great and awful character, my Lord! But let us advance by juft degrees. FIRST, if you please, let us provide that he be a worthy citizen of England; and, by your favour, let me ennoble this fmall ifland of ours, with the pompous appellation of the world. It is that world, at leaft, in which our adventurer is to play his part; and for the commerce of which it concerns him most im. mediately to be prepared. Now, as your Lordship's chief care is directed, very properly, towards its chief fubjects; I mean, the men of rank and fortune; whose ample property and noble birth give their country the greatest concern in their education: let me ask in what manner they are likely to qualify themselves best for the important parts, they are to act in it? LORD LORD SHAFTESBURY, CERTAINLY, by acquiring that knowledge and those accomplishments, that are most proper for the discharge of them. MR. LOCKE. UNDOUBTEDLY, my Lord: there cannot be two anfwers to fo plain a question. As that education is, in general, the beft, which forms the man, in the best manner; so, in this confined view, that education must be thought the best, which forms the Englishman, in the best manner. To proceed then on this reasonable conceffion. AN English citizen, or, if you will, Senator, (for this is the ftation to which our greater citizens do, and our best fhould aspire) can never acquit himself of the duties he owes his country, under this F 3 this character, but by furnishing himself with all those qualities of the bead and heart, which his fuperior rank and pretenfions demand. THIS last chapter is an important one; and would be very long, if juftice were done to it. But a fummary of the main articles, of which it confifts, may be given in few words. I REQUIRE then in our young afpirant to the name and honours of an English Senator, that his mind be early and thoroughly feafoned with the principles of virtue and religion: that he be trained, by a strict difcipline, to the command of his temper and paffions: that his ambition be awakened, or rather directed, to its right object, the public good; and to that end, that his foul be fired with the love of excellence and true honour: above all, that he have a re verence for the legal conftitution of his country, country, and a fervent affection for the great community to which he belongs. YOUR Lordship has a due refpect for these virtuous qualities of the HEART, which will give this confideration its full weight with you. But were they of no more account, than many inftitutors of youth feem difpofed to reckon them, ftill there are other qualities, thofe of the HEAD, in every man's account effentially requifite to the discharge of thofe offices, which our greater citizens are destined to fuftain. I REQUIRE therefore, in the next place, that our young Senator have a ready and familiar ufe, at least, of the Latin tongue (your Lordship, I know, will add, and of the Greek; but in this I am not fo peremptory): that he be competently inftructed in the elements of science, as well as what are called polite letters: that, especially, he be well grounded F 4 grounded in the principles of morals, public and private: that he have made a thorough acquaintance with the history of his own country, and with its conftitution, Civil and Ecclefiaftical: that he have a general infight into the history of the world, antient and modern: above all, that he have a well-exercifed understanding; I mean, that he be taught to reafon clearly and confequentially upon any fubject: and, further, to put all thefe abilities to ufe, that he have a ready command of his own language, and the power of expreffing himself, whether in writing or speaking, with ease and perfpicuity, at leaft, if not with elegance, OTHER ornamental qualities I omit for the prefent, which will almost come of themselves, if his education be rightly conducted; or may be acquired with little pains, and in the way of diverfion only. But thefe folid accomplishments I hold |