. 90. In all the whole Bufinefs of Education, there is no- Governor! thing like to be less hearken'd to, or harder to be well obferv'd, than what I am now going to fay; and that is, That Children thould, from their firft Beginning to talk, have fome difcreet, fober, nay, wife Perfon about them, whofe Care it fhould be to fafhion them aright, and keep them from all Ill, efpecially the Infection of bad Company. I think this Province requires great Sbriety, Temperance, Tenderness, Dili gence, and Difcretion; Qualities hardly to be found united in Perfons, that are to be had for ordinary Salaries; nor eafily to be found any where. As to the Charge of it, I think it will be the Money beft laid out, that can be, about our Children, and therefore, though it may be expenfive more than is ordinary, yet it cannot be thought dear. He that at any Rate, procures his Child a good Mind, well-principl'd, temper'd to I Vertue and Ufefulnefs, and adorn'd with Civility and good Breeding, makes a better Purchafe for him, than if he laid out be the Money for an Addition of more Earth to his former Acres Spare it in Toys and Play-Games in Silk and Ribbonds, Laces, 0 and other ufelefs Expences, as much as you pleafe; but be not fparing in fo neceffary, a Part as this. 'Tis not good Hufbandry to make his Fortune rich, and his Mind poor. I have often with great Admiration קר e feen feen People lavish it profufely in tricking up their Children in fine Cloths, lodging and feeding thein fumptuoufly, allowing them more than enough of ufelefs Servants, and yet at the fame Time ftarve their Minds, and not take fufficient Care to cover that, which is the moft fhameful Nakednefs, viz. Their natural wrong Inclinations and Ignorance. This I can look on as no other than a Sacrificing to their own Vanity, it fhewing more their Pride, than true Care of the Good of their Children, whatsoever you employ to the Advantage of your Son's Mind, will fhew your true Kindness, tho' it be to the leffening of his Eftate. A wife and good Man can hardly want either the Opinion or Reality of being great and hap but he that is foolish or vicious, can be neither great nor happy, what Estate foever you leave him: And I ask you, Whether there be not Men in the World, whom you had rather have your Son be with five hundred Pounds per Annum, than fome other you know with five thousand Pounds? . 91. The Confideration of Charge ought not therefore to deter those who are able. The great Difficulty will be where to find a proper Perfon: For thofe of fmall Age, Parts, and Vertue, are unfit for this Employment, and thofe that have greater, will hardly be got to undertake fuch, a Charge. You mult therefore look out early, and enquire every where, for the World has People of all all Sorts. And I remember, Montaigne fays, in one of his Effays, That the learned Cr ftalio was fain to make Trenchers at Bafle, to keep himfelf from ftarving, when his Father would have given any Money for fuch a Tutor for his Son, and Caftalio have willingly embrac'd fuch an Employment upon very reasonable Terms; but this was for want of Intelligence. §. 92. If you find it difficult to meet with fuch a Tutor as we defire, you are not to wonder. I only can fay, fpare no Care nor Coft to get fuch an one. All Things are to be had that Way: And I dare affure you, that if you can get a good one, you will never repent the Charge; but will always have the Satisfaction to think it the Money, of all other, the beft lay'd out. But be fure take no Body upon Friends, or charitable, no, nor bear great Commendations. Nay, if you will do as you ought, the Reputation of a fober Man, with a good Stock of Learning, (which is all ufually requir'd in a Tutor) will not be enough to ferve your Turn. In this Choice, be as curious as you would be in that of a Wife for him; for you must not think of Tryal, or Changing afterwards: That will caufe great Inconvenience to you, and greater to your Son. When I confider the Scruples and Cautions I here lay in your Way, me thinks it looks as if I advis'd you to fome thing, which I would have offer'd at, but in Effect not done. But he that fhall confider, how much the Business of a Tutor, rightly employ'd, lies out of the Road, and how remote it is from the Thoughts of many, even of those who propofe to themselves this Employment, will perhaps be of my Mind, that one fit to educate and form the Mind of a young Gentleman, is not every where to be found, and that more than ordinary Care is to be taken in the Choice of him, or elfe you may fail of your End. This §. 93. The Character of a fober Man and a Scholar, is, as I have above obferv'd, what every one expects in a Tutor. generally is thought enough, and is all that Parents commonly look for: But when fuch an one has empty'd out into his Pupil all the Latin and Logick he has brought from the Univerfity, will that Furniture make him a fine Gentleman? Or can it be expected, that he should be better bred, better skill'd in the World, better principl'd in the Grounds and Foundations of true Vertue and Generofity, than his young Tutor is? A To form a young Gentleman as he fhould be 'tis fit his Governor fhould himself be well bred, underftand the Ways of Carriage, and Measures of Civility in all the Variety of Perfons, Times, and Places, and keep his Pupil, as much as his Age requires, conftantly to the Obfervation of them. This is an Art not to be learnt nor taught by Books. Nothing can give it, but good Company, and Obfervation join'd together. The Taylor may make his Cloths modish, and the Dancing-Mafter give Fashion to his Motions, yet neither of thefe, though they fet off well, make a well-bred Gentleman; no, tho' he have Learning to boot, which, if not well manag'd, makes him more impertinent and intolerable in Converfation. Breeding is that which fets a Glofs upon all his other good Qualities, and renders them useful to him, in procuring him the Efteem and good Will of all that he Without good Breeding, his other Accomplishments make him pafs but for proud, conceited, vain, or foolish. comes near. Courage in an ill-bred Man, has the Air,' and fcapes not the Opinion of Brutality. Learning becomes Pedantry; Wit, Buffoonry; Plainnefs, Rufticity; good Nature, Fawning. And there cannot be a good Quality in him, which Want of Breeding will not warp, and disfigure to his Difadvantage. Nay, Vertue and Parts, though they are allow'd their due Commendation, yet are not enough to procure a Man a good Reception, and make him welcomewhere-ever he comes. No Body contents himself with rough Diamonds, and wears them fo, who would appear with Advantage. When they are polifh'd and fet, then they give a Luftre. Good Qualities are F 2 the |