the vice which you too justly apprehend abounds
there, you have given him a private tutor, a man of
strict morals and religion. He may help him to prepare his tasks; but do you imagine it will be in his
power to form his mind? His schoolfellows, the
allowance you give him, the manners of the age and of
the place, will do that, and not the lectures which he is
obliged to hear. If these are different from what you
yourself experienced, you must not be surprised to see
him gradually recede from the principles, civil and
religious, which you hold, and break off from your
connections, and adopt manners different from your
own. This is remarkably exemplified amongst those
of the Dissenters who have risen to wealth and consequence. I believe it would be difficult to find an
instance of families who, for three generations, have
kept their carriage and continued Dissenters.
Education, it is often observed, is an expensive thing. It is so; but the paying for lessons is the smallest part of the cost. If you would go to the price of having your son a worthy man, you must be so yourself; your friends, your servants, your company must be all of that stamp. Suppose this to be the case, much is done; but there will remain circumstances which perhaps you cannot alter, that will still have their effect. Do you wish him to love simplicity? Would you be content to lay down your
