A View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes Relating to Some Eminent CharactersMoore, John
History
A View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes Relating to Some Eminent Characters
Moore, John
Europe -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
The young peer will be taught by the matters, and still more effectually
by his comrades, this most useful of all lessons,—to expect distinction
and esteem from personal qualities only; because no other can make him
estimable, or even save him from contempt.—He will see a dunce of high
rank flogged with as little ceremony as the son of a tailor; and the
richest coward kicked about by his companions equally with the poorest
poltroon.—He will find that diligence, genius, and spirit, are the true
sources of superiority and applause, both within and without the school.
The active principle of emulation, when allowed full play, as in the
chief schools in England, operates in various ways, and always with a
good effect.—If a boy finds that he falls beneath his companions in
literary merit, he will endeavour to excel them in intrepidity, or some
other accomplishment.—If he be brought to disgrace for neglecting his
exercise, he will try to save himself from contempt by the firmness with
which he bears his punishment.
The listlessness and indolence to be found so frequently among our young
people of rank, are not to be imputed to their education at a public
school, which in reality has the greatest tendency to counteract these
habits, and often does so, and gives an energy to the mind which remains
through life.
Those wretched qualities creep on afterwards, when the youths become
their own masters, and have enfeebled their minds by indulging in all the
pleasures which fortune puts in their power, and luxury presents.
Upon the whole, I am clearly of opinion, that the earliest period of
every Englishman’s education, during which the mind receives the most
lasting impressions, ought to be in England.
If, however, the opinion of relations, or any peculiarity in situation,
prevents his being educated at home, Geneva should be preferred to any
other place. Or if, by some neglect, either of his own or his parents, a
young English gentleman of fortune has allowed the first years of youth
to fly unimproved, and has attained the age of seventeen or eighteen with
little literary knowledge, I know no place where he may have a better
chance of recovering what he has lost than in this city. He may have
a choice of men of eminence, in every branch of literature, to assist
him in his studies, a great proportion of whom are men of genius, and
as amiable in their manners as they are eminent in their particular
professions.
He will have constant opportunities of being in company with very
ingenious people, whose thoughts and conversation turn upon literary
subjects. In such society, a young man will feel the necessity of some
degree of study. This will gradually form a taste for knowledge, which
may remain through life.
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