Europe, take now and then a peep into the cabinets of princes, and get a general acquaintance with the great affairs of the political world. Though we have principally in view his literary and scientifick attainments, we purpose that he shall not be destitute of the manners of a gentleman, nor a stranger to genteel amusements. He shall attend Theatres...Museums... Assemblies... Balls, &c. and whatever polite diversions the town may furnish; so that whilst he is familiar with the lore of books and the wisdom of sages, his dress and conversation shall borrow mode and graces of the most polished circles in society. The grand object of giving to our charge these expensive advantages, is to make him extensively and permanently useful. Having neither patrimony nor wealthy connexions, he will be obliged to gain reputation by continual exertion of talent, and we feel confident, that he will choose rather to lead a beneficent than luxurious life, and that he will be a literary man of Ross, who shall not uselessly hoard up learning with closed lips, but daily expend it in feeding the ignorant with the bread of knowledge. Happy that opportunities of doing good are not confined to possessors of silver and gold, he every month will bring to the publick the best offering in his power. If unable at present to rear oaks for our navy, and repair breaches in the walls of national defence, he can yet cherish a new plant for the botanist, and occasionally tender a bouquet of indigenous flowers to the bosom of love. If he should be unable to mend the constitution of our country, or save it from ruin, he may yet mend the morals of a private citizen, and can at least, engage in the more Delightful task! to rear the tender thought,. To teach the young idea how to shoot, To pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind, And fix the generous purpose in the glowing breast. Indeed it will be strange if the being, whom we shall have thus assiduously formed, may not mix in good company with as high pretensions, as any person of his pursuits in the United States. As he acquires age and importance therefore, and as long as we retain our parental influence, we venture to promise, that he shall often reveal his knowledge of nat ural history and philosophy, of logick and theology, mathematicks and poetry, of law and medicine. As his very liberal education will peculiarly fit him for the task, he shall read and review the most important literary productions of our country, and candidly give his opinion of their worth. He will take an exact note of the works of literature....the progress of the arts.... and the state of publick concerns; and be so far a politician, as to be a judicious biographer of the great, and a persecutor of the ambitious. Versatile, without being unprincipled, he will sometimes visit the hall of Congress....record doings of state legislatures....follow the field preacher with the fanatical....attend ordinations, weddings, and funerals....gaze at the stars....keep a diary of the weather....observe whatever is worth observation....relate clearly what he hears, testify boldly what he knows....now open his mouth in parables...now in proverbs...and speak of beasts, fowls, fishes, reptiles, and " of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall." He will, in fine, traffick with the merchant....contrive with the. artisan.... plough lands with the farmer....seas with the sailor.... make with the lover....LET NO FLOWER OF THE songs SPRING PASS BY HIM, AND CROWN HIMSELF WITH ROSE-BUDS BEFORE THEY BE WITHERED. With these abilities, accomplishments, and expectations, we cannot but wish, among other good wishes of the season, that he may far exceed any of his numerous predecessors in blessings and longevity, though some of them thought they "died in a good old age"....that his days may be the days of Methuselah.... that his long life may be occupied in upholding truth, reason, and benevolence....diffusing principles of just taste....exciting the emulation of youthful genius....calling away the student from questions which gender strife to contemplations on the works of nature....stimulating the finished scholar to explore new tracts in the regions of science....and, in publishing all that diversity of intelligence, for obtaining which a character of this sort has long been desired, and in whose absence Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desart air. See Preface to the 8th and last Vol. of the Massachusetts Magazine. Such are the fond and anxious sensibilities, with which we stretch our views to the future labours, consequence, and honours of our adopted ward. But, alas, amidst the chances and changes of the mundane. state, what is permanent? and how many paternal hopes are annually blasted! If the offspring of our affection should prove idle, ingrateful, or profligate....if, losing all respect for our authority, he should commit himself to the guidance of unskilful hands, or, guideless, add to the number of rash innovators of the present age....should he turn philosophist in science, heretick in religion, empirick in nosology....instead of nourishing, should he attempt to destroy the liberties of the state, become the pander of sedition, and prophanely rail against law and justice.... should he, as a critick, be malicious or revengeful, pertinaciously severe, or habitually indiscreet....nay, even should he once basely tell tales of an innocent family, or wilfully wrong the meanest individual, we shall immediately spurn him from our presence, withhold our aids, and leave him to his demerits...the neglect of the virtuous, and the applause of the vile. Boston, Jan. 1, 1805. Bachelor, night of a 576 Chauncey, Rev. Ifaac, biography of $78 287 Chittenden, Thomas, biography of 490 Church mufick, remarks on Civilization, an effay on 152 Coincidences in the hiftory of nations 532 Columbian Museum, sketch of 143, 192 Commencement exercifes at Har- 240 478 275 -Burlington College 479 394, 453, 646 ib. Cruelty, on 116 Curious cavern in France Curious experiment 527 Barometer, ftate of, for May, 336- July, 429-August, 478-Sep- 571 406 355 286 528 |