If with these were combined, fome continued attention to LANGUAGES, antient and modernand to MATHEMATICS-the fcheme would be filled up, in a manner highly refpectable and useful.

Some establishment of this nature feems wanting, to compleat the many advantages for education, which are already enjoyed among us. Perhaps, few places can boast of greater advantages for the education of boys, in the first rudiments of school learning. Our more public and more private schools have justly obtained a very confiderable celebrity, not only at home, but abroad. If, to fo fair a foundation could be added a superstructure equally excellent, the whole edifice would appear compleat, ftrong, and noble.

A fcheme like that we are now fketching, might ferve as a very agreeable preparation for thofe, who are defigned for the LEARNED PROFESSIONS, by opening their way to thofe more profound and fyftematical inftructions, which they would afterwards receive, in our more public and celebrated institutions. And, to those Gentlemen defigned for the COMMERCIAL line, it would be abundantly fufficient, in order to give that general infight into fcience, which might answer the nobleft purposes of mental cultivation.

We have already mentioned, the intermediate ftage, between a fchool and bufinefs, as often an

C 4

ufelefs

useless, if not a dangerous one for youth. And yet, who would fcruple to fay, that more depends upon this period, as to the formation of manners, of habit, and of future character, than perhaps upon any other part of life, of equal duration? In this period, from fourteen to seventeen or eighteen years of age, the tranfition is made from boyishness to manhood. The company, the tafte, the plan of future life are now generally established. In this fpring, you behold the bloffoms; you prognofticate the fruit. A boy, before the age of fourteen, very feldom fees the end towards which he is going. After that age, he begins to obferve the point he fhould aim at: and not unfrequently, he gets more of real knowledge, and of the proper bent and direction of the mind, in two or three years after that period, than in all that have preceded it.

But what fhall a young man do, during this important interval? Shall he ftay at home? But here, probably, is no object before him, to fix, to entertain, or to improve his mind. He is in danger, therefore, of falling into liftleffness, and languor; of flying from this inactivity, fo irkfome to the fprightlinefs of youth, into improper and dangerous connections; or of feeking for amusement in gay company, the confequence of which is, diffipation and ruin. Hence, the trembling parent often finds himfelf obliged to fend his fon abroad into the world, though ever fo

defirous

defirous to keep him longer under his own eye, because he is fenfible, he is lofing time, and in danger of contracting habits of indolence, or of vice.

And even after a young man is engaged in business, there are many long evenings, and many hours of avocation, which might be ufefully and agreeably filled up. Shall all the labour of fo many years, as have been spent at school, be loft, and buried in everlasting oblivion? Shall fo much pains have been taken, in laying a foundation, and in erecting fcaffoldings, and fhall the mind never rife from thence, to the higher regions of literary improvement? Shall a boy close his fchool books, and, from that moment, never open them again? Shall he bid farewel to ftudy, and condemn the labour and difficulty, which he underwent in the ftage of youth, merely because he has not learned to apply the knowledge he there gained, to its nobleft end?

It is indeed argued, by fome, "That science and business are incompatible; and that a taste for the one, almoft neceffarily difqualifies a man for fucceeding in the other." But furely a taste for knowledge is not half fo detrimental, as that rage for pleasure, which fo univerfally, and almoft neceffarily prevails, where a better relifh has not previously been formed. Would not a tafte for manly knowledge be a noble antidote against

the

the allurement of corrupting pleasures? Would a young man be in fo much danger of being drawn afide into conviviality, or fashionable amufements, if he had a rational and agreeable entertainment at home; if he could retire from his warehouse, and relieve his jaded fpirits by fome animating ftudy, and thus fet a finer edge upon his mind again, blunted and worn down by intense application?

It is plain, that many of our tradesmen, the moft industrious and fuccefsful, have many hours of avocation. Human nature could not endure a perpetual screw to bufinefs, without relaxation. Might not these hours be often filled up much better, more honourably, more usefully, more happily, than they commonly are? Would mental cultivation, to a certain point, interfere with the neceffary demands of bufinefs? I know, it is generally thought fo. But, is true in fact? Shall we be told, "That most of our eminent tradefmen rose from low beginnings by unremitting industry, whilft thofe, who fet out with fairer fortune and profpects, made comparatively little progrefs?" But is not the reason of this, that our young men, inftead of forming a manly and cultivated tafte, fell into company and habits, which effectually diffipated their minds, and unfitted them for proper attention to any important object whatever?

But,

But, "There have been young men too bookish for a warehoufe"-It is granted. But it is probable, they never had a proper turn of mind for business. Their parts were wrong caft. They should have been brought up to fome liberal profeffion, more agreeable to their genius. They were probably obliged to enter upon a line of life not correfpondent to their ruling paffion. No wonder, they did not fucceed!

The object to be aimed at is, To give a boy, in these intermediate years, to which alone our plan extends, that degree of knowledge and of talte, which may make him more than the MERE MAN OF BUSINESS in future life. The point to be avoided is, The giving him views, habits, and taste, which may be UNSUITABLE FOR A MAN OF BUSINESS, and which he would have to unlearn again, when he came to fettle down to the regular routine of a warehouse.

How far it would be poffible to gain this advantage, and to avoid this disadvantage, is a point of the utmost concern to determine. Might not a boy, for fome years after he has been introduced into bufinefs, have fome intervals allowed him, which might be fufficient for the cultivation of his mind? Is it neceffary that, the moment he enters a warehouse, he should lay down this maxim-"I must now give every moment to trade-I must have but ONE

object