great Study, to the attaining of it, appears in that the first
Christians were mean and illiterate People; to which part of Mankind
the Gospel may rather be thought to have had a more especial regard
than that they are any way excluded from the Benefits thereof by
incapacity in them to receive it. In the Apostles Days _there were not
many Wise who were call'd_, and he tells us that _after that the World
by Wisdom knew not God: it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching
to save them that believe_, and tho' _to the perfect_ the same Apostle
says, he did _Preach Wisdom_, yet it was the simplicity and plainness
of the Christian Religion that made it _to the Jews a stumbling block,
and to the Greeks foolishness_. From whence, we see that all Theorems
too abstruse for Vulgar Apprehensions, which Christianity is believ'd
to Teach, however Divine Truths, are yet no part of the Doctrine of
Salvation. There is not therefore this pretence to impose upon any one
the belief of any thing which they do not find to be reveal'd in
Scripture; the doing of which, has not only caus'd deplorable
dissentions among Christians, but also been an occasion to multitudes
of well meaning People of having so confus'd and unsatisfactory
conceptions and apprehensions concerning the Christian Religion as
tho' perhaps not absolutely, or immediately prejudicial to their
Salvation, yet are so to their seeing clearly that Christianity is a
rational Religion; without which few will be very secure from the
infection of Scepticism, or Infidelity, where those are become
fashionable, and prevailing. A danger to which many Women are no less
expos'd than Men, and oftentimes, more so. Whence it is but needful
that they should so well understand their Religion as to be Christians
upon the Convictions of their Reason; which is indeed no more than one
would think it became every Christian, as a rational Creature, to be;
were this not requisite in regard of Scepticism, and Infidelity, as
to some it is not; there being, no doubt, many a Country Gentlewoman
who has never in her Life heard Question'd, or once imagined that any
one in their Wits could Question the Articles of her Faith; which yet
she her self knows not why she believes.
From the too Notorious Truth of what has been said in reference to the
little that Women know concerning Religion, it must be granted that
the generality of them are shamefully Ignorant herein. As for other
Science, it is believ'd so improper for, and is indeed so little
allow'd them, that it is not to be expected from them: but the cause
of this is only the Ignorance of Men.
The Age, we live in, has been, not undeservedly, esteem'd a knowing
one: But to the Learned Clergy much has been owing for its having
obtain'd that Character; and tho' some few Gentlemen have been the
greatest advancers of Learning amongst us; yet they are very rare who
apply themselves to any Science that is curious: And as for such
knowledge as is no less than requisite for Men of Families, and
Estates to have in regard of the proper business of their Station; it
may, I think, be said that never was this more neglected than at
present; since there is not a commoner complaint in every County than
of the want of Gentlemen Qualified for the Service of their Country,
_viz._ to be Executors of the Law, and Law Makers; both of which it
belonging to this Rank of English Men to be, some insight into the Law
which they are to see Executed, and into that Constitution which they
are to support, cannot but be necessary to their well dischargeing
these Trusts: Nor will this Knowledge be sufficiently Servicable to
the Ends herein propos'd, without some Acquaintance likewise with
History, Politicks, and Morals. Every one of these then are parts of
Knowledge which an English Gentleman cannot, without blame, be
Ignorant of, as being essential to the duly Qualifying him for what is
his proper business.
But whether we farther look upon such Men as having Immortal Souls
that shall be for ever Happy or Miserable, as they comply with the
Terms which their Maker has propos'd to them; or whether we regard
them as Protestants, whose Birthright it is not blindly to _Believe_,
but to Examine their Religion; Or consider them only as Men whose
ample Fortunes allow them leisure for so important a Study, they are
without doubt oblig'd to understand the Religion they profess. Adding
this then to what it is above concluded a Gentleman ought to know,
let us examine how common such Knowledge only is amongst our
Gentlemen, as we see, without just matter of Reproach to them, they
cannot want: No one, I think, will deny that so much knowledge as this
is so little ordinary, as that those are apparently the far greater
number who have never consider'd any part hereof as an Acquisition,
which they ought to make; and that they are but a few comparatively,
and pass among us for Men extraordinary, who have but a competent
knowledge in any one of the above-mention'd things.
