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HINTS

TOWARDS FORMING THE CHARACTER OF A YOUNG PRINCESS.

I call that a complete and generous education, which fits a person to perform justly, skilfully, and magnanimously, all the offices both of public and private life, of peace and of war.-Milton.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND THE LORD BISHOP OF EXETER.

MY LORD,-Could it have been foreseen by the author of the following pages, that, in the case of the illustrious person who is the subject of them, the standard of education wonld have been set so high; and especially, that this education would be committed to such able and distintinguished hands, the work might surely have been spared. But as the work was gone to the press before that appointment was announced, which must give general satisfaction, it becomes important to request, that if the advice suggested in any part of the work should appear presumptuous, your lordship, and still more the public, who might be more forward than your lordship in charging the author with presumption, will have the candour to recollect, that it was offered, not to the learned bishop of Exeter, but to an unknown, and even to an imaginary preceptor.

Under these circumstances, your lordship will perhaps have the goodness to accept the dedication of the following pages; not as arrogantly pointing out duties to the discharge of which you are so competent, but as a mark of the respect and esteem with which I have the honour to be,

My lord, your lordship's most obedient and most faithful servant,

THE AUTHOR.

April 2, 1805.

PREFACE.

Ir any book, written with an an upright and disinterested intention, may be thought to require an apology, it is surely the slight work which is now, with the most respectful deference, subinitted, not to the public only, but especially to those who may be more immediately interested in the important object which it has in view.

If we were to inquire what is, even at the present critical period, one of the most momentous concerns which can engage the attention of an Englishman, who feels for his country like a patriot, and for his posterity like a father; what is that object of which the importance is not bounded by the shores of the British islands nor limited by our colonial possessions ;-with which, in its consequences, the interests, not only of all Europe, but of the whole civilized world, may hereafter be in some measure implicated; what Briton would hesitate to reply, the education of the princess Charlotte of Wales?

After this frank confession of the unspeakable importance of the subject in view, it is no wonder if the extreme difficulty, as well as delicacy of the present undertaking, is acknowledged to be sensibly felt by the author.

It will too probably be thought to imply not only officiousness, but presumption, that a private indi vidual should thus hazard the obtrusion of unsolicited observations on the proper mode of forming the character of an English princess.-It may seem to involve an appearance of unwarrantable distrust, by implying an apprehension of some deficiency in the plan about to be adopted by those, whoever they may be, on whom this great trust may be devolved: and to indicate self-conceit, by conveying an intimation, after so strong an avowal of the delicacy and difficulty of the task, that such a deficiency is within the powers of the author to supply.

That author, however, earnestly desires, as far ar it may be possible to obviate these anticipated charges, by alleging that under this free constitution, in which every topic of national policy is openly canvassed, and in which the prerogatives of the crown form no mean part of the liberty of the subject, the principles which it is proper to instil into a royal personage, become a topic, which, if discussed respectfully, may without offence, exercise the liberty of the British press.

The writer is very far, indeed, from pretending to offer any thing approaching to a system of instruction for the royal pupil, much less from presuming to dictate a plan of conduct to the preceptor. What is here presented, is a mere outline, which may be filled up by far more able hands; a sketch which contains no consecutive details, which neither aspires to regularity of design, nor exactness of execution. To awaken a lively attention to a subject of such moment, to point out some circumstances connected with the early season of improvement, but still more with the subsequent stages of life; to offer, not a treatise on education, but a desultory suggestion of sentiments and principles; to convey instruction, not so much by precept or by argument, as to exemplify it by illustrations and examples ; and, above all, to stimulate the wise and the good to exertions far more effectual; these are the real motives which have given birth to this slender performance.

Had the royal pupil been a prince, these hints would never have been obtruded on the world, as it would then have been naturally assumed, that the established plan usually adopted in such cases would have been pursued. Nor does the author presume in the present instance, to insinuate a suspicion, that there will be any want of a large and liberal scope in the projected system, or to intimate an apprehension that the course of study will be adapted to the sex, rather than to the circumstances of the princess. If, however, it should be asked, why a stranger presumes to interfere in a matter of such high concern? It may be answered in the words of an elegant critic, that in classic story, when a superb and lasting monument was about to be consecrated to beauty, every lover was permitted to carry a tribute. The appearance of a valuable elementary work on the principles of Christianity, which has been recently published in our language, translated from the German under the immediate patronage of an august personage, for the avowed purpose of benefit to her illustrious daughters, as it is an event highly VOL. II.

auspicious to the general interests of religion, so is it a circumstance very encouraging to the present undertaking.

