WERE I asked what principle in human power was calculated to produce the greatest effects on the dignity, usefulness and happiness of man, I should answer— EDUCATION.

Happily, we live in the close of a century, in which its in­fluence is no longer a problem seeking for solution, but an axiom that commands assent—Man has not lived in vain—Millions of individuals are rendered invisible by the shades of death, but the history of the species has given energy and duration to the most momentous truths. The progress of nations has marked the pow­er of education in characters which challenge time to obliterate: but it is the prerogative of civilization to appreciate its value. "Knowledge," says Bacon, "is power;" and it belongs to the century whose twilight now skirts our horizon, to convert this knowledge to the amelioration of the species. We have the in­strument within our grasp: dark, dissolute and guilty, will be that nation that has not virtue to use it. It is no longer neces­sary for the man of reflection to enquire what conferred on Athens and on Rome its ancient celebrity? what gave duration to the state of Sparta? what distinguished Egypt for its litera­ture and its science, when Greece and Rome ranked with bar­barians? [Page 10]why has the sun set so long on Africa and the East? what constitutes the difference between England in the days of Caesar, and at the close of the eighteenth century? Had New­ton passed his days in the country of the Hottentots, or Locke vegetated in the wigwams of the natives of this continent, what a tremendous chasm would have appeared in the pyramids of physical and moral science! The distinction which annihilates all others between the same nation at different periods, and different nations at the same period; between different in­dividuals of the same community, and the same person at dif­ferent times,—is Cultivation: but who does not perceive that this keeps pace with education?—is accelerated by it, or re­tarded by the want of it? Destitute of a liberal education, how shall our youth move with dignity where scenes of usefulness open?—how, where education alone qualifies?—how, where education alone is respected?—how fill the offices of a republi­can government, or take that lead in the active departments of life which manly sense, polished by culture, and dignified by integrity, is alone entitled to? Can honesty of intention, how­ever honourable, compensate for the errors of incapacity? What but the advantages of education can prevent the gloomy irksome­ness rustic solitude, or the fruitless wishes of advancing decre­pitude?—But I arrest my pen. All civilized nations now perceive its influence; all ranks desire to secure its advantages; and no man forms an exception to this observation, but he who is a slave to the most puerile inattention, or fallen into the stupor of gross depravity.

The man of property is compelled to regard it as a mine of exhaustless value; and the creature of a title feels that without it he is a phantom in creation! The numbers of Horace, the phi­losophy of Aristotle, and the code of Lycurgus harmonize here. I rejoice that the citizens of this and other republics join the chorus. The constitutions of America favour a course of lib­eral education—its legislatures encourage it: and while the fatigued spirit of a Washington roares from the theatre of pub­lic action, exclaiming with Horace, ‘"Quid leges sine moribus vanoe proficiunt?"’ Adams re-echoes in his inaugural oration,

Men like these know that education alone can supply this re­public with citizens formed to substdination.

[Page 11] What then, it may be asked, is the end which education pro­poses? I answer, to render our youth most useful to themselves, and to the state of which they are members; and by availing ourselves of the knowledge of the nature of man, to secure for them the greatest quantity of happiness in the most expeditious manner. It is thus that education anticipates and avails itself of the slow fruits of experience; and such is its widely extend­ed influence, that the liberal instruction of the rich will assur­edly better the condition of the poor; while the education of the poorer ranks will, for the most useful purposes, enable them to measure footsteps with the most opulent.

As a mean to this end, education includes an attention to the health, the understanding, and the morals, It divides itself in­to three parts: 1. physical; 2. moral; 3. intellectual. To conduct tuition therefore upon the largest scale, would require that a tutor should be attentive to the health, agility, address, and activity of the body: that he should know and attend to the influence of the elements, nourishment, cloathing, lodg­ing, exercises, and passions: that he should accustom the stu­dents to the various recreations of running, leaping, dancing, wrestling, carrying burdens, playing at tennis, &c. &c. The moral part would require from him a regular training to the various personal and social virtues. Beyond mere lectures on morality, the tutor should contrive such occasions as would bring every lesson into action: a particular attention should be given to the biography of men in every situation of active life; and I will add, altho' gloomy scepticism, wide-spreading infidel­ity, and desolating profligacy, should arraign me at their bar, He should know how to impress his pupils with just ideas of the moral character of the God of the universe, his government over all objects and events, and the exalted destiny of the whole human race. This, taught free from every thing extraneous, incidental, sectarian or puerile, will furnish such motives, excite such af­fections, impel to such actions, as will secure a love of justice in the magistrate, and of law in the citizen. From such principles, a spirit of subordination will arise, spontaneous as the fountain, diffusive as light, and harmonious as the solar system.

