THE GUARDIAN'S INSTRUCTION, OR, The Gentleman's Romance, Written for The Diversion and Service of THE GENTRY; Particularly those Educated in Cambridge, and Oxford.  
The second Edition.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author. 1697.   

TO THE ENGLISH GENTRY.  
AFter the very copious Treatise of Education, the Gentleman's Calling, and other Excellent Advices of Manners, Civil prudence and Institution, it looks somewhat Assuming to invade any the least part of that Subject.  
But I am so far from pretending to vie Art and Contrivance, that the main Design of that Part of this Tract which interferes is to exemplify and illustrate the Practicableness of those General Rules and Instructions which the  Authors have deduced from Nature and Reason. And therefore sometimes a Coincidence of the same Thoughts upon the same Subject is unavoidable, as Mr. Osborn hath alleged to excuse himself on the like Occasion.  
And truly to be just to them who have written before, the whole serviceableness of this small thing doth depend upon and absolutely require a previous frequent Resort to those Books, which ought never to be out of the Studies of any Schoolmaster, Parent or Tutor in the Kingdom.  
And though the Management of my Project can hardly stand the Trial, yet the Design of it will not be censured by any man who loves a Gentleman.  
I have had Experience how far the Honour and Interest of Great Families is concerned in the Virtuous Accomplishment of the Eldest Sons and Heirs: And if the Observations which mine own Experience hath forced me to make, are any thing worth, they are but a reasonable Acknowledgement of the Respects which I have received from the Gentry, both Fathers and Sons.  
I foresee some Objections which I must account for.  
Object. I. Why is the Book so short, when the Pretensions seem so considerable?  
1. Because I told you that other Persons had written before upon one Great Part of my Subject, to whom I refer you for a thousand wiser Instructions.  
2. I sometimes only give bare Hints of serious things, when they carry so much Evidence of Reason with them as will make the Active Soul of any Man who is Good, and desireth to be Wiser, consider and exercise his Thinking.  
3. I have heard a Wise man say, that there may be as much Judgement required to make a short Book as a long one.  
4. Suppose the Persons for whose use this is written, should be somewhat Impatient of Reading long things, than perhaps they may be the less displeased with an ordinary Subject, provided they can read it over at one sitting.  
Object. II. The Romantic manner of Writing.  
Truly, when I was of the Age of those persons in kindness to whom I writ, I then thought that Fiction and Intercourse was somewhat more diverting than uniform Narrations or dogmatical Propositions. And I was about to say, that they better understand Hobbs his Sense and Principles by Timothy and Phylautus, than from the Grand Author himself: For there they see Consequences displayed, and the Slye Connexion between Dangerous Conclusions and Plausible Premises exposed, which was palliated before under Good Style and Language, and the Magisterial Authority of the Proponent.  
Object. III. The Style sometimes will seem eager.  
Verily this I myself am afraid of, for fear of Indecency, (no man being a competent Judge of his own Indecencies.)  
But two things I have to offer for myself, if the good natured Reader will accept of them.  
1. That I do assure him (who am best able) That no single Person alive is aimed at or intended to be described and pictured in the angry Characters of a Fond Father, a Womanish Mother, Debauched Son, Wanton Daughter, Ill Schoolmaster, Careless Tutor, etc. that would be Rude and Barbarous.  
I set up one of Plato's Ideas', and sometimes shoot Bitter Words, but this hurts none; there is no Blood drawn from Universals.  
2. Whoever thinks the Language Angry; surely, if he would consider well, Sharpness of Style would not be looked upon as more unnecessary for Instruction, than pickled Sauces are for insipid Meat: 'Tis true, they grate the Palate, but they make the Meat go down, and help Digestion.  
Object. IV. Expressions sometimes mean, and Similes too vulgar: This I confess myself ashamed of, and is one Reason why I do not put my Name: but really, I knew not how to avoid it; I knew not how to expose and lessen culpable things, but by culpable Language.  
Object. V— Wand'ring and hunting out to fetch in heterogeneous Matter.  
You may remember, that I told you before, how impatient Youth is wont to be, and how to chain it I know not, but by various and unpected Subjects: and there is not any Digression, but some Person or other will be concerned to understand the Design. And whosoever shall be so kind as to apply the Instructive part to his own Use, He is the Man for whom I writ, and He only comprehends my Intention.  
Object. VI Why doth it come out at such a time as this?  
And why not? No dangerous Design, that I know, is in it, but this, that gentlemen's Sons may hereafter be bred up better than some of their Fathers have been.  
I have oftentimes grieved, when I have considered the Gallant Youth of the English Gentry, who have as good Parts, and are as well natured as any Men in Europe: and yet as to Learning and Politics, I am sorry to see some of them turn to so little Account in the Service of the King and Country.  
This was the occasion of these Papers; and when they were first written, a Reverend Divine of good Estimation hearing them read, was earnest for their Publication: But the frequent Readins over, and continual Reflexionson them glutted my Fancy, that then it became too familiar, fulsome, and of no Taste: And thence it lay buried in the Dust for several years.  
A while since I fastened upon it with a Fresh Stomach, and though it did not taste very salt, yet I thought it relished somewhat better than it did before. And having added some few things, I communicated it to a Friend or two on whom I much depend; they were so complimental as to warrant the good Effect for which it was very sincerely intended; Tutor being now as necessary (for aught I see) as ever. And those young Gentlemen are able to read this, who want Age and Solidity to be affected with Learned Discourses of Controversies and Politics.  
One thing I hearty beg of the Reader, if any Hint in these Papers, or any former Discourse of this kind, suggest a Suspicion of the Author, in the Name of Friendship, do not discover him: For at this time, when Writing, both as to Substance of Matter and Ornament of Language, is at highest, it is not fit to be subscribed by a man, who hath thought away some Years.  
Farewell and be Civil.   

THE Guardian's Instruction.  

A Letter from a severe Enemy of 〈◊〉 University to his Guardian, a p●… 〈◊〉 moderate, and Member of the Parliament at Oxford.  
