interchange with each other for a common benefit to sound discipline under the direction of Almighty Providence; being, when so ordained thereby, both of them equally instrumental to its gracious designs. "Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?" (Lam. iii. 38;) asks the prophet: and righteous Job to the same purpose, "What! shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord; and shall we not receive evil?" (Job ii. 10.) "O Lord, correct me; but with judgment: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing," (Jer. x. 24,) says the forecited prophet, in another precious production. For mere correction and bringing to nothing is not the end of his discipline, we know; but, to bring us to good for which purpose a combination of good and evil, of encouragm ent and correction, would seem unavoidable, according to these authorities, even in the hands of Providence; and if in those hands, no less of course in the hands of men.

sume.

Mere corporal chastisement; which, as I have signified before now, some usually mistake for discipline, without ever thinking of encouragement, is no discipline for horses nor for any other animal, however convenient its occasional use may be for some; as the wise man observes, a whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back;" (Prov. xxvi. 3;) not meaning the natural but the artificial-and chiefly the self taught fool, I preAnd when teachers are inclined to be severe on poor simpletons sometimes, and the poorer more especially by a natural translation of their odium from one object to another, I should like for them to stop a bit, look at the poor culprits again, and consider how often it may be their hap to come in for an over share of punishment out of school without being either horses or asses in their way; while a part of their provoking dulness may likewise be attributable to the same cause-of hard usage, perhaps to knocking about the head. Teachers should

consider this, and try whether it be not possible to render the faculties of such children more pliant sometimes by a little rubbing up, instead of thumping; as we rub our stout gloves sometimes to supple them; or however, by a little gentler usage than they have been accustomed to experience.

Children under this treatment and the rest that I have been recommending, may be expected to advance rapidly toward the age of perception, or intelligence, before stated at about nine years old, when it will not be amiss to prepare them for their new epoch by a few months' suitable reading; and the following additional particulars to what were mentioned before are accordingly recommended at this crisis, or consummation, for them.

1st. From Scripture for the superior part, the whole book of Genesis, and a considerable portion of each of the. other books of the Pentateuch, of Deuteronomy in particular, with many select passages from the prophets, particularly from the more evangelical, such as Isaiah, Zechariah, &c., also portions of the Gospel to be read again with a degree of intelligence, and a particular view to the character of the predicted Messiah, his office and double advent, as well as a part of the evidence proving Jesus to have been such Messiah, or Christ, in the flesh.

2nd. Subservient hereto, and for a middle part, some very general and superficial view of Christian theology. 3rd. For the inferior, a superficial view also, or one on the same scale—for grammar, natural history and astro

nomy.

And when I talk of superficial views, I mean such of course as might be taught by any schoolmistress of moderate learning and capacity with a twopenny catechism: such form, that is to say, the catechistical, being in my opinion the readiest and surest mode of instruction.-So let "the blessing of him that was in a fair way to perish for lack of knowledge come upon us; while our happy

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success in this part shall also cause the widow's heart to sing for joy," and no one in the world shall have any JUST cause to be offended by what we have done.

The girls, after receiving their preparation in the same manner as I have just described, would be put into an higher class; where they might learn knitting and sewing and other occupations becoming their age, sex, and circumstances to learn, and one of their own sex and condition to teach. Whence might appear partly my reason for preferring schoolmistresses to schoolmasters in this first stage of a common schooling or education; my principal reason for this preference, as well as for preferring the model of the little old fashioned day schools to any modern medleys in this department, having respect to an enemy that is to be apprehended; like Jacob's policy in dividing the flocks and herds that he brought with him out of Syria into two bands in contemplation of what might happen from his brother Esau, if he should meet him in an ill humour. For he said "If Esau come to one company and smite it, then the other which is left shall escape," (Gen. xxxii. 8,) and like what any other rational person would do to ward off a general calamity, or deadly infection from his house, if it should happen to be threatened therewith from any quarter.

Meanwhile, other infant schools, which are not on the establishment, but supported by private bounty, or what is better, by parental exertion, may be getting on likewise toward the same object, and under the same general curator in different ways, as he says, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John x. 16.) I wish them all success, if I cannot assist them all, nor any as I did. Let education flourish like a tree in Paradise, like the tree of knowledge before it was abused by its frequenters. Let us learn to enjoy the fruit of this tree again, and all the trees in Paradise, or every source of happiness which the wis

says

dom and bounty of the Creator has provided for us in the plain of innocence-harmoniously and most gratefully together," the tree of life also in the midst of the garden," (Gen. ii. 9,) or Christ himself, our single curator, the Focus of our joys, the Centre of every blessing; though so living or enjoying Christ and ourselves together would be little less than miraculous in these troublesome times: that we might learn to praise him as he deserves, " For (as he himself) there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part." (Mark ix. 39, 40.) And a principal feature in the whole plan of civil and ecclesiastical discipline here suggested, being to keep off corruption and to prevent the same from returning after it has been washed away "by the laver of regeneration in baptism," the little independent schools of every Christian denomination which really mind this great object, as well as we, may be considered at least as not against us, but rather on our part, and to be greeted accordingly, as I said before,

And I now say, Which really mind the same object; that is, following it sincerely for itself, and not for form's sake or a make-believe. For there is no possibility of abating corruption as long as formality shall continue to prevail in Christendom over sincerity; and the only possible way of giving sincerity a little of the ascendant is, by giving a little more latitude to religious profession-not binding it up too strictly, I mean, that people may not be obliged, nor yet too strongly tempted to become formalists by any means that can be avoided; men of all sorts being naturally too prone to imitation. Then, beginning to believe as much as we profess in some measure, we may come by degrees to profess no more than we both believe and do.

I am sensible that it may be objected at this point, that the very principle of instruction by rote in the class of which we have been considering is itself a step toward formality by teaching the very thing here condemned, that is, words without meaning. But how can that be; when

the quality of utterance is here understood to be that of a mere rehearsal or repetition?—-as the Catechist tells his young catechumen, "Rehearse the articles of thy belief," before he can be said to believe one of them literally, however he may believe them all in virtue or necessity, if it be so ordained. For to believe these articles more and more, will by the divine ordinance be an object of future and continual improvement in every stage of discipline. These young children are rehearsing a part for real life, as bigger children might be rehearsing a part for imitation; and one of these sorts of rehearsers cannot be held more responsible than the other for the words that are put into his mouth--that he should be taxed with mere formality, empty profession, and the like. "For who maketh thee to differ? (says the apostle,) and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ?" (Cor. I. iv. 7.) You would not charge a tragedian with this offence for talking in a kingly style, when he was only a poor tragedian; no more could you charge a boy of only five years old with professing to believe more than men can profess correctly, when he has no more wit than a child. No, the charge of mere formality and empty profession must rather attach to those who do not what they profess to do and might in this case for the rising generation, and also to those who do not what they can for themselves in the same respect; not endeavouring perhaps either to comprehend the faith they have learned, or to follow the practice they profess. So that hearing the same creed pronounced in public simultaneously, or at once, by persons of different degrees, and having different means of information,—some repeating and not understanding, some understanding and not believing, if there were any that did both,-being all more than I will pretend to vindicate, we should consider the several sorts or degrees, to be more rehearsing or more professing the articles of their faith, as the Catechist says, each than other accordingly. We cannot consider the repetition of the apostle's creed, or of any other creed, as more than a