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Tom. I am no enemy to dancing, I affure you, friend Harry. It is an accomplishment fuitable enough for those to learn who expect to have but little else to do. But for you and me, who are destined to get our living by fome mechanical profeffion, there are doubtlefs many pursuits more advantageous. I think we ought to employ but a very small part of our time, in learning to dance. We will fuppofe, for inftance, that you learn the trade of a carpenter, I would afk you, if it would not be neceffary to understand figures; fo that you might be able to keep your own accounts; and fo much geometry as to be able to measure heights and diftances, fuperfices and folids? Would it not be very convenient to know a little of hiftory, in order to acquaint your felf with the various orders of architecture, and where they had their origin? If you were fhown a picture of St. Peter's Church, or a plan of Grand Cairo, would you not like to know enough of geography to tell in what part of the world they are fituated?

Har. These are fubjects which coufin Tim fays never are agitated in the fashionable circle which he vifits. And fo I bid you good bye.

EXTRACT FROM MR. JOHN Q. ADAMS'S ORATION, DELIVERED AT BOSTON, JU. LY 4, 1793.

AMERICANS! let us paufe for a moment

to confider the fituation of our country, at that eventful day when our national existence commenced. In the full poffeffion and enjoyment of all thofe prerogatives for which you then dared to adventure upon "all the varieties of untried being," the calm and fettled moderation of the mind is fcarcely competent to conceive the tone of heroiẩm, to which the fouls of freemen were exalted in that hour of perilous magnanimity.

2. Seventeen times has the fun, in the progrefs of his annual revolutions, diffufed his prolific radiance over the plains of Independent America. Millions of hearts, which then palpitated with the rapturous glow of patrictiím, have

already

already been tranflated to brighter worlds; to the abodes of more than mortal freedom. Other millions have arifen to receive from their parents and benefactors, the ineftimable recompenfe of their achievements.

3. A large proportion of the audience, whofe benevolence is at this moment listening to the speaker of the day, like him were at that period too little advanced beyond the threshold of life to partake of the divine enthusiasm which infpired the American bofom; which prompted her voice to proclaim defiance to the thunders of Britain; which confecrated the banners of her armies; and finally erected the holy temple of American Liberty, over the tomb of de parted tyranny.

4. It is from those who have already paffed the meridian of life; it is from you, ye venerable affertors of the rights of mankind, that we are to be informed, what were the feelings which fwayed within your breasts, and impelled you to action; when, like the stripling of Ifrael, with scarcely a weapon to attack, and without a fhield for your defence, you met, and, undismayed, engaged with the gigantic greatnefs of the British power.

5. Untutored in the difgraceful fcience of human butchery; deftitute of the fatal materials which the ingenuity of man has combined, to fharpen the scythe of death; unfupported by the arm of any friendly alliance, and unfortified against the powerful affaults of an unrelenting enemy, you did not hesitate at that moment, when your coafts were infefted by a formidable fleet, when your territories were invaded by a numerous and veteran army, to pronounce the fentence of eternal feparation from Britain, and to throw the gauntlet at a power, the terror of whofe recent triumphs was almoft co-extenfive with the earth.

6. The interested and felfifk propenfities, which, in times of profperous tranquillity have fuch powerful dominion over the heart, were all expelled; and in their stead, the public virtues, the spirit of perfonal devotion to the com. mon caufe, a contempt of every danger in comparison with the fubferviency of the country, had affumed an unlimited

control.

7. The paffion for the public had abforbed all the reft; as the glorious luminary of heaven extinguishes in a flood

of

et.

of refulgence the twinkling fplendor of every inferior planThofe of you, my countrymen, who were actors in thofe interefting fcenes, will beft know, how feeble and impotent is the language of this defcription to express the impaffioned emotions of the foul, with which you were then agitated.

8. Yet it were injuftice to conclude from thence, or from the greater prevalence of private and perfonal motives in these days of calm ferenity, that your fons have degenerated from the virtues of their fathers. Let it rather be a fubject of pleafing reflection to you, that the generous and difinterested energies, which you were fummoned to dif play, are permitted by the bountiful indulgence of Heaven, to remain latent in the bofoms of your children.

9. From the prefent profperous appearance of our public affairs, we may admit a rational hope that our country will have no occafion to require of us thofe extraordinary. and heroic exertions which it was your fortune to exhibit.

