expence for ferving their country, will cling for inftruction to officers of experience, who have no inheritance but personal merit? Both find their account in that connection: men of rank become adepts in military affairs, a valuable branch of education for them; and officers who ferve for pay, acquire friends at court, who will embrace every opportunity of testifying their gratitude.

The advantages mentioned are great and extenfive; and yet are not the only advantages. Will it be thought extravagant to hope, that the propofed plan would form a better fyftem of education for young men of fortune, than hitherto has been known in Britain? Before pronouncing fentence against me, let the following confiderations be weigh'd. Our youth go abroad to fee the world in the literal fenfe; for to pierce deeper than eyefight, cannot be expected of boys. They refort to gay courts, where nothing is found for imitation but pomp, luxury, diffembled virtues, and real vices: fuch fcenes make an impreffion too deep on young men of a warm imagination. Our plan would be an antidote to fuch poifonous education. Suppofing eighteen to be

the

the earliest time for the army; here is an object held up to our youth of fortune, for roufing their ambition: they will endeavour to make a figure, and. emulation will animate them to excel: fuppofing a young man to have no ambition, shame however will pufh him on. To acquire the military art, to difcipline their men, to direct the execution of public works, and to conduct other military operations, would occupy their whole time, and banifh idleness. A young gentleman, thus guarded against the enticing vices and fauntering follies of youth, must be fadly deficient in genius, if, during his feven years fervice, reading and meditation have been totally neglected. Hoping better things from our youth of fortune, I take for granted, that during their fervice they have made fome progrefs, not only in military knowledge, but in morals, and in the fine arts, fo as at the age of twentyfive to be qualified for profiting, inftead of being undone, by feeing the world *.

Further,

* Whether hereditary nobility may not be neceffary in a monarchical government to fupport the King against the multitude, I take not on me to pronounce a

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Further, young men of birth and fortune, acquire indeed the fmoothness and fuppleness of a court, with refpect to their fuperiors; but the restraint of fuch manners, makes their temper break out against inferiors, where there is no restraint. Infolence of rank, is not fo vifible in Britain as in countries of lefs freedom; but it is fufficiently visible to require correction. To that end, no method promises more fuccefs than military fervice; as command and obedience alternately, are the best difcipline for acquiring temper and moderation. Can pride and infolence be more effectually ftemmed, than to be under command of an inferior?

Still upon the important article of education. Where pleasure is the ruling paffion in youth, intereft will be the ruling paffion in age: the felfifh principle is the foundation of both; the object only is

pronounce: but this I pronounce with affurance, that fuch a conftitution is unhappy with refpect to education; and appears to admit no remedy, if it be not that above mentioned, or fome fuch. In fact, few of thofe who received their education. while they were the eldest fons of Peers, have been duly qualified to manage public affairs.

varied.

varied. This obfervation is fadly verified in Britain: our young men of rank, loathing an irksome and fatiguing courfe of education, abandon themselves to pleasure. Trace these very men through the more fettled part of life, and they will be found grafping at power and profit, by means of court-favour; with no regard to their country, and with very little to their friends. The education proposed, holding up a tempting prize to virtuous ambition, is an excellent fence against a life of indolent pleasure. A youth of fortune, engaged with many rivals in a train of public fervice, acquires a habit of business; and as he is conftantly employ'd for the public, patriotifm becomes his ruling paffion *

The

The following portrait is fketched by a good hand, (Madame Pompadour); and if it have any refemblance, it fets our plan in a confpicuous light. The French nobleffe, fays that lady, fpending their lives in diffipation and idlenefs, know as little of politics as of economy. A gentleman hunts all his life in the country, or perhaps comes to Paris to ruin himfelf with an opera-girl. Thofe who are ambitious to be of the miniftry, have feldom any merit, if it be not in caballing and intrigue. The French nobleffe have courage, but without any ge

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The advantages of a military education, fuch as that propofed, are not yet exhausted. Under regular government promoting the arts of peace, focial intercourse refines, and fondness for company increases in proportion. And hence it is, that the capital is crouded with every perfon who can afford to live there. A man of fortune, who has no tafte but for a city life, happens to be forc'd into the country by bufinefs: finding business and the country equally infipid, he turns impatient, and flies to town, with a disgust at every rural amufement. In France, the country has been long deferted: in Britain the fame fondness for a town-life is gaining ground. A ftranger confidering the immenfe fums expended in England upon country-feats, would conclude, in appearance with great certainty, that the English fpend most of their time in the country. But how would it furprise him

nius for war, the fatigue of a foldier's life being to them unfupportable. The King has been reduced to the neceffity of employing two ftrangers for the fafety of his crown: had it not been for the Counts Saxe and Louendahl, the enemies of France might have laid fiege to Paris.