REGULAR SUBJECTS. 1. On Education. Defin. THE culture of the human mind, as education may not improperly be called, has ever been considered as one of the most important concerns of society. Cause. Nor is it wonderful that the parent, who knows how much the happiness of the child depends upon its education, should bestow so much care and attention upon this momentous. article. Antiq. The Greeks and Romans, among whom were produced such prodigies of excellence in every kind of writing, and in every department of civil and military life, were remarkably attentive to the education of their children; insomuch that they began their education almost with their birth. In Sparta, children were taken from their mother at a very early period of their age, and educated at the publick expence; and the celebrated Roman writer, Quintilian, advises those parents who destine their children to the Bar, to choose nurses for them who have a good pronunciation. Novel. Various are the modes of education which have been adopted among the the moderns; but all of them seem to be greatly inferior to the strict discipline and methodical instruction of the ancients. Univ. In short, all nations pay attention to this essential duty of parents: even the savage takes care to instruct his child in hunting, fishing, and those branches of knowledge which are necessary for him. Local. But in no part of the world has education been brought to such perfection as in civilized countries here its importance is properly estimated; and in no part of science has the human mind been more exerted than in the improvement of education. Locke and Milton, the two greatest names of our own country, have not thought it unworthy of their attention. Advan. Nothing can shew the advantages of a good education in a stronger light, than a contrast with the disadvantages of a bad one. A person of good education has the mind and body so cultivated and improved, that any natural defects are removed, and the beauties of both placed in so fine a light, that they strike with double force; while one who has had the misfortune of a bad education, has all his natural imperfections remaining; and to these are added artificial ones, arising from bad habits or from pursuing wrong studies. The former engages the attention of those he converses with, by the good sense he shews on every subject, and the agreeable manner in which he conveys it: the other disgusts every company he comes into, either by his total silence and stupidity, or by the ignorance and impertinence of his observations. The one raises himself to the notice of his superiors, and advances himself to a higher rank in life the other is obliged to act an inferior part among his equals in fortune, and is sometimes forced to seek a shelter for his ignorance among the lowest or ders of mankind. : 2. On Government. Defin. GOVERNMENT is the soul of society: it is that order among rational creatures which produces almost all the benefits they enjoy. A nation may be considered as a large family; all the inhabitants are a sort of relations; and the supreme power, wherever it is lodged, is the common parent of every individual. Cause. The origin of government is in the nature of man. The selfishness of man makes it necessary to have some power to restrain it and this power is government. Antiq. Government is as ancient as man. Sacred history informs us of kings soon after the flood, and the most ancient of profane histories generally begin with kings. Univ. In every part of the earth where human creatures are found, a kind of government is found among them; and this government is generally that of kings. Local. Almost all the different kinds of government in the different parts of the world, may be reduced to three; namely, the Monarchy, the Aristocracy, and the Democracy. A monarchical government is that where the supreme power resides in an absolute King, as in Russia and Spain: an aristocratical government is that where the power is lodged in the Nobles, as it was, till lately, in Venice and Genoa and a democratical government is that where the People give their votes in affairs of state, or choose representatives to vote for them; as it was formerly in Holland and Swisserland, and is now in the United States of America. Advan. The advantages of a monarchy are the same as that of a family where there is but one master; every thing is executed more speedily, and there is less room for parties. The advantages of an aristocracy are, that as several men are less liable to be deceived in their jugdment than one, the errors of one of the nobles may be corrected by the wisdom of the others, and thus the State will be less liable to be misgoverned. The advantages of a democracy are, that as every man has a share in the government, every man is more respectable, and is less liable to be oppressed by laws of his own making than those which are made by others. Disad But each of these governments has its defects, as well as its advantages. The defect of monarchy is this: Men who have no check upon their power are apt to abuse it; an absolute monarch may easily mistake his true interest, indulge his favourites, and oppress his people The defects of an aristocracy are of the same kind, but greater: if the majority of nobles are tyrants, and each has his favourite, whose interests are in opposition to those of the people, the mischiefs of monarchy are multi |