is owing chiefly to the placing the study of poetry after philosophy and rhetoric, which makes it exceed ing easy. It is also partly owing to the age of the youth, they being now, at least, in their 18th year, and capable of greater application; partly to the delight they take in the study, and partly to their having read most of the different kinds of poems as classic exercises, which renders the review of them pleasant, in order to apply the rules of criticism. About a fortnight is enough for all the inferior species. The same space of time serves for the drama and pastoral, and, lastly, about a mouth for the epic poem.

The remainder of the year, which is about six months, is spent in composing and delivering orations; and it is no wonder that this exercise is attended with great success, when deferred to this its proper season. Philosophy, rhetoric, and poetry, being sufficiently tasted and admired; the youth cannot but be animated, in their compositions, to imitate those bright models that gave them so much pleasure in the reading. The study of poetry, in particular, elevates their thoughts, warms their imagination, leads them to give lively descriptions, inspires them with strength, variety, copiousness, and harmony of style, and diffuses a delicacy over every thing they compose.

In this exercise of composition, they begin first with smaller essays on proper subjects; thence proceed to frame orations according to the precepts, and on the models, of perfect eloquence. These the professor corrects, and carefully points out where the subject would have required more conciseness; where more copiousness; where the figurative style, and

graces of speech; where the plain and simple; where they ought to have risen; where fallen; where they have given conceit instead of wit; the forced and farfetched, instead of the easy and natural; bombast and swelling, instead of the sublime and florid. Thus to correct one oration, and to hear another (that has been corrected before) delivered with proper grace and action, is all the business of the class at one meeting or diet. Of this the youth have their turns, so that when the class consists of twenty boys, each of them composes and delivers an oration once in* ten days. And as they must thus all be present at the correcting and delivering two orations each day, they profit as much by the faults or beauties found in the compositions of their school-fellows, as by their

own.

In correcting the compositions of youth, however, the professor is sensible, that great judgment and art are required. Always remembering that they are youth, he is greatly careful not to discourage them by too much severity. If ever he seems displeased at any thing, it is when he discovers stiffness, affectation, and signs of coldness and sterility in their pieces; while, on the other hand, redundancy of thought, and sprightly sallies of imagination, share his distinguished indulgence. These he calls the blooming shoots of genius; and, though exuberant, thinks they are no more to be lopped off at an

When we allow but ten days to compose an oration, besides atteding the duties of the class, we must suppose their pieces short.

improper season, or in an unskilful manner, than the luxuriant growth of a thriving young tree. It is dangerous for any hand, but that of time, to reduce these wholly within their proper bounds.

I am persuaded, continued Evander, that you will think it no objection against the study of rhetoric, that it has often been prostituted to the vilest purposes. What is there that may not be abused by bad men? But, in the possession of a good man, eloquence is the most glorious gift of nature. It makes him the sanctuary of the unfortunate, the protector of the weak, the support and praise of the good, and the eternal terror and controul of the bad. In a word, we must often address the passions, in order to reach the heart.

It must be observed, however, that the Miranians do not propose to make orators and poets of all their youth, by these studies. They are sensible, that both the orator and poet must be born, not made. But, say they, those to whom nature has given a genius for composition, either in poetry or prose, will be thus put in the method of improving that genius to the best advantage; and those who have no such genius, will, however, be enabled, by these studies, to write elegantly, or at least correctly, in the epistolary way, and on the common and most important concerns in life.

Unless the taste is thus formed, and youth taught to be sound critics on the beauties of those celebrated pieces that have challenged the admiration of all mankind, and stood the test of time; what is the

amount of their learning? Nay, without this* taste, or relish for the pleasures of imagination; how joyless in many instances is life itself? Nature has given the rudiments of it to every man. But if we compare the man who has perfectly cultivated it, with him who has not, they seem almost of a different species. To the latter are entirely lost, the gay, the tender, the easy, the natural, the sublime, the marvellous, and all the nameless graces of a finished piece! Should solitude, should want of business, or misfortunes of any kind, force such a man to seek relief from books, alas! he finds them "but formal dulness, tedious friends!" He may read; but he will be as unconscious of the masterly and delicate strokes of what he reads, as the mountain is of the ore lodged in its caverned side. A stupid sort of admiration is the highest pleasure he is capable of receiving; while,

* In support of Evander's sentiments in this paragraph, suffer me to quote the following beautiful verses from Dr. Armstrong's Epistle on Benevolence:

""Tis chiefly taste, or blunt, or gross or fine, Makes life insipid, bestial, or divine.

Better be born with taste to little rent,

Than the dull monarch of a continent.-
Without fine nerves, and bosom justly warm'd,
An eye, an ear, a fancy to be charm'd;
In vain, majestic Wren expands the dome;
Blank as pale Stucco, Rubens lines the room;
Lost are the raptures of bold Handel's strain;
Great Tully storms, sweet Virgil sings in vain.
The beauteous forms of nature are effac'd;
Tempe's soft charms, the raging wat'ry waste,
Each greatly-wild, each sweet romantic scene,
Unheeded rises, and almost unseen.

Yet these are joys with some of better clay,
To soothe the toils of life's embarrass'd way."

on the contrary, the man who has been taught to take the full gust of generous pleasures arising from the contemplation of beauty, order, harmony, design, symmetry of parts, and conformity to truth and nature, finds, within himself, an inexhaustible fund of the most noble and rational amusement. No moment of time, I speak it feelingly, said Evander, no moment of time needs hang heavy on his hands. No situation, no circumstances,* either at home or abroad, neither in youth nor old age, in prosperity or adversity, but can be rendered more agreeable, while he can taste the intellectual joys of his darling studies.

Suppose, then, that youth should reap no other advantage from the studies of this class, but the power of filling up those vacant hours to advantage, which those, who want such a taste, usually spend in trifling visits, cards, hunting, drinking-matches, and other hurtful pleasures; we have reason to think a few months properly spent in forming this taste a very essential part of education. But further, the Miranians say, that this taste for polite letters, not only teaches us to write well, and renders life comfortable to ourselves, but also contributes highly to the cement of society, and the tranquillity of the state. They do not hesitate to affirm, that they think it almost impossible for a man, that has a taste for the imitative arts, and can feel the noble charms of rhetoric, poetry, painting, music, sculpture, &c. to be

Hæc studia adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant; secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium et solatium prebent: Delectant domi, non impediunt foris; pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur.