recting bad ones.-To this I anfwer, that it is of confequence to begin it, at the very first dawn of reafon, as foon as the child can draw any confequences in his mind concerning things that relate moft immediately to himself. Now this, I believe, appears at a very early period in moft children; and much fooner than is commonly imagined. 'Tis true, that a child must be of the age of five or fix or seven years, before he can either form an argument, or attend to it when it is delivered, in words: but notwithstanding this, he is in a certain degree poffeffed of the ufe of reafon at a much earlier period, in moft things that relate more immediately to himfelf, and his own prefent and apparent welfare. By the time he is one year old, he can generally point out the food he is fond of, the perfons whom he loves or hates, the playthings that ftrike his fancy, the fights and founds that delight or difguft him; and gives the most undoubted figns of knowing when he does what you approve or disapprove, provided that by proper encouragements and difcouragements he hath been taught the difference. Thefe, then, are the indications of the firft dawn of reafon; and generally arife before a child is one year old; in fome, perhaps, much fooner. Now this early period precedes the maturity of reafon by an interval of many years but as this early period is the season when the first habits take place, it is undoubtedly the time when the work of education fhould begin. The longer it is delayed beyond this early period, the more difficult the task will be: improper habits will daily and hourly fteal into the infant mind; and if ever they be driven out, it must be the effect of a fevere and painful conflict.'

Having evinced the neceffity of implanting habits of virtue in the earliest ftages of infancy, our Author proceeds to lay down the neceffary rules for the regulation of the paffions, according to that order in which they feem to arife in nature, and at the fame time point out the common errors committed in this important article of education.-The first great and leading paffion, we are told, which ought, above all others, to be cherished, heightened, and confirmed, is that of benevolence, love, or good-will; not only to all mankind, but even to the meanest creature that hath life.-The next circumftance in order of time and importance, with regard to the regulation of the paffions, feems to our Author, to be the habit of felf-controul, or the power of curbing any defire that arifeth in the heart. The habit which claims the next place in the progress of education, is that of humility.-And, lastly, that of paying the ftrictest regard to truth in all his words, and to justice in all his actions.

As to the methods of impreffing thefe virtuous habits, the DocRav. April 1764.

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tor fors, there is no general rule to be laid down; as fome children are beft influenced by gentleness and affection, fome by praje, fime by home, and fome by (what ought ever to be the but expellent) fecerity and parijoment. Thefe methods, he thinks, ought to be employed or tried in the order here laid down; in being the fri, and punishment the last, with regard to all good conquences.

He now proceeds to the third part of his fubject, which was to point out the proper regulations of opinion, with a view to the great end already laid down, that of compleating the regulation of the pains, and confirming the good habits of action already implanted in his pupil. The chief opinions which lead to this great e. d, are thofe which relate to his ideas of his own intereft or happiness: for our profpes of happinefs, whether true or falfe, inevitably fway our practice: if they coincide with the virtuous habits already contracted, they strongly tend to confirm them; if, on the contrary, our views of happiness are at variance with our habits, they no lefs ftrongly tend to their dftruation.

This general truth leads to a proper divifion of this part of the fubject, which naturally includes, 1ft, thofe opinions which relate to the interefts of this life; and, 2dly, those which concern the happiness of that which is to come.

It is of great importance to give the child a true idea of what conftitutes his real interefts in the prefent life, to give him a right judgment concerning the foundations of happiness and mifery, good and evil; to bring him to a confirmed habit of thinking, that vice, in all its modes, is inconfiftent with true felicity, and that by virtue only he fhall certainly obtain it.

Yet,' fays our Author, in contradiction to this falutary principle, it is but too often feen, that children are early taught to diftinguish between intereft and virtue; between being good and being happy they are early and induftrioufly taught to place their affections on wealth, or grandeur, or power, or gaiety, or pleasure: are affiduously inftructed in the arts of acquiring or enjoying riches at all events, as the great end of life, without which they will certainly be miferable, and with which they will affuredly be compleatly bleft. Now, where this falfe and pernicious opinion is inftilled, can, we wonder if it overturn every principle of pity, benevolence, and integrity, even fuppofing them before-hand to have been carefully implanted and cultivated in the heart? The best that can be fuppofed, is a perpetual oppofition of contrary paffions of gererous habits warring with a felfifh opinion: but if we confider natural prevalence of felf-love, when fet in oppofition to

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the more generous and inlarged affections, what can we expect, but that the first impulfes of private attachment will take place, and every virtuous habit will be overwhelmed in the conflict.

As your child's understanding opens, therefore, watch every the earliest opportunity of infufing a firm belief, that by steadily purfuing the virtuous habits which he hath already contracted, he will beft fecure his true happiness through every period of his life that benevolence, felf-command, humility, integrity, and truth, are ever attended with felf-fatisfaction, health, reputation, peace, and fafety: fhew him their effects, in fuch inftances as may ftrike his attention, and lie level to his capacity point out to him the confequences of their oppofite vices; the torments of heart that attend on malice, envy, and revenge; the dreadful difafters of intemperance and unsubdued defires; the anxieties of pride, the difappointments of ambition, the contempt that attends diffmulation, the meannefs and dangers of difhonefty. Guard him against the deceitful appearances of pleasure, ambition, and wealth, which will now begin to make their inroads into his heart: convince him by reasonings' supported by facts, that true felicity is feated in the mind: point out to him the fincere happiness, the genuine contentment, that is often found in the cottage of the peafant; the gloomy discontent that is as often feen in the palaces of the great, and the feafts of the luxurious: that in the one, the pride of ftate, and the accumulations of wealth, are turned to a curfe by the Leftlefs cravings of unbounded appetites; that in the other, a life of labour and a plain repast, are brightened into real bleffings by the funfhine of a contented mind.

