ful frame, inſpiring warm affections and great reſolves[1].
For every thing, ſaith the wiſe man, there is a ſeaſon;—and who would look for the fruits of autumn during the genial months of ſpring? But this is mere declamation, and I mean to reaſon with thoſe worldly-wiſe inſtructors, who, inſtead of cultivating the judgment inſtil prejudices, and render hard the heart that gradual experience would only have cooled. An early acquaintance with human infirmities; or, what is termed knowledge of the world, is the ſureſt way, in my opinion, to contract the heart and damp the natural youthful ardour which produces not only great talents, but great virtues. For the vain attempt to bring forth the fruit of experience, before the ſapling has thrown out its leaves, only exhauſts its ſtrength, and prevents its aſſuming a natural form, juſt as the form and ſtrength of ſubſiding metals are injured when the attraction of coheſion is diſturbed.
Tell me, ye who have ſtudied the human mind, is it not a ſtrange way to fix principles by ſhowing young people that they are ſeldom ſtable? And how can they be fortified by habits when they are proved to be fallacious by example? Why is the ardour of youth thus to be damped, and the luxuriancy of fancy cut to the quick? This dry caution may, it is true, guard a charac-
- ↑ That children ought to be conſtantly guarded againſt the vices and follies of the world, appears, to me, a very miſtaken opinion; for in the courſe of my experience, and my eyes have looked abroad, I never knew a youth educated in this manner, who had early imbibed theſe chilling ſuſpicions, and repeated by rote the heſitating if of age, that did not prove a ſelfiſh character.
