I beg pardon for having delayed fo long to fay any thing of the feparate and peculiar mode of education proper for women in a republic. I am fenfible that they must concur in all our plans of education for young men, or no laws will ever render them effectual. To qualify our women for this purpofe, they fhould not only be instructed in the usual branches of female education, but they fhould be taught the principles of liberty and government; and the obligations of patriotifm fhould be inculcated upon them. The opinions and conduct of men are often regulated by the women in the most arduous enterprizes of life; and their approbation is frequently the principal reward of the hero's dangers, and the patriot's toils. Befides, the first impreffions upon the minds of children are generally derived from the women. Of how much confequence, therefore, is it in a republic, that they fhould think juftly upon the great fubjects of liberty and government!

The complaints that have been made against religion, liberty and learning, have been against each of them in a feparate ftate. Perhaps like certain liquors, they fhould only be used in a state of mixture. They mutually affift in correcting the abuses, and in improving the good effects of each other. From the combined and reciprocal inflnence of religion, liberty and learning upon the morals, manners and knowledge of individuals, of thefe, upon government, and of government, upon individuals, it is impoffible to measure the degrees of happiness and perfection to which mankind might be raifed. For my part, I can form no ideas of the golden age, fo much celebrated by the poets, more delightful, than the contemplation of that happiness which it is now in the power of the legislature of Pennfylvania to confer upon her citizens, by eftablishing proper modes and places of education in every part of the state.

TH

OF AWAKENING THE MIND.

HE true object of education, like that of every other moral procefs, is the generation of happiness. Happiness to the individual in the firft place. If individuals were univerfally happy, the fpecies would be happy.

Man is a focial being. In fociety the intereft of individuals are intertwisted with each other, and cannot be feparated. Men fhould be taught to affift each other. The first object fhould be to train a man to be happy; the fecond to train him to be useful, that is, to be virtuous.

There is a further reason for this. Virtue is effential to individual happiness. There is no tranfport equal to that of the performance of virtue. All other happiness, which is not connected with felf-approbation and fympathy, is unfatisfactory and frigid.

To make a man virtuous we must make him wife. All virtue is a compromife between oppofite motives and inducements. The man of genuine virtue, is a man of vigorous comprehenfion and long views. He who would be emminently ufeful, must be eminently inftructed. He must be endowed with a fagacious judgment and an ardent zeal.

The argument in favour of wisdom or a cultivated intellect, like the argument in favour of virtue, when clofely confidered, fhows itself to be twofold. Wifdom is not only directly a means to virtue; it is also directly a means to happiness. The man of enlightened understanding and perfevering ardour, has many fources of enjoyment which the ignorant man cannot reach; and it may at least be suspected that these sources are more exquifite, more folid, more durable and more conftantly acceffible, than any which the wife man and the ignorant man poffefs in common.

Thus it appears that there are three leading objects of a just education, happiness, virtue, wisdom, including under the term wisdom both extent of information and energy of purfuit.

When a child is born, one of the earliest purposes of his inftitutor ought to be, to awaken his mind, to breathe a foul into the, as yet, unformed mass.

What may be the precife degree of difference with respect to capacity that children generally bring into the world with them, is á problem that it is perhaps impoffible completely to folve.

But, if education cannot do every thing, it can do much. To the attainment of any accomplishment what is principally neceffary, is that the accomplishment fhould be ardently defired. How many inftances is it reasonable to fuppofe there are, where this ardent defire exifts, and the means of attainment are clearly and fkilfully pointed out, where yet the accomplishment remains finally unattained? Give but fufficient motive, and you have given every thing. Whether the object be to shoot at a mark, or to mafter a fcience, this obfervation is equally applicable.

The means of exciting defire are obvious. Has the proposed object defirable qualities? Exhibit them. Delineate them with perf picuity, and delineate them with ardour. Show your object from time to time under every point of view which is calculated to demonftrate its lovelinefs. Criticife, commend, exemplify. Nothing is more common than for a master to fail in infufing the paffions into his pupil that he propofes to infufe; but who is there that refufes to confefs, that the failure is to be ascribed to the indolence or unskilfulness of the master, not to the impoffibility of fuccefs?

The more inexperienced and immature is the mind of the infant, greater is its pliability. It is not to be told how early, habits, pernicious or otherwife, are acquired. Children bring fome qualities, favourable or adverse to cultivation, into the world with them. But they speedily acquire other qualities in addition to thefe, and which are probably of more moment than they. Thus a diseased

ftate of body, and still more an improper treatment, the rendering the child, in any confiderable degree, either the tyrant or the flave of thofe around him, may in the first twelve months implant feeds of an ill temper, which in fome inftances may accompany hin through life.

Reasoning from the principles already delivered, it would be a grofs mistake to fuppofe, that the fole object to be attended to in the first part of education, is to provide for the prefent ease and happinefs of the individual. An awakened mind is one of the most important purposes of education, and it is a purpose that cannot too foon enter into the views of the preceptor.

It seems probable that early inftruction is a thing, in itself confidered, of very inferior value. Many of those things which we learn in our youth, it is neceffary, if we would well understand, that we fhould learn over again in our riper years. Many things that, in the dark and unapprehenfive period of youth, are attained with infinite labour, may, by a ripe and judicious understanding, be acquired with an effort inexpreffibly inferior. He who fhould affirm, that the true object of juvenile education was to teach no one thing in particular, but to provide against the age of five and twenty a mind well regulated, active, and prepared to learn, would certainly not obtrude upon us the abfurdest of paradoxes.

