duce more persevering industry, and untiring application to study.

This suggestion brings us back again to the question, involving the principal subject of this discourse: What means will best call forth and discipline the active powers of the young mind; form, strengthen and beautify the intellect, and furnish it with knowledge, enduring and worth possessing? and what will accomplish all this, with the least encroachment on the province of moral and physical education? Or, in other words, what measures should be employed, and what motives presented to the minds of children and youth, to incite them to effort, and induce them to study the best things in the best manner; to make the highest intellectual attainments which can be made, consistently with the most perfect development of their physical energies, and the formation of the highest moral and Christian character?

I. In answer to this general inquiry, I remark, that motives drawn from a sense of duty, and expedients calculated to awaken and cherish the moral sense, and to excite these motives, should unquestionably occupy a prominent place, in every system of education. As soon as the little child is capable of feeling the force of moral obligation, he should be taught, that it is · his duty to improve the powers which God has given him, to occupy the time allotted him, and to cultivate the talents committed to his trust. Indeed, this consideration should be urged upon him, in every stage of his pupilage. I may add, it should be cherished by us all, through life; and become an incentive to self-education for eternity, for heaven.

By resorting to such means and appealing to such motives, in order to stimulate to study, we may indirectly promote the objects of moral education, as well

as those which are peculiarly intellectual. For the very exercise of moral principle and the cherishing of religious motives, though for a different purpose, cannot fail to elevate and establish moral and religious character.

To the adoption of expedients of this character, however, it may be said by way of objection, that motives of duty cannot be excited, till children feel their relation to God, and their accountability to Him whose will lays the foundation of all moral obligation. We answer, that the relation may be felt, as soon as its influence is needed; as soon as the capacity for intellectual improvement begins to be developed. For reason and conscience are coincident powers, and contemporaneous in their origin.

It may be objected further, that many, even among those who are early taught to know God, still do not acknowledge him as God, do not reverence his authority nor regard his will. The fact, must, indeed, be admitted; and it is greatly to be lamented, that many, during the whole course of their pupilage, give no evidence of their possessing religious principle. But defective as moral education has hitherto been, and depraved as the natural heart is, few only, as we hope and have reason to believe, especially among the young, have so seared their consciences, and darkened their understandings by the practice of iniquity, as to have lost all sense of right and wrong, and all apprehensions of "a judgment to come." But however this may be though some, during the period of pupilage and minority even, may have been given over to a reprobate mind, may have become "past feeling," may have lost all moral sensibility; and though many more may not yet have been renewed in the spirit of their minds, and brought under the influence of su

preme love to God and habitual obedience to his will; the position we have taken, can nevertheless be fully sustained. Religious motives, and expedients and considerations calculated to suggest such motives, should therefore hold a distinguished place, among the means of urging the young to study and effort for intellectual improvement. For where religious principles, and a sense of moral obligation exist, these motives are the most efficient of any which can be addressed to the human mind; at least, they are the most steady and uniform in their operation, and, of course, produce the greatest strength of character and the most untiring efforts.

Besides, these are the only motives, whose influence is always salutary, whose effects are uniformly good; which, in their operation, are liable neither to excess nor to perversion. All others are more or less imperfect in their character, or uncertain in their operations and results. Some exert a directly pernicious influence, either on the physical energies or the moral character; while others occasionally produce these injurious effects by their perversion or excessive action. It is the direct tendency of some of these motives, while they stimulate to mental effort, to counteract all the means of moral improvement, and undermine all moral principle. Others act unequally. They are peculiarly liable to abuse. They occasionally blind the moral judgment and usurp the authority of conscience. They not unfrequently incite to excessive effort, and thus break down the constitution, and completely defeat the provisions of nature and the contrivances of art, to preserve health and develop the physical energies.

But the influence of moral and religious principle on mental effort and intellectual improvement, is good

and only good continually. It prompts to action, where prompting is needed; and it restrains, where restraint is necessary. It produces efforts, corresponding with strength and in accordance with a conscientious regard to the preservation of life, health and that vigor of constitution, which is necessary for the discharge of the various duties of life. It likewise so controls and directs these efforts, as never to interfere with the rights of others, with the claims of justice and benevolence, piety and virtue; as to cherish all the innocent sympathies of human nature, the best affections of the heart, the holiest desires of the soul. Thus it sanctifies all the intellectual acquisitions, which it makes. Thus, while it elevates and enlarges the mind, it purifies the heart; while it makes a man great, it makes him good. It prepares him alike for usefulness in this life, and for blessedness hereafter.

So salutary is this principle in all its operations, and so safe are the expedients which appeal to it, that it might seem unnecessary, in forming and executing the most perfect plan of education, to suggest any other motives but those of duty, or employ any other means but those which are adapted to rouse this pure principle, and furnish these high and holy motives. Truly, any other resort would be not only unnecessary, but pernicious, if this principle existed in all minds, and was always perfect, where it has existence. But since some are entirely destitute of it.; since it is exceedingly feeble in others; since it is far, very far from perfection in all; at least, in all who are in a course of intellectual training, other motives must often be suggested, and other expedients resorted to, in order to rouse the energies of the mind, fix the attention, and secure perseverance and industry in study.

II. I remark, therefore, in answer to the great in

quiry before us, that for the purpose of inciting to study, appeal should be made to curiosity, or that innate love of knowledge, which is found in every human breast. I give this principle the second place in point of order and importance, not merely because it is universal and powerful, but chiefly because appeals to it are generally safe. It is not very liable to perversion; and, even when it is perverted, it does not, like many other perverted principles, necessarily and directly produce moral evil. Its perversions merely diminish its own beneficial effects. It does, indeed, sometimes divide the attention, and thus prevent the highest intellectual culture, which might otherwise be secured. And it occasionally excites to over-action and excessive study, and thus diminishes the physical energies. But, in its grossest abuses, it still has no direct bearing, or pernicious influence, on moral character and religious principle.

Since, however, it is a universal principle of human nature, regard to it, in a general plan of education, becomes peculiarly proper and important. Those who possess no religious principle, and pay no regard to the claims of duty, are sometimes successfully roused, and incited to study and intellectual effort, by judicious appeals to this innate love of knowledge. And it not unfrequently comes to the aid of moral motives and religious principle, and thus adds greatness to goodness, pushing the virtuous student forward, or rather alluring him, to higher attainments in useful knowledge. Whatever expedients, therefore, throw a charm around the objects of study, awaken curiosity, and interest the feelings of the student, may be considered as wise contrivances and efficient means for promoting the cause of intellectual education.

Here, indeed, a little chastened enthusiasm may be