tho' I can't conceive this, as I apprehend we are not Sinners by Conftitution, but Corruption. However, it is manifeft, and often happens, that the Child imbibes an unwholesome Conftitution from its Nurfe: And, 'tis the Opinion of some, that the Death of many an Infant (in other Places at leaft) may be chargeable on their Parents, on this Score; as alfo when the Nurse proves careless and negligent in her Office; and that this has been frequently the Cafe, few will deny: For how can we reasonably expect that a Stranger fhou'd take that due and tender Care, and faithfully discharge fo troublesome an Office; which a Parent, fuppos'd to have a natural Engagement for her Infant, declines and refuses, for this very Reason to take upon her. I, who am a Parent, have been fill'd with Astonishment at the Parent, and Compaffion towards a Child, when I have beheld the delicate Mother fit unconcern'd and unrelenting, at the Time her little Offspring has been uttering its tender Complaints, and, as it were, petitioning the obdurate Parent with its little Eloquence of Tears for its own Support, provided by Nature, without her Care or Trouble.

Dr. Whitby, in fome Obfervations on Things natural, to explain and illustrate his Subject, has these Words; ""Tis natural, Jays he, for a "Woman to fuckle her Infant, becaufe Nature "has furnished her with proper and suitable Means "of Nourishment for that Purpose." But had that Author lived till this Day, he had poffibly been told, Nature had changed her Order, and ge nerally with-held and denied the common Means. It has often been Subject of Reflection to me, H 3 when

!

when I have obferved that Women pretend they are fo univerfally difabled, that they are incapable of taking upon them this tender Office, and difcharging the natural Obligation of Suckling their Children. The general Plea is, Want of Milk, or Tenderness of Conftitution, which renders them unfit to take upon them fo troublesome an Office: But as often as I have obferved, examin'd, and traced fuch Pretences and Excufes for this Cruelty, I have found (except in fome few Inftances) they abfolutely center in Pride and Selflove.

But I only propose by this fhort Remark, to remind fome, and inform others, that this unnatu→ ral Condact has been justly condemn'd by Archbishop Tillotson, to whofe Difcourfes, on the Education of Children, I would refer you. However, he (as well as others) does not propose Impoffibilities to any; on the contrary, he goes far in admitting real and reasonable Pleas and Excufes; but where none of these appear, he is Opinion, 'tis every Woman's indifpenfible Obligation to nourish her Infant at her own Breaft. His Arguments are brought from Nature, Scripture and Reason; and I heartily with every Parent, in this Circumftance, and of this Character, may peruse them impartially and candidly; and that they may have the good Effect of reftoring that natural Affection and Tenderness, in the Female Part of the World, which has been fo long loft.

And before I conclude this Obfervation, I shall tranfcribe a Paffage from a Pamphlet lately printed in London, entitled Britain's Remembrancer; wherein the Author (whom I have hard is a Nobleman)

propofes

proposes a Method for improving the prefent unhappy Situation of the Nation and Kingdom of Great-Britain; and fhews that the Calamities they are involved in, are the Effects of the Vices and Irreligion which prevail amongst the Inhabitants; against whom he brings a general Charge: And then in a particular Addrefs to the Women, he takes the Liberty of telling them, That no fmall Share of the national Guilt is chargeable on their Account, as he fays,

"You have given up yourselves to Pleasures, Theatrical and Mufical Entertainments, to the Neglect not only of all that is fpiritual and fa"cred, but also of those Domestick Cares which

are your proper Province. The unavoidable "Effect of a conftant Purfuit of these publick "Diverfions, must be intirely to pervert your "Minds from what is the only natural Sphere of "Womankind, and what they were originally "intended for, by the Ordination of Heaven; "who form'd you for the plain and homely, but "neceffary and endearing Characters, of a Wife, "and a Mother; and that all the various Orna"ments of Pride, which fill a Woman's fanta"ftick Brain, and disfigure the native Beauties of "her Perfon; and all the giddy Hours the paffes "in a Round of guilty Follies, falfely called "Pleasure and Diverfion, tend to make her more "unfit for what Nature defign'd her. And when"ever you aim at any thing elfe, than to be dutiful "Daughters, loving Wives, tender Mothers, pru"dent Miftreffes of Families, faithful Friends, "and pious Chriftians, you aim at fomething quite "out of Nature, and befide the Intention of Hea

ven in making you rational Creatures. Will Vauxhall improve you in Oeconomy and Frugality? Or Ranelagh in the domestick Arts "that make Families happy? Will the bomba"stick Rant of the Play-house furnish you with "Maxims of Prudence? Or its obfcene Ribaldry

ftore your Minds with the Graces of Modesty "and Virtue? How long muft you die away to "the foft Strains of Mufick, or study theatrical "Excellencies of Stage-heroes, before you will be "the fitter Companions for Men of Senfe? How "long muft you practice curling the Hair, fluttering your Fans, and overloading your Perfons "with falfe Ornaments, before your Converfation "will be ever new, and ever entertaining to a Husband of Knowledge and Worth." This, and much more to the fame Effect, says that noble Author, to whom I refer you; and fhall only add. what he propofes in general as the best Expedient to improve the prefent Juncture of Affairs, viz. That every Individual endeavour to reform One.

I have fometimes had a Concern on my Mind to recommend to your Confideration, the Justice and Duty you owe to your Children in another Respect befide that I have mentioned, viz. The Obligation every Parent is under to manifeft an efpecial Regard for their future Happiness of the Souls of their Children, by a religious Care in their Education: But I have been difcouraged from offering my Sentiments on this Subject, when I confider the little Care and Regard too many Parents have for their own Souls, whofe future Well-being. appears to be much difregarded by many, though profeffing Chriftianity.

I don't

I don't purpose to fay much on this Subject; yet think proper to offer a few Things to your Confideration, which tho' they may perhaps appear trifling to fome at firft Sight, yet I have fometimes thought them of greater Confequence, than I apprehend many others do. That Errors in the first Principles of Education (as well as in other Cafes) are dangerous and pernicious, is a received Maxim; for if we fet out with wrong Means to obtain a defired End, we have not only loft our own Time, but with great Difficulty and Labour muft unlearn our firft Rules and Lessons.

Upon reflecting on the Appearances of Anger and Refentment, which we find fo early and fo often glow in the little tender Breasts of Infants, and the early Propenfities we obferve in them to Pride and a Fondness for Trifles; it has appeared to me, they may be often attributed to the ill Example of Parents, &c. and Errors in their Management from their Infancy, as young Children we know commonly imitate and act from the Example of their Parents, or thofe concern'd in the Care and Education of them.

To fay little of the fuperfluous Ornaments of Lace, Lace-work, and Ribbands, which the Infant is adorn'd with, as foon as it comes into the World, as well to please and gratify the Mother's and Nurse's Vanity, as that it may be admir'd by the formal and ceremonious Vifitors; as soon as the Infant is capable of the leaft Notice, it is immediately presented with a Number of foolish Toys, which, tho' fome, fuitably chofen, may be proper to give them an Idea of natural Things, yet I have thought there are many Trifles prefented and recommended to them as Things of Va

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