other is wrong for the opinions and practi ces fixed at this important season are not easily altered; and an early habit becomes rooted into an inveterate prejudice. By this oversight even the friends of religion may be contributing eventually to that abolition of the Lord's day, so devoutly wished and so indefatigably laboured after by its enemies, as the desired preliminary to the destruction of whatever is most dear to christians. What obstruction would it offer to the general progress of youth, if all their Sunday exercises (which, with reading, composing, transcribing and getting by heart, might be extended to an entertaining variety) were adapted to the peculiar nature of the day?

peculiarly belongs to a school education: namely, the general habit of converting the Sunday into a visiting day by way of gaining time; as if the appropriate instructions of the Lord's day were the cheapest sacrifice which could be made to pleasure. Even in those schools, in which religion is considered as an indispensable part of instruction, this kind of instruction is almost exclusively limited to Sundays: how then are girls ever to make any progress in this most important article, if they are habituated to lose the religious advantages of the school, for the sake of having more dainties for dinner abroad? This remark cannot be supposed to apply to the visits which children make to religious parents, and indeed it only applies to those cases where the school is a conscientious school, and the visit a trifling visit.

Those whose own spirits and vigour of mind are exhausted by the amusements of the world, and who therefore grow faint and languid under the continuance of serious Among other subjects which engross a good occupation, are not aware how different the share of worldly conversation, one of the case is with lively young people, whose spring most attracting is beauty. Many ladies have of action has not been broken by habitual often a random way of talking rapturously indulgence. They are not aware that a firm on the general importance and the fascina and well disciplined intellect wants, compar- ting power of beauty, who are yet prudent atively, little amusement. The mere change enough to be very unwilling to let their own from one book to another, is a relief almost daughters find out they are handsome. Per amounting to pleasure. But then the varia-haps the contrary course might be safer. If tion must be judiciously made, so that to the little listener were not constantly hear novelty must be superadded comparative ing that beauty is the best gift, she would not amusement; that is, the gradation should be be so vain from fancying herself to be the made from the more to the less serious book. best gifted. Be less solicitous, therefore, to If care be thus taken that greater exertion conceal from her a secret, which, with all of the mental powers shall not be required, your watchfulness, she will be sure to find when, through length of application, there is out, without your telling; but rather seek to less ability or disposition to exert them; such lower the general value of beauty in her es a well ordered distinction, will produce on timation. Use your daughter in all things the mind nearly the same effect as a new to a different standard from that of the world. employment It is not by vulgar people and servants only It is not meant to impose on them such that she will be told of her being pretty, rigorous study as shall convert the day they She will be hearing it not only from gay la should be taught to love into a day of bur- dies, but from grave men; she will be hear dens and hardships, or to abridge them of ing it from the whole world around her. such innocent enjoyments as are compatible The antidote to the present danger is not with a season of holy rest. It is intended now to be searched for; it must be already merely to suggest that there should be a operating; it must have been provided for in marked distinction in the nature of their em- the foundation laid in the general principle ployments and studies; for on the observ-she has been imbibing before this particular ance or neglect of this, as was before observ- temptation of beauty came in question. ed, their future notions and principles will in And this general principle is an habitual in a good degree be formed. The Gospel, in difference to flattery. She must have learnt rescuing the Lord's day from the rigorous not to be intoxicated by the praise of the bondage of the Jewish sabbath, never les- world. She must have learnt to estimate sened the obligation to keep it holy, nor things by their intrinsic worth, rather than meant to sanction any secular occupation.* Christianity in lightening its austerities has not defeated the end of its institution; in purifying its spirit, it has not abolished its object.

by the world's estimation. Speak to her with particular kindness and commendation of plain but amiable girls; mention with com passion such as are handsome but ill-educa. ted; speak casually of some who were once Though the author, chiefly writing with a thought pretty, but have ceased to be good; view to domestic instruction, has purposely make use of the arguments arising from the avoided entering on the disputed question, shortness and uncertainty of beauty, as whether a school or home education be best; strong additional reasons for making that a question which perhaps must generally be which is little valuable in itself, still less valdecided by the state of the individual home, and the state of the individual school; yet she begs leave to suggest one remark, which

*The strongest proof of this observation is the conduct of the first christians, who had their instructions immediately from the Apostles.

uable. As it is a new idea which is always dangerous, you may thus break the force of this danger by allowing her an early intro duction to this inevitable knowledge, which would become more interesting, and of course more perilous by every additional, year; and if you can guard against that in

tal and almost universal error of letting her A see that she is more loved on account of her beauty, her familiarity with the idea may be less dangerous than its novelty afterwards would prove.

very poverty of spirit the highest promise of the gospel is assigned; while worldly wisdom is sedulously enjoined by worldly friends, in contradiction to that assertion, that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God;" while the praise of man is to be anxiously sought in opposition to that assurance, that the fear of man worketh a snare;' while they are taught all the week, that the friendship of the world' is the wisest pursuit ; and on Sundays that it is enmity with God;' while these things are so (and that they are so in a good degree who will undertake to deny?) may we not venture to affirm that a Christian education, though it be not an inpossible, is yet a very difficult work?

