of prudent caution, as often as they observe these irregu larities.

Let children be taught early that the little things, for which they are so zealous, for which they grieve or rejoice so impetuously, are not worthy of these affections of their souls; shew them the folly of being so fond of these trifles, and of vexing and growing fretful for the loss of them. Inform them what a happiness it is to have few desires and few aversions, for this will preserve them from a multitude of sorrows, and keep their temper always serene and calm: persuade them never to raise their hopes very high of things in this world, and then they will never meet with great disappointments. Teach them moderation in all these workings of their spirits; and inform them that their passions should never be laid out thus on objects which do not deserve them, nor rise higher than the occasion requires.

Teach bashful and timorous children that they need be ashamed of nothing but what is evil; that they should fear God in the first place, and serve him, and then they need not be afraid of men, or of any thing that threatens mischief to them; for the almighty God will be their friend and defence. Engage their fear and their love in the first place on God, the most proper and supreme object of them; let their hope, their joys, and their sorrows, as soon as possible, be tinctured with religion: set their young affections at work on the most needful and important objects of them in early life, and this will have a sweet and powerful influence on the better regulation of them with regard to all sensible things. : Above all, let them know that they must govern their anger, and not let it break out on every slight occasion. It is anger that is eminently called passion among children, and in the language of common life. This, therefore, should eminently have a constant guard set upon it. Shew them how unreasonable and unmanly a thing it is to take fire at every little provocation: how honourable and glorious to forgive an injury; how much like God, and like the best of men. Let them know what Solomon

would inform them, that the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit: that he who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit better than he that taketh a city. Teach them to put away their little quarrels and resentments, and to forget and bury them in love. Let them be put in mind, that though anger may happen to rise a little in a good man, yet it rests and abides only in the bosom of a fool; and therefore they should never grow sullen, nor let the sun go down upon their

wrath.

The occasions of childish resentment, and the risings of anger, are ready to return often, and therefore they should often have such warnings given them, and such instructions repeated. Tell them how lovely a thing it is to be meek and free from passion, and how much such children are beloved of all. Instruct them how much it tends to their own peace to suffer nothing to ruffle and discompose them : and when their little hearts are ready to swell and grow big within them, and their wrath takes sudden fire, put in some pretty soft word to cure the return of this inward swelling, to quench the new flame that is kindling in their bosom, and to assuage the rising storm. Teach them by degrees to get an habitual conquest over this disorder of nature in youth, and you will lay a foundation for their deliverance from a thousand mischiefs in the following years and events of life.

This shall suffice for the third head of instruction, which relates to self-government: I have dwelt the longer upon it, because it is of so great and evident importance towards the ease and happiness of life, as well as so considerable a part of religion; and men can hardly ever get so successful a victory over themselves, unless they begin when they are children.

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SECT. IV.

The common Arts of Reading and Writing.

HE next thing that I shall mention as a matter of in struction for children, is the common arts of reading, spelling, and writing.

Writing is almost a divine art, whereby thoughts may be communicated without a voice, and understood without hearing to these I would add some small knowledge of arithmetic or accounts, as the practice of it is in a manner so universal in our age, that it does almost necessarily belong to a tolerable education.

The knowledge of letters is one of the greatest blessings that ever God bestowed on the children of men: by this means mankind are enabled to preserve the memory of things done in their own times, and to lay up a rich treasure of knowledge for all succeeding generations.

By the art of reading we learn a thousand things which our eyes can never see, and which our own thoughts would never have reached to: we are instructed by books in the wisdom of ancient ages; we learn what our ancestors have said and done, and enjoy the benefit of the wise and judicious remarks which they have made through their whole course of life, without the fatigue of their long and painful experiments. By this means children may be led, in a great measure, into the wisdom of old age. It is by the art of reading that we can sit at home, and acquaint ourselves with what has been done in the distant parts of the world. The histories and the customs of all ages and all nations are brought, as it were, to our doors. By this art we are let into the knowledge of the affairs of the Jews, the Greeks, and the Romans, their wars, their laws, and their religion; and we can tell what they did in the nations of Europe, Asia, and Africa, above a thousand years ago.

But the greatest blessing that we derive from reading, is the knowledge of the holy scriptures, wherein God has conveyed down to us the discoveries of his wisdom, power,

and grace, through many past ages; and whereby we attain the knowledge of Christ, and of the way of salvation by a Mediator.

It must be confessed, that, in former ages, before printing was invented, the art of reading was not so common even in polite nations, because books were much more costly, since they must be all written with a pen, and were therefore hardly to be obtained by the bulk of mankind; but since the providence of God has brought printing into the world, and knowledge is so plentifully diffused through our nation at so cheap a rate, it is a pity that any children should be born and brought up in Great Britain, without the skill of reading; and especially since, by this means, every one may see with his own eyes what God requires of him in order to eternal happiness.

The art of writing also is exceedingly useful, and is now grown so very common, that the greatest part of children may attain it at an easy rate: by this means we communicate our thoughts and all our affairs to our friends at ever so great a distance: we tell them our wants, our sorrows, and our joys, and interest them in our concerns, as though they were near us. We maintain correspondence and traffic with persons in distant nations, and the wealth and grandeur of Great Britain is maintained by this means. By the art of writing we treasure up all things that concern us in a safe repository; and as often as we please, by consulting our paper records, we renew our remembrance of things that relate to this life or the life to come: and why should any of the children of men be debarred from this privilege, if it may be attained at a cheap and easy rate, without intrenching upon other duties of life, and without omitting any more necessary business that may belong to their stations.

I might add here also, true spelling is such a part of knowledge as children ought to be acquainted with, since it is a matter of shame and ridicule in so polite an age as ours, when who have learned to handle the pen canpersons

not

not write three words together without a mistake or blunder; and when they put letters together in such an awkward and ignorant manner, that it is hard to make sense of them, or to tell what they mean.

Arithmetic, or the art of numbers, is, as was observed before, to be reckoned also a necessary part of a good education. Without some degrees of this knowledge, there is indeed no traffic among men. And especially is it more needful at present, since the world deals much more upon trust and credit than it did in former times; and therefore the art of keeping accounts is made, in some measure, necessary to persons even in meaner stations of life, below the rank of merchants or great traders. A little knowledge of the art of accounts is also needful, in some degree, in order to take a true survey, and make a just judgement of the common expences of a person or a family: but this part of learning, in the various degrees of it, is more or less useful and needful, according to the different stations and businesses for which children are designed.

As the sons of a family should be educated in the knowledge of writing, reading, spelling, and accounts, so neither should the daughters be trained up without them. Reading is as needful for one sex as the other: nor should girls be forbidden to handle the pen, or to cast up a few figures, since it may be very much for their advantage in almost all circumstances of life, except in the very lowest rank of servitude or hard labour. And I beg leave here to intreat the female youth, especially those of better circumstances in the world, to maintain their skill in writing which they have already learned, by taking every occasion to exercise it: and I would fain persuade them to take pains in acquainting themselves with true spelling, the want of which is one reason why many of them are ashamed to write; and they are not ashamed to own and declare this, as though it were a just and sufficient excuse for neglecting and losing the use of the pen.

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