§ 165. But how necessary soever Latin be to some, 15 and is thought to be to others to whom it is of no manner of Use and Service; yet the ordinary Way of learning it in a Grammar-School is that which having had Thoughts about I cannot be forward to encourage. The Reasons against it are so evident and cogent, that they have pre- 20 vailed with some intelligent Persons to quit the ordinary Road, not without Success, though the Method made use of was not exactly what I imagine the easiest, and in short is i this. To trouble the Child with no Grammar at all, but to \ have Latitty as English has been, without the Perplexity of ^5 Rules, talked into him; for if you will consider it, Latin is I no more unknown to a Child, when he comes into the World, than English: And yet he learns English without ( Master, Rule, or Grammar; and so might he Latin too, as 1 Tully did, if he had some body always to talk to him in 30 this Language. And when we so often see a French Woman teach an English Girl to speak and read French perfectly in a Year or two, without any Rule of Grammar, or any thing else but prattling to her, I cannot but wonder how Gentlemen have overseen this Way for their Sons, and 35 thought them more dull or incapable than their Daughters.
§ 166. If therefore a Man could be got, who himself speaking good Latin^ would always be about your Son, talk constantly to him, and suffer him to speak or read nothing else, this would be the true and genuine Way, and that 40 which I would propose, not only as the easiest and best.
I40 Begin with Knowledge of Things. [§§ i66, 167 wherein a Child might, without Pains or Chiding, get a Language, which others are wont to be whipt for at School six or seven Years together: But also as that, wherein at the same Time he might have his Mind and Manners 5 formed, and he be instructed to boot in several Sciences, such as are a good Part of Geography^ Astronomy^ Chrono- logy^ Anatomy^ besides some' Parts oi History y and alf other Parts of Knowledge of Things that fall under the Senses and require little more than Memory. For there, if we 10 would take the true Way, our Knowledge should begin, and in those Things be laid the Foundation; and not in the abstract Notions of Logick and Metaphysicks, which are fitter to amuse than inform the Understanding in its first setting out towards Knowledge. When young Men have 15 had their Heads employed a while in those abstract Specu- lations without finding the Success and Improvement, or that Use of them, which they expected, they are apt' to have mean Thoughts either of Learning or themselves; they are tempted to quit their Studies, and throw away 20 their Books as containing nothing but hard Words and empty Sounds; or else, to conclude, that if there be any real Knowledge in them, they themselves have not Under- standings capable of it That this is so, perhaps I could assure you upon my own Experience. Amongst other 25 Things to be learned by a young Gentleman in this Method, whilst others of his Age are wholly taken up with Lcttm and Languages, I may also set down Geometry for one; having known a young Gentleman, bred something after this Way, able to demonstrate several Propositions in 30 Euclid before he was thirteen.
§167. But if such a Man cannot be got, who speaks good Latifiy and being able to instruct your Son in all these Parts of Knowledge, will undertake it by this Method; the next best is to have him taught as near this Way as may be, 35 which is by taking some easy and pleasant Book, such as yEsofs Fables y and writing the English Translation (made as literal as it can be) in one Line, and the Latin Words which answer each of them, just over it in another. These let him read every Day over and over again, till he perfectly under- 40 stands the Latin; and then go on to another Fable, till he be also perfect in that, not omitting what he is aheady § 167] Alt of Teaching. 141 perfect in, but sometimes reviewing that, to keep it in his Memory. And when he comes to write, let these be set himi for Copies, which with the Exercise of his Hand will also advance him to Latin, This being a more imperfect Way than by talking Latin unto him; the Formation of the 5 Verbs first, and afterwards the Declensions of the Nouns and Pronouns perfectly learned by Heart, may facilitate his Acquaintance with the Genius and Manner of the Latin Tongue^ which varies the Signification of Verbs and Nouns, not as the Modem Languages do by Particles prefix'd, but 10 by changing the last Syllables. More than this of Gram- mar, I think he need not have, till he can read himself Sanctii Minerva^ with Scioppius and Perizoniu^% Notes.