CHAP. VI.

ON THE EARLY FORMING OF HABITS.

direct those Habits.

But the great and constant peril to which young persons in the higher walks of life are exposed, is the prevailing turn and spirit of general conversation. Even the children of better families, who are well instructed when at their studies, are yet at other times continually beholding the WORLD set up in the highest and most advantageous point of view. Seeing the world! knowing the world! standing well with the world! making a figure in the world! is spoken of as including the whole sum and substance of human advantages They hear their education almost exclusively alluded to with reference to the figure it will enable them to make in the world. In almost all companies they hear all that the world admires spoken of with admiration; rank flattered, fame coveted, pow- On the necessity of forming the Judgment to er sought, beauty idolized, money considered as the one thing needful, and as the atoning substitute for the want of all other things; profit held up as the reward of virtue, and worldly estimation as the just and highest prize of laudable ambition; and after the very spirit of the world has been thus habit ually infused into them all the week, one cannot expect much effect from their being coldly and customarily told now and then on Sundays, that they must not love the world, nor the things of the world.' To tell them once in seven days that it is a sin to gratify an appetite which you have been whetting and stimulating the preceding six, is to require from them a power of self-control, which our knowledge of the impetuosity of the passions, especially in early age, should have taught us is impossible.

It can never be too often repeated, that one of the great objects of education is the forming of habits. I may be suspected of having recurred too often, though hitherto only incidentally, to this topic. It is, however, a topic of such importance, that it will be useful to consider it somewhat more in detail; as the early forming of right habits on sound principles seems to be one of the grand secrets of virtue and happiness.

The forming of any one good habit seems to be effected rather by avoiding the opposite bad habit, and resisting every temptation to the opposite vice, than by the mere occasional practice of the virtue required.-Humili ty, for instance, is less an act than a disposi tion of the mind. It is not so much a single performance of some detached humble deed, This is not the place to animadvert on the as an incessant watchfulness against every usual misapplication of the phrase, know- propensity to pride. Sobriety is not a proming the world; which term is commonly ap- inent ostensible thing; it evidently consists plied, in the way of panegyric, to keen, de-in a series of negations, and not of actions. signing, selfish ambitious men, who study It is a conscientious habit of resisting every mankind in order to turn them to their own incentive to intemperance. Meekness is account. But in the true sense of the ex- best attained and exemplified by guarding pression, the sense which christian parents would wish to impress on their children, to know the world, is to know its emptiness, its vanity, its futurity, and its wickedness. To know it is to despise it, to be on our guard against it. to labour to live above it; and in this view an obscure Christian in a village may be said to know the world better than a hoary courtier or wily politician. For how can they be said to know it who go on to love it, to be led captive by its allurements, to give their soul in exchange for its lying promises? But while so false an estimate is often To take, for example, the case of moderamade in fashionable society of the real value tion and temperance. It would seem to a of things; that is, while Christianity does not superficial observer, of no very great imporfurnish the standard, and human opinion tance to acquire a habit of self-denial in redoes; while the multiplying our desires is spect either to the elegancies of decoration, considered as a symptom of elegance, though or to the delicacies of the table, or to the to subdue those desires is the grand criterion common routine of pleasure; that there can of religion; while moderation is beheld as be no occasion for an indifference to luxuindicating a poorness of spirit, though to that ries harmless in themselves, and no need of

against every tendency to anger, impatience, and resentment. A habit of attention and application is formed by early and constant vigilance against a trifling spirit and a wan dering mind. A habit of industry. by watching against the blandishments of pleasure, the waste of small portions of time, and the incroachment of small indulgences.

