There is another inducement to the publication of these rules, which I must not suppress. The cause of learning declines with the reputation of its friends. And if we enquire, why the character of an Academy-Keeper is treated with such general contempt, we shall not find the true causes to be either superciliousness, pedantry, ignorance, or venality, as the world maliciously insinuates, but the modesty of these people, and their disinterested probity; by the former of which they have unhappily prevented the world from being acquainted with their merit, and by the latter prevented themselves from emerging out of a state of poverty and raggedness, which in these golden days cannot be expected to find much courtesy in the world. In retrieving therefore their fortunes, we may not only re-establish their characters, but administer relief to learning and science, which have been wounded through their sides. Nor were these my only motives for publishing these papers. Another, and very considerable one, was the good of the public. The parents of these times seem duly sensible of the advantages of a good education, and are rather desirous of having their children instructed in the different branches of polite literature, and genteel deportment, than acquainted with the crabbed writers of antiquity, or the useless distinctions and discoveries of modern philosophical subtlety. But, for want of proper information, they know not where those several accomplishments are regularly taught. These directions, therefore, may be of the greatest service; since by properly enquiring how many of them shall be hereafter practised at the respective Academies in and near London; parents may generally know in what school their children are likeliest to receive the desired improvements. _Note._ As it is not imagined that the following Directions are all that may be necessary, whoever amongst my readers is kind enough to communicate to my bookseller others equally pertinent, may be assured of finding them properly noticed in the next edition. A FRIEND to YOUTH. CONTENTS. Page CHAP. I. ACADEMY TERMS, &c. 1 CHAP. II. DIET 6 CHAP. III. LODGING 9 CHAP. IV. RECREATION 11 CHAP. V. DISCIPLINE 12 CHAP. VI. INSTRUCTION 15 CHAP. VII. ADDRESS 19 CHAP. VIII. WIVES 21 CHAP. IX. USHERS 23 CHAP. X. OTHER SERVANTS 27 ERRORS.