cks their inclination. The _chef d'oeuvre_ of a
good education is to form a reasonable human being; and yet they pretend
to govern a child by argument and ratiocination. This is to enter upon
the work at the wrong end, and to endeavour to convert the fabric itself
into one of the tools by which it is constructed. The laws of the
preceptor ought to be as final and inflexible, as they are mild and
humane.

There is yet another method for facilitating the acquisition of
languages, so just in itself, and so universally practicable, that I
cannot forbear mentioning it. It is that of commencing with the modern
languages, French for instance in this country. These in the education
of our youth, are universally postponed to what are stiled the learned
languages. I shall perhaps be told that modern tongues being in a great
measure derived from the Latin, the latter is very properly to be
considered as introductory to the former. But why then do we not adopt
the same conduct in every instance? Why to the Latin do we not premise
the Greek, and to the Greek the Coptic and Oriental tongues? Or how long
since is it, that the synthetic has been proved so much superior to the
analytic mode of instruction? In female education, the modern languages
are taught without all this preparation; nor do I find that our fair
rivals are at all inferior to the generality of our sex in their
proficiency. With the youth of sense and spirit of both sexes, the
learning of French is usually considered, rather as a pleasure, than a
burden. Were the Latin communicated in the same mild and accommodating
manner, I think I may venture to pronounce, that thus taken in the
second place, there will be no great difficulty in rendering it equally
attractive.

I would just observe that there is an obvious propriety in the French
language being learned under the same direction, as the Latin and Greek.
The pursuit of this elegant accomplishment ought at no time to be
entirely omitted. But the attention of youth is distracted between the
method of different masters, and their amiable confidence, in the
direction under which they are placed, entirely ruined by mutability and
inconstance. The same observation may also be applied here, as in the
learned languages. The attention of the pupil should be confined as much
as possible to the most classical writers; and the French would furnish
a most useful subsidiary in a course of history. Let me add, that though
I have p