or even of its external profperity, by fetting out in it with large capitals. Of thofe who have died rich, a great part began with little. And, in refpect of enjoyment, there is no comparison between a fortune, which a man acquires himself by a fruitful induftry, or a series of fucceffes in his bufiness, and one found in his poffeffion, or received from another.

A principal part of a parent's duty is ftill behind, viz. the ufing of proper precautions and expedients, in order to form and preferve his children's virtue.

To us, who believe that in one ftage or other of our existence virtue will conduct to happiness, and vice terminate in mifery; and who observe withal, that men's virtues and vices are, to a certain degree, produced or affected by the management of their youth, and the fituations in which they are placed; to all who attend to thefe reafons, the obligation to confult a child's virtue will appear to differ in nothing from that, by which the parent is bound to provide for his maintenance or fortune. The child's intereft is concerned in the one means of happiness as well as in the other; and both means are equally, and almost exclusively, in the parent's power.

For this purpofe the first point to be endeavoured after is to imprefs upon children the idea of accountableness, that is, to accuftom them to look forward to the confequences of their actions in another world; which can only be brought about by the parents visibly acting with a view to thefe confequences themfelves. Parents, to do them juftice, are feldom fparing in leffons of virtue and religion; in admonitions which coft little, and which profit lefs, whilst their example exhibits a continual contradiction of what they teach. A father, for inftance, will, with much folemnity and apparent earneftnefs, warn his fon against idleness, excefs in drinking, debauchery, and extravagance, who him

felf

felf loiters about all day without employment, comes home every night drunk; is made infamous in his neighbourhood by fome profligate connection; and waftes the fortune which fhould fupport or remain a provifion for his family, in riot, or luxury, or oftentation. Or he will difcourfe gravely before his children of the obligation and importance of reyealed religion, whilft they fee the most frivolous and oftentimes feigned excufes detain him from its reasonable and folemn ordinances. Or he will fet before them, perhaps, the fupreme and tremendous authority of Almighty God; that fuch a being ought not to be named, or even thought upon, without fentiments of profound ave and veneration. This may be the lecture he delivers to his family one hour; when the next, if an occafion arife to excite his anger, his mirth, or his furprife, they will hear him treat the name of the Deity with the most irreverent profanation, and fport with the terms and denunciations of the Chriftian religion, as if they were the language of fome ridiculous and long exploded fuperftition. Now even a child is not to be impofed upon by fuch mockery. He fees through the grimace of this counterfeited concern for virtue. He difcovers that his parent is acting a part; and receives his admonitions, as he would hear the fame maxims from the mouth of a player. And when once this opinion has taken poffeffion of the child's mind, it has a fatal effect upon the parent's influence in all fubjects; even in those, in which he himfelf may be fincere and convinced. Whereas a filent, but obfervable regard to the duties of religion, in the parent's own behaviour, will take a fure and gradual hold of the child's difpofition, much beyond formal reproofs and chidings, which, being generally prompted by fome prefent provocation, difcover more of anger than of principle, and are always received with a temporary alienation and difguft.

A good

A good parent's first care is to be virtuous himfelf; his fecond, to make his virtues as eafy and engaging to thofe about him, as their nature will admit. Virtue itself offends, when coupled with forbidding manners. And fome virtues And fome virtues may be urged to fuch excefs, or brought forwards fo unfeafonably, as to difcourage and repel thofe, who obferve and who are acted upon by them, inftead of exciting an inclination to imitate and adopt them. Young minds are particularly liable to thefe unfor tunate impreffions. For inftance, if a father's œconomy degenerate into a minute and teafing parfimony, it is odds, but that the fon, who has fuffered under it, fet out a fworn enemy to all rules of order and frugality. If a father's piety be morofe, rigorous, and tinged with melancholy, perpetually breaking in upon the recreations of his family, and furfeiting them with the language of religion upon all occafions, there is danger, left the fon carry from home with him a fettled prejudice against ferioufnefs and religion, as inconfiftent with every plan of a pleasurable life, and turn out, when he mixes with the world, a character of levity or dif folutenefs.

Something likewife may be done towards the correcting or improving of thofe early inclinations which children discover by difpofing them into fituations the leaft dangerous to their particular characters. Thus I would make choice of a retired life for young perfons addicted to licentious pleafures; of private ftations for the proud and pallionate; of liberal profeffions, and a town life, for the mercenary and fottifh: and not, according to the general practice of parents, fend diffolute youths into the army; penurious tempers to trade; or make a crafty lad an attorney; or flatter a vain and haughty temper with elevated names, or fituations, or callings, to which the fafhion of the world has annexed precedency and diftin&tion, but in which

his difpofition, without at all promoting his fuccess, will ferve both to multiply and exasperate his difappointments. In the fame way, that is, with a view to the particular frame and tendency of the pupil's character, I would make choice of a public or private education. The referved, timid, and indolent will have their faculties called forth, and their nerves invigorated by a public education. Youths of ftrong fpirits and paffions will be fafer in a private education. At our public schools, as far as I have obferved, more literature is acquired, and more vice: quick parts are cultivated, flow ones are neglected. Under private tuition, a moderate proficiency in juvenile learning is feldon exceeded, but with more certainty attained.

1

CHAP.

CHA P. X.

THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS.

THE

HE Rights of Parents refult from their duties. If it be the duty of a parent to educate his children, to form them for a life of usefulness and virtue, to provide for them fituations needful for their fubfiftence and fuited to their circumftances, and to prepare them for thofe fituations; he has a right to fuch authority, and in fupport of that authority to exercife fuch difcipline, as may be neceffary for thefe purposes. The law of nature acknowledges no other foundation of a parent's right over his children, befide his duty towards them (I Speak now of fuch rights as may be enforced by coercion). This relation confers no property in their perfons, or natural dominion over them, as is commonly fuppofed.

Since it is, in general, neceffary to determine the deftination of children, before they are capable of judging of their own happiness, parents have a right to elect profeffions for them.

As the mother herself owes obedience to the father, her authority muft fubmit to his. In a competition, therefore, of commands, the father is to be obeyed. In cafe of the death of either, the authority, as well as duty, of both parents devolves upon the furvivor.

Thefe rights, always following the duty, belong likewife to guardians; and fo much of them, as is delegated by the parents or guardians, belongs to tutors, fchool-masters, &c.

From this principle, "that the rights of parents "refult from their duty," it follows, that parents