The Greek Class, being the first, or lowest of what is call'd the College.—In this, as in every other Class, the Youth remain one Year. In the Forenoon, they read Theocritus' Idyllia, with some select Pieces of Hes­siod, Homer, and Xenophon: In the Afternon, they learn Arithmetic, vulgar and decimal; Merchants Accompts, some Parts of Algebra, and the first six Books of Eucild's Elements.—The Master of this Class is styled Professor of Greek: His Place is of very great Importance, for giving the Youth an Opportunity of acquiring the Greek in all its Elegance and Purity, from a Master whose par­ticular Profession that Language is. Without this Know­lege of Greek, which is not to be acquir'd at Latin-Schools, especially in the Country, (from which the Country Youth must, however, be immediately admitted into the learn'd Classes or College) it will appear, as we go along, impossible for them to bear their Part right in the remaining Studies; nothing being read but the ori­ginal Authors.

SECOND CLASS.

The next Year is spent in this Class; the Master of which is styled Professor of Mathematics. He carries the Youth forward in Algebra; teaches the eleventh and twelfth Books of Euclid, Geometry, Astronomy, Chro­nology, Navigation, and the other most useful Branches of the Mathematics. So much of Logics and Metaphysics as is useful, is join'd with Mathematics: But a small Space of Time serves for these Studies; Logics, in particular, [Page 18]as commonly understood, being in great Disrepute among them. They, therefore, [...]nd their chief Attention this Year, to the more advantageous Study of Mathematics, which, by the Bye, they esteem the best System of Logics that can be given to Youth. The Evolution of ma­thematical Truths, thro' a Chain of Propositions, con­tributes more, in one Year, say they, to expand the Fa­culties of the Mind, and accustom it, by a just Atten­tion to intricate Subjects, to reason closely, and in Train, than a Life spent in the sophistical Distinctions and idle Jargon of School-Logic. At proper Seasons, when the Weather permits, this Class is exercis'd in practical Geometry; in surveying Lands, Waters; and in plot­ting and ornamenting the Maps of such Surveys. There is a weekly Exercise for their further Improvement in Greek and Latin.

THIRD CLASS.

The Master of this Class is call'd Professor of Philoso­phy. The Day is divided between the Studies of Ethics and Physics: Under the latter, the Miranians compre­hend Natural History; Mechanic, or corpuscular Phi­losophy, and experimental Philosophy; for the Illustra­tion of which, they are provided with a complete Appara­tus. With Regard to Ethics, they seem to think that a full, yet compendious, System, calculated by some sound Philosopher, for Youth at Colleges, is a Book still wanted. They own, that the English excell in de­tach'd Pieces on all moral Subjects; but these, say they, are only the— disjecta membra Ethices.—No one Author has handled the Subject of Ethics, in all its Ramifications, with a View to the Information of Youth: And 'tis dangerous as well as difficult, to learn Morals from dif­ferent Authors, most of whom clash with one another; or had their peculiar Notions to propagate, and favorite Systems to erect.—In this Class, at present, they read the Philosoph. Books of Plato and Cicero, in their Ori­ginals, with Locke, Hutchinson, &c. the Professor, taking Care to guard the Youth against every Thing in [Page 19]which these Authors stand singular.—But they have a Method peculiar almost to themselves, of teaching Morals, upon which they lay the greatest Stress, and that is by historical Facts; of which I shall speak by and by.—The private Reading of such Books as Derham, Nettleton, on Virtue and Happiness, &c. are recom­mended for the greater Improvement of the Youth in the Studies of this Class; the Professor, from Time to Time, satisfying himself, by proper Questions, what Advantage they reap from such Books: I do not mention Keil, Gravesand, Newton's Princip. &c. because classical Books; and suppos'd in the Study of natural Philosophy.—

FOURTH CLASS.

The Master of this Class is styled Professor of Rhetoric and Poetry. As it is in this and the following Class, con­tinued Evander, that my Countrymen bring all that has been before taught, home to the Business of Life, and are more singular in their Method; I must beg to be something more particular in the Account of them. A great Stock of Learning, without knowing how to make it useful in the Conduct of Life, is of little Significancy. You may observe, that what has chiefly been aim'd at, in the foregoing Classes, is to teach Youth to think well, that is, closely and justly. When this is attain'd, it is a noble Basis; but wou'd, however, be useless without its Superstructure, without teaching them to call forth, and avail themselves of, their Thoughts, in writing, speaking, acting and living well. To make Youth Masters of the first two, viz. writing and speaking well, which are the Business of this Class, nothing con­tributes so much as being capable to [...]h what has been well written or spoken by others: Hence the proper Studies of this Class, are Rhetoric and Poetry, from which arise Criticism and Composition.

I shall speak first of Rhetoric, as it is the first Study. The Professor begins with giving the Students a general Notion of the Precepts and different Kinds of Rhetoric, [Page 20]from Tully and Quintilian; then proceeds to make them read Tully's Cration for Milo, leisurely in its Original; applying, as they go along, the Precepts of Oratory; and making them apprehend its Plan, Series, Delicacy of Address; the Strength and Disposition of the Proofs; the Justness of the Tropes and Figures; the Beauty of the Imagery and Painting; the Harmony and Fullness of the Periods; the Pomp and Purity of the Diction; and, in fine, that Grandeur of Thought; that astonish­ing Sublime; that Torrent of Eloquence, which, mov­ing, warming, seizing the Soul, sweeps all irresistably down before it.—After this, Demosthenes's Harangue for C [...]esiphon, which Tully calls the Model of perfect Elo­quence, is read in its Original, and explain'd in the same Manner.

These two celebrated Orations, thus explain'd and ap­prehended, are judged sufficient to give Youth a right Idea of Oratory, and fix its Precepts in their Mind, which is not to be done so much by reading many Ora­tions, as by studying a Few thoroughly: And therefore, only three more Orations, one in Greek, one in Latin, and one in English, are read in the School through the whole Year. These are successively handled thus: In the Evening the Professor prescribes a certain Portion of the Oration, and appoints the Students to write out their Observations upon its Conformity to the Laws of Rhe­toric; the Plan, Thoughts, &c. by Way of Criticism; this they bring with them next Day to the Class or School, when the Part prescrib'd is read over, and this Criticism of theirs examin'd and corrected. A new Portion, as before, is prescrib'd against next Meeting, till in this Manner they have finish'd the whole three Orations.

In the same Manner is Poetry study'd, which is, in­deed, rather the same than a different Study; Poetry being nothing else but the eldest Daughter of Eloquence. The Arrangement of the Fable in the One corresponds to the Plan and Series of the Other. Tropes and Fi­gures they have in common: And where, in the Pecu­liarity [Page 21]of her Dress, and the more frequent Use of Epi­thets, &c. Poetry affects to differ, the Youth are not unacquainted with it; as they have been made to observe it in reading the Classic-Poets. The Rules, Nature and Design of the several Kinds of Poetry, are, in the first Place explain'd; then, as in the Study of Rhetoric, they privately write a Piece of Criticism upon them, beginning with the lesser Kinds, as the Ode, Elegy, Satyr, &c. proceeding to the Drama, Pastoral and Epopaea. All these Criticisms are carefully revis'd and corrected by the Professor, which is all the public Business of the Class. The Reading of Aristotle's Poetry, and the best French and English Critics is allow'd, and even recommended, to assist and direct the Judgment of Youth in this Ex­ercise.

Here I interrupted Evander, by telling him, that I thought this Study alone, might require half the Year. No, replied he; They don't spend above eight Weeks on the Study of all the Kinds of Poetry. This is owing chiefly to the placing the Study of Poetry after Philoso­phy and Rhetoric, which makes it extreme easy: And partly to the Age of the Youth, they being now, at least, in their 18th Year, and capable of greater Application; partly to the Delight they take in the Study, and partly to their having read most of the different Kinds of Poems, when learning Languages, which renders the Review of them pleasant, in order to apply the Rules of Criticism.—About a Fortnight is enough for all the lesser Poems; the same Space of Time serves for the Drama and Pastoral, (which all but the English Critics examine by the Laws of the Drama) and lastly, about a Month serves for the Epopaea.—

The Remainder of the Year, which is about six Months, is spent in composing and delivering Orations; and 'tis no Wonder, that this Exercise is attended with great Success, when defer'd to this its proper Season. Philosophy, Rhetoric and Poetry, being sufficiently tasted and admir'd; the Youth must be animated, in [Page 22]their Compositions, to imitate those bright Models that gave them so much Pleasure in the Reading. The Study of Poetry, in particular, teaches them a certain Elevation of Thought; makes them give lively Descriptions, with Strength, Variety, Copiousness and Harmony of Style; and diffuse a Delicacy over every Thing they compose.—They begin first with smaller Essays on proper Subjects; thence proceed to frame Orations according to the Pre­cepts, and on the Models, of perfect Eloquence: These the Professor corrects, carefully pointing out where the Subject wou'd have requir'd more Conciseness; where more Copiousness; where the figurative Style, and Gra­ces of Speech; where the Plain and Simple; where they ought to have ris'n; where fallen; where they have given Conceit instead of Wit; the forc'd and far-fetch'd, instead of the easy and natural; Bombast and Swelling, instead of the Sublime and Florid. Thus to correct one Oration and hear another (that has been corrected before) deliver'd, with proper Grace and Action, is all the Busi­ness of the Class at one Meeting or Diet. Of this the Youth have their Turns, so that when the Class consists of twenty Students, each of them, in their Turns, com­pose and deliver an Oration once in ^† ten Days. And as they must all be present at the correcting and deliver­ing two Orations each Day, they profit as much by the Faults or Beauties found in the Compositions of their School-Fellows, as by their own.—

In correcting the Compositions of Youth, however, the Professor is sensible, that great Judgment and Art is requir'd: Always remembring that they are Youth, he is greatly careful not to discourage them by too much Severity. If ever he seems displeas'd at any Thing, it is when he discovers a Sort of Stiffness, Precision and Judgment in their Pieces above their Years, which he considers as a certain Sign of Coldness and Sterility; [Page 23]while, on the other Hand, Redundancy of Thought, and sprightly Sallies of Imagination, share his distinguish'd Indulgence. These he calls the blooming Shoots of Genius; and, tho' exuberant, thinks they are no more to be lopp'd off at an improper Season, or in an un­skilful Manner, than the luxuriant Growth of a thriving young Tree. It is dangerous for any Hand, but that of Time, to reduce these wholly within their proper Bounds.

