to make these profound researches into

human nature.

LORD SHAFTESBURY.

I TAKE your meaning. These refearches, you would fay, are fo little profound, that I might have fpared myself the trouble of making them at all, at leaft in converfation with a philofopher. Be that as it will; provided the principles themselves, I am contending for, be well founded. For the conclufion neceffarily follows, "That therefore FOREIGN "TRAVEL is, of all others, the most im

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portant and effential part of Edu❝cation."

THE youth of the most accomplished people in Europe would have much to correct in themfelves, and fomething, perhaps, to learn, in their voyages into the neighbouring nations; however inferiour to their own, in the general state of knowledge and politenefs. What then

then must be the cafe of our English youth, confined in this remote corner among themselves, and indulged in their own ruftic and licentious habits?

OUR country has never been famous for the civility of its inhabitants. We have, rather, been stigmatized in all ages, and are still confidered by the rest of Europe, as proud, churlish, and unfocial. The very circumftance of our Islandfituation feems to expofe us to the just reproach of inhofpitality. And if, with this disadvantage, we fhould cherish, and not correct, thofe vices which fo naturally fpring from it, what lefs could we expect than to be distinguished by fuch names, as our ill-manners would well deserve, though our pride might fuffer from the application of them?

Ir feems then to be an inevitable confequence of what has been faid, that we of this country have a more than ordi

VOL. III.

nary occafion for the benefits of foreign travel. And the reafon of the thing fhews, they cannot be obtained too soon. Young minds are the fittest to take the ply of civility and good manners. The tafk is less eafy, and the fuccefs more uncertain, when we enter upon this busi nefs late in life; when intractable humours have gathered ftrength, and the unfocial manner is become habitual to us. Whatever may be objected to the incapacity of this age in other refpects, youth is out of question the time for acquiring right propenfities and virtuous habits.

MR. LOCKE.

YOUR Lordship has fo many good words at command upon all occafions, that one cannot but be entertained, at leaft, with your rhetoric, if not convinced by it. But my present concern is to have a clear conception of your argument, which in plain terms, as I apprehehend it, ftand thus; "That every nation has 66 many

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many vices and follies to correct in itfelf; that this is perhaps more especially the cafe of our own; and that

early Travel is the only, at least the "most proper, cure for them."

LORD SHAFTESBURY.

THAT, Sir, is my meaning; and, tho' expreffed in more words than may be neceffary, it is furely not coloured by any rhetorical exaggerations. But you must allow me to proceed in my own way, and enforce the general argument, I have delivered, by applying it to the particular exigencies and neceffities of our English youth.

You, who have been abroad in the world and have so just a knowledge of other ftates and countries, tell me, if there can be any thing more ridiculous than the idiot PREJUDICES of our homebred gentlemen; which fhew themselves, whenever their own dear Ifland comes, in any

D 2

any refpect, to be the topic of converfation. What wondrous conceits of their own prowefs, wifdom, nay of their manners and politenefs! With what difdain is a foreigner mentioned by them, and with what apparent figns of averfion is his very perfon treated! They scarcely give you leave to suppose that any virtuous quality can thrive out of their own air, or that good fenfe can be expreffed in any foreign language. Nay, their foolish prepoffeffion extends to their very foil and climate. Such warm patriots are they, fuch furious lovers of their country, that they will have it to be the theatre of all convenience, delight, and beauty.

"To hear their difcourfe among themfelves, one would imagine that the finest "lands near the Euphrates, the Baby"lonian or Perfian Paradifes, the rich plains of Egypt, the Græcian Tempe, "the Roman Campania, Lombardy, Pro

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vence,