nothing con¬ tributes fo much as being capable toTelifh what has been well written or fpoken by others : Hence the proper Studies of this Clafs, are Rhetoric and Poetry, from which arife Criticifm and Compofition.

I fhall fpeak firft of Rhetoric, as it is the firft Study. The Profeffor begins with giving the Students a general Notion of the Precepts and different Kinds of Rhetoric ,

C 2 from ,

from hilly and Quintilian ; then proceeds to make them read Tully’s Oration for Milo , leifurely in its Original •, applying, as they go along, the Precepts of Oratory ; and making them apprehend its Plan, Series, Delicacy of Addrefs ; the Strength and Difpofition of the Proofs; the Jufinefs of the Tropes and Figures; the Beauty of the Imagery and Painting ; the Harmony and Fullnels of the Periods ; the Pomp and Purity of the Didtion ; and, in fine, that Grandeur of Thought ; that affonifih- ing Sublime ; that 1 orrent of Eloquence ; which, mov¬ ing, warming, feizing the Soul, fweeps all irrefiftably down befoi e it.— After this, Dcmojlhenes’s Harangue for Ctejiphon, which hully calls the Model of perfedt Elo¬ quence, is read in its Original, and explain’d in the fame Manner.

Thefe two celebrated Orations, thus explain’d and ap¬ prehended, are judged fufficient to give Youth a right Idea of Oratory, and fix its Precepts- in their Mind, which is not to be done fo much by reading many Ora¬ tions, as by ftudying a Few thoroughly ; And therefore, only three rrfore Orations, one in Greek, one in Latin’’ and one in Englifh, are read in the School through the whole Year. Thefe are luccefiively handled thus : In the Evening the Profefior prefcribes a certain Portion of the Oration, and appoints the Students to write out their Oblervations upon its Conformity to the Laws of Rhe¬ toric ; the Plan, Thoughts, £?r. by Way of Criticifm ; this they bring with them next Day to the Clafs or School’ when the Part prefcrib’d is read over, and this Criticifm of theirs examin’d and corrected. A new Portion, as before, is prefcrib’d againft next Meeting, till in ’this Manner they have finifh’d the whole three Orations.

In the lame Manner is Poetry ftudy’d, which is, in¬ deed, rather the fame than a different Study ; Po’etry being nothing elfe but the eldeft Daughter of Eloquence. The Arrangement of the table in the Onecorrefponds to the Plan and Series of the Other. Tropes and Fi¬ gures they have in common ; And where, in the Pecu-

liarity

— - in —

( 21 )

liarity of her Drefs, and the more frequent Ufe of Epi¬ thets, £•?(*. Poetry afiedts to differ, the Youth are not unacquainted with it *, as they have been made to obferve it in reading the Claffic- Poets. The Rules, Nature and Defign of the feveral Kinds of Poetry, are, in the firft Place explain’d ; then, as in the Study of Rhetoric, they privately write a Piece of Criticifm upon them, beginning with the leffer Kinds, as the Ode, Elegy, Satyr, &c. proceeding to the Drama, Paftoral and Epopaea. All thefe Criticifms are carefully revis’d and corrected by the Profelfor, which is all the public Bufinefs of the Clafs. The Reading of Arifto tie’s Poetry, and the bell French and Englifh Critics is allow’d, and even recommended, to aflift and direct the Judgment of Youth in this Ex- ercife.

Here I interrupted Evander , by telling him, that I thought this Study alone, might require half the Year. No, replied he ; They don’t fpend above eight Weeks on the Study of all the Kinds of Poetry. This is owing chiefly to the placing the Study of Poetry after Philofo- phy and Rhetoric, which makes it extreme eafy: And partly to the Age of the Youth, they being now, at leaft, in their 1 8 ch Year, and capable of greater Application-, partly to the Delight they take in the Study, and partly to their having read mod of the different Kinds of Poems, when learning Languages, which renders the Review of them pleafant, in order to apply the Rules of Criticifm. — About a Fortnight is enough for all the leffer Poems ; the fame Space of Time ferves for the Drama and Paftoral, (which all but the Englifh Critics examine by the Laws of the Drama) and laftly, about a Month ferves for the Epopcea. —

The Remainder of the Year, which is about fix Months, is fpent in compofing and delivering Orations ; and ’tis no Wonder, that this Exercife is attended with great Succefs, when defer’d to this its proper Seafon. Philofophy, Rhetoric and. Poetry, being filfficiently tailed and admir’d-, the Youth mull be animated, in

their

( 22 )

their Competitions, to imitate thofe bright Models that gave them fo much Pleafnre in the Reading. The Study of Poetry, in particular, teaches them a certain Elevation of Thought ; makes them give lively Defcriptions, with Strength, Variety, Copioufnefs and Harmony of Style ; and diffule a Delicacy over every Thing they compofe.-- They begin firft with frrialler Effays on proper Subjects; thence proceed to frame Orations according to the Pre¬ cepts, and on the Models, of perfeft Eloquence : Thefe the Profefibr cor re 6b, carefully pointing out where the Subjedt wou’d have requir’d more Concifenefs ; where more Copioufnefs ; where the figurative Style, and Gra¬ ces ot Speech ; where the Plain and Simple*, where they ought to have ris’n ; where fallen ; where they have given Conceit inft'ead of Wit; theforc’d and far-fetch’d, inltead of the eafy and natural; Bombaft and Swelling, inftead of the Sublime and Florid. Thus to corre6f one Oration and hear another (that has been correfted before) deliver’d, with proper Grace andAftion, is all the Rufi- nefs of the Clafs at one Meeting or Diet. Of this the Youth have their Turns, fo that when the Clafs confifts of twenty Students, each of them, in their Turns, com- pofe and deliver an Oration once in ten Days- And as they muft all be prefent at the corredting and deliver¬ ing two Orations each Day, they profit as much by the Faults or Beauties found in the Compofitions of their SchooPFellows, as by their own. —

In corredting the Compofitions of Youth, however, the ProfefToris fenfible, that great Judgment and Artis requir’d : Always remembring that they are Youth, he is greatly careful not to difeourage them by too much Severity. If ever he feems difpleas’d at any Thing, it is when he difeovers a Sort of Stiffhefs, Precifion and Judgment in their Pieces above their Years, which he confiders as a certain Sign of Coldnefs and Sterility ;

•{- When we allow bat ten Days to compofe an Oration, befides attending the Duties of the Clafs ; we mull fuppofe their Pieces fhort*

while

-

while, on the other Hand, Redundancy of Thought, and fprightly Sallies of Imagination, {hare his diftinguifh’d Indulgence, Thefe he calls the blooming Shoots o! Genius 5 and, tho’ exuberant, thinks they are no more to be lopp’d off at an improper Seafon, or in an ua- fkilful Manner, than the luxuriant Growth of a thriving young Tree. It is dangerous for any Hand, but that of Time, to reduce thefe wholly within their proper Bounds.

Fm perfuaded, you will think it no Objection againfL the Study of Rhetoric, that it has often been profututed to the vileft Purpofes. What is there that may not be abus’d by bad Mm? But in the Poffeffxon of a good Man (and fuch my Countrymen are careful to form all their youth) Eloquence is the moft glorious Gift of Nature. It makes Him the San&uary of the Unfortunate s the Protedor of the Weak ; the Support and PrasSe or tne Good; and the eternal Terror and Controul of the Bad. We muft often addrefs to the Paffions wou’d we reach the Heart. And till we can lay Body afide, and re- folve ourfelves into pure Spirit, ’tis proud unmeaning Jargon, to fay we can relifh naked unornamented Truth j or be ravifh’d with the plain unaffeded Beauties of Virtue.— The Mirant an s don’t, _ however, propofe to make Orators and Poets of their Youth, oy thefe Studies. They are fenfible both the Orator and Poet muft be born, not made. But, lay they, thofe to whom Nature has given a Genius for Compolition, either in Poetry or Profe, will be thus put in the Method of im¬ proving that Genius to the greateft Advantage ; and thofe who have no fuch Genius, will, however, be en¬ abled, by thefe Studies to write elegantly, or at leaf! cor- redly, in the epiftoiary Way, and on the common and

moft important Concerns in Life.

Unlefs the Tafte is thus form’d, and Youth taught to be found Critics, on the Beauties of thoie celebrated Pieces that have challeng’d the Admiration of all Mankind, and flood the Teft of Time 5 unlefs they can dtfeover wherein thofe Beauties confift what is Lear''

«Sb^7’iwkl!0*- ^*4' T*ae' or Relilh fort|'e

has tin rf Imagination • what is Life itfelf ? Nature has given the Rudiments of it to every Man : But if we

Wm whC l Man, who has perfeftly cultivated it, with TorLh? f not’ the.y feem almoft of a different Species.

are e™rely loft, the G*. the Tender, the ,1-5,’ e Neural, the Sublime, the Marvellous , and

Sude T M f 3 finiai’d Piece ! — Shou’d So-

aJvKin? f d TT °lBufinefs’ ^’d Misfortunes of il/s fh’ fT LCh a Man to feek Relief from Books, Friends !’’ S thcm“ ;C But formal Dullnefs, tedioi,; \"e,n n. i e may read ; but he will be as unconfcious of the mafterly and delicate Strokes of what he reads, as

a ft °j?'niSr ' e°re lodg’d in its cavern’d Side. A itupid Sort of Admiration is the higheft Pleafure he is capable of receding.— While, on the Contrary, the Man who has been taught to take the full Guft of the ^enerous eafures arifing from the Contemplation of tieauty. Order, Harmony, Defign , Symmetry of Parts, and Conformity to Truth and Nature, finds, within Himfelr, an unexhauftable Fund of the moft noble and rational Amufement. No Moment of Time.—

|| In Support of Evanaers Sentiments in this Paragraph, fufFer

me to quote the following beautiful Verfes from Dr. Armftrxm*' s Lpiltle on Benevolence. J **

Tis chiefly Tafte, or blunt, or grofis, or fine ,

Makes Life infipid \ hefi ia.1 or divine .

Better be born with Tafie to little Rent ,

Than the dull Monarch of a Continent

If it bout fine Nerves and Bofcm juftiy vnarni d,

Rn Eye, an Ear, a Fancy to be charm' d ;

In ciain, majediic Wren expands the Dome ;

Blank as pate Stucco Rubens lines the Room ;

Left are the Raptures of bold Handel’j Strain Great Tu Uy forms, fiuret Virgil fings in vain.

'The beauteous Forms of Nature arc effac'd \

1 empe s Toft Charms, the raging 'inatiy IV a fie,.

Bach gi eatly veild, each fzneet romantic Scene,

Unheeded fifes and almoft mi fen.

1ft t thefe are fioys nviih Ionic cf better Clay,

/ o booth the Toils cl Life'< embanafs" d Way." -

f

I i peak it feelingly, faid Evander , — No Moment of Time needs hang heavy on his Hands. No Situation, no Circumftances, -f neither at home or abroad ; neither in Youth nor old Age •, neither in Profperity nor Adver- fity ; but can be render’d more agreeable, while he can tafte the intellectual Joys of his darling Studies, Suppofe then Youth fhou’d reap no other Advantage from the Studies in this Clafs, but the Power of filling up thofe vacant Flours to Advantage, which thofe, who want fuch a 1 afte, ufually fpend in trifling Vifirs, Cards, Hunting or Drinking-Matches, and other hurtful Plea- lures *, we have Reafon to think a few Months properly fpent in forming this Tafte, a very eflential Part of Edu¬ cation ; and the Matter that neglects this in Education, may well expeCt to earn the bittereft Curfes of thofe he deprives of fuch a folid Joy, in all Conditions of Life. But further, the Miranians fay, that this Tafte for po¬ lite Letters, not only teaches us to write well, and renders Lire comfortable to ourfelves, but alfo contributes highly to the Cement of Society, and the Tranquility of the State. They don’t hefitate to affirm, that they think it almoft impoffible for a Man that has a Tafte for the imitative Arts, and can feel the noble Charms of Rhe~ toric, Poetry, Painting, Mufic, Sculpture, &c. — to be a boifterous SubjeCt, an undutiful Son, a rough Hufband, an unnatural Parent, acruelMafter, a treacherous Friend, or in any Shape a bad Man. Thefe Studies enlarge the Mind, refine and exalt the Underftanding, improve the Temper, foften the Manners, ferene the Paffions, che- rifh Reflection, and lead on that charming Langour of Soul, that philofophic Melancholy, which, moft of all, difpofes to Love, Friendffiip, and every tender Emo¬ tion. To conclude this Article, (which, as it treated my favorite Studies, I have, perhaps, tired you with)

f Hac Stud) a adolcjuntiam alant , Senectutem oblcfiant ; fecundas rei Adverfis Pcrfitgium & Solatium, f rebent : D defiant Dom,

non itnptdiutJ foi :j ; penned ant hebifeum, per c grin ant ury rujlicantur .

| 1

■jjj

If i

!

(2 6 )

it appears to me that the Studies, iri this and the next Clafs, are thofe we muft chiefly cultivate, wou’d we be good Men and good Citizens.” Si Patrice volumus , ft Nobis vivere chari. — And all the Studies in the for¬ mer Clafles feem of little other Value but as they pre¬ pare for thefe.

FIFTH or higheft CLASS .

The Principal, whofe Name is Aratus , inftrudts this Clafs in the Study of Agriculture and Hiftory. The Knowlege of Nature acquir’d in the third Clafs, con¬ tributes greatly to make the Study of Agriculture eafy at this Time. In fome previous Ledturcs Aratus re¬ fumes this Subjedt ; and particularly gives the Youth a good Tindture of Phyfic and animal Anatomy, which is not only of great Ufe to teach them the proper Care of their own Health and Bodies ; but highly neceffary to explain the CEconomy and Mechanifm of Plants, the Strudture of their Veflels, their Generation, Manner of Life and Accretion, Perfpiration, Circulation of Sap, &c. Of all which, the fureft Way of giving any Idea, is by obferving and tracing the Analogy between Plants and Animals. — After this he examines, with the Youth, the mineral Strata of the Earth •, enquires into the Nature of thofe faline and aqueous Juices that conftitute the nutri¬ tious Matter or Food of Vegetables ; and of thofe other Foflils which, being either heterogeneous to the vege¬ table Subftance, or too grofs and fcabrous to enter into the Roots of Plants, ferve however to loften and fepa- rate the concreted Parts of the Earthy and prepare it for the Ends of Vegetation . The Whole is illuftrated by a Courfe of chymical and ftatical Experiments.

The Theory of Vegetation once explain’d, and toler¬ ably underftood •, what remains in the Study of Huf- bandry is not very difficult. For after obtaining a good Infight into the vegetable CEconomy, the Quality of Soils, &V. by the Analyfis of Plants, Foflils and Air, the Youth are enabled to judge what Effect every Manure will have on every Soil ; what is the proper Manner of

preparing

iimii—

( 27 )

preparing the Gsound for the Seed •, and what Seed of Plant fhou’d be affigrdd each natural Earth. In this chiefly confifts the Hufbandman’s Art. After this

Foundation is laid, they proceed to read the belt Geo-

ponic Writers, fuch as Varro, Columella, Hull, Bradley, &c. affigning, as they go along, the rationale, for the natural Phenomena and Rules of Tillage, recorded in thefe Authors, upon the Principles and Philofophy of modern Naturalifts.

