Instead
of pursuing this idle routine, sighing for tasteless shew, and
heartless state, with what dignity would the youths of both sexes form
attachments in the schools that I have cursorily pointed out; in
which, as life advanced, dancing, music, and drawing, might be
admitted as relaxations, for at these schools young people of
fortune ought to remain, more or less, till they were of age. Those,
who were designed for particular professions, might attend, three or
four mornings in the week, the schools appropriated for their
immediate instruction.
I only drop these observations at present, as hints; rather, indeed,
as an outline of the plan I mean, than a digested one; but I must add,
that I highly approve of one regulation mentioned in the pamphlet*
already alluded to, that of making the children and youths independent
of the masters respecting punishments. They should be tried by their
peers, which would be an admirable method of fixing sound principles
of justice in the mind, and might have the happiest effect on the
temper, which is very early soured or irritated by tyranny, till it
becomes peevishly cunning, or ferociously overbearing.
* The Bishop of Autun's.
My imagination darts forward with benevolent fervour to greet
these amiable and respectable groups, in spite of the sneering of cold
hearts, who are at liberty to utter, with frigid self-importance,
the damning epithet- romantic; the force of which I shall endeavour to
blunt by repeating the words of an eloquent moralist.
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