to prefer warm rooms, which are relaxing and injurious; and to produce such a measure of fatigue without exhaustion, as will ensure regular quiet sleep, and yet will not require the devotion of a large proportion of time to this state, in order to restore that irritability of the system, which has been expended during the day.

At

The object of this discipline is to prevent an undue accumulation of vital energy in any one organ of the body, and so to prevent the irritation, which would frequently be its consequence. this period, it is particularly desirable to provide constant occupation for the pupil: idleness is the prolific parent of moral mischief; an incessant round of employment, on the contrary, is the best safeguard from its influence; and every waking hour should find its appropriate pursuit of duty, amusement, or exercise. And lastly, it is important, that in all these several states, children should not be left to themselves, but should be always under the constant supervision of the parent; or of those to whom a parent's watchfulness may with propriety be delegated. And here the author must be permitted to mention the great, the indispensable importance of obtaining trust-worthy and principled domestics about the young; such as will consider only, what is for the real good of their little charge. Infinite mischief has often resulted from unprincipled servants, who to gratify their own depraved imagination, have dared to stimulate that of the unconscious youth committed to their care.

V. The particular attentions required in the conduct of moral education, will immediately be considered as general principles - uniformly operative upon the character; but the present discussion will scarcely be complete, without pointing the parent cursorily to those measures which are rendered especially necessary during a period, which experience has shewn to be readily productive of indelible mischief, unless counteracted by the bias of reason and religion. As the exercise of the body has been recommended, so the regular employment of the intellectual powers should be a principal object with the parent. At this time, at least if the preceding years have been well improved, those powers will be adequate to considerable exertion, and they should be called upon to the full extent of their ability. They should, however, be so directed as to strengthen the understanding, and develop the reasoning capacity; while they repress the luxuriance of the fancy, during this imaginative season of human life. With this view, the memory may be exercised upon such objects as will add to its useful store of solid principles and arguments, and will teach the habit of arranging and classifying its thoughts. In the fulfilment of this intention, mathematical pursuits will be of the greatest advantage. It is unfortunate that the studies of youth too frequently lead to a contrary result: but we cannot now enter upon this subject in detail; we can only shew the general principles which should guide a parent's conduct. It need

scarcely be added, surely, that the pages of a novel or a newspaper are not fit to be placed in the hands of the young and inexperienced: this is too palpably the fact to demand argument in its support: but, alas! even the page of history is contaminated with many a narrative which ought not to meet their eye; and still more, their classical reading is too frequently defiled with allusions which should never find entrance into their bosom; and with histories, tales, or satirical notices, whose only tendency is to demoralize the heart. The obvious conduct of the parent should be to prevent the contact of such impurity where this is possible; and where it cannot be avoided, to supply an antidote to the poison, by the constant development of good principles of action, as the pillar and ground of the truth. The active state of the imagination may be also rendered available for the purpose of developing a fear of doing wrong, of losing that rectitude of motive and consistency which can alone entitle the individual to esteem; or of harbouring for a moment a thought, or feeling, which it might blush to reveal to its parent. Respect for itself and its friends will be also found a powerful means of exciting the imitation of good and virtuous conduct, and the abhorrence of that which is evil. But a far more powerful motive may be obtained by the sanctions of religion; in the love of God; the fear of offending him; the desire of obeying his commands, and incurring his favour

and blessing; a principle which reaches to the thoughts and intents of the heart; to the very mainspring of action, long before the individual is conscious of having directed the powers of his mind to such a subject. The voice of conscience is another most valuable safeguard to the young; but this can only be rendered powerfully and extensively operative, in proportion as the attention is constantly directed towards it, and as it is based upon the foregoing principle; for conscience is, in fact, none other than the involuntary judgment which an accountable being passes upon his own actions, and thoughts, and motives, by comparing them with some standard of right; and that standard can only be the revealed will of God. order to the possession of a tender-that is, a susceptible conscience, it must be constantly engaged, and employed upon the minuter occasions of life; for it is only by being conscientious as to trifles, that a successful barrier can be raised by appealing to its decisions, against the inroads of that mighty torrent of vice which so frequently threatens to overwhelm the young and unguarded.

In

One other principle to be now inculcatedthough this, indeed, will result from the former, is the subordination of passion to reason-of reason to the word of God: this, this alone can ensure safety to the young, or preserve them from the shoals, and quicksands, and rapids with which their introduction into life is beset. And this must not be reserved as the subject of an occa

sional lecture; it must be the daily, hourly, undeviating object of thought, of action, of precept, and example.

To this slight sketch of principles, which will be further developed in a subsequent part of this treatise, we shall only add the importance of watching over the choice of a companion, and the formation of those friendships which are usually so warm, and which exert an influence so powerfully operative upon the mind, as almost to preserve it from error, or to ensure its ruin. Let parents, then, be doubly watchful. And we shall now pass to the second part of our inquiry, viz. the application of Physical Education to the development of the Intellectual Faculties, which will prepare us for the consideration of that which more exclusively attaches to the subject of moral and religious instruction.

END OF PART 1.