10. But from the common verfatility of all human deftiny, fhould the profpect hereafter darken, and the clouds of public misfortune thicken to a tempeft; fhould the voice of our country's calamity ever call us to her relief, we fwear by the precious memory of the fages who' toiled, and of the heroes who bled in her defence, that we will prove ourselves not unworthy of the prize which they for dearly purchased; that we will act as the faithful difciples of those who fo magnanimously taught us the inftructive leffon of republican virtue.

ON KNOWING THE WORLD AT AN EARLY AGE.

THE knowledge of the world, in its com

prehenfive fenfe, is a knowledge greatly to be defired. To understand the human heart, to know human manners, laws, languages, and inftitutions of every kind, and in various nations, and to be able to reflect on all thefe with moral and political improvement, is an attainment worthy of the greateftatefman and the wifeft philofopher.

N

2. But there is a knowledge of the world of a very inferior kind, but which many parents value at a high price.. Greek and Latin are always mentioned with contempt, on a comparison with this. In compliance with custom, indeed, and to get him out of the way, the boy is placed at fchool; but the knowledge to be gained there is little efteemed by the empty votaries of fashion.

3. Men and things, not words, are magifterially pointed out as the proper objects of ftudy, by thofe who know little of men, things, or words. It is not the knowledge of books, (fay they) which he is to purfue, but the knowledge of the world; ignorant that the knowledge of books is neceffary to gain a valuable knowledge of the world.

4. The parents, who give fuch directions to their children, are themfelves merely people of the world, as it is called; perfons for the most part of very moderate underftandings, who have never made any folid improvements in learning, and, confequently, never felt its pleasures, or its advantages.

5. They have perhaps raifed themfelves by dint of worldly policy, by the little arts of fimulation and diffimulation; and having feen the effects of drefs, address, and an attention to exterior accomplishments; but at the same time being totally unacquainted with real and folid attainments, they are naturally led to wish to give their children the most useful education, which, according to their ideas, is a knowledge of the world.

6. But what is this knowledge of the world? A knowledge of its follies and vices; a knowledge of them at a time of life, when they will not appear in their true light, contemptible in themfelves, and the fources of mifery; but flattering and pleasurable. To fee thefe at a boyish age, before the mind is properly prepared, will not caufe an abhorrence, but an imitation of them.

7. To introduce boys to fcenes of immoral and indecent behavior, is to educate them in vice, and to give the young mind a foul ftain, which it will never lofe. And yet I have known parents in the metropolis fuffer boys of fourteen or fifteen to roam wherefoever they pleafed; to frequent theatres, and other places of public diverfions, by themfelves; to return home late at night; and all this with

plenty

plenty of money, and without giving any account of the manner of confuming that or their time.

8. The parents were pleafed with their fon's proficiency in the knowledge of the world; the fon was pleafed with liberty. All for a fhort time went on to their mutual fatisfaction. But after a few years, a fad reverfe ufually appeared. The boy became a fpendthrift and a debauchee; alienated his father's affections by incurring debt, and ruined his conftitution by every species of excefs.

9. What remained after his money and his health were diffipated? No learning, no relish for the works of literary tafte. The fpring of life, when the feeds of these should have been fown, was employed in another manner. Nothing remained but a wretched and a painful old age, devoted to cards, dice, and illiberal conviviality.

10. He, who is attending to his books, and collecting ideas which will one day render him a blessing and an honor to all with whom he is connected, will appear dull, awkward, and unengaging to many, in comparison with the pert ftripling, who has been plunged into vice and diffipation before he knows the meaning of the words.

11. The reception which the latter meets with in com. pany gives him additional fpirits; and the poor parents ufually triumph a while in the confcious fuperiority of their judgment. In four or five years, they commonly fee and feel the effects of their folly.

12. Their conduct, as it often undoubtedly proceeds from ignorance, is to be compaffionated; but if ever it arise from affectation of fingularity, pride, vicious principles, or carelefsnefs concerning their offspring, it deferves the fevereft reprehenfion.

13. It is obvious to obferve in the world multitudes of beardlefs boys affuming airs of manhood, and practifing manly vices, to obtain a title to the appellation of men. The prefent age abounds with fuch examples.

14. A moit fatal iniftake is made by parents of all classes in the prefent age. Many of them feem to think vice and irregularity the marks of fenfe and fpirit, in a boy; and that innocence, modefty, fubmiffion to fuperiors, application to fudy, and to every thing laudable, are the figns of

ftupidity.

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