the throat of the innocent lamb, with as little reluctance as the taylor flicks his needle into the collar of a coat. If there are fome few, who, formed in a fofter mould, view with pity the fufferings of these defencelefs creatures, there is fcarce one who entertains the leaft idea, that juftice or gratitude can be due to their merits, or their fervices. The focial and friendly dog is hanged without remorfe, if, by barking in defence of his master's perfon and property, he happens unknowingly to disturb his reft: the generous horfe, who has carried his ungrateful master for many years with cafe and fafety, worn out with age and infirmities, contracted in his fervice, is by him condemned to end his miferable days in a duft-cart, where the more he exerts his little remains of fpirit, the more he is whipped to fave his flupid driver the trouble of whipping fome other lefs obedient to the lath. Sometimes, having been taught the practice of many unnatural and ufelefs feats in a riding-house, he is at last turned out, and configned to the dominion of a hackney-coachman, by whom he is every day corrected for performing thofe tricks, which he has learned under fo long and fevere a difcipline, The fluggish bear, in contradiction to his nature, is taught to dance, for the diver fion of a malignant mob, by placing redhot irons under his feet: and the majestic bull is tortured by every mode which malice can invent, for no offence, but that he is gentle, and unwilling to affail his diabolical tormentors. Thefe, with innumerable other acts of cruelty, injustice, and ingratitude, are every day committed, not only with impunity, but without cenfure, and even without obfervation; but we may be affured, that they cannot finally país away unnoticed and unretaliated. The laws of felf-defence undoubtedly juftify us in deftroying thofe animals who would deftroy us, who injure our properties, or annoy our perfons; but not even thefe, whenever their fituation incapacitates them from hurting us. I know of no right which we have to shoot a bear on an inacceffible ifland of ice, or an eagle on the mountain's top; whofe lives cannot injure us, nor deaths procure us any benefit. We are unable to give life, and therefore ought not wantonly to take it away from the meanest infect, without fufficient reafon; they all receive it from the fame benevolent hand as ourfelves, and have therefore an equal right to enjoy it. God has been pleased to create number lefs animals intended for our fuftenance: and that they are fo intended, the agreeable flavour of their flesh to our palates, and the wholefome nutriment which it adminifters to our ftomachs, are fufficient proofs: thefe, as they are formed for our ufe, propagated by our culture, and fed by our care, we have certainly a right to deprive of life, because it is given and preferved to them on that condition; but this fhould always be performed with all the tenderness, and compaflion which fo difagreeable an office will permit; and no circumftances ought to be omitted, which can render their executions as quick and eafy as poffible. For this, Providence has wifely and benevolently provided, by forming them in fuch a manner, that their flesh becomes rancid and unpalateable by a painful and lingering death; and has thus compelled us to be merciful without compaffion, and cautious of their fuffering, for the fake of ourfelves: but, if there are any whofe tastes are fo vitiated, and whose hearts are fo hardened, as to delight in fuch inhuman facrifices, and to partake of them without remorfe, they should be looked upon as dæmons in human fhapes, and expect a retaliation of those tortures which they have inflicted on the innocent, for the gratification of their own depraved and unnatural appetites. So violent are the paffions of anger and revenge in the human breast, that it is not wonderful that men fhould profecute their real or imaginary enemies with cruelty and malevolence; but that there should exift in nature a being who can receive pleasure from giving pain, would be totally incre dible, if we were not convinced, by melancholy experience, that there are not only many, but that this unaccountable difpofition is in some measure inherent in the nature of man; for, as he cannot be taught by example, nor led to it by temptation, or prompted to it by interest, it must be derived from his native constitution; and is a remarkable confirmation of what revelation fo frequently inculcatesthat he brings into the world with him an original depravity, the effects of a fallen and degenerate state; in proof of which we need only obferve, that the nearer he approaches to a ftate of nature, the more predominant the difpofition appears, and the more violently it operates. We fee children laughing at the miferies which they inflict on every unfortunate animal which comes within their power; all favages are ingenious in contriving, and happy in execut 3X3 ing and our intermediate fituation, we mustacknowledge, that, with regard to inferior animals, juft fuch a being is a sportsman. Jenyns. the pious and judicious ROLLIN. Quinctilian fays, that he has included almost all the duty of scholars in this one piece of advice which he gives them, to love thofe who teach them, as they love the fciences which they learn of them; and to look upon them as fathers, from whom they derive not the life of the body, but that inftruction which is in a manner the life of the foul. Indeed this fentiment of affection and respect, fuffices to make them apt to learn during the time of their ftudies, and full of gratitude all the rest of their lives. It feems to me to include a great part of what is to be expected from them. ing, the most exquifite tortures; and the common people of all countries are delighted with nothing fo much as bull-baitings, prize-fightings, executions, and all fpectacles of cruelty and horror. Though civilization may in fome degree abate this §. 