being fo perfect, as to be deftroyed only by a fecond calcination. poffible, is to rouze a fpirit of agricultural enquiry and exertion in the country; and the next, a diffemination of agricul tural knowledge. Now I am convinced that the first of thefe objects has already been effected, and that the other is in a train of being fo: for having occafion to vifit nearly every county in the kingdom, within the laft twenty months, I paid fome attention to thefe objects, and find that the establishment of a Board of Agriculture, formed of the first men of the nation, in office, eftate, and abilities, and the investigations made at their inftance, through every part of the kingdom, have rendered agriculture a fafhionable ftudy among moft claffes of people, and excited a general emulation among the farmers, who are now anxious to be acquainted with the best modes of management practifed in other counties. The ultimate confequence is evident, and muft be very pleafing to every philanthropic mind. At a time when millions are lavished away in promoting the deftruction of our fellow-creatures, it is fomewhat futile to mention the trifling fums expended in thefe laudable and fuccefsful endeavours to increase the means T. P. of human fubfiftence and happiness. This difcuffion, commenced by your intelligent correfpondent, T. in your Third Number, had for its object, to explain to the practical farmer, the manner in which different manures operate upon vegetation, in order that in his application of them, he might be governed by clear and decifive principles: the attainment of this object would conftitute a brilliant era in the annals of philofophy and agriculture; and though the conjctures of your ingenious correfpondents T. and Z. do not, in my opinion, elucidate the mode by which lime, as a manure, acts upon vegetation, yet, agreeably to the maxim of a late refpectable character, no effort can be loft and the numerous Queries on the Nature and Principles of Vegetation, difperfed by the Board of Agriculture, and addreffed to Farmers. Nurferymen, and Gardeners, will, I hope, be the means of accumulating fuch a fund of practical information, as fhall enable the philofopher to profecure his researches with an increafed probability of fuccefs. I am, fir, Your obedient fervant, Bath, Nov. 5, 1796. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, AMONG the various and well-chofen fubjects of your Mifcellany, none, in my opinion, is fo univerfally beneficial, and, ultimately, productive of more real advantages, than that of agriculture. What fudy, what employ more pleafing, honourable, or ufeful; and in the fuccefs of which, all parties are more interested? I was, however, forry to fee in your Magazine, Number 1X, fome reflections, of rather an illiberal caft. thrown out against that excellent inftitution, the Board of Agriculture, by J. J. After enumerating feveral matters which the Board ought to have done, and have not done, he complains of the deficiency, and expence of the county reports; and afks, "what benefit has resulted from them?" In anfwer to that question, I do not hefitate to affert, that the benefits arifing from the philanthropic exertions of the Board of Agriculture, taken collectively, are already very great and important; and will. ir all probability, be, in a short time, incalculably beneficial. What appcars to me the principal ftep towards the great point aimed at, viz. making the earth produce as much human food as I admit the county furveys are deficient, if, to render them perfect, it be neceffary that they contain particular accounts of the agricultural management of each farm, village, or even parish. But what would be the expence of collecting fuch voluminous reports? Or, indeed, what would be their fuperior advantages? A general view of the agriculture, foil, furface, climate, &c, &c. of every county, with detailed particulars of the most approved modes of culture, and hints for farther improvement, is, I conceive, all that could hitherto be expected, or even defired as a foundation on which to form general fyftems. And, I doubt not, when all the reports will have been reprinted, with corrections, and additional obfervations, that these ends will be answered, and a great fund of agricultural information afforded. From thefe materials it will not be difficult to extract a collection of the best rules for improving every fpecies of foil, and turning it to the utmoft advantage, either in breeding and feeding the most profitable animals, or the production of grain and roots. It is true, that neither a general bill for the inclofure of commons has been pro cured, nor tythes, that great abftacle to improvements, abolished. I heartily join 1796.] Writings of Bernardin St. Pierre. with J. J. in the propriety and neceffity of these measures; but he fhould confider, that changes of fuch magnitude, in which fuch a number of jarring interefts, different tenures, properties, ufages, &c. are to be adjusted, cannot be eafily nor fuddenly fettled. How ever, that the general utility of thefe bills is felt both by the board and legislature, cannot be doubt ed; nor that their wisdom will long fuffer them to be called for in vain by the general voice of the nation. Your's, &c. Corby, near Carl.fle, · Nov. 18, 1796. J. H. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, I THINK every friend to humanity, every admirer of the beautiful and fublime views which Nature prefents in its vaft fyftem, and in its minuteft parts, will rejoice, while reading the "Sketches of Nature" (ETUDES DE LA NATURE) of BERNARDIN ST. PIERRE, and that moft pitiable and affecting fequel, Paul & Virginie, to reflect, that the author yet lives, and has survived the trials of various climes and events, ftrokes of hardship, fick nefs, and years, and the defolating horrors which have accompanied the Revolution of FRANCE, ftill to benefit human fociety. There is a fubject, which he intimates he had planned, and collected materials for the execution of it, which perhaps no man could more advantageously execute : A Parallel between the Lives, Genius, and Writings of VOLTAIRE and ROUSSEAU. The mild benevolence of his heart, and the correfponding fweetnefs of his ftyle, would render fuch a work highly agreeable; and the contemplations and fentiments it would fuggeft, would make it no lefs inftructive and useful. At prefent, there feems to me a great error in the apprehenfions entertained of the political tendency of the writings of ROUSSEAU. He is charged as having been a principal caufe of the crimes and miferies which once feemed nearly to have overwhelmed France. More attention, and more juft obfervation, I believe, would prove, that all which has been productive of thofe horrible calamities has been moft contrary to his plans and principles of government, his means of political melioration, nis fentiments, his precepts, his example, the tone, fpirit, and natural influence of his writings. I recollect no inftance in which Rouffeau was quoted (and he was often quoted 853 during the height of the conflict between the parties in France) while any room was yet left for reafon, in which his authority and perfuafive energetic eloquence were not vouched on the fides of virtue," benevolence, peace, and order, of refpect to religious fentiments, and to individual liberty and life; and in oppofition to the infringement of general principles, rights, and duties, under the plea of revolutionary neceffity. But ST. PIERRE could far better prove and illuftrate this, and if he does not give a Parallel of the two Lives, he may poffibly yet give a Life of ROUSSEAU; for which, by intimacy, culiarly qualified. fentiment, and talents, he is perhaps pe Another fubject St. Pierre has fo delightfully treated, that it were to be withed he might farther profecute it: the Beauties of VIRGIL, refulting from his fenfe and expreffion of the Harmonies of Nature. The Comment on the 8th book of the NEID, which he has written as an Introduction to his fragment, entitled ARCADIA, has fo much tafte and feeling, fo much juft and refined obfervation, that it is highly valuable, and, I think, exquifitely pleafing. In general, throughout his work, by leading us to the . obfervation of the infinitely various and delicate, but moft ftriking evidences of FINAL CAUSES throughout Nature, he has inexpreffibly heightened the charms, and added fupreme importance to this ftudy. Others, indeed, had done this;' but none with better, choice; none with more variety, extent, and acuteness of obfervation; none with more of that tender and benign enthufiafm, fo well fuited to revive and fix attention to this brightest part of philofophy, which perhaps has been beginning to be difregarded even in ENGLAND. I wish fome of your correfpondents, who are qualified for fuch an undert king, would examine clofely and im artially ST. PIERRE's Theory of the Caufe of the Tides. I am by no means equal to it but though I think the 'nar attraction on the fea in general cannot be rejected, I should fuppofe the effects of the melting of the circi, polar ice must well merit to be confidered. With refpect to the figure of the earth, this question, one way or the other, feems to be acceffible to ftrict geometric proof. It will be a fervice to philofophy and truth, to ftate the arguments