PREFACE. THE present Work is the offspring of necessity. Being engaged for several years in teaching young people a method of writing their thoughts on common subjects, I was desirous of availing myself of the labours of those who had gone before me; but was disappointed: Not a work · could I find in our language which af forded me any considerable assistance; nor did the French language, fertile as it is in books, offer, any thing on the subject worth notice. After: After various inquiries, therefore, I found myself under the necessity of composing something of my own; and the present Work is the result of it. What can be the reason of such city of books on this subject, it is no sy to determine. Surely the power ting our thoughts upon paper in a clear and agreeable manner, is of sufficient importance in life to form part of a polite education; nor can it be denied that this, like every other accomplishment, is in a great measure to be attained by rules and practice. It is well known by those who have studied human nature, that whatever is to be gained by habit, can scarcely be taught too early; and yet the habit of expressing our thoughts in an easy and regular way, is generally either entirely neglected, or the last thing thought of in a course of education. It is a great mistake to suppose that an advanced age only can enter upon this part of instruction. The moment young people can read fluently, and talk upon common subjects, they may be enabled to write upon them; and nothing but the habit is wanting. It is true the path must be smoothed for : them; we must not expect them to invent matter what they write must be infused into them, and what we infuse must be of the easiest kind, and so connected, that one part will naturally suggest another when a subject is thus prepared, it will be easy, even for a child, to set it down from memory upon paper; and when once a habit of doing this is acquired, the greatest difficulty is over. By degrees they will naturally supply with their own words those they do not remember, and soon begin to think upon a subject for themselves. The difficulty which attends an exercise of this kind, without preparing it by the easiest and most gradual advances, is the principal reason why it is so much neglected both by pupils and teachers.To order a young beginner to write upon a subject without giving an oudine, by ay A 2 ing down some leading points, is the most unreasonable thing in the world. We ought to expect nothing from tender youth but memory; judgement and invention will come by degrees, and ought not to be forced upon the delicate intellects of children too soon. The mind should advance in strength by the same insensible degrees as the body. Too strong exercise in either will prevent the growth of both, just as the want of proper exercise in either will infal libly hinder their arriving at the greatest degree of strength they are capable of. To follow Nature, therefore, in that happy medium in which the excellence of almost every operation lies, is the intention of the following Work. How I have succeeded in this intention must be left to the judge. ment of the Publick, and from their sentence there is no appeal. |