Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/11

The PREFACE. Stores; ''So this Consideration holds forth to us a kind of Natural Direction to begin our Approaches upon that Quarter, toward the Initiating of them into ome ort of Sene, and Undertanding of their Duty. And This may mot properly be done in a way of Hitory and Moral; and in such a manner, that the Truth and Reaon of Things, may be Artificially and Effectually Ininuated; under the Cover, either of a Real Fact, or of a Suppoed One: But then Thee very Leons Themelves may be Gilt and Sweeten'd, as we Order Pills and Potions; o as to take off the Digut of the Remedy; for it holds, both in Vertue, and in Health, that we Love to be Intructed, as well as Pliick'd, with'' Pleaure. This is an Article that would both Bear and Require a Volume: But without Dwelling any longer upon it, I hall content my elf with some hort General Touches, and o Proceed.

It may be laid down in the Firt Place, for an Univeral Rule, never to uffer Children to Learn any thing, (now Seeing, and Hearing, with Them, is Learning) ''but what they may be the Better for All their Lives after. And it is not ufficient neither, to keep Men clear of any Thought, Word, or Deed, that's Foul, Scandalous, and Dihonet; but there are Twenty Inipid Twittle-Twattles, Frothy Jets, and Jingling Witticims, that look, as if they had no Hurt in them; and yet the Wonting of us to the Ue and Liking of Thee Levities, Leads, and Inures us to a Mi-undertanding of Things, that's no les Dangerous then a Corruption'' of Manners. ''Beide, that there's no need of Entertaining them with Thee Fopperies, having o much Choice of Ueful Matter at hand, and as Good Cheap. Briefly, in the Cae of This Method of Intruction and Intitution, let but the Fancy or the Figure be Clear and Pertinent, and the Doctrine in the Direction of it can never fail of being o too. But without This Guard and Caution upon the Conduct of the Affair, This Humour of Mythology may turn to a Poyon intead of a Nourihment: And under the Pretext of a Lecture of Good Government, Degenerate into an Encouragement to Vanity and'' Debauch. For while the Memory is Firm, and the Judgment Weak, it is the Director's Part to Judge for the Pupil, as it is the Diciples, to Remember for Himelf; And we are alo to take This along with us, that when a Child has once Contracted an Ill Train or Habit, it will Cot as much time to Blot out what he is to Forget, as to Poes him of what he is to Retain in his Memory.

Let it not be Undertood now, as if the Thing it elf were Childih, because of the Application of it; ''or as if Boys and Men were not Indifferently of the ame Make, and Accountable more or les for the ame Faculties and Duties. So that the Force and Dignity of This way of Operation, holds good in all Caes alike; For there's Nothing makes a Deeper Impreion upon the Minds of Men, or comes more Lively to their Undertanding, than Thoe Intructive Notices that are Convey'd to them by Glances, Ininuations, and ''