Now, to stimulate us to an earnest desire of working any or all of these habits into the minds of children, it will be of importance to consider what a variety of uses each of them involves.

which this singularity renounces, includes many valuable advantages. Modesty, simplicity, humility, economy, prudence, liber ality, charity, are almost inseparably, and not very remotely, connected with an habitual victory over personal vanity and a turu to personal expense. The inferior and less striking virtues are the smaller pearls, which serve to string and connect the great ones.

daily moderation in those persons who are possessed of affluence, and to whom therefore, as the expense is no object, so the forbearance is thought of no importance. Those acts of self-denial, I admit, when contempla ted by themselves, appear to be of no great value, yet they assume high importance, if you consider what it is to have, as it were, dried up the spring of only one importunate passion; if you reflect, after any one such An early and unremitting zeal in forming conquest is obtained, how easily, compara- the mind to a habit of attention not only protively speaking, it is followed up by others. duces the outward expression of good breedHow much future virtue and self-govern- ing, as one of its incidental advantages; but ment, in more important things, may a moth- involves, or rather creates, better qualities er therefore be securing to that child, who than itself; while vacancy and inattention should always remain in as high a situation not only produce vulgar manners, but are as she is in when the first foundations of this usually the indication, if not of an ordinary, quality are laying; but should any reverse of yet of a neglected understanding. To the fortune take place in the daughter, how much habitually inattentive, books offer little beintegrity and independence of mind also may nefit; company affords little improvement; be prepared for her, by the early excision of while a self-imposed attention sharpens obsuperfluous desires. She, who has been servation, and creates a spirit of inspection trained to subdue these propensities, will, in and inquiry, which often lifts a common unall probability be preserved from running in- derstanding to a degree of eminence in to worthless company, merely for the sake of knowledge, sagacity, and usefulness, which the splendor which may be attached to it. indolent or negligent genius does not always She will be rescued from the temptation to reach. A habit of attention exercises inteldo wrong things, for the sake of enjoyments lect, quickens discernment, multiplies ideas, from which she cannot abstain. She is de- enlarges the power of combining images and livered from the danger of flattering those comparing characters, and gives a faculty of whom she despises; because her moderate picking up improvement from circumstances mind and well ordered desires do not solicit the least promising; and gaining instruction indulgences which could only be procured from those slight but frequently recurring by mean compliances. For she will have occasions, which the absent and the negli been habituated to consider the character as gent turn to no account. Scarcely any thing the leading circumstance of attachment, and or person is so unproductive as not to yield the splendor as an accident, which may or some fruit to the attentive and sedulous colmay not belong to it; but which, when it lector of ideas. But this is far from being does, as it is not a ground of merit in the pos- the highest praise of such a person; she, who sessor, so it is not to be the ground of her at- early imposes on herself a habit of strict at tachment. The habit of self-control, in small, tention to whatever she is engaged in, beas well as in great things involves in the ag- gins to wage early war with wandering gregate less loss of pleasure, than will be ex- thoughts, useless reveries, and that disquali perienced by disappointments in the mind fying train of busy, but unprofitable imagin ever yielding itself to the love of presentations, by which the idle are occupied, and indulgences, whenever those indulgences should be abridged or withdrawn.

She who has been accustomed to have an early habit of restraint exercised over all her appetites and temper; she who has been used to set bounds to her desires as a general principle, will have learned to withstand a passion for dress and personal ornaments; and the woman who has conquered this propensity has surmounted one of the most domineering temptations which assail the sex. While this seemingly little circumstance, if neglected, and the opposite habit formed, may be the first step to every successive error, and every consequent distress. Those women who are ruined by seduction in the lower classes, and those who are made miserable by ambitious marriages in the higher, will be more frequently found to owe their misery fo an ungoverned passion for dress and show than to motives more apparently bad. An habitual moderation in this article, growing out of a pure self-denying principle, and not arising from the affectation of a singularity, which may have more pride in it, than others feel in the indulgence of any of the things

the absent are absorbed. She who keeps her intellectual powers in action, studies with advantage, herself, her books, and the world. Whereas they, in whose undisciplined minds vagrant thoughts have been suffered to range without restriction on ordinary occasions, will find they cannot easily call them home, when wanted to assist in higher duties. Thoughts, which are indulged in habitual wandering, will not be readily restrained in the solemnities of public worship or of private devotion.