What is by the Obligations of their Duty exacted from them in this
regard, seems to be very little reflected on by them; and as for other
Considerations, which, as Gentlemen, might be thought to induce them,
their Ancestors care has distinguish'd them from their Tenants, and
other inferior Neighbours, by Titles and Riches; and that is all the
distinction which they desire to have; believing it, in respect of
Knowledge, sufficient, if they did once understand a little Latin or
Logick in the University; which whoso still retains, altho' he has
made no use thereof to the real improvement of his understanding, is
yet thought very highly accomplish'd, and passes (in the Country) for
Learned.
As to Religion, by the little which most Gentlemen understand of that,
and by the no shame which they ordinarily enough have in avowing this
their ignorance, one cannot but suppose that it is pretty commonly
thought by them a matter, the understanding whereof does not concern
them: That the Publick has provided others to do this for them: And
that their part herein is but to maintain (so far as by their
Authority they can) what those Men assert.
Thus wretchedly destitute of all that Knowledge which they ought to
have, are (generally speaking) our English Gentlemen: And being so,
what wonder can it be, if they like not that Women should have
Knowledge; for this is a quality that will give some sort of
superiority even to those who care not to have it? But such Men as
these would assuredly find their account much better therein, if
tenderness of that Prerogative would teach them a more legitimate way
of maintaining it, than such a one as is a very great impediment or
discouragement, at the least, to others in the doing what God requires
of them. For it is an undeniable Truth that a Lady who is able but to
give an account of her Faith, and to defend her Religion against the
attaques of the Cavilling Wits of the Age; or the Abuses of the
Obtruders of vain Opinions: That is capable of instructing her
Children in the reasonableness of the Christian Religion; and of
laying in them the Foundations of a solid Vertue; that a Lady (I say)
no more knowing than this does demand, can hardly escape being call'd
Learned by the Men of our days; and in consequence thereof, becoming a
Subject of Ridicule to one part of them, and of Aversion to the other;
with but a few exceptions of some vertuous and rational Persons. And
is not the incuring of general dislike, one of the strongest
discouragements that we can have to any thing?
If the assistance of Mothers be, as I have already affirm'd it is,
necessary to the right forming of the Minds, and regulating of the
Manners of their Children; I am not in the wrong in reckoning (as I
do) that this care is indispensibly a Mothers Duty. Now it cannot, I
think, be doubted, but that a Mothers Concurrence and Care is thus
necessary, if we consider that this is a work which can never be too
soon begun, it being rarely at all well performed, if not betimes
undertaken; nothing being so effectual to the making Men vertuous, as
to have good Habits and Principles of Vertue establish'd in them
before the Mind is tainted with any thing opposite or prejudicial
hereunto. Those therefore must needs much over-look the chief Business
of Education, or have little consider'd the Constitution of Humane
Nature, that reckon for nothing the first eight or ten Years of a Boys
Life; an Age wherein Fathers, who seldom are able to do it at any
time, can neither charge themselves with the care of their Children,
nor be the watchful inspectors of those that they must be trusted to;
who usually and unavoidably by most Parents, are a sort of People far
fitter to be Learners than Teachers of the Principles of Vertue and
Wisdom; the great Foundation of both which consists in being able to
govern our Passions, and subject our Appetites to the direction of our
Reason: A Lesson hardly ever well learnt, if it be not taught us from
our very Cradles. To do which requires no less than a Parents Care and
Watchfulness; and therefore ought undoubtedly to be the Mothers
business to look after, under whose Eye they are. An exemption from
which, Quality (even of the highest degree) cannot give; since the
Relation between the Mother and Child is equal amongst all Ranks of
People. And it is a very preposterous Abuse of Quality to make it a
pretence for being unnatural. This is a Truth which perhaps would
displease many Ladies were it told them, and therefore, probably, it
is that they so seldom hear it: But none of them could be so much
offended with any one for desiring hereby to restrain them from some
of their expensive and ridiculous Diversions, by an employment so
worthy of Rational Creatures, and so becoming of maternal tenderness,
as it is just to be with them for neglecting their Children: A Fault
that women of Quality are every way too often guilty of, and are
perhaps more without excuse for, than for any other that they are
ordinarily taxable with. For tho' it is to be fear'd that few Ladies
(from the disadvantage of their own Education) are so well fitted as
they ought to be, to take the care of their Children, yet not to be
willing to do what they can herein, either as thinking this a matter
of too much pains for them, or below their Condition, expresses so
senseless a Pride, and so much want of the affectionate and
compassionate Tenderness natural to that Sex and Relation, that one
would almost be tempted to question whether such Women were any more
capable of, than worthy to be the Mothers of Rational Creatures.