In teaching of Children, this too, I think, is to be observed, that in most Cases where they stick, they are 15 not to be farther puzzled by putting them upon finding it out themselves; as by asking such Questions as these, (z/ij?.) Which is the Nominative Case, in the Sentence they are to constme; or demanding what aufero signifies, to lead them to the Knowledge what absttUere signifies, &*c, 20 when they cannot readily tell. This wastes Time only in disturbing them; for whilst they are learning, and apply themselves with Attention, they are to be kept in good Humour, and every Thing made easy to them, and as plea- sant as possible. Therefore whereever they are at a Stand, 25 and are willing to go forwards, help them presently over the Difficulty, without any Rebuke or Chiding, remembring, that where harsher Ways are taken, they are the Effiect only of Pride and Peevishness in the Teacher, who expects Chil- dren should instantly be Masters of as much as he knows; 30 whereas he should rather consider, that his Business is to settle in them Habits, not angrily to inculcate Rules, which serve for little in the Conduct of our Lives; at least are of no use to Children, who forget them as soon as given. In Sciences where their Reason is to be exercised, I will not 35 deny but this Method may sometimes be varied, and Difficulties proposed on purpose to excite Industry, and accustom the Mind to employ its own Strength and Sagacity in Reasoning. But yet, I guess, this is not to be done to Children, whilst very young, nor at their Entrance upon 40 any Sort of Knowledge: Then every Thing of itself is difficult, and the great Use and Skill of a Teacher is to make all as easy as he can: But particularly in learning of Languages there is least Occasion for posing of Children. For Languages being to be learned by Rote, Custom and 5 Memory, are then spoken in greatest Perfection, when all Rules of Grammar are utterly forgotten. I grant the Gram- mar of a Language is sometimes very carefully to be studied, but it is not to be studied but by a grown Man, when he applies himself to the understanding of any Language criti- 10 cally, which is seldom the Business of any but professed Scholars. This I think will be agreed to, that if a Gentle- man be to study any Language, it ought to be that of his own Country, that he may understand the Language which he has constant Use of, with the utmost Accuracy.
15 There is yet a further Reason, why Masters and Teach- ers should raise no Difficulties to their Scholars; but on the contrary should smooth their Way, and readily help them forwards, where they find them stop. Children's Minds are narrow and weak, and usually susceptible but of 20 one Thought at once. Whatever is in a Child's Head, fills it for the time, especially if set on with any Passion. It should therefore be the Skill and Art of the Teacher to clear their Heads of all other Thoughts whilst they are learning of any Thing, the better to make room for what he 25 would instill into them, that it may be received with Atten- tion and Application, without which it leaves no Iihpression. The natuial Temper of Children disposes their Minds to wander. Novelty alone takes them; whatever that presents, they are presently eager to have a Taste of, and are as soon 30 satiated with it. They quickly grow weary of the same thing, and so have almost their whole Delight in Change and Variety. It is a Contradiction to the natural State of Childhood for them to fix their fleeting Thoughts. Whether this be owing to the Temper of their Brains, or the Quick- 35 ness or Instability of their animal Spirits, over whidi the Mind has not yet got a full Command; this is visible, that it is a Pain to Children to keep their Thoughts steady to any thing. A lasting continued Attention is one of the hardest Tasks can be imposed on them; and therefore, he 40 that requires their Application, should endeavour to make what he proposes as grateful and agreeable as possible; at $ 167! Attention lost by Harshness. 143 least he ought to take care not to join any displeasing or frightful Idea with it. If they come not to their Books with some Elind of Liking and Relish, 'tis no wonder their Thoughts should be perpetually shifting from what disgusts them; and seek better Entertainment in more pleasing 5 Objects, after which they will unavoidably be gadding.
