The New Hampshire Gazette

MAN may be consider'd in two views as a reasonable, and a sociable being: suitable to this double capacity, the wise contriver of humane nature has furnished it with two principles of actions, self-love and benevolence; the former a powerful motive to personal interest, the latter to public benevolence.

Tis the energy of the last motive, that prompts me to submit to the candid perusal of the public, some of my vague and incorrect reflections on the wrong education, and misapplication of youth's talents. By personal knowledge, and information from gentlemen that have the tuition of children in our public schools; the method to instruct those designed for a liberal education, is to instruct them into the knowledge of the dead languages, as soon as they can read tolerably common English: thus youth continue making proficiency in the idioms and beauties of the dead languages, till they become admirers of the lightning of Cicero, and the thunder of Demosthenes; while novices or strangers to the propriety and beauties of their mother tongue. Is it not consummate folly for youth to neglect to learn the beauties and propriety of a tongue, in which they daily converse; and if designed to make a figure in the republic of letters, must both speak and write correctly? which is impossible, without a compleat knowledge of the tongue in which they write: without the knowledge of which, the lightning of Tully would be converted into utter darkness; and the thunder of Demosthenes into perfect silence!

But to return to the misapplication of youth's talents. To precipitate children to learn the tongues, or any of the sciences, without consulting their genius and capacity, is nothing less than direct opposition to the disposition of providence; and as Tully says, like the sin of the Giants, actual rebellion against heaven.

There is a sort of vegetable principle in the mind of every infant, which like vegetables, is capable of various soils, culture and pruning: as some plants require different cultivation from others; so some youth's minds are not adapted to, or capable of some Branches of literature, but need a different cultivation.

This I recommend to the mature deliberation of parents, that they cease to importune instructors, to compel their children to learn what nature never designed them for, and for which they have no genius or capacity.

PUBLICUS.