00000224.htm

CBAP.V.J DISCIPLINE OF SORROW.

" scholar, are judicious and convincing. I should however be glad 1753.

" to know for what particular profession, he is designed. If he be ----

" assiduous, and divested of strong passions (for passions in youth always
" lead to pleasure), he may do very well in your college ; for it must
" be owned, that the industrious poor have good encouragement there,
" perhaps better than in any other in Europe. But if he has ambition,
" strong passions, and an exquisite sensibility of contempt, do not send
^u him there, unless you have no other trade for him except your own.
" It is impossible to conceive how much may be done by a proper
" education at home. A boy, for instance, who understands perfectly
" well Latin, French, Arithmetic, and the principles of the civil law,
" and can write a fine hand, has an education that may qualify him for
" any undertaking. And these parts of learning should be carefully
" inculcated, let him be designed for whatever calling he will. Above
" all things let him never touch a romance or novel; those paint
" beauty in colours more charming than nature ; and describe happiness
" that man never tastes. How delusive, how destructive are those
" pictures of consummate bliss. They teach the youthful mind to sigh
" after beauty and happiness which never existed; to despise the little
" good which fortune has mixed in our cup, by expecting more than she
" ever gave ; and in general, take the word of a man who has seen the
" world, and has studied human nature more by experience than
" precept; take my word for it, I say, that books teach us very little of
" the world. The greatest merit in a state of poverty would only serve
" to make the possessor ridiculous ; may distress, but cannot relieve
" him. Frugality, and even avarice, in the lower orders of mankind,
" are true ambition. These afford the only ladder for the poor to rise
" to preferment. Teach then, my dear sir, to your son thrift and
" economy. Let his poor wandering uncle's example be placed before
" his eyes. I had learned from books to be disinterested and generous,
" before I was taught from experience the necessity of being prudent.
" I had contracted the habits and notions of a philosopher; while I was
" exposing myself to the insidious approaches of cunning; and often.
" by being, even with my narrow finances, charitable to excess, I
" forgot the rules of justice, and placed myself in the very situation
" of the wretch who thanked me for my bounty. When I am in the
" remotest part of the world, tell him. this, and perhaps he may
" improve from my example. But I find myself again falling into
" ^my gloomy habits of thinking.

" My mother, I am informed, is almost blind ; even though I had the
" utmost inclination to return home, under such circumstances I could



	CBAP.V.J DISCIPLINE OF SORROW. " scholar, are judicious and convincing. I should however be glad 1753. " to know for what particular profession, he is designed. If he be ---- " assiduous, and divested of strong passions (for passions in youth always " lead to pleasure), he may do very well in your college ; for it must " be owned, that the industrious poor have good encouragement there, " perhaps better than in any other in Europe. But if he has ambition, " strong passions, and an exquisite sensibility of contempt, do not send ^u him there, unless you have no other trade for him except your own. " It is impossible to conceive how much may be done by a proper " education at home. A boy, for instance, who understands perfectly " well Latin, French, Arithmetic, and the principles of the civil law, " and can write a fine hand, has an education that may qualify him for " any undertaking. And these parts of learning should be carefully " inculcated, let him be designed for whatever calling he will. Above " all things let him never touch a romance or novel; those paint " beauty in colours more charming than nature ; and describe happiness " that man never tastes. How delusive, how destructive are those " pictures of consummate bliss. They teach the youthful mind to sigh " after beauty and happiness which never existed; to despise the little " good which fortune has mixed in our cup, by expecting more than she " ever gave ; and in general, take the word of a man who has seen the " world, and has studied human nature more by experience than " precept; take my word for it, I say, that books teach us very little of " the world. The greatest merit in a state of poverty would only serve " to make the possessor ridiculous ; may distress, but cannot relieve " him. Frugality, and even avarice, in the lower orders of mankind, " are true ambition. These afford the only ladder for the poor to rise " to preferment. Teach then, my dear sir, to your son thrift and " economy. Let his poor wandering uncle's example be placed before " his eyes. I had learned from books to be disinterested and generous, " before I was taught from experience the necessity of being prudent. " I had contracted the habits and notions of a philosopher; while I was " exposing myself to the insidious approaches of cunning; and often. " by being, even with my narrow finances, charitable to excess, I " forgot the rules of justice, and placed myself in the very situation " of the wretch who thanked me for my bounty. When I am in the " remotest part of the world, tell him. this, and perhaps he may " improve from my example. But I find myself again falling into " ^my gloomy habits of thinking. " My mother, I am informed, is almost blind ; even though I had the " utmost inclination to return home, under such circumstances I could