PREFACE.

THOUGH a conductor of a school may be qualified by his experience to write on the fubject of Education; yet there are circumftances arising from the nature of his engagements, which render the undertaking extremely delicate. While he recommends any particular mode, it will be fuppofed, that he is obliquely recommending his own plan, and confulting little more than his own intereft. If he fuggefts a hint derogatory from the merit of any new and fashionable method, or places of inftruction, he will appear to fome, to be actuated by envy, and to be artfully inviting pupils to his own roof. Many can fee and attribute to selfish motives, a paffage which has a tendency to promote the writer's advantage, though they may be incompetent judges of the propriety of the fentiment, or of the advice which it conveys.

It is indeed a truth to be lamented, that few of us are fo improved by philofophy, though we study and admire it, as not to feel the influence of interested motives. Intereft infenfibly blinds the understanding, and often impels the judgment to decide unjustly, without the guilt of intention. I will not arrogate fo much, as to fuppofe myself exempted from one of the most powerful principles of action which ftimulate a 4

the

the human heart. But I will fay, that I have endeavoured to diveft myfelf of every improper prepoffeffion, and to write the dictates of my conviction, and the refult of my experience. To fome fhare of experience he may without arrogance pretend, whofe life has been fpent with little interruption in places of education; at fchool, as a learner; at college, as a student; and again at school, as a master.

That I have notwithstanding frequently erred, is but too probable; and I am fure I should have profited little from obfervation, if I had not remarked the folly of prefumptuous confidence. I am ready, therefore, to acknowledge my miftakes upon conviction. Truth is my object; and if I have not yet discovered truth, it is ftill equally defirable, and will be welcomed whenever it fhall be pointed out by more fuccessful enquirers.

Some apology may be thought neceffary for the number of quotations in the notes. All I can advance in my defence is, that they were not introduced from oftentation, but to confirm my opinions. I was indeed defirous of fecuring fome elegance and fome authority to my book, by giving them a place in it.

I have from the fame motive made additions to the notes in every fucceeding edition: and, in confequence of a particular request, the mottos, and most of the citations from the antient writers, are tranflated.

One volume having encreafed beyond the due fize, I was advised to divide the matter into two; but to this I could not confent, without

As the ftate of the

making fome additions. univerfities is of great importance to liberal education, I have made many free remarks on them, relying on the protection of the generous Public at large, against the pride, prejudice, and refentment of thofe who may think their dignity fullied by the freedom of my cenfure.

It is but juftice to acknowledge, that in fpeaking of the universities, I chiefly, though not entirely, allude to that of Oxford, of which I am an useless member.

tanquam

Mancus, et extin&tæ corpus non utile dextræ.

Juv.

My animadverfions on the universities arise from pure motives. I have nothing either to hope or to fear from any univerfity. I am attached to that of which I am a member, on many accounts, and efteem all univerfities as inftitutions, which, in the original defign, redound not only to the honour of the nations in which they are encouraged, but of human nature. Do I act the part of an enemy in endeavouring to recover their true luftre, and to remove the abufes which length of time has gradually introduced? I cenfure no particular perfons. I lament, as I believe many refident members do, that the magiftrates are fo embarrassed by uselefs forms and cuftoms, and fo entangled by antiquated Statutes, that they cannot act according to their better judgments, in rendering the places efficient for the purposes of a virtuous and learned education. I have reafon to believe,

that

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that those who poffefs most power and reputation in univerfities, think as I do on the fubject of their defects and corruptions, and that they would readily co-operate in producing the reformation, if they were not unwilling to incur the odium which attends the character of an oftenfible reformer. But though I am perfuaded that my attempt will meet with fecret approbation from the moft refpectable perfons, yet at the fame time, I cannot but expect to excite in others an implacable enmity; for what is it to oppose old establishments like the universities, with which dignified perfons and great families are intimately connected, but to contend against riches, rank, pride, and prejudice.

Defendit numerus junctæque umbone phalanges.

Juv.

It is fomewhere observed, that it is particularly imprudent to offend public bodies of men ; that individuals forgive or forget, or if they fhould not, that their refentment dies with themselves; that their power of revenge is circumfcribed within narrow limits; but that public bodies, by perpetual fucceffion, become immortal, that they render their resentment traditionary, and that their collected power is able effentially to injure every single antagonist. Of this I am convinced; but having engaged in the caufe, whether rafhly or from good motives, let events determine, I am not inclined to shrink from a fear of any confequences, however formidable. The improvement of education, and the reformation of the universities, are great

great national objects; and to have been inftrumental in any degree to their accomplishment, will furnish a fource of fatisfactory reflection *.

The univerfities certainly claim particular attention in every book on the subject of a Liberal Education; for as rivers flow into the ocean, fo schools are emptied into univerfities; and it is of great confequence to the collected youth of the nation, the hopes of the rifing age, that univerfities fhould be preferved in a state proper

* Τὰς ἐπιδόσεις τῶν τεχνῶν, καὶ τῶν αλλῶν ἁπάντων ὁρῶμεν γινομένας ἐν διὰ τοὺς καθετῶσι εμμένοντας· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοὺς ἐπανορθούντας, καὶ ἀιεὶ τολμώντας κινειν τι τῶν μὴ καλῶς ἐχονίων. ISOCRATES.

It is by continual efforts that human affairs are preserved in a state of tolerable perfection. They have a natural tendency to degenerate. It becomes neceffary, in the revolutions of ages, to point out errors and correct them; but he who undertakes the office, is in danger of incuring peculiar diflike. The cenfure which he infinuates, though general, will be applicable to many individuals; and all who fear a disturbance of their indolent repofe, or a prohibition of their improper conduct, will naturally unite in perfecuting the writer who attempts the reformation.

The fear of this odium caufes a connivance at abufes and errors which are too obvious to escape notice. Evils long allowed, like fome noxious weeds, ftrike a root fo deeply that they can fcarcely be removed. If, however, the odium confequent on the attempt, or the difficulty of fucceeding in it, were utterly to preclude it, the advances to corruption and ruin muft at length become rapid and irrefiftible.

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