[No. XXVII.] THE TAB LET. No. XXVII. « The loft which the commonwealth fufers by the r'aJvient of its youth, is like the toss which the SuJid/fpr by the Jeftruiiion of the firing." THE world has been amused with so ma ny treatises upon education, that any exempt to throw further light upon the fubjedt may be deemed useless, if not prefunung. It can ,;: d lv be expected that any person will wish tor new information ; but that as loon as it.is per ceived what topic is introduced, the reader will turn from it, with impatience and disgust. I can Inly allure him that this eflay is intended rather iive scope to his reflections than to enforce mv own. Kis attention is solicited to dilate the hints that are fuggelted, and it is hoped he will be able to afford instruCtion from contem plating more at large, what is here so partially iri'nated. If he finds my remarks idle and un important, he ihould neglect or forget them ; but if he finds them founded in reason and capa ble of being improved into utility, I entreat he would cherish them with care, and recommend them with fervour. Men destined to the rcclufe paths of abitract science acquire an invincible attachment to what has colt them so much time and perplexity. They rc fl e( ft on the tedious hours they have consumed in the acquisition, and suppose they pay an ill compliment to themselves in not fixing the lngheft value on their attainments. The human mind is apt to be seduced into an ovcrated opinion of its own improvements. So fafcinating are fcien tific accompliihments, that men abltracft all ideas of utility, and feel themselves attached to the inerepofleifiou ofknowledge, independent of the advantages that attend it. Under fucli imprefli onsthey listen, without a desire of being con- when any observations are made with a view of changing the course of those academical pursuits which they have followed with so much aifiduity, and in which they have made eminent proficiency. Such men will condemn me with out an hearing; and will rather affect to ridicule my lketches as pointing to an absurd innovation, than deliberate upon them as deserving a serious refutation. The advocates for an undifci iniinating mode of education hedge themselves under the follow ingtrainof reasoning. They alledge that the clallical studies are of such a nature, as will be equally important to all men, who wish to make a oiftinguillicd figure in society : No person can be eminently qualified for aconfpicuous station, who has not some acquaintance with science in general: The connection between the different branches oflitcrature is so naturally eftabliflied, that perfection can be attained in none, without a knowledge of all: It is only intended that the academical acquirements Ihould lay the foundati on, on which to build a superstructure conform ably to the profeflion, one proposes to pursue : Classical studies maybe considered in the light of firft principles or elements whichare requisite to give the lead in every celebrated fpliere of life, and which are not specially adapted to one pro feflion more than another : Indeed when a youth enters a university, it cannot be known what will be his future employment or destiny, and therefore he Ihould be amply prepared to figure in scenes the molt refpeslion that would lie against one method of tuition, might be squally applied to all Thelofsof time and the sxpence are the only inconvenience they sustain from their studies, and this they must sustain let them study whatthey will. But there are other descriptions of students, who can only derive benefit from a public edu cation by a discrimination and attention in the manner of instruction. To illustrate this point shall be the fubje£iure of vice in its ut tnoit deformity : There are also many instances of female defec tion, where no cafe, or (ituationin life is more truly pitiable youth, simplicity, inexperience, and often a prepoffeflion in favor of the object, open a thousand doors to the numberless insinuating irts of feduftion : Remorseless man! the crime is all his own Unhappy injured woman! her's the disgrace and punishment; for if perrhance (he escapes public infamy, yet oft her still chaste mind secretly deplores the indelible stain, bewailing ia tearful folitud:, her violated honour. But the woman of loofc conversation, though she may not be a whore, perhaps because untempting, or untempted, yet is her mind often more grossly depraved and debauched; with her lewd con ceits, flic pollutes the delicate car ; violates the chaste mind, and poisons the morals of all her acquaintance : She difgufls the wife with her incontinence ; and the libertine with her unmeaning, or ill-timed provocations : She is a whore in principle, though not in pra£lice, and pofllffes their word, most lliamelcfs, and most difguftful properties : It may with propriety be said (he keeps a bawdy-house, and gives lessons of concupiscence ; though she has not been (educed, Ihe is a common seducer; debauching bothlexes, and if a mother, her own children. On FRIENDSHIP. MANKIND in advcrfity are too apt to complain that their friends have forfaken them : there wants but little reflection to be convinced that this is an erroneous idea ; adyerfity only enables a manto distinguish his real from pretended friends; nor do I know of any other certain tell, or criterion : Those only deserve the name of friends, who regarding with equal indifference the linilcs and ffowns of fortune, are neither attratted by the one, or repul sed by the other : Those whom the man in profpoi uy supposed to be his friends, and of whom, in adverlity, he complains, never deserved the name; nor can they be justly acculed of any change ; they are only poor pitiful reptiles that are always teen 1 warming and balking in the lunfhine of prosperity; but when the clouds of adverlity fliade their wonted retreat, they grow cold and tor pid, creep from the once pleasing, but now gloomy scene, and hav ing gained a certain, wifhed-for diftancr, sneak off