CHAPTER VII. 57 atructions in Latin poesy ; and I amwell assured this would be richly sufficient for all those in lower rank, who never design a learned profession, and yet custom has foolishly bound them to learn that language. But lest it should be thought hard tocast Horace andVirgil, Ovid and Juvenal entirely out of the schools, I add, if here and there a few lyric odes, or pieces of satires, or some episodes of heroic verse, with here and there an epigram of Martial, all which shall be clear and pure from the stains of vice and impiety, and which may inspire the mind with noble sentiments, fire the fancy with bright and warm ideas, or teach lessons of morality and prudence, were chosen out of those ancient Roman writers , for the use of the schools, and were collected and printed in one moderate volume or two at the most, it would be abundantly sufficient provision out of the Roman poets for the instruction of boys in all that is necessary in that ageof life. Surely Juvenal himself would not have the face to vindicate the masters who teach boys his 6th satire, and many paragraphs a several others when he himself has charged us, Nil dictu fadum, visuque heec limina tangat Infra qua puer est. Sat. 14. Thus Englished : Suffer no lewdness, nor indecent speech Th' apartment of the tender youth to reach. Dryden. Thus far in answer to the foregoing question. But I retire ; for Mr. Clarke of Hull, in his treatise of Education, and Mr. Philips, preceptor to the Duke of Cumber- land, have given more excellent directions for learning Latin. XIX. When a language is learnt, a if it be of any use at all it is a pity it should be forgotten again." It is proper, there- fore to take all just opportunities to read something frequently in that language, when other necessary and important studies will give you leave. As in learning any tongue, dictionaries which contain words and phrases should be always at hand : so they should be ever kept within reach bypersons who would remember a tongue which they have learnt. Nor should we at any time content ourselves with a doubtful guess at the sense or meaning of any words which occur, but consult the dictionary, whichmay give us certain information, and thus secure us from. mistake. It is mere sloth which makes us content ourselves with uncertain guesses ; and indeed this is neither safe nor useful for persons who would learn any language or science, or have a desire to re- tain what they have acquired. XX. When you have learnt one or many languages ever so perfectly, take heed of priding yourself in these acquisitions : they are but mere treasures of words, or instruments cif true
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