The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

How Posts may be well filled; and the Public well served.

THERE are many Failings, or Disqualifications, in Men, not owing to any Defect of Understanding, or of Parts: but to the Want of directing them suitably to what they are. It would be hard to show that all Capacities are equipollent; but I presume few Men would be found unservicable, if placed in their natural Stations.

It might prove a most useful Institution, if Societies were erected, whose Office it should be to examine the Genius of young People: in order to discover wherein their Strength consists, and to what kind of Studies, Employments, or Posts, they are naturally best suited. For, by this Means most Subjects might become beneficial to the Public: and all the Posts of Government be well supplied: whereas, we now hear daily Complaints of the want of proper Persons to direct Affairs, in most of the European Countries: whilst the Youth of each Country are condemned to Studies, and matriculated into certain Arts, or Employments, before they arrive at Years of Discretion.

Some Parents, soon after the Birth of a Boy, will give him the Title of the Post, or Occupation, for which they intend him. But herein they seldom judge right; and it is owing to something extraordinary, if such blind Schemes should succeed. The Father sometimes designs his Son for a Judge, because the Grandfather was one: which may be as absurd, as to design a weakly Child for a Racer: or a purblind Boy for a Painter. Tho' nothing is more ridiculous, yet nothing is more common than this Procedure. And if we examine into Families, we shall find most Parents usurp this Privilege; but especially the Mother. We frequently hear the Husband say, "I would have my Son a Lawyer; but his Mother has resolv'd to make him a Parson."

Certain Parents destine their Children to an Office, or Profession, on account of Size, or Stature. When we hear of such Designs, we are apt to smile: and what can be more absurd than to lay a Lad out for a Colonel, because he is tall or lusty; or design him for an Alderman, because he has a large Belly? Whil'st such Absurdities prevail, and Children are destined to the Office, or Profession of their Parents, before an Opportunity can be had, of seeing whether they have a Genius for it: we need not wonder that States should be at a Loss for well qualified Men, to fill up the necessary Posts of Government; or that so many weak People should be found in great Offices.

I know this Misfortune is generally ascribed to the natural Decay of a Country, or its growing so barren, as not to produce able Men: but the Soil, the Climate, and the Air, cannot be justly blamed. The Barrenness arises merely from Folly, Neglect of Education, and the Want of a proper Choice and Direction. Governors and Parents should follow the Example of Husbandmen, who try and examine the Nature of their Land, before they sow it; for the best Seed may be thrown away, upon improper Ground: and when the Crop fails, it is not so much the Fault of the Seed, or the Soil, as of the Sower.

Care should be taken of Children, who are the Plant of a Community: and if this were really done, every Country would be supplied with Persons properly qualified for all the Employments and Stations of Life.

The Want of able Men arises partly from the wrong Management of Parents: and partly from a Neglect in the Administration. The Fault of Parents consists in endeavouring to force a Child's Nature: which is the Way to turn an useful into an useless Subject; or make a Person, who might have been an Honour, become a Disgrace, to his Country. A Judge, who is laughed at upon the Bench, might have made a good General, if his natural Genius had not been dragged to the Bar. What is once stamped for a Shilling, will not pass current for a Guinea. We may give what external Stamps we please; they do not alter the internal Nature of Things.—If Children resembled their Parents in mental Endowments, as they sometimes do in external Appearance, this Practice might prove harmless to Society: but since Experience shews, that Children's Minds are often as unlike those of their Parents, as their Bodies are like; it is improper, and even foolish in Parents, to make their Children pursue the same Studies, or Employments, which they follow, or approve, for themselves. And, on this Account, the Chinese are deservedly censured, for obliging every Son to follow the Profession of his Father.

Children are not to be treated like young Brutes. A Hound may, immediately after it is whelped, be justly enrolled in the Kennel; and a Gun-Dog be bred up with the Spaniels: because Experience shews, that these Puppies possess the Qualities of the Breed they come from. But how often do we see, among Men, that a Fool shall descend from a wise Man: a Coward from a Hero, and vice versa? Aridaeus and Alexander were Brothers; but very unlike in their Talents. It may seem needless to produce Examples of this kind from History; since common Observation supplies us with Plenty.

King Antigonus desired to take the famous Philosopher Bion Borysthenites into the Royal Retinue; but asked him previously, whether he came of a good Family: Bion replied, "My Father was branded in the Forehead: he married my Mother out of a Brothel: and was afterwards expelled the City as a Malefactor. But thou, O King, mayst rather examine what I am, than what my Parents were. If your Majesty wants a Marksman, you do not ask him whether his Father was a Marksman; but try whether the Son can Shoot."