can be produced. Without talents, defpotifm would be endless, and public mifery inceffant, Hence it follows, that he who is a friend to general happiness, will neglect no chance of producing in his pupil or his child, one of the longlooked-for faviours of the human race, -ESSAY ESSAY III. OF THE SOURCES OF GENIUS. IT is a queftion which has but lately entered into philofophical difquifition, whether genius be born with a man, or may be fubfequently infufed. Hitherto it was confidered as a propofition too obvious for controversy, that it was born and could not be infufed. This is however by no means obvious. That fome differences are born with children cannot reasonably be denied. But to what do thefe differences amount? Look at a newborn infant. How unformed and plaftic is his body; how fimple the features of his mind! The features of the mind depend upon perceptions, fenfations, pleasure and pain. But the perceptions, the pleafures and pains of a child previous to his birth must make a very infignificant catalogue. If his habits at a subfequent period can be changed and corrected by oppofite impreffions, it is not probable that the habits generated previous to birth can be inacceffible to alteration. If therefore there be any effential and deci five difference in children at the period of birth, it must confift in the ftructure of their bodies, not in the effects already produced upon their minds. The fenfes or fenfibility of one body may be radically more acute than thofe of another. We do not find however that genius is infeparably connected with any particular ftructure of the organs of fenfe. The man of genius is not unfrequently deficient in one or more of these organs; and a very ordinary man may be perfect in them all. Genius however may be connected with a certain ftate of nervous fenfibility originally exifting in the frame. Yet the analogy from the external organs is rather unfavourable to this fuppofition. Diffect a man of genius, and you cannot point out those differences in his ftructure which conftitute him fuch; ftill lefs can you point out original and immutable differences. The whole therefore feems to be a gratuitous affumption. Genius appears to fignify little more in the firft inftance than a spirit of prying observation and inceffant curiofity. But it is reasonable to fuppofe that these qualities are capable of being generated. Incidents of a certain fort in early infancy will produce them; nay, may create them in a great degree even at a more advanced period. period. If nothing occur to excite the mind, it will become torpid; if it be frequently and ftrongly excited, unlefs in a manner that, while it excites, engenders averfion to effort, it will become active, mobile and turbulent. Hence it follows, that an adequate cause for the phenomenon of genius may be found, in the incidents that occur to us subsequent to birth. Genius, it fhould feem, may be produced after this method; have we any fufficient reafon to doubt of its being always thus produced? All the events of the phyfical and intellectual world happen in a train, take place in a certain order. The voluntary actions of men are as the motives which inftigate them. Give me all the motives that have excited another man, and all the external advantages he has had to boast, and I fhall arrive at an excellence not inferior to his. This view of the nature of the human mind, is of the utmost importance in the fcience of education. According to the notions formerly received, education was a lottery. The cafe would be parallel, if, when we went into battle in defence of our liberties and poffeffions, ninety-nine in a hundred of the enemy were mufketproof. It would be an inftructive fpeculation to en quire, under what circumstances genius is generated, and whether, and under what circumftances, it may be extinguished. It fhould feem that the firft indications of genius ordinarily difclofe themselves at leaft as early, as at the age of five years. As far therefore as genius is fufceptible of being produced by education, the production of it requires a very early care. In infancy the mind is peculiarly ductile. We bring into the world with us nothing that deferves the name of habit; are neither virtuous nor vicious, active nor idle, inattentive nor curious. The infant comes into our hands a fubject, capable of certain impreffions and of being led on to a certain degree of improvement. His mind is like his body. What at first was cartilage, gradually becomes bone. Juft fo the mind acquires its folidity; and what might originally have been bent in a thousand directions, becomes ftiff, unmanageable and unimpreffible. This change however takes place by degrees, and probably is never complete. The mind is probably never abfolutely incapable of any impreffions and habits we might defire to produce. The production grows more and more difficult, till the effecting it becomes a task too great for human |