wards and Punishments above-mention'd be carefully apply'd, and with them these few Rules obferv'd in the Method of inftructing

them.

Task.

§. 73. 1. None of the Things they are to learn, fhould ever be made a Burden to them, or impos'd on them as a Talk. Whatever is fo propos'd, prefently becomes irksome; the Mind takes an Averfion to it, though before it were a Thing of Delight or Indifferency. Let a Child be but order'd to whip his Top at a certain Time every Day, whether he has or has not a Mind to it; let this be but requir'd of him as a Duty, wherein he must spend fo many Hours Morning and Afternoon, and fee whether he will not foon be weary of any Play at this Rate. Is it not fo with grown Men? What they do chearfully of themfelves, do they not prefently grow fick of, and can no more endure, as foon as they find it is expected of them as a Duty? Children have as much a Mind to fhew, that they are free, that their own good Actions come from themselves, that they are abfolute and independent, as any of the proudest of you grown Men, think of them as you please.

Difpofiti

on.

§. 74. 2. As a Confequence of this, they fhould feldom be put about doing even thofe Things

you have got an Inclination in them to

but

but when they have a Mind and Difpofition to it. He that loves Reading, Writing, Mufick, &c. finds yet in himself certain Seafons wherein thofe Things have no Relish to him; and if at that Time he forces himself to it, he only pothers and wearies himfelf to no Purpose. So it is with Children. This Change of Temper fhould be carefully obferv'd in them, and the favourable Seafons of Aptitude and Inclination be heedfully laid hold of: And if they are not often enough forward of themfelves, a good Difpofition fhould be talk'd into them, before they be fet upon any Thing. This I think no hard Matter for a difcreet Tutor to do, who has ftudy'd his Pupil's Temper, and will be at little Pains to fill his Head with fuitable Idea's, fuch as may make him in Love with the prefent Bufinefs. By this Means a great deal of Time and Tiring would be fav'd; for a Child will learn three times as much when he is in Tune, as he will with double' the Time and Pains, when he goes awkwardly, or is dragg'd unwillingly to it. If this were minded as it fhould, Children might be permitted to weary themfelves with Play, and yet have Time enough to learn what is fuited to the Capacity of each Age. But no fuch Thing is confider'd in the ordinary Way of Education, nor can it well be. That rough Difcipline of the. Rod is built upon other Principles, has no

At

Attraction in it, regards not what Humour Children are in, nor looks after favourable Seafons of Inclination. And indeed it would be ridiculous, when Compulfion and Blows have rais'd an Averfion in the Child to his Talk, to expect he should freely of his own Accord leave his Play, and with Pleafure court the Occafions of Learning; whereas, were Matters order'd right, learning any Thing they fhould be taught, might be made as much a Recre ation to their Play, as their Play is to their Learning: The Pains are equal on both Sides. Nor is it that which troubles them; for they love to be bufy, and the Change and Variety is that which naturally delights them. The only Odds is in that which we call Play; they act at Liberty, and employ their Pains (whereof you may obferve them never fparing) freely, but what they are to learn, is forc'd upon them; they are call'd, compell d, and driven to it. This is that, that at first, འ་ Entrance balks and cools them, they want, their Liberty Get them but to ask their Tutor to teach them, as they do often their Play-fellows, inftead, of his calling upon them to learn, and they being fatisfy'd, that they act as freely in this, as they do in other Things, they will go on with as much Pleafure in it, and it will not dif fer from their other Sports and Play. By thefe Ways carefully purfu'd, a Child may

s

be

be brought to defire to be taught any Thing you have a Mind he fhould learn. The hardelt Part, I confefs, is with the first or eldeft; but when once he is fet right, it is eafy by him to lead the reft whither one will.

$75. Though it be paft doubt, that the fittest Time for Children to learn any Thing, is, when their Minds are in Tune, and well-difpos'd to it; when neither Flagging of Spirit, nor Intentnefs of Thought upon fomething elfe, makes them awkward and averfe; yet two Things are to be taken Care of, 1. That thefe Seafons either not being warily obferv'd, and laid hold on, as often as they return; or else, not returning as often as they fhould, the Im provement of the Child be not thereby neglected, and fo he be let grow into an habitual Idlenefs, and confirm'd in this Indifpofition. 2. That though other Things are ill learn'd, when the Mind is either indifpos'd, or otherwife taken up, yet it is of great Moment, and worth our Endea vours, to teach the Mind to get the Maftery over it felf, and to be able, upon Choice, to take it felf off from the hot Purfuit of one Thing, and set it self upon another with Facility and Delight, or at any Time to fhake off its Sluggishness, and vigorously employ it felf about what Reafon, or the Advice of another fhall direct. This is to be done in Children, by try

ing them fometimes, when they are by Lazinefs unbent, or by Avocation bent another Way, and endeavouring to make them buckle to the Thing propos'd. If by this Means the Mind can get an habitual Dominion over it felf, lay by Idea's or Bufinefs, as Occafion requires, and betake it felf to new and lefs acceptable Employments,without Reluctancy or Difcompofure, it will be an Advantage of more Confequence than Latin or Logick, or moft of thofe Things Children are ufually requir'd to learn!

Compulfi

6.76. Children being more. active and bufy in that Age, than in any other Part of their Life,' and being indifferent to any Thing they can do, fo they may be but doing, Dan. cing and Scotch-hoppers would be the fan e Thing to them, were the Encouragements and Difcouragements equal. But to Things we would have them learn, the great and only Difcouragement I can obferve, is, that they are call'd to it, 'tis made their Business, they are teax d and chid about it, and do it with Trembling and Apprehenfion; or, when they come willingly to it, are kept too long at it, 'till they are quite tir'd: All which intrenches too much on that natural Freedom they extreamly affect. And it is that Liberty alone which gives the true Relish and Delight to their ordinary Play-Games. Turn the Tables, and you