a mercantile profession, as a never-failing source, from which, under every circumstance of life, the mind may derive at once her noblest virtues and her brightest ornaments. And let not parents be deterred by the vulgar error of the necessary length of time before even a moderate degree of proficiency can be attained. With good masters all difficulty will quickly vanish; and in a very short time Greek, the elements of which are easier than those of Latin, may be as familiar in our children's mouths, as is now the humble Latinity of "Viri Romæ." Nor let it be imagined for a moment, that Classical knowledge, even if extended to scrupulous accuracy in dialects, prosody, and accent, will operate as a restraint upon them in their future professions. Has it impeded the celebrity of those glorious literary names, which in various circumstances have dazzled the world, and which received the first impression of future fame from youthful attainments in Classical lore? No! in such master spirits, the salutary shackles necessarily imposed at first for their benefit, are soon rent asunder by the voluntary efforts of genius, like the puny cords of the Philistines by Sampson! To the clergy, surely nothing need be said in favour of the study of the Classics, and in particular of the language in which the divine code of the New Testament has been delivered to them :-to the lawyer, in whose profession, justly termed learned, besides a mere knowledge of the practical part of ju risprudence, a vigorous and cultivated intellect, a rich imagination, a fluent copia verborum, and an eloquent delivery, are absolutely necessary towards forming a good advocate, and rivetting public favour and esteem -without disparaging his favourite Tully, a more magnificent model may be recommended in Demosthenes. In fine, in every profession and occupation of life, in every branch of science, the effect of a Classical education, and of an early initiation into the ancient languages will be advantageously felt. Like the overflowing waters of a copious and fertilizing stream, its benefits will spread in every direction: its influence will pervade every station, and the final results of its greater cultivation and better reception in this country, will be a more general diffusion of a purer taste, and a higher reputation for polite literature among older nations. JUVENILE STUDIES. In tenui labor, at tenuis non gloria; siquem In education, as in many other things, we are less deficient in the means of improvement, than in the skill to use them. A peculiar excellence of our system is, that it is calculated to be extended in proportion to the enlargement of our limits, and the increase of our population. This is not more the effect of wise laws, than of the settled principles and habits of the people. They are sensible how much they owe to the noble plan of public education, instituted and transmitted to them by their fathers. They preserve it as the best defence of present privileges, and the surest pledge of future prosperity. That so much good has proceeded from it, is not however a proof that it is faultless, but is a strong argument for endeavouring, as far as practicable, to make it so. The object of this essay is to point out what appears to some, a material error in our present practice of teaching two of the principal branches of elementary education, viz. Gram mar and Arithmetic. It is not the mode, but the order in which they are taught, that is the subject of the present disquisition. Our question may be properly introduced by one remark upon writing. A child should begin to learn this art as soon as he has strength to hold a pen steadily, and judgment enough to move it in one direction in preference to another. Early and long practice is the only means of acquiring ease, precision and rapidity in any mechanical exercise; writing is purely such, and ought therefore to be commenced as early as possible. Besides it will immediately become auxiliary to the memory, and will contribute in no slight degree to accuracy in all the exercises, to which it can be applied. There is still another reason for an early attention to this particular. Such is our constitution, that we are at first impatient of all mental labour. We desire nothing but bodily action, and the gratification of our appetites; and it is necessary to form in ourselves, as it were, a new nature, before we can relish any thing elevated and intellectual. This cannot be suddenly effected, and it is obvious that the transition should be made gradually, by mingling short exercises of the mind with those of the body, in which untutored nature most delights. Writing then at intervals will be a grateful and salutary relaxation from the labour of attention and memory, and may be permitted as a reward for the diligent employment of these two facul ties. This therefore is another argument for beginning to learn this art at the time we have proposed, viz. as early as the age of four or five, and sometimes earlier, for then the strength and judgment are generally equal to it. When the pupil can read with tolerable propriety, and write a legible hand, (both of which may in all cases be acquired before six, and in many much sooner,) he should proceed to arithmetic. This branch is commonly preceded by grammar, Latin or English; with how much propriety let us proceed to inquire. It will probably be admitted that many, and the greater part of the definitions and rules of grammar are generally unintelligible to young beginners, and must remain so, or be very imperfectly understood, till they have become extensively acquainted with the meaning of words; not their absolute and separate signification only, but the meaning as it is modified by a connexion with other words in a phrase or sentence. In short, they must have a tolerable etymology and syntax of their own, before they can understand the more abstract and complete ones of the grammar. It is often urged in defence of this custom, that the time of children is not worth much; and that it is more important that they be employed in some way, than how they are employed. It is certainly important that they be made to acquire habits of attention |