I'm persuaded, you will think it no Objection against the Study of Rhetoric, that it has often been prostituted to the vilest Purposes. What is there that may not be abus'd by bad Men? But in the Possession of a good Man (and such my Countrymen are careful to form all their Youth) Eloquence is the most glorious Gift of Nature. It makes Him the Sanctuary of the Unfortunate; the Protector of the Weak; the Support and Praise of the Good; and the eternal Terror and Controul of the Bad. We must often address to the Passions wou'd we reach the Heart. And till we can lay Body aside, and re­solve ourselves into pure Spirit, 'tis proud unmeaning Jargon, to say we can relish naked unornamented Truth; or be ravish'd with the plain unaffected Beauties of Virtue.—The Miranians don't, however, propose to make Orators and Poets of their Youth, by these Studies. They are sensible both the Orator and Poet must be born, not made. But, say they, those to whom Nature has given a Genius for Composition, either in Poetry or Prose, will be thus put in the Method of im­proving that Genius to the greatest Advantage; and those who have no such Genius, will, however, be en­abled, by these Studies to write elegantly, or at least cor­rectly, in the epistolary Way, and on the common and most important Concerns in Life.

Unless the Taste is thus form'd, and Youth taught to be sound Critics, on the Beauties of those celebrated Pieces that have challeng'd the Admiration of all Mankind, and stood the Test of Time; unless they can discover wherein those Beauties consist;—what is Lear­ning? [Page 24]—Nay, without this ³ Taste, or Relish for the Pleasures of Imagination; what is Life itself? Nature has given the Rudiments of it to every Man: But if we compare the Man who has perfectly cultivated it, with him who has not, they seem almost of a different Species. To the latter are entirely lost, the Gay, the Tender, the Easy, the Natural, the Sublime, the Marvellous, and all the nameless Graces of a finish'd Piece!—Shou'd So­litude, shou'd Want of Business, shou'd Misfortunes of any Kind, force such a Man to seek Relief from Books, alas! he finds them— "But formal Dullness, tedious Friends!"—He may read; but he will be as unconscious of the masterly and delicate Strokes of what he reads, as the Mountain is of the Ore lodg'd in its cavern'd Side. A stupid Sort of Admiration is the highest Pleasure he is capable of receiving.—While, on the Contrary, the Man who has been taught to take the full Gust of the generous Pleasures arising from the Contemplation of Beauty, Order, Harmony, Design, Symmetry of Parts, and Conformity to Truth and Nature, finds, within Himself, an unexhaustable Fund of the most noble and rational Amusement. No Moment of Time.— [Page 25]I speak it feelingly, said Evander,—No Moment of Time needs hang heavy on his Hands. No Situation, no Circumstances, ^† neither at home or abroad; neither in Youth nor old Age; neither in Prosperity nor Adver­sity; but can be render'd more agreeable, while he can taste the intellectual Joys of his darling Studies. Suppose then Youth shou'd reap no other Advantage from the Studies in this Class, but the Power of filling up those vacant Hours to Advantage, which those, who want such a Taste, usually spend in trifling Visits, Cards, Hunting or Drinking-Matches, and other hurtful Plea­sures; we have Reason to think a few Months properly spent in forming this Taste, a very essential Part of Edu­cation; and the Master that neglects this in Education, may well expect to earn the bitterest Curses of those he deprives of such a solid Joy, in all Conditions of Life. But further, the Miranians say, that this Taste for po­lite Letters, not only teaches us to write well, and renders Life comfortable to ourselves, but also contributes highly to the Cement of Society, and the Tranquility of the State. They don't hesitate to affirm, that they think it almost impossible for a Man that has a Taste for the imitative Arts, and can feel the noble Charms of Rhe­toric, Poetry, Painting, Music, Sculpture, &c.—to be a boisterous Subject, an undutiful Son, a rough Husband, an unnatural Parent, a cruel Master, a treacherous Friend, or in any Shape a bad Man. These Studies enlarge the Mind, refine and exalt the Understanding, improve the Temper, soften the Manners, serene the Passions, che­rish Reflection, and lead on that charming Langour of Soul, that philosophic Melancholy, which, most of all, disposes to Love, Friendship, and every tender Emo­tion.—To conclude this Article, (which, as it treated my favorite Studies, I have, perhaps, tired you with) [Page 26]it appears to me that the Studies, in this and the next Class, are those we must chiefly cultivate, wou'd we be good Men and good Citizens.— Si Patri [...]e v [...]umus, si No [...]is vivere chari.—And all the Studies in the for­mer Classes seem of little other Value but as they pre­pare for these.

FIFTH or highest CLASS.

The Principal, whose Name is Aratus, instructs this Class in the Study of Agriculture and History. The Knowlege of Nature acquir'd in the third Class, con­tributes greatly to make the Study of Agriculture easy at this Time. In some previous Lectures Aratus re­sumes this Subject; and particularly gives the Youth a good Tincture of Physic and animal Anatomy, which is not only of great Use to teach them the proper Care of their own Health and Bodies; but highly necessary to explain the Oeconomy and Mechanism of Plants, the Structure of their Vessels, their Generation, Manner of Life and Accretion, Perspiration, Circulation of Sap, &c. Of all which, the surest Way of giving any Idea, is by observing and tracing the Analogy between Plants and Animals.—After this he examines, with the Youth, the mineral Strata of the Earth; enquires into the Nature of those saline and aqueous Juices that constitute the nutri­tious Matter or Food of Vegetables; and of those other Fossils which, being either heterogeneous to the vege­table Substance, or too gross and scabrous to enter into the Roots of Plants, serve however to soften and sepa­rate the concreted Parts of the Earth, and prepare it for the Ends of Vegetation. The Whole [...] illustrated by a Course of chymical and statical Experiments.

The Theory of Vegetation once explain'd, and toler­ably understood; what remains in the Study of Hus­bandry is not very difficult. For after obtaining a good Insight into the vegetable Oeconomy, the Quality of Soils, &c. by the Analysis of Plants, Fossils and Air, the Youth are enabled to judge what Effect every Manure will have on every Soil; what is the proper Manner of [Page 27]preparing the Ground for the Seed; and what Seed or Plant shou'd be assign'd each natural Earth. In this chiefly consists the Husbandman's Art. After this Foundation is laid, they proceed to read the best Geo­ponic Writers, such as Varro, Columella, Tull, Bradley, &c. assigning, as they go along, the rationale, for the natural Phenomena and Rules of Tillage, recorded in these Authors, upon the Principles and Philosophy of modern Naturalists.

One Part of the Day is given thro' the Year, to the Study of Agriculture, as laid down above: The Re­mainder to the Study of History; by which, it is plain I do not mean the Reading of History to satisfy the Cu­riosity for a Moment, with the Knowlege of single un­relative Facts; which, to their great Loss is all that Youth generally profit by History, at the Age, and ac­cording to the Method, it is handled at Colleges.—In the Course of the above-mentioned Studies, and from their private Reading for Amusement, the Miranian-Youth, I need not tell you, must by this Time have a pretty full Knowlege of the principal Events that hap­pened in the World before they were born. The Busi­ness of this Class is of a far more noble and extensive Nature. It is to review those Events in the calm Light of Philosophy, when related in their full Extent, attended with a Deduction of their immediate and remote Causes and Consequences, in order to make them a Lesson of Ethics and Politics,— an useful Rule of Conduct and Manners thro' Life. It is dangerous to send raw un­practis'd Virtue abroad into a World where Right and Wrong are too often confounded; and nothing can ob­ [...]e this Danger but the giving Youth a previous Ac­quaintance with the World, and making them behold Virtue and Vice with all their Consequences painted in genuine Colors by the Historian. Numerous are the Evils that arise in Society when Youth are sent into it, especially in any high Station without this Knowlege. In this Case neither Logics, Mathematics, Physics, Rhe­toric, [Page 28]nor all the Branches of speculative Knowlege they are capable of attaining can direct their Conduct, nor prevent their falling a Prey to designing Men. These [...]ciences, however, if we do not stop at them, are high­ly useful, and render the Studies of this Class, pleasant and profitable. As the Study of Agriculture was made easy by the previous Knowlege in natural Philosophy; so is the previous Knowlege of the fundamental Princi­ples of Ethics, a fine Introduction to the Philosophical Study of History. This Subject Aratus resumes before entring upon History. He considers Man in the solitary State of Nature, surrounded with Wants and Dangers, the whole Species at Enmity with one another, the stron­ger lording it over the weaker, and nothing secure to any Man, but what he can either acquire or maintain by Violence: From thence he takes Occasion to shew the Necessity Mankind lay under, of entering into Society, and voluntarily resigning some Share of their natural Freedom and Property to secure the Rest. Then he explains the different Forms of Government with the Advantages, and Inconveniencies in the Administration of each.

