poor man ftands by unnoticed, and probably defpifed. On the flight acquaintance of a first introduction, the youth who is deeply verfed in worldly wifdom, will not fail to call at the rich man's house, and leave a card with most respectful compliments; he would not come into the neighbourhood without paying that refpect on any account whatever; he is not half fo fcrupulous about going to church and paying his court to his Maker; but at the very time while he is bowing at the threshold of the rich man, the philofopher shall pafs by, and, because he poffeffes only a competency without fuperfluity, and without influence, he ihall not be honoured with the common civility of a falutation. For it is a maxim with thefe men, that as it is an honour to know and be known to perfons of fortune and title, fo it is a difgrace to acknowledge an acquaintance with those who have nothing to recommend them but honour, fpirit, learning, and virtue.

The formation of connections is confidered as fo important, that it becomes, in effect, the principal objec in education. The boy, whofe parents are profeffed people of the world, would not, on any account, fail to place him at a fchool to which the fons of the nobility are often fent, though they are ready to confefs, that little learning and great profligacy are the usual acquifitions in it. If the boy has grown intimate with the fon of a Duke, a Lord, or a Baronet, his parents are better pleased with him than if he had learned by heart all Horace, Virgil, and Homer. There is no fubmiffion fo mean, and no attentions fo fervile, but he is ready to pay them with alacrity, in accomplishing the important object of forming connections. The mind is rendered, by thefe means, low and abject; and though the boy may afterwards rife to the honour of being a nobleman's chaplain, or his travelling companion, yet he will retain, through life, the fentiments and fpirit of his Lordship's footinan or valet de chambre.

A man, unacquainted with the world, might suppose, that the readieft road to preferment in feveral of the profeflions, is to acquire the knowledge and accomplishinents which are neceffary to a fkilful practice of them. But this is really not the cafe. The fureft and moft compendious

compendious method pointed out by the wife men of this world, is to form connections. Accordingly we fee perfons in the profeflions, who aim at diftinction and advancement, by no means confining themselves to their libraries; but ftudying the graces of drefs and addrefs, and the arts of fimulation and diffimulation. We fee them frequenting all public places, giving and receiving invitation to dinners and fuppers, and evidently fpending fo much time in diffipation, as to leave fcarcely an hour in a day for reading and ftudy.

We will fuppofe a young man entering on the profeffion of a phyfician. The time before he is of age is, perhaps, devoted to hearing fashionable lectures, and to reading a few fuperficial books; fuch as tend to acquaint him with the common and obvious modes of practice. But he no fooner fteps into the world than both books and lectures are laid afide. Several years, indeed, muft elapfe before he takes his Doctor's degree. But this time is not spent in ftudy only, by him who knows how to play his cards, as it is called, and to fecure fuccefs in life. No; he has learned a wifer leffon, and is well affured, that the most familiar acquaintance with Galen and Hippocrates, will not advance him half fo well as connections. Connections are, therefor the first and the last study of the day. If he has been fortunate enough to procure an introduction to a few titled perfons, and to prescribe, with fuccefs, in the cafe of fome Duchefs Dowager's pricked finger, his fortune is made; he cannot fail of being recommended. to more connections in the fame fashionable line. He himself will become the fashion, and people of fashion will wish to be ill, or pretend to be ill, that they may. have the credit of calling Doctor fuch an one "physician." Connections will now be made, and money accumulated with fuch rapidity, that the Doctor will become a greater man than his employers, and ven→ ture to dictate to Lords and Dukes in politics, as well as in a purge. It is a well-known fact, and I mention it only as one inftance, that fome of the afpiring faculty had united the late Lord Chatham among their clofeft connections.

Our

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In the fubordinate branches alfo of the healing art, and indeed in moft of the walks of life, much more dependence is placed on connections than on merit; much more attention paid to acquiring connections than in acquiring merit; and to deferve connections is by no means thought the fecureft method of obtaining them. Deceit, external fhow, and pompous pretences, are deemed infallible noftrums for making connections; but, alas! can any lucrative advantage, refulting from connections, repay a rational creature for facrificing truth and liberty? Thefe connections are dignified by the name of friendships. Shade of Cicero, what indignation muft thou feel at fuch prefumption !