But natural Affection apart, it should be consider'd by these, that no
one is Born into the World to live idly; enjoying the Fruit and
Benefit of other Peoples Labours, without contributing reciprocally
some way or other, to the good of the Community answerably to that
Station wherein God (the common Father of all) has plac'd them; who
has evidently intended Humane kind for Society and mutual Communion,
as Members of the same Body, useful every one each to other in their
respective places. Now in what can Women whose Condition puts them
above all the Necessities or Cares of a mean or scanty Fortune, at
once so honourably and so usefully, both to themselves and others, be
employ'd in as in looking after the Education and Instruction of their
own Children? This seems indeed to be more particularly the Business
and Duty of such than of any others: And if example be necessary to
perswade them that they will not herein do any thing mis-becoming
their Rank, the greatest Ladies amongst us may be assur'd that those
of a Condition superior to theirs, have heretofore been so far from
thinking it any abasement to them to charge themselves with the
instruction of their own Children, that (to their Immortal Honour)
they have made it part of their Business to assist to that of other
Peoples also, who were likely one day to be of consequence to the
Common-wealth. And could the bare Love of their Country induce, among
many more, the great _Cornelia_, Mother of the _Gracchi_, and
_Aurelia_ the Mother of _Julius Caesar_, to do this for the Sons of
Noble-men of _Rome_ to whom they had no Relation but that of their
common Country, and shall not the like consideration, or what is
infinitely beyond this, that of their Children being hereafter for
ever happy or miserable, accordingly as they live in this World,
prevail with the Ladies of our Days, who call themselves Christians,
to employ some of their Time and Pains upon their own Off-spring? The
care of which (as has been said) should begin with the first Years of
Childrens Lives, in curbing at the earliest appearance thereof, every
their least evil inclination; and accustoming them to an absolute,
constant, and universal Submission and Obedience to the Will of those
who have the disposal of them: Since they will hardly ever after
(especially in a great Fortune) be govern'd by their own Reason, who
are not made supple to that of others, before they are able to judge
of fit and unfit, by any other measure than as it is the Will, or not,
of such whom they believe to have a just Power over them. As they do
become capable of examining and determining their Actions by Reason,
they should be taught never to do any thing of consequence heedlesly;
and to look upon the Dictates of their Reason as so inviolable a Rule
of their Determinations, that no Passion or Appetite must ever make
them swerve therefrom. But instead of following this Method, it is
commonly thought too soon to correct Children for any thing, 'till the
Season is past for this sort of Discipline; which, if it come too
late, is commonly so far from producing the good it was design'd for,
that losing the benefit of Correction (which, if duly apply'd, is of
infinite use) it turns to a Provocation; and renders stiff and
incorrigible a Temper it was meant to supple. Nor is it seldom that
through this wrong tim'd Discipline, together with that remisness and
inequality wherewith Childrens Inclinations are over-rul'd, their
Parents Government over them seems to them not a Natural, and just
right establish'd for their benefit, but a Tyrannick and Arbritary
Power, which accordingly they without Remorse disobey, whenever they
believe that they can do so with Impunity: And what is still worse,
their evil Dispositions, for the most part, are not only not timely
enough restrain'd, but Children are actually taught to indulge to
their naturally irregular Inclinations, by those Vicious or wretchedly
ignorant People, who are plac'd about them; and who almost
universally instil down-right Vice into them, even before they can
well speak; as Revenge, Covetousness, Pride and Envy: Whilst the silly
Creatures who do them so unspeakable Mischiefs are scarce capable of
being made to understand the harm that they do; but think Parents
ill-natur'd, or that they have fancies fit only to be smil'd at, who
will deny their Child a thing for no other reason, it may be, but
because he has desir'd it: And who before he is trusted to go alone
will check his Resentment, Impatience, Avarice, or Vanity, which they
think becomes him so prettily; neither will suffer him to be rewarded
for doing what they bid him to do.