This being pren [...]s'd, the Youth enter upon the Study of the Grecian History in this Manner, viz. the Principal prescribes a Portion of it, which against next Day they must read in their Chambers, and abrige the Substance of it into Writing, about twice or thrice as large as a copious Argument of any Chapter. This fixes the Facts deeply in their Minds; teaches them moreover to express themselves in a short laconic Man­ner when Occasion requires it; and when the History is finish'd, serves as a Recapitulation of the Whole, to which they may always have Recourse thro' Life, and bring the Facts fresh into their Memory. These Sum­maries are revis'd in the Class by the Principal, who is careful to make them apprehend the Blameable and Praise-worthy in the Constitution of the several Grecian States; and, in the familiar Way of Dialogue, to make [Page 29]them give their Opinion upon [...]e Facts mentioned, the Manners and Customs of the People, &c. drawing pro­per Morals from the Whole. In [...]his Manner a Portion is abrig'd, and descanted upon, every Day, till they have gone over the History of the florishing Ages of Greece; which they perform in about the Space of a Month. The History of Rome (Mr. Hooke's judicious Collection of it) is studied in the next Place down to the Days of Augustus: This requires about two Months more,

^* All between this Period and the Beginning of the 16th Century is past over, the Remainder of the Year being spent in the Study of modern History; from Puffendorf's Introduction to which, they first take a general View of the principal States and Kingdoms in Europe, that now divide that Power among them, upon which depends the whole System of Police operating at present. After that they descend to study the History of England, from the Beginning of the said 16th Cen­tury, after the same Manner they before studied the History of Greece and Rome; the Principal taking Care, as they go along, to note the Rise, Interests, Dependen­cies and Constitutions of the several Nations and States, whose Histories are interwoven with that of England; and where a fuller Account than Puffendorf's is necessary of these States, in order to understand their Reasons and Motives of Action on any Occasion, referring the Youth to that Period of their particular Histories. From the Beginning of Henry VIIths Reign, to the End of Queen Ann's, is what they study; and that Part of Rapin, with the Continuation to the End of the Third Queen Ann takes up about five Months. They conclude the whole with a View of our Colonies in this Hemisphere; their State, Produce, Interests, Government, taking some Notice as they go along, of the French and Spa­nish Settlements we are chiefly concern'd with in Trade. Every Sunday Night about an Hour is spent in the Study of the Bible History.

[Page 30] Tho' this is but a small Part of the History of Man­kind, yet it is as much as can conveniently be brought, and much more than generally is brought, into a Scheme of collegiate Education. The Youth are thus sent into the World well acquainted with the History of those Nations they are likely to be most concerned with in Life; and also with the History of Greece and Rome, which may be justly call'd the History of Heroism, Virtue and Patriotism. This is enough to prepare them for Society, and put them in the 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 Sketch of the Studies of the several Classes; which I could with Pleasure, in this Account, pursue thro' all their different Ramificati­ons. But as this is inconsistent with my design'd Bre­vity, I have only mention'd the general Heads of Science, wholly neglecting such Branches as are either included in, or necessary to, the Knowledge of those I have men­tion'd.—In the Second Class, you will observe I have not spoke a Word of plain Trigonometry, because it is suppos'd in the Study of Geometry. Neither have I mention'd Perspective, Painting, &c. because included in the beautiful Sciences of Optics; nor even Optics themselves, nor spherical Trigonometry, as they are all suppos'd in the general Study of Astronomy. In like Manner, I have not mention'd Dialing, because after being taught Astronomy, and the Use of the Globes, the whole Theory of Dialing is learn'd in a few Hours: And so of all the other Classes, which I take Notice of expressly, that you may not judge the Studies of any one Class unproportion'd to those of another, without taking into the Account all their Branches, Praecognita, &c.—Here I told Evander, that I was well enough sa­tisfy'd the Studies of the Classes were very well pro­portion'd, as they become still more extensive the far­ther the Youth advance in Years; but that I thought [Page 31]the Studies of every Class were more than Youth could probably become sufficiently acquainted with in the Time allotted them.

He reply'd, that if the Miranian Youth did not at­tend the Duties of the College longer than the ordinary Terms, my Observation would be just. But, continued he, my Countrymen are entirely against long Vacancies, and interrupting the Studies of Youth for half the Year. They can't see any Advantage in such a Practice; and are certain that it is attended with many Inconveniencies. Vacations and holy Days in this College, don't exceed two Months. Besides, they don't propose any Thing more than to give the Youth a general Knowlege and Tincture 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 humanly 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 Sciences to which Nature has bent their 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 Oeconomy different from the most Part of Colleges; which have a distinct Professor for every Branch of Science; as a Professor of Anatomy, Botany, Chymistry, Civil Law, &c. while the Students attend a great many different Masters and Studies at different Hours. But, tho' my Countrymen could af­ford Salaries for such a Number of Pofessors, they would never give into this Method; for they think it a great [Page 32]Disadvantage to Youth, to be concern'd with two 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 thoro'ly studied under one and the same Master, before the Youth pro­ceed farther; and that the whole Studies or Branches of Science, shou'd be rang'd in their natural Order; that those of each lower Class may be an Introduction to the Class above it, and the Youth thus rais'd 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 Knowlege that can be acquir'd in one Year; which resolves the Classes and Masters into a Number proportion'd to the Number of Years; and renders the whole Plan plain and regular.

That the Studies laid down for the five foregoing Classes, are rang'd in their natural Order, will best ap­pear to those who are best acquainted with the Nature and Object of them. I shall not trouble you, then, with any Defence of what may appear an Innovation of the Method of Study in these Classes; since you will allow, when you consider the whole attentively, that to change this Order ever so little wou'd greatly confound and retard the Execution. With Regard to the three lower Classes, there can be no Objection; as Mathema­tics go before Philosophy in every Seminary; and are so necessary to it, that Mr. Locke, I think, advises 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 call forth those Thoughts in a syst [...]matical Manner.

That Rhetoric, Poetry, Criticism and Composition, should be learn'd after Philosophy, seems decided by the Authority of the greatest Orators and Poets.—Thus Horace—Scribendi recte, sapere est & Principium & Fons.—Thus Tul'y blames the Orators of his Time for neglecting the Study of Philosophy and polite Literature, [Page 33]— Nemo vederetur exquisitius quam Vulgus Hominium studuisse Literis, quibus Fons perfec [...] Eloquentiae conti­netur; Nemo qui Philosophiam complexus esset, Matrem O [...]ium bene Factorum, beneque Dictorum. Quintilian every Way is of the same Opinion. And Pliny advises it in express Terms.— Mor [...] primum, mox Eloquentiam discat, (Puer) quae male si [...]e Moribus discitur. But without any Authorities, the Thing is self-evident. Eloquence is generally the sublimest Philosophy; now it is absurd to speak of writing or composing philosophi­cally till we are Philosophers; or of writing elegantly without a Taste for polite Letters. In Reality, no Man but he who can distinguish philosophically between Right and Wrong, (the Honestum & Turpe) and who is pos­sess'd of all the moral Virtues, can be a good Orator, for this Reason that no Man can move others, unless he himself is mov'd with what he speaks. A bad Man may, to give his Words Force, seem mov'd when he reasons of Virtue; but whenever his Character [...]s fully detected, all his most artful Pretences this Way will only, so much the more, shock his Audience.

Here I ask'd Evander, why foreign Universities, &c. plac'd Rhetoric before Philosophy, if the latter was so necessary to it? He answer'd, that as far as he could learn, the Difference between the Method of his Coun­trymen, and that of the best model'd Colleges, was not material. 'Tis true, said he, these Colleges begin the Study of Rhetoric in the lower Classes, but they continue it thro' the higher Ones. Thus the first Year perhaps the Youth learn no more than the Figures of Speech, and the Precepts; the Knowelege 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. which is the same Thing upon the Whole; unless that it is inconsistent with this Maxim of my Countrymen, never to engage Youth in more than one or two Studies till they are fully Masters [Page 34]of them; and to render 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; the sole Consideration that ever makes them depart from the Practice of Nations more learn'd 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 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 they should be last. They are indeed the Studies of Men, and require a ripe Judgment. But moreover all the former Studies, as I have observ'd already, are necessary and subservient to them. Even Rhetoric her­self is of great Use in reading a well-wrote History, as the Beauties of the Diction and Speeches must otherwise be in some Degree lost and untasted. And if this was not the Case, yet still, methinks, History and Agriculture should be plac'd last, in order to send Youth abroad into the World, warm (if I may so express it) from those Studies which their own Interests, and the Service of their Country will require them chiefly to cultivate till Death.

