There have been examples of boys, who before they had pass’d their sixth year, appear’d by their sudden growth to be men: the last example of this sort, we meet with in the memoirs of the French academy: but listen to the sequel: the understanding continued that of a child in a well set body, and, the strength being so soon exhausted, could scarce support a life of twelve years. Whilst the powers of the mind, or in other words, the strength of the brain surpass the age, nature, which is unequal to many tasks, forgets the body; the whole machine is overwhelm’d with languor, the fibres want strength, and severe disorders bring on an untimely death. JOHN PHILIP BARATHIER lately afforded us an illustrious and well known example of the truth of this observation. You all lament another PHILIP, whom you knew, and whom I regret not having known more intimately, who being from his early infancy endowed with a penetrating genius, and addicted to study at that time of life, which nature intended should be dedicated to strengthening the body, was attack’d by the severest disorders, and could recover his health only by the most abstemious diet, and by totally relinquishing his studies: but soon, unmindful of his weakness, he by an untimely death paid for his premature learning. May a better fate be reserv’d for LE FANCOIS, a youth of fourteen, who, as I hear, has acquir’d a high reputation amongst the French, by his genius and extraordinary erudition. I have often seen with concern the children of peasants loaded with labour above their age and strength, but a still worse error is committed, when the mind of a child is forc’d to apply before the time, and beyond its abilities; and this is generally productive of the worst consequences, for the powers of the mind brought to maturity by a pernicious art, are short-liv’d, and soon grow old: and who has not with grief seen children of the brightest hopes, hardly give proofs of common understanding, when grown up? The earth is a long time prepar’d to admit seed, and before it is sown, receives that strength, which afterwards impregnates it with fertility from the sun, the air, and the plough; then the grain springs up, vegetates, flourishes, and brings good fruits to maturity.