'Tis, I know, the usual Method of Tutors, to endeavour to procure Attention in their Scholars, and to fix their Minds to the Business in Hand, by Rebukes and Correc- tions, if they find them ever so little wandering. But such 10 Treatment is sure to produce the quite contrary Effect. Passionate Words or Blows from the Tutor fill the Child's Mind with Terror and Aflfrightment, which immediately takes it wholly up, and leaves no Room for other Impres- sions. I believe there is no body that reads this, but may 15 recollect what Disorder hasty or imperious Words from his Parents or Teachers have caused in his Thoughts; how for the Time it has turned his Brains, so that he scarce knew what was said by or to him. He presently lost the Sight of what he was upon, his Mind was filled with Disorder and 20 Confusion, and in that State was no longer capable of Attention to any thing else.
Tis true, Parents and Governors ought to settle and establish their Authority by an Awe over the Minds of those under their Tuition; and to rule them by that: But 25 when they have got an Ascendant over them, they should use it with great Moderation, and not make themselves such Scare-crows that their Scholars should always tremble in their Sight Such an Austerity may make their Govern- ment easy to themselves, but of very little use to their 30 Pupils. 'Tis impossible Children should learn any thing whilst their Thoughts are possessed and distiurbed with any Passion, especially Fear, which makes the strongest Impres- sion on their yet tender and weak Spirits. Keep the Mind in an easy calm Temper, when you would have it receive 35 your Instructions or any Increase of Knowledge. 'Tis as impossible to draw fair and regular Characters on a trem- bling Mind as on a shaking Paper.
The great Skill of a Teacher is to get and keep the Attention of his Scholar; whilst he has that, he is sure to 40 advance as fast as the Learner's Abilities will cany him; Z44 Deal gently with Children. [$ 167 and without that, all his Bustle and Pother will be to litde or no Purpose. To attain this, he should make the Child comprehend (as much as may be) the Usefulness of what he teaches him, and let him see, by what he has learnt, 5 that he can do something which he could not do before; something, which gives him some Power and real Advan- tage above others who are ignorant of itf To this he should add Sweetness in all his Instructions, and by a certain Tenderness in his whole Carriage, make the Child sensible 10 that he loves him and designs nothing but his Good, the only way to beget Love in the Child, which will make him hearken to his Lessons, and relish what he teaches him.
Nothing but Obstinacy should meet with any Imperious- ness or rough Usage. All other Faults should be corrected 15 with a gentle Hand; and kind engaging Words will work better and more effectually upon a willing Mind, and even prevent a good deal of that Perverseness which rough and imperious Usage often produces in well disposed and gene- rous Minds. 'Tis true, Obstinacy and wilful Neglects must 20 be mastered, even though it cost Blows to do it: But I am apt to think Perverseness in the Pupils is often the Effect of Frowardness in the 7\Uof; and that most Children would seldom have deserved Blows, if needless and misapplied Roughness had not taught them Ill-nature, and given them 25 an Aversion for their Teacher and all that comes from him. Inadvertency, Foigetfulness, Unsteadiness, and Wand- ring of Thought, are ^e natural Faults of Childhood; and therefore, where they are not observed to be wilful, are to be mention* d softly, and gain'd upon by Time. If every 30 Slip of this kind produces Anger and Rating, the Occasions of Rebuke and Corrections will return so often, that the Tutor will be a constant Terror and Uneasiness to his Pupils. Which one thing is enough to hinder their profiting by his Lessons, and to defeat all his Methods of Instnic- Let the Awe he has got upon their Minds be so tem- pered with the constant Marks of Tenderness and Good- will, that Affection may spur them to their Duty, and make them find a Pleasure in complying with his Dictates. This 40 will bring them with Satisfaction to their Tutor; make them hearken to him, as to one who is their Friend, that cherishes them, and takes Pains for their Good: This will keep their Thoughts easy and free whilst they are with him, the only Temper wherein the Mind is capable of receiving new Informations, and of admitting into it self those Impres- sions, which, if not taken and retained, all that they and 5 their Teachers do together is lost Labour; there is much^ Uneasiness and little Learning.
