tuous; otherwise, I should rather choose to have him dull and heavy than of a bad disposition." Non dabit spem bonæ indolis, qui hoc imitandi studio petit, ut rideatur. Nam probus quoque imprimis erit ille vere ingeniosus: alioqui non pejus duxerim tardi esse ingenii, quam mali. He displays to us all these talents in the eldest of his two children, whose character he draws, and whose death he laments in so eloquent and pathetic a strain, in the beautiful pre face to his sixth book. I shall beg leave to insert here a small extract of it, which will not be useless to the boys, as they will find it a model which suits well with their age and condition. After having mentioned his younger son, who died at five years old, and described the graces and beauties of his counte nance, the prettiness of his expressions, the vivacity of his understanding, which began to shine through the veil of childhood; "I had still left me," says he, "my son Quinctilian, in whom I placed all my pleasure and all my hopes, and comfort enough I might have found in him: for, having now.entered into his tenth year, he did not produce only blossoms like his younger brother, but fruits already formed, and beyond the power of disappointment.-I have much experience; but I never saw in any child, I do not say only so many excellent dispositions for the sciences, nor so much taste, as his masters know, but so much probity, sweetness, good-nature, gentleness, and inclination to please, and oblige, as I discerned in him. "Besides this, he had all the advantages of nature, a charming voice, a pleasing countenance, and a surprising facility in pronouncing well the two languages, as if he had been equally born for both of them. "But all this was no more than hopes. I set a greater value upon his admirable virtues, his equality of temper, his resolution, the courage with which he bore up against fear and pain; for, how were his physicians astonished at his patience under a distemper of eight months continuance, when at the point of death he comforted me himself, and bade me not to weep for him! and delirious as he sometimes was at his last moments, his tongue ran of nothing else but learning and the sciences: O vain and deceitful hopes!" &c. Are there many boys amongst us, of whom we can truly say so much to their advantage, as Quinctilian says here of his son? What a shame would it be for them, if, born and brought up in a Christian country, they had not even the virtues of Pagan children! I make no scruple to repeat them here again-docility, obedience, respect for their masters, or rather a degree of affection, and the source of an eternal gratitude; zeal for study, and a wonderful thirst after the sciences, joined to an abhorrence of vice and irregularity; an admirable fund of probity, goodness, gentleness, civility, and liberality; as also patience, courage, and greatness of soul in the course of a long sickness. What then was wanting to all these virtues ?-That, which alone could render them truly worthy the name, and must be in a manner the soul of them, and constitute their whole value, the precious gift of faith and piety; the saving knowledge of a Mediator; a sincere desire of pleasing God, and referring all our actions to him. THE HONOUR AND ADVANTAGE OF A CONSTANT ADHERENCE TO TRUTH. Petrarch, a celebrated Italian Poet, who flourished about four hundred years ago, recommended himself to the confidence and affection of Cardinal Colonna, in whose family he resided, by his candour and strict regard to truth. A violent quarrel occured in the houshold of this nobleman, which was carried so far, that recourse was had to arms. The Cardinal wished to know the foundation of this affair; and that he might be able to decide with justice, he assembled all his people, and obliged them to bind themselves, by a most solemn oath on the Gospels, to declare the whole truth. Every one, without exception, submitted to this determination; even the Bishop of Luna, brother to the Cardinal, was not excused. Petrarch, in his turn, presenting himself to take the oath, the Cardinal closed the book, and said, "As to you, Petrarch, your word is sufficient*" A sto ry similar to this, is related of Zenocrates, an Athenian Philosopher, who lived three hundred years before Christ, and was educated in the school of Plato. The people of Athens entertained so high an opinion of his probity, that one day when he approached the altar, to confirm by an oath the truth of what he had asserted, the judges unanimously declared his word to be sufficient evidence. From "A Father's Instructions," &c. by Dr. Percival. *See the life of Petrarch, elegantly translated by Mrs. Dobson བ་ བ་�ནས རབ IDLENESS AND IRRESOLUTION. Horace, a celebrated Roman poet, relates, that a country man, who wanted to pass a river, stood loitering on the banks of it, in the foolish expectation that a current so rapid, would soon discharge its waters. But the stream still flowed; increased, perhaps, by fresh torrents from the mountains; and it must for ever flow, because the sources from which it is derived are inexhaustible. Thus the idle and irresolute youth trifles over his books, or wastes in play his precious moments; deferring the task of improvement, which at first is easy to be accomplished, but which will become more and more difficult, the longer it is neglected. Ibid. AFFECTION TO PARENTS. An amiable youth was lamenting, in terms of the sincerest grief, the death of a most affectionate parent. His companion endeavoured to console him by the reflection,. that he had always behaved to the deceased with duty, tenderness, and respect. So I thought, replied the youth, whilst my parent was living: but now I recollect, with pain and sorrow, many instan ces of disobedience and neglect, for which, alas! it is too late to make atonement. |