This I am sure, that who so has try'd how very little Sense is to be
met with, or can be infus'd into Nurses, and Nurse-Maids; and with
what difficulty even the best of them by those who make it their
business to watch over them, are restrain'd from what they are
perswaded has no hurt in it, will soon be satisfy'd how little fit it
is to trust Children any more than is necessary, in such Hands. And no
wiser than such, if not much worse, are the greatest part of those who
are usually their immediate Successors, _viz._ young Scholars and
French Maids, erected into Tutors and Governesses, only for the sake
of a little Latin and French.
In Mr. L---- s excellent _Treatise of Education_, he shews how early
and how great a Watchfulness and Prudence are requisite to the forming
the Mind of a Child to Vertue; and whoso shall read what he has writ
on that Subject, will, it is very likely, think that few Mothers are
qualify'd for such an undertaking as this: But that they are not so
is the Fault which should be amended: In the mean time nevertheless,
their presum'd willingness to be in the right, where the Happiness of
their Children is concerned in it, must certainly inable them, if they
were but once convinc'd that this was their Duty, to perform it much
better than such People will do, who have as little Skill and Ability
for it as themselves; and who besides, that they rarely desire to
learn any more than they have, are not induc'd by Affection to do for
those under their care all the Good that they can. Since then the
Affairs either of Men's Callings, or of their private Estates, or the
Service of their Country (all which are indispensibly their Business)
allows them not the leisure to look daily after the Education of their
Children; and that, otherwise, also they are naturally less capable
than Women of that Complaisance and Tenderness, which the right
Instruction and Direction of that Age requires; and since Servants are
so far from being fit to be rely'd upon in that great concern, that to
watch against the Impediments they actually bring thereto, is no small
part of the care that a wise Parent has to take; I do presume that
(ordinarily speaking) this so necessary a Work of forming betimes the
Minds of Children so as to dispose them to be hereafter Wise and
Vertuous Men and Women, cannot be perform'd but by Mothers only. It
being a thing practicable but by a very few to purchase the having
always Wise, Vertuous and well Bred People, to take the place of a
Parent in governing their Children; and together with them such
Servants and Teachers, as must peculiarly be employ'd about them; For
the World does not necessarily abound with such Persons as these, and
in such circumstances as not to pretend to more profitable
employments than Men of one or two thousand Pounds a Year (and much
less those great numbers who have smaller Estates) can often afford to
make the care of governing their Children from their Infancy to be.
The procuring of such a Person as this may (by accident) sometimes be
in such a ones Power; but to propose the ingaging for reward whenever
there shall be need for them, vertuous, wife, and well-bred Men and
Women, to spend their time in taking care of the Education of young
Children, is what can be done but by a very few; since the doing this
would not be found an easy charge to the greater part of almost any
rank amongst us; unless they would be content for the sake hereof to
abridge themselves of some of their extravagant Expences; which are
usually the last that Men will deny themselves.
