: naries of learning, fhould forget that the forming the manners is more neceffary to a finished education than furnishing the minds of youth. Socrates, who made all his philofophy fublervient to morality was of this fentiment and took more pains to rectify tempers than replenith the understandings of his pupils; and looked upon all knowledge as ufelefs fpeculation that was not brought to this end, to make us wifer and better men. And, without doubt, if in the academy the youth has once happily learned the great art of managing his temper, governing his paffions, and guarding his foibles, he will find a more folid advantage from it in after-life, than he could expect from the best acquaintance with all the systems of ancient and modern philofophy. It was a very juft and fenfible anfwer which Agefilaus, the Spartan king, returned to one who afked him, "What it was in which youth ought principally to be inftructed ?" He replied, That which they have moft need to practife when they are men' (a). Were this fingle rule but carefully at tended to in the method of education, it might probably be conducted in a manner much more to the advantage of our youth than it ordinarily is for, as Dr. Fuller obferves, "That pains we take in books or arts, which treat of things remote from the ufe of life, is but a bufy idlenefs" (b). And what is there in life which youth will have more frequent occafion to practife than this? What is there which they afterwards more regret the want of? What is there in which they want more direction and affiftance than the right government of their paffions and prejudices? And what more proper fea (a) Sec Plutarch's Laconic Apothegms, under the word Agefilaus. (6) Rule of Life, page 82, A 2 fon to receive thofe affiftances, and to lay a foundation for this difficult but very important fcience, than the early part of youth? It may be faid," it is properly the office and care if parents to watch over and correct the tempers of their children in the first years of their infancy, when it may caficit be done." But if it be not done effectually then (as it very feldom is) there is the more neceffity for it afterwards. But the truth is, it is the proper office and care of all who have the charge of youth, and ought to be looked upon as the most important and neceflary part of education. It was the obfervation of a great divine and reformer, "That he who acquires his learning at the expence of his morals, is the worfe for his education:" and we may add, That he who does not imprøve his temper, together with his understanding, is not much the better for it; for he ought to mea. fure his progrefs in fcience by the improvement of his morals; and remember that he is no further a learned inan than he is a wife and good mán; and that he cannot be a finished philofopher till he is a chriftian. But whence is it that moral philofophy, which was fo carefully cultivated in the ancient academy, fhould be forced in the modern to give place to natural, that was originally defigned to be fubfervient to it? which is to exalt the handmaid into the place of miftrefs (c). This appears not only a pre (k) Things were coming to this pafs fo early as Seneca's time; who laments that plain and open truth was turned into a dark and intricate fcience. " Philofophy (fays he) is turned into Phi"lology; and that through the fault both of mafters and fcholars; "the one teach to dispute, not to live; and the other come to them to mend their wits, not their manne s: whereas philofophy is nothing else but a rule of life. Quid autem philofophi, nifi vita lex eft." pofterous, but a pernicious method of inftitution for as the mind takes a turn of thought in future life,. fuitable to the tincture it hath received in youth, it will naturally conclude that there is no neceffity to. regard, or at least to lay any ftrefs upon what was never inculcated upon it as a matter of importance then: and fo will grow up in a neglect or difesteem of thofe things which are more necessary to make aperfon a wife and truly understanding man than all thofe rudiments of fcience he brought with him. from the fcheol or college.. It is really a melancholy thing to fee a young gen... tleman of thining parts, and a fweet difpofition,.. who has gone through the common courfe of academical ftudies, come out into the world under an abfolute government of his paffions and prejudices;. which have increased with his learning, and which, when he comes to be better acquainted with human life and human nature, he is foon fenfible and atham-ed of; but perhaps is never able to conquer as long as he lives, for want of that affiftance which he eught to have received in his education; for a wrong. education is one of thofe three things to which it is owing (as an ancient chriftian and philofopher jultly obferves) that fo few. have the right govern-. ment of their paffions (d).. I would not be thought to depreciate any part of human literature, but should be glad to fee this most ufeful branch of fcience, the knowledge of the heart, the detecting and correcting hurtful prejudices, and (dj Bad paffions fpring up in the mind three ways; viz. through a bad education, great ignorance, or a diforder in the animal frame. (1.) From a bad education; for if we have not. been taught from our childhood to govern our paffions with all. poffible care, they will soon come to have the government of us. Nemes. de Nat. Honi. p. 182. CHAP. XIII. What kind of knowledge we are already fur- : XIV. Concerning the knowledge, guard, and govern- ment of our thoughts Shewing the great excellence and advantage of this kind of I. Self-knowledge the fpring of felf-poffeffion 93 ibid. II. Self-knowledgs leads to a wife and fteady conduct 97 III. Humility the effect of felf-knowledge IV. Charity another effect of felf-knowledge V. Moderation the effect of self-knowledge. VI. Self-knowledge improves the judgment- -- VIII. Self-knowledge promotes our usefulness in the world IX. Self-knowledge leads to a decorum and confift- ency of character XI. Self-knowledge teaches us rightly to perform the XII. Self-knowledge the best preparation for death Shewing how felf-knowledge is to be attained 11. Constant watchfulness neceffary to felf-knowledge 136 III. We should have fome regard to the opinions of others concerning us, particularly our enemies 137 V. Of cultivating fuch a temper as will be the best VI. To be fenfible of our falfe-knowledge a good step |