schoolmen; nor in the more refined speculations of > modern metaphysicians, nor yet in the polemic writ

ings of subtle casuists. Life would be far too short to attain any proficiency in all the disputes and researches of this kind, which have so long puzzled the learned world, and are still as much undecided as at first. Almighty God seems to have set the knowledge of many things beyond our present reach, on purpose to confound our pride, and whisper to us continually the degeneracy and imperfection of our nature; and when we consider such things in this light, we make the only wise use of them. For suppose we could live long enough to obtain the exactest proficiency in all these points, what would it contribute to the main design of making better men and better citizens? Why, just nothing at all! We ought then, continued they, rejecting things superfluous and hypothetical, to mount directly up to fundamental principles, and endeavour to ascertain the relations in which we stand, that we may sus-` tain, with dignity, the rank assigned us among intel- ← lectual natures, and move in concert, with the rest of the creation, in accomplishing the great end of all things.

To satisfy ourselves of this, Quid sumus, et quidnam victuri gignimur, requires no such depth of understanding, no such subtle reasonings and tedious. researches, as some would persuade us. For, besides his revealed will, God has given intimations of his will to us, by appealing to our senses in the constitution of our nature, and the constitution and harmony of the material universe. We have only to

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reason by analogy, and correct our reasonings by these holy oracles. Then the least attention will convince us, that what God chiefly expects of us here, is to love him, and all his creatures for his sake; to view, through the medium of benevolence > and charity, those inconsiderable differences, which, in a state of imperfection, must subsist among free agents, and which God himself, perhaps, views with pleasure; to do always the greatest good in our power whether to ourselves or fellow-creatures, of whatever country, sect, or denomination they may be; to act á just and honest part in our social capacity; and, lastly, as much as possible, to repair the ruins of our nature, by improving and enlarging our faculties, and confirming ourselves in habits of virtue, that thus we may, in some sort, be qualified to be replaced in our original high rank, to which, through the Redeemer's merit, we may yet aspire to rise, and be advanced from stage to stage of perfection and bliss, through all the endless periods of our being.

To say, or even think, our present span is too short for these purposes, is to charge the most High with injustice in the constitution of things. We have, in reality, not only time enough to obey the dictates of reason and religion, by learning and discharging the duties we owe to God and man, but sufficient left for recreation, and innocent amusement; unless we will make life too short by creating business for ourselves, which no way concerns us, and turning our attention to subjects which, after all our searches and researches, will make us neither wiser nor better than when we first set out.

Hence it appears, continued they, of what lasting importance it is, to accustom youth early to distinguish the true from the false, by directing their studies to such things as come more immediately home to their business and bosoms. Were men as generally agreed what these things are, as they soon would be, if passion and prejudice were laid aside, then indeed the business of education would be short, easy and pleasant; and the Miranians would have found no difficulty in fixing on a proper and unexceptionable plan for this purpose. But they saw, with concern, that while there were human infirmities, and different opinions to struggle with, the best scheme they could concert, would not be alike acceptable to all, and would be liable to many exceptions and misconstructions. No matter: that did not deter them from their duty. They had the noble resolution to follow the unbiassed dictates of their own good sense, conscious that, though they could not project an unexceptionable, far less a perfect plan, they should acquit themselves to GoD, and the uncorrupted judgment of posterity, by rendering it as perfect as they could, and delivering it down in a condition of being improved as often as circumstances might alter, and experience discover defects in it.

But it would be needless to trouble you with all the difficulties and toils they encountered, before they brought the scheme to the point of perfection aimed at. I shall therefore give you an account of the whole, as it now stands; in which will not

you

expect that I should be very particular, as a full

detail of every thing worth notice in such an institution, would furnish matter for a volume.

With regard to learning, the Miranians divide the whole body of people into two grand classes. The first consists of those designed for the learned professions; by which they understand divinity, law, physic, and the chief offices of the state. The second class consists of those designed for the mechanic professions, and all the remaining people of the country.

Such a division is absolutely necessary; for, if the shortest way of forming youth to act in their proper spheres, as good men and good citizens, ought always to be the object of education, these two classes should be educated on a very different plan. The knowledge of the learned languages, as the means of acquiring other useful knowledge, is indispensably necessary to the first class. To the second, the time thus spent might be otherwise employed, as they never have occasion to make use of those languages. A less extensive acquaintance with the sciences, except arithmetic and mathematics, will also serve their purpose.

Any scheme, then, that either proposes to teach both these grand classes after the same manner, or is wholly calculated for one of them, without regarding the other, must be very defective. And yet so it is, that public seminaries are almost universally calculated for the first class; while a collegiate school for the instruction of the latter is rarely to be met with. This class of people, by far the most numerous, and also the hands and strength of every go

vernment, are overlooked, and have nothing but this alternative left them, either to be satisfied with what small portion of the arts and sciences they can glean at private schools, or to go through a course of learning at colleges, for which they have neither time nor

use.

These considerations gave rise to what is called the Mechanic's School, or Academy, in this seminary, which is no other way connected with what is called the College, (by way of distinction) than by being under the inspection of the same trustees, and the government of the same body of masters. Most of the branches of science, taught in the college, are taught in this school; but then they are taught without languages, and in a more compendious manner, as the circumstances and business of the common class of people require. This school is so much like the English school and academy in * Philadelphia, that a particular account of it is here needless.[qu

Nine years are sufficient to complete the mechanic's education in this school; proportionable to which are nine forms or classes. In the three lowest, English is taught grammatically, and as a language, with writing. In the six higher classes, English and writing are continued, at the same time that accompts, mathematics, oratory, chronology, history, the most plain and useful parts of natural and mechanic philosophy, are taught; to which is added, something of husbandry and chymistry, which, as improved of late, they esteem a very useful branch of instruction.

First sketched out by the ingenious Dr. Franklin of that place.

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