they will be sure to find sufficient Reason for that Abhorrence, when they shall come to Maturity. And fo much for Parents.

2. The second sort of Persons entrusted with the Training up of Youth, are Schoolmasters. I know not how it comes to pass, that this honourable Employment should find so little respect (as Experience shews it does) from too many in the World. For there is no Profession which has, or can have a greater Influence upon the Publick. Schoolmasters have a Negative upon the Peace and Welfare of the Kingdom. They are indeed the great Depofitories and Trustees of the Peace of it; as having the growing Hopes and Fears of the Nation in their hands. For generally, Subjects are, and will be such, as they breed them. So that I look upon an able, well Principled Schoolmaster, as one of the most meritorious Subjects in any Prince's Dominions, that can be; and every fuch School under such a Master, as a Seminary of Loyalty, and a Nursery of Allegiance.

Nay, I take Schoolmasters to have a more powerful Influence upon the Spirits of Men, than Preachers themselves. Forasmuch as they have to deal with younger and tenderer Minds, and consequently have the Advantage of making the First and Deepest Im

preffions upon them. It being seldom found, that that the Pulpit mends, what the School has marred; any more than a Fault in the First Concoction, is ever corrected by the Second.

But now, if their Power is so great, and their Influence so strong, surely it concerns them to use it to the utmost, for the Benefit of their Country. And for this purpose, let them fix this as an Eternal Rule, or Principle, in the instruction of Youth; That Care is to be had of their Manners in the first place, and of their Learning in the next. And here, as the Foundation and Ground-work of all Morality, let Youth be taught betimes to Obey, and to know, that the very Relation between Teacher and Learner, imports Superiority and Subjection. And therefore, let Masters be sure to inure young Minds to an early Awe and Reverence of Government, by making the first Instance of it in themselves, and maintaining the Authority of a Master over them, facred and inviolable; still remembring, that none is, or can be fit to be a Teacher, who understands not how to be a Master. For every degree of Obstinacy in Youth is one step to Rebellion. And the very fame restive Humour, which makes a Young Man flight his Master in the School, and despise his Tutor in the University, (a thing lately much in Fashion) will make him fly in his Prince's Face in the Parliament-House. Of which, not many Years since, we have had some scurvy Experiments.

There is a Principle of Pride universally wrapt up in the corrupt Nature of Man. And Pride is naturally refractory, and impatient of Rule; and (which is most material to our present Cafe) it is a Vice, which works and puts forth betimes; and consequently must be encountred so too, or it will quickly carry too high an Head, or too stiff a Neck to be controul'd. It is the certain Companion of Folly; and both of them the proper Qualifications of Youth; it being the inseparable Property of that Age to be Proud and Ignorant, and to despise Instruction, the more it needs it. But both of them are Nusances, which Education must remove, or the Person is lost.

And it were to be wish'd, I confefs, that the Constitution of Man's Nature were such, that this might be done only by the mild Addresses of Reason, and the gentle Arts of Perfuafion; and that the Studies of Humanity might be carreid on only by the ways of Humanity; but, unless Youth were all made up of Goodness and Ingenuity, this is a Felicity not to be hoped for. And therefore it is certain, that in fome Cafes, and with some Natures, Austerity must be used; there being too frequently such a mixture in the Composition of Youth, Youth, that while the Man is to be instructed, there is something of the Brute also to be chastised.

But how to do this discreetly, and to the benefit of him who is so unhappy as to need it, requires, in my poor Opinion, a greater Skill, Judgment and Experience, than the World generally imagines, and than, I am sure, most Masters of Schools can truly pretend to be Masters of. I mean those Plagosi Orbilij, those Executioners, rather than Instructors of Youth; Persons fitter to lay about them in a Coach or Cart, or to discipline Boys before a Spartan Altar, or rather upon it, than to have any thing to do in a Christian School. I would give those Pedagogical Jehu's, those furious School-drivers the fame Advice, which the Poet says, Phœbus gave his Son Phaeton (just such another Driver as themselves) that he should parcere Stimulis (the Stimulus in Driving being of the fame use formerly that the Lash is now.) Stripes and Blows are the last and basest Remedy, and scarce ever fit to be used, but upon such as carry their Brains in their Backs; and have Souls so dull and stupid, as to serve for little else but to keep their Bodies from Putrefaction.

Nevertheless, fince (as I have shewn) there are some Cafes and Tempers, which make these Boisterous Applications neceffary; give

me

me leave, for once, to step out of my Profefsion so far (though still keeping strictly within my Subject) as to lay before the Educators of Youth, these few following Considerations; for I shall not, in Modesty, call them Instructions.

1. As first. Let them remember that excellent and never to be forgotten Advice, That Boys will be Men; and that the Memory of all base Usage will sink so deep into, and grow up so inseparably with them, that it will not be so much as in their own Power ever to forget it. For though indeed Schoolmasters are a fort of Kings, yet they cannot always pafs such Acts of Oblivion, as shall operate upon their Scholars; or perhaps (in all things) indemnify themfelves.

2. Where they find a Youth of Spirit, let them endeavour to govern that Spirit, without extinguishing it; to bend it, without breaking it; for when it comes once to be extinguished and broken, and lost, it is not in the Power or Art of Man to recover it: And then (believe it) no Knowledge of Nouns and Pronouns, Syntaxis, and Prosodia, can ever compenfate or make amends for such a Loss. The French, they say, are extremely happy at this, who will inftruct a Youth of Spirit to a decent Boldness, tempered with a due Modesty; which two Qualities in Conjunction, do