joyment of their being. This age might be termed the age of true happiness; but for him alone, who, from the prudence of his parents and good examples, and from a good and unprejudiced education, has preserved in its pristine purity, that divine spark received from above. This interesting epocha, which with great propriety may be called the birth of reason, is certainly the most decisive for the cultivation of the understanding. The mind, at this period is open to receive every impression; Nature herself seems to invite youth, well prepared, to the admiration of her beauties, by stimulating their minds, to observe and try to unravel the mysterious causes of the wonderful order, that reigns in all her stupendous works. We repeat it, it is a time fit to form a young man to the great, arduous, and to the only useful art of thinking: to form him to habits of comparing and reasoning; and to infuse into his mind, sound principles of morality, of his duty, true honour and virtue. But we have greatly to lament that they generally leave the seminaries at that age, when they have experienced only the trouble of study, and lrave not yet felt the delights of its allurements. They, therefore, leave off their studies, determined never to open books, which occasioned to them only heartach and disgust.

In this seminary are taught, writing, English grammar, and composition; to read, pronounce, to speak and write the French language with accuracy, purity and elegance: to compose in that language, on any subject taken within the circle of knowledge, already acquired: the Latin, so far as to enable the scholar, thoroughly to understand any of the classics, he pleases to study without feeling the necessity of a dictionary; rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, mathematics, geography, history and philosophy, with other incidental instructions.

It will easily be perceived by the judicious observers of the gradations Nature keeps in the development of the understanding, that to pursue this course of a liberal education, requires a process of time adequate to its extension; to the natural capacity and disposition of the scholar; to his application, industry, and especially to his docility. It requires also, on the part of the parents, prudence, fortitude of mind sufficient to enforce discipline; and patience to bear the infirmities and weakness

of human nature: for Nature, slow in her operations, has not imparted to youth the power of embracing or comprehending, in one point of view, ideas of different kinds. Without these preliminaries, education is precarious: and an ill-digested one is worse than none at all. Knowledge of any kind cannot be given: gold cannot purchase it; but it is only the sweet and wholesome fruit of a long, laborious and constant exertion of a asrong mind.

In order that justice may be done to every capacity, the number of teachers is in the proportion of one for ten scholars.

The house is large, commodious and airy. It is situated on the Frankford road to Germantown, about four miles from Philadelphia. Standing high, it commands an extensive and beautiful prospect. The salubrity of the place is too well known to need any further comment. It would be an ostentatious and indeed no easy task to say more on this important subject, or to expatiate on the plan we pursue. The rapid progress of many of cur pupils, and the success we have obtained in various branches, as well as in good manners and decorum, are convincing proofs of its being well adapted, to the varied dispositions of youth. Our course of instruction is simple, though in some respects novel. Nature and experience are our faithful guides through the wonderful mazes of the human fabric. We promise no wonders, nor to rear prodigies. Candour, honour and honesty forbid us to promise any thing more than to perform, in the profession we have assumed, our duty with diligence, true parental care, and with an unremitted zeal. This we venture to pledge to our honourable and respectable patrons, together with all the fruit of lives, which have, from our youth, been entirely devoted to literature and philosophy; now our sweet and friendly refuge; and always our best support in the hard struggles of adverse fortune.

JOHN THOMAS CARRÉ,

September 2, 1810.

President.

One of the Assistant Ministers of Christ Church, St. Peter's, and St. James', in the city of Philadelphia.

For the brevity of this and the biographical sketches of Bishop Moore and Bishop White, published in two former numbers of the Port Folio, the Editor believes no other apology will be deemed necessary, than to state, that the very respectable subjects of them are living, and in the exercise of their digni. fied and useful professions- Delicacy and propriety seem therefore to forbid the publication of more than chronological notices.

Posthumous praise is for one reason entitled to a decided preference: it proceeds from an inquest free at least from "the imputation of fear, reward, gain, or the hope thereof," and when it is pronounced it is on a view of the whole ground, it begins with youth and does not pass upon the merit of the individual until he "has finished his course."

DR. ABERCROMBIE was born in this city, on the 26th of January 1758. He received his education in the College and Academy of Philadelphia, and was admitted to the degree of A. B.