children does no good. I'll take you five children from London, who shall cuff five Highland children. Sir, a man bred in London will carry a burthen, or run, or wrestle, as well as a man brought up in the hardiest manner in the country."-B. "Good living, I suppose, makes the Londoners strong.-7." Why, Sir, I don't know that it does. Our chairmen from Ireland, who are as strong men as any, have been brought up upon potatoes. Quantity makes up for quality." -B. "Would you teach this child that I have furnished you with any thing?"-7. " No, I would not be apt to teach it."-B. "Would not you have a pleasure in teaching it?-7. "No, Sir, I should not have a pleasure in teaching it." -B. "Have you not a pleasure in teaching men? There I have you. You have the same pleasure in teaching men that I should have in teaching children."-7. "Why, something about that."-B. "Do you think, Sir, that what is called natural affection is born with us? It seems to me to be the effect of habit, or of gratitude for kindness. No child has it for a parent whom it has not seen.”—J." Why, Sir, I think there is an instinctive natural affection in parents toward their children."

EDUCATION.

In a conversation on the educating of children, Mr. Boswell asked Johnson what he thought was best to teach them first.-" Sir (said he), it is no matter what you teach them first, any more than what leg you shall put into your breeches first. Sir, you may stand disputing which is best to put in first, but in the mean time your breech is bare. Sir, while you are considering which of two things you should teach your child first, another boy has learnt them both."

Johnson himself began to learn Latin with Mr. Hawkins, usher, or under-master of Lichfield school, "A man (said he) very skilful in his little way." With him he continued two years, and then rose to be under the care of Mr. Hunter, the head-master, who, according to his account, "was very severe, and wrong-headedly severe, He used (said he) to beat us unmercifully; and he did not distinguish between ignorance and negligence; for he would beat a boy equally for not knowing a thing, as for neglecting to know it, He would ask a boy a question; and if he did not answer it, he would beat him, without consider ing whether he had an opportunity of knowing how to answer it; for instance, he would call

upon a boy and ask him Latin for a candlestick, which the boy could not expect to be asked. Now, Sir, if a boy could answer every question, there would be no need of a master to teach . him."

Johnson, however, was very sensible how much he owed to Mr. Hunter. Mr. Langton one day asked him how he acquired so accurate a knowledge of Latin, in which he was thought not to be exceeded by any man of his time. He said, "My master whipt me very well. Without that, Sir, I should have done nothing." He also told Mr. Langton, that while Hunter was flogging his boys unmercifully, he used to say, "And this I do to save you from the gallows." Johnson, upon all occasions, expressed his approbation of enforcing instruction by means of the rod. " I would rather (said he) have the rod the general terror of all, to make them learn, than tell a child, if you do thus, or thus, you will be more esteemed than your brothers or sisters. The rod produces an effect which terminates in itself. A child is afraid of being whipped, and gets his task, and there's an end on't; whereas, by exciting emulation and comparisons of superiority, .you lay the foundation of lasting mischief; you make brothers and sisters hate each other."

"Johnson's opinion of the most proper course to be pursued in the instruction of youth is as

certained by the following paper in his own hand. writing, given to a relation, and now in the possession of Mr. John Nichols:

66 SCHEME FOR THE CLASSES OF

A GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

"WHEN the introduction, or formation of nouns and verbs, is perfectly mastered, let them learn

"Corderius, by Mr. Clarke, beginning at the same time to translate out of the introduction, that by this means they may learn the syntax.— Then let them proceed to

“Erasmus, with an English translation, by the same author.

"Class II. Learns Eutropius and Cornelius Nepos, or Justin, with the translation.

"N. B. The first class gets for their part every morning the rules which they have learned before, and in the afternoon learns the Latin rules of the nouns and verbs.

"They are examined in the rules which they have learned every Thursday and Saturday.

"The second class does the same whilst they are in Eutropius; afterwards their part is in the irregular nouns and verbs, and in the rules for making and scanning verses. They are examined as the first.

" Class III. Ovid's Metamorphoses in the

morning, and Cæsar's Commentaries in the after

noon.

"Practise in the Latin rules till they are perfect in them; afterwards in Mr. Leeds's Greek Grammar. Examined as before.

"Afterwards they proceed to Virgil, beginning at the same time to write themes and verses and to learn Greek; from thence passing on to Horace, &c. as shall seem most proper.

"I know not well what books to direct you to, because you have not informed me what study you will apply yourself to. I believe it will be most for your advantage to apply yourself wholly to the languages, till you go to the University. The Greek authors I think it best for you to read are these:

"Thus you will be tolerably skilled in all the dialects, beginning with the Attick, to which the rest must be referred.

"In the study of Latin, it is proper not to read the latter authors, till you are well versed in those of the purest ages; as Terence, Tully,