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will public or private happiness be nourished or poisoned at. its root. Upon the education of woman it depends, under Divine Providence, whether she shall be the most useful, or the most mischievous of mortals; whether she shall be the most valuable blessing of human society, or the most dreadful scourge of Almighty visitation. Solemn thought! How deeply ought the subject to engage the attention, to interest the heart, to excite the prayers, and to animate the diligence of every parent.

2. We are, perhaps, wiser than our fathers, in having learned to appreciate more justly than they did, the talents of women, and in devising plans of education better fitted to develope and improve these talents. But it is feared we fall below our venerable predecessors, in cultivating the moral and religious character of females, and in fitting them for some of the more useful and important duties of their sex. When we learn, generally to correct this errour; when we teach our daughters properly to estimate their true dignity, and diligently to pursue their real happiness, when we persuade them to reflect, that education consists not in the acquisition of dazzling and meretricious arts, but in preparing themselves to be respectable and useful wives, mothers, members of society, and christians, then, and not till then, may we hope to see the moral character of society raised, and the real importance of the female sex more justly estimated, and more duly honoured.

Monition to Children.

1. IT is to little effect that moral instruction is conveyed to you, if you will neither listen to, nor observe the precepts which are recommended. You can give no better proofs of a docile temper, than by paying proper respect to those lessons. which are calculated for the improvement, either of the faculties of the mind, or affections of the heart..

2. Think not that the business of education is a hardship to which you are subject. It is intended solely for your benefit, and to instruct you in those virtues and accomplishments which will tend to make you good and happy, useful and agreeable. Consider, likewise, that your parents, by their conduct in this instance, are discharging that office which is incumbent on them. Your interest, therefore, and their duty, are sufficient inducements for the one to furnish the means of improvement, and for the others to be docile and obedient to their teachers.

3. Should you at any time receive reproof, though you may think yourselves then aggrieved, yet in the serious moments of

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reflection, when you will be more capable of judging from what motive, and to what purpose it was given, you will be affected by very different emotions, and will be thankful to your monitor. Reproof,' says the wise man, gives wisdom, but a child left to himself, bringeth his mother to shame ;' because in the early stage of life, children are chiefly under maternal care and tuition. To make them wise and good, they must not only be instructed in their duty, but be reproved and admonished, when they do wrong. If left to their own wills, or suffered to follow their own inclinations, they will prove, as experience too evidently demonstrates, a disgrace to those by whose indulgence they were unrestrained.

4. You, therefore, who are blessed with good and pious parents, I would address in the words of Solomon-' Children, keep the commandments of your father; and forsake not the law of your mother. Bind them continually upon your hearts, and tie them about your necks. Whithersoever you go, they shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you awake, they shall talk with you.

5. Having thus considered the advantages of a docile temper, I shall conclude with a few observations on the best means of acquiring or improving it.

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6. The first thing necessary is, ATTENTION. Without this, the most useful lessons of instruction will have but little effect on your minds. You can neither retain in memory that which has been communicated to you, nor digest it afterwards. Your inattention will also be disrespectful to those who are delivering any discourse, or conveying any information which is intended for your improvement. If you aspire after knowledge, you will listen to her voice; otherwise you will be even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears.' But whatever may be the mode of instruction or the object of it, without attention you can profit but little. No proficiency can be made in any course of study or learning, without application. Sufficient time is allowed you to relax your minds; but when you are employed on serious subjects, let not your thoughts be dissipated. Indulge not in careless indifference, because the business of education is a matter of great importance, and, therefore, requires the most constant assiduity.

7. The next thing I would recommend to you is, a seasonable taciturnity without this, it is impossible you can give that degree of attention which is necessary. To be loquacious or talkative whilst you are receiving instruction, denotes a frivolous mind. Silence is the first step to wisdom. It was held in

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such great esteem amongst the ancients, that they deified it, that is, they worshipped it as a god. By the Romans it was represented under a female form, holding up a finger to its mouth. Solomon has left an observation upon this subject. There is a time,' says he, to speak, and a time to hold one's peace.' This being the case, you will do wrong to suppose that a restraint of this kind, at proper intervals, is an instance of rigour. They are your best friends who lay this injunction upon you; to which you will strictly conform, if you have a wish or an inclination to be improved. It is only by knowledge that we raise the dignity of human nature; without this we should rank with the untutored savage. And there cannot be a greater disgrace to a rational being, than to be ignorant, in so enlightened a period as the present, where so many op. portunities offer for cultivating the understanding.

Parental Example.

1. In the management of children in school, the parents' example commonly has more weight than a teacher's precepts. It is of the utmost consequence that parents co-operate with the teacher, both by precept and example, and that they contribute all in their power to inspire their children with a regard and veneration for their instructers. They ought, indeed, first to find one who is worthy of esteem and veneration; for it is difficult, and indeed unnatural, to compel children to esteem and love him, who possesses not amiable and estimable qualities. When such an instructer is found, great confidence should be placed in him. He should be considered as the companion of the parents, and the friend of their children.

