nius of the fchools takes the lead, and harangues the goddefs in the following fpeech, which conveys the keenest fatire on the prepofterous plan of fcholaftic education. "Since Man from beaft by Words is "known, "Words are Man's province, Words we teach "alone. "When Reafon doubtful, like the Samian "letter, "Points him two ways, the narrower is the "better. "Plac'd at the door of Learning, youth to guide, 66 "We never fuffer it to ftand too wide. "To afk, to guefs, to know, as they com"mence, "As Fancy opens the quick springs of Senfe, "We ply the Memory, we load the Brain, "Bind rebel Wit, and double Chain on Chain, "Confine the thought, to exercise the breath; "And keep them in the pale of Words till death. "Whate'er the talents, or howe'er defign'd, "We hang one jingling padlock on the "mind." This is a fine ridicule on the preposterous method of forcing all boys to make verfes, whether they have a poetical turn or not. The pedagogue then complains, that when men come into the world, they fometimes forget this verbal learning, and apply themselves to to useful knowledge, which occafions the goddefs fuddenly to break forth in an eager wifh for arbitrary power, which is best supported by turning men's attention from the study of things, to that of words and founds. "Oh (cry'd the Goddess) for fome pedantReign! "Some gentle JAMES, to bless the land "again; "To flick the Doctor's Chair into the Throne, "Give law to Words, or war with Words ❝ alone, "Senates and Courts with Greek and Latin “rule, "And turn the Council to a Grammar School! "O! if my fons may learn one earthly thing, "Which as it dies, or lives, we fall, or reign: May you, my Cam, and Ifis, preach it long! "The RIGHT DIVINE of Kings to govern wrong." These few lines are penned with the spirit of true genius, which is ever abhorrent of tyranny under every form. The found fenfe, ftrong fatire, and manly freedom of fentiment with which our poet on all occafions vindicates the political and religious rights of mankind, plainly prove him to have been a bigot to no fect or party. The The goddefs having called upon her fons to preach the flavifh doctrine of divine right, the poet with great pleasantry and propriety makes the deputies of the universities, especially the friends of Ariftotle, attend prompt at her call. Ariftotle had established it as a principle, that Some men were by nature made to ferve, and others to command, therefore none fo fit as his followers to enforce the fervile doctrine of divine right. The speech of Ariftarchus, who explains to the goddefs the mode of academic education, as chiefly confined to verbal criticism, is replete with keen ridicule: and the exclamation which follows is happily expreffed. 66 Ah, think not, Mistress! more true Dulnefs "lies "In Folly's Cap, than Wisdom's grave disguise. Like buoys, that never fink into the flood, "On Learning's furface we but lie and nod. "Thine is the genuine head of many a "houfe, "And much Divinity without a Nes.” Having difplayed the art of teaching words without things, in the fame dull track with the grammar-fchool, in the next place, he exhibits the skill of teaching things, without any profit to the pupil, by perversely mifapplying his talents to purfuits from which he is wholly averfe; or confining his genius with the curb of autho rity, which brings all minds to one dead level. This part of the speech of Ariftarchus is fo poignant, and just a fatire on modern education, that the tranfcript will not appear long. "What tho' we let fome better fort of fool "Thrid ev'ry fcience, run through ev'ry "fchool? "Never by tumbler through the hoops was "fhown "Such skill in paffing all, and touching none, "He may indeed (if fober all this time) "Plague with Difpute, or perfecute with 66 Rhyme. "We only furnish what he cannot use, "Or wed to what he muft divorce, a Mufe; "Full on the midst of Euclid dip at once, "And petrify a Genius to a Dunce: "Or fet on Metaphyfic ground to prance, "Show all his paces, not a step advance. "With the fame CEMENT, ever fure to bind, "We bring to one dead level ev'ry mind: "Then take him to devellop, if you can, "And hew the Block off, and get out the Man." The poet proceeds by regular gradations ftill farther to expose the defects of fashionable education, in the character of a youth just returned from his travels, attended by his governor and a courtezan, whose appearance drives Ariftarchus away. For the beauty of poetical description, and for exquifite raillery, nothing perhaps can exceed the following lines, which expose the abfurd abfurd progrefs and mifchievous fruits of modern travelling, in a speech from the tutor to the goddefs. "Receive, great Emprefs! thy accomplish'd "Son: "Thine from the birth, and facred from the “Rod, "A dauntlefs Infant! never fcar'd with God. "Thro' School and College, thy kind cloud "o'ercaft, "Safe and unfeen the young Eneas past: "Thence bursting glorious, all at once let "down, "Stunn'd with his giddy Larum half the 66 town. "Intrepid then, o'er feas and lands he flew: "Europe he faw, and Europe faw him too. "There all thy gifts and graces we difplay, "Thou, only thou, directing all our way! "To where the Seine, obfequious as the "runs, "Pours at great Bourbon's feet her filken "fons; "Or Tyber, now no longer Roman, rolls, "Vain of Italian Arts, Italian Souls: "To happy Convents, bofom'd deep in vines, "Where flumber Abbots, purple as their "wines; σε Το |