One Part of the Day is given thro’ the Year, to the Study of Agriculture, as laid down above : The Re¬ mainder to the Study of Hiftory ; by which, it is plain I do not mean the Reading of Hiftory to fatisfy the Cu- riofity for a Moment, with the Knowlege of tingle un¬ relative Fa6ts • which, to their great Lofs is all that Youth generally profit by Hiftory, at the Age, and ac¬ cording to the Method, it is handled at Colleges.— -In the Courfe of the above-mentioned Studies, and from their private Reading for Amufement, the Miranian- Youtb , I need not tell you, mu ft by this Time have a pretty full Knowlege of the principal Events that hap¬ pened in the World before they were born. The Buh- nefs of this Clafs is of a far more noble and extenfive Nature. It is to review thofe Events in the calm Light of Philofophy , when related in their full Extent, attended with a Deduction of their immediate and remote Caufes and Confequences, in order to make them a Leflon of Ethics and Politics, — an ufeful Rule of Conduct and Manners thro’ Life. It is dangerous to fend law un~ praCtis’d Virtue abroad into a World where Right and Wrong are too often confounded •, and nothing can ob¬ viate this Danger but the giving Youth a previous Ac¬ quaintance with the World, and making them behold Virtue and Vice with all their Confequences painted in genuine Colors by the Hiftorian. Numerous ar^ tnc Evils that arife in Society when Youth are fent into it, efpecially in any high Station without this Knowlege. In this Cafe neither Logics, Mathematics, Phyfics, Rhe-

D 2 tone,

are capable^'1 KtaMng“ a°n iTaTh? f"7T tht'>'

'y !«•'. and renfaXtufa Tfefe 7 71"

and profitable. As the Studv of Aff - .C afs’ Pleafant

eafy by the previous KnovvJege in nau^al PhTf fb is the previous Knowles of f 7 Pilll°Pophy ; pies of Ethics, a fine Intro^ ,5v fun|damcntaJ Princi- Study of Hiftory This Snh' ^°nj° the philofophical encring upon HiLrv H. J ^ rdi,m« Wore

Stare If L":

ger WUh 7

any Man, but what he can eirl"’ ^ ”ot linS Jecure to Violence : From 5? , eit?cr acclu,re or maintain by

Neceflity Mankind lavmrnd ** ^ °CCai'lon t0 Aew the

and volLtari?y tfigJin: slT'l T Sod^>

ofel^’ 3nd InC°nVeniencies in 'be AdmJftration

s^offeS5^6 Yrhjnter i,p°n the

2 "7“ °f U T W**- abo« "wicrttg

%%?%%, them

moreover to exprefs themfelves in a fhort ken ir M

'Tfi WflM °r'Cali0n rcclu*rcs it ; and when the Hiftorv is finifh d, ferves as a Recapitulation of the Whole to

winch they may always have Recourfe thro’ Life -nd

ring t ie Fads frefh into their Memory. Thefe Sum

SS 7 r7 d 7 "* CM, by the Principal, who^s •

Prade-wor, y in the Condition of rhe feveTal -rates , and, rn the familiar Way of Dialogue, to make

them

. . .

( 29 )

them give their Opinion upon the Fails mentioned, the Manners and Cuftoms of the People, &c. drawing pro¬ per Morals from the Whole. In this Manner a Portion is abrig’d, and defcanted upon, every Day, till they have gone over the Hiftory of the fiorifhing Ages of Greece ; which they perform in about the Space of a Month. The Hiftory of Rome (Mr. Hooke's judicious Collection of it) is ftudied in the next Place down to

the Days of Auguftus : This requires about two Months more,

* All between this Period and the Beginning of the 1 6th Century is paft over, the Remainder of the Year being fpent in the Study of modern Hiftory ; from Puffendorf's Introduction to which, they firft take a general View of the principal States and Kingdoms in Europe, that now divide that Power among them, upon which depends the whole Syftem of Police operating at prefent. After that they defcend to ftudy the Hiftory of England , from the Beginning of the faid 1 6th Cen- tury, after the fame Manner they before ftudied the Hiftory of Greece and Rome ; the Principal taking Care, as they go along, to note the Rife, Interefts, Dependen¬ cies and Conftitutions of the feveral Nations and States, whofe Hiftories'are interwoven with that of England \ and where a fuller Account than Puffendorf's, is neceftary of thefe States, in order to underftand their Reafons and Motives of Aition on any Occafion, referring the Youth to that Period of their particular Hiftories. From the Beginning of Henry Vllths Reign, to the End of Queen Ann's, is what they ftudy ; and that Part of R apin, with the Continuation to the End of the Third Queen Ann takes up about five Months. They conclude the whole with a View of our Colonies in this Hemifphere ; their State, Produce, Interefts, Government, &c ; taking fome Notice as they go along, of the French and Spa- -niff Settlements we are chiefly concern’d with in Trade. Evuy Sunday Night about an Hour is fpent in the Study of the Bible Hiftory. Tha’

( 3° ) ,

The5 this is but a tmall Part of the Hiftory of Man¬ kind, yet it is as much as can conveniently be brought, and much more than generally is brought, into a Scheme of collegiate Education. The Youth are thus fent into the World well acquainted with the Hiftory of thole Nations they are likely to be moft concerned with in Life-, and alfo with the Hiftory of Greece and Rome , which may be juftly call’d the Hiftory of Heroifm , Vi rtue and Patriotifm . This is enough to prepare them for Society, and put them in the Method of ftudying the Hiftory of any other Nations they think proper, in a philofophical Manner, whenever their Inclination and Leifure fliall prompt them to it.

This, continued Evander , is a Sketch of the Studies of the feveral Claffes ; which I could with Pleafure, in this Account, purfue thro’ all their different Ramificati¬ ons. But as this is inconfiftent with my defign’d Bre¬ vity, I have only mention’d the general Heads of Science, wholly negledting fuch Branches as are either included in, or neceffary to, the Knowledge of thofe I have men¬ tion’d.— In the Second Clafs, you will obferve I have not fpoke a Word of plain Trigonometry, becaufe it is fuppos’d in the Study of Geometry. Neither have I mention’d Perfpedtive, Painting, &c. becaufe included in the beautiful Sciences of Optics nor even Optics themfelves, nor fpherical Trigonometry, as they are all fuppos’d in the general Study of Aftronomy. In like Manner, I have not mention’d Dialing, becaufe after being taught Aftronomy, and the Ufe of the Globes, the whole Theory of Dialing is learn’d in a few Hours -. And fo of all the other Claffes, which I take Notice of exprefsly, that you may not judge the Studies of any one Clafs unproportion’d to thofe of another, without taking into the Account all their Branches, Praecognita, &c.— -Here I told Evander , that I was well enough fa- tisfy’d the Studies of the Claffes were very well pro¬ portion’d, as they become ftill more extenfive the far¬ ther the Youth advance in Years ; but that I thought

the

■ ' \

the Studies of every Clafs were more than Youth could probably become fufficiently acquainted with in the a im.

He reply’d, that if the Mirantan Youth did not at tend the Duties of the College longer than the ordinary Terms, my Obfervation would be juft. But, ^ontinuct he my Countrymen are entirely againft long Vacancies, and interrupting the Studies of Youth for halfthe Year They can’t fee any Advantage in fuch a i lattice , an are certain that it is attended with many Inconveniences. Vacations and holy Days in this College, c on t cxce-t two Months. Befides, they don’t propofe any 1 hmg

more than to give the Y outh a gel9J al n°w ,“n Tindture of thefe. Studies. This is all that can be done at College ; For as Bent of Genius will not carry all the Youth of a Clafs the fameLengths m every Study ; that Scheme of Education is humanly perfeft, by which all the Students may become ordinary Proficients in all i the Studies j and are put in a Method of excelling m thefe particular Sciences to which Nature has bent their Ge¬ nius. The * Age of the Youth, contributes highly to aid the Execution of fuch a Scheme ; and I can allure you, from Experience, that by attending even eight or nine Months in the Y ear, all that is narrated above may be done by Youth of ordinary Genius •, without making it any Burden to them.— You will, no doubt, take No¬ tice that the Number of Mafters are fewer than ordinary by this Scheme ; and the Oeconomy different from the moft Part of Colleges •, which have a diftindt 1 rofeffor for every Branch of Science •, as a Frofeffor of Anatomy, Botany , Chymijlry , Civil Law , &c. while the btuc ents attend a great many different Mafters and Studies at different Hours. But, tho’ my Countrymen could af¬ ford Salaries for fuch a Number of Pofeffors, they would never give into this Method for they think it a gieat

* They are and rauft be at lead in their i .ah Year when entered into thefe Claffes, and in their 1.9th when. they leave them, as may b'* gather’d from what is faid above.

~ b Difadvantage

f f ft7 m!?' &%££

73 Jfe' SJ&'o'M

CJafs above it and theV^ldl3" Introdl'aion t0 the „„r c, ’ and t,le Youth thus rais’d bv a Chain of

rLfX'? rr of th* Educafon Hen°r a 1 roreilor ferves, by the above Scheme for nil 7

^ranches of Knowlege that can be acquir’d in one Yeai-C wnicn refolves the CiafTes and Mailers into a NiTmbe

Sr ,t0 the,Number of Years ; and renders the wnole Flan plain and regular.

That the Studies laid down for the five foreo-0in°-

peafto thofranShd 10 thf"atUraI °rder’ wiI1 bell ap°

and OKi A Th° 3rei beft ac(^ainted w'th the Nature and Object of them. I fhall not trouble you then

The Med °a ^ may appcar an Nation of

the Method of Study in thefe Claffes ; fince you will

a low, when you confider the whole attentively, that to

change this Order ever fo little wou’d greatly confound

and retard the execution. With Regard to the three

wer Claffes, there can be no Objedion •, as Mathema-

ics go before Philofophy in every Seminary ; and are

io neceffary to ,t, that Mr .Locke, I think, advifes the

Krudy of Mathematics, fuppoie we fhould propofc no

other Advantage by them than to ftrengthen the reafo-

™n.f J acuity and prepare the Mind for the Study of

11!°Th/’J?y accuftoming it to think clofely, and call orth thole Thoughts in a fyftematical Manner

That Rhetoric, Poetry, Critidifm and Compofition, liould be learn d after Philofophy, feems decided by the Authority of the greateft Orators and Poets.— -Thus Horace— Scribendi reSte , Japere eft d? Principium & tons.y-l hus Tul’y blames the Orators of his Time for neglecting the Study of Philofophy and polite Literature,

— - Nemo

....Nemo vederetur exquiftius quam Vulgus Hominum Jluduiffe Uteris , quibus Fons perfetta Eloquent] a conti- netur \ Nemo qui Philofophiam complexus ejfet, Matrem Omnium bene Fact or urn, beneque Di 51 or urn. Quintilian every Way is of the fame Opinion. And Pliny adviles it in exprefs Terms.— Mora primum , mox Eloquentiam difeat , (Puer) qua male fine Moribus difeitur . . But without any Authorities, the Thing is felf-evident. Eloquence is generally the fublimeft Philofophy ; now it is abfurd to fpeak of writing or compofmg philofopln- cally till we are Philofophers ; or of writing elegantly without a Tafte for polite Letters. In Reality, no Man but he who can diftinguifh philofophically between Right and Wrong, (the Honejlum & ‘Turpe ) and who is pof- fefs’d of all the moral Virtues, can be a good Orator, for this Reafon that no Man can move others, unlefs he himfelf is mov’d with what he fpeaks. A bad Man may, to give his Words Force, feem mov’d when he reafons of Virtue ; but- whenever his Character is fully detected, all his moft artful Pretences this Way will only, fo much the more, Ihock his Audience.

Here I aik’d Evander , why foreign Univerfities, &c. plac’d Rhetoric before Philofophy, if the latter was fo necelTary to it ? He anfwer’d, that as far as he could learn, the Difference between the Method of his Coun¬ trymen, and that of the beft model’d Colleges, was not material. ’Tis true, faid he, thefe Colleges begin the Study of Rhetoric in the lower Claffes, but they continue it thro’ the higher Ones. Thus the firft Year perhaps the Youth learn no more than the Figures of Speech, and the Precepts ; the Knowlege of Logic and Gram¬ mar is enough for this Purpofe. Compofition, Criti- cifm, and that Part of Rhetoric to which Philofophy and polite Letters are necelTary, fall of Courfe after the Study of Philofophy, &c. which is the fame Thing upon the Whole-, unlefs that it is inconfiftent with this Maxim of my Countrymen, never to engage Youth in more than one or two Studies till they are fully Matters

E - of

ttafZ/ nand a, Tkr thdr Plan as fimPle as poffible,

the rr lp *han *hc,r prcumftances enable them to employ,

the Prafl-V^^fKf1011 that CVer makes them dePart from

I Srfume1 T tlT a°re Jearn’d than themfelves. cj/™e’ 1 n,eed offer noReafons for placing the

eft cSs° a! T’f T’ ,Hlftrory and Politics in the high-

of Education £? "f f* F*™1 e"*r into the Scheme

in- after hK FHb , e left [or evei7 Man’s private read- ,to. c , i? Education at the Univerfity is finifhed it is

ofM^ 5yand°Ure ^ ^ *re indeed the St;,udies ail r f d cTC 3 npe Judgment. But moreover

neceffarvTndV hf S’ 38 1 °bferV’d alreadD are f(5f f J and fubferv>ent to them. Even Rhetoric her-

If is of great Ufe m reading a well- wrote Hiftory, as re Beauties of the Diftion and Speeches muft otheTOife

/rrDnl0ft and ootafted. And if this was th-Cafe yet ftill, methinks, Hiftory and Agriculture

itfrh ^landlaft’ " °rder t0 ffod Youth abroad nto the World, warm (if I may fo exprefs it) from

thofe Studies which their own Interefts, and the Service

till DeathC°Untiy Wl1' them chiefly to cultivate

The next Thing to be fpoken of is the public Exer-

es of thefe five Claffes ; for the Mtranians are- fully

on vine d of the great Advantages -confequent upon

bringing Youth early to fpeak in Public ; and therefore

have fet all the Saturdays of the Year wholly apart for tms Purpoie. r

Upon thefe Days, the Matters, Scholars, and as ma- ny of the Citizens as pleafe to attend, being affembled in the Chapel after Morning Prayers •, one of the Stu¬ dents in the Firft or Greek Clafs appears as Refpondent /. itn an Opponent or Interrogator from the Third Clafs • the latter pitches upon any Greek Author, the Refpon¬ dent has read during the Courfe of the Y ear in his Clafs and preienbes a Paflage in it to be render’d into EnsKfh extempore •, this the Refpondent does, pointing out the

Author’s

•’••-isr. ••

.

> . —

mu rnvmrnmm

°bl rS& Tel SoorDenvatfon, Conftrua,o„, tfc.

0f every Word . rsTh'°P|°"e' u”1 Op^rtanity, b,

£“h ich t o“Sg!> fnperiiitcnds theft cfe “ may imerfere with his Affiftance ,f there Ihou cl

’ be Afa/Se S If the' t *2S£* . as Respondent

fpondenu Then ^Tfnch Innctirf 1^!^”- th^le RefoncSerO has learn’d in his Clafs.

In the next Place, a Refpondent appears tom t^e^

Clafs with an Opponent from the 5*. M h

Exercife the fame as above. The Subjett Ltnics

1 'pefides bearing’ a Part, as Interrogators, in the fore- g„f„lfte^s,Sthe ath-and^th «fts ha.anExerc.re

Hn t£ Natnre, Rules and Advantages of Eloquence

and Poetry, which are their P^t Stiimes

T qftlv one of the sth or higheft Clals - delivers an

Oration fram’d according to the exaft Rules of Rhetoric UDon°anycivil Topic th°at is, or may be, chfputed with Regard to the Intereft of their Country. And TuchHa- raneues I have often known to be of very public Service, not only when deliver’d, but. when thought ^ortny Pt nnrv-arina in Print. Sometimes too their Subject is tn - Ufefulnel of Hiftory and Agriculture > the Pka.ures o Retirement, or any moral Subjeft. Thus when there not above twenty Boys in each Clafs, eveiy ) three lower Claffes . appears in public . twice a fea,

D Z

flio.e of the two hi°-her nilr c Exercifts of the fame Kmd^ t£U h -T.hl1 es ‘ — T^ere are Mechanic's School : And in ^ r h'£hcr Cla^ of the of Exercifts or public Afts ^ Latm SchooI> inftcad animations ; and nrnn.f r, ’ there arc quarterly Ex¬ cite Emulation. Rewards diftributed to ex¬

fourth, orCk^of RheToricbe Pr°,PV° °bferve that the entertain the Town with r, ’ on,theKing’s Birth-Night formances. And at li ^ dramadc ^ dafs do the fame. On theft &“fncT the Bhh with the Prefence of the ri, UccaflonVthey are honor’d

G»*m“ of ^d,« and

as they have not been taimht p if the. thr^e lower Clafies,

nutted a Share in this - nnr hef°^c’ are notper-

allow’d to exhibit any more Trn^r tW° *igher CJafe a-piece 5 as it wou’d inn f ’ ° fh,S one -Performance Clafs to prepare themP^ Wth the D u ties of the **" » ^nd U* is fuff

£ the to

that is that all their public Afts X * ; and

“ the Englifh Tongue. No P. D?C,amatlons, &c. are than they to teach Youth to tranfW ^ ^ G niore careful appear in the Courfe of rh. f ^atln readl,y> as may «-ery Aodsor TrStX o'ment,,0n„d St“di«- »h«e

they ai„X noshiX mfoT VX Wh'n,l*is there is a great Different hi? ^ • ^ey are fenhble9

