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a mafter, who is in the higheft exaltation when he is loco parentis. Yet, as good things become evil by excefs, correction, by being immoderate, may become cruel. But when is correction immoderate? When it is more frequent or more fevere than is required ad monendum et docendum, for reformation and inftruction. No feverity is cruel which obftinacy makes neceffary; for the greatest cruelty would be to defift, and leave the fcholar too carelefs for inftruction, and too much hardened for reproof. Locke, in his treatise of Education, mentions a mother with applaufe, who whipped an infant eight times before she had fubdued it; for had fhe ftopped at the feventh act of correction, her daughter, fays he, would have been ruined. The degrees of obftinacy in young minds are very different; as different must be the degrees of perfevering feverity. A ftubborn fcholar must be corrected till he is fubdued. The dif cipline of a fchool is military. There mut either be unbounded licence or abfolute authority. The mafter who punishes, not only confults the future happinefs of him who is the immediate fubject of correction, but he propagates obedience through the whole school, and establishes regularity by exemplary justice. The victorious obftinacy of a fingle boy would make his future endeavours of reformation or

inftruction

inftruction totally ineffectual: obftinacy therefore muft never be victorious. Yet it is well known, that there fometimes occurs a fullen and hardy refolution, that laughs at all common punishment, and bids defiance to all common degrees of pain. Correction must be proportioned to occafions. The flexible will be reformed by gentle difcipline, and the refractory must be fubdued by harfher methods. The degrees of fcholaftick, as of military punishment, no ftated rules can afcertain. It must be enforced till it overpowers temptation; till ftubbornnefs becomes flexible, and perverfeness regular. Custom and reason have, indeed, fet fome bounds to fcholaftick penalties: The schoolmafter inflicts no capital punishments, nor enforces his edicts by either death or mutilation. The civil law has wifely determined, that a mafter who ftrikes at a fcholar's eye fhall be confidered as criminal. punishments, however fevere, that produce not lafting evil, may be juft and reasonable, because they may be neceffary. Such have been the punishments ufed by the schoolmafter accufed. No fcholar has gone from him either blind or lame, or with any of his limbs or powers injured or impaired. They were irregular, and he punished them; they were obftinate, and he enforced his punishment. But, how

But

ever provoked, he never exceeded the limits of moderation, for he inflicted nothing beyond prefent pain; and how much of that was required, no man is fo little able to determine as those who have determined against him-the parents of the offenders. It has been said, that he ufed unprecedented and improper inftruments of correction. Of this accufation the meaning is not very eafy to be found. No inftrument of correction is more proper than another, but as it is better adapted to produce prefent pain without lafting mischief. Whatever were his inftruments, no lasting mischief has enfued; and therefore, however unusual, in hands fo cautious they were proper. It has been objected, that he admits the charge of cruelty, by producing no evidence to confute it. Let it be confidered, that his fcholars are either difperfed at large in the world, or continue to inhabit the place in which they were bred. Those who are difperfed cannot be found; those who remain are the fons of his perfecutors, and are not likely to fupport a man to whom their fathers are enemies. If it be fuppofed that the enmity of their fathers proves the justice of the charge, it must be confidered how often experience fhows us, that men who are angry on one ground will accufe on another; with how little kindness, in a town of

low

low trade, a man who lives by learning is rcgarded; and how implicitly, where the inhabitants are not very rich, a rich man is hearkened to and followed. In a place like Campbell-town it is eafy for one of the principal inhabitants to make a party. It is cafy for that party to heat themselves with imaginary grieIt is eafy for them to oppress a man poorer than themselves; and natural to affert the dignity of riches, by perfifting in oppreffion."

vances.

Upon the fame fubject, Mr. Bofwell alfo observed, “It is a very delicate matter to interfere between a mafler and his fcholars; nor do I fee how you can fix the degree of severity that a mafter may ufe."-JOHNSON. "Why, Sir, till you can fix the degree of obftinacy and negligence of the fcholars, you degree of feverity of the mafter. be continued until obftinacy be negligence be cured."

cannot fix the

Severity muft

fubdued and

A young man being mentioned, who was uncafy, from thinking that he was very deficient in learning and knowledge, J. faid, “ A man has no reason to complain who holds a middle place, and has many below him; and perhaps he has not fix of his years above him; perhaps not one. Though he may not know any thing perfectly, the general mafs of knowledge that

he

he has acquired is confiderable. Time will do for him all that is wanting."

"Idlenefs (faid Johnfon) is a difcafe which must be combated; but I would not advife a rigid adherence to a particular plan of ftudy. I myself have never perfifted in any plan for two days together. A man ought to read juft as inclination leads him; for what he reads as a tafk will do him little good. A young man fhould read five hours in a day, and fo may acquire a great deal of knowledge"."

Goldsmith once attempted to maintain, perhaps from an affectation of paradox, "that knowledge was not defirable on its own account, for it often was a fource of unhappiness."

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Why, Sir, (faid Johnson) that knowledge may in fome cafes produce unhappiness, I allow. But upon the whole, knowledge, per fe, is certainly an object which every man would with to attain, although, perhaps, he may not take the trouble neceffary for attaining it. Much might be done if a man would put his whole mind to a particular object. By doing fo, Norton made himself the great lawyer that he was allowed to be,"

To a man (as Mr. Bofwell juftly remarks) of vigorous intellect and arduous curiofity like Johnfon's, reading without a regular plan may be beneficial; but even fuch a man muft fubmit to it, if he would attain a full understanding of any of the fciences.

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