on both fides, in the moft intelligible manner the nature of the fubject admits, and at the fame time the moft ftrict. In this I can TRAIN up a child in the way he fhould go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." A fentiment of more importance or of more truth never fell from the pen of Solomon; but Solomon, who here fo excellently advifes, knew not himfelf how to profit by the admonition. .. Who fpares the rod," faid the king, "fpoils the child," it is reafonable to imagine, that the wifdum of Solomon practifed what he preached: we can only judge of the tree by its fruits; and the fon of Solomon, thus educated and thus corrected, was that Rehoboam, from whofe tyranny sprang the memorable outcry," To your tents, O Ifrael!" An ancient Greek author, whose name has perished, after expatiating on the advantages of knowledge, concludes with a fentiment not unlike that of the royal wife one, "Learning," fays he, poffeffion of which no force can bereave us. is a It renders us placid; it is the staff of life." He enumerates more of its advantages, but he adds, " he who has not been flogged is not learned." Our feminaries for the promulgation of found and orthodox learning, as they open to us the ftores of ancient literature, feem to have adopted the prejudices of ancient fcholafticity. At a time when the young mind be comes capable of receiving what form the mould of inftruction fhall apply, it is deemed improper to fuffer it to remain in ignorance, or gather ideas which might poffibly differ from the maxims of polished fociety. A well judged precaution; for ill will he be fitted to make his way in the world," who is permitted to imbibe thofe principles of benevolence, humanity, and independence, infeparable from goodness of difpofition and quicknefs of perception. Ufually, therefore, at this age, and on this account, the child is taken from his parents. public fchool. Let it be remembered that, in using this word, I do not include fuch as combine the evils of both, with out poffeffing the advantages of either. I will not infpect the various feminaries and academies, whofe fign-pofts ftare us in the face on every road from Londen, and whofe bills of fare adorn the chininey-pieces of every inn in the country: I fhall examine the education of a The child, at eight, ten, or twelve years of age, if his education till that period has been any-wife tolerable, may be imagined at leaft free from vice; but if he has been fostered in his mother's bofom, and accustomed to receive the leffons of paternal affection, it is reasonable to fuppofe, that the only ideas yet impreffed upon his mind are those of piety, duty, and love. He has been taught to blufh at falfehood, to feel for the worm he may unwittingly have trodden on; and is perhaps unwilling to lie down at night without thanking that power who has protected him through the day. With a mind thus trained, behold him placed at a public fchool. Scarcely has he taken poffeffion of his new habitation, than the fummens of fome defpot of fixteen calls him from his rational and innocent employments, to make a fire or clean fhoes; an aukward discharge of offices to which he is fo totally unaccustomed, is recompenfed by blows and curfes. A lye may perhaps fave him from this; and thus the child has to encounter the ftrongeft poffible temptation to falfe hood. Accustomed to the purity of domestic life, his ear is affailed by grofs and horrible ribaldry. If he can blush, the converfation is renewed with added obfce, nity; if he cannot, he has already profited by public education. The perfecution of decency is followed by that of humanity. The impaled cock-chafer, and the mangled cat, are daily prefented to his eyes; and these barbarities, which at first agonize the human heart, lofe that effect by frequent repetition. Learning is made altogether a task to him. Steep as is the path of fcience, ought the difficulties of the afcent to be increased? ought the path to be perplexed by needlefs intricacies? if, however, he is diligent, he is affailed by ridicule. They who are deftitute of emulation, the moft paltry of virtues, are yet poffeffed of envy, its clofely-connected vice. Youth muft naturally be averse to harth and unpleasant duties. To counteract his own playful propenfities. and his comrades' malicious railleries, what in ducements are held out by the fatherly attention of the preceptor? Is the cup fugared one argument is ufed, be he idle, be he ftupid; proceed the fault from difguft, 1796.] Education... English Language. difguft, negligence, or inability, the rod is the panacea. Suppofe we him, however, poffeffed of induiry and genius, his genius