§ 168. When by this Way of interlining Latin and English one with another, he has got a moderate Know- ledge of the Latin Tongue^ he may then be advanced a 10 little farther to the reading of some other easy ZdJ/i>«-Book, such 2& Justin or Eutropius; and to make the Reading and Understanding of it the less tedious and difficult to him, let him help himself if he please with the English Translation. Nor let the Objection that he will then know it only by 15 rote, fright any one. This, when well consider'd, is not of any Moment against, but plainly for this Way of learning a Language. For Languages are only to be learned by rote; I and a Man who does not speak English or Latin perfectly by rote, so that having thought of the thing he would speak 20 of, his Tongue of Course, without Thought of Rule or Grammar, falls into the proper Expression and Idiom of that Language, does not speak it well, nor is Master of it. And I would fain have any one name to me that Tongue, that any one can learn, or speak as he should do, by the 25 Rules of Grammar. Languages were made not by Rules or Art, but by Accident, and the common Use of the People. And he that will speak them well, has no other Rule but that; nor any thing to tmst to, but his Memory, and the Habit of speaking after the Fashion learned from those, 30 that are allowed to speak properly, which in other Words is only to speak by rote.
It will possibly be asked here, is Grammar then of no Use? and have those who have taken so much Pains in reducing several Languages to Rules and Observations; 35 who have writ so much about Declensions and Conjugations, about Concords and SyntaxiSy lost their Labour, and been learned to no purpose? I say not so; Grammar has its Place too. But this I think I may say, There is more stir a great deal made with it than there needs, and those are 40 tormented about it, to whom it does not at all belong; I 146 Grammar, by Tvhom needed. [§ 168 mean Children, at the Age wherein they are usually per- plexed with it in Grammar-Schools.
There is nothing more evident, than that Languages learnt by rote serve well enough for the common Affairs of 5 Life and ordinary Commerce. Nay, Persons of Quality of the softer Sex, and such of them as have spent their Time in well-bred Company, shew us, that this plain natural Way, without the least Study or Knowledge of Grammar^ can carry them to a great Degree of Elegancy and Politeness 10 in their Language: And there are Ladies who, without knowing what Tenses and Participles^ Adverbs and Preposi- tions are, speak as properly and as correctly (they might take it for an ill Compliment if I said as any Country School-Master) as most Gentlemen who have been bred up i 15 in the ordinary Methods of Grammar-Schools. Grammar | therefore we see may be spared in some Cases. The Ques- i tion then will be. To whom should it be taught, and when? To this I answer; Men learn Languages for the ordinary Intercourse i Society and Communication of Thoughts in common without any farther Design in the Use of them. And \ for this Purpose, the original Way of learning a Language by Conversation not only serves well enough, but is to be preferred as the most expedite, proper and natural. There- i 25 fore, to this Use of Language one may answer, That Gram- mar is not necessary. This so many of my Readers must be forced to allow, as understand what I here say, and who conversing with others, understand them without having ever been taught the Grammar of the English Tongue.
30 Which I suppose is the Case of incomparably the greatest Part of English Men, of whom I have never yet known any one who learned his Mother-Tongue by Rules.