SIR,  
WE have here the news of another Parliament very speedily at Oxon, and, which is more surprising, the Report of your Resolution never to serve as Member more: the Nobility & Gentry will expect some Account why a Person who hath served the Government and Religion with that faithfulness & dexterity for above twenty years, should at last be wanting thereunto, when perhaps one brisk attempt more might be as much worth as Property and Religion. How you will escape the name of Tory I know not, and then it is an easy step to Papist. Pray, Sir, rectify me if I am mistaken by thinking the K. necesstated to call a Parliament, by some unexpected emergency either Foreign or Domestic: for I do not think the Country Prepared yet: But if it must be summoned, why at Oxford again? that Idle, Ignorant, Ilbred, Debauched, Popish University of Oxford? If you do not stand, I am desired to appear, & beg the favour of your Direction towards the management of the Canvas, and if I am chosen, towards the managment of myself in the House: I had waited upon you myself but that I am confined by a great uneasiness contracted by a Cold, and if you fancy my style is grown somewhat more eager thereby, do not look upon me as a man uncapable of being better advised, but frankly use the Authority which a thousand Circumstances give you over.  
Honoured SIR, Your most Obedient and Affectionate   

The Answer  
Dear SIR.  
THE solitary Retirement which I have lately undertaken being liksome at the first, you could not be more artificial in your Relief, than to engage me in the Answer of a Letter, the Substance of which requirers more than an ordinary Reflection, and whereon the Discharge of my thoughts may be Instructive as well as Diverting: what Censure I shall undergo for Declining the Character I have hitherto born, doth not now so much trouble me as it might have done heretofore at your Age, when full of Youth and Heat, coming newly to an Estate and Business, I thought it the speediest Courie to be Considerable, to appear Haughty and Designing. But now I am grown so much more old than I was forty years agone, that I perfectly contemn censure, which operates no farther than you make it, and which nothing but an unmasculine Timorousness or slavish Ambition of Popularity makes considerableIf you measure yourself from abroad, you must be the cheapest thing alive; I will teach you the true way to Popularity; Let a sincere Design of Honour and Justice be at the Bottom of all your Actions: let an exemplary Piety and Devotion make the world gaze upon you: let no base Words, Actions or Acquaintance lessen the mention of you wherever you come then may you defy Censure: the Good will honour, & the Bad will fear you, you will be applauded by the Wise, and then Fools need not be courted. Whereas on the other side, if you shall forbear an Action fit and reasonable merely upon the account of the Censure you are likely to undergo (either from the vulgar or great Ones) you will often find it very hard to be Honest and Just.  
There are many Hindrances of Justice and Honesty; Prejudice, Pride, Malice, Selfishness, Interest and Passions, but none so great as Cowardice and Fear.  
This Humour makes Princes stattered, and Great Ones never hear their faults: makes Actions of Truth and Justice so ●amely preformed: and is in earnest the very bane of all Worth, Honour and Integrity.  
But yet I must be so civil to your Reavest as to say, that I am so far from any Contempt of that Honourable way of serving my King and Country in Parliament, that I desire never to be valued more for any thing in this Life, then for having been in a good measure Instrumental towards the passing some special Bills since the King came in. But I never thought it unhappy and dangerous for a man to Die full of noise and business. And men of Action cannot so soon prepare for another Life, as sedentary men of Thought and Study may. I have ever pitied those men whose necessitous Employment and Fortune hath put them under an Obligation of making even at one time the Accounts of the World and the next. I therefore now fully resolve to narrow my thoughts and take the advantage which old Age and Experience gives of thinking strictly, and reviewing my Life; and being freed from fancy (which often cheats the younger Judgements) to consider how far the Rules I have gone by, how specious soever to others, and pleasant to myself, may be consistent with a severe expectation of an Accounted above, where Pleasure, Interest and Passion most disappear. I have procured me many Practical Books of Divinity to assist my untutoured Conceptions, Books of men of all Persuasions: but all do not please me alike: some of them speak fine things, but their Meditations are Poetical, Verbose and Fanciful: others are Grave indeed, but they are Learned and Difficult when they would instruct: A third sort are Sober, Pious & Easy, but flat, void of all Metal & Spirit, all Cant and Formality: A fourth insinuates an Opinion he is of.  
But another sort of Writers there are with which this Age abounds, and which I mainly dwell upon: wherein with simplicity of style and seriousness of thought. I find a sincere state of truth and just limits of duty, neither too lose and large, left a man should grow wanton, nor too strict and scrupulous, lest he should despair. And all with a due movement of Passion; out of which I intent to shape a true Measure of myself; learn the Contempt of what hitherto I have admired; humble my Soul for my many failings, and warm my Devotions by the expectation of a wiser and better state.  
And forasmuch as an universal Charity and compassionate Beneficence to all mankind is an indispensible Condition of Divine Clemency and the most agreeable Companion of Mortification: it were barbarous for me (who Bred you) to let so good a Disposition go unguarded, which by reason of Youth is as capable of Direction as it is of Temptation by Prosperity. Therefore take my Experience along with you in the Practice of a few Rules, by which your great Condition in the World may become more 

Easy.  
Useful.    

I. More Easie, Quiet, and less Disturbed.  
1. Because true and real Happiness is within, endeavour for a solid Persuasion of God's Goodness and Willingness to pardon sin upon Faith and Repentance and the train of Duties they imply: for the frequent recurring of Gild and unavoidable Infirmities will beget great solicitousness of thought and dejection of spirit, and if the Devil should suggest hard and false notions of God, it may not only disturb your Happiness, but your Senses too: I would have it a solid Persuasion, not the fanciful Presumption of every hasty Believer; and upon Terms of the Gospel, to distinguish it from an holy Stupidity, which is as far from true Peace of Conscience as a Sleep procured by Opiates is from the natural Refreshment of a sound Constitution.  
2. Because Fear hath torment, and no torment greater than the Fear of Dsath: make the thoughts of mortality familiar, and habituate yourself into a Capacity of Dying, this will prevent the great amazement a fit of Sickness many times begets.  
3. A Resolution sometimes upon occasion to deny yourself some satisfactions which your Appetite pursues, though they seem very reasonable; then Disappointments and cross Accidents will be easy.  
4. Not too much to value the Censure of others in the performance of what you apprehend to be your own Duty; neither let Ceremony or Civility at any time hinder Business.  
5. Not to be discouraged in your Duty by the foresight or opinion of Vnsuccesfulness.  
6. If you are complying and of an easy Temper; not to be hasty and lavish of Promises, the Performance may be troublesome.  