is tettered in dactyls and fpondees, and his eloquence exercifed in langages which none but the learned can understand, and which, when produced by a modern, the learned themselves care not to examine. Shall I lead on the pupil through many a fcene of riot and brutality? Shall I paint the leisure hours of a boarding fchool, where every one is taught to become the tyrant, by being treated as the flave? our time will be better employed in enquiring how far fuch an education is confonant with the prudence fuppofed to recom mend it. The child, as foon as he can ufe his limbs, pants for exercife: it is the inftinct that feeks future welfare in prefent gratification; he flies with eagernels from the nursery to the garden; fo Nature wifely ftimulates to firm the limbs, and brace the whole fytem of the future man. But Man, forfooth, knows better ! he can improve upon Nature, or, rather, Nature is out of fashion! The poor victim of cuftom is dragged to fchool; his temper probably to be foured; his health probably to be injured; his morals inevitably to be fullied. He, indeed, will be reading the Metamorphofes of Ovid, or the Eclogues of Virgil, whilft the pupil of Nature would be roaming the field, or climbing the precip ce; he, indeed, will feel himself perfectly at eafe among ftrangers, when the pupil of Nature shall be embarraffed and aukward; he, in-. deed, can converfe upon fathionable topics, upon the theatres, the opera dancers, horfe-racing, and the other rational amufements of the age, when the pupil of Nature would be filent. But look again; furvey the nervelefs limb, the emaciated frame, the lewd lack-luftre eye, the debilitated phyfiognomy of voluptuoufnefs; compare thefe with the finewy arm, and the clear cheek that modefty has crimfoned; and fee if even Ovid can exhibit a more deteftable metamorphofis. But, at a public fchool, he will form connections that will be of fervice to him in life. As if he may not likewife form connections that will be ruinous ! as if, amid fuch a crowd, friendships improperly formed are not more rationally to be dreaded, than thofe upon the ground of mutual goodnefs are to be hoped. May. not the indolent meet with his fellow-loiterer? may not the intemperate join the 855 drunken party? may not the libertine find affociates in vice? Nay, more than this; the votary of voluptuoufness glories to initiate the inexperienced. Thus it is, that the majority of our fenators, our peers, and our priests, are educated. Hence it is, that we recruit our army with officers, who escape from the rod of their fchoolmafter, to tyrannize over their foldiers; who fhow their loyalty, by calling for "God fave the King," at the theatres; and their courage, by drawing their swords upon those who will not " bow the knee to Baal." As for private academies and feminaries, for "Pleafant Halls, Health Houses, and Paradife Lodges," they differ only, in thefe refpects, from the royal foundations of immorality, because the herd is fmaller, the quantum of evil and of good must be lefs; and because the power of the mafter is greater, he is likely to make a worfe use of it. That female education is better than the methods I have been expofing, I may with, but I do not believe. Woman, however, has not yet thrown off the restraints of decency; and much as our fex labour to verify the illiberal farcalm of Pope, at prefent it is only dif graceful to its author. If, however, they be equally ill inftructed at fchool, they are fortunate enough to escape an English University. On this fubject, Mr. Editor, I will tranfmit you my ftrictures for your next Number. DIOGENES. Sept. 12, 1796. To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. SIR, IT is generally admitted, that though the ancient or learned languages must ever remain in ftatu quo, the modern or vulgar tongues ought not to be bound down by determinate rules, or regulated by Perfian laws; they are deemed liable to fuch innovations as the critics of the day may prefcribe, or the philologist, from the depth of his researches and elaborate etymologies, may think proper. Of this pofition, an ingenious contributor to the laft Number of your interefting Mifcellany feems confcious; and fince he has advanced fome plaufible arguments to which I cannot give an unlimited affent, I would beg leave to ftate my objections to the reform he meditates. Among all the controverfies in which mankind engage, none can be more futile than a difpute about words. Juft denominations denominations and fignificant terms are feldom wanted to exprefs thofe ideas of which we have ourselves a clear perception, and to convey, with all their energy, thofe thoughts which