157. On the Duties of School Boys, from native ferocity, it can never quite extirpate it: the moft polifhed are not ashamed to be pleafed with fcenes of little lefs barbarity, and, to the difgrace of human nature, to dignify them with the name of fports. They arm cocks with artificial weapons, which nature had kindly denied to their malevolence, and, with fhouts of applause and triumph, fee them plunge them into each other's hearts: they view with delight the trembling deer and defenceless hare, flying for hours in the utmoft agonies of terror and defpair, and at laft, inking under fatigue, devoured by their merciless purfuers: they fee with joy the beautiful pheafant and harmless partridge drop from their flight, weltering in their blood, or perhaps perifhing with wounds and hunger, under the cover of fome friendly thicket to which they have in vain retreated for fafety: they triumph over the unfufpecting fish, whom they have decoyed by an infidious pretence of feeding, and drag him from his native element by a hook fixed to and tearing out his entrails; and, to add to all this, they fpare neither labour nor expence to preferve and propagate these innocent animals, for no other end but to multiply the objects of their perfecution. What name would we bestow on a fuperior being, whofe whole endeavours were employed, and whofe whole pleasure confifted, in terrifying, enfnaring, tormenting, and deftroying mankind? whofe fuperior faculties were exerted in fomenting animofities amongst them, in contriving engines of deftruction, and inciting them to ufe them in maiming and murdering each. other? whofe power over them was employed in affifting the rapacious, deceiving the fimple, and oppreffing the innocent? who, without provocation or advantage, fhould continue from day to day, void of all pity and remorfe, thus to torment mankind for diverfion, and at the fame time endeavour with his utmost care to preferve their lives, and to propagate their fpecies, in order to increafe the number of victims devoted to his malevolence, and be delighted in proportion to the miferies he occafioned? I fay, what name deteftable enough could we find for fuch a being? yet, if we impartially confider the cafe, Docility, which confifts in fubmitting to directions, in readily receiving the inftructions of their mafters, and reducing them to practice, is properly the virtue of scholars, as that of mafters is to teach well. The one can do nothing without the other; and as it is not fufficient for a labourer to fow the feed, unless the earth, after having opened its bofom to receive it, in à manner hatches, warms, and moiftens it; fa likewife the whole fruit of inftruction depends upon a good corespondence between the mafters and the scholars. Gratitude for those who have laboured in our education, is the character of an honeft man, and the mark of a good heart. Who is there among us, fays Cicero, that has been inftructed with any care, that is not highly delighted with the fight, or even the bare remembrance of his preceptors, mafters, and the place where he was taught and brought up? Seneca exhorts young men to preferve always a great respect for their maflers, to whofe care they are indebted for the amendment of their faults, and for having imbibed fentiments of honour and probity. Their exactnefs and feverity difplease fometimes at an age when we are not in a condition to judge of the obligations we owe to them; but when years have ripened cur understanding and judgment, we then difcern that what made us dislike them, I mean admonitions, reprimands, and a fevere exactnefs in restraining the paffions of an imprudent and inconfiderate age, is exprefsly the very thing which fhould make us efteem and love them. Thus Thus we fee that Marcus Aurelius, one of the wifeft and most illuftrious emperors that Rome ever had, thanked the gods for two things especially-for his having had excellent tutors himself, and that he had found the like for his children." Quinctilian, after having noted the different characters of the mind in children, draws, in a few words, the image of what he judged to be a perfect fcholar; and certainly it is a very amiable one; “ For my part," fays he, "I like a child who is encouraged by commendation, is animated by a fenfe of glory, and weeps when he is outdone. A noble emulation will always keep him in exercife, a reprimand will touch him to the quick, and honour will ferve instead of a fpur. We need not fear that fuch a scholar will ever give himself up to fullenness," Mihi ille detur puer, quem laus excitet, quem gloria juvet, qui virtus fleat. Hic erit alendus ambitu: hunc mordebit objurgatio: hunc honor excitabit in hoc defidiam nunquam vere. bor. How great a value foever Quintilian fets upon the talents of the mind, he esteems those of the heart far beyond them, and looks upon the others as of no value without them. In