Neither will it be neceffary, in fixing this great and important principle, to endeavour to fhut out the idea of all external pleasure from his mind: fuch an attempt as this, though well defigned, is oftener attended with bad effects than good: it may poffibly fometimes produce fincerity and virtue; but will far more frequently produce hypocrify and vice. The natural propenfities and paffions which God hath given us, are not to be extirpated, but pruned and cultivated: and the apostle hath confirmed the voice of nature in telling us that every creature of God is good, provided we ufe it lawfully: provided that, in our enjoyment of the things of this world, we neither violate the welfare of others, nor injure ourfelves in body or in mind. Instead, therefore, of impofing a rigid and monkish abftinence from all the natural pleafures and amufements of life, regulate your child's tafte in the article of pleafure: teach him to regard all external enjoyments, as being lawful and expedient; yet fo far only, as they are kept fubordinate to the great Principles of benevolence, temperance, and juftice. Above all,

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labour to confirm him in this great truth; that the fupreme happiness of man can never confift in mere external objects: that for this he muft depend on the found condition of his own mind; on the juft regulation of his paffions, according to the impulfe of a well-directed confcience, built on the univerfal reafon of things, the peace and happinefs of mankind. This reftriction will be fo far from leffening the defireable effects of external enjoyments, that it will tend to rectify and increase them for as he will not value them beyond their real and intrinfic worth, fo neither will he be difappointed in his hopes; but will reap from them all that fecondary and fubordinate fatisfaction, which they can, or were defigned to give

him.

Having thus laid a foundation in virtuous habits, and confirmed it by infusing a juft opinion and idea of outward things relative to the happiness of the prefent life, it is now time, the Author fays, to lead our pupil on to the laft important circumftance in education, viz. that of religious principle or belief. Now, this article of religion, we are told, is not here left the laft, as being of the leaft importance in education; but because it comes the laft in order of time, when the rational faculties fill farther open, and prepare the mind for wider fcenes and higher acquirements in virtue. Then it is, that the importance of religious principle takes place, as it becomes the great connecting power, that fixes the floating and difcordant paffions of the foul, and elevates the heart to an unfhaken conftancy in every duty.

And here the Doctor very juftly obferves, that all those virtuous habits and principles already recommended, are a natural foundation on which to build true religion and Christianity; as the contrary habits and principles, tend to prevent their entrance into the heart. He farther obferves, that even the best habit, and most virtuous principle, if left to its own energy, will fometimes be in danger of giving way to unforeseen or violent temptation; but that the religious principle, if ftrongly inculcated, will fecure the well-formed heart from every fudden inroad of paffion; will infpire the growing mind with that unfhaken, confiftent, and univerfal virtue, which naturally refults from a juft and extended view of God's moral government. -What the Doctor farther adds upon this head is fenfible, liberal, and manly, and we have only to regret that he has not traced the fubject more fully.

The fubjects of the other difcourfes contained in this volume are, l'he mutual connection between religious truth and civil freedom; between fuperftition, tyranny, irreligion, and licentiouinels,-The duty of charitable diftribution,-The ufe

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and abuse of externals in religion,-The natural duty of a fonal service, in defence of ourselves and country, on occafion of a dangerous infurrection at Hexham, 1761,--The different provinces of goodness, juftice, and mercy,-The pursuit of falfe pleasure, and the mifchiefs of immoderate gaming,-Religious liberty, on occafion of the brief for the establishment of the colleges of Philadelphia and New York. Of this laft dif course we gave an account in the Review for July laft, p. 71.

Difcourfes on the Parables of our Saviour. By Samuel Bourn. 8vo. 2 vols. 12 s. Dodfley, &c.

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S our bleffed Saviour fupported the venerable character of a preacher of righteoufness with the higheft dignity and authority; infomuch that even by the confeffion of his enemies, never man fpake like him, every attempt to illuftrate the excellency of his inftructions; and the natural and affecting manner in which they were delivered to the people, will doubtlefs meet with a candid reception from all the friends of Chrif tianity.

Of our Saviour's difcourfes, those which he delivered in parables feem to be peculiarly deferving our attention, as they contain a great variety of important matter; were intended to illuftrate the nature and defign of his kingdom; and are not immediately obvious to the understanding of every common Reader. On these accounts we were well pleased, that this valuable part of the facred writings employed the thoughts of a perfon of Mr. Bourn's abilities and penetration.

This Gentleman's reputation as a Writer being well known, and established; it will be fufficient for us to obferve, that in the work now before us, he hath done no inconfiderable fervice to the character and religion of Jefus ; and fhewn himself a good critic; and a truly moral and practical preacher. When we fay he hath fhewn himself a good critic, we mean it in the moft honourable and worthy fenfe of that character, not by crouding his page with a heap of trifling, infignificant, verbal criticisms, fuch as thofe upon which many of our grave divines endeavour to support their reputation, an employment well enough adapted to the pedantries of the fchools; but by entering into the spirit of the discourses he is confidering, by investigating the circumftances and character of the perfons to whom our Saviour is addreffing himself; by marking the occafions which gave rife to thefe difcourfes; and by endeavour

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