we have judicioufly arranged A language is intended for univerfal ufe; and it doubtlefs originates from a tacit confent, or general habit, that particular articulate founds fhould fignify fome particular and determinate objects. It is a common benefit; the exclufive prerogative of none: and the true fignification of every term, is that which it receives in its general, not particular, acceptation. Correctnefs of language, if language fprings from fuch a fource, if its end is univerfal advantage, must confift in the adoption of words and terms, according to the meaning which common fenfe has fuggefted, and cuftom fanctioned, and not in violating "the forms of common fpeech." to fupport fome particular hypothefis, or fome ingenious criticifm. The increafe of knowledge, and the improvement of arts and fciences, muft demand fome new articulate founds to convey the ideas of inventions which are not become familiar about thefe let verbal critics wrangle; but let them not moleft the words to which a determinate fenfe is already affixed. Let us in the eighteenth century learn to philofophize by reafon, not by verbal contention; the former may be more laborious, but it is the most useful. Whilft the ingenious Sinboron is preparing the Introduction to his Effay; whilft he is briefly recapitulating the common-place remarks of every fcribbler, fo flattering to the literary pride of filken coxcombs, I believe it is not prefumptuous to fay, that his advocates will be almoft as numerous as his readers. Few are the people who do not think it eafy to detect fome "colloquial barbarifms, licentious idioms, and irregular combinations," and themfelves capable of communicating to the public a valuable collection of criticifins on particular terms and phrafes in common ufe:" but that his friends will continue fo numerous, when they have examined the fpecimen he has given of his intended criticilims, I will not venture to fay. This fpecimen he begins with a juft fiatement of the purpofes for which comparatives were formerly adopted, and are now continued. The generality of mankind are limited in their knowledge of men and things; they derive the greater part of their improvement from comparing the ideas wished to be conveyed, to thofe objects with which they are most intimately acquainted. No perfon would, therefore, deem it proper entirely to exclude comparatives from our adjectives, and reduce grammar to a pleafing fimpl city, by retaining only the pofitive degree; yet what can be the fair conclufron adduced from this paffage: "There are many adjectives from which, I think, comparatives ought to be excluded; and thofe, I think, are the words expreffive of fome determinate and precife quality?" Is it not a neceffary confequence, that degrees of comparifon must be totally annihilated? That we must be deprived of the most common mode of communicating inftruction and acquiring knowledge? for there is no adjective which does not exprefs fome determinate and precife quality, and affix an attribute to whatever object it is applied. Good, great, and induftrious; bad, small, and lazy (terms which chance prefents) may, if firictly confidered, be thought to exclude the ufe of comparatives as well as ignorant, perfect, and happy, and to convey the highest degree of their refpective attributes; yet fuch are not their popular meanings; and the perfon who might call Sinboren lazy, would not think himfelf guilty of an impropriety of fpeech, in declaring Antifinboron more lazy. I am ready to allow, that terms, however authorifed by general acceptation, ought not to be taken for things; and that, until we have a clear idea of the things themfelves, words are mere empty founds. To the mind which exercifes its faculty of thinking, thofe ideas must occur, to which cuftoin has affixed a determinate found; and why thould not fuch mind adopt the found to which its conception has already been affixed? Should we not think a man foolish, who would align the found of bad to that conception of the mind to which the world has affixed the articulation of good? Yet your learned correfpondent has, I think unreafonably, differed from the gcperality of people in this refpect, and has refolved to apply perfect, happy, and ignorant, to thofe ideas which have always been expreffed by the prefixion of "inoft." The ideas which he thinks thefe terms ought to convey, are not the fame for which common fenfe has used them. I fee no reafon for violating "the common forms of fpeech," as we fhall want fome new articulate founds for thofe conceptions of the mind which they at prefent ferve to explain. No doubt, Sinboron has provided the fubftitures; and |