It is indeed wonderful (if we consider Men as rational Creatures) to
see how much Mony they will often bestow, not upon their Vices only,
(for this is not so unaccountable) but upon meerly fashionable
Vanities, which give them more Trouble than Pleasure in the enjoyment:
Yet at the same time be as sparing, as is possible, of cost upon a
Child's Education; and it is certain, that for Rewards considerable
enough to make it worth their while, those of a far different
Character from such as for the most part undertake it, would be
induc'd to accept even the early charge of Childrens Instruction. But
every Gentleman of a good Family, or good Estate also, is not in
Circumstances to propound such sufficient Rewards; and for what the
most can afford to give, very few capable of performing this matter
well, will trouble themselves about it; at least with such Pupils as
must be attended with Nurses or Maids. Wherefore no other remedy, I
believe, can be found but in returning still to our Conclusion, That
this great concernment, on which no less than Peoples Temporal and
Eternal Happiness does mightily depend, ought to be the Care and
Business of Mothers. Nor do Women seem less peculiarly adapted by
Nature hereunto, than it can be imagin'd they should be, if the Author
of Nature (as no doubt he did) design'd this to be their Province in
that division of Cares of Humane Life, which ought to be made between
a Man and his Wife. For that softness, gentleness and tenderness,
natural to the Female Sex, renders them much more capable than Men are
of such an insinuating Condescention to the Capacities of young
Children, as is necessary in the Instruction and Government of them,
insensibly to form their early Inclinations. And surely these
distinguishing Qualities of the Sex were not given barely to delight,
when they may, so manifestly, be profitable also, if joyn'd with a
well informed Understanding: From whence, _viz._ from Womans being
naturally thus fitted to take this care of their little Ones, it
follows, that besides the injustice done to themselves thereby, it is
neglecting the Direction of Nature for the well breeding up of
Children, when Ladies are render'd uncapable hereof, through the want
of such due improvements of their Reason as are requisite hereunto.
That this has been no more reflected upon from a Principle of Pitty to
that tender Age of Children which so much requires help, seems very
strange: For what can move a juster Commiseration than to see such
poor innocents, so far from having the Aid they stand in need of, that
even those who the most wish to do them good, and who resent, with
the deepest Compassion, every little Malady which afflicts their
Bodies, do never attempt to rescue them from the greatest evils which
attend them in this Life, but even themselves assist to plunge them
therein, by cherishing in them those Passions which will inevitably
render them miserable? A thing which can never be otherwise whilst
Women are bred up in no right Notions of Religion and Vertue; or to
know any use of Reason but in the service of their Passions and
Inclinations; or at best of their (comparatively trivial) Interests.
To assert upon this occasion, that Ladies would do well, if, before
they came to the care of Families, they did imploy some of their many
idle Hours in gaming a little Knowledge in Languages, and the useful
Sciences, would be, I know, to contradict the Sense of most Men; but
yet, I think, that such an Assertion admits of no other Confutation
than the usual one which opposite Opinions to theirs are wont to
receive from People who Reason not, but live by Fancy, and Custom;
_viz._ being laugh'd at: For it cannot be deny'd that this Knowledge
would hereafter be more, or less, useful to Ladies, in inabling them
either themselves to teach their Children, or better to over-see and
direct, those who do so: And tho' Learning is perhaps the least part
in Education, it is not to be neglected; but even betimes taken some
care of, least a Habit of Idleness, or Inapplication of the Mind be
got, which once contracted, is very hardly cur'd.
This being so, and that the beginnings of all Science are difficult to
Children (who cannot like grown People fix their Attention) it is
justly to befear'd that they should by the ill usage they receive from
the impatience and peevishness of such Teachers, as Servants, or Young
Tutors, take an Aversion to Learning (and we see in effect, that this
very frequently happens). For the Teaching of little Children so as
not to disgust them, does require much greater Patience and Address,
than common People are often capable of; or than most can imagine, who
have not had experience hereof. But should such Teachers as we have
spoke of, have the necessary complaisance for those they Teach, there
is then, on the other side, a yet greater danger to be apprehended
from them, which is that their Pupils will become fond of them; the
bad effect of which will be, That by an Affectation Natural in
Children of imitating those they Love, they will have their Manners
and Dispositions Tinctur'd and Tainted by those of Persons so dear to
them.