trary to common sense and common experience. The consequences, however, are seldom imputable to the propositions which first gained our assent and approbation; they are artificially and imposingly attached to them by the ingenuity of the author, who, setting out, perhaps, with the upright intention of investi gating truth, and promoting the good of his species, no sooner gets sight of a system, however indistinct and remote, than every wish to elucidate the subject makes room for the vanity of raising himself to a sort of sovereign authority, and of stretching his laws and empire over some entire province in philosophy, where his fancy may exert an uncontrouled domination.

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"There is another tribe of system-makers, whose errors are of deeper criminality, and more malignant and fatal in their origin and results; who live in petual hostility with their own understandings, their own interests, and their own repose; and sacrifice the sure and lasting enjoyment of honest fame and selfapprobation, to the vain and perilous glory of paradoxical eminence and audacious singularity. Though the operation of this fatal propensity has in no small degree multiplied our labours and retarded our progress in our search after physical truths, yet the firm opposition of sense and experience, together with the irresistible potency of scientific deduction, have been at length a match for it in those provinces of human knowledge. Its influence at present is nearly confined to metaphysics and morality.

"A kind Providence, however, even here has not left us to the mercy of these arrogant usurpers. A great and steady light is afforded to the diligent and humble-minded, by which their reason may be guided with sufficient certainty amidst human vanity and error. It has been, therefore, at all times, the

peculiar interest of these proud schemers to violate the sacred league between morals and religion; to burst asunder the bonds which united them; and, having deprived morality of these great and awful sanctions by which it was explained and guarded, to subject it to a mere human and fluctuating philosophy, and perplex and torture its principles into an accommodation with their various systems of gross infidelity or fastidious refinement.

"Soinviting a field as education could not remain long uninvaded by this systematizing mania. The fluctuating state of men's opinions concerning it, the multiplicity of objects it respected, the endless variety of ways by which the genius and faculties of man are to be drawn forth according to the various constitution of his mind and predominancy of his passions, the mixed considerations that arise from taking into view the relations subsisting between the external and internal condition of a human being, the short insight we have into the nature of ideas, and the progress of the mind; all these difficulties and perplexities, attendant on the theory of education, gave but too much room for visionaries of all complexions to refine and systematize to whatever degree the turn of their thoughts and principles might carry them. It stood equally exposed to the licentious assaults of Mandeville, and the delusive graces of Rousseau.

"I think I may fairly place at the head of systemmakers, in this branch of human inquiry these opposite theorists, diametrically opposite indeed in their premises, but conspiring in their conclusions to the same destructive ends: the one, with a strange and affected excess of romantic refinement, proposing to deprive our helpless infancy of all correction and culture: the other urging with desperate audacity the natural and inborn wickedness of man as a reason for

withholding instruction, considering that instruction as putting weapons into the hands of mischief. The one would postpone all cultivation as useless, when we are most open to impressions, and most undetermined in our course; and because our dispositions are naturally corrupt, the other would leave them to themselves, at the time when they are most easily controuled and conquered. Rousseau would ruin our cause, like Fabius, by delay; and Mandeville carries slaughter before him with the sword of Marcellus.

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The injuries resulting to education and humanity from such corrupt systems, can be compensated by no excellence or ingenuity displayed in particular parts of them. The writings of Mandeville are but little read, or read with contempt and disgust. Rousseau has numerous votaries; and it is to be feared that few of those who profess to respect his system only in part, are in reality possessed of judgements severe enough to reject those seducing theories which give to his writings an irresistible power over the imagination.

"It appears to me, that a principle cause of the failure or impracticability of every scheme hitherto proposed for the improvement of our plans of education, has been the prevailing fondness for singularity and system, and the too little regard shown to that almost boundless extent to which human life is diversified, and that vast variety of relations and attributes, natural and moral, by which the condition and wants of our nature are modified.

"For these reasons I cannot help thinking that a few plain rules are best, which may keep in view the great and necessary duties of humanity, universally intelligible, universally practicable, divested of the parade of principles, and recommending a simple and natural course of proceeding. When we once bring the

subject into abstruse and metaphysical discussions, we presently lose sight of practice and utility, and seek only how we may construct a system lofty and imposing, and appearing to be the result of deep research into human nature. [You will take notice here, my dear Sir, that I confine myself to the moral part of the education of children.] After treating the systems of others with such little ceremony, you may expect me perhaps to come forward with one of my own. But recollect, I am not at issue with any particular system, but with systems altogether. My own private notions on the subject will lie within a very small compass.

"I think I may confess to you, Sir, my opinion, without danger of your smiling at me, that religion should be made the great and leading object in the education of youth; that every instruction, as far as possible, should be brought in aid of this greatest good to mankind; on this, every principle of morality should be built, every habit formed, and every opinion adjusted. Here we find a boundless scope for the natural and sprightly curiosities of children, an excellent exercise to their opening faculties, and a sufficient incitement to all the virtuous sensibilities and ardours of their minds. Religion I regard as the sun in the system of education, the great and mighty dispenser of light and life to the whole, and capable, by its attractive power, of maintaining to every part its proper place and destination in the order of things. It is the pride of our reason, which delights in a chimerical notion of independence, that has prevented us from profitting by the simple aid of religion; and hence have arisen all that refinement and perplexity which characterize those parts of every system of education which respects morality.

"The frigid propositions of ethics, and arguments

drawn from the beauty of virtue or the fitness of moral obligation, can make but small impression on the feelings or understandings of children, and require a thousand artifices and expedients to enforce them; but the injunctions of religion are plain to the appre hensions, and interesting to the hearts of youth; they furnish a solution to every moral question which can arise in their minds, and are a safe guide in every critical case and anxious dilemma. I consider it therefore as the great art of moral education to give religion a due and permanent effect on the mind, and to use every means of confirming its influence, till it grows into a deep and resolute habit, which no accidents or vicissitudes may in future dislodge. In young and in feeble minds, this habit is alone calcu lated to anticipate the maturity of reason, or to supply its deficiency. Of habit in general, I will venture to say, that it is the most active and universal principle of excellence or depravity. It either confers on our bad propensities that irresistible preponderancy, by considering which, some have been induced to excuse their vices on the plea of imbecility; or it is a firm and faithful ally, that gives our reason the victory in most of her contests, or enables her to rally her forces, and rise mightier from defeat. Those indeterminate sensibilities and affections which sport in the bosoms of infants, settle, as manhood approaches, into solid habits and decided adoptions; besides their immediate influence on our lives, they are ultimately the source of all that is noble and all that is base in our actions. To these busy and potent agents, before they are combined into settled features of character, or determined in their bias and direc tion, the whole stress of education should be turned; every emotion should industriously be watched every burst of passion should be corrected or sup