! cm* lutho.-S^n'Xn ttVb,e t0 exr“n

Language as that Author Almoflh ^p* rS 3S g0od tam to the firft.-— But onlv 1 if a7 Perfon may at" Buchanan , and a few more^ I -rafmus, a Cqjhnir, a tin, unmixt with foS 'X 7°te Pu«. daffic La- it became a. dead Language aUtT,°reiSn ]d,0™s> fince oeny, but learned Men* mm,l - l however,

they ^annof1 write wThphffic FI ^ ^

** *"*» condemn Sfe

ther

(37)

dier-Tong1^,. and embarafiing a young Student, by ,°., W him to fpeak or compofe in a dead Language While he is hunting after Words to explain Himfelf by" he mull be continually on the Rack ; one Half of his Sentiments, one Half of his fprightly Sallies of Fancy, which wou d otherwife fhine thro’ his Compofitions, mult elcape his Memory ere he can find Words to ex- pie s t em. The Conlcioufnefs of fpeaking improperly, often barbaroufly, mutt damp his Ardor, and reftrain him from delivering himfelf with that becoming Eafe and Confidence that Grace of Voice and Aftion, that Pro ¬ priety and Harmony, which he cou’d not fail of, did he apply that Time and Pains to the Englifh-Tongue, which is often without Succefs given to the Latin.— Befides my Countrymen fee m to think it below their Dignity to declaim in a foreign Tongue, before an Englilh Au- ience. In particular, my Friend, continued Evander. ery gaily ; to fpeak in Latin, we think, *wou’d be an Jnfult on our Ladies, who often honor us with their Pre- fence on thofe Occafions •, and, by their brilliant Ap¬ pearance, add new Grace to the Acftion, new Mufic to the i ongues, new Spnghtlinefs to the Imagination, and new hire to the Bofoms of the Youth.—

rhere are likewife Matters in the College for teaching the French, Italian, Spanifh and Germaf Tongues ^

"T 5 ind a^ncing. Matter, who, befides the I A1 e , teaches the military Exercife. There

mendon’d fi ^anC,n\MaAfter ; whoni 1 foil’d have mention d firft ; as this Art is learn’d by the Boys when

aVn7JTg; . W*\ in the ioweft Claffi of the7' lS

and Mechanic s School. None of the Youth how-

SSX g’d bJ ";\Sta,UKS of College co' attend • -e Matters-; and if they 00 attend them, it mutt be

before^ they are enter’d into the fourth or rhetorical Clafs

h£hereClTU’d linCnrfere with the Duties of' the two’ flvS n SJ ’ W7’ aS-y°U 11 remeniber, confifts chie¬ fly m Reading and Writing in private. The Students

in thefe two ClafTes are efteem’d Men ; and it is reckon’d

lliamefuJ

( 38 )

fhameful for them to be ignorant of Dancing, Fencing and modern Languages till that Time.— None of thefe Matters are included in the Inftitution, in any other Thino, but that 'the Governors or Truftees upon any Complaint that their Characters are bad and their Ex¬ ample dangerous, may deprive them of the Benefit of teaching the Youth-, A Punifhment great enough: Tor, tho’ they have no Salaries from the Public, yet as each of them has generally thrice the Number of Boys that are in any of the Gaffes, their Income is nothing inferior to the Income of the Matters that are upon the Eftabhfh- ment And the College alfo gives each of them, that behave well, a bandfom Gratuity yearly -, as a Tefti- mony of their being willing to encourage the Learning 01 all polite Arts and manly Exercifes among the Youth.

.Here Evander paus’d, as if in Expectation of fome Remarks from, me upon the Excellency of the Inftitution he had given me an Account of. 1 told him that as far as he had yet proceeded I mightily approv d of it : But that I thought the Study of Religion without which no Scheme of Education cou’d be of Advantage to the State or private Perfons, did not Sufficiently enter into his Account -, and that if the Miramans did nothing more this Way than he had fpoken of I judg’d their Scheme deficient in the moft interefting Article.

He refum’d, that my Observation was juft -, and that it was for this very Reafon he had left the Account of

their Method of ftudying Religion and Morals to a. e

narate Article •, as well, becaufe of their Importance, becaufe they are the chief ObjeCt of the Studies of every Gafs, and consequently cou’d not be brought into the

ACMy' ColmJmCp^eeded’he, are fully perfoaded

tliat thofe who areentrufted withthe Education of You h

can do more lading Service to the Interefis of Religion and Virtue , at a Time when the Heart is iufceptible every lmpreffion, than all the good Mot, , a 1 the P- >i o- ' fophers, all theMagittrates, arm d with all ^ower^ o

( 39 )

a Country, can do, if, for Want of Education, the Heart is fuffer’d to become callous, as it were, and obftinate in the Habits of Vice. They were, therefore, extreme Careful to look for fomething hill better than Learning in all the Matters they chofe into the Setpinary •, admit¬ ting none but Men of irreproachable Characters *, Men whofe Lives fhou’d be a daily Comment on their Precepts, and their genuine Goodnefs of Heart a conftant Pledge for the Morals of the Youth committed to their Care ; Men indefatigable in the Difcharge of their Duty from a Confcioufnefs of the weighty Truft repos’d in them, and an unfeign’d Zeal for the prefent and future Interefts of their Pupils ; Men, in a Word form’d to command Love and Reverence ; and from their Sweetnefs of Temper difpos’d to ftrew the Path to Science with Rofes. They prudently forefaw, that upon their meeting with Men of this Character at firft, not only depended the Reputation of the College, but in a great Meafure, the Morals and Genius , of the Country to lateft Generations.

Such Men they had the Happinefs to meet with ; And it will, I hope, prove a pleafing and ufeful Specu¬ lation, to take a more particular View of the Method of inculcating good Morals , or natural Religion , practis’d by Them ; and which may be practis’d by every Good Matter in the Courle of thefe Studies. Some may be ready to imagine they bettow a great deal of Time and Labor this Way •, but, on the Contrary, tho’ Virtue and Goodnefs is always in their Eye, it is but feldom in their Mouth. They know too much of human Nature, to propofe teaching Morals, &c. by formal Difcourfes and tedious Ledtures. • At the very Thought of this. Youth take the Alarm and feem to put themfelves on their Guard againft all that can be laid : While a Word dropt, as it were, cafually by a flkilful Matter in a pro¬ per Seafon, fhall ttrike fo much the deeper as it was not expected, and make an Imprefiion never to be eras’d. His great Bufmefs then, who wou’d train up Youth to Religion, confifts in the firft Place, in getting the en¬ tire

( 4° )

tire Pofleflion of their Hearts ; in keeping a jealous Eye over them ; in preventing the Approach of every Thing that is of a noxious Quality ; in making every Thing around them breathe Innocence , Purity and Truth ; and laftly, in watching the proper Opportunities of drop¬ ping the Seeds of Goodnefs into the Heart, while it re¬ mains in this healthful State, which will not fail to bring . forth (2) an hundred Fold, provided he adds to the .Whole his own Example, and feems fully perfuaded of the Truths he wou’d imprefs upon them ; never men'- tioning Religion and Virtue without the utmoft Devo¬ tion and Fervor of Soul.

Opportunities of this Kind will never be wanting to the Matter who has himfelf a good Heart. I fhall take Notice of a few of them ; and tho’ every claffic Author ’ furnifhes noble Leflfons of Morality, I fhall confine my- felf to the five learned Claftes laft-mention’d becaufe I wou’d be brief. I fhall take Care to aferibe Nothing more to the Scholar than I myfelfhave felt ; nor can I aferibe half fo much to the Mafter, as I have known the good Aratus to put in Practice : For under him I had the Happinefs to pafs thro’ thefe five ClafTes. ; as I was. one of the Youth with whom he open’d the College which cou’dnot be open’d higher than the Greek Clafs, as will be fhewn in the Sequel. — In this Clafs, under fuch a Mafter, the Reading of Homer was like travelling thro’ a delightful Country ; richly variegated with all that is beautiful and grand in Nature; where every Thing

confpir’d - “ To raife the Genius and to mend the *

Heart - confpir’d to entice us forward thro’ Meads of Pleafure, in a flowry Path to Virtue ! — How ftrong- ly wou’d the good Man take Occafion from the Senti¬ ments even of. this Heathen-Author, to inculcate the

•f It feems as unreafonable to expert Lefions of Morality can bring forth any Fruit, unltfs the Heart is thus artfully prepar’d for the Re¬ ception of them, as to expert any natural Seed will take Root and grow if fown at a Venture without preparing the Ground for it. -—*

(2) Luke, viii. Chap.

Belief

Belief of One Supreme GOD , Father and Difpofer of all Things ; as alfo the Immortality of the Soul ; future Rewards and Punifhments, &c. How zealoufly would he prefs Home upon us Refpecft for Kings, Magift rates. Parents and all Superiors P How beautifully wou d he make us mark the Decorum and Honefium of Lire painted in the Characters ; and every Thing little and mean expos’d ? In what affecting Language and noble Images would he fhew us Hofpitality, Gene- rofity. Benevolence, Juftice, Honor, Piety, Inte¬ grity, Prudence, Friend fhip, Fidelity, Sincerity, Intre¬ pidity, Patience and Refignation recommended ? In a Word there was no Virtue, no Duty of civil Life, but he would enforce from Homer ; in fo much that I was almoft ready to fubfcribe to the Opinion of thofe who fay (however hyperbolically) that was all that ever was written on Morals, nay were all the Arts and Sciences, loft, the Stamina of the Whole might be gather d again from Homer. And while Aratus taught us to gathei the Rofes of fuch an Author, he not only made us fhun the Thorns*, but, as Bees from poifonous Herbs ex¬ tract healing Liquids, he taught us even to reap Ad¬ vantages from thofe very Abfurdities, thofe monfti ous Fictions about the Nature of the Gods, their Jars, Thefts, Robberies, Rapes, Adulteries, Incefts, Drunken- nefs, &c. which were the Faults of the Age not ol the Poet. From hence he took Occafion to teach us the juft Value of thofe facred Volumes which have refcu d us from fuch Superftition and Blindnefs.

In the next Clafs what frefli Opportunities did he* find of leading us from Wonder to Wonder, and bringing the Deity before our Eyes in the Study of His ftupen- dous Works ? How were our Minds dilated and exalted when, in the Study of Aftronomy, he led us to confider the heavenly Bodies ? And how little did every T hing we were wont to fancy great then appear to us ? Even the terraqueous Globe on which we dwell, with all its

Kingdoms and boafted Grandeur feem’d in our Eye but

p a fmall

* fr“ Po^ in th= Sokr-Syftem ? The Solar-Syftem

iticjr dwindled into Naught when compar’d with the nu¬ merous Syftems of thofe Stars that in a clear Night ftud the Cerulean ! All thele Syftems again were loft in the vaft Expanfe when compared with that Infinity of Syftems which Philofophy’s purer Eye can defcry be¬ yond the Reach of all Optics ! And thus, while he taught us to rife from Syftem to Syftem, beyond all aefinite Space, till we were loft in the Imagination, and at the fame Time convinc’d us, that fo far from bein^ nearer the Limits, we were ftill but on the Frontiers of of the Creator’s Kingdom j— how wou’d we ftand aftonilh’d at our own Littlenefs, and the Grandeur of that * * GOD whofe Hand fram’d all thofe Clufters of Syftems ^ kindled all their Suns j and feeds their im- menlfe Fires from Age to Age ? How ridiculous and abfurd wou’d we then efteem it for Man,—the Atom- Lord of this Atom-World,— fwol’n with Pride, to ftrut about and boaft that all thefe were made for him ; or to exalt himfelf againft the great Sovereign of fuch an incomprehenfible Domain ? — What a Thirft of Know- lege did the Contemplation of thefe Wonders kindle within us ? And how did we feem. to fpurn this “ evanefcent Speck of Earth”, and ardently affe£t that Period when, Ihaking off this cumbrous Vehicle of Flclh, we fhall perhaps foar thro’ the wide Realms of Nature’ fee Things as they are, and be indulg’d in a free Cor- refpondence with all thofe Syftems and all their Inhabi¬ tants ?— While our Minds were in this State, then, then was the Time the good Aratus wou’d fow, and fow deep, the Seeds of Piety and Goodnefs. Then was the Time he wou’d prefs Home upon us the Worth and Immortality of our Souls. For, wou’d he fay, if a God, that does nothing in vain, and that Ihews fuch

^ •pm

* Whofe Arm Almighty put thefe wheeling Globes In Motion, ahd wound up the vaft Machine !

Who rounded in his Palm thofe fpacious Orbs ;

Who bowl’d them darning thro’ the vad Profound ;

And fet the Bofom of old Night on Fire ! Dr Young.

Wifdom

( 43 )

Wifdom and Defign in all Tilings that come under our Comprehenfions, has endow’d you with Defires and Fafiions fo fuperior to your prefent Objects, and with a Capacity of foaring fo far beyond them *, if he has given fuch a reftlefs Curiofity of prying farther and farther into the beautiful Scheme of Nature ; — be allured this Curiofity will not be fruftrated ; you will not drop into Nought before this Scheme is unfolded to you ! No : all thofe noble Paffions and Defires will be fully fatisfied ! There are in Referve for you fuperior Difplays to be eternally open’d upon you, at proper Periods, as your Powers and Capacities are for ever enlarg’d ! Mean Time, fteddily pradtife what Right- Reafon injoins ; and wait patiently till your Change come.

Nor was it alone, by afcending in the Scale of Nature that Aratus taught us to admire the Almighty Author’s Greatnefs. We were forc’d to acknowlege Him ftiii greater, if pofiible, in the fmalleft than the greatefl Things ; when in the third Clafs we defcended in the Study of Nature to its other Limit (if Nature can be faid to have Limits). — To confine myfelf to that fingle Branch of Phyfics call’d Micrography, how did it fur- prize us to difcover living Creatures, Thoufands of which wou’d be imperceptible to the unaffifted Senfe, fwarming by Legions in each Leaf and Grain ; heaving and animating our choiceft Cates ; mantling our pureft Liquors •, and crouding even the tranfparent AtmoL phere. But when we were convinc’d that thefe Animal¬ cules are fo far from being the laft Degree of Smallnefs, that there are others as much fmaller than them, as they are fmaller than us ; then were we as much loft in the Divifibility of Matter, as we were formerly in its Mul¬ tiplicity. As in the one Cafe we cou’d conceive no End of the Magnitude and Addition of heavenly Bodies, fo in the other, we cou’d conceive no End of Divifibility and Smallnefs. On each Side of us the Gradation is endlefs. Aftonifh’d at ourfelves, we now law Man in a different Light. He that but a little before feem’d

only

X •

i ( 44 )

hi L“it£tora °/ anu AJr-World almoft imperceptible

into a wtS thC UniVCrfe’ feem’d nowdiftended

but with l \ rTn mt° 3n Univerfc’ when compar’d ut with the laft Degree of perceptible Smallnefs. P He

d ‘"ni8 P,r°^er Pkce as— the Nexus utriufque Sf \middlC Lmk 0f Creation i not only as his " f^ms the mean Perfection between the higheft De-

but as L rT /ntd ,SuenCe’ and abfoll,te Infenfibillty -, but as his Body feems the mean Bulk between the greateft

Aggregate of Matter, and the laft Particle of poffible

Smallnefs.— But how was our Aftonifliment encreas’d

when we were convinc’d that every the Minuteft of theft

Annuals are form’d with as exad Proportion, Nicety'

diftin^eT§nV arMr b’mfelf; * that they have theft d.ftind Joints, Limbs and Mufcles, all difpos’d in Num¬ ber, Weight and Meafure ; that they have their proper

- ? ,ran? L,iquids circulating in thofe Veffels, caufed alfo by the Syftole and Diaftole of a Heart or fomething analogous which expels the Blood or Liquids into thole Veffels, and receives its refluent Stream ; that they have not only all the Parts neceffary to perform the animal Functions, but are fenfible of rain and Pleafure ; and know how to fhun Danger and puriue their proper Happmefs: and laftly, that tho’ thefe are fo extremely fmall that Thoufands7 of them would

n°\.- C ^ a ^rain Sand,, yet they contain others

within them form’d with the fame Exadnefs as them-

felves ! Speculations of this Kind did not fail to imprefs us with juft and noble Apprehenfions of the Deity : But

^en our art^ul and pious Tutor reminded us, on thefe Occafions, that GOD perform’d all thefe minute Operations, that he made the fmall Heart, Arteries,

^ Each within this little Bulk contains '

An Heart that drives the Torrent thro’ its Veins :

Mufcles to move its Limbs aiight : A Brain,

And Nerves difpos’d for Pleafure and for Pain :

Eyes, to diltinguifh ; Senfe, whereby to know What s Good or Bad, is, or is not, its Foe.

They too are pain’d with Love addrefs the Fair,

And with their Rivals wage detfrudive War. UmverCe.

Valves,

Valves, and pour’d the vaftly fubtile Liquids into the Veffels, of thefe diminutive Animals,— all with the very fame Right Hand, with which he rounded thofe im- menfe Orbs, and hung all thofe Syftems of Worlds, (whofe inconceivable Numbers lately confounded us) at his Footftool like a little fparlding Signet of various Gems — Cou’d we, O cou’d we then, do you think, forbear to fall down in the deepeft Abafement and Ado¬ ration, crying out.- --How wonderful , how incomprehen - fible , how Greats how Good is the Lord ?