to brighter, and more cheerful Hues : To these, an unfortunate man serves on ly as a signal ofdanger ; and to avoid the rock on which he split, they deem it most prudent to (liun the unhappy vittim 4t tempora [1 fuerint nutild,folus ens." But as misfortunes are often unavoi dable, and when otherwise, frequently flow from a too generous confidence, or forbearance, or fomc other cxcefs that favours more of virtue than of \ ice, it is greatly to be regretted, that they Ihou.d be indiscriminately treated as crimes, and avarice, usury, and ex tortion be often dignified with the honourablecpithcts o- prudcnce. industry, and honesty. f Published on Wednesday and Saturday .j Having already observed that a man who has riot experienced a revrrfr of fortune, willnever be able to discriminate his real from pretended friends ; so there ii probably no man who would choole to make the expciiment upon such hard terms, but would wifely prefer taking mankind as he finds them, with, or without a malk ; for as society is preferable to solitude, so of courfc pretended friends have their use ; they can sing as good a song, tell as good a llory, drink a glass as ctfeerfully, give as good a toafl or feritiment, be as entertaining, and make at Icafi as warm profeflions as the belt friend in the world : They are always ready to oblige—those wiio want no favours; to lend—to those who do not waiit to borrow ; to give—where they expect a spur-sold returnand to render any fcrvices, in Soy way—to those who they are fOfe will amply repay them; thus they supply the place of real friends to those who Hand in need of none ; and may be said to be equally ufeful where no diJinUreJled services are required; and thus the rich feel their con venience, arid seem to taste the sweets of friend Ship perhaps with out one real friend—" donee eris Jelix mu/tos numcrabis amicos." However paradoxical therefore it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that thedilcovery of a real friend is a misfortune that every wife man would wish to avoid ; and the enjoyment of triany pre tended friends, a happiness which every man would wish to polTcfs. £. C. SKETCH OF THE POLITICAL STATE OF AMERICA. THE great pillars supporting national pros perity and happiness are AGRICULTURE, MA NUFACTURES, and COMMERCE It is from their due combination and arrangement we de rive the greatest circulation, and that aggregate income, which being the subjeCt of taxation, af ford a a revenue to the public—v>hereby a naval and military power is eftablilhed, tending to in ternal security, while k renders us formidable to outward enemies. We have too frequently heard invidionsand altogether ideal distinCtions between the agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial interests of a community, which on a proper and candid view of the subjeCt will be found to spring from each other, to be intimately and efficiently connected, and not easily feperaied in their prin ciples or effeCts, and to flourifh bell while going hand in hand. The Earth envelopes the molt important articles in use among mankind : From its bowels and furface do 1 we obtain chief of the raw materials for manufactures and commerce— which are extracted by the hand of the labourer, rendered lit for use by the artizan, and bartered or exchanged by the merchant, to the belt possible profit ; and w6 may with propriety consider the progressive numbers of the people, the extent of their industry, and fucceflive amount of their traffic, and their wealth, as objects of the firftcon fequence to the political greatness of a people : The observation that the number of its inhabi tants is the belt estimate of the riches of a coun try, is peculiarly applicable to America; and the natural encouragement which is here presented, must induce frequent emigrations from other parts of the world—while the l'alubrious climate we en*- joy will tend to produce a vigorous tncreafe ol internal population —which piofpect is alio 1 en hanced by the equivalent each one will here find for his labour, the means of subsistence propor tionate to numbers—a happy government, and a free people, wliofe native genius and enterprise claim the patriotic attention of those in power, to dilburtlien the landed interelt as much as possi ble from public exactions; to eflablifhfocietiesfor the encouragement of industry and ufeful Ikill; granting premiums for discoveries in agriculture and the mechanic arts, and to lower the interest of money; open roads, canals, and polls, as objeCta of public utility : From such encouragement we have every reason to expect the moll beneficial consequences to our trade and manufactures : our present proficiency in many branches of the lat ter, juftify such a hope : Already our breweries, and diltilleries, our iron, paper, leather, duck, cotton, wollen, linen, oil, fnujfF, and other manu factures bear a very pleasing appearance, and patronized by the follering hand ot government, mult ere long produce the greatest national ad vantage. It is to a nice attention, and an able manage ment of these subjeCts by government, that Great- Britain owes her present national prosperity and glory: One of her writers fays, that from such a line of conduCt it has followed, " That although " an empire has been rent aflunder;—a whole <' continent,fo peopled as to class at present among " the Potentates of the world, has been detach " e d from her ; and that event which was pur " chafed by the French, Spaniards, and Duteh, " at theexpence of 140,000,0001. Sterl. as the fu " reft means of pulling down that country, has " been so far from having such an effect, that they " are proved, on the most authentic records, to " be more flouriffiing, and consequently more " formidable, than at any former period fnicc <£ the foundation of the monarchy." But why need we seek for proofs to support felf evident propofitions,or strive to inculcate by example what is dictated by common sense, and arises from the nature of things ? AMERICANUS,