own reafon, which they call being governed by others, do it only, that Tutor. they may have the government of him themselves; and make him believe, he goes like a man of himself, by his own conduct, and for his own pleafure, when, in truth, he is wholly as a child, led by them into those vices, which best serve their purpofes. This is a knowledge, which, upon all occafions, a tutor fhould endeavour to inftil, and by all methods try to make him comprehend, and thoroughly relish.

I KNOW it is often faid, That to discover to a young man the vices of the age is to teach them him. That, I confefs, is a good deal fo, according as it is done; and therefore requires a discreet man of parts, who knows the world, and can judge of the temper, inclination, and weak fide of his pupil. This farther is to be remembered, that it is not poffible now (as perhaps formerly it was) to keep a young gentleman from vice, by a total ignorance of it; unless you will all his life mew him up in a clofet, and never let him go into company. The longer he is kept thus hood-winked, the lefs he will fee, when he comes abroad into open day-light, and be the more exposed to be a prey to himself and others. And an old boy, at his first appearance, with all the gravity of his ivybush about him, is fure to draw on him the eyes and chirping of the whole town volery; amongst which, there will not be wanting fome birds of prey, that will prefently be on the wing for him.

THE only fence against the world, is a thorough knowledge of it into which a young gentleman fhould be entered by degrees, as he can bear it; and the earlier the better, fo he be in fafe and skilful hands to guide him. The scene fhould be gently opened, and his entrance made step by step, and the dangers pointed out that attend him, from the feveral' degrees, tempers, defigns, and clubs of men. He should be prepared to be fhocked by fome, and careffed by others; warned who are like to oppofe, who to miflead, who to undermine him, and who to ferve him. He fhould be inftructed how to know and distinguish men; where he should let them fee, and when diffemble the knowledge of them, and their aims and workings. And if he be too forward to venture upon his own ftrength and skill, the perplexity and trouble of a misadventure now and then, that reaches not his innocence, his health, or reputation, may not be an ill way to teach him more caution.

THIS, I Confefs, containing one great part of wisdom, is not the product of fome fuperficial thoughts, or much reading; but the effect of experience and obfervation in a man, who has lived in the world with his eyes open, and converfed with men of all forts. And therefore I think it of moft value to be instilled into a young man, upon all occafions which offer themselves, that, when he comes to launch into the deep himself, he may not be like one at fea without a line, compafs, or fea-chart; but may have fome notice before-hand of the rocks and fhoals, the currents and quickfands, and know a little how to fteer, that he fink not, before he get experience. He that thinks not this of more moment to his fon, and for which he more needs a governor, than the languages

and

Tutor.

and learned fciences, forgets of how much more ufe it is to judge right of men, and manage his affairs wifely with them, than to fpeak Greek and Latin, or argue in mood and figure; or to have his head filled with the abftrufe fpeculations of natural philofophy and metaphyficks; nay, than to be well verfed in Greek and Roman writers, though that be much better for a gentleman, than to be a good Peripatetick or Cartesian: because those antient authors obferved and painted mankind well, and give the best light into that kind of knowledge. He that goes into the eaftern parts of Afia, will find able and acceptable men, without any of thefe: But without virtue, knowledge of the world, and civility, an accomplished and valuable man can be found no-where.

A GREAT part of the learning now in fashion in the fchools of Europe, and that goes ordinarily into the round of education, a gentleman may, in a good meafure, be unfurnished with, without any great difparagement to himself, or prejudice to his affairs. But prudence and good breeding are, in all the ftations and occurrences of life, neceffary; and moft young men fuffer in the want of them; and come rawer, and more aukward, into the world, than they should, for this very reafon; because these qualities, which are, of all other, the moft neceffary to be taught, and stand moft in need of the affiftance and help of a teacher, are generally neglected, and thought but a flight, or no part of a tutor's bufinefs. Latin and learning make all the noise: and the main stress is laid upon his proficiency in things, a great part whereof belongs not to a gentleman's calling; which is to have the knowledge of a man of bufinefs, a carriage fuitable to his rank, and to be eminent and useful in his country, according to his ftation. Whenever either fpare hours from that, or an inclination to perfect himself in fome parts of knowledge, which his tutor did but just enter him in, fet him upon any ftudy; the firft rudiments of it, which he learned before, will open the way enough, for his own induftry to carry him as far as his fancy will prompt, or his parts enable him to go: or, if he thinks it may fave his time and pains, to be helped over fome difficulties by the hands of a mafter, he may then take a man that is perfectly well skilled in it, or chufe fuch an one, as he thinks fitteft for his purpofe. But to initiate his pupil in any part of learning, as far as is neceffary for a young man in the ordinary course of his ftudies, an ordinary fkill in the governor is enough. Nor is it requifite that he should be a thorough fcholar, or poffefs in perfection all thofe fciences, which it is convenient a young gentleman fhould have a tafte of, in fome general view, or fhort fyftem. A gentleman, that would penetrate deeper, muft do it by his own genius and industry afterwards : for no-body ever went far in knowledge, or became eminent in any of the fciences, by the difcipline and conftraint of a master.

