PREFACE.

In the education of youth three objects prefented themselves to my mind: to prevent the waste of time in school; to render the condition of pupils pleasant to themselves; and to lead the attention to proper purfuits. In other words, my purpose was to make good scholars, good men, and good Chriftians.

In charge of a new inftitution, and, by fituation, free from any bias or trammel that might warp the mind or fhackle exertion, I tried every method, which a long and earnest attention to the nature and difpofition of youth fuggested, to accomplish these ends to my own fatisfaction. After many attempts, with various fuccefs, I refted in a fyftem, furpaffing, in its effect, any expectation I had formed, and "far exceeding the most fanguine hopes" of the directors of the inftitution, and others interested in the event.

The experiment, thus made at Madras, has appeared to thofe, who have witnessed the refult, convincing and decifive in regard to charitable establishments; and the plan of education, there adopted, has, after the' experience of several years, been, by those whofe opinions are likely to have the greatest weight, recommended to fimilar establishments. How far such a system will apply to education in general, may be inferred from the tenour of the following report. That further and fimilar trials may be made, and the fuccefs, in every inftance, afcertained by experience, is the aim of this publication.

INTRODUCTORY DOCUMENTS.

The following Documents were thought necessary to give. authenticity and weight, as well as to form an introduction, to the original Essay.

Feb, 10th, 1796.

LORD Hobart prefents his compliments to Dr. Bell, and has the pleasure to acquaint him that he has read with much attention the extracts from the Reports of the Male Afylum, which he tranfmitted to him, and is of opinion that the fyftem is fo good, and fo well calculated to promote the purposes of education in general, but more particularly in establishments fimilar to that which has evidently derived fuch important advantages from it, that he confiders its promulgation to the public might be attended with the most beneficial effects.

EXTRACTS of GENERAL LETTERS from the Government of Fort St. George to the Honourable the Court of Directors of the East India Company, in the Military Department.

1793, Jan. 30th. Para. 77. We have the honour to fend in the packet copy of a letter from the Directors of the Male Orphan Society, with the annual report of the state of the institution and its funds, a return of the boys on the foundation, and a copy of the regulations of the school, as they have been lately enlarged and improved.

Para. 78. We think it due to the Rev. Dr. Bell, who fuperintends the education of the boys, to observe, that his unremitting zeal and attention to the objects of the trust committed to him deferve our particular approbation.

1794, Feb. 18th. Para. 110. In the 46th para. of this addrefs we have referred your Honourable Court to the report tranfmitted from the directors of the Male Asylum, relative to the rise and progress of that institution; and, as this subject is now fully before

you, we think it a justice due to the Rev. Dr. Bell to testify our approbation of the zeal, ability, and fuccefs, with which he has conducted the school belonging to this charity, for more than four years, entirely corresponding to the difinterested motives which induced him to undertake the charge, and uniformly to decline all proffered falary for the task.

1796, Aug. 16th. Para. 23.

We have often had occafion to notice the meritorious conduct of Dr. Bell in his management of the School for Male Orphans (of which he has had the charge from its first institution to the present time), as well as in his general character, which has been at all times exemplarily correct. And here we muft obferve, that the extraordinary degree of fuccefs which has attended the mode of education introduced by him, has gone beyond all expectation, and does him the highest credit. But this will be better known by a reference to the papers, of which we have the honour to fend a number in the packet. And in recommending them to your con

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