It is impossible to write on such points as are discussed in this little work, without being led to draw a comparison between the lot of a British subject, and that of one who treats on similar topics under a despotic government.-The excellent archbishop of Cambray, with every advantage which genius, learn. ing, profession, and situation could confer; the admired preceptor of the duke of Burgundy, appointed to the office by the king himself, was yet in the beautiful work which he composed for the use of his royal pupil, driven to the necessity of couching his instructions under a fictitious narrative, and of sheltering behind the veil of fable, the duties of a just sovereign, and the blessings of a good government: he was aware, that even under this disguise, his delineation of both would too probably be construed into a satire on the personal errors of his own king, and the vices of the French government, and in spite of his ingenious discretion, the event justified his apprehensions.

Fortunate are the subjects of that free and happy country who are not driven to have recourse to any such expedients; who may, without danger, dare to express temperately what they think lawfully'; who, in describing the most perfect form of government, instead of recurring to poetic invention, need only delineate that under which they themselves live; who, in sketching the character, and shadowing out the duties of a patriot king, have no occasion to turn their eyes from their own country to the thrones of Ithaca or Salentum.

HINTS

TOWARDS FORMING THE CHARACTER OF A YOUNG PRINCESS.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

human dangers and difficulties, without even the common resources of the least favoured of mankind.

Yet, must not this be the unaggravated consequence of not accustoming the royal child to that salutary control which the cor

WE are told that when a sovereign of an cient times, who wished to be a mathematician, but was deterred by the difficulty of attainment, asked, whether he could not be instructed in some easier method, the an-ruption of our nature requires, as its indisswer which he received was, that there was no royal road to geometry. The lesson contained in this reply ought never to be lost sight of, in that most important and delicate of all undertakings, the education of a prince!

pensable and earliest corrective? If those foolish desires, which in the great mass of mankind are providentially repressed by the want of means to gratify them, should, in the case of royalty, be thought warrantable, because every possible gratificaIt is a truth which might appear too obvi- tion is within reach, what would be the reous to require enforcing, and yet of all oth-sult, but the full blown luxuriance of folly, ers it is a truth most liable to be practically vice, and misery? The laws of human naforgotten, that the same subjugation of de- ture will not bend to human greatness; and sire and will, of inclinations and tastes, to by these immutable laws it is determined, the laws of reason and conscience, which that happiness and virtue, virtue and selfevery one wishes to see promoted in the low-command, self-command and early habitual est ranks of society, is still more necessary self-denial, should be joined together in an in the very highest, in order to the attain- indissoluble bond of connexion. ment either of individual happiness, or of general virtue, to public usefulness, or to private self-enjoyment.

The first habit, therefore, to be formed in every human being, and still more in the offspring and heir of royalty, is that of paWhere a prince, therefore, is to be edu- tience, and even cheerfulness, under postcated, his own welfare no less than that of poned and restricted gratification. And the his people, humanity no less than policy, pre-first lesson to be taught is, that since selfscribe, that the claims and privileges of the command is so essential to all genuine virtue rational being should not be suffered to and real happiness, where others cannot remerge in the peculiar rights or exemptions strain us, there, especially, we should reof the expectant sovereign. If, in such ca- strain ourselves. That illustrious monarch, ses, the wants and weaknesses of human na- Gustavus Adolphus, was so deeply sensible ture could indeed be wholly effaced, as easi- of this truth, that when he was surprised by ly as they are kept out of sight, there would one of his officers in secret prayer in his at least be some reasonable plea against the tent, he said, Persons of my rank are ancharge of cruelty. But when, on the con-swerable to God alone for their actions; this trary, the most elevated monarch must still retain every natural hope and fear, every af fection and passion of the heart, every frailty of the mind, and every weakness of the body, to which the meanest subject is liable; As the mind opens, the universal truth of how exquisitely inhuman must it be to pro- this principle may be exemplified in innuvide so sedulously for the extrinsic accident merable instances, by which it may be deof transient greatness, as to blight the monstrated, that man is a rational being only growth of substantial virtue, to dry up the so far as he can thus command himself. That fountains of mental and moral comfort, and such a superiority to the passions is essential in short, to commit the ill-fated victim of to all regular and steady performance of dusuch mismanagement to more, almost thap-ty; and that: true gratification is thurs, and

gives the enemy of mankind a peculiar advantage over us; an advantage which can only be resisted by prayer, and reading the Scriptures.'