2. Others there are, the greatest part of whose Busi- ness in this World is to be done with their Tongues and 35 with their Pens; and to these it is convenient, if not neces- • sary, that they should speak properly and correctly, whereby they may let their Thoughts into other Men's Minds the more easily, and with the greater Impression. Upon this account it is, that any sort of Speaking, so as will make i 40 him be understood, is not thought enough for a Gentleman.! He ought to study Grammar amongst the other Helps of \h of Soci( [ Life, wit § i68] Grammar of the Mother Tongue. 147 speaking, well, but it must be the Grammar of his own Tongue, pf the Language he uses, that he may understand his own Country Speech nicely, and speak it properly, without shocking the Ears of those it is addressed to, with Solecisms and offensive Irregularities. And to this Purpose / 5 Grammar is necessary; but it is the Grammar only of their j own proper Tongues, and to those only who would take ^ Pains in cultivating their Language, and in perfecting their I Stiles. Whether all Gentlemen should not do this, I leave * to be considered, since the want pf Propriety and gram- 10 matical Exactness is thought very misbecoming one of that Rank, and usually draws on one guilty of such Faults the Censure of having had a lower Breeding and worse Com- pany than suits with his Quality. If this be so, (as I - suppose it is) it will be Matter of Wonder why young 15 Gentlemen are forced to learn the Grammars of foreign and dead Languages, and are never once told of the Grammar ' of their own Tongues: They do not so much as know there is any such thing, much less is it made their Business to be instructed in it. Nor is their own Language ever/20 proposed to them as worthy their Care and cultivating, though they have daily Use of it, and are not seldom, in th future Course of their Lives, judged of by their handsom or awkward way of expressing themselves in it. Whereai the Languages whose Grammars they have been so much 25 employed in, are such as probably they shall scarce ever speak or write; or if, upon Occasion, this should happen, they should be excused for the Mistakes and Faults they make in it. Would not a Chinese who took notice of this way of Breeding, be apt to imagine that all our young 30 Gentlemen were designed to be Teachers and Professors of the dead Languages of foreign Countries, and not to be Men of Business in their own?
3. There is a third Sort of Men, who apply themselves to two or three foreign, dead, and (which amongst us are 35 called the) learned Languages, make them their Study, and pique themselves upon their Skill in them. No doubt, those who propose to themselves the learning of any Lan- guage with this View, and would be critically exact in it, ought carefully to study the Grammar of it. I would not 40 be mistaken here, as if this were to undervalue Greek and 148 Grammar, when to be taught. K i^, ' Latin, I grant these are Languages of great Use and Excellency, and a Man can have no place among the Learned in this Part of the World, who is a Stranger to them. But the Knowledge a Gentleman would ordinarily 5 draw for his Use out of the Roman and Greek Writers, I think he may attain without studying the Grammars of those Tongues, and by bare reading, may come to under- stand them sufficiently for all his Purposes. How much farther he shall at any time be concerned to look into the 10 Grammar and critical Niceties of either of these Tongues, he himself will be able to determine when he comes to pro- pose to himself the Study of any^thing that shall require it Which brings me to the other Part of the Enquiry, viz.
When Grammar should he taught t 15 To which, upon the premised Grounds, the Answer is obvious, viz.
That if Grammar ought to be taught at any time, it must be to one that can spesdc the Language already; how else J can he be taught the Grammar of it? This at least is 20 evident from the Practice of the wise and learned Nations amongst the Antients. They made it a Part of Education to cultivate their own, not foreign Tongues. The Greeks counted all other Nations barbarous, and had a Contempt for their Languages. And tho' the Greek Learning grew in 25 Credit amongst the Romans^ towards the End of their Com- monwealth, yet it was the Roman Tongue that was made the Study of their Youth: Their own Language they were to make use of, and therefore it was their own Language they were instructed and exercised in.
30 But, more particularly to determine the proper Season for Grammar, I do not see how it can reasonably be made any one's Study, but as an Introduction to Rhetorick; when| • it is thought Time to put any one upon the Care of polish- 1 ing his Tongue, and of speaking better than the Illiterate, 35 then is the Time for him to be instructed in the Rules of Grammar, and not before. For Grammar being to teach Men not to speak, but to speak correctly and according to the exact Rules of the Tongue, which is one Part of Ele« gancy, there is little Use of the one to him that has no ^i68 — 170] Words an dThings. NoLatinThemes. 149 Need of the other; where Rhetorick is not necessary, Grammar may be spared. I know not why any one should -waste his Time, and beat his Head about the Latin Grammar, who does not intend to be a Critick, or make Speeches and -write Dispatches in it. When any one finds in himself a 5 Necessity or Disposition to study any foreign Language to the bottom, and to be nicely exact in the Knowledge of it, it will be time enough to take a grammatical Survey of it If his use of it be only to understand some Books writ in it, without a critical Knowledge of the Tongue itself, reading to alone, as I have said, will attain this End, without charging the Mind with the multiplied Rules and Intricacies of Grammar.
