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better for illuftration; and of fuch accordingly I have not been sparing.

THERE is another reafon, ftill more weighty, for preferring ftories of this kind. If they improve the underftanding, they more eminently improve the heart. Incidents that move the paffions make a deep impreffion, especially upon young minds. And where virtue and vice are delineated, with the confequences they naturally produce, fuch impreffions have a wonderful good effect; they confirm us in virtue, and deter us from vice.

This

indeed is the most illuftrious branch of education; but as it falls not under the prefent plan, I must deny myself the fatisfaction of expatiating upon it.

THIS trifle was compiled with a private view, and it proved of some ufe. But, if in any degree ufeful, why should it lurk in a corner? It will be fubftantially ufeful, if it but move others to labour upon the fame plan..

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Education may well be deemed one of the capital articles of government. It is entitled to the nurfing care of the legislature; for no ftate ever long flourished, where education was neglected. And, even in a private view, not a fingle branch of it is below the attention of the graveft writer.

The hiftorical illuftrations are put at the end of the book, that young readers may exercise themselves in drawing morals from them. After fixing upon a moral, they will be cu-rious to compare it with the moral or maxim in the foregoing part, which they cannot miftake, as every maxim. and its illuftration have the fame number. This exercife may at firft be difficult; but perfeverance will render it eafy, and in time delightful.

Such maxims only are admitted as tend to illuftrate human nature; and the fimpleft of the kind are chofen, fit for beginners. Few of them, however, are fo fimple as not to requireat firft the aid of a tutor. May it not

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be expected, that converfation between tutor and pupil, fuggested by these maxims, would be productive of excellent fruit? When this little book is at hand, proper fubjects can never be wanting; and any interval of bufinefs may be employed in this agreeable manner. A very young man may be thus led infenfibly into the knowledge of himself and of his fellows; and, with the aid of a good tutor, may learn more of the characters of men, than many who have had the moft compleat Univerfity-education. With regard to young women, who are denied the advantage of Universityeducation, private inftruction, such as that fuggefted, is their best means acquiring knowledge of their own 3 cies.

BECAUSE the practice of making flections and drawing inferences fr the facts that come under our vie tends greatly to ripen men in wisdom, there is added to this edition a speci

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men of such reflections and inferences, in order to initiate young perfons in that practice.

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