Many people imagine it a great advantage for children to be early taught to earn their bread. This opinion is certainly right, provided they were so employed as not to hurt their health or growth; but, when these suffer, society, instead of being benefited, is a real loser by their labour. There are few employments, except sedentary ones, by which children can earn a livelihood; and if they be set to these too soon, it ruins their constitutions. Thus, by gaining a few years from childhood, we generally lose twice as many in the latter period of life, and even render the person less useful while he does live. In order to be satisfied of the truth of this observation, we need only look into the great manufacturing towns, where we shall find a puny degenerate race of people, weak and sickly all their lives, seldom exceeding the middle period of life; or if they do, being unfit for business, they become a burden to society. Thus arts and manufactures, though they may increase the riches of a country, are by no means favourable to the health of its inhabitants. Good policy would therefore require, that such people as labour during life, should not be set too early to work. Every person conversant in the breed of horses, or other working animals, knows, that if they be set to hard labour too soon, they never will turn out to advantage. This is equally true with respect to the human species. There are nevertheless various ways of employing young people without hurting their health. The easier parts of gardening, husbandry, or any business carried on without doors, are most proper. These are employments which most young people are fond of, and some parts of them may always be adapted to their age, taste, and strength[17]. Such parents, however, as are under the necessity of employing their children within doors, ought to allow them sufficient time for active diversions without. This would both encourage them to do more work, and prevent their constitutions from being hurt. Some imagine, that exercise within doors is sufficient; but they are greatly mistaken. One hour spent in running, or any other exercise without doors, is worth ten within. When children cannot go abroad, they may indeed be exercised at home. The best method of doing this, is to make them run about in a long room, or dance. This last kind of exercise, if not carried to excess, is of excellent service to young people. It cheers the spirits, promotes perspiration, strengthens the limbs, &c. I know an eminent physician who used to say, that he made his children dance, instead of giving them physic. It were well if more people followed his example.