§ 169. For the Exercise of his Writing, let him some- times translate Latin into English: But the learning of 15 Latin being nothing but the learning of Words, a very un- pleasant Business both to young and old, join as much I other real Knowledge with it as you can, beginning still " with that which lies most obvious to the Senses; such as is the Knowledge of Minerals^ Plants and Animals^ and 20 particularly Timber and Fruit-Trees, their Parts, and Ways of Propagation, wherein a great deal may be taught a Child which will not be useless to the Man: But more especially Geography, Astronomy, and Anatomy, But whatever you are teaching him, have a care still that you do not clog him 25 with too much at once; or make any thing his Business but downright Virtue, or reprove him for any thing but Vice, or some apparent Tendency to it.
§ 170. But if after all his Fate be to go to School to get the Latin Tongue, 'twill be in vain to talk to you 30 concerning the Method I think best to be observed in Schools; you must submit to that you find there, not expect to have it changed for your Son; but yet by all Means obtain, if you can, that he be not employed in making Latin Themes and Declamations^ and least of all, Verses 35 of any Kind. You may insist on it, if it will do any good, that you have no Design to make him either a Latin Orator or Poet, but barely would have him understand perfectly a Latin Author; and that you observe, those who teach any of the modem Languages, and that with Success, never 4c amuse their Scholars to make Speeches or Verses either in French or Italian^ their Business being Language barely, an^ not Invention.
§ 171. But to tell you a little more fixll] ^*****'* why I would not have him exercised in mi 5 of Themes and Verses, i. As to Themes^ they have, confess, the Pretence of something useful, which is to teacl People to speak handsomly and well on any Subject; which,^ if it could be attained this way, I own would be a great! Advantage, there being nothing more becoming a Gentleman, 10 nor more useful in all the Occurrences of Life, than to be able, on any Occasion, to speak well and to the Purpose, But this I say, that the making of Tliemes^ as is usual at' Schools, helps not one Jot towards it; For do but consider what it is, in making a Theme, that a young Lad is employed 15 about; it is to make a Speech on some Latin Saying; as Omnia vincit amor; or Non licet in Bello his peccare^ &*c And here the poor Lad, who wants Knowledge of those Things he is to speak of, which is to be had only from Time and Observation, must set his Invention on the Rack, to say 20 something where he knows nothing; which is a sort of Egyptian Tyranny, to bid them make Bricks who have not yet any of the Materials. And therefore it is usual in such Cases for the poor Children to go to those of higher Forms with this Petition, Pray give me a little Sense; which, whether 25 it be more reasonable or more ridiculous, is not easy to determine. Before a Man can be in any Capacity to speak on any Subject, 'tis necessary he be acquainted with it; or else it is as foolish to set him to discourse of it, as to set a blind Man to talk of Colours, or a deaf Man of MusicL 30 And would you not think him a little cracked, who would require another to make an Argument on a moot Point, who understands nothing of our Laws? And what, I pray, do School-Boys understand concerning those Matters whidi are used to be proposed to them in their Themes as Subjects to 35 discourse on, to whet and exercise their Fancies?