But in speaking of the necessary habits, it must be noticed that the habit of unremitting industry, which is indeed closely connected with those of which we have just made mention, cannot be too early or too sedulously formed. Let not the sprightly and the bril liant reject industry as a plebeian quality, as a quality to be exercised only by those who bave their bread to earn, or their fortune to make. But let them respect it, and adopt it as an habit to which many elevated charac ters have, in a good measure, owed their dis tinction. The masters in science, the leaders in literature, legislators and statesmen.

even apostles and reformers would not, at that particular principle which stands in opleast in so eminent a degree, have enlighten- position to those evil tempers, to which the ed, converted, and astonished the world, had individual pupil is more immediately addict, they not been eminent possessors of this so- ed. As it cannot be followed up too closely, ber and unostentatious quality. It is the so it can hardly be set about too early. May quality to which the immortal Newton mod- we not borrow an important illustration of estly ascribed his own vast attainments; who, this truth from the fabulous hero of the Gre when he was asked by what means he had cian story? He who was one day to perform been enabled to make that successful pro- exploits, which should fill the earth with his gress which struck mankind with wonder, renown, began by conquering in his infancy; replied, that it was not so much owing to any and it was a preliminary to his delivering the superior strength of genius, as to an habit of world from monsters in his riper years, that patient thinking, laborious attention, and he should set out by strangling the serpents close application. We must, it is true, make in his cradle. It must however be observed that diligent some deductions for the humility of the speaker. Yet it is not overrating its value, to as- care is to be exercised, that, together with sert that industry is the sturdy and hard the gradual formation of these and other useworking pioneer, who by persevering labour ful habits, an adequate attention be employremoves obstructions, overcomes difficulties, ed to the forming of the judgment; to the clears intricacies, and thus facilitates the framing such a sound constitution of mind, march, and aids the victories of genius.

as shall supply the power of directing all the An exact habit of economy is of the same faculties of the understanding, and all the family with the two foregoing qualities; and qualities of the heart, to keep their proper like them, is the prolific parent of a numer- places and due bounds, to observe their just ous offspring of virtues. For want of the ear- proportions, and maintain their right station, ly ingrafting of this practice on its only legit- relation, order, and dependence. For instance, while the young person's imate stock-a sound principle of integrity -may we not, in too many instances in sub-mind is trained to those habits of attention sequent life, almost apply to the fatal effects and industry which we have been recom→ of domestic profuseness, what Tacitus ob- mending; great care must be used that ber serves of a lavish profligacy in the expendi- judgment be so enlightened as to enable her ture of public money-that an exchequer to form sound notions with regard to what is which is exhausted by prodigality will probably be replenished by crimes.

Those who are early trained to scrupulous punctuality in the division of time, and an exactness to the hours of their childish business, will have learnt how much the economy of time is promoted by habits of punctuality, when they shall enter on the more important business of life. By getting one employment cleared away, exactly as the succeeding employment shall have a claim to be despatched, they will learn two things: that one business must not trench on the time which belongs to another business, and to set a value on those odd quarters of an hour, and even minutes, which are so often lost between successive duties, for want of calculation, punctuality, and arrangement.

A habit of punctuality is perhaps one of the earliest which the youthful mind may be made capable of receiving; and it is so connected with truth, with morals, and with the general good government of the mind, as to render it important that it should be brought into exercise on the smallest occasions. But I refrain from enlarging on this point as it will be discussed in another part of this

work.*

really worthy her attentive pursuit, without which discriminating power, application would only be actively misemployed; and ardour and industry would but serve to lead her more widely from the right road of truth. Without a correct judgment she would be wasting her activity on what was frivolous, or exhausting it on what was mischievous. Without that ardour and activity we have been recommending she might only be weaving spiders' webs;' with it, if destitute of judgment, she would be hatching cockatrices' eggs

Again, if the judgment be not well informed as to the nature and true ends of temperance, the ill-instructed mind might be led into a superstitious reliance on the merits of self-denial; and resting in the letter of a few outward observances, without any consideration of the spirit of this christian virtue, might be led to infer that the kingdom of heaven was the abstinence from meat and drink,' and not peace, and righteousness, and joy in the Holy Ghost.'

6

The same well ordered judgment will also be required in superintending and regulating the habit of economy; for extravagance being rather a relative than a positive term, the true art of regulating expense, is not to proIt requires perhaps still more sedulity to portion it to the fashion, or to the opinion or lay early the first foundation of those interior practice of others, but to our own station Aristippus behabits which are grounded on watchfulness and our own circumstances. against such faults as do not often betraying accused of extravagance by one who themselves by breaking out into open excrowns for a small fish, said to him, Why, cess; and which there would therefore be was not rich, because he had given six less discredit in judging. It should more what would you have given?-Twelve Then,' repliparticularly make a part of the first elements ed Aristippus, our economy is equal; for of education, to try to infuse into the mind Pence,' answered the other. six crowns are no more to me than twelve pence are to you.'

* See chapter on Definitions.