In divinity too, I am forry to obferve, that many more have rifen to ecclefiaftical emolument and dignity by studying, throughout their lives, to make connections, than by fuperior piety or theological attainments. It is lamentable to behold those whofe minds ought to poffefs peculiar elevation, bowing and cringing, with abject fervility, to the vileft peer of the realm, who happens to have influence at court, or to be the patron of a living. The Lord fhall be a profeffed fcoffer at all religion, and an avowed enemy to chriftianity in particular, and yet fhall have a tribe of clergymen at his levee, who cannot help admiring his wit and understanding. Preferment, indeed, feems to be the only object among many of thofe, who are fet apart to teach the world that the riches of divine grace are the trueft riches, and crowns of glory in a better world, the moft enviable mitres. Horace has faid, that to have pleased the great is not the lowest praife; many of the modern inftructors of mankind feem to confider it as the higheft; and, in proportion as they are fervile to their patron, they are infolent to their curate.

It is a maxim with many, founded, as they pretend, on real obfervation, that mitres, ftalls, and pluralities, are not attainable by any fuch qualities as are acquired in the study. You must form connections. In order to form connections, you must recommend yourfelf to various company by the graces; you muft poffefs verfatility of mind; you muft frequent affemblies, gaming

tables,

tables, watering places; your confcience muft be as eafy as your manners; you must take care not to spend too much time in reading Greek, or any thing elfe but the Court Calendar; and you can hardly fail of valu-able connections and valuable preferment, as thousands can testify.

But though numbers may give them confidence, furely thofe whofe whole employment confifts in meanly hunting for preferment under the garb of fanctity and religion, are moft contemptible characters. Indeed, their difpofitions are ufually as narrow, felfifh, and flavifh, as their pursuits are fordid, and unbecoming the dignity of a facred profeffion. Arife, Cicero, for my ideas return with pleafure to thee; arife, behold a pompous preacher, in a large peruke, and folemn canonicals, cringing to a debauchee and bishop-making Lord, and pretending all the while that he is cultivating friendship in all its purity.

But would you forbid a young man the formation of connections, by which fo many have availed themselves, and rifen to real and deserved grandeur? By no means; I would only teach him to preserve a juft reverence for himself, and to defpife all riches and all honours which muft be purchased at the expence of truth, virtue, and a manly fpirit. I would, like others, advife every young man (and it is chiefly to the young that I prefume to fuggeft admonitions), to form connections, or rather friendships; but to be guided in his choice of them by perfonal merit and approved character. I do not fay, for it would be unnatural and unwife, that he should neglect intereft, or defpife advancement, when it can be procured confiftently with the fpirit and integrity of an honest and delicate mind. If preferment comes unlooked for, and unfought by fervile compliance, it is an honour as well as an advantage, and is doubly welcome. But if I muft facrifice my reafon and my confcience, my honour and my freedom, in forming con-nections and purfuing preferment, I relinquish the chace, and eagerly retire to competency, contentment, and liberty.

No.

1

No. LXXXIX. AN ADDRESS TO A YOUNG SCHOLAR, ON THE COURSE OF A LIBERAL EDUCATION AT SCHOOL.

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OUR parents have watched over your helpless infancy, and conducted you, with many a pang, to an age at which your mind is capable of manly improvement. Their folicitude ftill continues, and no trouble nor expence is fpared in giving you all the inftructions and accomplishments which enable you to act your part in life, as a man of polished fenfe and confirmed virtue. You have, then, already contracted a great debt of gratitude to them. You can pay it by no other method but by using the advantages which their goodness has afforded you.

may

If your own endeavours are deficient, it is in vain that you have tutors, books, and all the external apparatus of literary pursuits. You must love learning, if you intend to poffefs it. In order to love it, you must feel its delights; in order to feel its delights, you must apply to it, however irkfome at firft, clofely and conftantly for a confiderable time. If you have refolution enough to do this, you cannot but love learning; for the mind always loves that to which it has been long, fteadily, and voluntarily attached. Habits are formed, which render what was at firft difagreeable, not only pleafant, but neceffary.

Pleafant, indeed, are all the paths which lead to polite and elegant literature. Yours, then, is furely a lot particularly happy. Your education is of fuch a fort, that its principal fcope is to prepare you to receive a refined pleasure during your life. Elegance, or delicacy of taste, is one of the first objects of a claffical difcipline and it is this fine quality which opens a new world to the fcholar's view. Elegance of tafte has a connection with many virtues, and all of them virtues of the most amiable kind. It tends to render you, at once, good

and