7. If of a grateful Temper, not to accept of unnecessary Favours, the thoughts of Requital are afflicting.  
8 If of a good natured pitying Disposition, not to be unwarily free to Strangers or Relations of mean fortune, lest they erave too much, and think all you have there due.  
9 If melancholy; to labour against it, as the Parent of Fears Scruples which are vexatious and endless.  
10 If proud; to consider, it will create Envy, Contempt and Design, and is really the greatest Folly, and yet we are all marvellously subject to it.  
11. If passionate; to study the Prevention of the obvious Occasions, consider the Indecency and the many Disturbances of it, to be always on your guard for fear.  
12. If given to women, consider the Shame and Scandal, and slavish fear of Discovery.  
13. If malicious; to consider the Enmity and Danger it begets, and that you must forgive, if you hope to be forgiven.  
14. If disputations; to consider how disobliging and uncivil it seems.  
15. Not to be inquisitive into Secrets or meedling in other men's Affairs you are not concerned with. Not to be always ask Questions in Company, it is ill Breeding.  
16. Not to contend with great ones, but quickly yield, whatever be the Provocation: They will worst you at last.  
17. Not to name or reflect on Persons in promiscuous Company: You know not their Relations, or whom you disoblige.  
18. Not to believe every man you converse with as honest as yourself, upon a friendly and complaisant Address: The World is a great Cheat.  
19 No too be ashamed to ask pardon of whom you have injured, and make what restitu●●…n you are capable of.  
20 Not to be too open and free of conversation (whatever by your Wit) and how pleasant soever you may seem to Company, they will contemn you, and may mischief you afterwards.  
21. Not to be too weary and cautious in your Opinion of small things, amongst wise men: this looks like suspicion and is ridiculous to whisper Proclamations, and not tell a man what day of the month it is, without considering, this is formal and foppish.  
22. Not hastily to think any man your Enemy, it may make one, a man may be angry with you, and not hate you.  
23. Not to trust one whom you have disobliged, too soon.  
24. To expect and resolve to bear with many Offences and Indignities, and consider that no condition of Life can be free from all disquiet, for aught I know, it would be dangerous.  
25. Not easily to believe Reports concerning yourself or others.  
26. Not quickly to espouse the Quarrels of our Relations or Friends.  
27. Beware of being too much obliged by Great Men, they will be apt to impose Hardships upon you, it may prove a slavery to you, if they are proud.  
28. Beware of setting up that stirdy Resolution which ●●me make, never to give 〈◊〉 what they have once begun, but at all adventures to go on; this may run you into vast inconveniencies.  
29. Be cautious of undertaking greater Designs than what are just and suitable to your Condition; then if you miscarry, you will not be contemned.  
30. Be careful to treasure up the Remembrance of all God's mercies to you and yours; For Gratitude is a good Guard against sin, Gen. 39 9  
31. In time of great Crosses and Affliction, be sure first to pray for Pardon of sin, and then you may with Earnestness and hopes beg Pity, Mat. 92, 5, 6. I●a. 59.1, 2.  
32. When you pray for Pardon of sin, because we all forget many sins we would repent of, if we thought on them, be careful to mention secret and forgotten sins.  
33. You must resolve to marry; for to leave the management of your great Family to Servants only, is neither for Credit or Profit, and to undertake all the little things of House-keeping yourself, will be Gossipping: Beside the dull converse of Servants only, will either give Scandal, or tempt you to ramble, and make you be thought loser than really you are.  
34. If Circumstances will permit, put yourself into the state of Life, which most agrees with your Temper.  
35. Do not accustom yourself (be your riches what they will) to be too nice, curious and fantastical in Diet, Habit, Attendance, that will prove very troublesome.  
36. Be not extravagantly high in expression of your Commendations of men you like.  
37. Study and pray for a perfect Resignation of your will to God's will, and with all imaginable Application of mind say. Not my will, but thy Will be done; and then go, be as happy as you please.   

II. Your Life is also to be Useful to others as well as Easy to yourself.  
1. By the good Example of a yertuous and holy Life; incredible is the influence of a great Man on a Family, Parish and Neighbourhood: for the Vulgar have quite lost their Hea●ing; Preaching is but an honester sort of Diversson: they learn all by gaping and staring on a man in fine Clothes. And therefore since you can so easily do God and Man so great service; pray look on yourself obliged. Do not put God off with a little fashionable Civility to the national Religion. I am afraid the serious Reflecting and Meditating part is not frequent enough among the Gentry. Let not Pastime, Business or Company waste all the day: Retire a little and Enjoy your own Soul. This will not lessen the Pleasures of Life but sweeten and make them solid; and make them differ from the crackling of Thorns and the flame of Straw: I mean the thin, short lived delights of the boisterous part of the world.  
2. Knowledge. Great are the Advantages which the Wealth of the Gentry affords them for Knowledge; they are capable thereby of the choicest Education, greatest variery of useful Books and learned'st Companions is study. But one sort of knowledge above all the rest will render them exceeding serviceable in the places where they live. (a considerable knowledge in the Law) beside the pleasure that Study would afford, as copying out the Reasen and Wisdom of the Nation. This will make them more securely possess and prndentially manage their Estates for their Posterity. And what Service may they do others by untying knots and composing differences? By bindring men from suffering Oppression by Ignorance; by directing the management of Parochial and Country Business; which the general road men go in doth not safely show.  
3. Power. What should hinder the Master of a Family from keeping his Servants duly to Prayers at home, and in their turns to Sermons and Sacraments at Church? What an Empire hath a Justice of Peace in the Country! and how gallantly is that Power bestowed when an extravagant Alehouse is unlicensed, a common Swearer fined, an useless Vagabond forced to work, a quarrelsome Neighbour reduced to manners, and a poor abused Minister is assisted? at what a mighty rate doth the Judge sell every minute wherein righteous Judgement is given; the Cause of the Widow patiently heard, and the fraud and wit of the Oppressor overruled? When the Bribery, Perjury and Malice of a Witness is condemned, and the greatest Man that offends afraid to come before him.  