The next Thing to be spoken of is the public Exer­cises of these five Classes; for the Miranians are fully convinc'd of the great Advantages consequent upon bringing Youth early to speak in Public; and therefore have set all the Saturdays of the Year wholly apart for this Purpose.

Upon these Days, the Masters, Scholars, and as ma­ny of the Citizens as please to attend, being assembled in the Chapel after Morning Prayers; one of the Stu­dents in the First or Greek Class appears as Respondent with an Opponent or Interrogator from the Third Class; the latter pitches upon any Greek Author, the Respon­dent has read during the Course of the Year in his Class, and prescribes a Passage in it to be render'd into English [...]empore; this the Respondent does, pointing out the [Page 35]Author's Beauties, Spirit and Sentiments; clearing up his Obscurities and Difficulties; and giving an Account of the Case, Tense, Mood, Derivation, Construction, &c. of every Word. The Opponent takes Care to set him right where he errs; and gives him an Opportunity, by proper Interrogations, to display his Skill and Improve­ments to the best Advantage. The Master of that Class to which the Opponent belongs, superintends these Exer­cises, and may interfere with his Assistance if there shou'd be Occasion. But this seldom happens.—

After these, one of the 2d Class appears as Respondent [...] with an Opponent from the 4th, the Opponent endeavors to impugn a Thesis given out and defended by the Re­spondent. Then he changes the Subject and interrogates him concerning his Skill in such Branches of the Mathe­matics as he (the Respondent) has learn'd in his Class.

In the next Place, a Respondent appears from the 3d Class with an Opponent from the 5th. The Method of Exercise the same as above. The Subject Ethics and Physics.—

Besides bearing a Part, as Interrogators, in the fore­going Exercises, the 4th and 5th Classes have an Exercise of Declamation peculiar to themselves. First one of the Youth in the Class of Rhetoric delivers a Speech with proper Grace and Action on any philosophical Subject, or on the Nature, Rules and Advantages of Eloquence and Poetry, which are their present Studies.

Lastly, one of the 5th or highest Class delivers an Oration, fram'd according to the exact Rules of Rhetoric, upon any civil Topic that is, or may be, disputed with Regard to the Interest of their Country. And such Ha­rangues I have often known to be of very public Service, not only when deliver'd, but when thought worthy of appearing in Print. Sometimes too their Subject is the Usefulness of History and Agriculture; the Pleasures of Retirement, or any moral Subject. Thus when there are not above twenty Boys in each Class, every Boy in the three lower Classes appears in public twice a Year, and [Page 36]those of the two higher Classes four Times.—There are Exercises of the same Kind in the higher Classes of the Mechanic's School: And in the Latin School, instead of Exercises or public Acts, there are quarterly Ex­aminations; and proper Rewards distributed to ex­cite Emulation.

Under this Article it may be proper to observe that the fourth, or Class of Rhetoric, on the King's Birth-Night, entertain the Town with some of our best dramatic Per­formances. And at their Commencement, the fifth Class do the same. On these Occasions, they are honor'd with the Presence of the Governor and all the Ladies and Gentlemen of Distinction. But the three lower Classes, as they have not been taught Rhetoric, &c. are not per­m [...]ed a Share in this; nor are these two higher Classes [...]llow'd to exhibit any more, but this one Performance a-piece; as it wou'd interfere with the Duties of the Class to prepare themselves for more: And this is suf­ficient to teach Them this sort of Exercise.

There is one Thing peculiar to the Miranians in these Exercises, which I had almost forgot to mention; and that is that all their public Acts, Declamations, &c [...] are [...]n the English Tongue. No People are more careful than they to teach Youth to translate Latin readily, as may appear in the Course of the foremention'd Studies, where every Author is read in the Original: But, when this is [...]ttain'd, they aim at nothing more. They are sensible, there is a great Difference between being able to explain a Classic Author extempore, and the Writing as good Language as that Author. Almost any Person may at­tain to the first:— But only an Erasmus, a Casimir, a Buchanan, and a few more, have wrote pure classic La­ [...]in, unmixt with Barbarisms and foreign Idioms, since it became a dead Language. They don't however, deny, but learned Men, to render their Works more universally useful, may write in the Latin-Tongue, tho' they [...]annot write with classic Elegance and Purity. But they greatly condemn the Practice of neglecting the Mo­ther-Tongue, [Page 37]and embarassing a young Student, by obliging him to speak or compose in a dead Language. While he is hunting after Words to explain Himself by, he must be continually on the Rack; one Half of his Sentiments, one Half of his sprightly Sallies of Fancy, which wou'd otherwise shine thro' his Compositions, must escape his Memory ere he can find Words to ex­press them. The Consciousness of speaking improperly, often barbarously, must damp his Ardor, and restrain him from delivering himself with that becoming Ease and Confidence, that Grace of Voice and Action, that Pro­priety and Harmony, which he cou'd not fail of, did he apply that Time and Pains to the English-Tongue, which is often without Success given to the Latin.—Besides, my Countrymen seem to think it below their Dignity, to declaim in a foreign Tongue, before an English Au­dience. In particular, my Friend, continued Evander, very gaily; to speak in Latin, we think, wou'd be an Insult on our Ladies, who often honor us with their Pre­sence on those Occasions; and, by their brilliant Ap­pearance, add new Grace to the Action, new Music to the Tongues, new Sprightliness to the Imagination, and new Fire to the Bosoms of the Youth.—

There are likewise Masters in the College for teaching the French, Italian, Spanish and German Tongues, at private Hours; and a Fencing-Master, who, besides the Use of the Sword, teaches the military Exercise. There is, lastly, a Dancing-Master; whom I shou'd have mention'd first; as this Art is learn'd by the Boys when very young; viz. in the lowest Classes of the Latin and Mechanic's School. None of the Youth, how­ever, are oblig'd by the Statutes of the College to attend these Masters; and if they do attend them, it must be before they are enter'd into the fourth or rhetorical Class, because it wou'd interfere with the Duties of the two higher Classes, which, as you'll remember, consists chie­fly in Reading and Writing in private. The Students in these two Classes are esteem'd Men; and it is reckon'd [Page 38]shameful for them to be ignorant of Dancing, Fencing and modern Languages till that Time.—None of these Masters are included in the Institution, in any other Thing, but that the Governors or Trustees upon any Complaint that their Characters are bad and their Ex­ample dangerous, may deprive them of the Benefit of teaching the Youth; A Punishment great enough: For, tho' they have no Salaries from the Public, yet as each of them has generally thrice the Number of Boys that are in any of the Classes, their Income is nothing inferior to the Income of the Masters that are upon the Establish­ment. And the College also gives each of them, that behave well, a handsom Gratuity yearly; as a Testi­mony of their being willing to encourage the Learning of all polite Arts and manly Exercises among the Youth.

Here Evander paus'd, as if in Expectation of some Remarks from me upon the Excellency of the Institution he had given me an Account of. I told him that as far as he had yet proceeded I mightily approv'd [...] But that I thought the Study of Religion, without which no Scheme of Education cou'd be of Advantage to the State or private Persons, did not sufficiently enter into his Account; and that if the Miranians did nothing more this Way than he had spoken of, I judg'd their Scheme deficient in the most interesting Article.

He resum'd, that my Observation was just; and that it was for this very Reason he had left the Account of their Method of studying Religion and Morals to a se­parate Article; as well, because of their Importance, as because they are the chief Object of the Studies of every Class, and consequently cou'd not be brought into the Account of any particular Class.

My Countrymen, proceeded he, are fully persuaded that those who are entrusted with the Education of Youth can do more lasting Service to the Interests of Religion and Virtue, at a Time when the Heart is susceptible of every Impression, than all the good Men, all the Philo­sophers, all the Magistrates, arm'd with all the Power, of [Page 39]a Country, can do, if, for Want of Education, the Heart is suffer'd to become callous, as it were, and obstinate in the Habits of Vice. They were, therefore, extreme careful to look for something still better than Learning in all the Masters they chose into the Seminary; admit­ting none but Men of irreproachable Characters; MEN whose Lives shou'd be a daily Comment on their Precepts, and their genuine Goodness of Heart a constant Pledge for the Morals of the Youth committed to their Care; Men indefatigable in the Discharge of their Duty from a Consciousness of the weighty Trust repos'd in them, and an unfeign'd Zeal for the present and future Interests of their Pupils; Men, in a Word form'd to command Love and Reverence; and from their Sweetness of Temper dispos'd to strew the Path to Science with Roses. They prudently foresaw, that upon their meeting with Men of this Character at first, not only depended the Reputation of the College, but in a great Measure, the Morals and Genius, of the Country to latest Generations.

