Grammatical Rules. The Latin Tongue would easily be taught the fame Way, if his Tutor, being conftantly with him, would talk nothing else to him, and make him anfwer still in the fame Language. But because French is a living Language, and to be used more in speaking, that should be first learned that the yet pliant Organs of Speech might be accustomed to a due Formation of those Sounds, and he get the Habit of pronouncing French well, which is the harder to be done the longer it is delay'd.

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§. 163. When he can speak and read French well, which in this Latin. Method is usually in a Year or Two he thould proceed to Latin, which 'tis a Wonder Parents, when they have had the Experiment in French, should not think ought to be learn'd the fame Way by talking and reading. Only Care is to be taken whilft he is learning these foreign Languages, by speaking and reading nothing else with his Tutor, that he do not forget to read English, which may be preserved by his Mother, or some Body else, hearing him read some chosen Parts of the Scripture, or other English Book, every Day.

§. 164. Latin I look upon as absolutely necessary to a Gentleman; and indeed Custom, which prevails over every thing, has made it so much a Part of Education, that even those Children are whipp'd to it, and made spend many Hours of their precious time uneasily in Latin, who, after they are once gone from School are never to have more to do with it as long as they live. Can there be any thing more ridiculous, than that a Father should waste his own Money, and his Son's time, in fetting hina to learn the Roman Language, when at the fame time he designs him for a Trade, wherein he having no Use of Latin, fails not to forget that little which he brought from School, and which 'tis Ten to One he abhors for the ill Ufage it procur'd him? Could it be believ'd, unless we had everywhere amongst us Examples of it, that a Child should be forced to learn the Rudiments of a Language which he is never to ufe in the Course of Life that he is designed to, and neglect all the while the writing a good Hand, and cafting Account, which are of great Advantage in all Conditions of Life, and to most Trades indifpenfibly neceffary? But though these Qualifications, requifite to Trade and Commerce and the

Business of the World, are feldom or never to be had at Grammar-Schools, yet thither, not only Gentlemen send their younger Sons, intended for Trades, but even Tradesmen and Farmers fail not to fend their Children though they have neither Intention nor Ability to make them Scholans. If you ask them why they do this they think it as strange a Question as if you Thould ask them, why they go to Church. Custom

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Custom serves for Reason, and has, to those who take it for Reason, so confecrated this Method, that it is almost Religioufly obferved by them, and they stick to it, as if their Children had scarce an Orthodox Education, unless they learn'd Lilly's Gramınar.

§. 165. But how necessary foever Latin be to fome, and is thought to be to others, to whom it is of no manner of Ufe or Service; yet the ordinary way of Learning it in a Grammar-School is that, which having had thoughts about, I cannot be forward to encourage. The Reasons against it are so evident, and cogent, that they have prevailed with some intelligent Perfons, to quit the ordinary Road, not without Success, though the Method made use of was not exactly which I imagine the eafieft, and in short is this. To trouble the Child with no Grammar at all, but to have Latin, as English has been, without the Perplexity of Rules, talked into him, for if you will confider it, Latin is no more unknown to a Child, when he comes into the World, than English: And yet he learns English without Master, Rule, or Grammar, and so might be Latin too, as Tully did, if he had forme Body always to talk to him in this Language. And when we fo often see a French Woman teach an English Girl to speak and read French perfectly in a Year or Two, without any Rule of Grammar, or any thing else but pratling to her, I cannot but

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wonder, how Gentlemen have over seen this way for their Sons, and thought them more dull or incapable than their Daughters.

§. 166. If therefore a Man could be got, who himself speaking good Latin, would always be about your Son, talk constantly to him, and suffer him to speak or read nothing else, this would be the true and genuine way, and that which I would propose, not only as the easiest and beft, wherein a Child might without Pains or Chiding, get a Language, which others are wont to be whipp'd for at School fix or seven Years together; But also as that, wherein at the fame time he might have his Mind and Manners formed, and he be instructed to boot in several Sciences, such as are a good Part of Geography, Aftronomy, Chronology, Anatomy, besides some Parts of History, and all other Parts of Knowledge of Things, that fall under the Senfes, and require little more than Memory. For there, if we would take the true way, our Knowledge should begin, and in those Things be laid the Foundation; and not in the abstract Notions of Logick and Metaphyficks, which are fitter to amuse, than inform the Understanding, in its first setting out towards Knowledge. When Young Men have had their Heads employ'd a while in those abstract Speculations without finding the Success and Improvement, or that Use of them, which they expected, they are apt to have

mean Thoughts, either of Learning or themselves; they are tempted to quit their Studies, and throw away their Books, as containing nothing but hard Words, and empty Sounds; or else, to conclude, that if there be any real Knowledge in them, they themselves have not Understandings capable of it. That this is so, perhaps I could affure you upon my own Experience. Amongst other things to be learn'd by a young. Gentleman in this Method, whilst others of his Age are wholly taken up with Latin and Languages, I may also set down Geometry for one, having known a young Gentleman, bred fomething after this way, able to demonftrate several Propofitions in Euclid,

before he was Thirteen..

§. 167. But if fuch a Man cannot be got, who speaks good Latin, and being able to inftruct your Son in all these Parts of Knowledge, will undertake it by this Method the next best is to have him taught as near this way as may be, which is by taking fome easie and pleafant Book, such as Esop's Fables, and writing the English Tranflation (made as literal as it can be) in one Line, and the Latin Words which answer each of them, just over it in another. These let him read every Day over and over again, till he perfectly understands the Latin; and then go on to another Fable, till he be also perfect in that, not omitting what he is already perfect in, but fometimes reviewing that, to keep

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