4. By Wealth. It is an ill-natured sort of Doctrine to preach, and will not hold at Westminster, that the Poor have a good Title to some of the rich man's Money: But it would be an unlucky Disappointment hereafter, if instead of ask how many Lordships you left your Heir, How many Daughters you married to great Fortunes, How many Livery-men you kept etc. God should demand, How many poor Widows have you sav●d from starving? How many Labourers you have set to work and paid honestly: how many d●eay'd Families you have relieved; what you did give to a Brief for a Fire, Church, or Hospital, etc. Read Barrow of Charirity. The practice of these Rules will help qualify a Life of Action such as yours must be, and mine hath been:  
But now I bid adieu to all public Affairs: this Nation will never want a breed of men to manage its Concerns.   

As for the next thing. The King's being under the necessity of a Parliament.  
I know no necessity can be upon the King to call a Parliament but a Foreign War and want of Money: As for a War, 'tis not likely (unless by the Moors upon Tangier) we have attempted to play the King at France, but they two will hardly meddle with one another; we have endeavoured to make Spain break with us, but they are poor, the Dutch are cunning, so that his Majesty is secure in that point, As for want of Money, it is said and believed that the King is now made a good Husband, and hath money in the Chequer: if so; it will bring down the price of Membership: We had been better to have given him a million of money than to have suffered him ever to come to Think and grow cunning; for, if I ken him aright he hath Parts enough to govern a bigger Nation than this, if he can once endure the penance of Business and leave off to be afraid of meeting us at Westminster. And it is probable he never will be so again, since the Success of that Venture of Contempt upon us, in the amazing precipitated dissolution at Oxford; from which time I will be bold to date the sinking of Parliamentary Grandieut.  
I guess who it was within one man or two who for interest & security thought it necessary that things should be put to some issue at Oxford, the City being embittered by the removal of us, and things carried so high as to force the King either to show Fear and yield to terms; or Fury, and so act a severe part upon some Members, and by that give occasion to a Tumult in the City, which then certainly was designed.  
Whereas you question the King's Interest in the Countery, let me tell you, I perceive the Country cools apace, and he who deals with the Vulgar must do his business quickly, for seven hours' sleep will make a Clown forget his design. It hath been no small advantage to the King that his Adversaries still act with more noise and tumult than he: and though noise and tumult does wonders while it continues, yet when it once sinks and grows calm, it is far more difficult to be useful again. I take the Vulgar to be like a Race horse, when he is upon speed it is a mighty pace, but if in the course he be checked and comes to troth, it is very hard to make him gallop again.   

If a Parliament must be summoned, yet why at Oxford? Idle, Ill bread, Ignorant, Debauched, Popish Oxford?  
You will wonder how I should come to be an Advocate for Oxford, who have railed at it for above forty years together, and perhaps upon better grounds than most men do.  
I was entered there when the first great difficulties arose betwixt the old King and Parliament, and as much care was taken as was usual in the choice of a Tutor: But as I came to understand there was a certain Master of Arts who was to be the next Tutor of course, and so the next Gentleman who entered was to be recommended to him in his turn, it happened I was the man, who came with tolerable Parts and Learning at the rate of a Gentleman; I had a great reverence for the Person that was to be my Guide, and a strong opinion to be made very wise.  
It happened that my Tutor was a great Philosopher, which made me proud to hear of, expecting in some short time to be so too: He began at first gloriously with me, to magnify the advantages of a good Education: How the greatest Conditions of Honour and Trust were supplied from the University: What a disgrace it was to the Nation, and what an injury to Government of Church and State, that when other Gountries, France, Poland, Scotland, etc. are studious to discipline their Nobility and Gentry into good Manners, Politics and Religion, here eldest Sons are generally condemned to Hawks and Hounds, and Wisdom left the Patrimony of younger Brothers only, and Poor men's Sons; That the mutual lustre of a Diamond beset with Gold was a mean Comparison to Wisdom in the breast of such a man as I. This ravished my rustic modesty, and made me proud with the thoughts of what I should hereafter be. I out-waked the Bell, and scorned to be called to my Duty. I attended every motion of his Eye for a Summons to Philosophy, and thought every minute an hour till I was entered into that course of study, which was to make me and all my Relations happy. But alas! the same of his Parts and Learning had gained him Acquaintance whose company was dearer than mine; so that a Lecture now and then was a great Condescension (and I most days in the week, when others were carefully looked after, left naked to infinite temptations of doing nothing, or worse; but God's Grace, the good Example of my Parents and a natural Love of Virtue, secured me so far as to leave Oxford (the troubles coming on) though not much more learned, yet not much worse than I came thither: I must in justice say in favour of the University in general, that the growing disturbances in Church and State, and some Disputes in the University, may well be supposed an unhappy occasion of slackening the Discipline there at that time.  
But this infinite Disappointment did so afflict me, that when I came to have Children, I did almost swear them in their Childhood never to be friends with Oxford. This peevishness of mine was much increased by a Chaplain of my Sister's, who was made a Fellow of a College in the late times, and turned out upon the Restauration of the King. He sought occasions continually to rail at the University for Ignorance, Debauchery and Irreligion, insomuch that I sent my eldest Son abroad, to try what improvement might be gained by travelling; at least to divert. I would willingly have sent him to the Inns of Court but that I had observed for these last twenty years how the Gaiety and Frolic of the Court, and the great admiration of Wit, had softened the Souls of many excellent Persons into an aversion from Industry; who made themselves no otherwise considerable than for assisting at a Ball, and instead of adding Wealth and Honour to a Family by advancement through the Law, impaired both; and which is most deplorable of all, at length came off poisoned with such a licentiousness of Manners, shameless Atheism, and heathenish promiscuous use of Women, that either Gentlemen could not persuade their eldest Sons to (the Confinement of) Marriage; or scarce find Ladies of Fortune and Quality which dared to venture to have them for Hushands.  
Nothing but such Reasons as these can justify my venturing my eldest Son so early into the wide world: And I must confess that when he returned from beyond Sea, I was pleased to see the ruff boyish humour filled a little, and shaped into much of a Man. I was infinitely delighted with the prospect of the Happiness I promised myself in the Conversation of an Heir who brought home the same Innocence of Inclinations he carried, and by staring about France and Italy, had furnished himself with a Complaisance very acceptable where ever he came.  
