been placed with me, an entire ignorance of the historical part of the Bible, it were impossible to tell you; and if I could, some of my readers would scarcely credit me. Yet, without a due knowlege of the Old Testament, how can the New be properly understood? Formerly, unskilful persons might find a difficulty in selecting what is essential from that which is extraneous in the sacred volume, but, at present, there are so many excellent works on Scriptural subjects, suited to all ages and capacities, that no such obstacle remains. omit to sum of om I therefore hope that young mothers and governesses will "begin at the beginning," as children say, in order that their pupils, being introduced to the Jews in their proper order, may not be puzzled when they find them afterwards mentioned amongst the Gentiles. Perhaps some of my readers may not thoroughly understand the last sentence. Those who have, like myself, had pupils of all ages, and of all abilities, the taught and the untaught, must have found, as I have done, many who knew not the difference between them. I drooguis nyo yo di noi. I believe it is acknowleged that religious feeling is, generally stronger in women than in men: but we want religious principles also; and these cannot be gained, nor shall we ever be able to "give a reason of the hope that is in us," or have our anchor ready when the storm arises, without the same diligent attention to the subject that we exert to attain all other branches of knowlege. I have always employed the Sundays in giving religious instructions to my pupils from our best church-divines, and have endeavored throughout the ensuing week to model their ideas and behavior in conformity with the doctrines they had so learned. ...I have now given you a very brief sketch of my late school; perhaps one not sufficiently finished; since we are apt to be not explicit enough on subjects with which we ourselves are familiar. Still I hope the little picture, unadorned as it is, will serve to show that the evils so much feared by inexperienced parents cannot exist, in any good school, to a material degree; and that certainly it is not there that they originate. It is true, that I can speak only of the school in which I was myself educated, and of that in which I presided ; but is it not probable that all schools of tried respectability, are at least free from the gross faults which we have now examined? On any point where positive proof cannot be ob tained, we are in the habit of drawing conclusions from presumptive evidence. Let such be your mamier of reasoning and of determining on the subject in question. Instead of believing every improbable tale which a thoughtless or unamiable girl tells of an establishment in which she may have passed a few months, ask yourself this simple question" Is it probable that any person, whose livelihood depends on her own exertions, should encourage, or even permit, any thing that would disgrace her house, and finally work its destruction? If that question admit but one an swer, as I think it does, look carefully at the conduct and charac ters of those who circulate injurious reports, before you allow your judgment to be guided by them. Look next amongst your friends and acquaintances; and, comparing the numbers equally of those who have been educated wholly at home, and of those who have passed some part of their time at schools, see whether the conduct and manners of the latter are marked with greater or more numerous faults than the former. After this cold considerance, sentence" them. Yet, though I propose this comparison, it never can be any thing like a fair one; for, admitting that the scales turned ever so much against the scholars, might it not be immediately said, by the school-preceptress, "That young lady is sixteen, I was her guide but one year or two; others must be answerable for the remaining fourteen or fifteen." However, though I have raised this objection to my own proposal, I believe the trial might be made without injury to schools. I 2 And here I wish to ask a question, which presents itself naturally to my mind in this place. How comes it to pass, that whilst schools are thus decried, such private governesses are almost universally chosen as have received their education in them? Surely this is a great anomaly; and what increases the inconsistency, in my view of the case, is, that a great number of these have been, what are termed, half-boarders." As these never formed any part of my household, I really do not exactly know what situation they occupy; but, as I have found only very few girls who have abilities to do all that their parents require from them, in a given portion of time, it appears to me utterly impossible for the halfboarder, or apprentice, to prepare herself in any suitable degree for a teacher to others, if half, or indeed any part of her time is to be allotted to the service of the establishment during her residence in it. How far the mind will be rightly prepared for its arduous duties by this previous state of dependence may be questioned. However, I by no means wish to detract from the merits of those who are so instructed; for if they are really competent to fill these stations, they form the strongest evidence possible of the efficacy and advantages of a school education. bonimne won i ot. sw.bauls? How fortunate that r my last sentence was written just as my old pupil, Lady Sr, knocked at the door! She came to introduce to me her four fine children, as she passed through the town, and would, as Betty said, take no denial." moerog you wit olde ndolldes HISTORIC DOUBTS RELATIVE TO NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE. "Is not the same reason available in theology and in politics? Vindication of natural Society, by a late noble writer. SECOND EDITION. LONDON:-1821. LONG as the public attention has been occupied by the extraordinary personage from whose ambition we are supposed to have so narrowly escaped, the subject seems to have lost scarcely any thing of its interest. We are still occupied in recounting the exploits, discussing the character, enquiring into the present situation, and even conjecturing as to the future prospects of Napoleon Buonaparte. Nor is this at all to be wondered at, if we consider the very extraordinary nature of those exploits, and of that character; their greatness and extensive importance, as well as the unexampled strangeness of the events, and also, that strong additional stimulant, the mysterious uncertainty that hangs over the character of the man. If it be doubtful whether any history (exclusive of such as is avowedly fabulous) ever attributed to its hero such a series of wonderful achievements compressed into so small a space of time, it is certain that to no one were ever assigned so many dissimilar characters. It is true indeed that party prejudices have drawn a favorable and an unfavorable portrait of almost every eminent man; but amidst all the diversities of coloring, something of the same general outline is always distinguishable; and even the vir Tobias ult to suno 961 iron reals H.12 to baslai od 16103 tues in the one description bear some resemblance to the vices of another; rashness, for instance, will be called courage, or courage, rashness; heroic firmness, and obstinate pride, will correspond in the two opposite descriptions; and in some leading features, both will agree: neither the friends nor the enemies of Philip of Macedon or of Julius Cæsar ever questioned their COURAGE, or their MILITARY SKILL. With Buonaparte however it has been otherwise. This obscure Corsican adventurer, a man, according to some, of extraordinary talents and courage, according to others, of very moderate abilities, and a rank coward, advanced rapidly in the French army, obtained a high command, gained a series of important victories, and, elated by success, embarked in an expe dition against Egypt, which was planned and conducted, according to some, with the most consummate skill, according to others, with the utmost wildness and folly he was unsuccessful however; and leaving the army of Egypt in a very distressed situation, he returned to France, and found the nation, or at least otheo army, uso favorably disposed towards him, that he was enabled, with the utmost ease, to overthrow the existing government, and obtain for himself the supreme power; at first under the modest appellation of Consul, but afterwards with the more sounding title of Emperor. While in possession of this power, he overthrew the most powerful coalitions of the other European states against him, and though driven from the sea by the British fleets, overran nearly the whole continent, triumphant: finishing a war, not unfrequently in a single campaign, he entered the capitals of most of the hostile potentates, deposed and created kings at his pleasure, and appeared the virtual sovereign of the chief part of the continent, from the frontiers of Spain to those of Russia. Even those countries we find him invading with prodigious armies, defeating their forces, penetrating to their capitals, and threatening their total subjugation but at Moscow his progress is stopped a winter of unusual severity, co-operating with the efforts of the Russians, totally/destroys his enormous host; and the German sovereigns throw off the yoke, and combine to oppose him. He raises another yast army, which is also ruined at Leipsic and again another, with which, like a second Antaus, he for some time maintains himself in France, but is finally defeated, deposed, and banished to the island of Elba, of which the sovereignty is conferred on him thence he res turns, in about nine months, at the head of six hundred men, to at tempt the deposition of King Lewis, who had been peaceably ne called; the French nation declare in his favor, and he is reinstated without a struggle. He raises another great army to oppose the allied powers, which is totally defeated at Waterloo: he is a second time deposed, surrenders to the British, and is placed in confine |