Forgive me, my Friend, proceeded Evander , if, in this Part of my Narrative, I fliould be tedious, or dif- cover any unbefeeming Raptures. The Time fpent in thefe Studies was the happieft Period of my Life, and which 1 have often wifh’d I coil’d begin again : A Period, I can never refleit upon, without feeling my Bofom burn, and thinking I hear the good Aratus , with Hands outftretched, and Eyes glowing Affection and Devotion, pouring important Truths from his fervent Tongue, and leading us imperceptibly from the vifible to the rnvifible Things of Gods. *Tis impofiible to exprel's what a Fund of Piety and natural Religion may be laid in, by a few Words dropt on thefe Occafions, by a good and fervent Man, whofe Perfon and Character we love, and whom we fufpedt of no Defign upon us but our own Welfare. I fhould therefore have thought my felt as in- excufable, had I neglected to take fome Notice of thefe Opportunities of inftilling Goodnefs, as\he Matter muff be who, in the Study of Nature, can negledl to make the right Ufe of them. Such a One, indeed, negledts the- mod effential Part of Education •, inafmuch as a good Heart is infinitely preferable to all fpeculative Knowlege:— He neglects to form a Relifh for that de¬ vout Contemplation of the Works of GOD, which is not only capable to give Joy and Satisfaction in all Times and Conditions of Life, but will no doubt conflitute a great Part of our Pleafure, and be the Subject of our Contemplation and Wonder for ever and ever!— -On the other Hand, the Matter who embraces thefe Oppor¬ tunities,

Cumties, with Judgment and Diferetion, will have no keafon to join in the vulgar Complaint, that Youth will not learn Religion ; and that Philofophy rather tends to make them Freethinkers. ’Tis true, when a gloomv Temper and ftarch Behaviour is put for Religion, Youth

nSr? lt, 5 and when they Set but a finall Tindure or Philofophy they may be Free-thinkers in the modern

Senfe. But, let them once tafte the manly, noble and

generous Pleafures, which true Philofophy and true

Religion impart ; — never, never can they forfake them,

for the mean Satisfactions of the narrow- foul’d Deift or

Atheift, according to a fine Thought of the great Bacon :

A fuperficial Tafte of Philofophy, fays he, may perchance

incline the Mind to Atheifm ; but a full Draught thereof

brings it back again to Religion : — The weighty Senfo

of which, Pope has happily transferr’d into the following beautiful Lines. — °

A little Learning is a dangerous 'Thing •,

Drink deep , or ta/le not the Pierian Spring :

There Jhallow Draughts intoxicate the Brain ;

And drinking largely fobers us again. Eflay on Crit.

I have already hinted how much the Studies of the fourth Clafs, Rhetoric and Poetry, tend to better the Heart and improve the Temper. I Ihall therefore pafs to the Study of Agriculture, which Tally || and f Colu¬ mella call the Study of Wifdom, and the Life of a wile Man : — A Study, which has given that Happinefs to the moft renown’d Names in Story which the World cou’d not give ; and in their declining Age afforded them folid Pleafures after being cloy’d with all that Mankind call Great.

It wou’d be needlefs and endlefs to enumerate all the Opportunities a Mafter of Aratus’s Character found to

^ — — — — i mMmtammmrnm mm, \ ■ ■m m n » ■ t 1 w— n i i

II Venio tunic ad l oluptates Agmcolarum, Cjuibus ego incrcdibilitcr de- -i'ciot ; quse nee itlla unpeuiuntur Senefiute, iff ?nihi ad Sapientis uita?n proximo accrdrre njidentur. . -De Sene&ute. .

‘f’ ^es I'A'fii ca , Jine dubitatione, proxima iff quaji Gon fun guinea

Sipientier eft, — De re raft.-—*

lead

lead us admire and adore the Deity in this Study. He cou’d not explain the Theory of Vegetation without ex¬ hibiting whole Worlds of Wonders. He cou’d not ex¬ amine the Structure of the moll indifferent Plant with¬ out making us perceive in it the fame Wifdom and De- fign that appear in the Structure of the moft perfedV Animal. He cou’d not explore the mineral Kingdom without Ihewing us the fame Agreement and Fitnefs in the Difpofition of Things, even amid the dark Recedes and fecret Bowels of the Earth, as on her beautiful Sur¬ face. H er beautiful Surface he cou’d not furvey with us, without fwelling our Hearts with Wonder, Love and Gratitude.— In this Point, Aratus, ever zealous to teach us every Thing that can either improve or rationally amufe, was fingularly induftrious.-- It is a Difgiace, he wou’d fay, for Man to live like a Stranger in a JVt orld made chiefly for Himfelf ; neither tracing the Wifdom, nor adoring the Beneficence, of its Difpofition. — It is a Shame for a reafonable Being to wander, as if deaf and blind, in the Midjft of Nature -, neither attending her Voice, nor receiving any higher Emotions than the un- confcious Brute, from gazing the awful lovely Sped! acles fhe prefents, with a Defign to entertain and ennoble our beft Faculties. —

To form the Tafle, therefore, aright in this Refpedt, our worthy ‘Tutor fwho us’d us in this higheft Clafs more as Men and his bofom’d Friends, than his Pupils) wou’d, . when the Seafon and Study of Agriculture invited us to the Fields, entice us onward to fome romantic Eminence, as if to fliew us fome curious Herb ; and there, feating Himfelf, wou’d artfully turn our Attention and Con- verfation upon the wildly-beautiful Landfkips that eyery where rufli upon the Sight in this new World, where Nature yet wantons in Virgin-Prime, frefli as it were from the Maker’ s Hand, and unprofan’d by little Works of Art. — Before us, we wou’d furvey mighty Rivers, ., whofe diftant Sources are among Nations and Regions

vet unknown, rolling their awful Floods in filent Ma-

jefty

jefty towards the Main ; bank’d with vaft Woods and Forefts, whofe venerable Trees, planted by God himfelf, and almoft coevel with the World, wave their graceful Verdure to every odoriferious Gale. Turning to the other Side, we wou’d behold vaft Lawns opening, in- terminable, between thefe Woods ; enamel’d with all the Colors, Wealth and Fragrance of Nature; and affording a finely diverfify’d Profpeft,— here gentle Brooks, me- andring along their peebly Channels, to pour their tribu¬ tary Urns into thefe larger Rivers ; there a wild Profu- fion of rich Hillocks tufted with various Trees, whofe uncultivated Beauties, and embowering Shades, inviting Repofe, feem’d form’d to be the gay Abodes of Peace and Love -and here again Groups of tame Animals feeding, in mingled Peace and Happinefs, with their wild Brothers of the Woods, yet unapprehenfive of the barbarous Huntjmari* s Toils the whole rural Prolpedl clos d by vaft Mountains pil’d into the Clouds, whole enormous Height even ake the diftant Sight, and chill the Frame with delightful Horrors. ---And while thefe beautiful Sights wou’d hold our Eyes and Hearts captive; Aratus , ever watching the Time to moralize, wou’d remind us how infeparably Beauty and Utility , Magni¬ ficence and Frugality , are always connected in the Works of God. Thefe Inequalities and Varieties on the Surface of the Earthy he wou’d fuggeft, not only ferve to form enchanting Profpedls, but alfo to frudtify the Soil. Thefe Hillocks and little Vallies form Rivulets, and drain oft the fupervacaneous Moifture, thefe Rivulets form Rivers ; thefe Rivers fupply the Expence of Evaporations from the Ocean ; thefe Evaporations form Magazines of Dews and Rains ; and laftly thefe Magazines of Dews and Rains are condens’d and call'd down upon the Earth by the Help of the high Mountains. Thus the Globe is ever fupply’d with frefti Recruits of Moifture, and faline Juices. And thus, tho’ all Things differ, all agree to promote the fame wife Ends. Order walks Hand in Hand with Variety. The

Mountains

( 49 )

Mountains but ftand the lofty Minifters of the Vales. Unlefs they thus rear’d their gelid Creftsinto the Skies to arrcft and condenfe the fludtuating Vapors, the hotter Countries wou’d be left deftitute of Rain ; and the whole Moifture of the Globe, might by Degrees evagate to¬ wards the Poles, and be congeal’d round them. The Mountains alfo produce many curious Vegetables and Minerals of fovereign Ufe, which are not to be found elfewhere. '-^But I fhould never have done, fhould I take Notice of all the Opportunities the good Man found in the Study of Nature, both to refine^ and exalt the Underflanding.— -I fhall next pafs to the Study of Hiftory, which as he manag’d it, is nothing elfe but Religion and Philofophy taught by Examples. And indeed he was of the fame Opinion with the great * Fenelony that the fureft and moft fuccefsful Method of teaching Religion is by hiflorical Facts : a Truth, which from the Feelings of myfelf and School-Fellows in this Clafs, I am fumciently convinc’d of. For,

When the Mirror of Ages was held up to us, and all the celebrated Names of Antiquity made to pafs in bright Review before us when we beheld the Train of private and public Miferies, which has always been the Confequence of Vice, with the glorious Effects of Virtue ; —-when we faw the public Villain branded with eternal Infamy, and deliver’d down as a Malefactor to all Pof- terity, while the Patriot’s Name is embalm’d and ren¬ der’d for ever iHuftrious by the concurring Shouts of Mankind cou’d we forbear, in our own Imaginations and Refoiutions, to enliit ourfelves for Life under the Banner of Virtue '? Cou’d we forbear to glow with a generous Emulation of earning the fair Efteem of good Men, and fharing fome Part of the Fame of thofe vene¬ rable Worthies we read of? Or could we once think of committing a bale and difhoneft Action, without fhrink- ing from it with Horror, at the Apprehenfions of the eternal Reproaches of the World ?

I I WWW .■ ■ » mm — -r — — ■ WWW . >w.- m>mmrn mm. '.'mm* —

Archbifhop of* Cambrvy*

G The

JF ■

The Study of Hiftory, and the Knowlege of the Greatnefs, illuftrious Atchievments, and Manners of other Nations, may fupply the Place of travelling, and make Youth {hake off that ridiculous Littlenefs of Thought, that contemptible Vanity, of making the Cuftoms, Manners and Actions of the {mail Spot where¬ in they were born, the Standard of Right and Wrong ; ---the Model of every Thing great and noble. This begets a more manly and generous Turn of Thought ; extends their Views •, and teaches them, as Citizens of the World, to do Juftice to the Virtues of every Nation and People, unbiafs’d by a weak Attachment to any particular Corner of the Earth. And indeed there is fome^ Danger that Hiftory, with all it’s Advantages, fhou’d have the fame Effect that travelling too often has; I mean, to cure this Vanity too much, and make them too much in Love with the falfe Magnificence and Greatnefs of other Nations. ---Youth are apt to be dazzled when they read of a mighty Thunderbolt of War, returning Victorious over vaft Nations and King¬ doms ; his native City moving as it were from its Foundations to meet him and ufher him home, thron’d like a God on a triumphal Car ; crown’d with Gold ; bufkin’d with Pearl ; clad in Purple ftiff with Embroi¬ dery ; bearing Laurels in his Hand ; famous Kings and Generals, loaden with Chains, led Captive before him ; white-rob’d Senators following after him ; folemn Mu- fic founding his Praifes ; ten thoufand Hands ftrewing ffs Way with Flowers ; and ten times ten thoufand Tongues {welling the loud, Io Triumphe to the Skies ! ---On thefe Occafions I have known the fagaciousy^r^to ftedfaftly examine our Looks and Countenances ; and if he had any Reafon to judge, fuch pompous Defcrip- tions were likely to pervert the Tafte of folid Glory, lie would obferve to us that all this Apparatus of the Triumph was only Externals, only the Trappings of the Conqueror, and no Part of the intrinfic Worth of the Man ; nor of any Value, but as the Teftimony of a

grateful

grateful People for fome great and good Adlion. He wou’d remind us that there is fomething ftill greater than Victories and Triumphs, even in a good Caufe, to which the chief Applaufe of Ages has been paid : That it is the Heart alone which denominates Men good and great ; and that they who, obeying the Dictates of a good Heart, do all the good in their Power, are truly and equally great, whether their Lot be the private Shade, and the Command of a Family *, or the public Theatre of the World, and the Command of Armies and Provinces.-- ■ *

To illuftrate this, he wou’d ask us, whether in our Senfe and the Senfe of all Ages and Men, 'Timoleon , when he declin’d all the Dignities offer’d him by the grateful Syracufans , and retir’d to pradtife in Silence the Virtues of a private Life, only faving to himfelf the Pleafure of feeing Millions happy by his Means, did not appear even as venerably great, as when he came at the Head of an Army, refolv’d either to die or refcue the fame Syracufans from Slavery and Oppreffion ? Whether Curius , when he refus’d the vaft Sums offer’d him by the Samnite Ambafiadors, tho’ they found him fo poor as to be cooking his own Supper in the Chimney-Corner, did not fhew ftill as much Magnanimity as when in the Front of dreadful War he conquer’d wherever he came? And whether he was not ftill as great when ferving up a Share of the fame Supper to the lame Ambaffadors with that terrible Arm from which they fo often had fled trembling, as when twice carried in Triumph to the Capitol? Whether Fabricius and the fame Curius , when they refus’d (notwithftanding their private Eftates were but a few Acres) to accept of any more than * feven Acres of the Lands they had conquer’d (the Share of a common Soldier) did not acquire more Glory than in adding whole Kingdoms to the Commonwealth ? Whe¬ ther all Ages have not more applauded Fabius for

faving

o

# Columel. de re ruft.

( 52 )

laving from certain Deftru&ion, his Rival and Adver¬ sary Minucius , who by the bafeft Means had fupplanted him in the Efteem of the People, than for defeating the great Hannibal and faving the Republic -? Whether Gncinnatus has not receiv’d more Renown for abdicating the Di&atorfhip On the Sixteenth Day, which he might have held fix Months ; and, when he cou’d be of no further public . Ufe, ftealing away from the Praifes and Acclamations of his fellow Citizens, to manure his little Farm, and cheer his lovely-lonfom Radii a, to whom in his Abfence he had committed the Care of it whether 1 fay, he has not receiv’d more Renown for this In¬ stance of Moderation, than even for deferving thole Praifes by faving the State from th z-AEqui ? Whether he did not appear as illuftrious at the Plough-Tail as on the triumphal Car ? Whether he did not appear as great and venerable in the Sight of all Men, ..(perhaps more fo in the Sight of God) when Seated on a humble Turf he decided the Differences of his Neighbour- Peafants, and reftor’d Peace to a poor Family ; than when feated on the High Tribunal of Rome, and vefted with uncon- troulable Authority, he gave Law and Peace to half the World

Thefe renown’d Worthies, wou’d Aratus continue, when they conquer’d Nations ; when they Sav’d their Country ; when they triumph’d over its Enemies,— did what was great indeed ; but that which many have done : But when they conquer’d themfelves ; when they Sav’d their bittereft Adverfaries ; when they triumph’d over Poverty, and would not ftoop to gather Gold, Diadems and Kingdoms for their own private Ufe, they did Deeds in which they ftand Singular

Deeds far above Ambition' s vulgar Flight, .

That rais'd their Names to more than Mortal-Height !

Deeds that draw IV onder when but J, imply told ;

Fhat fiill can charm us —as they charm'd of old.

And. pall to latejl 'Times their Luflre hold.

