"answered in the affirmative, O how I should have liked to "have been in heaven when he was down here then,' replied "the child, for then you know all the angels would get a "holiday, and they would be so merry.' The same child, to "whom Sunday had been made a day of gloomy restraint and "incessant application, was so shocked by a long sermon, in "which the pious preacher expatiated on the nature of a future "state, under the figure of an eternal sabbath, that it required "no small pains of an able and judicious parent to counteract this unfortunate association. "When notions of God and of religion are associated with “ideas of a painful and a gloomy cast, can we wonder if the "mind should seize the first opportunity of emancipating itself "from their cruel bondage? This opportunity can, to young "men at least, be never wanting. With avidity will they "listen to the sophistry of scepticism, who have been taught to "tremble while they believed. Those who have found belief "to be slavery, will consider infidelity as freedom. They may however find it an easier matter to triumph over their "faith than their prejudices; and while they exonerate them"selves from all obligation to religious duty, it is not impossi"ble that they may still retain the slavish spirit of fear and su"perstition. "At a time of life when the world appears to wear a smil"ing and inviting aspect, if religion be drest in frowns, she "will gain but few willing votaries. In our endeavours to "impress religious principle upon the tender mind, we must "have it still in our recollection, that the laws of nature can "never be violated with impunity. Let us remember, that "youth is the season of cheerfulness; that the infancy of all "animals is frolicsome and gay; that whatever is gloomy is "then disgusting; and that when the animal spirits are in full "play, the mind may not be capable of discriminating be"tween the serious and the gloomy. Could long and serious "lectures be given to children in favour of falsehood, vanity, "and sensual indulgence, I believe few more effectual me"thods could be taken to cure them of those propensities. "But while the whole tenour of agreeable associations lays the "foundation of these vices, we reserve the disgust of serious "lectures for religion and virtue. "It is observable," says Hartley, " that the mere transit of "words expressing strong ideas over the ears of children affects "them." On this principle, the idea of an unseen Benefactor, "who is the Giver of every good, the Author of all the feli"city of which the infant heart is sensible, may easily be con"veyed to the mind at a very early period. By a little pains, "the most pleasing associations may be formed with the idea "of this unseen Benefactor. Let the moment be seized when "the little heart dilates with joy at some unexpected pleasure, "to form its first attempt at prayer. I thank thee, O God, "for making my mamma and other friends so good to me," "may be quite sufficient; and if suggested upon proper occa❝sions, and repeated not as a formal duty, but a spontaneous "effusion of the heart, it will not fail to produce an effect 66 upon the affections. As the sphere of observation is en"larged, and the sources of pleasure multiply on the mind, 66 every object of nature that inspires admiration, every social "endearment that produces delight, may be made instruments "to conduct the infant heart to God. Let me not be laughed "at for the confession, and I shall freely acknowledge to you, "that I at this moment look back with infinite pleasure to "the delightful period, when with the simplicity of infant in"nocence I poured out my little soul in grateful thanks to "the Almighty for the happiness enjoyed at a dancing-school "ball. Nor am I certain that all the catechisms and all the ❝ hymns, with which my poor memory was loaded, produced "half the benefit to my mind, as that which flowed from this "powerful association of felicity with its Divine Source. "I confess it is much easier, and perhaps more gratifying to "our vanity, as well as to our indolence, to make children get "long prayers and catechisms by heart, than thus by gentle " and imperceptible degrees to impress them with feelings of "gratitude and affection for their heavenly Father. But whoever would succeed in the great work of education must 1 "begin by conquering vanity and indolence in themselves; "for these are the great, the perpetually occurring obstacles to "How easily the eagerness of infantine curiosity may be "rendered instrumental to the acquisition of knowledge, has "been admirably illustrated by the authors of Practical Edu"cation; but may it, not still be turned to a nobler purpose? 66 may it not be directed to a First Cause, powerful, wise, and "good; and through the works of Nature be made to lead to "Nature's God? As the understanding opens to moral truth, "the moral attributes of the Deity will occasionally be sug"gested, and will be the more readily admitted, and the more "deeply reverenced, from the previous agreeable associations of "goodness and power. The truths of natural religion will "then pave the way for the truths of revelation. Between "these, enthusiasts and infidels with equal zeal, have laboured "to make a divorce, but they have laboured in vain; and every unprejudiced mind must perceive, with infinite satis"faction, that they mutually illustrate and support each other. "Revealed religion is indeed the perfection of natural religion, "and has the advantage of placing its truths on a foundation "to which the conjectures of human reason could never "reach. It was by means of the latter however that the infant "education of the world was carried on, and not till the "fulness of time,' not till human reason reached its zenith, that "the superior light of the gospel was dispensed. Were the "religious education of children conducted upon analagous prin"ciples, have we not reason to believe it would be attended with more success? "A knowledge of the Scriptures I look upon as a very es"sential part of religious education; but to render this know"ledge really useful, it is not sufficient that their contents be "impressed upon the memory, the lessons they contain must "be made to reach the heart. Whether this can be effected "by getting long passages by rote, I am more than doubtful. "It is from considering scriptural knowledge as perfectly ana"logous with human learning, that the idea has ever been enterDdd VOL. II. "tained; but the analogy is far from being complete. Analogy ❝is, in truth, a dangerous and unwieldy weapon, which seldom "fails to run beyond the point where resemblance stops." Miss Hamilton's Letters on Education. INDEX. A ABRIDGMENTS and Epitomes, too superficial for young people, Absence, owing to want of attention, i. 109. Abstraction, one of the most difficult exercises of the philosopher, i. Accomplishments, a mediocrity in them most desirable, ii. 313. Im- 124. Acting Plays, improper for boys, ii. 157. 174. 177. Action in speaking, requires a degree of confidence unbecoming a Activity, of service to health, i. 17. 215. 220. Of the body, too Accusations, of children against one another should not be favoura- Adelaide, her acquirements at twelve years old, i. 114. Admonition, why frequently unpalatable, i. 134. ii. 363. How it Advice, useless unless accompanied by example, i. 63. 71. Seldom 376. Affability, if required of children, will inspire them with ideas of |