Such Men they had the Happiness to meet with: And it will, I hope, prove a pleasing and useful Specu­lation, to take a more particular View of the Method of inculcating good Morals, or natural Religion, practis'd by Them; and which may be practis'd by every Good Master in the Course of these Studies. Some may be ready to imagine they bestow a great deal of Time and Labor this Way; but, on the Contrary, tho' Virtue and Goodness is always in their Eye, it is but seldom in their Mouth. They know too much of human Nature, to propose teaching Morals, &c. by formal Discourses and tedious Lectures. At the very Thought of this, Youth take the Alarm and seem to put themselves on their Guard against all that can be said: While a Word dropt, as it were, casually by a skillful Master in a pro­per Season, shall strike so much the deeper as it was now expected, and make an Impression never to be eras'd. His great Business then, who wou'd train up Youth to Religion, consists in the first Place, in getting the en­tire [Page 40]Possession of their Hearts; in keeping a jealous Eye over them; in preventing the Approach of every Thing that is of a noxious Quality; in making every Thing around them breathe Innocence, Purity and Truth; and lastly, in watching the proper Opportunities of ^† drop­ping the Seeds of Goodness into the Heart, while it re­mains in this healthful State, which will not fail to bring forth ⁸ an hundred Fold, provided he adds to the Whole his own Example, and seems fully persuaded of the Truths he wou'd impress upon them; never men­tioning Religion and Virtue without the utmost Devo­tion and Fervor of Soul.

Opportunities of this Kind will never be wanting to the Master who has himself a good Heart. I shall take Notice of a few of them; and tho' every classic Author furnishes noble Lessons of Morality, I shall confine my­self to the five learned Classes last-mention'd because I wou'd be brief. I shall take Care to ascribe Nothing more to the Scholar than I myself have felt; nor can I ascribe half so much to the Master, as I have known the good Aratus to put in Practice: For under him I had the Happiness to pass thro' these five Classes; as I was one of the Youth with whom he open'd the College which cou'd not be open'd higher than the Greek Class, as will be shewn in the Sequel.—In this Class, under such a Master, the Reading of Home [...] was like travelling thro' a delightful Country; richly variegated with all that is beautiful and grand in Nature; where every Thing conspir'd— "To raise the Genius and to mend the Heart;"—conspir'd to entice us forward thro' Meads of Pleasure, in a flowry Path to Virtue!—How strong­ly wou'd the good Man take Occasion from the Senti­ments even of this Heathen-Author, to inculcate the [Page 41]Belief of One Supreme GOD, Father and Disposer of all Things; as also the Immortality of the Soul; future Rewards and Punishments, &c. How zealously would he press Home upon us Respect for Kings, Magistrates, Parents and all Superiors? How beautifully wou'd he make us mark the Decorum and Honestum of Life painted in the Characters; and every Thing little and mean expos'd? In what affecting Language and noble Images would he shew us Hospitality, Gene­rosity, Benevolence, Justice, Honor, Piety, Inte­grity, Prudence, Friendship, Fidelity, Sincerity, Intre­pidity, Patience and Resignation recommended? In a Word there was no Virtue, no Duty of civil Life, but he would enforce from Homer; in so much that I was almost ready to subscribe to the Opinion of those who say (however hyperbolically) that was all that ever was written on Morals, nay were all the Arts and Sciences, lost, the Stamina of the Whole might be gather'd again from Homer. And while Aratus taught us to gather the Roses of such an Author, he not only made us shun the Thorns; but, as Bees from poisonous Herbs ex­tract healing Liquids, he taught us even to reap Ad­vantages from those very Absurdities, those monstrous Fictions about the Nature of the Gods, their Jars, Thefts, Robberies, Rapes, Adulteries, Incests, Drunken­ness, &c. which were the Faults of the Age not of the Poet. From hence he took Occasion to teach us the just Value of those sacred Volumes which have rescu'd us from such Superstition and Blindness.

In the next Class what fresh Opportunities did he find of leading us from Worder to Wonder, and bringing the DEITY before our Eyes in the Study of His stupen­dous Works? How were our Minds dilated and exalted when, in the Study of Astronomy, he led us to consider the heavenly Bodies? And how little did every Thing we were wont to fancy great then appear to us? Even the terraqueous Globe on which we dwell, with all its Kingdoms and boasted Grandeur seem'd in our Eye but [Page 42]a small Point in the Solar-System? The Solar-System itself dwindled into Naught when compar'd with the nu­merous Systems of those Stars that in a clear Night stud the Cerulean! All these Systems again were lost in the vast Expanse when compared with that Infinity of Systems which Philosophy's purer Eye can descry be­yond the Reach of all Optics! And thus, while he taught us to rise from System to System, beyond all definite Space, 'till we were lost in the Imagination, and at the same Time convinc'd us, that so far from being nearer the Limits, we were still but on the Frontiers of of the CREATOR's Kingdom;—how wou'd we stand astonish'd at our own Littleness, and the Grandeur of that ^* GOD whose Hand fram'd all those Clusters of Systems; kindled all their Suns; and feeds their im­mense Fires from Age to Age? How ridiculous and absurd wou'd we then esteem it for Man,—the Atom-Lord of this Atom-World,—swol'n with Pride, to strut about and boast that all these were made for him; or to exalt himself against the great SOVEREIGN of such an incomprehensible Domain?—What a Thirst of Know­lege did the Contemplation of these Wonders kindle within us? And how did we seem to spurn this "evanescent Speck of Earth", and ardently affect that Period when, shaking off this cumbrous Vehicle of Flesh, we shall perhaps scar thro' the wide Realms of Nature, see Things as they are, and be indulg'd in a free Cor­respondence with all those Systems and all their Inhabi­tants?—While our Minds were in this State, then, then was the Time the good Aratus wou'd sow, and sow deep, the Seeds of Piety and Goodness. Then was the Time he wou'd press Home upon us the Worth and Immortality of our Souls. For, wou'd he say, if a God, that does nothing in vain, and that shews such [Page 43]Wisdom and Design in all Things that come under our Comprehensions, has endow'd you with Desires and Passions so superior to your present Objects, and with a Capacity of soaring so far beyond them; if he has given such a restless Curiosity of prying farther and farther into the beautiful Scheme of Nature;—be assured this Curiosity will not be frustrated; you will not drop into Nought before this Scheme is unfolded to you! No: all those noble Passions and Desires will be fully satisfied! There are in Reserve for you superior Displays to be eternally open'd upon you, at proper Periods, as your Powers and Capacities are for ever enlarg'd! Mean Time, steddily practise what Right-Reason injoins; and wait patiently till your Change come.

Nor was it alone, by ascending in the Scale of Nature that Aratus taught us to admire the Almighty Author's Greatness. We were forc'd to acknowlege Him still greater, if possible, in the smallest than the greatest Things; when in the third Class we descended in the Study of Nature to its other Limit (if Nature can be said to have Limits).—To confine myself to that single Branch of Physics call'd Micrography, how did it sur­prize us to discover living Creatures, Thousands of which wou'd be imperceptible to the unassisted Sense, swarming by Legions in each Leaf and Grain; heaving and animating our choicest Cates; mantling our purest Liquors; and crouding even the transparent Atmos­phere. But when we were convinc'd that these Animal­cules are so far from being the last Degree of Smallness, that there are others as much smaller than them, as they are smaller than us; then were we as much lost in the Divisibility of Matter, as we were formerly in its Mul­tiplicity. As in the one Case we cou'd conceive no End of the Magnitude and Addition of heavenly Bodies, so in the other, we cou'd conceive no End of Divisibility and Smallness. On each Side of us the Gradation is endless. Astonish'd at ourselves, we now saw Man in a different Light. He that but a little before seem'd [Page 44]only an Atom of an Atom-World almost imperceptible in the Bosom of the Universe, seem'd now distended into a World, even into [...]n Universe, when compar'd but with the last Degree of perceptible Smallness. He now appear'd in his proper Place as—the Nexus utriusque Mundi—the middle Link of Creation; not only as his Soul seems the mean Perfection between the highest De­gree of created Intelligence, and absolute Insensibility; but as his Body seems the mean Bulk between the greatest Aggregate of Matter, and the last Particle of possible Smallness.—But how was our Astonishment encreas'd, when we were convinc'd that every the Minutest of these Animals are form'd with as exact Proportion, Nicety, and Design, as Man himself;— ^* that they have their distinct Joints, Limbs and Muscles, all dispos'd in Num­ber, Weight and Measure; that they have their proper Vessels, and Liquids circulating in those Vessels, caused also by the Systole and Diastole of a Heart, or something analogous which expels the Blood or Liquids into those Vessels, and receives its refluent Stream; that they have not only all the Parts necessary to perform the animal Functions, but are sensible of Pain and Pleasure; and know how to shun Danger and pursue their proper Happiness: and lastly, that tho' these are so extremely small that Thousands of them would not be so big as a Grain of Sand, yet they contain others within them form'd with the same Exactness as them­selves! Speculations of this Kind did not fail to impress us with just and noble Apprehensions of the Deity: But oh! when our artful and pious Tutor reminded us, on these Occasions, that GOD perform'd all these minute Operations, that he made the small Heart, Arteries [Page 45]Valves, and pour'd the vastly subtile Liquids into the Vessels, of these diminutive Animals,—all with the very same Right Hand, with which he rounded those im­mense Orbs, and hung all those Systems of Worlds, (whose inconceivable Numbers lately confounded us) at his Footstool like a little sparkling Signet of various Gems—Cou'd we, O cou'd we then, do you think, forbear to fall down in the deepest Abasement and Ado­ration, crying out.— How wonderful, how incomprehen­sible, how Great, how Good is the LORD?