By

By Contrails of this Kind 1 hav£ known Km labour to preferve and improve our Tafte of folid Glory •, till unable to refill their Impreffion, we wou d, like true Philofophers, pronounce with our own Mouths, that it there are other Adlions as great and heroic as 1 numphs and Viftories even in the Caufe of Religion and Liberty furely, one Angle Deed of Love where we can, or one finale Sigh for Difirefs where we cannot relieve, as cor- refponding more with the Scheme of Heaven, is^ ten thoufand Times more great and brave than, thio t ie Lull of Rule, to carry Violence and Conquelt round the whole Globe. In this Senfe, the great eft Conqueror is but the greateft Brute, and the greateft Coward.— Charm’d by fuch illuftrious Models of ah human Virtue, who manag’d the Treafures, and fill’d the moft eminent Polls, of their Country, without fouling their bmgers with a Bribe who conquered the mod opulent King¬ doms, without adding one Drachma to their private Fortune-, and, whenever their Country s Service did not require their immediate Prefence, defeended volun- tarily from the Command of Mankind to manure a few private Acres, and trace the Wonders of divine Power fn the Works of Nature — charm’d I fay, at tnefe Re¬

lations, we wou’d in thefe Moments receive a Convi&ion,— That Nothing can be honorable but Inte- arity and the Plaudit of good Men nothing fhamdul but Vice and Communion with the Bad •, nothing ne- ceflary but our Duty •, nothing great and comfortable but the confcientious Difcharge of it : And that true Glory does not confift in breathing the fiery Spirit of War, and thirfting eagerly after Dominion ; but m delighting to fee the.. World happy and unalarm d •, in fervently ft riving to promote this Happinefs in culti¬ vating the Arts of Peace ; encouraging Agriculture and Manufactures *, educating Child ten aright as t.!m ining Hopes of the State -5 and ierving God in Tranquility of Mind and Purity of Heart. —Hiftory will inform us that none, but thofe who thus liv d, have eitlmi been

happy in their Life, or efteero d after tlieii Death.

f ituil

( 54 )

I flhall only mention one Advantage more in the Phi-

j° °^r1C,alSUiy °/iJlftory 5 namely, that to behold the dreadful Effedb of Tyranny and religious Impofture in

other Countries ; and all the Scenes of great and real

lftrefs to be met with, efpecially in more modern Hiftory ; teaches Youth to fet a juft Value on our ex- cellent Conftitution, and tends more to foften the Breaft

* PUrf fdL rcplate the Paffions, than all the imaginary Dijlrefs of the bed conduced Drama J

How have I felt the Paffions of Terror, Pity and Joy to rife alternately in my Breaft, while Aratus has moralized on fome hiftorical Paffages ? — When animad¬ verting on the Conduct of inhuman Tyrants, he wou’d reprefent them, marking the Godlike Patriot’s Body with inglorious Stripes •, frowning the holy Sage to Dun¬ geons, Racks or Flames ; fpurning the Good and Brave to the moft abandon’d Places of the Earth, or by Thou- lands to the Gallies, Bonds and Gibbets; — and for what Crime ? What Caufe ?— No Caufe ; no Crime, allecged ! A Debauch ; troubled Reft ; or fome Acci¬ dent, had four’d the arbitrary Monfters’ Tempers ! or perhaps fome contemptible Prieft, Harlot or Minion was to be gratified thereby ! -Again he wou’d reprefent them (when inftigated by fuch unrelenting Councillors, or by falfe Glory) brandifhing the ruthlefs Sword of Op- preffion from Country to Country ; tearing the tatter’d Weed from wintry Limbs ; fnatching the lean Morfel from the ftarvmg Peafant s Mouth, and (O more pierc¬ ing i bought !) from the Mouth of his weeping Spoufe and clamant Babes ; rending-(0 brutal ! O cowardly t) rending the untafted Virgin from her faithful Bride¬ groom’s longing Arms ; razing Cities ; fpoiling Houles and Panes ; dragging Priefts from the Altar, with Mo¬ ther’s and Children, into Slavery and forcing hoary Age in its laft Period to become a Minijler to the Vices of luxurious \ outh : — In fhort, wherever they come. Deft ru&ion "reveling around them and turning the Earth into a human Shambles ; Terror flying wildly-frantic

before

•:H . » C

( 55 )

before them ; meagre Famine, fhiveringNakedncfs, pale Defpair, and every great Diftrefs, in unfrequented Places, {talking horribly-ghaftful behind them. Thus would the humane Aratus deferibe, in the moft moving Terms, the Woes attending civil and religious Tyranny, till he obferv’d his Defcriptions to have their full Effed upon us ^ — till he faw -

Each tender Bofom heave the focial Sigh ^

The focial T ear ft art from each tender Eye .

Then would he contraft to thefe, more joyous Prof- peds. — A Land of Liberty ; Life and Property fecure ; hence, a People bufy to improve their unprecarious For¬ tune ; Cities teeming with Wealth ; Commerce extended as far as Winds blow and Waters roll ; every Gale and Tide wafting Riches into Port, and bearing forth the Fruits of Induftry in fair Exchange ; Arts and Letters florifhing *, the loweft Sons of Labor glad ; luxuriant Harvefts nodding the heavy Head along the golden Plain ; Paftures green with copious Herbage ; flowering Vales lowing Joy •, confenting Hills bleating it; the very * Sun himfelf feeming to dart his choiceft Beams on the favor’d Land : — and above all, a King who is the common Father of his People, and as fuch reigning in their Hearts, watching over the happy Conftitution of fuch a Country, even with a Subjed’s Zeal ; and ufing every generous Effort to refeue the Wretched of other Climes from Slavery, and place them alfo in the l^ap of Freedom, to tafte the fame' invaluable Bleflings ! — While the good Man wou’d dwell on thefe pleafmg Themes, his Eyes wou’d fparkle with Joy ; and we, all Ear and Attention, wou’d hang upon his Tongue, loft in a Train of mingled Paflions hard to be deferibed ; till a confcious Preference to the Britifh Conftitution ,

* Oh Liberty / thou Godcefs heavenly bright, —

Even Poverty looks che rful in thy Sight ;

Thou mak’ll the gloomy Face of Nature gay,

Giv'il Beauty to the Sun , and Pleafure to the Day. Addis.

riling

si ' •* i

.r ... , ( 56 )

ruing gradually 0 er the reft, and fwell’d at laft to

Jranlport too big to be reftrain’d, wou’d force, from

the cogen, al Souls of Mafter and Scholars, this trium¬ phant Exclamation -

— O Nomen dulce Libertatis !

O Jus eximium nojlra Civitatis !

Cxc.

,,/\nd oh • "■ continued Ev under, elevating his Voice

iith wh^ thF C°rC Ur1,?g Study of our Education-) O !

that in wXt1fy ° ^°y’ d° you think’ we refleffed, tha in a few Weeks we were going to be enroll’d active

mire t|S ?VhaC umC hcPPy Sodety we fo much ad- n-m-e ; that fame happy Society, in which, had it been

1 Choice, we would have chofen to live and die,

above all thofe we had read of in the Volumes of Hiftory

down to this prefent Day? What a mighty Influence

T a ? aS (ing e Reflexion have on all our future Con¬ duct ? And what may- not be expeded from young Men initiated rnto Society -in this Difpofition of Mind fthus confcious of the ineftimable Privileges they are call’d to • taus prepar d, thus refolv’d to ad a great and good

i ~7, lt not reafd>nable to hope, that Nothing will ever be able to deter or allure them from their Duty; but that they will continue firm, inexorably firm as Fate to maintain and, if need be, to revenge fuch a glorious Conltitution, whenever, or howfoever infring’d ; whe¬ ther by- fecret or open Villainy ? May it not be expeded that their genuine .Goodnefs of Heart, impregn’d and totiliz d as it were by fuch an Education, will be a living opnng of .great and generous Adions.; “ not fpouting ' forth a little frothy Water on fbrne gaudy Day, and ' then remaining dry the reft of the Year, ’’—but gli¬ ding ever gently along with a pure and even Current neither nnidded with finifter Views, nor o’erflowin<? its Banks with an ungovern’d and ill-judg’d Zeal, even for what is Right? May it not be hop’d that whatever. is Jicir Lot they will fuftain it with Dignity ? If Poverty ; -'vith that Magnanimity and Integrity which render’d

* Epamiftondas

■ . * V

A*, •• Yciv- • - !• $»!

— . ij>.

— Will

( 57 )

* Epammondas , Curius , Cincinnatus , &c. fo venerable in their Sight, and that of all the World If Riches ; (which is more hard) with that Moderation and Benevo¬ lence of Heart, which render’d Cimon, Pelopidas, Atli- cus , &c. the Delight of all that knew them That they will not fquander them away according to the mo¬ dern Cuftom, in pampering the Luxury of a Scoundrel- Train of Debauchees, who in return (detefted Inter- courfe ! ) feed the Lord of the Table with the Oil of Flattery •, but that they will bid the helplefs Heart fing for Joy, and cheer thofe gloomy Retreats where, thro’ an ingenuous Delicacy and miftaken Shame, Poverty and modeft Merit fhroud themfelves from the faftidious

Scoff of giddy Pride and an undifcerning World. _ In

fhort may it not be hop’d they will entirely devote them¬ felves to the Service of their fellow Creatures, and their Country ? And fhould the prevailing Power of Calumny and Fadtion hinder them from doing the Good they meditate, or force them from the Scene of public Adfion, and perhaps into Exile ; may it not be hop’d, that, even in thefe difficult Moments, the Love of their Country and Mankind will prevail over every other Confideration ;

* gloried in his Poverty, and in being able to reduce his

Uehres and Want, within the Bounds of Nature, and the Smallnefs of his Euate ; rather than to encreafe his Eftate to the Demands of Defires and Wants, which, when this Boundary of Nature is once part, may be multiplied without End. Pelopidas wou’d have (har’d us plentiful Fortune with Epaminondas ; but the latter always told inin, that as Poverty brought no Diigrace on him, hewon’d bring; none on Poverty by quitting it, ®

There are fame who, in Pity to themfelves, think all thefe Virtue- mentioned above, lo fu peri or to human Weaknefs, that they wou’d either make them pafs for Fiftions, or greatly exaggerated by Hi- -orians . I, for my Part, think them as certainly attefted as mv biftoHcal Faft, can be; and think moreover that, in the’prefein c.,fe it is not worthwhile to enquire whether they are true or

feign d. If they are Delufion, they are a pleafine Delufion • and

it is for the Intereft of Mankind and Virtue to make Youth believe them true, tho we knew them to be feign’d ; that thus, they may be excited to as near an Imitation of them as poffible.

|j

if

.

C lit

II

( 53 )

• and that they will not with a headftrong Oppofition fhock the Conftitution, nor retire, like Camillus^ uttering Curfes againft their native Soil j nor, like Coriolanu r, meditating great Revenge ; but, like Milo , praying for the everlafting Profperity even of their ungrateful Citizens, in thefe moving and divine Words, — Valeant , valeant Gives mei \ fint incolumes , fint florentes^fint beati ; I let hac arbi pr^eclara^ mihique Patria carifima , quoque modo de me merita erit : tranquilla Republica Cives mei , quoniam mihi cum illis non licet , fine me ipfi , fed per me tamen , perfruantur . Ego cedam atque abibo . Thus forc’d from the Service of their Country, then is the Time they will reap the choice!!: Fruits of fuch an Edu¬ cation. Their Minds now vacant from all worldly Cares, and honorably difmifs’d from Bufinefs and civil Duties, they can elevate themfelves fo high, as to look down with calm Contempt on all they fell from. Inftead of being the Citizens of one Kingdom, they will now fee themfelves the Citizens of the World, and in the Society of univerfal Nature. Into whatever Clime they rove, there they will find themfelves at home ; there they will be honor’d ; there efteem’d. If driven into the moft abandon’d Parts of the Globe, yet even there they will not be alone •, they will find tliemfelves in the Midft of Nature , and in the Prefence of Nature's GOD •, with whom fuch an Education has taught them to hold high Converfe. Every the minuted: Objeft around them will be capable of giving Amufement and Inftru&ion. So far from regretting the Lofs of Power and earthly Gran¬ deur, the whole Earth itfelf will appear, in their philo- fophic Eye, but a Speck of Dirt, no bigger than the Roman Empire appear’d to the younger Scipio in his Dream.— Shou’d, however, their relenting Country again demand their Service, facrificing all Refentment to their Duty, they will return with no other Relu&ance but that of exchanging the peaceful Amufements of Eafe for a Scene of Cares, Watchings and Toils.— In a Word, it may juftly be expected that thofe who are

thus

—

( 59 )

thus educated will, in all Circumftanccs, and in all their Conduit and Dealings, do Honor to human Nature and wipe off that Reproach from the Chriftian Religion, which many of its unworthy Profefifors have brought

Eyes of the Infidels around us. When an Education of this Kind has taught all Chriftians that deal and converfe with thefe Nations of Infidels around us, to praftife drift Juftice, Integrity, Honor, and ali the other Precepts enjoin’d by our Religion, then thefe IN ations will not fail to admire fuch Ihining Vertues ; and when once they admire, they will not be far from imita¬ ting.— That glorious i£ra, and thofe happy Confe- quences, foretold and fondly anticipated, in the Verles ’poken at the firft opening of this Seminary, will not then be far diftant. But till fuch an Education has made the idolatrous People around us in Love with our Man¬ ners and Aftions •, it is in vain to think all the pious Endeavours of Angle Men, or the Tongue of an An¬ gel, or any Thing lefs than a Miracle can fpread the o pel over thefe Parts among a fagacious People that daily fee us belye its Precepts. F

r lbuLhrl' rS bri(;fly as 1 couId> Siven you a Sketch 1 • f Ahc^ethu^ ?f teachinS Science and natural Religion in thefe five fogher Claffes. The fame is to be under-

ftood of the higher Claffes in the Mechanics School where the fame Opportunities of inculcating natural , Goodnefs offer - in the Study of Phyfics and Hiftory,

25 T % Metf°f fomewhat different. To this I have added a few of the Advantages my Country-Men have

t a- rCa^ d’ and mu.^ more and more reap from fuch n Inftitution. There is only one Thing wanting to im-

KA" 'h' that® is the of

ireveal d Religion , by which I mean the eeneral nn L.

Eeach^tCo! W?1 °f .Ch£ftian*y> which is all they

teach at College For this Purpofe the Sunday Evenings are fet apart s when about an Hour is fpent, An all T '

2C KAy ?fnhe °ld and New Teftament ; the Law and hiftoncal Parts being chiefly left for the

” 2 higher;

( 6o )

higher Claffes.-- -This is fufficient, if any human Care can be fo, to make Youth good Chriftians. For when every proper Opportunity is embraced throughout the Week, to lay in fuch a Fund of natural Religion and Goodnefs, as I have fhewn above *, the great T ruths of Chriftianity cannot fail of a favorable Reception on the Sundays, whether they come from the Matters in the Evening Gaffes *, or from the Pulpit in the Time of di¬ vine Service.-— Eafy and delightful mutt the Tafk of the Clergy be, when by the Conftitution of a Country the whole Inftrudtors of Youth go Hand in Hand with them in advancing the Interefts of Vertue and Piety ! — Happy, faid Evander (his Face brightening with a lau¬ dable Excefs of Fondnefs for his Country) Happy are. the People that are in fuch a Cafe!— Is it poffible to figure aught more venerable and auguft than the whole Wifdom and Experience of a Community thus ufing every human Effort, to train up, and fecure to the State, a Succeffion of good Men and good Citizens to the lateft Generations ? Is it poffible to conceive aught more lovely, than the Y outh of a Country thus colledled in one School of Vertue ; and driving, in the Prefence of the Public, with a noble Emulation, and divine He- roifm, to excel each other in every Thing that does Honor to their Nature ? — Can there be a Conftitution more Praife- worthy than that which has contrived the Means of fanning and encouraging this * divine Conteft concerning Vertue among Youth? Is there aught in the whole Sphere of Nature which GOD himfelf Purveys with o-reater Pleafure, than a People thus employ d ? Nay, perhaps it is not too bold to think, that, if all the Ran cs of Being, between Man and the Seraph that burns by the Throne of GOD, have flood firm in their Duty, and co-operated with Him from the firft of 1 ime in accom- plifhing his eternal Scheme , yet he does not receive o much Joy from beholding the Whole , as from feeing

* Ci'Vd cum Civibus de Virtu! e certantes ,

[ Malt, xviii. i 3.

Sal.

a Society

- —

'*nd delight to make them Ion0 t? n-iio-hr

on the E°rth f ConfidcrM in *is L.ghr, rally call Education a divine Wot k ! well tr.tg

^’“"OM^EDIFICE or BUILDINGS.

I come next to give you a rude Sket. £*.

for l am not Archite^nough w defcn^ ^ Buildings

Stform andblong Square, enclofmg an Area of 120 Feet bv 100 f. I fhall fpeak of each feparately.