It is the more important to enlighten the judgment in this point, because so predominant is the controul of custom and fashion, that men of unfixed principle are driven to borrow other peoples judgment of them before they can venture to determine whether they themselves are rich or happy. These vain slaves to buman opinion do not so often say, How ought I to act? or. What ought I to spend as, What does the world think I ought to do? What do others think I ought to spend ?

disdain of control, which characterise the times? And is it not too generally obvious that domestic manners are not slightly tinetured with the prevailing hue of public princi ples? The rights of man have been discuss ed, till we are somewhat wearied with the discussion. To these have been opposed, as the next stage in the progress of illumination, and with more presumption than prudence, the rights of women. It follows, according to the natural progression of human things, that the next influx of that irradiation which

illuminate the world with grave descants on the rights of youth, the rights of children, the rights of babies!

There is also a perpetual call for the inter-our enlighteners are pouring in upon us, will ference of the judgment in settling the true notion of what meekness is, before we can adopt the practice without falling into error. We must apprize those on whose minds we This revolutionary spirit in families sug are inculcating this amiable virtue, of the gests the remark, that among the faults with broad line of distinction between Christian which it has been too much the fashion of remeekness and that well-bred tone and gentle cent times to load the memory of the incom manner which passes current for it in the parable Milton, one of the charges brought world. We must teach them also to distin- against his private character (for with his poguish between an humble opinion of our litical character we have here nothing to do) own ability to judge, and servile dereliction has been, that he was so severe a father as to of truth and principle, in order to purchase have compelled his daughters, after he was the poor praise of indiscriminate compliance blind, to read aloud to him, for his sole pleasand yielding softness. We must lead them ure, Greek and Latin authors, of which they to distinguish accurately between honesty did not understand a word. But this is in and obstinacy, between perseverance and fact nothing more than an instance of the perverseness, between firmness and preju- strict domestic regulations of the age in dice. We must convince them that it is not meekness, but baseness, when through a dishonest dread of offending the prosperous, or displeasing the powerful, we forbear to recommend, or refuse to support, those whom it is our duty to recommend or to support. That it is selfishness and not meekness, when through fear of forfeiting any portion of our reputation, or risking our own favour with others, we refuse to bear our testimony to suspected worth or discredited virtue.*

CHAP. VII.

which Milton lived; and should not be brought forward as a proof of the severity of his individual temper. Nor indeed in any case should it ever be considered as an hardship for an affectionate child to amuse an af flicted parent, even though it should be attended with a heavier sacrifice of her own pleasure than that produced in the present instance.*

Is the author then inculcating the harsh doctrine of paternal austerity? By no means. It drives the gentle spirit to artifice, and the rugged to despair. It generates deceit and cunning, the most hopeless and hateful in the Filial obedience not the character of the age. whole catalogue of female failings. Ungov —A comparison with the preceding age in erned anger in the teacher, and inability to this respect. Those who cultivate the mind discriminate between venial errors and preadvised to study the nature of the soil.-meditated offence, though they may lead a Unpromising children often make strong timid creature to hide wrong tempers, or to characters. Teachers too apt to devote conceal bad actions. will not help her to subtheir pains almost exclusively to children due the one or correct the other The dread of parts. of severity will drive terrified children to AMONG the real improvements of modern seek, not for reformation, but for impunity. times, and they are not a few, it is to be fear-A readiness to forgive them promotes franked that the growth of filial obedience cannot ness: and we should, above all things, enbe included. Who can forbear observing and regretting in a variety of instances, that not only sons, but daughters have adopted something of that spirit of independence, and

* To this criminal timidity, madame de Maintenon, a woman of parts and piety, sacrificed the ingenious and amiable Racine; whom, while she had taste enough to admire, she had not the generosity to defend, when the royal favour was withdrawn from him. A still darker cloud hangs over her fame, on account of the selfish neutrality she maintained in not interposing her good offices between the resentments of the king and the sufferings of the Hugonots. It is a heavy aggravation of her fault, that she herself had been educated in the faith of these persecuted people.

* In spite of this too prevailing spirit, and at a time when, by an inverted state of society, sacrifices of ease and pleasure are rather exacted by children from parents, than required by parent's from children, numberless instances might be ariduced of filial affection truly honourable to the present period. And the author records with pleasure, that she has seen amiable young ladies of high rank conducting the steps of a blind but illustrious parent with true filial fondness; and has often contemplated, in another family, the interesting attentions of daughters who were both hands and eyes to an infirm and nearly blind fatherIt is but justice to repeat that these examples are not taken from that middle rank of life which Milton filled, but from the daughters of the highest officers in the state.