Forgive me, my Friend, proceeded Evander, if, in this Part of my Narrative, I should be tedious, or dis­cover any unbeseeming Raptures. The Time spent in these Studies was the happiest Period of my Life, and which I have often wish'd I cou'd begin again: A Period, I can never reflect upon, without feeling my Bosom burn, and thinking I hear the good Aratus, with Hands outstretched, and Eyes glowing Affection and Devotion pouring important Truths from his fervent Tongue, and leading us imperceptibly from the visible to the invisible Things of Gods. 'Tis impossible to express what a Fund of Piety and natural Religion may be laid in, by a few Words dropt on these Occasions, by a good and fervent Man, whose Person and Character we love, and whom we suspect of no Design upon us but our own Welfare. I should therefore have thought myself as in­excusable, had I neglected to take some Notice of these Opportunities of instilling Goodness, as the Master must be who, in the Study of Nature, can neglect to make the right Use of them. Such a One, indeed, neglects the most essential Part of Education; inasmuch as a good Heart is infinitely preferable to all speculative Knowledge:—He neglects to form a Relish for that de­vout Contemplation of the Works of GOD, which is not only capable to give Joy and Satisfaction in all Times and Conditions of Life, but will no doubt constitute a great Part of our Pleasure, and be the Subject of our Contemplation and Wonder for ever and ever!—On the other Hand, the Master who embraces these Oppor­tunities, [Page 46]with Judgment and Discretion, will have no Reason to join in the vulgar Complaint, that Youth will not learn Religion; and that Philosophy rather tends to make them Freethinkers. 'Tis true, when a gloomy Temper and starch Behaviour is put for Religion, Youth will spurn it; and when they get but a small Tincture of Philosophy they may be Free-thinkers in the modern Sense. But, let them once taste the manly, noble and generous Pleasures, which true Philosophy and true Religion impart;—never, never can they forsake them, for the mean Satisfactions of the narrow-soul'd Deist or Atheist, according to a fine Thought of the great Bacon: A superficial Taste of Philosophy, says he, may perchance incline the Mind to Atheism; but a full Draught thereof brings it back again to Religion:—The weighty Sense of which, Pope has happily transferr'd into the following beautiful Lines.—

I have already hinted how much the Studies of the fourth Class, Rhetoric and Poetry, tend to better the Heart and improve the Temper. I shall therefore pass to the Study of Agriculture, which Tully ^‖ and ^† Colu­mella call the Study of Wisdom, and the Life of a wise Man:—A Study, which has given that Happiness to the most renown'd Names in Story which the World cou'd not give; and in their declining Age afforded them solid Pleasures after being cloy'd with all that Mankind call Great.

It wou'd be needless and endless to enumerate all the Opportunities a Master of Aratus's Character found to [Page 47]lead us admire and adore the Deity in this Study. He cou'd not explain the Theory of Vegetation without ex­hibiting whole Worlds of Wonders. He cou'd not ex­amine the Structure of the most indifferent Plant with­out making us perceive in it the same Wisdom and De­sign that appear in the Structure of the most perfect Animal. He cou'd not explore the mineral Kingdom without shewing us the same Agreement and Fitness in the Disposition of Things, even amid the dark Recesses and secret Bowels of the Earth, as on her beautiful Sur­face. Her beautiful Surface he cou'd not survey with us, without swelling our Hearts with Wonder, Love and Gratitude.—In this Point, Aratus, ever zealous to teach us every Thing that can either improve or rationally amuse, was singularly industrious.—It is a Disgrace, he wou'd say, for Man to live like a Stranger in a World made chie [...] for Himself; neither tracing the Wisdom, nor adoring the Beneficence, of its Disposition.—It is a Shame for a reasonable Being to wander, as if deaf and blind, in the Midst of Nature; neither attending her Voice. nor [...]iving any higher Emotions than the un­conscious Brute from gazing the awful lovely Spectacles she presents, with a Design to entertain and ennoble our best Faculties.—

To form the Taste, therefore, aright in this Respect, our worthy Tutor (who us'd us in this highest Class more as Men and his bosom'd Friends, than his Pupils) wou'd, when the Season and Study of Agriculture invited us to the Fields, entice us onward to some romantic Eminence, as if to shew us some curious Herb; and there, seating Himself, wou'd artfully turn our Attention and Con­versation upon the wildly-beautiful Landskips that every where rush upon the Sight in this new World, where Nature yet wantons in Virgin-Prime, fresh as it were from the Maker's Hand, and unprofan'd by little Works of Art.—Before us, we wou'd survey mighty Rivers, whose distant [...] among Nations and Regions yet unknown, rolling their [...] Floods in silent Ma­jesty [Page 48]towards the Main; bank'd with vast Woods and Forests, whose venerable Trees, planted by GOD himself, and almost coevel with the World, wave their gracef [...]l Verdure to every odoriferious Gale. Turning to [...] other Side, we wou'd behold vast Lawns opening [...]n­terminable, between these Woods; enamel'd with [...] the Colors, Wealth and Fragrance of Nature; and affording a finely diversify'd Prospect,—here gentle Brooks, me­andring along their peebly Channels, to pour their tribu­tary Urns into these larger Rivers; there a wild Profu­sion of rich Hillocks tufted with various Trees, whose uncultivated Beauties, and embowering Shades, inviting Repose, seem'd form'd to be the gay Abodes of Peace and Love; and here again Groups of tame Animals feeding, in mingled Peace and Happiness, with their wild Brothers of the Woods, yet unapprehensive of the barbarous Huntsman's Toils;—the whole rural Prospect clos'd by vast Mountains pil'd into the Clouds, whose enormous Height even [...]ake the distant Sight, and chill the Frame with delightful Horrors.—And while these beautiful Sights wou'd hold our Eyes and Hearts captive; Aratus, ever watching the Time to moralize, wou'd remind us how inseparably Beauty and Utility, Magni­ficence and Frugality, are always connected in the Works of GOD. These Inequalities and Varieties on the Surface of the Earth, he wou'd suggest, not only serve to form enchanting Prospects, but also to fructify the Soil. These Hillocks and little Vallies form Rivulets, and drain off the supervacaneous Moisture, these Rivulets form Rivers; these Rivers supply the Expence of Evaporations from the Ocean; these Evaporations form Magazines of Dews and Rains; and lastly these Magazines of Dews and Rains are condens'd and call'd down upon the Earth by the Help of the high Mountains. Thus the Globe is ever supply'd with fresh Recruits of Moisture, and saline Juices. And thus, tho' all T [...]m [...]gs di [...]ler, all agree to promote the same wise End [...] Order walks Hand in Hand with Variety. The [Page 49]Mountains but stand the lofty Ministers of the Vales. Unless they thus rear'd their gelid Crests into the Skies to arrest and condense the fluctuating Vapors, the hotter Countries wou'd be left destitute of Rain; and the whole Moisture of the Globe, might by Degrees evagate to­wards the Poles, and be congeal'd round them. The Mountains also produce many curious Vegetables and Minerals of sovereign Use, which are not to be found elsewhere.—But I should never have done, should I take Notice of all the Opportunities the good Man found in the Study of Nature, both to refine and exalt the Understanding.—I shall next pass to the Study of History, which as he manag'd it, is nothing else but Religion and Philosophy taught by Examples. And indeed he was of the same Opinion with the great ^* Fenelon, that the surest and most successful Method of teaching Religion is by historical Facts: a Truth, which from the Feelings of myself and School-Fellows in this Class, I am sufficiently convinc'd of. For,

When the Mirror of Ages was held up to us, and all the c [...]ebrated Names of Antiquity made to pass in bright Review before us;—when we beheld the Train of private and public Miseries, which has always been the Consequence of Vice, with the glorious Effects of Virtue; —when we saw the public Villain branded with eternal Infamy, and deliver'd down as a Malefactor to all Pos­terity, while the Patriot's Name is embalm'd and ren­der'd for ever illustrious by the concurring Shouts of Mankind;—cou'd we forbear, in our own Imaginations and Resolutions, to enlist ourselves for Life under the Banner of Virtue? Cou'd we forbear to glow with a generous Emulation of earning the fair Esteem of good Men, and sharing some Part of the Fame of those vene­rable Worthies we read of? Or could we once think of committing a base and dishonest Action, without shrink­ing from it with Horror, at the Apprehensions of the eternal Reproaches of the World?