Firft or North Building. The lower or Ground- l'loorf ’the fall Length of lio f. is the t»hcCb^h where all the Scholars in the Seminary, Exa-

Morning to public Prayers. Here alfo P“bl“ “3. ■rations, public Afts and 0«bons jn rtreSa y ^

Commencements,, esc. are held. . ti,e

of the fame Length, is the public Hall , where the

Youth eat in public •, and where ad public Ente^ ^

ments, Balls, Plays, &c. are gjv^n* , . r»u;u;ncr^s 0f thefe two Floors being very high, th. U Build m the fame Height with the other Sides oi the Square where the Buildings confift of three Floors or Stones each. This Chapel and public Hal are capaok o ceiving feveral Hundreds ot People, be 1 es a _

of the Seminary. They are each of them well Fated along the Walls, leaving a large Space m J:he M ddi empty. The Chapel has a very beautiful Roftium.-- Second, or Eaft Building. Length 100 f Firft or lower Floor is the Latin School, , dmd <■ five Claffes, 1 8 f. fquare each. But the Budding ben , < f wide, 8 f. is left towards the Area which conftitute a Piazza or Portico, roof, long, fupported by a deli-

cate Row of Columns ihofj Memh Proportion , and their Intermix • ber* are m Ionic 4 Modules or 2 Diam - This ^,lnat.10n Confequence as an Ambulatory for the Yn fh°rt,C° * °f §reat Ufe in, when thro’ Rain Sno J' a? touexercife themfelves be convenient. There is nn ’ p^: • the,Area wou’d not tween thefe ChiTes ; and each rff but * Curtain be ' from the Portico, with a Chim ^ ^ ? Door for itfelf in the oppofite Wall • but thl 7 andT two Windows. Wall towards the Ponico £ f\n°TWindows in the be good. This Method’ nf re the Li§ht wou’d not Clafs, will be found of Sear sT S a.Door for every Clades go out and rom? ' • l 1Ce f.° et ,tbe particular

ther, when the Curtains are fliu^ d'ftu[ibinS one ano-

lars become fo numerous as^i^require a Malt f Sch°“ Clafs. The Curtains are f?, 9 / , , er for every Walls, becaufe when one J ft P"cferabie to f Partition or whatever Numb™ of C^fT V t0 teach two> three, tains, he brings Sem al t f ’ removinS the Cur-

sSsstfSpSs

TheyhavdiSeaD^ rT F,0?r Wow them, each. Before thefe fhr’ Ch“J™t and two Windows Gallery, of Se fame Rre S X °ver the Po™“ i> a This Mery as Xf/? J f ' and LenPh °f .0.,

adorn'd with all curiot?570™"S„,£mfo 5, ‘l **

Seminary • JL th^ M ° 'c tbe Statntes of the

the Degrees and th^feTr the Y°Uth that Latin fchooh f h Wm the yurly Prizes in the

TimbJrh would have beeJbmer'" ?? Partitions of Stone and

Budding ; but as there is a Wall befween 'he'p “• ftrenSthe"inS the running the whole Length a 000^ ? ! “ and the Ch^s

dmg fufficiently llrong without Partidon^cfoL." ^ * Bml'

The

The higheft or third Floor in this Building conftkutes the public Library which is 6 o f. long •, and the Experi¬ mental-Room, where the Apparatus is kept and all Experiments perform’d : this takes up the remaining 30 1. of the Length of the Houfe. There is a (lately Steeple to this Building, in which is a fmall but handfom

Obfervatory. — . .

Third or South-Building. Length 1 20 f. The lower

Floor confifts of the fix lower Gaffes of Mechanics, which require the * * full Length. The Dimenfions an Difpofition of thefe Claffes the fame as above ; conle- quently there is another Portico before them, which com municates with that before the Latin School. The t ree higher Gaffes of Mechanics are on the 2d Floor of this Building, the Remainder of this Floor, and all the third Floor being Apartments for the Youth to lodge in.

The fourth or Weft-Building , is divided in the Centre by the public Entrance to the Area, which is an Arch 1 o f. wide •, and has a ftrong Gate which is fhut every Night. One half of this Building on that Side of the public-Gate next the mechanic Gaffes is laid out in more Apartments to accommodate the Youth. "I he other half, or lot of it, is fet apart for the Principal and his Family. But the Entrance is on the Outfide of the College-Gate, that none of his Family may have any Communication with the College after the faid Gate is fhut. The Principal has, however, a Door to the Area of the College from his Houfe, but he always keeps the Key of it himfelf.

There is a very large Garden belonging to the College * fertil of every Thing fit for the Kitchen ; and ftor’d with all rare and curious V egetables for the Advancement of natural Knowlege and Hufbandry. I fhall fay No¬ thing of the Government of the College, which differs

-■-Mi- ^ * - ■ *** '"*"**" •*' -

* The odd Feet that remain in the Length of each Building, moie than is taken up by the Clafies, are for Stair Cafes. N. B. Claffes are

us’d in this Draught for that Space of the Building fet apart for every

Clafs : There being no other Word to deferibe it by, as School is ap- ply’d to a Number of Clafies,

little

!m!= from any other goodloMtution ; oor cou'd I exolain "lout 7 °Ut r^“tinS tht which iff

Hvery Scholar pTy |* e’Z ^'"VT “d

to ffnd°i M StabtUtCS-T The C’oll"ge hasdtheep“

continued Evander, have the Honor ai- ? anc p fent them. °r at Prefent t0 repre-

at Drefhnr 3 ^ °f the whoIe Inftitution as it i3

Promife of the^v'fV0 Norice’ according to my it _ t| ’ f the chleJ, StePs taken in the Eftabliffiment of

fketch’d °^S°'nS FJans of Education and Building beino-

.to porar/a eaSreedMUP°un’ a Charter was obtained

a certain Number of Gentlemen by the

into Execution^ fWlth u°WfS t0 cariT the faid Plans into execution, as far as they ihould be enabled bv nublir

oftEemtasCrtMUf0nS; Md make

them as ffiou d feem necelTary, keeping always up to

°f thC enable Them

to open the Seminary, a Law was made applying the

ries^for foftrfd™ ^ had formeriy been rais’d, as^Sala-

• j ftrudors, in fuch Proportions as they Ihou’d

uge propen But this Sum being inefficient to employ

• ny more Inftrudors than would be neceffiary for thefirft

lcrihed : °Ut anf hu”drecd Public-fpinted Gentlemen fub- nbecl to pay, for the Space of five Years, fuch Propor¬ tions of any Sum not exceeding 600 l. per An. as the

encreahng Number of Inftru£t0rS,fh0u’d raider neceffiary hoping before the Expiration of that Term a fufficient Sum might be rais’d for Endowment.

hus authoris’d, and enabled, the Truftees apply’d themfelves with all poffible Diligence, Prudence and Unanimity to the Execution of their weighty Truft ; and

the M 1 1 ?“ to cnSaSe three proper Perfons to open the Mechanic s and Latin School, and the Greek or

Joweft

"\

( 65 )

lowed Clafs of what they call the College. T his was the mod difficult Fart of their Work. Men duly qualified were not eafily to be met with ; and thofe who were bed qualify’d were mod backward to engage ; as having an adequate Idea of the Importance and Difficulty of the Work they were invited to. They forefaw that even the greated Prudence, with the mod indefatigable Labor and Vigilance, cou’d not command Succefs in the Beginning of fuch a Work, unlefs they further laid their Account to bear patiently Reproaches, Slanders and the very Mar¬ tyrdom of their Charafters from a Few. — (fhall Idifgrace my Country by naming Them ! )— a few lurking Traitors, who did not bluffi to throw Dirt at every Propofal for edabliffiing fuch an ufeful Inditution in Mirania ; either becaufe they Themfelves cou’d not model it to their own Minds, or that they might favor the Intereds of thofe that were already fo model’d in other Places. This and every other Obdacle, however, the laudable Zeal of the Trudees furmounted. They prevail’d upon the three Men, who are now. Principal , Vice-Principal , or Mas¬ ter of the Mechanic's School, and Majler of the Latin- School, to open their refpedtive Parts of the Seminary in a Houfe of the City fet afide for thisUle, till the Edi¬ fice fhou’d be finiffi’d ; affuring thefe Men, that they, as Trudees, wou’d not only fupport them in the Did charge of their Office, but that they might depend on being alfo fupported by the concurring Intered and Countenance of every Man of Worth in the Province. Happy was it for the Province, that Men of fuch dif- tinguiffi’d Zeal were pitch’d upon as Trudees; and hap¬ py was it for the Trudees that Heaven directed them, in the fird Indance, to the Choice of fuch Maders ! To thefe concurring Circumdances, under God, may be afcrib’d all that Reputation, the Seminary has acquir’d. The Maders as elfewhere obferv’d, are truly affable, indefatigable and patient ; which renders their Method of Communication familiar and fecure. If at any Time the Youth ffiou’d not feem to comprehend their Meaning

I thoroughly.

m

lr

itf j

i 8 mw

i’l I

; Ml |

Lnii

9M

wmm

thoroughly, they vary their Method, and expofe what they wou d communicate in every poffible Light, being apt, always, rather to ftifpeft their own Want of Method and 1 erfpicuity of Addrels, than any Defeft of Genius or Atten- tention in the Youth. Learning in them, tho’ univerfal, is but a fecondary Qualification. Their amiable Tem¬ per, mild Behaviour, Forbearance and Placability, have ong fince ltruck Envy and Calumny dumb. Supported by the Tefhmony of a good Confcience, and the Coun¬ tenance of the better Part of their Citizens, the Slanders or their Enemies had no other Effect upon them, but to quicken their Toils, make them redouble their Di¬ ligence, in their Country’s Service ; and, with the Phi- lofopher of old, live and adt fo, that no Perfon fhou’d believe any Thing to their Prejudice. On the Model of their Virtues, the other Mafters, admitted from Time to Time into the Seminary, thought it their Honor and Duty to form Themfelves, and fecure general Effects The Principal is a Clergyman of the eftabliffi’d Religion of the Country, which was deem’d a reafonable Com¬ pliment, to the Conftitution ; but, by an exprefs Aft of the Corporation, he forfeits his Place by accepting any paftoral Cure, or following any other Profeffion. The Government of fuch a Seminary, and teaching the high- eft Clafs, was deem’d fufficient Bufinefs for one Man - and Bufinefs too of fuch a Nature, as to entitle the Man, who difeharges it confcientioufly,to handfome Encourage*- ment from his Country, without uniting inconfiftent Offices to patch up a Living for Him. — There are, however, fome of the other Profeffors that are allow’d to encreafe their Income, by ferving as Clergymen, Phy- ficians, CfV. in the City. This was not thought incon¬ fiftent, as they have little other Care of the College up¬ on them, but attending their refpeftive Clafles duly at proper Hours ; which Hours they muft keep facred ; and upon no V retence whatever break in upon them. — * The Seminary being thus opened, every private School, in or near the City, was fuppreft* For fuch

Schools

;V 'viK ■ 5

(67)

Schools there was now no Ufev the Province having, as it were, taken the Bufinefs of Education out of pri¬ vate into public Hands, and open’d one general School, calculated for training up all Ranks and Conditions of People, in the fureft and lead expenfive Method, to be good Men and good Citizens in their proper Spheres- Without this Step, the Claffes cou’d never have been fill’d ; and the whole Intention of the Inftitutors wou’d have been defeated, had private Perfons been fuffer’d to teach on a different Plan, and draw off the Youth by their Interefl with particular Families, Sedls and Parties; or, \yhich is oftner the Cafe by a mean Attention to the Foibles and Weaknefs of Parents. In this Cafe, we fhou’d never have beheld fuch a divine Sight as all the Miranian- Youth affembled, as before faid, in One School of Virtue , fir’d with the noble Emulation of diftinguifh- ing themfelves by all that is Good, in the Eye of the Public. We fhou’d never have feen that Mixture of People, of which Mirania confilfs, coalefc’d in the ri¬ ling Generation. As, therefore, it is the Bufinefs of Go¬ vernment to fee that Youth, who are the Property of the State, fhou’d be educated according to the Intention of the State, they thought it incumbent on Them to take Care, that Nothing fhou’d retard the Execution of that Plan for which they had toil’d fo much, and re- folv’d to be at fo much Expence. Thofe, they thought, who cou’d be Enemies to fuch a generous Undertaking, and wou’d not avail Themfelves of fuch an Inftitution, were certainly Enemies to theWell-Being of their Country; and, as fuch, ought to be depriv’d of every other Means of public Inftrudtion. Tho’ this Precaution was commen- dable, and feem’d abfolutely neceffary to the Succefs of the Underaking ; yet the Confequence and Difpofition of the People, render’d it needlefs.— -In a fhort Time, there was fcarce a Perfon fo blind., as not to lee how far fuch a public Inftitution niufl be fuperior to any other Education, and to prefer it accordingly. They faw Nothing was propos’d but to train up their Children to

I 2 Science

1 ill I

rurr mu

• ’ ,4‘

( 68 )

Science and natural Goodnefs ; and to keep them free of all Prejudices, with Relation to idle Difputes, Diftinc- tions, and Opinions, till a liberal Education and ripe Judgment, fhou’d make them capable of thinking for themfelves.— Such an Education, fay they, is what we owe to our Children ; to educate them otherwife, is an unjuft Impofition on their reafonable Faculties. — What cou’d we wifh more ? On Sundays they go with our- felves to divine Service ; and all the Week, we-are fatisfy’d, they are in the Hands of Men of Piety, Mo¬ deration, Learning and Honor.— -Nothing can be more catholic, nor more advantageous to Society, than fuch an Inftitution, as appears from this, that there is fcarce an Inftance of a religious Difpute between thofe educated in it. Men bleft with fuch an Education will, in all Probability, be good Men of any Proteftant Church ; nor will they think the different Modes of profeffing the fame Faith, and paying the fame Homage to the Deity, of Confequence enough to occafion the leaft Difpute, or Breach of Charity, between Fellow-Citizens. There is fcarce a Proteftant Sed on Earth, that does not fub- fift in Mirania , and yet, I do not know a fingle Perfon that, in Confequence of fuch a manly Education, has left the Sed or Community in which he was born. What, fay they, fuppofe we communicate with our refpedive Congregations ! let us all live quiet moral Lives , cha¬ ritably fympathifing with one another’s Wants and In¬ firmities, then are we all of one Religion in the funda¬ mental and moft important Articles. — The only Hard- fhip in Siippreffmg thefe Schools, wou’d have been againft thofe Schoolmafters that had come to Mirania in Hopes of Subfiftence, and had ferv’d the Citizens when they cou’d not be ferv’d otherwife. In Confideration of this, the Truftees prefer’d every one of them, that were found qualify ’d, before any other Perfons even of equal Merit, that offer’d as Profeffors, Ufhers, &c. in the Schools of the Seminary. —

I fhall

I {hall now {hew you how the Gaffes were fill d UP> and Inftance it in the five learned Claffes ; leaving you to apply it to the Claffes in the Mechanic’s School, as it wou’d be tedious to mention the Whole : You will be pleas’d only to remember, that the three Parts ol the

Seminary were open’d the fame Day.

iff Year. Aratus open’d and taught the Greek or fir ft Clals, confiding of as many of the Y outh of City and Country as had a good Knowlege of Latin an fome Tin&ure of the Greek there being no Youth fit to be advanced higher.

2d Year. With this fame Set of Y outh, he open d the fecond or mathematical Clafs. A Profeffor of Greek was chofen in his ftead to teach the Greek Clafs, which was fill’d up with the higheft Clafs from the Latin-Schoolj and fome Youth from the Country .--"-This Year the Number of Scholars required one Ulher to affift the Mafter of the Latin-School ; and two to affift the Mafter of the Mechanic’s School. Thus four new Mafters were added, and the Gentlemen-Subfcribers aflefs d propor* tionably.

3d Year. Aratus advanc’d with his Scholars to the third Clafs. A Profeffor of Mathematics was chofen to fupply his Place in the fecond Clafs, which was now fill’d up 'by thofe that had been in the Greek Clafs the fore¬ going Year •, the higheft Clafs in the Latin School being advanc’d into the Greek Clafs as before.

4th Year. He advanc’d with his Scholars into the fourth Clafs. A Profeffor of Philofophy was chofen to fupply his Room in the third Clafs, which was fill’d up by advancing all the inferior Claffes as before.