To cultivate the understanding of young people, is the pre­cise object of a day-school. It is not possible from the nature of such an institution, or any thing analagous to it, that a tutor should be able to give more than an indirect and subordinate atten­tion to either the health or morals of his pupils. The instant they leave the class-room, all responsibility on the part of their tutor is at an end; they then enter under the sole jurisdiction of their pa­rents, [Page 12]and are amenable alone to them for any misconduct. To unite all the advantages of physical, moral and intellectual educa­tion, would require that a tutor should be the companion of his classes. This is done to the best effect in small select boarding schools. When in England, I put my pupils under such regula­tions, as rendered it impossible for them to lose much time. Hours of recreation were occupied in amusements conducive to health; and the internal police of the seminary was regulated by a small code of laws, rendered effectual by corporal confinement, of longer or shorter duration.

That the minds of youth should be prepared for the future scenes of active life, by a fixed course of liberal education, is al­lowed and acted upon by all orders in society. What branches shall enter into this course, has suffered more or less fluctuation, according to the variations of opinion, the progress of taste, or the pressure of necessity. Hence the different degrees of atten­tion paid to certain arts, sciences and languages, in the same or different ages. Milton published a course of education in 1650: it appears to be for boys from the age of 12 to 20. His ideas on the order in which the branches of education should succeed each other, are founded on a just theory of the mind. When he complains that "youth learned mere words, ragged notions and babblements," does he not forcibly characterise the educa­tion of our expiring century? Gaillard, who published in 1678, particularly recommends the study of logic, ethics, and lan­guages. A distinguished writer of the present day, who has been much employed in qualifying young gentlement for active life, branches his course into the following articles: Religion, na­tural philosophy, natural history, agriculture, architecture, fortification, science of government, and navigation. Da­vid Williams, a star of no despicable magnitude in the hemi­sphere of literature, and who about the year 1773, brought forward his plan of education, founded on that given by Come­nius, who was invited to England to reform its schools, particu­larly recommends an attention to writing, drawing, the ma­thematics, logic, civil history, ethics, composition, botany, natural history in general, and the Latin, Greek, and French languages.

Without enquiring why certain objects are enumerated in, or excluded from the above-cited courses, I shall mark out such a one, as I hope will be found suited to this age and country—com­prehensive, useful, practicable, and preparatory to either of the pro­fessions, or any department of active life. As a parent deeply anxious to quality my own children for the chequered scenes of [Page 13]life, I ask myself, upon what principles ought their course of education to be founded? Can I bear that an object of such known and mighty influence, should be left to the irregular caprice or undiscerning prejudice of custom?—that they should be merely fitted to move in the lower walks of life, and not rather to ascend the more extended spheres, if circumstances invite them to it? Am I willing to substitute the showy for the solid?— branches almost obsolete, or whose utility is confined and acci­dental, for such as I know the momentary occurrences of life call for?—such as can never become useless—such as will enable them to qualify themselves for any department, that inclination, necessity, the hand of friendship, prospect of reputation, hope of gain, or ardent love of public good, may justify their pursuing? Though it belongs not me, at this distance to know, or deter­mine their future situations, I will have them furnished with such materials as will support whatever superstructure prudence shall require hereafter to be raised. In determining this question of utility, I perceive that I ought to have them educated in those branches which are most frequently called into action; such as will facilitate their acquaintance with others, and be they me­chanics, tradesmen, merchants, professional characters, or living in easy independence, their tutor shall present them with such keys as will open any of the doors of science. With such reso­lutions, arising out of the most precious cares of the heart, what are those particular advantages I am eager to secure my offspring by entering them into a course of education, whose principles I have now determined on? I answer, that as I do not send my son to a school that he may forget the most important years of his existence, I propose to myself a serious object.

1. I wish as soon as possible that he should possess a distinct articulation; an authorized pronunciation; a well-placed accent; a varied, but just emphasis; a pleasing modulation; a well-timed cadence, with every other attainment necessary to the usual pur­poses of reading or speaking.

2. That he should be capable of selecting and arranging his words in such a manner, as to avoid solecisms, barbarisms, ambiguities and vulgarities, with every other species of gram­matical inaccuracy.

3. That he should write our usual literal characters wit pro­portion, perspicuity and dispatch.

4. That he should manage numbers with case and correctness for the common purposes of civil life.

[Page 14] 5. That when he has occasion to record any thing, he should be capable of doing it with the greatest possible expedition.

6. That he should be acquainted with the most striking facts of ancien: and modern history.

7. That he should know the time when they happened.

8. That he should know the place where they happened.

9. That he should be able to reason on quantity, measure, extension; calculate on these with expedition; and thus be pre­pared to concentrate his attention with effect on astronomy, na­tural philosophy, architecture, &c. &c.

