Page:Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness and faction.djvu/163

 Temptations that surround the Great, true Piety, and the moral Virtues adorning the most exalted Station.

Therefore, without dreaming of the perfect Republic of ;—and fairly acknowledging the incurable Defect of our political State, in not having a correspondent and adequate Code of Education inwrought into its first Essence;—we may yet hope, that in a secondary and inferior Degree, something of this Kind may be still inlaid: It cannot have that perfect Efficacy, as if it had been originally of the Piece: Yet, if well conducted, it may strengthen the weak Parts; and alleviate Defects, though not compleatly remove them.

Among what Ranks, in the Writer's Opinion, these Defects in Education chiefly lie, may be sufficiently collected from some of the preceding Sections. But as to the most effectual Methods of relieving these Defects, he pretends not at present to attempt so great a Subject.