SECT. V.

Of a Trade or Employment.

IN a good education, it is required also that children, in the common ranks of life, be brought up to the knowledge of some proper business or employment for their lives; some trade or traffic, artifice, or manufacture, by which they may support their expences, and procure for themselves the necessaries of life, and by which they may be enabled to provide for their families in due time. In some of the eastern nations, even persons of the highest rank are obliged to be educated in some employment or profession; and perhaps that practice has many advantages in it: it engages their younger years in labour and diligence, and se cures from the mischievous effects of sloth, idleness, vanity, and a thousand temptations.

In our nation I confess it is a custom to educate the chil dren of noblemen, and the eldest sons of the gentry, to no proper business or profession, but only to an acquaintance with some of the ornaments and accomplishments of life, which I shall mention immediately. But perhaps it would be far happier for some families, if the sons were brought up to business, and kept to the practice of it, than to have them exposed to the pernicious inconveniences of a sauntering and idle life, and the more violent impulse of all the corrupt inclinations of youth.

However, it is certain that far the greater part of mankind must bring up their children to some regular business and profession, whereby they may sustain their lives, and support a family, and become useful members to the state. Now, in the choice of such a profession or employment for children, many things are to be consulted.

(1.) The circumstances and estate of the parent; whether it will reach to place out the child as an apprentice, to provide for him materials for his business or trade, and to support him till he shall be able to maintain himself by his profession. Sometimes the ambition of the parent and the

child hath fixed on a trade far above their circumstances; in consequence of which the child hath been exposed to many inconveniences, and the parent to many sorrows.

(2.) The capacity and talents of the child must also be considered. If it be a profession of hard labour; hath the child a healthy and firm constitution, and strength of body equal to the work? If it be a profession that requires the exercise of fancy, skill, and judgement, or much study and contrivance; then the question will be, hath the lad a genius capable of thinking well, a bright imagination, a solid judgement? Is he able to endure such an application of mind as is necessary for the employment?

(3.) The temper and inclination of the child must be brought into this consultation, in order to determine a proper business for life. If the daily labour and business of a man be not agreeable to him, he can never hope to manage. it with any great advantage or success. I knew a bricklayer, who professed that he had always an aversion to the smell of mortar and I was acquainted once with a lad who began to learn Greek at school, but he complained it did not agree with his constitution. I think the first of these ought to have been brought up to work in glass or timber, or any thing rather than in bricks: as for the other (to my best remembrance), he was wisely disposed of to a calling wherein he had nothing to do with Greek.

And here I would beg leave to desire that none might be encouraged to pursue any of the learned professions, that is, divinity, law, or physic, who have not the signs of a good genius, who are not patient of long attention and close application to study, who have not a peculiar delight in that profession which they choose; and withal a pretty firm constitution of body; for much study is a weariness to the flesh, and the vigour of nature is sooner impaired by laborious thoughtfulness than by the labour of the limbs.

(4.) It should be also the solicitous and constant care of parents, when they place out their children in the world, to seek out masters for them who profess serious religion,

who

who practise all moral virtues, and keep good orders and good hours in their family. The neglect of this concern has been the ruin of a thousand youths in our day; and notwithstanding the sensible mischief arising from this negligence, there is still too little care taken in a matter of so great importance *.

yet

Thus much for this part of the education of sons. But you will say then, what business of life must daughters be brought up to? I must confess, when I have seen so many of this sex, who have lived well in the time of their childhood, grievously exposed to many hardships and poverty upon the death of their parents, I have often wished there were more of the callings or employments of life peculiarly appropriated to women, and that they were regularly educated in them, that there might be a better provision made for their support. What if all the garments which are worn by women were so limited and restrained in the manufac ture of them, that they should all be made only by their own sex? This would go a great way toward relief in this case: and what if some of the easier labours of life were reserved for them only? But this is not my province.

However it may be as to this matter, it is the custom of the nation, and indeed it hath been the custom of most nations and ages, to educate daughters in the knowledge of things that relate to the affairs of the household, to spin and to use the needle, both for making garments, and for the ornaments of embroidery: they have been generally employed in the preparation of food, in the regular disposal of the affairs of the house for the conveniences and accommodations of human life, in the furniture of the rooms, and the elegancies of entertainment. "Sarah made ready three measures of meal and kneaded it, and made cakes upon the hearth,"

*This danger arises in a great degree from the immoderate love of pleasures that so generally prevails, and leads masters into parties and engagements, especially on the Lord's day; which not only occasions the neglect of religions instruction and family-prayer on the evening of it, but sets an example to servants which they think themselves authorized to follow, though it be generally to their own destruction.

hearth," Gen. xviii. 6. "And the women of Israel that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, both blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, for the tabernacle," Exod. xxxv. 25. "Women shall bake your bread," Lev. xxvi. 16. "Women sew pillows, and make kerchiefs," Ezek. xiii. 18.; which words, though perhaps they are a metaphor in that text, yet denote the office or work of women. "And Dorcas made coats and garments for the poor," Acts ix. 36. 39. I might cite many ancient Heathen authors to prove the same thing among the Greeks and Romans, if it were needful.

Some of these things are the constant labours and cares of women in our day, whereby they maintain themselves: the most laborious parts of them belong to the poor. And it is the opinion of the best judges, that, even in superior and wealthy circumstances, every daughter should be so far instructed in them as to know when they are performed aright, that the servant may not usurp too much power, and impose on the ignorance of the mistress. Nature and providence seem to have designed these offices for the sex in all ages and in all nations; because, while the men are engaged in harder and more robust labours, and are often called abroad on business, the women are more generally accustomed to keep house, and dwell at home; and the word of God, as well as the custom of human life, recommends it. Tit. ii. 5. 1 Tim. v. 14.

SECT. VI.

Rules of Prudence.

ALL children should have some instruction given them in the conduct of human life, some necessary rules of prudence, by which they may regulate the management of their own affairs, and their behaviour towards their fellow-creatures. Where all other sorts of knowledge are conferred upon children, if this be wanting, they make but a contemptible

temptible figure in the world, and plunge themselves into many inconveniences.

Some of these rules of prudence are of a general nature, and necessary at all times, and upon all occasions: others are more particular, and proper to be used according to the various occurrences of life.

If I were to inquire what are the foundations of human prudence, I should rank them under these three heads.

1. A knowledge of ourselves. Here every one should be taught to consider within himself what is my temper and natural inclination; what are my most powerful appetites and my prevailing passions; what are my chief talents and capacities, if I have any at all; what are the weaknesses and follies to which I am most liable, especially in the days of youth; what are the temptations and dangers that attend me; what are my circumstances in the world; and what my various relations to mankind round about me; what are my constant, and what my occasional duties; what are the inward or outward advantages that attend me, or the disadvantages under which I labour. A wise and just survey of all these things, and keeping them always in mind, will be of unspeakable use to us in the conduct of life, that we may set our chief guard upon our weak side, and where our greatest dangers lie; that we may employ our talents aright, and seize all advantages to improve them for the best purpose, and proceed in the shortest way to piety, usefulness, and peace.

2. The knowledge of mankind is also necessary to acquire prudence. And here young persons should not only be taught what is the general nature and capacity, the virtues and the vices, and the follies of mankind, but they should be informed also, or at least should be taught to observe more particularly what are the peculiar tempers, appetites, passions, powers, good and evil qualities of the persons with whom they have most to do in the world; that they may learn to behave wisely with regard to others, and that they may make a proper improvement of all the brighter

and