10. That he should come into life fitted to take a compre­hensive view of whatever may be the subject of his reflections; know how to avoid false judgments and inconclusive reasonings, and be able to methodize his thoughts for the purposes of so­cial communication.

11. That he should have his taste formed and refined by an acquaintance with the laws and kinds of style; the sources of in­vention; the uses of figurative language; and be able to express himself on any subject with ease, propriety and force.

12. I wish him not to be ignorant of the design of his moral powers; the most frequent springs of human actions, with their probable consequences.

13. That he should be qualified to become an enlightened and good citizen; understand the nature, design and kinds of govern­ments, and the reciprocal duties of the governors and the governed.

14. Finally, That he should have such an acquaintance with the dead and living languages, as will qualify him for any pro­fession, employ his leisure by drinking from the original sources of information, or at him to hold a communication with modern nations for the purposes, of science, commerce or recreation.

To obtain these advantages, would require that a tutor should superintend the education of his pupils through the following acts, science, and languages: Reading, English grammar, elo­cution, writing, arithmetic of integers, vulgar and decimal fraction, short hand, history, chronology, geography and the use of the globes, The following branches of simple mathematics;

[Page 15] Mensuration, geometry, trigonometry and algebra, general principles, including logic, rhetoric and composition, ethics and the science of government. Lastly, The Latin, Greek and French languages. Such is the course through which I doubt not men of enlarged minds would wish their children, by natu­ral and easy steps to be conducted; such is the course through which I offer to conduct them. If it will not perfect them, no plan of education is designed to do it. I have been solely led to this selection, by a sentiment of general utility. It does not include an object but what has important uses to a young gentlemen, whatever be his particular destination in life, and that as long as life shall last. Whatever bye-path I may wish to conduct my son through in any future period, this is the high road he should first be familiar with, and on which I would accustom him to exercise himself. To be a physician, a legal character, an officer of government, or a theologian, would require that he should ascend this scale in regular gradation; and without such a previous progress, he will in all probability soon descend not to rise again. With such qualifications as a proper study of this course will give him, I doubt not but any young gentleman would soon fit himself for any particular department. And such a course begun early in life, conducted with order, perseverence and talent, may be finished sufficiently early to enter into any scene of ac­tive life. Like the strong current of a wide navigable river, it easily conducts them to other diverging streams, and all fall at last into those great waters, on which men navigate for honour, profit or pleasure.

Having delineated the parts of a liberal education, that pa­rents my be at no loss to conceive how I would proceed in se­curing them, I shall thew what is the most easy, expeditious, pleasant and successful method of doing this. I give the follow­ing as the result of my own observation. These various branches should be taught by separate classes, at particular hours allotted for the objects of each class. Upon the usual plan of day-schools, a great number of young gentlement are assembled in the same room, at the same time; who learning a variety of different branches, necessarily distract each other's attention, when in fact they ought to assist it. The explanation which it is requisite for the professor to give upon one subject, weakens and calls off the attention of those who pursue another. The attention of the tutor is kept perpetually on the stretch; having to answer in succession questions upon topics totally unconnected with each other, his mind is more distracted, and his temper more tried: besides, are not habits of a desultory nature unavoidably formed in young men, from the necessity which such a practice re­duces [Page 16]every tutor to, of hearing several different classes at the same time? It is equally impossible for him to make those re­marks, which are necessary to correct the taste or enlarge the mind.

On the contrary, I presume it will be evident, that where a definite number assemble to attend to the same object, at the same meeting, according to the plan I am going to lay down, none of these disadvantages can take place. I will suppose then, the tutor provided with the best text books the country will afford, for the branches of this course. At the close of the period allotted to each class, let him explain a part of the ele­mentary treatise; let every pupil be obliged to commit this to memory, in readiness for the next meeting; let them repeat it memoritor, or give the ideas in their own language; let them be obliged to prove that they understand principles, by giving diver­sified examples in conversation and writing. This exercise will add new force to the memory by enlightening the understanding. At short stated intervals there should be a regular close examina­tion of the whole learnt within that period. The sciences should be instilled by the Socratic mode of conversation and memory; the arts by numerous exercises to form the requisite habits; the reason of every practice should be scrupulously pointed out, and the tutor should never desist, till the scholar has given proof of real knowledge. By proceeding on such a plan, the evils of our common day-schools will be obviated, and the time requisite for any particular branch may be calculated. When a wise man undertakes a journey, he first determines upon the most expeditious way of arriving at the end, and securing the object of it. If a guide be necessary, he will chuse one who is best acquainted with the road.

Such is the method in which I think education should be con­ducted. But aware of the force of prejudice and the reluctance parents would feel to their children not being employed the whole of the day, under the eye of a tutor, I propose to execute the above course by a morning and afternoon school, as at pre­sent; and to divide into 5 Classes.