But you must pardon two qualities he had contracted. 1. An humour of magnifying things abroad in comparison with his own Country. 2. A stateliness of behaviour, and contempt of mean Acquaintance. The last of these I did not much discourage, finding him Just and Gharitable. For I have often seen young Gentlemen guarded from low and base Actions and Company by generosity of Spirit. And how many men do you and I know, lose enough (God help them) from the Bigotry of Conscience, and yet upon the bare Religion of Honour, rather than disgrace a worthy Family, misbecome a Character, or fail the opinion of the World, do as much scorn a base Action, will be as true to their Word, when they might gain by Lying; as far from cheating a Widow, Minister, or Orphan, who cannot contend, or do any ungenteele thing, as that man who thinks the world to come worth twenty of these.  
But (Nephew) you are Rich and Great, and therefore I must have a care you do not mistake me, when I say I would have my eldest Son a little Stately: I do not mean any degree of that gross imperious Pride which God and Men bats: That firstborn Monster of Selfishness, and ill-natured Complexion of the Devil; Poisoned and puffed up with Envy of what Equals and Betters enjoy; which makes a man think all the World made for his single Lust and Preasure: Overlook Mankind, Rebel against Superiors, Malicious to Equals, Frants to inferiors Merciless to the Offencour, Cruel to the Needy and False to the Hireling: Kind only to Sycophants, and Friend to None; Walk, Spread and Swell like the mighity builder of Babylon when he was turning Brute.  
And not only the Vileness of the Sin makes the Proud Man as sure to be hated in this World as he is to be Damned in the next; but the Proud Man is a greater Fool than I believe he thinks himself: For he loseth what he mainly aims at, instead of being Honoured and Esteemed, he makes himself the most Contemptible thing alive. For he is discovered by all his Words, Actions and Designs, even when he countersits Humility end Obligingness: oh how 'tis overdone, strained and formal. It was always thought a great measure of Folly to be able to be Flattered, and of all men living if you meet with a Proud Man, you have him at your mercy; It is but to magnify his Ancient Family, thoperhaps his Great Grandfather could not Write and Read; The Splendour of his Living, when perhaps the hired Livery-men dare not drink once in a month in his House: His Wit, when perhaps it is most shown by holding his tongue, etc. do but all this and keep your Countenance, ask what you will he never denies the man that understands Worth. And you must be sure also to sune your cringing Muscles by a French Fiddle, Shrug, and make your honour punctualy, you may lead the great Thing to and fro as if he had a Ring in his Nose.  
But to come to my Son again. It quickly appeared how sad is the condition of a Gentleman without Learning. For wanting some ingenuous Diversion to fill the deal of void time young Gentlemen have in the Country, and being ashamed to be still obliged to Silence in all discourses of Learning and State, for want of more Knowledge; he fell into such an immoderate love of Sports that he was never well but when he was managing or talking of his Dogs: and in a little time became fit company for nothing else: Debauched, and wholly useless to King & Country, and his Family, and if I had not been alive to to secure the Estate, he proved as likely to have made a Gentleman of his Steward as any Man in England.  
I know I am blamed (but my Wife must bear her share) for breeding him up at a mean School: For she pretending the danger in great Schools of growing a Man too soon, and learning ill Tricks (but in Truth, because this place was near, and she could see him, and hear from him often) would hear of no other Master.  
And really the Country Gentlemen are somewhat hardly dealt withal in this point: For sometimes very mean Persons are licenced to ruin our Children, to the great Prejudice of Church and State; a Schoolmaster being the best or worst Subject in the Nation: not but that we have now as many worthy Schoolmasters as ever; but one Ignorant one doth mischief enough.  
The Parliament hath used all the Prudent Caution imaginable, by referring that Affair to the Inspection of the Ordinary: It cannot be objected, that we do not give encouragement enough to maintain fit Persons; for I am bold to say, no Gentleman is so weak, as not Plentifully to gratify that Person, who is to contribute to the Prosperity of a whole Family, by spending all his Thoughts, Pains, and Time in studying the various Tempers and Inclinations of Youth as he must do, if he will be just to our Expectations.  
But very Mean was that Person to whom I sent my Son, upon my Wife's Importunity.  
And perhaps, hereafter you may find it a very hard matter, not to be guided by a Wife in the breeding your Children. For that Fondness, which is a just debt from all to a Wife, and is in some by Nature excessive, if she be cunning enough to humour it well with a few Tears or a pretended Fit, will melt your sweet Disposition. Mistake me not, I speak this only by way of Caution, that when you Mary and grow fond, you may manage your uxoriousness more warily than I have done, for your own Credit, and the good of your Children.  
I do not speak this to discourage Marriage. For I will sincerely aver, that where the choice of Quality, Temper, and Fortune, is tolerably Prudent, there is a great deal more Happiness than in a discontented, lose, unsatisfied single Life, unless to those Persons whose Callings oblige them to a continual Thoughtfulness and moderation of Diet.  
I cannot but speak upon this Subject with a great Concern; For, I believe, if I had Married my Son immediately after his return from Travel, while he was a stranger to bad Company, and the Vices in fashion, I might have prevented his Extravagances, and fixed the Mercury. But afterwards, too late, when I had provided an agreeable Match, his Comrades had instilled into him such an Aversion, and taught him to rail at Matrimony in the Language of the Stews, that the design of Happiness to my Family, was utterly descated: And once, I remember, full of Grief, upon that Account, I was visited by a Friend, who condoled the mischief of such Evil Principles, and the sinful Consequences of them. And, the better to relieve the Burden I was oppressed with, and prate some of my Thoughtfulness away; I asked him, what he conceived were the Occasions of the present great Contempt of Matrimony. He smiled, and told me, that he had no great skill in the business of Matrimony, but the Contempt of it, he thought, arose,  
1. From the Influence the Devil hath upon the wild Libertinism of Nature, for want of the fear of God, Gen. 20.11. and our cross-grained Appetite, still to the Forbidden Fruit.  
2. The frequency of lewd Examples, which have baffled the Courage of Ecclesiastical Censure.  
3. The popular notion of Matrimony being a slavish confinement: It is voluntary, and therefore the less to be complained of, and sometimes it proves better to have business to do than to be Idle; An Huntsman, no doubt, if he should see a Shopkeeper walking all the day long in a little Room, would think it a damnable Confinement, and the other Man makes it his Happiness.  