2. Children, from a want of judgment, of experience of principle, however well treated, will often complain to their parents of ill usage. If there is no reason for complaint, they will not hesitate to invent one. If the parents listen to them, they will observe no bounds, and hesitate not to propagate the most shocking calumnies against their instructers. The love of novelty induces them to wish to be removed to some other place of education; revenge for some proper correction inflicted upon them, urges them to spare no pains in injuring their teacher's character or interest. The most flagrant acts of injustice, in this particular, have been committed by parents at the instigation of their children. They have been known to attack worthy, benevolent, and generous instructers in the most virulent and insulting manner, and throw out the most malicious, false, and black aspersions, on their character, because

a wayward child had told a falsehood concerning the rules, re gulations and discipline of the school. The fact alleged, has been proved to be a falsehood, but pride or ignorance kept the parents from retracting, and even stimulated them to add new virulence to their merciless invectives. So thankless is this useful office when parents are destitute of judgment, humanity, and gratitude!

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3. This unfortunate conduct of ill-judging parents, is very There is scarcely a school in America that could not produce instances of it. It has been complained of by many sensible and judicious instructers, It has broke the peace of many ingenious and respectable persons, who have been engaged in the care and instruction of youth, and paved the way to the ruin of hopeful children.

Vision of Mirza.

1. On the fifth day of the moon, which according to the cus tom of my forefathers I always keep holy, after having washed myself, and offered up my morning devotions, I ascended the high hills of Bagdat, in order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here airing myself on the top of the mountains, I fell into a profound contemplation on the vanity of human life; and passing from one thought to another, surely, said I, man is but a shadow, and life a dream. Whilst I was thus musing, I cast my eyes towards the summit of a rock that was not far from me, where I discovered one in the habit of a shepherd, but who was in reality, a being of superiour nature. I drew near with profound reverence, and fell down at his feet. The genius smiled upon me with a look of compassion and affability, that familiarized him to my imagination, and at once dispelled all the fears and apprehensions with which I approached him. He lifted me from the ground, and taking me by the hand, Mirza, said he, I have heard thee in thy soliloquies: follow me.

2. He then led me to the highest pinnacle of the rock, and placing me on the top of it, cast thy eyes eastward, said he, and tell me what thou seest. I see, said I, a huge valley, and a prodigious tide of water rolling through it. The valley that thou seest, said he, is the vale of misery; and the tide of water that thou seest, is part of the great tide of eternity. What is the reason, said I, that the tide I see rises out of a thick mist at one end, and again loses itself in a thick mist at the other? What thou seest said he, is that portion of eternity which is called Time, measured out by the sun, and reaching from the begin

ning of the world to its consummation. Examine now, said he, this sea that is bounded with darkness at both ends, and tell me what thou discoverest in it. I see a bridge, said I, standing in the midst of the tide. The bridge thou seest, said he, is human life; consider it attentively. Upon a more leisurely survey of it, I found that it consisted of threescore and ten arches, with several broken arches, which, added to those that were entire, made up the number about a hundred.

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3. As I was counting the arches, the genius told me that this bridge consisted at first of a thousand: but that a great flood swept away the rest, and left the bridge in the ruinous condition I now beheld it. But tell me further,, said he, what thou discoverest on it. I see multitudes of people passing over it, said I, and a black cloud hanging on each end of it. more attentively, I saw several of the passengers dropping through the bridge into the great tide that flowed underneath it; and, upon further examination, perceived there were innumerable trap-doors that lay concealed in the bridge, which the passengers no sooner trod upon, than they fell through them into the tide, and immediately disappeared. These hidden pitfalls were set very thick at the entrance of the bridge, so that throngs of people no sooner broke through the cloud, than many fell into them. They grew thinner towards the middle, but multiplied and lay closer together towards the end of the arches that were entire. There were indeed some persons, but their number was very small, that continued a kind of hobbling march on the broken arches, but fell through one after another, being quite tired and spent with so long a walk.

4. I passed some time in the contemplation of this wonderful structure, and the great variety of objects which it presented. My heart was filled with a deep melancholy, to see several dropping unexpectedly in the midst of mirth and jollity, and catching at every thing that stood by them, to save themselves. Some were looking up towards the heavens in a thoughtful posture, and, in the midst of a speculation, stumbled and fell out of sight. Multitudes were very busy in the pursuit of bubbles, that glittered in their eyes, and danced before them; but often, when they thought themselves within the reach of them, their footing failed, and down they sunk. In this confusion of objects, I observed some with scimitars in their hands, and others with urinals, who ran to and fro upon the bridge, thrusting several persons on trap-doors which did not seem to lie in their way, and which they might have escaped had they not been thus forced upon them.

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