5th Year. Aratus open’d the Fifth, or higheft Clafs. A Profeffor of Rhetoric and Poetry was chofen for the fourth Clafs, which was fill’d up by the Youth that had made the third Clafs the former Year ; all the inferior Claffes being advanced one Clafs higher as ufual. Thus, the fifth Y ear, the Seminary was brought to that State in which I have above defcribed it •, all the Gaffes being full.— During

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During thefe five Years, the Truftees had been car- rying on the Edifice according to the Plan laid down which they had been enabled to do by an yearly Lottery, But as they faw that a great Sum would be wanting be- iides what might remain of thefe Lotteries, after the Election of the Buildings ; they empower’d certain Gen¬ tlemen to follicit and manage a Scheme of a Lottery for them in in order to raife £. 8000 Sterling to

be added to their own Funds for compleating the Reve¬ nues of the College. Thefe Gentlemen having previ- oufly publifhed the whole Plan of the Miranian Infla¬ tion, the generous Defign of it was fo much approv’d and countenanc’d by the pious and learned of all Deno¬ minations in that great City, that the Managers no fooner advertis’d the Scheme of a Lottery to enable the Miranians to carry their Project into Execution, than all the Tickets were fold. And tho’ it was propos’d to raife only eight Thoufand Pounds, yet as a great many of the fmaller Prizes were generoudy given to the Managers for the Ufe of the College, about £. 12000 Ster. came clear to the Miranians, A famous Bifhop alfo gave a large Sum to be laid out in purchafing a Library ; and a Layman, a great Promoter of natural Knowlege, complimented them, at his Death, with his whole mathematical and philofophical Apparatus. Thus at the Conclulion of the 5th Year, my Countrymen, by a Concurrence of happy Circumflances, found their Edifice finish’d, and themfelves enabled to endow it in a Manner far fuperior to their warmefl Hopes.— Then it was that the fifth Clafs, of which I was one, com¬ menc’d * Majters of Arts , in the Prefence of a vaft Concourfc of People from all Parts. On this Occafion the new Edifice was open’d with prodigious Eclat. The Orations and Ceremony of Commencement were held in the Chapel ; after this a magnificent Entertainment was

* Maflers of Arts'll the hrft Degree in this College, and all foreign Uni verb ties, but Oxford and Cambridge.

ferv’d

'■ ' ( 7i )

ferv’d up in the public Hall; and in the Evening, we who had commenc’d Matters of Arts, entertain’d the Company with the Tragedy of Cato

The Day following, all the Clafles in the Seminary were publickly examined : That which was the 4th now becoming the 5th, in Lieu of thofe who had proceeded Matter of Arts ; and all the lower Claffes being ad¬ vanc’d one Clafs higher, to the loweft in the Latin- School, which being thus left empty, was fill’d up from the Englifh Claffes in the Mechanic’s School, by fuch of the Youth as were defign’d for the learn’d Profeffi- ons. It was further appointed that this Cuftom fhould be obferv’d yearly, on the Day after the Commence¬ ment ; and chat for the more Regularity in the Claffes of the Latin-School, upon which depends the Regularity of the Reft, it was appointed that no Boys fhould, for the future, be admitted into it but once each Year, and that always on the faid Day. There is no Inconveni- ency in this Method ; becaufe every Perfon, being ap¬ priz’d of it, can take his Meafures accordingly.—

It was now at laft, continued Evander , that the Mi- ranians , encourag’d by their Succefs in this great Un¬ dertaking, propos’d to render it ftill more extenfive, by erefting Schools throughout the Province. You may be ready to imagine this fhou’d have been the firft Step, in order to fupply the College with Students. But they confider’d, that it would be impoffible to find pro¬ per Matters for thefe Country Schools, unlefs they firft bred them at their own College ; by which Means one uniform Scheme of Education might be carried on in every Part of, the Province.*—

In every Townfhip, they erefted an Englifh School ; and one Latin School in the mod convenient Town of each County. As Matters to the Englifh Schools, they fent young Men of Genius that had been educated gratis in the Mechanic’s School. To the Latin-Schools, in the feveral Counties, they fent fit Perfons, chiefly educated gratis in the Latin School and learned Claffes

of .

*

( 72 )

ot the College: And thefe Matters now fend Youth from the Country, to be enter’d into the Greek Clafs, as well accomplifh’d as thofe that are taught in the Latin School of the College. In the Generality of the Towns where thefe Schools are fix’d, there was formerly a final! Sum paid to a Schoolmafter by the Society ; This Sum is encreas’d by an Addition of fomething more, paid by the refpe&ive Townfhips. In every County there are Gentlemen appointed Vifitors of thefe Schools.

This is all that need be done in the Province for the .education of Youth at prefent. And it redounds greatly to the Glory of the Projedtors, that little more need be done for many Generations. The College and the two Schools, if quite full, are capable of educating thirty Boys in each Clafs, (570 in the whole) and of fending abroad yearly 30 well tutor’d Mechanics, and the fame Number of Gentlemen for the learn’d Pro- feflions and the Offices of the State. How many more are educated at the Country Schools I cannot afeertain. The whole annual Expence of this Inftitution, for Sala¬ ries to the Matters, is but £. 1 200 Miranian Currency : Cou’d it be poffible to educate fuch a Number of Youth with fo little Expence by any other Method ? Before the public Eftablifhment of it, the Education of Youth (if it then might be call’d Education) coft the Province, and perhaps the City, a Sum equal to this : There was at lead: as much more drawn out of the Province for the Want of fuch an Inftitution ; and if we take into the Confideration, that there is more than the Revenue of the College brought into the Province from other Coun¬ tries that prefer it to any other Seminary ; and laftly, that the Capital of this £. 1200 was for the mod Part rais’d in England ; it will appear how much we are Gainers by fuch an Inftitution even in Money Matters. What we have gain’d, and (till hope to gain, in other Refpedts, I have partly taken Notice of in the Courfe of this Nar¬ rative •, and fhall only add that fome of our Country- Men, who have return’d, after being abfent .for the

Space of thefe laft twelve Years can fcarcely be perfuaded, that we are the fame People ; — our whole Genius the whole Face of the Country, feem fo much chang’d and improv’d.”—

CON CL US 10 N.

This is the Account, Gentlemen , my Friend gave o£ the Seminary of Mirania . How far it may be ftill im¬ prov’d, and imitated by us, is entirely fubmitted to your Wifdom. It is no romantic Scheme, but fuch as I am certain may be eafily put in Execution. Nothing that I can think of can be more Ample, if the Extenfivenefs of the Scheme is confider’d. It is alfo well adapted, I conceive, to our Circumftances : And as I have already faid that Mirania was fuch as this Province is now, when its College was opened twelve Years ago ; fo it is not unreafonable to add, that by following, and perhaps im¬ proving, their Plan, we may, twelve Y ears hence, be all that Mirania is now reprefented to be. The Mechanic’s School is an Inftitution as neceffary, in this trading Country, as in Mirania. To the Latin School, and the five learned Clafles, there can be no Obje&ion. Ten Years is the lead Time that can be allow’d for finifliing the Studies laid down above for thofe intended for the learned Profefiions. A Clafs for each Year is the Stan¬ dard generally agreed upon, unlefs where the Numbers of Scholars render more neceffary : But this is the greatelt Interval that can conveniently be between the Claffes ; con- fequently the Number of Claffes, in the foregoing Scheme, cannot be reduc’d. But as thefe Claffes may perhaps be * thin at firft, we can do what is equivalent

* It is not probable however, that the Clafles will be thin at firft : For, even in the (mail Part of the Province, I have had an Oppor¬ tunity of knowing, there are above a Dozen young Gentlemen fit at prefent to be entered into the Greek Clafs, which is the higheft that can be open d in the College at firft : Now fuppofe there were no more for this Clafs, and nearly the fame Number for the lower Clafles in the Latin School;-— has there ever been a College open’d at firft in this Part of the World under greater Advanta^s, or with fuch a Number of Youth ?

K

to

to a Diminution of their Number •, I mean, to appoint but one Inftruftor for two or three C'lafies : And when the Numbers of Students fhall render more Inftrtuftors neceffary, our Abilities to employ more mutt be pro- portionably greater ; for to me it feems inconfiftent to lay a thriving Country cannot always fubfift a Number

of Inftruftors proportion’d to the encreafing Numbers of its Youth.

In this Province one Matter and two Affiftants may ror many Years be fufficient for the Mechanic’s School : A Matter and one Affiftant for the Latin-School : And the Head of the Seminary with two Affiftants for the five learned Claffes. But for the two or three firft Years even one half of this Number may be enough. Now, as no other School will be wanted in the City, is the Expence of employing this Number of Inftrudtors for the whole Youth of the City, and as many as fhall be fent from the Country, too much for this Province without any foreign Affiftance ? Let thofe, who think it is, enquire whether the Education of Youth does not, at this very Day, coft the Province more within and * without itfelf, than it would coft us by the Eftablifh-

* How much this Province lofes at prefent, by fending their Youth to be educated in other Places, feems but too little attended to. Se¬ veral of thofe J have mention’d as fit for the Greek Clafs, among whom are the young Gentlemen at prefent under my Care, are pre¬ paring to leave the Province in a few Weeks, for Want of fome collegiate Infiitution. It feems ftill lefs confidered how much Money might be brought into the Country from the Weft-Indies, if we had a College model’d in fome fuch manly Manner as that propofed above.

I am certainly inform’d by Gentlemen that have an Intereft in the Weft-Indies, that we might expert very great Afiifiance from thefe Iftands, wou’d we only fhew them that we have fome good Infiitu¬ tion in View, and have made a Law for carrying it fpeedily and properly into Execution. There are many Reafons that induce the People of thefe Countries to give the Preference to this Province ; particularly the Heahhfulnefs of the Climate, our Situation, Simila¬ rity of Manners, and fome others I fhall not mention ; which vvou’d alfo induce the Mother Country to patronize and encourage fuch an Infiitution among us. Happy for us, did we know as well as fome of our Neighbours to make a right Improvement of the fuperior

Advantages,

ment propos’d. But if we are really unable to carry fueh a Scheme into Execution, yet hill let us ^>eS*n lC 1 There is no Danger fuch a noble Undertaking mould fail of Succefs. Why may we not expeft the fame good Fortune which the Miranians had in an Englilh Lottery . If we Ihou’d be difappointed in our Expectations from every Quarter ; yet Rill it will be glorious to have at¬ tempted an extenfive and great Work. As we are about the Eftablifhment of a Seminary, we fhoffd have an extenfive and univerfal Inftitution, fuch as is laid down above, always in our Eye. If we cannot do the Whole, in the foremention5 d Space of Time, let us begin to do what is moft neceffary ; and do it in fuch a Manner,, that our Pofterity fhall have nothing to do but finifh, in an uniform Manner, the Scheme at firft projected.

With Regard to the Edifice •, what is call’d, . in the foregoing Plan, the Second or Eafi Buildings might ac¬ commodate all the Gaffes of a College in this Province for fome Time. The Reft of the Buildings of the Square may be added as Occafion ferves.—

A Angle Province has a vaft Advantage, in the Exe-* cution of a Scheme of this Nature, above an extenfive Monarchy. In large and pbpulous Countries, Educa¬ tion cannot be immediately the Care of the Legiflature ; they can only enaCt good Laws for Education, and de¬ volve the Execution of them upon fit Perfons, in every particular Seminary : But in a Angle Province, where all the Youth may be collected into one general Semina¬ ry, the Legiflature, or thofe commiffion’d by them, may, and fhould, be the immediate Superintendants of Education •, than which nothing can be more worthy their Care. The PraCtice of ancient States, in this re- fpeCt, is truly furprizing and worthy our Regard. In their Infancy they did not bufy themfelves fo much in

Advantages, with which Nature and Fortune have favor’d us. This I do not mention to create mean Jealoufies between neighbouring Provinces, but to awaken and animate that generous Emulation, b), which it will ever be the Intereft of all of them to bea&uated.

making

making Laws for the Punifliment of Criminals, as for hindering there being any Criminals among them bv flopping up the great Inlets of Vice, and training up Youth to be, as it were, conftitutionally Good. Hence a mighty Republic fubfifted many Generations without a Law to punifh Parricide ; becaufe, as the firft Legif- lators wifely forefaw, no Perfon would be guilty of fuch a Crime, while the Laws for educating Youth in the juft Reverence of Magiftrates, Parents and all Superiors remain’d in full Force. Hence it was that the Infancy of States generally exhibited all thofe bright Models of Virtue mention’d above ; whofe happy Effeds had taken fuch deep Root as to fupport them for fome Time after all real Virtue was expired among them. We Ihould always keep thofe Ages of Simplicity in our View, and form our Condud upon the bright Patterns they prefent us with ; remembring always, that as this is our Infant- Condition, we muft follow thofe Patterns, would we tranfmit to our Pofterity, a healthful and thriving State.

Hence it appears how necefiary it is to give Hi (lory. Agriculture and Religion, the chief Place in a Plan of Education calculated for an Infant-Country. It is Hiftory that, by prefenting thofe bright Patterns to the Eyes of Youth, awakens Emulation, and calls them forth fteady Patriots to fill the Offices of the State. It is not by forming them mere Scholars the State can be¬ come flourilhing ; but by forming them Patriots, and putting them in the Method of becoming Politicians and good Lawgivers. ’Tis but a few that have either Lei- fure or Genius to be benefited by the Labors of a mere learn’d Man •, but a whole Country, may be made hap¬ py by the fuccefsful Toils of the Patriot •, and happy not for one, but many Generations. Thofe that are educa¬ ted to be true Patriots, are like fo many Suns in Society. Pofleffing a larger Share of etherial Spirit, they infufe Life, Spirit and Joy into all around them.

’Tis lhameful for any Man to be entirely ignorant of what happen’d in the World before he was born ; but

for

■ - ' »■

v . >•. - \i

( 77 )

for a Man to be call’d to the Service of his Country, or to worm himfelf into high Offices, and even the Councils of his Prince, not only without knowing the Caufes affigncd for the Rife, Glory and Fall of the chief Nations of the World, but even without knowing the Hiftory and Conftitution of his own Country, it is not only ffiameful, but the blackeft Treachery; and worfe, methinks, than an open Confpiracy againft his Prince and Country.

The Advantages of training up fkilful Hufbandmen, are fo manifeftly great to us, as an Infant-Colony fettled in the mod fertil Soil, that it is needlefs to infill on them. Did Gentlemen of Diftindlion underftand the rational Part of Hufbandry, as they muft by this Scheme, and fet the Example to the Countrymen around them ; were there fome proper Laws made for encouraging an Ac- ceffion of Hands, and better fettling this Province, it might be made the Granary of half the European Set¬ tlements in America.— Who, that confiders this, but muft be furprized at the general Complaint, that this Country muft be ruin’d unlefs a new War happens foon ? Good Heaven ! It is thofe very Riches acquir’d in Time of War that impoveriffi us, and muft in the Iffue prove our Ruin if not prevented by proper Meafures. In Time of War Riches pour in upon us all at once, and feem even to deluge our Streets : This turns our Atten¬ tion from the Improvement of our flower, but furer, natural Wealth ; introduces Luxury ; multiplies our Wants ; and turns the Balance of Trade againft us with the Mother-Country, which in a Moment drains us of all our Money, and leaves us dependent on the Chance of War for a freffi Recruit. What a precarious Situa¬ tion is this ? Whereas, let us fet our ourfelves to im¬ prove our Manufactures, and chiefly to call forth, from the teeming Womb of a grateful Soil of Earth, that luxuriant Wealth it is capable to produce, then have we in our Power an unprecarious Source of never-failing Plenty. In that Cafe the Balance of Trade can never be againft us. In the longeft Peace we cannot be poor ;

and

■ i

and in War, the Returns of our Bravery, in Defence of the true Britijh Caufe , Religion , Liberty and Commerce mull infallibly make us rich ! We fhall then no more like the Waggoneer in the Fable, be feen idly praying Jupiter to do that for us, which, by applying ouv Shoulders to the Wheel, we may do for ourielves?

. As the Study of Religion^ in the above Scheme, it is the Soul of the Whole. It teaches us not only to enjoy aright what Science, Hiftory and Agriculture enable us to acquire in Life ; but confecrates us for Eter- nity, and makes this Life, what it Ihould be, an Intro- audition to all the future Stages of the Confummation of our Virtue and Happinefs ! —

All I have to add. Gentlemen , is to beg your kind Acceptance, and candid Perufal of this Work ; remem- bring always that it comes from a Angle Perfon, of fmall Experience, unaffifted with proper Books, and at a Diflance from the Converfation of fome of you, whole Sentiments I fhould otherwife have often taken the Free¬ dom to enquire into, relating to many Parts of it. Confcious ot thefe Diladvantages, I fhou’d never have attempted fuch a tedious and difficult Work, had I not feen it ablolutely neceffary, and been apprehenfive that no other Perfon wou’d bellow their Leifure upon it. As to the Faults that may be found in it, I fhall never be afham’d of them, becaufe none but a Perfon that has an univerfal Knowlege of all the Branches of Science treated of, which I do not pretend to, cou’d avoid Faults. Whoever looks for a perfeft Scheme, looks for what the Author never dream’d of, in a Work that might employ all the learn’d Men of the Province, and (till leave Room to find Faults and propofe Improvements. ---You, Gentlemen , whofe fuperior Stations and Abilities have recommended you as theFirft and more immediate Patrons of this great Work, will not, I hope, think the rudeft Hints below your Notice ; fince even from thefe you are capable to reap Advantage. My very Errors may be render’d ufeful •, fince thofe who can bell difeo-

ver

$

( 79 )

ver will be leaft liable to fall into, them. I (ball not be forry to fee the foregoing Scheme fet wholly abide, if Perlons of more Abilities can thereby be excited to plan a Better. Would every Perfon offer his Sentiments with the fame Franknefs that I have offer’d mine ; a good Scheme might certainly be extracted from the Whole. Shou’d this Scheme of Mirania deferve any Notice, no Perfon fhall be more ready than I to ac- knowlege what is deficient in it ; and affift in improving what is commendable, when I am enabled fo to do by the Obfervations of thole who fincerely wifh Profperity to this Undertaking. As for thofe Writers who delight to give frequent Specimens of their Knack at Wrangling and Chicane ; or who are determin’d to think Nothing right in this Affair, but what comes from themfelves, my Time is too precious to follow them thro’ the Maze of Perplexity. They may, if they pleafe, afcribe every Thing I have done to a felfifh Motive ; I fhall leave it to Time and the Iffue of the Thing to convince them how much they have injur’d me. It will then be fufficient Punifhment for them to refledt on their Ufage of One who never offended them, but by a Zeal for the Happinefs of that Province, which they ought to love more, than one, who is a Stranger in it. There was no other Way I cou’d manifeft that Zeal but on the Subjedt of Education, as all the Time I have liv’d in the World has been fpent in my own Education and that of others. As this Sub¬ ject then happens to be very interefting to this Province at prefent, I fhou’d never have forgiven Myfelf, had I negledted the foie Opportunity I can ever have of bein°- in the leaft Degree ufeful to it. — Sorry fhou’d I bet however, if, after all my Partiality in treating this Mat¬ ter, I fhou’d fall under the Difpleafure of any Sedt or Party, who may claim an exclufive Right of modeling this Inftitution to their Mind. Every Perfon is at Li^ berty, and I think ought, to offer his Sentiments, You, Gentlemen, and the Legiflature are the only proper Judges of the Whole \ and 1 make no Doubt you will,

prefer

( 8o )

prefer that Scheme which you think beft calculated to promote the Peace and Happinefs of the Province with¬ out regarding the Pleats and Difputes that may arife at nrft on this Head j or be flatted on purpofe, to retard th^ Execution of a Work, far too long delay’d already.