4. The Women Govern: The Wiser they: But I fancy that the Women never govern where the Man hath Wit enough to do it himself; and I hope you would not have Government die?  
5. False notions of the Instances and Allowances in the Old Testament.  
6. Some peevish Expressions against Marriage, in the good Old Primitive Fathers, not to say any thing of Modern Writers.  
7. The barbarous forcing Matches upon Children, without their own Consent; and sad consequences of that.  
8. The everlasting Din of Mother-in-law.  
9 The hard usage of the first Brood, if they Mary again.  
10. The Raillery of such who either voluntarily undertake Coelibacy, or whose Condition of Life obligeth them to it.  
11. The easy Cure of the French Compliment; otherwise the sense of Honour, and care of Health would make many a Gentleman like his Own Lodging.  
There are many other Reasons of the contempt of Matrimony, which you may find in the Lady's Calling, and in another Waggish Book, which I dare not name for fear of displeasing an excellent Mistress I have in the World, and because, I hope, he wrongs new Married Ladies. These, Nephew, we both agreed, were the common Occasions of that Contempt, under which Matrimony now labours, to the great inconvenience of the Nation by Immortality, to Families for want of Heirs, and good young Ladies for want of Husbands.  
This I thought fit to Write to you; for whom we have provided an admirable March, a Lady of all the good Qualities I would desire, if I were of your Age. She is very Beautiful, and not Proud; She is Well. shaped, and not Stiff; She is Witty, and not Impertinent; She is Familiar, but not Fond; Good-natured but not Easic.; Rich, but not Imperious; Young, but not Foolish; Religious, but not Fantastical: She wants but one good Character more, that is, being Your Wife. And, I hope, we shall not find you so difficult to the wishes of your best Friends, as my ungovernable Son, my incurable Son hath proved, utterly undone for want of Education.  
But (God be thanked) a better Instruction fell to your share: And though I was against your going to Oxford, yet the little Time you spent there, was to so good purpose, that I am sorry for the Occasion of your not continuing longer, (which, I perceive, you will never forgive the University.) But now it may be hoped, that you are of Age to consider, that Conscience and Care could not but oblige the Head of your House and Tutor, to send home the first Alarm of Danger, when a Person of so great Hopes and Fortune, out of Youth and Goodness of Disposition, was like to become a Prey. Sure I am, the sense of Virtue and Religion, and industrious Inclinations you brought thence, deserves Thanks, which my Son wanted Thanks to a foolish Father and Mother.  
Well, whether I or my Wife were most Guilty, it is now only matter of Repentance; But our Schoolmaster (as appeared) by reason of Ignorance, was never able to proceed to a Degree in the University, and set up his Staff for a Livelihood, which fell toward a Country-School. He riggs himself out with a new Suit, broad Hat, and Silver headed Staff, and being secure from all Censure in point of Learning, his business with us was only to counterfeit a wise and a good man, the first he gained the esteem of by an affected Gravity, and a wary Silence in Company; the second he was secure of in our Country, by acting an extraordinary Preciseness and disgusting the imposed use of Ceremonies, confounding the Order of Bishop and Presbyter, magnifying the Advantages of a Commonwealth, railing at the Bishop's Courts, and pitying the Hardships of taking Oaths, and being forced to Church. And having Wit enough to cringe to every Person, and comply with his Betters in all Discourse without the least Contradiction, he gained the Character of an humble and meek Man. So that now Employment quickly came on, and happy was the Gentleman who could welcome this great Gamaliel with the first tender of his Respect, that is, the Sacrifice of an Eldest Son.  
Being settled in his Dominion, lest the forementioned humility and want of Learning (which Children are apt to smell out) should end in Contempt. He puts on a great self-conceit, ruffles amongst the trembling Boys with a Fantastical Imperiousness, and procures the name of a strict and careful Man by a partial Cruelty to poor men's Children, for he knew Mothers had somewhat as sovereign as Crabs-Eyes to sweeten the Choler, lest the dearly beloved  Son should come to a mischance.  
For a long time I stood by and looked on, but my Wife did so hale and pu'l me to send my Child to so near a School, that I saw no hopes of Peace, till I complied; I had the Flattery of several Years, of the Dutifulness and Proficiency of my Son, which my Wife never doubted of; seeing her Son kept sweet, neat in , and Sheepish (which she called Good-Manners.) This Sheepishness, or over Bashfulness of his, I was troubled at, and endeavoured to mend, because of an Accident which I knew had befallen a young Gentleman my Neighbour: He was a genteel Youth, very fine in Parts and Dispofition; his Mother was sensible of this, and fond enough; and so jealous of every Action, imperious and rigid to an hair's breadth of Duty, loud and noisy at every small miscarriage, (and sometimes at none.) This made the near Youth dread the place wherever his Mother was: timorously perform every Duty for fear of being chidden, and at last so far dispirited, that when he grew up, and for Age and Knowledge was thought fit to be courted by the best sort of Acquaintance, he was quite overgrown with that Curb of just and public Actions called Infirmitas frontis; he would behave himself so diffidently, that sense and words would fail him; and if his Mother came into the Room he was presently struck dumb.  
Another Youth (exactly such) I knew whose Schoolmaster was rough and hasty, so that whenever he came into the School the gentle Boy trembled, his heart constantly ached for fear, and at last contracted such an incurable Hectic as destroyed him.  
These two Instances give me an unavoidable occasion of recommending the Practice of the Schoolmaster I was bred up under: He was a plain man, skilled in his Profession, industrious and undesigning H●s way was this; First to sift the Temper of every Youth; if he found a Boy ruggish and untractable, quickly to ease himself of the uncomfortable duty of Severity: But if they were tractable and easy, what ever were their Parts or Learning, to make the best of both, encourage the Children with Civility and Kindness: He knew there was a Generosity in Gentlemen, and that what Imperiousness could not do, Courtesy might, and out of Gratitude, and a sense of Love and Care, he found better success than if he had affrighted them into Duty.  
