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history of heroism, virtue and patriotism. This is enough to prepare them for society, and put them in a method of studying the history of any other nations they think proper, in a philosophical manner, whenever their inclination and leisure shall prompt them to it.

This, continued Evander, is a fketch of the studies of the several classes; which I could with pleasure, in this account, pursue through all their different ramifications. But as this is inconsistent with my designed brevity, I have only mentioned the general heads of science, wholly neglecting such branches as are either included in, or necessary to, the knowledge of those I have mentioned.

In the second class, you will observe I have said nothing of plain trigonometry, because it is supposed in the study of geometry. Neither have I mentioned perspective, because connected with the beautiful science of optics; nor even optics themselves, nor spherical trigonometry, as they are all supposed in the general study of astronomy. In like manner, I have not mentioned dialing, because after being taught astronomy, and the use of the globes, the whole theory of dialing is learned in a few hours; and thus of all the other classes, which I take notice of expressly, that you may not judge the studies of any one class disproportioned to the rest, without taking into the account all their branches, præcognita, and the like.

Here I told Evander, that I was fully satisfied that the studies of the classes were very well proportioned, as they become still more extensive the farther the

youth advance in years; but that I thought the studies of every class were more than they could probably become sufficiently acquainted with in the time allotted to them.

He replied, that if the Miranian youth did not attend the duties of the college longer than the ordinary terms, my observation would be just. But vacations and holy-days in this college do not exceed two months. Besides, continued he, my countrymen do not propose any thing more than to give the youth a general knowledge of these studies. This is all that can be done at college. For as bent of genius will not carry all the youth of a class the same lengths in every study; that scheme of education is sufficiently perfect, by which all the students may become ordinary proficients in all the studies; and are put in a method of excelling in those particular branches to which nature has given them a genius. The age of the youth contributes highly to aid the execution of such a scheme; and I can assure you, from experience, that by attending even eight or nine months in the year, 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 notice that the number of masters are fewer than ordinary by this scheme; and the economy different from that of most colleges, which have a distinct professor for every branch of science; as a professor of anatomy, botany, chy

* They must be at least in their 14th year when entered into these classes, and in their 19th when they leave them, as may be gathered from what is said above.

mistry, civil law, &c. so that the students must attend a great many different masters and studies at different hours. But though my countrymen could afford salaries for such a number of professors, they do not seem disposed to this method; for they think it a great disadvantage to youth to be concerned with too many masters and studies at the same time. They judge it a much better method, that such branches of science as are related to one another, should be wholly finished under one and the same master, before the youth proceed farther; and that the whole studies or branch of sciences, should be ranged in their natural order; that those of each lower class may be an introduction to the class above it, and the youth thus raised by a chain of easy steps to the summit of their education. Hence a professor serves, by the above scheme, for all the branches of knowledge that can be acquired in one year; which makes the number of classes and masters equal to the number of years, and renders the whole plan simple and regular.

That the studies laid down for the five foregoing classes, are ranged in their natural order, will best appear to those who are best acquainted with the nature and object of them. With regard to the three lower classes, there can be no objection of this kind, as mathematics go before philosophy in every seminary; and are so necessary to it, that the best writers who advise the study of mathematics, suppose we should propose no other advantage by them than to strengthen the reasoning faculty, and prepare the mind for the study of philosophy, by accustoming it to think

closely, and to call forth those thoughts in a clear and regular manner.

That rhetoric, criticism and composition, should. be placed after philosophy, seems decided also by the authority of the greatest orators and poets. Scribendi recte, sapere est & principium & fons, says Horace; and Tully blames the orators of his time for neglecting the study of philosophy and polite literature. Nemo videretur exquisitius quam vulgus hominum studuisse literis, quibus fons perfecta eloquentiæ continetur; nemo qui philosophiam complexus esset, matrem omnium bene factorum, beneque dictorum. Quintilian is every way of the same opinion. And Pliny advises in express terms :Mores primum, mox eloquentiam discat, (Puer) quæ male sine moribus discitur.

But, without any authorities, the thing is selfevident; it being idle to think of writing or composing philosophically till we are philosophers, or till we have acquired a taste for polite letters. And as to speaking, no man but he who can distinguish philosophically between right and wrong, and who is possessed of the moral virtues, can have long success in this way, because no man can move others, unless it appears that he himself is moved with what he says. A bad man may, to give his words force, affect to be moved when he reasons of virtue; but whenever his character is fully detected, all his most artful pretences this way will, in the issue, only so much the more hurt his own cause.

Here I asked Evander, why rhetoric was so commonly placed before philosophy, if the latter was so

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necessary to it? He answered, that as far as he could learn, the difference between the method of his countrymen, and that of the best modelled colleges, was not material. 'Tis true, said he, these colleges begin the study of rhetoric in the lower classes, but they continue it through the higher ones. Thus the first year, perhaps, the youth learn no more than the figures of speech and the precepts or rules of oratory. The knowledge of logic and grammar is enough for this purpose. Composition, criticism, and that part of rhetoric to which philosophy and polite letters are necessary, fall of course after the study of philosophy, &c. in the generality of seminaries, which is the same thing upon the whole; only that my countrymen, as hath been observed, think it best for them, never to engage youth in more than one or two studies till they are fully masters of them; and to keep their plan as simple as possible, that they may stand in need of no more professors and tutors than their circumstances enable them to employ; which are the sole considerations that would ever make them depart in the least from the practice of nations more learned than themselves.

I presume, I need offer no reasons for placing the studies of agriculture, history and politics in the highest class. As these studies seldom enter much into the scheme of education, but are left for every man's private reading after his education at the university is finished, it is plain that they should be last, if they are at all brought into such a scheme. They are indeed the studies of men, and require a ripe judgment. But besides this, all the former studies,

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