THE great work of a governor is to fashion the carriage, and form the mind; to fettle in his pupil good habits, and the principles of virtue and wisdom; to give him, by little and little, a view of mankind; and work him into a love and imitation of what is excellent and praife-worthy;

and,

and, in the profecution of it, to give him vigour, activity, and industry. Tutor. The studies which he fets him upon, are but, as it were, the exercifes of his faculties, and employment of his time, to keep him from fauntering and idleness, to teach him application, and accuftom him to take pains, and to give him fome little tafte of what his own industry must perfect. For who expects, that under a tutor a young gentleman fhould be an accomplished critick, orator, or logician; go to the bottom of metaphyficks, natural philofophy, or mathematics; or be a master in hiftory or chronology? Though fomething of each of thefe is to be taught him: but it is only to open the door, that he may look in, and, as it were, begin an acquaintance, but not to dwell there: and a governor would be much blamed, that fhould keep his pupil too long, and lead him too far in most of them. But of good But of good breeding, knowledge of the world, virtue, industry, and a love of reputation, he cannot have too much: and, if he have thefe, he will not long want what he needs or defires of the other.

AND, fince it cannot be hoped he should have time and ftrength to learn all things, moft pains fhould be taken about that which is most neceffary; and that principlly looked after, which will be of most and frequentest use to him in the world.

SENECA Complains of the contrary practice in his time: And yet the Burgerfdiciufes and the Scheiblers did not fwarm in thofe days, as they do now in thefe. What would he have thought, if he had lived now, when the tutors think it their great business to fill the ftudies and heads of their pupils with fuch authors as thefe? He would have had much more reafon to fay, as he does, "Non vitæ, fed fcholæ difcimus;" We learn not. to live, but to difpute; and our education fits us rather for the univerfity, than the world. But it is no wonder, if those who make the fashion, fuit it to what they have, and not to what their pupils want. The fashion being once established, who can think it ftrange, that in this, as well as in all other things, it should prevail; and that the greatest part of those, who find their account in an eafy fubmiffion to it, fhould be ready to cry out herefy, when any one departs from it? It is nevertheless matter of astonishment, that men of quality and parts fhould fuffer themfelves to be fo far mifled by cuftom and implicit faith. Reason, if confulted with, would advife, that their children's time fhould be spent in acquiring what might be useful to them, when they come to be men, rather than to have their heads ftuffed with a deal of trafh, a great part whereof they ufually never do (it is certain they never need to) think on again as long as they live; and fo much of it, as does stick by them, they are only the worfe for. This is fo well known, that I appeal to parents themselves, who have been at coft to have their young heirs taught it, whether it be not ridiculous for their fons to have any tincture of that fort of learning, when they come abroad into the world; whether any appearance of it would not leffen and difgrace them in company. And that certainly must be an admirable acquifition, and deferves well to make

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Familiarity.

make a part in education, which men are ashamed of, where they are most concerned to flew their parts and breeding.

THERE is yet another reafon, why politenefs of manners, and knowledge of the world, fhould principally be looked after in a tutor: and that is, because a man of parts and years may enter a lad far enough in any of those sciences, which he has no deep insight into himself. Books in these will be able to furnish him, and give him light and precedency enough, to go before a young follower: But he will never be able to fet another right in the knowledge of the world, and, above all, in breeding; who is a novice in them himself.