Well, when my Boy grew toward a Man, I took him away, and upon Examination, I found that he had sent me home nothing but the very shell of a Gentleman, spruce indeed in Habit, handsome and well natured, but infinitely void of all Knowledge, either of Words or Things. It is true, I got him turned out; but in the mean time, my hopes were lost, so that it became no small Concern of mine to take better Care for the second Son, who had smarted for a better share of Learning somewhat than his Brother, at a greater School. Him therefore I was resolved not to condemn (as Gentlemen phrase it) but to prefer to a Profession. But what Course to take, I was at a loss. Cambridge was so far off, I could not have an Eye upon him, Oxford I was angry with.  
There was in the Neighbourhood an old grave Learned Divine (a rigid Churchman) and therefore thought me not Zealous enough: but yet the great Integrity and Simplicity of this Life, and the Inoffensiveness of a free converse in matters of Indifferency, was Reason enough to me of standing by his Judgement in this great Confusion of mine own Thoughts.  
I desired his advice in the choice of a Profession, for I thought the Gentry and Nobility of this Nation, the most mistaken Men alive.  
First, for breeding the Elder and Younger Sons at one common Idle rate, as if both were to Inherit equally, so that afterwards when they grow Men, and a Distinction must of necessity be made, it always breeds ill Blood, and sometimes proves dangerous.  
Secondly, For thinking it somewhat beneath Persons of Quality to gain a Livelihood by the industry of a Profession, such as a Child's inclination points to.  
Physic we both did own to be in the speculation very pleasant, and in the Practice gainful; but forasmuch as Eminency in that Study requires a more than ordinary Knowledge in many sorts of Learning, and is so full of Care and Hardship, we left that to such who were furnished with more Learning, and invited by a strong natural Propensity thereunto.  
Civil Law, was then proposed as a genteel sort of Study, but when I considered into how few hands the Gains of that Profession falls, and how few Offices of Preferment there are; I laid aside all thoughts of that Learning, though most Honourable of any next to Divinity.  
My Neighbour spoke well and largely of Divinity; and such was the honesty and clearness of his Humour, that he frankly told me, that, 〈◊〉 not favouring Episcopacy much, would hardly encourage a Son to be a Divine: I was not angry with his undesigning plainness, but grievously afflicted not to be more truly known to him; and with some kind of trouble in Spirit, I made him my Confessor. I told him,  
That it did please God, out of a Sense of human Infirmity, I was naturally of a disposition prone to great Pity and Compassion to such as were Poor, most of all to such as I saw Honest in their Morals, and, as I thought, sincere in Religion. And that once (out of Curiosity) I went to a notorious Meeting, upon the fame of an extraordinary gifted Preacher. I would, I confess, willingly, being a Member of that Parliament (which made the Act of Uniformity) have contracted myself, and not have been known to appear so much in opposition to it, but that could not be; and yet I was resolved to see what matter of moment there was, to encourage my favouring of Dissenters, being Born of Parents, who paid dear for their Loyalty in the late times.  
When the Metres had given me the invidious unacceptable deference of Place, up springs a Man with a briskness of Look, fit to have domineered in the best Auditory in England. He throws his gaping Eyes about upon the numerous throng. He had no sooner named his Text, but about the Leaves and the blue Strings of the Dutch Bible flew, happy was the man whospit upon his Thumb, and first found the Chapter.  
He began (I suppose upon a mistake of his Auditory) with Address, Language, Rhetoric, and thought as if he had been an Angel; and I never in all my Life time prepared myself so much for attention; no not in the House of Commons: But he Correcting himself, descended to such a lamentable meanness of Looks, W●●●●, and Thoughts, a plainly affected Wink, Shrug and Whine, that I was altogether as much Ashamed to be a Witness of what the Women sighed at and admired: And coming home to my Lodging, sent to speak one Word with the Preacher, who enquiring what I was; and understanding me a Member of Parliament, shifted his Lodgings.  
This afterwards, I complained of in the House of Commons, freely confessing my Curiosity, and excusing the same by the Design I had in it. But I perceived that some of the most clamorous Members, against Conventicles, laughed at the Story, and found out business of another kind to stop any reflection upon the Circumstances I related, from which time I began to be jealous of Conventicles, which before I pitied.  
I went on, and told him farther, that I thought, if at the Restauration, some things had been left out of the Liturgy; and others added, it might perhaps have bated many exoeptions which are now made, but never in my Life thought an Alteration of it afterwards safe for the Kingdom.  
That I go to Church with as much Affection as any Man breathing, admire the simple, full, and significant style of the Liturgy, and the distinction of short Collects as an ease to tired Devotion; Pictures in Churches and frequent bowings I never was fond of, but as a Gentleman of breeding, wherever I saw others bow, I did so too, thinking singularity stiff and ungenteel.  
And as for change of the Monarchy into a Commonwealth, I scarce ever heard, I am sure never endured, any Discourse tending that way. Alas! I remember the Protectorship of a fortunate Officer, and the Tyranny of Major-Generals: and were not I fit to be begged for a Madman or a Fool, if I should encourage a Tumult wherein 'tis Cross and Pile but some Varlet or other whom I have laid by the Heels for tearing Hedges, shall-swagger at the head of twenty men worse than he, rob my Study, fire my House, ravish my Children, and cut my Throat.  
Let the faults of Governors (said I) and Government be what they will, it is much safer to bear these faults than to venture a Change: which I confess many an innocent undesigning man may contribute to accidentally, but on purpose and studiously, none but such as either disgorged King and Church Lands at the Restauration, or such as failed in expectation of great Places, or were dispossessed from them, or such whose Vices have consumed a large Patrimony, and disgraced an ancient Family, shall attempt a Reparation from King or Church: all which I and my Ancestors have ever abhorred; and now said I, Sir, with the great freedom you began, pray tell me what I am sick of, that the best Churchmen should bid such a man as I stand off, and cry unclean, unclean.  
Upon this the honest man replied, that I was a better Church of England man that himself: And yet notwithstanding all this I was resolved against making my Son a Divine, though for reasons not to the discredit but to the honour of the Church.  
