living models of men and women in different dresses will be sufficient.

To assist young beginners in drawing from real objects, I would strongly recommend the use of the machine before referred to, which might either be placed on the table before the little models abovementioned, or be used out of doors for taking landscape views.

When the pupils have acquired some proficiency in drawing from nature, and are able to preserve the perspective correctly, without the help of this machine, a carpenter's square or even a straight stick may be substituted to measure objects, but in this case a thread should be fastened to the rule or stick, with a knot or bead at the end, which should be held in the mouth, that the stick may always be at the same distance from the eye while the artist is taking a view.

These few hints on drawing are principally intended for those who may wish to give their children some notion of drawing, without being at the expense of a master, which an intelligent mother may do, even though she be not herself an artist. It cannot however be expected that young people should understand the management of the pencil and colours so as to produce any highly-finished paintings, unless they are regularly taught by one who excels in this delightful art.

I understand, the most approved method of teaching this branch of drawing, and that which is practised by the most eminent masters, is for the whole of the lesson to be spent in the master's drawing, in the presence of the pupil. Thus he first sketches the outlines

of a picture, which the pupil copies during his absence. At the next lesson he begins to shade it, and leaves it for the pupil to copy; and so on till both the original picture and the pupil's copy are completely finished. Editor.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Music, Singing, and Dancing.

THE time for convenient rest before meat may both with profit and delight be taken up in recreating and composing the travailed spirits of the scholars with the solemn and divine harmonies of music, heard or learned: either while the skilful organist plies his grave and fancied descant in lofty fugues, or the whole symphony, with artful and unimaginable touches, adorn and grace the well studied chords of some choice composer; sometimes the lute or soft organ-stop waiting on elegant voices either to religious, moral, or civil ditties; which, if wise men and prophets be not extremely out, have a great power over dispositions and manners, and smooth and make them gentle from rustic harshness and distempered passions. Milton.

To dance sometimes will not be imputed to you as a fault; but remember that the end of your learning it was, that you might the better know how to move

gracefully. It is only an advantage so far. When it goeth beyond it, one may call it excelling in a mistake, which is no very great commendation. It is better for a woman never to dance because she has no skill in it, than to do it too often because she doth it well. The easiest as well as the safest method of doing it is in private companies amongst particular friends, and then carelessly like a diversion, rather than with solemnity as if it was a business, or had any thing in it to deserve a month's preparation by serious conference with a dancing master.-Marq. Halifax's Advice.

To gain but a moderate skill in music wastes so much of a young man's time, and engages him often in such odd company, that many think it much better spared; and I have amongst men of parts and business so seldom heard any one commended or esteemed for having an excellency in music, that amongst those things that ever come into the list of accomplishments, I think we may give it the last place.

When your children learn dancing you must be sure to have a good master that knows and can teach what is graceful and becoming, and what gives a freedom and easiness to all the motions of the body. One that teaches not this, is worse than none at all: natural unfashionableness being much better than affected postures. As for the jigging part of the figures of dancing I count that little or nothing, farther than as it tends to perfect graceful carriage.-Locke.

It is evidently of advantage, that a young gentleman be from his infancy almost put into the way of wielding his limbs decently, and coming into the room like a human creature. But I really think it more eligible that a youth be a little bashful and awkward, than that he have too much of the player or dancingmaster. Care ought therefore to be taken that he do not learn to dance too well. The consequence will probably be, that being commended for it, he will take all opportunities of exhibiting his performance, and will in time become a hunter after balls, and a mere dangler among the ladies.

The same caution ought to be used with respect to music. It is true there are few of the good people of England, who have so much taste as to be capable of excelling in that alluring and bewitching art. But there are instances of the bad effects of cultivating it too much.-Burgh.

Music is a very agreeable accomplishment for a young lady. It is a fine relaxation from more serious employments, and greatly contributes to keep up a cheerfulness through the whole family; but I would not have her ambitious to excel, and I think parents ought not to covet it. To attain music to great perfection, and to study Italian for that purpose, is a work of great labour, time, and expense; too much by far to gain what at last amounts to no more than an amusement. Ladies of great rank and fortune have every thing at their command; therefore should aim

at perfection in all they undertake; but those in more private life have certainly other things to do, and must stoop to domestic cares; whereby they will often be enabled to boast a happiness, to which greater ladies are strangers. But supposing that, either to gratify herself or her friends, she engages deeply in the study of music; parents are here often cajoled out of their money and their senses too by their daughter's fancied excellence, and the same man that is lavish in his praises to the fond father's face, will, perhaps in the very next company, swear the girl squeaks like a pig. There is a great deal of insincerity, nay the grossest flattery attends this kind of study, and parents in general have need of better eyes than common to see through it. However, if the young lady really does excel, still I say her time might have been much better employed in acquiring more useful knowledge, such as is properly suited to her station. There are yet other inconveniences attending this study, when a young lady excels or has the reputation of it; that of exposing both her and her parents to a great deal of gay company at least, if no worse; such as tends to dissipate the mind, to shut out reflection, and thereby check or prevent the knowledge of more weighty obligations; and it often likewise exposes them to ill-timed expence, which, as every day's experience shows us, frequently does great harm, but seldom any good. A concert, an opera, or an oratorio, always furnishes music in the utmost perfection. Is it then worth a young lady's while, whose fortune is perhaps but scanty, to consume a great deal of time and money, and at last fall short of a stage performer?

By no