[Page 50] The Study of History, and the Knowlege of the Greatness, illustrious Atchievments, and Manners of other Nations, may supply the Place of travelling, and make Youth shake off that ridiculous Littleness of Thought, that contemptible Vanity, of making the Customs, Manners and Actions of the small Spot where­in they were born, the Standard of Right and Wrong; —the Model of every Thing great and noble. This begets a more manly and generous Turn of Thought; extends their Views; and teaches them, as Citizens of the World, to do Justice to the Virtues of every Nation and People, unbiass'd by a weak Attachment to any particular Corner of the Earth. And indeed there is some Danger that History, with all it's Advantages, shou'd have the same Effect that travelling too often has; I mean, to cure this Vanity too much, and make them too much in Love with the false Magnificence and Greatness of other Nations.—Youth are apt to be dazzled when they read of a mighty Thunderbolt of War, returning Victorious over vast Nations and King­doms; his native City moving as it were from its Foundations to meet him and usher him home, thron'd like a God on a triumphal Car; crown'd with Gold; buskin'd with Pearl; clad in Purple stiff with Embroi­dery; bearing Laurels in his Hand; famous Kings and Generals, loaden with Chains, led Captive before him; white-rob'd Senators following after him; solemn Mu­sic sounding his Praises; ten thousand Hands strewing his Way with Flowers; and ten times ten thousand Tongues swelling the loud, Iö Triumphe to the Skies! —On these Occasions I have known the sagacious Aratus stedfactly examine our Looks and Countenances; and if he had any Reason to judge, such pompous Descrip­tions were likely to pervert the Taste of solid Glory, he would observe to us that all this Apparatus of the Triumph was only Externals, only the Trappings of the Conqueror, and no Part of the intrinsic Worth of the Man; nor of any V [...]lue, but as the Testimony of a [Page 51]grateful People for some great and good Action. He wou'd remind us that there is something still greater than Victories and Triumphs, even in a good Cause, to which the chief Applause of Ages has been paid: That it is the Heart alone which denominates Men good and great; and that they who, obeying the Dictates of a good Heart, do all the good in their Power, are truly and equally great, whether their Lot be the private Shade, and the Command of a Family; or the public Theatre of the World, and the Command of Armies and Provinces.—

To illustrate this, he wou'd ask us, whether in our Sense and the Sense of all Ages and Men, Timeleon, when he declin'd all the Dignities offer'd him by the grateful Syracusans, and retir'd to practise in Silence the Virtues of a private Life, only saving to himself the Pleasure of seeing Millions happy by his Means, did not appear even as venerably great, as when he came at the Head of an Army, resolv'd either to die or rescue the same Syracusans from Slavery and Oppression? Whether Curius, when he refus'd the vast Sums offer'd him by the Samnite Ambassadors, tho' they found him so poor as to be cooking his own Supper in the Chimney-Corner, did not shew still as much Magnanimity as when in the Front of dreadful War he conquer'd wherever he came? And whether he was not still as great when serving up a Share of the same Supper to the same Ambassadors with that terrible Arm from which they so often had sled trembling, as when twice carried in Triumph to the Capitol? Whether Fabricius and the same Curius, when they refus'd (notwithstanding their private Estates were but a few Acres) to accept of any more than ^* seven Acres of the Lands they had conquer'd (the Share of a common Soldier) did not acquire more Glory than in adding whole Kingdoms to the Commonwealth? Whe­ther all Ages have not more applauded Fabius for [Page 52]saving from certain Destruction, his Rival and Adver­sary Minucius, who by the basest Means had supplanted him in the Esteem of the People, than for defeating the great Hannibal and saving the Republic? Whether Cincinnatus has not receiv'd more Renown for abdicating the Dictatorship on the sixteenth Day, which he might have held six Months; and, when he cou'd be of no further public Use, stealing away from the Praises and Acclamations of his fellow Citizens, to manure his little Farm, and cheer his lovely-lonsom Racilia, to whom in his Absence he had committed the Care of it;—whether I say, he has not receiv'd more Renown for this In­stance of Moderation, than even for deserving those Praises by saving the State from the Aequi? Whether he did not appear as illustrious at the Plough-Tail as on the triumphal Car? Whether he did not appear as great and venerable in the Sight of all Men, (perhaps more so in the Sight of God) when seated on a humble Turf he decided the Differences of his Neighbour-Peasants, and restor'd Peace to a poor Family; than when seated on the high Tribunal of Rome, and vested with uncon­troulable Authority, he gave Law and Peace to half the World?—

These renown'd Worthies, wou'd Aratus continue, when they conquer'd Nations; when they sav'd their Country; when they triumph'd over its Enemies,— did what was great indeed; but that which many have done: But when they conquer'd themselves; when they sav'd their bitterest Adversaries; when they triumph'd over Poverty, and would not stoop to gather Gold, Diadems and Kingdoms for their own private Use, they did Deeds in which they stand singular;—

[Page 53]By Contrasts of this Kind I have known him labour, to preserve and improve our Taste of solid Glory; till unable to resist their Impression, we wou'd, like true Philosophers, pronounce with our own Mouths, that if there are other Actions as great and heroic as Triumphs and Victories even in the Cause of Religion and Liberty; surely, one single Deed of Love where we can, or one single Sigh for Distress where we cannot relieve, as cor­responding more with the Scheme of Heaven, is ten thousand Times more great and brave than, thro' the Lust of Rule, to carry Violence and Conquest round the whole Globe. In this Sense, the greatest Conqueror is but the greatest Brute, and the greatest Coward.— Charm'd by such illustrious Models of all human Virtue, who manag'd the Treasures, and fill'd the most eminent Posts, of their Country, without fouling their Fingers with a Bribe; who conquered the most opulent King­doms, without adding one Drachma to their private Fortune; and, whenever their Country's Service did not require their immediate Presence, descended volun­ [...]arily from the Command of Mankind to manure a few private Acres, and trace the Wonders of divine Power in the Works of Nature;—charm'd I say, at these Re­lations, we wou'd in these Moments receive a lasting Conviction,—That Nothing can be honorable but Inte­grity and the Plaudit of good Men; nothing shameful but Vice and Communion with the Bad; nothing ne­cessary but our Duty; nothing great and comfortable but the conscientious Discharge of it: And that true Glory does not consist in breathing the fiery Spirit of War, and thirsting eagerly after Dominion; but in delighting to see the World happy and unalarm'd; in fervently striving to promote this Happiness; in culti­vating the Arts of Peace; encouraging Agriculture and Manufactures; educating Children aright as the rising Hopes of the State; and serving God in Tranquility of Mind and Purity of Heart.—History will inform us that none, but those who thus liv'd, have either been happy in their Life, or esteem'd after their Death.

[Page 54] I shall only mention one Advantage more in the Phi­losophical Study of History; namely, that to behold the dreadful Effects of Tyranny and religious Imposture in other Countries; and all the Scenes of great and real Distress to be met with, especially in more modern History; teaches Youth to set a just Value on our ex­cellent Constitution, and tends more to soften the Breast, to purge and regulate the Passions, than all the imaginary Distress of the best conducted Drama.

How have I felt the Passions of Terror, Pity and Joy to rise alternately in my Breast, while Aratus has moralized on some historical Passages?—When animad­verting on the Conduct of inhuman Tyrants, he wou'd represent them, marking the Godlike Patriot's Body with inglorious Stripes; frowning the holy Sage to Dun­geons, Racks or Flames; spurning the Good and Brave to the most abandon'd Places of the Earth, or by Thou­sands to the Gallies, Bonds and Gibbets;—and for what Crime? What Cause?—No Cause; no Crime, alledged! A Debauch; troubled Rest; or some Acci­dent, had sour'd the arbitrary Monsters' Tempers! or perhaps some contemptible Priest, Harlot or Minion was to be gratified thereby!—Again he wou'd represent them (when instigated by such unrelenting Councillors, or by false Glory) brandishing the ruthless Sword of Op­pression from Country to Country; tearing the tatter'd Weed from wintry Limbs; snatching the lean Morsel from the starving Peasant's Mouth, and (O more pierc­ing Thought!) from the Mouth of his weeping Spouse and clamant Babes; rending—(O brutal! O cowardly!) rending the untasted Virgin from her faithful Bride­groom's longing Arms; razing Cities; spoiling Houses and Fanes; dragging Priests from the Altar, with Mo­ther's and Children, into Slavery; and forcing hoary Age in its last Period to become a Minister to the Vices of luxurious Youth:—In short, wherever they come, Destruction reveling around them and turning the Earth into a human Shambles; Terror flying wildly-frantic [Page 55]before them; meagre Famine, shivering Nakedness, pale Despair, and every great Distress, in unfrequented Places, stalking horribly-ghastful behind them. Thus would the humane Aratus describe, in the most moving Terms, the Woes attending civil and religious Tyranny, till he observ'd his Descriptions to have their full Effect upon us;—till he saw—

Then would he contrast to these, more joyous Pros­pects.—A Land of Liberty; Life and Property secure; hence, a People busy to improve their unprecarious For­tune; Cities teeming with Wealth; Commerce extended as far as Winds blow and Waters roll; every Gale and Tide wafting Riches into Port, and bearing forth the Fruits of Industry in fair Exchange; Arts and Letters florishing; the lowest Sons of Labor glad; luxuriant Harvests nodding the heavy Head along the golden Plain; Pastures green with copious Herbage; flowering Vales lowing Joy; consenting Hills bleating it; the very ^* Sun himself seeming to dart his choicest Beams on the favor'd Land:—and above all, a KING who is the common Father of his People, and as such reigning in their Hearts, watching over the happy Constitution of such a Country, even with a Subject's Zeal; and using every generous Effort to rescue the Wretched of other Climes from Slavery, and place them also in the Lap of Freedom, to taste the same invaluable Blessings!—