thus only insured, because, by him who thus aimed at, is not that of the stoic philosophy; habitually restrains himself, not only every nor do the habits which are deemed valualawful pleasure is most perfectly enjoyed;ble, require the harshness of a Spartan edubut every common blessing, for which the cation. Let nature, truth, and reason, be sated voluptuary has lost all relish, becomes consulted; and, let the child, and especially a source of the most genuine pleasure, a the royal child, be as much as possible, trainsource of pleasure which is never exhausted, ed according to their simple and consistent because such common blessings are never wholly withheld.

indications. The attention, in such instances as the present, should be the more The mind should be formed early, no less watchful and unremitting, as counteracting than the person: and for the same reason influences are, in so exalted a station, necesProvidence has plainly indicated childhood sarily multiplied; and every difficulty is at to be the season of instruction, by communi- its greatest possible height. In a world, let cating at that period, such flexibility to the not common sense, which is universal and organs, such retention to the memory, such eternal, be sacrificed to the capricious tastes quickness to the apprehension, such inquisi- of the child, or to the pliant principles of any tiveness to the temper, such alacrity to the who may approach her. But let the virtue animal spirits, and such impressibility to the and the happiness of the royal pupil be as affections, as are not possessed at any subse- simply, as feelingly, and as uniformly conquent period. We are therefore bound by sulted, as if she were the daughter of a prievery tie of duty to follow these obvious de- vate gentleman. May this attention to her signations of Providence, by moulding that moral and mental cultivation be the supreme flexibility to the most durable ends; by stor- concern, from honest reverence to the offsing that memory with the richest know-pring of such a race, from a dutiful regard ledge; by pointing that aprehension to the to her own future happiness, and from reahighest objects; by giving to that alacrity sonable attention to the well-being of those its best direction; by turning that inquisi-millions, whose earthly fate may be at this tiveness to the noblest intellectual purposes; moment suspended on lessons, and habits, and, above all, by converting that impressi- received by one providentially distinguished bility of heart to the most exalted moral female!

use.

CHAP. II.

On the Acquisition of Knowledge.

If this be true in general, much more forcibly does it apply to the education of princes! Nothing short of the soundest, most rational, and, let me add, most religious education, can counteract the dangers to which THE Course of instruction for the princess they are exposed. If the highest of our no- will, doubtless, be wisely adapted, not only bility, in default of some better way of guard- to the duties, but to the dangers of her rank. ing against the mischiefs of flatterers and The probability of her having one day funcdependents, deem it expedient to commit tions to discharge, which, in such exempt catheir sons to the wholesome equality of a ses only, fall to the lot of females, obviously public school, in order to repress their aspi- suggests the expediency of an education not ring notions, and check the tendencies of only superior to, but in certain respects, distheir birth;-If they find it necessary to tinct from, that of other women. What was counteract the pernicious influence of do- formerly deemed necessary in an instance of mestic luxury, and the corrupting softness of this nature, may be inferred from the welldomestic indulgence, by severity of study known attainments of the unfortunate lady and closeness of application; how much Jane Grey; and still more from the no less more indispensable is the spirit of this prin- splendid acquirements of queen Elizabeth. ciple in the instance before us? The high- Of the erudition of the latter, we have a parest nobility have their equals, their compet- ticular account from one, who was the fittest itors, and even their superiors. Those who in that age to appreciate it, the celebrated are born within the sphere of royalty are Roger Aschasm He tells us, that when he destitute of all such extrinsic means of cor- read over with her the orations of Eschines rection, and must be wholly indebted for and Demosthenes in Greek, she not only untheir safety to the soundness of their princi- derstood, at first sight, the full force and proples, and the rectitude of their habits. Un-priety of the language, and the meaning of less, therefore, the brightest light of reason the orators, but that she comprehended the be, from thevery first, thrown upon their path, whole scheme of the laws, customs, and and the divine energies of our holy religion, manners of the Athenians. She possessed both restraining and attractive, be brought an exact and accurate knowledge of the as early as possible to act upon their feelings, Scriptures, and had committed to memory the children of royalty, by the very fate of their birth, would be ‘of all men most miserable.'

most of the striking passages in them. She had also learned by heart many of the finest parts of Thucydides and Xenophon, espe Let it not, however, be supposed, that any cially those which relate to life and manners. impracticable rigour is here recommended; Thus were her early years sedulously emor that it is conceived to be necessary that ployed in laying in a large stock of materithe gay period of childhood should be ren-als for governing well. To what purpose she dered gloomy or painful, whether in the cot-improved them, let her illustrious reign of tage or the palace. The virtue which is forty-five years declare !