§ 172. In the next Place, consider the Language that their Themes are made in: 'Tis Latin^ a Language foreign in their Country, and long since dead every where: A Language which your Son, 'tis a thousand to one, shall 40 never have an Occasion once to make a Speech in as long as he lives after he comes to be a Man; and a Language wherein the Manner of expressing one's self is so far differ- ent from ours, that to be perfect in that would very little improve the Purity and Facility of his English Stile. Besides that, there is now so little Room or Use for set Speeches in our own Language in any Part of our English Business, S that I can see no Pretence for this Sort of Exercise in our Schools, unless it can be supposed, that the making of set Latin Speeches should be the Way to teach Men to speak well in English extempore. The Way to that, I should think rather to be this: That there should be proposed to young 10 Gentlemen rational and useful Questions, suited to their Age and Capacities, and on Subjects not wholly unknown to them nor out of their Way: Such as these, when they are ripe for Exercises of this Nature, they should extempore^ or after a little Meditation upon the Spot, speak to, without 15 penning of any thing: For I ask, if we will examine the Effects of this Way of learning to speak well, who speak best in any Business, when Occasion calls them to it upon. any Debate, either those who have accustomed themselves to compose and write down beforehand what they would say; 20 or those, who thinking only of the Matter, to understand that as well as they can, use themselves only to speak extempore f And he that shall judge by this, will be little apt to think, that the accustoming him to studied Speeches and set Compositions, is the Way to fit a young Gentleman for 25 Business.
§ 173. But perhaps we shall be told, 'tis to improve and perfect them in the Zatin Tongue. 'Tis true, that is their proper Business at School; but the making of Themes is not the Way to it: That perplexes their Brains about Invention 30 of things to be said, not about the Signification of Words to be learn'dj and when they are making a Theme^ 'tis Thoughts they search and sweat for, and not Language. But the Learning and Mastery of a Tongue being uneasy and unpleasant enough in itself, should not be cumbred with any 35 other Difficulties, as is done in this way of proceeding. In fine, if Boys' Invention be to be quicken'd by such Exercise, let them make Themes in English^ where they have Facility and a Command of Words, and will better see what kind of Thoughts they have, when put into their own Language. 40 And ff the Latin Tongue be to be learned, let it be done 152 No Steps to Parnassus. [§§ 173, 174 the easiest Way, without toiling and disgusting the Mind by so uneasy an Employment as that of making Speeches joined to it.
§ 174. If these may be any Reasons against Children's 5 ytrus, making Latin Themes at School, I have much more to say, and of more Weight, against their making Verses y Verses of any Sort: F^r if he has no Genius to Poetry^ 'tis the most unreasonable thing in the World to torment a Child and waste his Time about that which can 10 never succeed; and if he have a poetick Vein, 'tis to me the strangest thing in the World that the Father should de- sire or suffer it to be cherished or improved. Methinks the Parents should labour to have it stifled and suppressed as much as may be; and I know not what Reason a Father 15 can have to wish his Son a Poet, who does not desire to have him bid Defiance to all other Callings and Business; which is not yet the worst of the Case; for if he proves a suc- cessful Rhymer, and gets once the Reputation of a Wit, I desire it may be considered what Company and Places he 20 is like to spend his Time in, nay, and Estate too: For it is very seldom seen, that any one discovers Mines of Gold or Silver in Parnassus, 'Tis a pleasant Air, but a barren Soil; and there are very few Instances of those who have added to their Patrimony by any thing they have reaped from thence.
25 Poetry and Gaming, which usually go together, are alike in this too, that they seldom bring any Advantage but to those who have nothing else to live on. Men of Estates almost constantly go away Losers; and 'tis well if they escape at a cheaper rate than their whole Estates, or the greatest Part of 30 them. If therefore you would not have your Son the Fiddle to every jovial Company, without whom the Sparks could not relish their Wine nor know how to pass an Aflernoon idly; if you would not have him to waste his Time and Estate to divert others, and contemn the dirty Acres left him 35 by his Ancestors, I do not think you will much care he should be a Poet^ or that his School-master should enter him in versifying. But yet, if any one will think Poetry a desirable Quality in his Son, and that the Study of it would raise his Fancy and Parts, he must needs yet confess, that to 40 that End reading the excellent Greek and Roman Poets is of more Use than making bad Verses of his own, in a Lan- ^ 174 — 176] Against much learning: by heart. 153 guage that is not his own. And he whose Design it is to ex- cel in English Poetry, would not, I guess, think the Way to it were to make his first Essays in Latin Verses.
§ 175. Another thing very ordinary in the vulgar Method of Grammar-Schools there is, of which I see no S