the more he is convinced of the utility of engaging in the pursuit of general knowledge, as far as may be confiftent with profeffional views, and particular fituations in life. The custom has prevailed of late years, much more than it did formerly, of introducing young men at an early age into the mixed company of perfons older than themselves. As fuch is the reigning mode, they ought to be prepared in fome degree at least to blend manly and ferious topics with the fallies of light and gay converfation. And, in order to be qualified for the introduction of fuch fubjects, it seems requifite to unite to the study of the learned languages other attainments, which have a reference to the fciences, the works of nature, and the affairs of active life. The improvements of the times have turned the attention of the learned to new pursuits, and given their conduct a new direction. The Scholar, no longer confined within the walls of a College, as was formerly the cafe, now mixes in general fociety, and adapts his ftudies to an enlarged fphere of obfervation: he does not limit his reading to the works of the ancients, or to his profeffional refearches alone; but fhows his proficiency in the various parts of literature, which are interesting to the world at large. The condition of focial intercourfe among thofe, who have had the advantages of a liberal educa tion, is at prefent fo happily improved, that a free communication subsists between all intelligent and well-informed men. The Divine, the Phyfician, the Barrifter, the Artist, and the Merchant, affociate without referve, and augment the pleafure they derive from converfation, in proportion as they obtain an infight into various purfuits and occupations. The more ideas they acquire in common, the fooner their prejudices are removed, a more perfect congeniality of opinion prevails, they rife higher in each other's eftimation, and the pleasure of fociety is ripened into the fentiments of attachment and friendship. In fuch parties, where "the feaft of reafon and the flow of foul" prevail with the happiest effect, he who unites to knowledge of the world the leading ideas and rational principles, which well-chofen books can fupply, will render himself the moft acceptable, and the moft valuable companion. Such are now the abundant productions of the prefs, that books written in our own language upon all fubjects whatever are constantly published, and quickly circulate through the whole kingdom. This circumstance has leffened that wide and very evident diftinction, which in former times prevailed between the learned and the unlearned claffes of the community. At prefent, they who have not enjoyed the benefit of a claffical education may reap many of the fruits of learning without the labour of cultivation, as tranflations furnish them with convenient and easy expedients, which can in fome measure, although an incomplete one, make amends for their ignorance of the original authors. And upon all fubjects of general Literature, Science, and Tafte, in their actual and moft highly improved state, they have the fame means of information in their power with those who have been regularly educated in the Universities, and the public schools. Thus favourable are the temper and the circumftances of the Times to the diffufion of knowledge. And if the most mature and deliberate decifions of reflection and experience be required to give weight to the opinion, that comprehenfive views of learning and fcience are calculated to produce the best effects upon the mind, reference can be made to both ancient and modern authorities to writers of no lefs eminence than Quintilian, Milton, and Locke. Their obfervations tend to prove, that close attention to a professional study is an affair of the first importance, but that invariable and exclufive application to any one purfuit is the certain mark of a contracted education. For hence the ftudent is led to form a diflike to occupations diffimilar to his own, and to entertain prejudices against thofe who exercife them. He is liable to view mankind and their employments through a wrong and a difcoloured medium, and to make imperfect, if not false eftimates of their use and value. In order to prevent fuch contractedness of difpofition, and fuch errors of judgment, what method can be more efficacious, than than to open fome of the gates of general knowledge, and display its most beautiful profpects to his view? Such Profpects, diftinctly and deliberately furveyed, will produce the most beneficial effects upon his temper and opinions. While they place before him the means of increafing his information, they will render him a more correct judge of its value, and fecure him from conceit, affectation, and pedantry. They will render him more capable of appreciating the relative importance and comparative merit of different ftudies, when referred to the use and ornament of life. He will difcern the natural affinity which fubfifts between the different branches of polite literature, and how capable they are of increafing the influence, and improving the beauties of each other. In short, various pursuits, skilfully chofen and affiduously followed, can give proper activity to every faculty of the mind, inafmuch as they engage the judgment, the memory, and the imagination, in an agreeable exercife, and are affociated for one beneficial purpose-like the genial drops of rain, which defcend from heaven, they unite in one common ftream to ftrengthen and enlarge the current of knowledge. By studies thus diverfified, the mind is supplied with copious materials for the ferious reflexions of retirement, or the lively intercourfe of fociety; it is enabled, by the combination of many particular ideas, to form thofe general principles, which it is always eager to embrace, which are of great ufe in the conduct of life, and may prove in every fituation pleafing, and advantageous. In fhort, fuch a plan is calculated to diffeminate that knowledge, which is adapted to the prefent improved ftate of fociety, to diveft learning of pedantry, and to afford the fcholar fome infight into the refearches of the philofopher, the occupations of the man of bufinefs, and the pleasures of the man of taste. And as the Arts and Sciences beftow mutual affiftance, and reflect mutual light, fo are they highly efficacious and beneficial when combined with profeffional knowledge. To fome profeffions indeed they are effentially neceffary, to all they are ornamental. They afford illuftrations which render profeffional ftudies more eafy to be underftood, and they furnish fupplies, which are conducive to their complete fuccefs. Every one must allow, that all systems of Education, if constituted upon right principles, fhould be well adapted to the fituations of those, for whofe fervice they are intended. In felecting the topics of the following work, I have therefore confidered Young Men, with a view to their most important relations in life, as CHRISTIANS, as STUDENTS, and as MEMBERS OF THE BRITITH EMPIRE, |