After this, the child may be asked, whether he does not plainly perceive, that the Collect for the day agrees perfectly with the Scriptures? And whether he does not think that such prayers as these, in which we beg God to grant to us what he has promised in the Scriptures to grant to his faithful people, must be pleasing to God? Then tell him that this is the case (with all the prayers in our excellent liturgy? and ask him, Whether he does not find it very comfortable, when he is at church, to have prayers ready prepared, in which he can join with the minister and the whole congregation, so that they may all worship God with one mind.

In explaining the Psalms, the verses which are devotional, prophetic, or historical, should be particularly pointed out; also such texts as may be considered as the promises and threatenings of God.

Children in general will take great pleasure in these examinations, if those who instruct them are careful not to put questions to them which are too difficult for them to answer; they should be led on gently by occasional explanations, when they are not able to understand the meaning of texts without assistance.

Should this method appear so minute and copious, as to require more time than can be spared for religious instruction, let the importance of this instruction be remembered; and let it also be considered, that the course here recommended is designed for children from eight to twelve years of age, and that a whole family or class may be instructed by it at the same time.

Nor can moral philosophers object to any thing but the application of it, for it is the very method which they have adopted. And I appeal to the judgment of parents who have a regard for their children's best interests, whether the intellectual faculties of a child, may not be employed to as good effect on a page of Divine Inspiration, as in labouring to give a definition of wit, and to resolve logical and other scientific questions*. Besides the spiritual improvement which may be derived from the former, the mind will expand itself; by

See instances of this in Practical Education, where nearly eight quarto pages are employed in endeavouring to make a child understand the nature of Wit, and comprehend the meaning of the Hackney Coachman's and the Officer's Sarcasms upon Mr. Pope. When he said to the one "God mend me,' and asked the other "What a note of interrogation was.”

this

this exercise, judgment and reflection will be called forth, and every kind of study will be facilitated.

During this stage of his education, the young Christian should have the whole of the Church Catechism explained to him in a more comprehensive manner than before; but the full explanation of the two Sacraments may be deferred till he advances nearer to the time of Confirmation.

Great attention should now be paid to the regulation of his temper and disposition; but I will venture to say, that a child who is instructed through the medium of the Scriptures, will give much less trouble to parents than those who are kept in ignorance of the Bible; and that to give them an early acquaintance with the Laws and Precepts of Christianity, is the only sure way to secure them from the dangers to which youth of both sexes are so inevitably exposed.

But as I have repeatedly said, it is not my plan to make Religion the sole business of the early years of life; those who are born to take an active part in the affairs of this world, should be instructed according to their station, in whatever is likely to be useful; but nothing should be taught to a child

that

that is incompatible with his eternal interests; his whole education should be so managed, if possible, that all his studies may bear some analogy to his great concern.

СНАР.

CHAP. V.
HAP.

On the Practicability of making the various Branches of a liberal Education subservient to the great End of Religious Instruction; and on the Care which is requisite in the Choice of Books for Children.

Ar about eight years of age, boys are usually put to school; the mother then resigns her son to the tuition of masters, that he may acquire the learned languages, and other branches of literature, and gain in the society of juvenile companions those robust and manly habits which will enable him to make his way in the world, when he is called upon to take an active part on the great theatre of human life, for which it is generally supposed a home education cannot qualify him.

This is a time of great trial to a mother who has been accustomed to give her son, from his early infancy, daily and hourly tuition; but when proper circumspection has been used in the choice of the school in which he is to be placed, she should