But, Gentlemen , I will not embarafs You, nor mv- lelf, at the End of a Work of this Nature, by defcen- dmg farther into Particulars : Neither fhall I once ad¬ drefs You to exert yourfelves in this great Undertaking, for the fame Reafon that I did not once addrefs You, nor an honorable Branch of the Legiflature on a former Occafion. If You confider my Defign at that Time, fuchan Addrefs as forc’d and foreign to it, wou’d have been Cenfure. My Bufinefs, then, was with thofe who are the Majlers of the Purfe , and the chief Projectors of new Laws. T his I fhou’d never have mention’d in this Place, as being fenfible that no Addrefs of mine can be of Importance enough to give or diminifh Fame, had it not been made a Handle of, for want of abetter, to create Jealoufies and Diftrufts. —

An Apology for the Method of conveying the fore¬ going Propofals wou’d, I hope, be needlefs to thofe who confider the Drynefs of the Subjedt. When hand¬ ling the Article of Religion, I defignedly fcatter’d a few Flowers, that I might help to remove the vulgar Preju¬ dice ; and fliew that, by proper Condudt, this might be made the mod agreeable and amufing Part of Educa¬ tion. What I have faid on this Subjedt ftands as it flow’d at firfl upon my Thoughts ; which has made fomeof the Periods perhaps too long. But this I cou’d not help, unlefs I cou’d have fpar’d Time to divide fuch Periods, and add fomething for Connexion ; which wou’d, however, have made the particular Paragraphs much longer. The Verfes prefix’d, are part of an unfinifh’d P aft oral in Imitation of Virgil's Silenus , entitled Science , and therefore a-kin to my Subjedt. —

To conclude. Gentlemen , I have fpar’d no Pains, and left none of the few Books, I have on Education,

unconfulted

4

V

( 8r )

unconfulted ; that I might render it ufeful, it being the lafl: Service I am capable of offering to promote this great Undertaking. All I can do more, is to pray GOD that the Succefs may be anfwerable. — Under GOD, it greatly depends on You to make it fo ; And no one can doubt, but you will zealouffy exert yourlelves for this Purpofe, who refledts, that whatever Degree of Glory this Province fhall acquire from fuch an Inftitution, your immediate Dependents will reap the chief Advantage of it, fmce the large Share of Property you will leave them poflfefs’d of, muff: make them nearly concern’d in the Xntereft of the Province ; and point them out for the

chief Offices of the Government, which you now defer* vedly fill. -

I am.

Her in if age on Leng-ljland \ March 2, 1753*

Gentlemen ,

Tour mojl obedient humble Servant ,

W. SMITH

POSTSCRIPT.

'

LAST Poft, after mofl of the foregoing Sheets were printed off7? I had the Honor to receive, by the Way of Phi 'ladel- phia^ a Letter from a Gentleman of the JVeJI-Indies , diftin- guifh’d for his Rank and Fortune, but more fo, in the learn ’d World, as a Patriot Writer. It came in Return to one fent Him with my- former Pamphlet, in November laft ; and as it contains fome new Arguments for fixing the College in our Metropolis, which did not occur to me, and alfo confirms in the ftrongeft Manner what I have hinted in the * Note, Pao-e 74, of this prefent Work, viz * that the Wejl-Indian Gentle¬ men, wou’d certainly give this Province the Preference in the Education of their Children, I fhall prefume upon the worthy

* This Part of the Letter, had it come to Hand foon enough, fhould more properly have been added after the faid Note. The Original has been lhewn to fome of the Tru flees.

Author’s

■ ( 82 )

Author’s Forgivenefs, and tranfcribe a Part of it ; being per- fuaded, that what he has faid in two Pages, muft have more Weight than any Thing I cou’d fay in twenty, to haflen fuch an Eftablifhment here, as he, and all his Countrymen, feem more ardently to defire, than many of our thoughtlefs Selves. Some, I am well aware, will mifconflrue what I do into Vanity. Be it fo ; ’tis a Vanity the moil commendable of all others ; and fuch as the Latin-Philofopher has taught me not to difown. Contemptu Fama^ Virtus contemnitur . — But to return to the Let¬ ter, my learn’d Correfpondent writes thus ;

— “ Your Thoughts on Education are very juft, and your Arguments in Favor of eflablifhing of a College rather in the cc City of Neiv-Tork than elfewhere are convincing : But I wifh cc you had been more copious on the latter Subject, and much “ more explicit and precife on the former. I wilh you had fully deferib’d the Plan of Glafgow -College , as improv’d by that “ great Philofopher, Mr. Hutchinfon , together with your own, <c or other People’s Improvements upon the proper Difcipline “ of a College, which, perhaps, is the mofl material Part of fuch “ a Plan ; as it is the only ftrong Barrier againft the Admiffion <c of Vice : For, I conceive, by proper Difcipline, the Vices, tc of a populous City, might be excluded from a College built cc in the very Suburbs ; from whence the Youth might be per- mitted, twice a Week, at feafonable Hours, tovifit Coffee- <c Houfes, the Exchange, and all the Reforts of Bufinefs, except cc Taverns. Thus their Minds might be form’d to what the “ French call Police ; as alfo to Commerce, and to a flridl “ Observation of Mechanic Arts, which are the main Springs cc of Commerce. For want of Skill in thofe Points of greatefl “ Importance to our Mother-Country it is, that Trade is fo “ little underflood by our Members of Parliament, and fo much cc negledled at this very Time, when all other Nations are cc trying every Art to extend their Commerce. Is not this Ig- 4C norance of our learn’d Men imputable chiefly to the Situa- tc tion of our Univerfities, fo remote from evefy Theatre of “ Adfion, and of real and ufeful Life ? And to what is the u aukward Ruflicity of our Book-Worms to be aferib’d, but cc to an abfolute Recefs from all praffical Politcnefs ?

<c I wifh alfo you had carry’d your Argument one Step farther, “ and hinted to the Legislature that a % b und fhou’d be eflab-

* It is thought the fetting a-part fome Ferries , at prefent of little Value, might make a confiderable Part of fuch a Fund, always in- creafing in Proportion to the Encreafe of People, and the encreafing Demands of the College.

v ‘ lifh’d,

1

■

. ( H )

cc iifh d out of fome public Tax, fuffcient not only to raife a cc convenient and elegant Strudlure, but to be an ample En~ “ dowment alio, to encourage able Profeffors in all the Scien- C(" ces, and the heft M afters in athletic Excrcifes, to accept, 4t nay to leek for a Station at the College of Ne w-Ybrk , to 44 which all our young Inlanders wou’d then certainly go for 44 Education, to the great Advantage of that City. — I am fure, 44 Sir, if you will but revolve thefe Points in your Thoughts 44 foi one Hour, you might offer fuch a Syffem, grounded up¬ on luch clear Evidence, as would open the Eyes of Party.) and Puiblindnefs . itfelf to a fpeedy Eftablifhment of fuch a College as you wifh for ; and fuch as would gratify even the Vifhes of Patriotifm. But, I fear, if it refts upon cold and flow Donations, the next, perhaps the tenth. Generation will not fee the Completion of it. The Subjedt, I perceive, glows in your Bofom, and has exalted your Fancy to feveral 44 fublime Flights in the Poem at the End of your Treatife. I fear, your Apprehenfions of our Mother-Country’s falling at 44 laft into the W ay of other Nations, are but too well groun- 44 ded. I hope I am too old to be a Spe&ator of that fad Event* 44 But when Corruption has taken hold of the main Roots, the belt-grown Oak muff foon — very foon— fall, even by the “kaft Breath of the mojl Chriftian Tyrant ! Where then can 44 the People of a free State, fallen into Deftrudfion, take Sanc- ’ ^uar^’ but am°ng their own Kindred, in a well-order’d and ; : free3 Government, fuch as thofe of North-America might be .—1 had the Honor, to think as you do on this Subjedf,

Yearla^0; and have> therefore, advis’d all my Friends t ° ecui*e.a Retreat there, as my Brother has wifely done :

p lS l mteind t0 do whenever he will point out an handfom Furchafe to be made at a reafonable Price ; more efpecially,

if a proper Seminary for Learning is foon eftablilh’d among

„ yOUnJ,°/ lt 18 ?W‘ng fole,y to this Want of Education for tt oyChddren, that our Gentlemen here are not fond of pur-

£( mf.NfJh-/merua.-~But to return from this De-

44 greffion, &c. &c”

T IWv A th‘S valuable Perfonage, whofe Name, was I at Liberty to mention it, wou’d add new Force to his important

Friends^of the Cam'll r?eans ’s tbe Danger he, and all his

every lateWar hl^T e*P0S’d t0 ; as the French, in

Ifland • a^d as trd°rK d Defi£nsL t0 get ^e Poffeffion of thefe PreDarationsdtW^ bUt T m“ch Reafon t0 fear- the vaft "aval

wi" ptrb*>» re“d"

G f- fJtSy f ■

fry#® ;■* pi? \ V v’ -

Obfervations :

(84)

* Obfervations : And how great a Satisfadlion is it to me, that I am not only prepar’d to anfwer his Letter, by fending him fome Copies of fuch a Plan of a College as he feems to defire, and fuch as I know muft be agreeable to the manly Genius of thofe Manders, when difpers’d among them ; but that I can, moreover, on the bed Foundation, allure them that every Thing good in the faid Plan, will, with all poflible Speed, be carried into Execution in this Province ? I have heard it faid, that we have no Reafon to expert the Wef -Indians wou’d fend their Children here, as they have been long accuflom’d to fend them to England : But they who fay fo, know little what ourEnglifh Univerfities are at prefent : For, to ufe the Words of the Authors of the Review, for November , 1750,--- « That even both our Univerfities (not forgetting that in the “ Metropolis of a neighbouring Kingdom) are render’d of “ little Ufe to the Public, or to the Welfare of Religion, by “ the idle Dodtrines and corrupt Manners which prevail in “them, is a Truth equally notorious and melancholy : and ** “ any effectual Scheme for a thoro’ Reformation, or (if this “ is impoffible, thro’ the Perverfenefs of their Members) a “ total Abolition of them, wou’d merit the Attention of every “ Lover of his Country, every Well- wifher to trueChriftianity,

“ and to civil and religious Liberty.”—- Befides this, theRifque and Expence of fending Children from the Weft -Indies to this Place, are not fo great as to fend them to England . It is not to be queftion’d then, but thefe young Wanders, as my Corre- fpondent hints, wou’d infallibly come for their Education to thefe Provinces, and that of New-Tork above all others, wou’d we go into fome fuch generous and liberal Inflitution as that propos’d above. And what a noble Profpedl of Wealth and Glory does this open to Us, fonlefs we will mar the Whole by fome unprecedented religious Eftablifhment, that may be difagreeable to the Perfuafion of thefe Wanders? I always forefaw the Difputes that would anfe on this Head, and there¬ fore, in the foregoing Work (leer’d quite clear of every Thing that might kindle them among a People that, till a few M^onths ago, feem’d remarkable for that Chriflian Peace and Charity which reign’d among all religious Sedls in the Province. But as thefe Difputes have now taken their Rife from another Quarter, I fhould as freely give my Sentiments on them, as I have on every other Point relating to our intended Seminary, ■did not the Printer wait for this Poffcript , to enable him to perform his Promife of publifhing thefe Papers to-morrow. —

Tho’ I have every where given it as my Opinion that, in a

well-

( $£ )

well-conftituted S™ry, all Proteftant Youth fhou’d be ad¬ mitted on a perfea Parity, and indulg d in the free E«rcife

of the Religion of their Parents on Sundays tho i have

call’d every Attempt to draw them off from this Religion, e- fo e they cL judge for themfelves, a manifeft Impofit, on on their nndTLfon -, and tho’ I believe there is no Perfon among Us fo bigotted, as to dream of refufing that general Toleration to our young Students, which our wife Laws have granted to a other Perfons ; yet certain it is, that to eftabhfli a_College, without eftablifhing feme Form of public Prayer and Worfhip in it, would be a Thing wholly unheard of before ; and would effe&ually defeat the Defign of fuch an Inftitution. In this Eltablilhment then, the Preference muft be given to tome one of the Modes of Worlhip, or let me call them Churches, fub- fifting at prefent ; unlefs we delay the Founding a College f^r twenty, perhaps a hundred, Years more, till all Sides can agree to patch up feme new fort of religious Worfhip for it, out of all thofe we have at prefent ; which, however ftrange it ap¬ pears, feems to be contended for. That fuch a Preference will be productive of none of thofe dreadful Confequences denounc a againft it, might eafily be made manifeft. And it might as eafily be made manifeft, to which of our Churches (fuppofing them all equally orthodox, which is all that can be alk d) the Compliment of this * Preference is due. Is there any one of them that has already a Preference by the Conftitution of the Province ? Is there any one of them that is known to have fu- perior Ability and Intention to beftow large Donations on .our Infant-College ? Is there any Religion that wou’d in a fuperior Degree, recommend our College to the Beneficence and Pro-

* Tho’ it is my fincere and impartial Opinion, that we can never eflablifh any Religious Worfliip in a College, nor even a College itfelf in this Province, without fuch a. Preference ; tho I forfee how much the Succefs of the Undertaking depends upon fuch an Elta- blilhment, and am perfuaded that our prefent Clergy, and chief Gentlemen, are of too Catholic a Spirit to dream of obtruding the Religion of any Church upon our Youth ; and farther, tho it might be proved from inconteftabie Experience, that ufing the Prayers of any Church upon public Occafions, has no Tendency to bring the Students over to the Perfuaiion of that Church, when they are in* dulg’d in going to their refpedtive Places of Worfhip on Sundays Yet as we are not fure of a Succeflion of fuch Men, and as I hings fhould be made as eafy as pofhble to all Parties ; good Policy will direct the Legiflature to temper this Preference with fuch Limitations, as may for ever prevent our College from becoming a narrow One, or falling into the Hands of any Sett or Party,.

teclion,

teaion of the GV^ -Lf nJt , T Mother-Country ? Or anv R,/ ?Pt-thlaLeS!flaturc> our ' wou’d draw thJ Youth of & §7 '^V aftablifh’d, Britijb Antilles ) rather to our, f ™rKan-.IJlBnds, (I mean the

Colleges ? — Thole who know tft 7 °f 7 "during will be at noLofs to decided? An/Wer thefe Queftions, theReligion to be cftabliftierl ; S ^.re‘ent Difpute concerning

American- If ands ; it being c h i c flyU fro m l lj C ° P e ge • ' " " 1 &id the pea Students, as well ashlar™ c 7 thence we are to ex¬ aid us in this Work • and nntf U c/1PtI0.ns or Donations to CCS that have Cafe of d,* /w„"“ P™™- '

of thofe Colleges be as narrow and partial as ,r le Cnnftttutions

fa'“et’„ow

leaving one go *

proper Manner, they muft new-model their P ,fftabIdh d ln a their Youth at Home ■ and wW r V e ,°1Ieges to retain

nrent, among us, muft be produce of fo much Goof'

Zl Ta~T Crann0t 3t prefent> and for the futme I tj * S not, find Leifure, to fet thefe Poinfc ;n t • , 5 , *ear’ *“aU

But what I have hinted m! I 6 f'ght theX defove.

fpeedily to do 7- ^ 1 h°pg’ 6XClte fomc other Perfon,

Kfc? K feSfc “ 2 ^ "»d“

c± “s f -Ms ssx^

Relay'd, the mmdSlffiSl ari?e o,'be°S'h“ 'Y°* “

™oTh "■ besin <-*»«.

^ f.idc, !ras,i13r1' “ p;opcri)'

S2 £^£S“ * PnSic Spe’ech with!!-" -^n7 ioth, 1753,

^ / iV / J.