ANTHONY AND AUGUSTUS; OR, A RATIONAL EDUCATION PREFERABLE TO RICHES.

A VERY early friendship commenced between

Anthony and Auguftus, who were nearly of an age, and as they were neighbours, they were almost infeparable companions. The father of Anthony, whofe name was Lenox, poffeffed a very lucrative employment under government, and was befides poffeffed of a confiderable fortune; but Mr. Littleton, the father of Auguftus, was not in fuch affluent circumstances, though he lived contentedly,

and turned all his thoughts to the welfare and happiness of his fon, in giving him a well grounded education, which he thought might prove of more advantage to him than riches, or, at least, might amply fupply the place of them.

As foon as Auguftus was nine years of age, he was accustomed to bodily exercife, and his mind inured to ftudy, which at once contributed to improve his health, ftrength, and understanding. Being thus used to exercife and motion, he was bealthy and robuft; and being contented and happy in the affection of his parents, he enjoyed a tranquil cheerfulnefs, which much influencedthose who enjoyed his company.

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Anthony was one of his happy companions, who was always at a lofs for amufement when Auguftus was absent; and in that cafe, in order to fill up his time, he was continually eating without being hungry, drinking without being dry, and flumbering without being fleepy. This naturally brought on a weak habit of body, and frequent head-achs.

Both parents ardently wished to fee their children healthy and happy; but Mr. Lenox unfortunately purfued that object in a wrong channel, by bringing up his fon, even from his cradle, in the most exceffive delicacy. He was not fuffered

to lift himfelfa chair, whenever he had a mind to change his feat, but a fervant was called for that purpose. He was dreffed and undreffed by other people, and even the cutting of his own victuals feemed a pain to him.

While Auguftus, in a thin linen jacket, affifted his father to cultivate a small garden for their amufement, Anthony, in a rich velvet coat, was lolling in a coach, and paying morning vifits with his mamma. If he went abroad to enjoy the air, and got out of the carriage but for a minute, his great coat was put on, and a handkerchief tied round his neck, to prevent his catching cold. Thus accustomed to be humoured to excefs, he wifhed for every thing he faw or could think of; but his wifh was no fooner obtained, than he be-came tired of it, and was constantly unhappy in: the pursuit of new objects.

As the fervants had ftrict orders to obey him with implicit fubmiffion, he became fo whimfical and imperious, that he was hated and despised by every one in the houfe, excepting his parents. Auguftus was his only companion who loved him, and it was upon that account he patiently put up with his humours. He was fo perfectly mafter of his temper, that he would at times make him as good humoured as himself.

Mr. Lenox would fometimes afk Auguftus, how he contrived to be always fo merry? to which he

one day anfwered, that his father had told him, that no perfon could be perfectly happy, unless they mixed fome kind of emyloyment with their plea fures. "I have frequently obferved, continued Auguftus that the most tedious and dull days I experience, are thofe, in which I do no kind of work. It is properly blending exercife with amufement that keeps me in fuch good health and fpirits. I fear neither the winds nor the rain, neither the heat of fummer nor the cold of winter, and I have frequently dug up a whole plat in my garden before Anthony has quitted his pillow in the morning."

Mr. Lenox felt the propriety of fuch conduct, and a figh unavoidably efcaped him. He then went to confult Mr. Littleton in what manner he fhould act, in order to make Anthony as hearty and robuft as Auguftus. Mr. Littleton informed him in what manner he treated his fon. "The powers of the body and the mind, faid he should be equally kept in exercise, unless we mean them to be unferviceable, as money buried in the ground would be to its owner. Nothing can be more injurious to the health and happiness of children, than using them to excefs of delicacy, and, under the idea of pleafing them, to indulge them in their whimsical and obftinate humours. The perfon who has been accustomed from his childhood to have his

flattered will be expofed to many vexatious difappointments. He will figh after those things, the want or poffeffion of which will equally make him miferable. I have, however, every reafon to believe, that Augustus will never be that man.”

Mr. Lenox faw the truth of those arguments, and determined to adopt the fame plan for the treatment of his fon. But it was now too late, for Anthony was fourteen years of age, and his mind and body fo much enervated, that he could not bear the leaft fatiguing exertions. His mother, who was as weak as himself, begged of her husband not to tease their darling, and he was at last obliged to give way to her importunities, when Anthony again funk into his former deftructive effeminacy. The strength of his body declined, in proportion as his mind was degraded by ignorance.

As foon as Anthony had entered his feventeenth year, his parents fent him to the univerfity, intending to bring him up to the ftudy of the law; and Auguftus being intended for the fame profeffion, he accompanied him thither. Auguftus, in his different ftudies and purfuits, had never had any other instructor than his father; while Anthony had as many mafters as there are different fciences, from whom he learned only a fuperficial education by retaining little more than the terms