the fame chapter from whence I took the preceding words, he declares, he should never have a good opinion of a child, who placed his ftudy in occafioning laughter, by mimicking the behaviour, mien, and faults of others: and he prefently gives an admirable reason for it: "A child," fays he, "cannot be truly ingenious, in my opinion, unlefs he be good and virtuous; otherwife, I fhould rather choose to have him dull and heavy than of a bad difpofition." Non dabit fpem bonæ indolis, qui hoc imitandi ftudio petit, ut rideatur. Nam probus quoque imprimis erit ille vere ingeniofus: alioqui non pejus duxerim tardi effe ingenii, quam mali. He difplays to us all these talents in the eldeft of his two children, whofe character he draws, and whofe death he laments in fo eloquent and pathetic a ftrain, in the beautiful preface to his fixth book. I fhall beg leave to infert here a fmall extract of it, which will not be afelefs to the boys, as they will find it a model which fuits well with their age and condition. After having mentioned his younger fon, who died at five years old, and defcribed the graces and beauties of his countenance, the prettiness of his expreffions, the vivacity of his understanding, which began to fhine through the veil of childhood; "I had ftill left me, fays he, my fon Quinctilian, in whom I placed all my pleasure and all my hopes, and comfort enough I might have found in him: for, having now en. tered into his tenth year, he did not produce only bloffoms like his younger brother, bnt fruits already formed, and beyond the power of difappointment.-I have much experience; but I never faw in any child, I do not fay only fo many excellent difpofitions for the fciences, nor fo much taite, as his masters know, but fo much probity, fweetnefs, good-nature, gentleness, and inclination to pleafe and oblige, as I difcerned in him. "Befides this, he had all the advantages of nature, a charming voice, a pleafing countenance, and a furprising facility in pronouncing well the two languages, as if he had been equally born for both of them. "But all this was no more than hopes. I fet a greater value upon his admirable virtues, his equality of temper, his resolution, the courage with which he bore up against fear and pain; for, how were his phyficians aftonished at his patience under a diftemper of eight months continuance, when at the point of death he comforted me himself, and bade me not to weep for him! and delirious as he fometimes was at his laft moments, his tongue ran of nothing elfe but learning and the fciences: O vain and deceitful hopes!" &c. Are there many boys amongst us, of whom we can truly fay fo much to their advantage, as Quinctilian fays here of his fon? What a fhame would it be for them, if, born and brought up in a Chriftian country, they had not even the virtues of Pagan children! I make no fcruple to repeat them here again-docility, obedience, refpect for their mafters, or rather a degree of affection, and the fource of an eternal gratitude; zeal for study, and a wonderful thirst after the fciences, joined to an abhorrence of vice, and irregularity; an admirable fund of probity, goodnels, gentlenefs, civility, and liberality; as alfo patience, courage, and greatness of foul in the courfe of a long fickness. What then was wanting to all these virtues ? l'hat which alone could render them truly worthy the name, and must be in a manner the foul of them, and conftitute their whole value, the precious gift of faith and piety; the faving knowledge of a Mediator; a fincere defire of pleafing God, and referring our actions to him. 3 X 4 APPEN APPENDI X. To accuftom young People to the innocent and agreeable Employment of obferving Nature, it was judged proper to infert the following, as affording them an ufeful MODEL, and mucb valuable Information. 4. WOOD LARK, 69.2. Alauda arborea, fings. Eider tree, 461. Sambucus nigra, f. 12. ROOKS, 39.3. Corvus frugilegus, begin to pair. GEESE, 136.1. Anas, anfer, begin to lay. * WAGTAIL WHITE, 75.1. Motacilla alba, appears. The wagtail is faid by Willughby to remain with us all the year in the fevereft weather. It feems to me to fhift its quarters at leaft, if it does not go out of England. However, it is certainly a bird of paffage in fome countries, if we can believe Aldrovandus, the author of the Swedish Calendar, and the author of the treatife De Migrationibus Avium. Linnæus obferves, S. N. Art. Motacilla, that most birds which live upon infects, and not grains, migrate. February 16. THRUSH, 64. 2. Turdus muficus, fings. • CHAFFINCH, 88. Fringilla calebs, fings, 20. Thermometer, 11. Higheft this month. Thermometer, 2. Lowest this month. 22. PARTRIDGES, 57. Tetrao perdix, begin to pair, Hafel tree, 439. Corylus avellana, F. 25. Gooseberry bush, 1484. H. Ribes greffularia, 1. both young plants. Current, red, 456.1. Ribes rubrum, 1. } Thermometer from the 19th to the 25th, between 0 and I with snow. Linnæus fays, that the female chaffinch goes to Italy alone, through Holland; and that the male in the fpring, changing its note, foretels the fummer: and Gefner, ornithol. p. 388. says, that the female chaffinch difappears in Switzerland in the winter, but not the male. Piiny, nat. hift. lib. 11. §. 5. says, that bees do not come out of their hives before May 11. and seems to blame Ariftotle for faying that they come out in the beginning of spring, i, e. March 12. 1. Apricot, |