While the good Man wou'd dwell on these pleasing Themes, his Eyes wou'd sparkle with Joy; and we, all Ear and Attention, wou'd hang upon his Tongue, lost in a Train of mingled Passions hard to be described; till a conscious Preference to the British Constitution, [Page 56]rising gradually o'er the rest, and swell'd at last to Transport too big to be restrain'd, wou'd force, from the cogenial Souls of Master and Scholars, this trium­phant Exclamation—

And oh!—continued Evander, elevating his Voice; (as this was the concluding Study of our Education) O! with what an Extasy of Joy, do you think, we reflected, that in a few Weeks we were going to be enroll'd active Members of that same happy Society we so much ad­mire; that same happy Society, in which, had it been left to our Choice, we would have chosen to live and die, above all those we had read of in the Volumes of History down to this present Day? What a mighty Influence must this single Reflexion have on all our future Con­duct? And what may not be expected from young Men initiated into Society in this Disposition of Mind; thus conscious of the inestimable Privileges they are call'd to; thus prepar'd, thus resolv'd to act a great and good Part?—Is it not reasonable to hope, that Nothing will ever be able to deter or allure them from their Duty; but that they will continue firm, inexorably firm as Fate, to maintain and, if need be, to revenge such a glorious Constitution, whenever, or howsoever infring'd; whe­ther by secret or open Villainy? May it not be expected that their genuine Goodness of Heart, impregn'd and fertiliz'd as it were by such an Education, will be a living Spring of great and generous Actions; ‘not spou [...]ing forth a little frothy Water on some gaudy Day, and then remaining dry the rest of the Year,’—but gli­ding ever gently along with a pure and even Current, neither mudded with sinister Views, nor o'erflowing its Banks with an ungovern'd and ill-judg'd Zeal even for what is Right? May it not be hop'd that whatever is their Lot they will sustain it with Dignity? If Poverty; with that Magnanimity and Integrity which render'd [Page 57] ^* Epaminondas, Curius, Circi [...]atu [...], &c. so venerable in their Sight, and that of all the World:—If Riches; (which is more hard, with that Moderation and Benevo­lence of Heart, which render'd Cimon, Pelopidas, Atti­cus, &c. the Delight of all that knew them:—That they will not squander them away according to the mo­dern Custom, in pampering the Luxury of a Scoundrel-Train of Debauchees, who in return (detested Inter­course [...]) feed the Lord of the Table with the Oil of Flattery; but that they will bid the helpless Heart sing for Joy, and cheer those gloomy Retreats where, thro' an ingenuous Delicacy and mistaken Shame, Poverty and modest Merit shroud themselves from the fastidious Scoff of giddy Pride and an undiscerning World.—In short may it not be hop'd they will entirely devote them­selves to the Service of their fellow Creatures, and their Country? And should the prevailing Power of Calumny and Faction hinder them from doing the Good they meditate, or force them from the Scene of public Action, and perhaps into Exile; may it not be hop'd, that, even in these difficult Moments, the Love of their Country and Mankind will prevail over every other Consideration; [Page 58]and that they will not with a headstrong Opposition shock the Constitution, nor retire, like Camillus, uttering Curses against their native Soil; nor, like Coriolanus, meditating great Revenge; but, like Milo, praying for the everlasting Prosperity even of their ungrateful Citizens, in these moving and divine Words,— Valeant, valeant Cives mei; sint incolumes, sint florentes, sint beati; stet h [...]c urbs pr [...]clara, mi [...]ique Patria carissima, quoqu [...] modo de me merita erit: tranquilla Republica Cives mei, quoniam mihi cum illis non licei, sine me ipsi, sed per me tamen, perfruantur. Ego cedam atque abibo. Thus fore'd from the Service of their Country, then is the Time they will reap the choicest Fruits of such an Edu­cation. Their Minds now vacant from all worldly Cares, and honorably dismiss'd from Business and civil Duties, they can elevate themselves so high, as to look down with calm Contempt on all they fell from. Instead of being the Citizens of one Kingdom, they will now see themselves the Citizens of the World, and in the Society of universal Nature. Into whatever Clime they rove, there they will find themselves at home; there they will be honor'd; there esteem'd. If driven into the most abandon'd Parts of the Globe, yet even there they will not be alone; they will find themselves in the Midst of Nature, and in the Presence of Nature's GOD; with whom such an Education has taught them to hold high Converse. Every the minutest Object around them will be capable of giving Amusement and Instruction. So far from regre [...]ting the Loss of Power and earthly Gran­ [...]eur, the whole Earth itself will appear, in their philo­sophic Eye, but a Speck of Dirt, no bigger than the Roman Empire appear'd to the younger Scipio in his Dream.—Shou'd, however, their relenting Country again demand their Service, sacrificing all Resentment to their Duty, they will return with no other Reluctance but that of exchanging the peaceful Amusements o [...] Ease for a Scene of Cares, Watchings and Toils.—In a Word, it may justly be expected that those who are [Page 59]thus educated will, in all Circumstances, and in all their Conduct and Dealings, do Honor to human Nature and wipe off that Reproach from the Christian Religion, which many of its unworthy Professors have brought upon it, in the Eyes of the Infidels around us. When an Education of this Kind has taught all Christians that deal and converse with these Nations of Infidels around us, to practise strict Justice, Integrity, Honor, and all the other Precepts enjoin'd by our Religion, then these Nations will not fail to admire such shining Vertues; and when once they admire, they will not be far from imita­ting.—That glorious Aera, and those happy Conse­quences, foretold and fondly anticipated, in the Verses spoken at the first opening of this Seminary, will not then be far distant. But till such an Education has made the idolatrous People around us in Love with our Man­ners and Actions; it is in vain to think all the pious Endeavours of single Men, or the Tongue of an An­gel, or any Thing less than a Miracle can spread the Gospel over these Parts among a sagacious People that daily see us belye its Precepts.

Thus have I, as briefly as I could, given you a Sketch of the Method of teaching Science and natural Religion in these five higher Classes. The same is to be under­stood of the higher Classes in the Mechanics School, where the same Opportunities of inculcating natural Goodness offer in the Study of Physics and History, tho' in a Method somewhat different. To this I have added a few of the Advantages my Country-Men have in Part reap'd, and must more and more reap from such an Institution. There is only one Thing wanting to im­prove and perfect the whole; and that is the Study of ceveal'd Religion, by which I mean the general uncon­troverted Principles of Christianity, which is all they teach at College. For this Purpose the Sunday Evenings are set apart; when about an Hour is spent, in all the Classes, in the Study of the Old and New Testament; the Law and historical Parts being chiefly left for the [Page 60]higher Classes.—This is sufficient, if any human Care can be so, to make Youth good Christians. For when every proper Opportunity is embraced throughout the Week, to lay in such a Fund of natural Religion and Goodness, as I have shewn above; the great Truths of Christianity cannot fail of a favorable Reception on the Sundays, whether they come from the Masters in the Evening Classes; or from the Pulpit in the Time of di­vine Service.—Easy and delightful must the Task of the Clergy be, when by the Constitution of a Country the whole Instructors of Youth go Hand in Hand with them in advancing the Interests of Vertue and Piety!— Happy, said Evander (his Face brightening with a lau­dable Excess of Fondness for his Country) Happy are the People that are in such a Case!—Is it possible to figure aught more venerable and august than the whole Wisdom and Experience of a Community thus using every human Effort, to train up, and secure to the State, a Succession of good Men and good Citizens to the latest Generations? Is it possible to conceive aught more lovely, than the Youth of a Country thus collected in one School of Vertue; and striving, in the Presence of the Public, with a noble Emulation, and divine He­roism, to excel each other in every Thing that does Honor to their Nature?—Can there be a Constitution more Praise-worthy than that which has contriv'd the Means of fanning and encouraging this ^* divine Contest concerning Vertue among Youth? Is there aught in the whole Sphere of Nature which GOD himself surveys with greater Pleasure, than a People thus employ'd? Nay, perhaps it is not too bold to think, that, if all the Ranks of Being, between Man and the Seraph that burns by the Throne of GOD, have stood firm in their Duty, and co-operated with HIM from the first of Time in accom­plishing his eternal Scheme, yet he does not receive so much ^† Joy from beholding the Whole, as from seeing [Page 61]a Society of fall'n Adam's Race, thus assiduous to re­pair the Ruins of their Nature; thus ardently wrestling to render themselves acceptable in his Sight, that they may be restor'd to his Favor, and correspond for ever with the general Ha [...]mony.—Can we then doubt but he will shower down his choicest Blessings on such a People; and delight to make them long a distinguish'd Nation on the Earth? Consider'd in this Light, well might Tully call Education a divine Work! well might Plato call it a God-like One!—