The purpose therefore of early inftruction is not abfolute. It is of lefs importance, generally speaking, that a child should acquire this or that fpecies of knowledge, than that, through the medium of inftruction, he should acquire habits of intellectual activity. It is not fo much for the direct confideration of what he learns, that his mind must not be fuffered to lie idle. The preceptor in this refpect is like the inclofer of uncultivated land; his first crops are not valued for their intrinfic excellence; they are sown that the land may be brought into order. The fprings of the mind, like the joints of the body, are apt to grow stiff for want of employment. They must be exercised in various directions and with unabating perfeverance. In a word, the firft leffon of a judicious education is, Learn to think, to discriminate, to remember and to enquire.

THE NECESSITY OF CULTIVATING THE DISPOSITIONS OF CHILDREN. By HUGH SMITH, M. D.

T

HE human mind, in its infant opening, has been justly compared to a blank sheet of paper, fufceptible of every impreffion : whence it may be fuppofed, children receive their prejudices and inclinations from the difpofitions of those persons to whofe care they are entrusted, in like manner as thefe letters convey the fentiments of the author,

That any children are born with vicious inclinations, I would not willingly believe. When I hear parents exclaiming against the bad

dispositions of their own children, I cannot help oftentimes fecretly condemning the parents themselves, for introducing fuch vices into their habits. Instinct, even in brutes, produces a tenderness for their young-a harmless society amongst their neighbours-a paffive fear towards their enemies-and violence feldom is discovered but against thofe animals which nature has appointed for their fupport. Can we then imagine that a worse than brutish fierceness should be naturally difcernable in our infant ftate?-that fpite, malice, anger, and revenge, fuch diabolical paffions, should tyranize before we are capable of felf-defence? The very fuppofition feems to me an arraignment of providence in the noblest part of the creation, and appears to be inconfiftent with the juftice of a benevolent Deity.

It therefore behoves every mother to be watchfnl of her own conduct, and perfectly satisfied of the difpofitions of such servants as she entrusts with the care of her children, at this fufceptible time of life; when even the more affectionately these persons treat them, the worse confequences are to be apprehended, if their own tempers are not good for as children are gratefully fond of those who use them kindly, they are by far the more likely to imbibe the bad qualities of an indulgent attendant; and, on the contrary, to profit by good examples.

Objects that attract the eyes are the firft delighting: the pleasures from hearing are the next. From fight and found ideas take their gradual rife. Hence, a partial fondnefs is formed by children towards those whofe province it is to attend upon them: and for this reason they are more fond of their nurfes, who are conftantly prattling to them, than of parents neglectful of their infancy.

The want of duty and affection in children towards their parents fo much to be cenfured, and fo generally complained of, often proceeds from this early mismanagement. The indifference also of too many parents towards their children, frequently owes its origin to depriving themselves of the enjoyments of their little ones at this engaging feafon of life. Even to an uninterested person, the expanding of an infant mind is a delightful entertainment; but to good parents, the pleafure and attachment muft certainly prove exceedingly more agreeable and lafting. We must indeed pity those whom neceffity deprives of this happy folace, but utterly condemn fuch whose inclinations drive their little nurflings from them. Unnatural and mistaken perfons, who, if they are punished with undutiful children, fuffer only in confequence of their own neglect !

Would you, my tender and confiderate matrons, with to fee your children truly amiable? Be then ever careful of yourselves. Endeavour alfo as much as poffible to prevent violent excefs of paffion in your husbands. This is a landable task, and much more in the power of women than they generally imagine. Truft me, my fairones, truly prudent and good wives, by bending a little to the rugged, headftrong, and boisterous difpofitions of fome husbands, may for the most part civilize them; and by their endearing and footh

ing manners, in fpite of early vicious habits, compel them to a behaviour of tendernefs and love. Thus, by the example of an engaging deportment on your part, you will foften their tempers, fo as to ren der them good husbands, good fathers, good mafters, and valuable members of fociety.

While, on the other hand, vindictive and peevish women not only forfeit this female importance, but too frequently estrange their hufbands' affections from them: and need I fay that this want of harmony and fincere friendship, between man and wife, is a dangerous pattern for their children?

From the strong force of example, it becomes in a manner natural to the children of fuch perfons to give an unbridled loose to every impulfe; nay, their emulation is foon engaged to become equally tyrannical with their parents. On the contrary, where no fuch precedents are before their eyes-where impaffioned and youthful love keeps pace with fentimental friendship-where the polite and well-bred man fhows a virtuous inclination towards his wife; and they both join in a proper regard for their children-how much reafon have we to expect that their young and tender minds will be impreffed with virtue! Nay, I dare aver, that, from this rectitude of behaviour, fuch parents will generally be rewarded with good and dutiful children.

With refpect to the management of children, how fhall we draw the line between indulgence and feverity? Although they are diametrically oppofite to each other, it is fcarcely poffible to be done; nay, it cannot be determined, fo as to admit of absolute decision. Children neceffarily require a different treatment, even from their natural difpofition, as it is ufually called; and a conduct indulgent to fome, will prove the greatest feverity to others. Let it therefore be remembered, that our plan is to fubdue the first irregular emotions in the bud, fo as to prevent them from rifing into passions.

I would, then, at all events, earnestly recommend temper and forbearance to thofe who have the government of their infant years. Kind treatment, good words, and a generous encouragement, to most difpofitions, will prove equal to every thing that you require of them; and if they can be conquered by fuch laudable and gentle means, you not only carry the first points in the most eligible manner, but accustom them also to an obliging behaviour, and excite their emulation to endeavour to please.

Carefully therefore obferve every emotion that is praife-worthy, and let a reward accompany it; for the encouragement of one virtuous impulse will have a much happier effect than the correction of a hundred faults.

Such are the impreffions neceffary to form a virtuous mind, and they will certainly grow up into their habits. On the contrary, where children's difpofitions are untoward; if they be fubdued by harsh words, threats, and chastisement, how are their tempers ruffled by fuch treatment !-and what is to be expected but that they confi