Upon the whole there cannot be a doubt but that a Book, like this, purposely compiled for the use of young persons of both sexes, singularly various in its subjects, containing selections from writers whose characters are established without controversy, abounding with entertainment and useful information, inculcating the purest principles of morality and religion, and displaying excellent models of style and language, must effectually contribute to the improvement of the rising generation in knowledge, taste, and virtue. The Public have, indeed, already felt, and acknowledged its utility, by the least fallible proof, their general reception of it. It has been adopted in all the most respectable places of education, and has scattered, far and wide, the seeds of excellence, which may one day arrive at maturity, and add to the happiness both of the community and of human nature. What English book similar to this volume, calculated entirely for the use of young students at schools, and under private tuition, was to be found in the days of our fathers? None, certainly. The consequence was, that the English part of education (to many the most important part) was defective even in-places most celebrated for classic discipline; and boys were often enabled to read Latin perfectly, and write it tolerably, who, from the disuse or the want of models for practice, were wretchedly qualified to do either in their native language. From this unhappy circumstance, classical education was brought into some degree of disgrace; and preposterous it certainly was, to study, during many of the best years of life, foreign and dead languages, with the most scrupulous accuracy, and at the same time entirely to neglect that mother tongue, which is in daily and hourly requisition; to be well read in Tully, and a total stranger to Addison; to have Homer and Horace by heart, and to know little more than the names of Milton and Pope. Classical learning, thus defective in a point so obvious to detection, incurred the imputation of pedantry. It was observed to assume an important air of superiority, without displaying, to the common observer, any just pretensions to it. It even appeared with marks of inferiority, when brought into occasional collision with well-informed understandings, cultivated by English literature alone, but greatly proficient in the school of experience. Persons who had never extended their views to ancient and classic lore, but had been confined in their education to English, triumphed, in the common intercourse of society, over the academical scholar; and learning often hid her head in confusion, when pointed at, as pedantry, by the finger of a loquacions dunce. It became highly expedient therefore to introduce MORE OF ENGLISH READING into our classical schools; that those who went out into the world with their coffers richly stored with the golden medals of antiquity, might at the same time be furnished with a sufficiency of current coin from the modern mint, for the commerce of ordinary life; but there was no school-book, copious and various enough, entirely calculated for this purpose. The Grecian and Roman History, the Spectators, and Plutarch's Lives, were indeed sometimes introduced, and certainly with great advantage. But still, an uniformity of English books, in schools, was a desideratum. It was desirable that all the students of the same class, provided with copies of the same book, containing the proper variety, might be enabled to read it together; and thus benefit each other by an emulous study of the same subject or composition, at the same time, and under the eye of their common master. For this important purpose, the large collections, entitled "ELEGANT EXTRACTS," both in Prose and Verse, and the Volume of LETTERS, from the best English Writers, under the title of "ELEGANT EPISTLES," were projected. Their reception is the fullest testimony in favour both of the design and its execution. This whole SET OF EXTRACTS, though now reduced for the purpose of rendering it more convenient in its size, is yet more copious and valuable in its materials, than any other publication of the same kind, and certainly must conduce, in a very high degree, to that great national object, the public instruction of the middle and higher orders of society, to promote which was the primary, and indeed the sole object of the original Compiler. CONTENTS. BOOK I. Moral and Religious. Authors. Pag. 1/ THE Vision of Mirza Spectator. 1 2 Voyage of Life; an Allegory Ramb. 3 3 Journey of a Day; Story of Ŏbidah 5 Advantages of a good Education 6 Disadvantages of a bad Education 7 Omniscience, &c. of the Deity 9 On the Immortality of the Soul 10 Duty of Children to their Parents 11 Strength of Parental Affection to be preserved in your Society necessary in Business, Time, &c. essential to Self-enjoyment, &c. 54 Suppression of criminal Thoughts 55 Experience anticipated by Reflection- 56 Beginnings of Passion to be opposed 58 A peaceable Temper recommended 59 Exertions of a benevolent Temper 60 Blessings of a contented Temper 61 Usefulness of a Desire of Praise 62 Effects of excessive Desire of Praise 63 Usefulness of virtuous Discipline 64 Consolation of religious Knowledge 26 Necessity of forming religious Princi- 28 Happiness and Dignity of Manhood 30 Religion never to be treated with Le- 31 Modesty and Docility joined to Piety- 32 Sincerity and Truth recommended 34 Courtesy and engaging Manners 35 Temperance in Pleasure recommended 37 Irregular Pleasures, bad Effects of 38 Industry and Application in Youth 40 Success depends on Heaven's Bless- 41 Necessity of an early and close Ap- 42 Unhappiness of not early improving 43 Great Talents not requisite for the 44 Affluence not to exempt from Study 42 - 422 385 36 upon the De- 15 Publius Scipio to the Rom. Army Hooke. 389 16 Hannibal to the Carthaginian Army 391 39 17 Scythian Ambas. to Alexander Q. Curt. 392 18 Junius Brutus over Lucretia Livy. 393 40 Character of Marius 19 Adherbal to the Roman Senate Sallust. 393 41 20 Canuleius to the Roman Consuls Hooke. 395 42 21 Speech on reducing the Army Pulteney. 396 23 The Minister's Reply to Ditto Walpole. 400 24 Speech on Repeal of the Jew Bill Lytt. 402 48 From Middleton's Character of Cicero 439 49 Character of Martin Luther Robertson. 446 |