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420
saw that point screwed up, at once, to a pitch of perfection, so much beyond
what they could ever have been accustomed to conceive.
Some there are at any rate who, before they came into so nov
a scheme would have many scruples to get over: Doubts would be started
whether it be advisable to apply such constant and unremitting press
to the tender mind, and to give such herculean and includible streng
to the grip of power? Whether persons, of the case of character and extent of
ideas that may be expected to be found in the common run of
school-masters, are likely to be fit authority so much excusing
any thing that has been hitherto signified by despotic? Whether
inattention of the master in some respects may not be as necessary to
present comfort of his upil in some respects, as the attention of the one may be of th toe
future welfare of the other, in other respects? — Whether the irretrievable check
given to the free developement of the intellectual part of his frame faculties by this
pressure, may not be productive of an imbecility similar to that
would be produced by constant and long continued bandages on the corporeal
part? — Whether what is thus acquired in regularity may not be lost in
energy? — Whether that not less instructive, though less heeded, course of discipline,
which in the struggles of passion against passion, and of reason aga
reason is administered by the children to one another and to themselves
and in which the conflicts and competitions that are to form the business
of maturity are rehearsed in miniature, — whether I say, this moral and
most important branch of instruction would not by these means be
to the rudiments, and those seldom the most usefull of the intellectual? —
Whether the defects with which private education has been charged in its
comparison with pubic would not here be carried to the extreme? — and
whether, in being made a little better acquainted with the world of
than they ight have been otherwise, the youth thus pent up may not ha
been kept more than proportionably more ignorant of the world of
into which they are about to launch? — Whether the liberal spirit and energy
of a free citizen would not be exchanged for the mechanical discipline of a
soldier, or the austerity of a monk? — and whether the result of this high
contrivance might not be the constructing a set of machines under the
-titude of men?
To give a satisfactory answer to all these queries, which are
might fine, but do not any of them come home to the point, it would
to recurr at once to the end of education — Would happiness be most likely
to be increased or diminished by this discipline? — Call them Soldiers, call
them Monks, call them Machines, so they were but happy ones, I should no
care. Wars and storms are but to read of: but peace and calms are better
to enjoy. Don't be frightened now, my dear Father, and think that I am going to entertain you with
a course of Moral Philosophy, or even with a system of education. Happiness
is a very pretty thing to feel, but very dry to talk about: so you may unknit
your brow, for I shall say no more about the matter. One thing only I will
add, which is that whoever sets up an Inspection-school upon the tip
of the principle, had need to be very sure of the MasterL for the boy's min
will be the child of the masters, as much as his body is of his father's:
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