contemplat upon moral good and evill. Then will be required a special reinforcement of constant and sound endoctrinating to set them right and firm; instructing them more amply in the knowledge of vertue and the hatred of vice, while their young and pliant affections are led through all the morall works of Plato, Xenophon, Cicero, Plutarch, Laertius, and those Locrian remnants, but still to be reduc't in their nightward studies wherewith they close the dayes work, under the determinate sentence of David or Solomon, or the Evangels and Apostolic Scriptures.

XIV. Being perfit in the knowledge of personall duty, they may then begin the study of economies. And either now or before this they may have easily learnt at any odde hour the Italian tongue. And soon after, but with warinesse and good antidote, it would be wholsome anough to let them tast some choise comedies, Greek, Latin, or Italian; those tragedies, also, that treat of household matters, as Trachiniæ, Alcestis, and the like.

xv. The next remove must be to the study of Politics. To know the beginning, end, and reasons of politicall societies; that they may not, in a dangerous fit of the commonwealth, be such poor, shaken, uncertain reeds, of such a tottering conscience as many of our great counsellors have lately shewn themselves, but stedfast pillars of the state.

XVI. After this they are to dive into the grounds of law, and legall justice, deliver'd first, and with best warrant, by Moses; and, as farre as human prudence can be trusted, in those extoll'd remains of Grecian lawgivers, Lycurgus, Solon, Zaleucus, Charondus, and thence to all the Roman edicts and tables, with their Justinian, and so down to the Saxon and common laws of England, and the statutes.

XVII. Sundays, also, and every evening may be now understandingly spent in the highest matters of theology and church history, ancient and modern; and ere this time the Hebrew tongue, at a set hour, might have been gain'd, that the scriptures may be now read in their own originall, whereto it would be no impossibility to addé the Chaldey and the Syrian dialect.

XVIII. When all these employments are well conquered, then will the choice histories, heroic poems, and Attic tragedies of statliest and most regal argument, with all the famous politicall orations, offer themselves, which, if they were not only read, but some of them got by memory, and solemnly pronounc'd with right accent and grace, as might be taught, would endue them even with the spirit and vigour of Demosthenes or Cicero, Euripides or Sophocles.

XIX. And now, lastly, will be the time to read with them those organic arts, which enable men to discourse and write perspicu

ously, elegantly, and according to the fitted stile of lofty, mean, or lowly. Logic, therefore, so much as is usefull, is to be referr'd to this due place, with all her well coucht heads and topics, untill it be time to open her contracted palm into a graceful and ornate rhetorick, taught out of the rule of Plato, Aristotle, Phalereus, Cicero, Hermogenes, Longinus.

xx. To which poetry would be made subsequent, or, indeed, ratherprecedent, as being lesse subtle and fine, but more simple, sensuous, and passionate. I mean not here the prosody of a verse, which they could not but have hit on before among the rudiments of grammar, but that sublime art which in Aristotle's Poetics, in Horace, and the Italian Commentaries of Castelvetro, Tasso, Mazzoni, and others, teaches what the laws are of a true Epic poem, what of a dramatic, what of a Lyric, what decorum is, which is the grand masterpiece to observe. This would make them soon perceive what despicable creatures our common rimers and playwriters be, and shew them what religious, what glorious and magnificent use migh be made of poetry, both in divine and humane things.

XXI. Or whether they be to speak in Parlament or counsell, honour and attention would be waiting on their lips. There would then also appear in pulpits other visages, other gestures, and stuffe otherwise wrought, then what we now sit under, oft times to as great a triall of our patience as any other that they preach to us.

· XXII. These are the studies wherein our noble and our gentle youth ought to bestow their time in a disciplinary way from twelve to one and twenty, unlesse they rely more upon their ancestors dead, then upon themselves living. In which methodical course, it is so suppos'd, they must proceed by the steddy pace of learning onward, as at convenient times for memorie's sake to retire back into the middle ward, and sometimes into the rear of what they have been taught, untill they have confirmed, and solidly united the whole body of their perfited knowledge, like the last embatteling of a Romane legion. Now will be worththe seeing what exercises and what recreations may best agree, and become these studies.

THEIR EXERCISE.

XXIII. The course of study hitherto briefly describ'd is, what I can guesse by reading likest to those ancient and famous schools of Pythagoras, Plato, Isocrates, Aristotle, and such others, out of which was bred up such a number of renowned philosophers, orators, historians, poets, and princes all over Greece, Italy, and Asia, besides the flourishing studies of Cyrene, and Alexandria. VOL. XVII. Pam. NO, XXXIII.

I

But herein it shall exceed them, and supply a defect as great as that which Plato noted in the commonwealth of Sparta, whereas that city train'd up their youth most for warre, and these in their academies and Lyceum, all for the gown; this institution of breeding which I here delineate, shall be equally good, both for peace and warre.

XXIV. Therefore, about an hour and a halfe ere they eat at noon should be allow'd them for exercise and due rest afterwards; but the time for this may be enlarg'd at pleasure, according as their rising in the morning shall be early. The exercise which I commend first, is their exact use of their weapon; to guard and to strike safely with edge or point; this will keep them healthy, nimble, strong, and well in breath; is also the likeliest means to make them grow large and tall, and to inspire them with a gallant and fearlesse courage, which being tempered with seasonable lectures and precepts to them of true fortitude and patience, will turn into a native and heroic valour, and make them hate the cowardise of doing wrong. They must be also practized in all the locks and gripes of wrastling, wherein Englishmen were wont to excell, as need may often be in fight to tugge, to grapple, and to close. And this perhaps will be anough, wherein to prove and heat their single strength.

XXV. The interim of unsweating themselves regularly, and convenient rest before meat, may both with profit and delight be taken up in recreating and composing their travail'd spirits with solemn and divine harmonies of musick heard or learnt, either while the skilful Organist plies his grave and fancied descant in lofty fugues, or the whole symphony with artfull and unimaginable touches, adorn and grace the well studied cords of some choice composer; sometimes the lute, or soft organ stop, waiting on elegant voices, either to religious, martial, or civil ditties, which, if wise men and prophets be not extremely out, have a great power over dispositions and manners, to smoth and make them gentle from rustick harshnesse, and distemper'd passions. The like also would not be unexpedient after meat, to assist and cherish nature in her first concoction, and send their mindes back to study in good tune and satisfaction.

XXVI. Where having follow'd it close under vigilant eye till about two hours before supper, they are by a sudden alarm or watch-word, to be call'd out to their military motions, under skie or covert according to the season, as was the Romane wont, first on foot, then, as their age permits, on horseback, to all the art of cavalry. That having in sport, but with much exactnesse and dayly muster, serv'd out the rudiments of their souldiership in all the skill of embattailing, marching, encamping, fortifying, besieging, and battering, with all the helps of ancient and modern stra

tagems, Tactiks and warlike maxims, they may as it were out of a long warre come forth renowned and perfect commanders in the service of their country.

XXVII. They would not then, if they were trusted with fair and hopefull armies, suffer them for want of wise and just discipline to shed from about them like sick feathers, though they be never so often supplied; they would not suffer their empty and unrecrutible colonells of twenty men in a company, to quaff out or convey into secret hoards the wages of a delusive list, and a miserable remnant; yet, in the meanwhile to be overmaster'd with a score or two of drunkards, the only souldiery left about them, or else to comply with all rapines and violences. No, certainly if they knew ought of that knowledge that belongs to good men or good governours, they would not suffer these things..

XXVIII. But to return to our own institute; besides these constant exercises at home, there is another opportunity of gaining experience to be one from pleasure itselfe abroad: In those vernal seasons of the yeer, when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullennesse against nature not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth. I should not therefore be a persuader to them of studying much then after two or three yeers that they have well laid their grounds, but to ride out in companies with prudent and staid guides to all the quarters of the land: learning and observing all places of strength, all commodities of building, and of soil for towns and tillage, harbours, and ports for trade, Sometimes taking sea as farre as to our navy, to learn there also what they can in the practical knowledge of sailing and of sea fight.

XXIX. These wayes would trie all their peculiar gifts of nature, and if there were any secret excellence among them, would fetch it out, and give it fair opportunities to advance it selfe by, which could not but mightily redound to the good of this nation, and bring into fashion again those old admired vertues and excellencies, with farre more advantage now in this puritie of Christian knowledge. Nor shall we then need the monsieurs of Paris to take our hopefull youth into their slight and prodigall custodies, and send them over back again transform'd into mimics, apes, and kicshoes. But, if they desire to see other countries at three or four and twenty years of age, not to learn principles, but to enlarge experience, and make wise observation, they will by that time be such as shall deserve the regard and honour of all men where they passe, and the society and friendship of those in all places who are best and most eminent. And perhaps then other nations will be glad to visit us for breeding, or else to imitate us in our own country,

XXX. Now, lastly, for their diet there cannot be much to say, save only that it would be best in the same house, for much time else would be lost abroad, and many ill habits got; and that it should be plain, healthfull, and moderate I suppose out of controversie. Thus Master Hartlib, you have a generall view in writing, as your desire was, of that which at several times I had discourse with you concerning the best and noblest way of education, not beginning, as some have done, from the cradle, which yet might be worth many considerations, if brevity had not been my scope; many other circumstances also I could have mentioned, but this to such as have the worth in them to make triall, for light and direction may be anough. Only I believe that this is not a bow for every man to shoot in that counts himselfe a teacher, but will require sinews almost equal to those which Homer gave Ulysses, yet I am with all perswaded that it may prove much more easie in the assay, then it now seems at distance, and much more illustrious: Howbeit not more difficult then I imagine, and that imagination presents me with nothing but very happy and very possible according to best wishes; if God have so decreed, and this age have spirit and capacity anough to apprehend.

ACADEMICAL INSTITUTION,

More particularly intended for Students in Law and Students in Medicine.

Lothian Street, Edinburgh, No. 18.

FROM an admiration of the wisdom and benevolence of the above plan, and in pious reverence of its immortal author, whose very orthography has been carefully observed, an humble individual has attempted to carry some parts of this idea into execution in the city of Edinburgh. First, A house has been taken close to the College in Lothian Street, and a manciple engaged, so that students may have the opportunity of taking their meals together whenever they please, and of being served as reasonably as they can be at any other place in this town, and where, besides dining together in the Hall, the students may have access to the Common room at all times. As an Academical Institution ought to embrace as many parts of education as possible, the first masters in the different professions have been engaged, and the students will have