THIS is a knowledge he muft have about him, worn into him by ufe and converfation, and a long forming himself by what he has obferved to be practifed and allowed in the beft company. This, if he has it not of his own, is no-where to be borrowed, for the ufe of his pupil: Or if he could find pertinent treatises of it in books, that would reach all the particulars of an English gentleman's behaviour; his own ill-fashioned example, if he be not well-bred himself, would fpoil all his lectures; it being impoffible, that any one fhould come forth well-fashioned out of unpolished, ill-bred company.

I SAY this, not that I think such a tutor is every day to be met with, or to be had at the ordinary rates: but that those, who are able, may not be fparing of inquiry or coft, in what is of fo great moment; and that other parents, whofe eftates will not reach to greater falaries, may yet remember, what they should principally have an eye to, in the choice of one, to whom they would commit the education of their children; and what part they fhould chiefly look after themselves, whilft they are under their care, and as often as they come within their obfervation; and not think, that all lies in Latin and French, or fome dry fyftems of logick and philofophy.

$95. BUT to return to our method again. Though I have mentioned the severity of the father's brow, and the awe fettled thereby in the mind of children when young, as one main inftrument, whereby their education is to be managed; yet I am far from being of an opinion, that it should be continued all along to them: whilst they are under the discipline and government of pupilage, I think it fhould be relaxed, as fast as their age, difcretion, and good behaviour could allow it; even to that degree, that a father will do well, as his fon grows up, and is capable of it, to talk familiarly with him; nay, afk his advice, and confult with him, about those things wherein he has any knowledge or understanding. By this the father will gain two things, both of great moment. The one is, that it will put ferious confiderations into his fon's thoughts, better than any rules or advices he can give him. The fooner you treat him as a man, the fooner he will begin to be one: and if you admit him into ferious difcourfes fometimes with you, you will infenfibly raise his mind above the ufual amusements of youth, and thofe trifling оссираtions which it is commonly wafted in. For it is eafy to obferve, that

many young men continue longer in the thought and converfation of Familiarity, fchool-boys, than otherwise they would, because their parents keep them at that distance, and in that low rank, by all their carriage to them.

§ 96. ANOTHER thing of greater confequence, which you will obtain by fuch a way of treating him, will be his friendship. Many fathers, though they proportion to their fons liberal allowances, according to their age and condition; yet they keep the knowledge of their estates and concerns from them with as much refervednefs, as if they were guarding a secret of state from a fpy or an enemy. This, if it looks not like jealoufy, yet it wants those marks of kindness and intimacy, which a father fhould fhew to his fon; and, no doubt, often hinders or abates that chearfulness and fatisfaction, wherewith a fon fhould address himself to, and rely upon, his father. And I cannot but often wonder to see fathers, who love their fons very well, yet fo order the matter, by a constant stiffness, and a mien of authority and distance to them all their lives, as if they were never to enjoy or have any comfort from those they love best in the world, till they have loft them by being removed into another. Nothing cements and establishes friendship and good-will, fo much as confident communication of concernments and affairs. Other kindneffes, without this, leave ftill fome doubts; but when your fon fees you open your mind to him; when he finds, that you intereft him in your affairs, as things you are willing should, in their turn, come into his hands, he will be concerned for them as for his own; wait his feason with patience, and love you in the mean time, who keep him not at the distance of a Atranger. This will also make him fee, that the enjoyment you have, is not without care; which the more he is fenfible of, the lefs will he envy you the poffeffion, and the more think himself happy under the management of fo favourable a friend, and fo careful a father. There is fcarce any young man of fo little thought, or so void of sense, that would not be glad of a fure friend, that he might have recourfe to, and freely confult on occation. The refervednefs and diftance that fathers keep, often deprive their fons of that refuge, which would be of more advantage to them, than an hundred rebukes and chidings. Would your fon engage in fome frolick, or take a vagary; were it not much better he hould do it with, than without your knowledge? For fince allowances for fuch things must be made to young men, the more you know of his intrigues and defigns, the better will you be able to prevent great mifchiefs; and, by letting him see what is like to follow, take the right way of prevailing with him to avoid lefs inconveniencies. Would you have him open his heart to you, and ask your advice? You must begin to do fo with him firft, and by your carriage beget that confidence.

§ 97. BUT whatever he confults you about, unless it lead to fome fatal and irremediable mischief, be sure you advife only as a friend of more experience, but with your advice mingle nothing of command or authority, nor more than you would to your equal, or a stranger. That would be to drive him for ever from any farther demanding, or receiving advan

VOL. IV.

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