If the influence of her erudition on her subsequent prosperity should be questioned; let it be considered, that her intellectual attainments supported the dignity of her character, under foibles and feminine weaknesses, which would otherwise have sunk her credit: she had even address enough to contrive to give to those weaknesses a certain classic grace. Let it be considered also, that whatever tended to raise her mind to a level with those whose services she was to use, and of whose counsels she was to avail herself, proportionably contributed to that mutual respect and confidence between the queen and her ministers, without which, the results of her government could not have been equally successful. Almost every man of rank was then a man of letters, and literature was valued accordingly. Had, therefore, deficiency of learning been added to inferiority of sex, we might not at this day have the reign of Elizabeth on which to look back, as the period in which administrative energy seemed to attain the greatest possible perfection.

whole retrospect of history) as fittest for the advent of the Messiah, and the bringing life and immortality to light by the gospel.

If to this may be added lesser yet not unimportant considerations, we would say, that by the acquaintance which the Latin language would give her with the etymology of words, she will learn to be more accurate in her definitions, as well as more critically exact and elegant in the use of her own language; and her ability to manage it with gracefulness and vigour will be considerably increased.*

Of the modern languages, if the author dares hazard an opinion, the French and German seem the most necessary. The Italian appears less important, as those authors which seem more peculiarly to belong to her education, such as Davila, Guicciardin, and Beccaria, may be read either in French or English translations.

It is not to be supposed that a personage, under her peculiar circumstances, should have much time to spare for the acquisition of what are called the fine arts; nor, perYet, though an extended acquaintance haps, is it to be desired. To acquire then with ancient authors will be necessary now, in perfection, would steal away too large a as it was then, in the education of a princess, portion of those precious hours which will a general knowledge of ancient languages, barely suffice to lay in the various rudiments it is presumed, may be dispensed with. The of indispensable knowledge; and, in this Greek authors, at least, may doubtless be fastidious age, whatever falls far short of perread with sufficient advantage through the fection, is deemed of little worth. A modermedium of a translation; the spirit of the ate skill in music, for instance, would prooriginal being, perhaps, more transfusible bably have little other effect, than to make into the English, than into any other mo- the listeners feel, as Farinelli is said to have dern tongue. But are there not many for- done, who used to complain beavily that the cible reasons why the Latin language should pension of 2000l. a year, which he had from not be equally omitted? Besides the advan- the king of Spain, was compensation little tage of reading, in their original dress, the enough for his being sometimes obliged to historians of that empire, the literature of hear his majesty play. Yet this would be a Rome is peculiarly interesting, as being the far less evil than that to which excellence most satisfactory medium through which the might lead. We can think of few things moderns can obtain an intimate knowledge more to be deprecated, than that those who of the ancient world. As the Latin itself is have the greatest concerns to pursue, should a modification of one of the Greek dialects, have their tastes engaged, perhaps monoposo the Roman philosophers and poets, hav-lized, by trifles. A listener to the royal maing formed themselves, as much as possible, sic, if possessed of either wisdom or virtue, on Grecian models, present to us the nearest could not but feel his pleasure at the most expossible transcripts of those masters whom quisite performance abated, by the apprethey copy. Thus, by an acquaintance with hension that this perfection implied the negthe Latin language, we are brought into a lect of matters far more essential. kind of actual contact not only with the an- Besides, to excel in those arts, which, cient world, but with that portion of it which, though merely ornamental, are yet well having the most direct and the fullest inter- enough adapted to ladies who have only a course with the other parts, introduces us, subordinate part to fill in life, would rather in a manner the most informing and satisfac- lessen than augment the dignity of a sovetory, to classical and philosophical antiquity | reign. It was a truly royal reply of Thein general. But what is still more, the La- mistocles, when he was asked if he could tin tongue enables us for ourselves, without play on the lute- No, but if you will give the intermediation of any interpreter, to ex-me a paltry village I may perhaps know how amine all the particular circumstances in to improve it into a great city.' manners, intercourse, modes of thinking and These are imperial arts, and worthy kings. speaking, of that period which Eternal Wisdom chose (probably because it was ever after to appear the most luminous in the

*The royal father of the illustrious pupil is said to possess the princely accomplishment of a pure classical taste. Of his love for polite learning, the attention which he is paying to the recovery of certain of the lost works of some of the Roman authors, is an evidence.

As to these inferior accomplishments, it is not desirable, and is it not sufficient that a

* Who does not consider as one of the most interesting passages of modern history, that which relates the effect produced by an eloquent Latin oration pronounced in a full assembly, by the late empress Maria Theresa, in the bloom of her youth and beauty, so late as the year 1740? Antiquity produces nothing more touching of the kind.

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