I look on it (said I) as an incomparable advantage of that Profession to have for its single especial Calling what is the concern of all mankind, namely, the study of the knowledge of our duty toward God and Man: from which all other Professions, some more, some less, afford great Avocations and incredible Hindrances. Nay, if temporal advantages were a man's design, a Child could not be placed in more probable circumstances (having Friends to lend a helping hand) of an early plentiful fortune than holy Orders. And having mentioned the Temporal Advantages of the Clergy, I cannot forbear on this occasion giving you, Nephew, my advice concerning the disposal of your great Living of C. which I am told is likely to be void by the death of the Doctor who is now past all hopes of Recovery. You must expect infinite solicitations when so great a preferment falls; and if you have any value for one who resolves to spend all his wisdom upon you, let me beg you to act like an English Gentleman: it is reported that Master H. your Bailiff hath a Kinsman very fit to be recommended: Others say that your Mother's Nurse's Daughter knows a man very deserving; and some report that his Grace the D. of— intends to oblige you by giving you this fair occasion of owning the favour of his Grace's condescension to be acquainted with you, by making his Friend rector of 500 li. a year. Come, come, act like a man who understand and deserves the true name of Patron, that is wisely dispose the Living, and then Protect the Minister in his Rights and Privileges, neither wrong him yourself, nor suffer other to do it: Do not hamper him and call him ungrateful fellow if he refuse to compound for twenty per Cent. Perhaps while you are warm with Pride and Prosperity, Repentance may look Cowardly, and Restitution Ungenteel. Acts of Injustice may go down easily, but they will rattle in your Throat when you come to Die. You are secure from my Begging, for my Son shall not be a Divine; For in Truth, the Knowledge real or Pretended of Scripture and Divinity which the Wise sort of all Professions now pretend to, and the great Controversies and variety of Opinions which of late have been set on foot; Make it absolutely necessary, for a Divine to be furnished with deeper Learning than ordinary, and the want of strictness in the Education of a Son of a great Family; will render the Confinement in that Severe Profession irksome to such a Youth as mine, and without which he can never adorn his Function.  
At last, I plainly owned, that the Common Law was my design, having observed, that critical Learning was not required, and I desired my Neighbour's Opinion and Direction hereunto. He did Confess,  
That he thought it a Study so Laudable, that he would willingly have spent some time in it himself, but that the loss of so much time must needs have entrenched upon his proper Calling.  
He looked upon each great Lawyer capable of signal Service to the State, and infinite Acts of Charity to private Persons; and that it must be impossible twenty Years hence, for a good Lawyer to want Preferment. But he offered many things to be considered before the Law was to be attempted.  
1. Whether my Son had Strength of Constitution, to undergo the Drudgery of six or seven Years close Study.  
2. Whether living in an University as a Gentleman at large, without close confinement, would not habituate him to Laziness, greater than that Study is consistent with.  
3. Great care must be taken, to give him sound Notions of Justice and Charity. Because, though neither the Law nor any other Profession brings any necessity on a Man, or irresistible Temptations to be injurious, yet in all Professions there are some, and in the Law, from the show of Parts, being able to carry a doubtful Cause: And I verily believe (said he) that many a good Man at the hour of Death, doth repent of having served the interest of an ill Suit, notwithstanding the excuse of being obliged by the Calling to speak, having received his Fee. After all this, if I did stand it out in favour of the Law, than Logic, for a year or two in some University would be useful, because frequent formal disputation makes a Youth more attentive to a Discourse, and more quickly apprehensive of a false or weak Reasoning.  
And when I Objected my Prejudice against Oxford, from my own experience formerly, and from the Suggestions of my Sister's Chaplain, just before and after the King came in: the first, he could not answer for, the latter, he confessed in part was true, at the time it points out.  
For of all places, the University being fast to the Monarchy, suffering most, and being most weary of the Usurpation, when Oliver was Dead, and Richard Dismounted, they saw through a maze of Changes, that in little time the Nation would be fond of that Government, which twenty years before they hated. The hopes of this made the Scholars talk aloud, drink Healths, and Curse Meroz in the very Streets: Insomuch that when the King came in, nay, when the King was but Voted in, they were not only like them that Dream, but like them who are out of their Wits, Mad, stark staring Mad; to Study was Fanaticism, to be Moderate was downright Rebellion, and thus it continued for a Twelvemonth, and thus it would have continued till this time, if it had not pleased God to raise up some Vicechancellors, who stemmed the Torrent which carried so much filth with it, and in defiance of the Loyal Zeal of the Learned, the Drunken Zeal of Dunces, and the great Amazement of Young Gentlemen, who really knew not what they would have, but yet made the greatest noise, reduced the University to that temperament, that a Man might Study and not be thought a Du●ard; might be Sober, and yet a Conformist; a Scholar, and yet a Church of England Man; and from that time the University became Sober, Modest, and Studious, as perhaps any University in Europe.  
And, if after all this, I thought well of an University, he advised me not to avoid this or that House, because a Vicious Debauched Person came thence, not to be fond of an House because I myself was of it, or because the Head thereof was a Famed Man: These, said he, many times prove very fallacious Measures: The only sure Method to proceed by was the known Integrity and Prudence of a Tutor, who would improve him if he were regular, if not, would certainly tell me it. Such an one he told me he knew, and would write unto.  
Now, full of Instruction, I was not long in getting on Horseback, but an unhappy accident at Oxford had almost spoiled all: For at ten of the Clock, in the Inn, there was such a Roaring and Singing that my Hair stood an end, and my former Prejudices were so heightened, that I resolved to lose the Journey, and carry back my Son again, presuming, that no noise in Oxford could be made but Scholars must do it: But the Proctor coming thither, and sending two young pert Townsmen to the Prison for the Riot, relieved my fears; and quickly came to my Chamber, and perceiving my Boy designed for a Gown, told me that it was for the preservation of such fine Youths as he, that the Proctors made so bold with gentlemen's Lodgings. He was a Man of Presence and suitable Address, and upon my request sat down; I told him I was glad to see Authority discountenance the public Houses, because it is an incredible scandal the University labours under, from the account that Country Gentlemen (who come and Lodge in Oxford) give of Ranting in Inns and Taverns, as if there was no sleeping in that Town for Scholars: He civility replied, that things might be better, but he thanked God they were no worse; that Scholars did often bear the blame of Country Gentlemen and the townsmen's guilt, and that absolutely to keep Young Men from public Houses was impossible, but by Parent's injunction to their Children, by Tutors observing the Conversation of their Pupils, and every Head of an House commanding home in time all the Junior part at least of their Societies.  
As for the Prejudices we suffer under in the Country, he said there were many reasons of that: The constant Declamations against us of those intruding Members, who were turned out again in 60, the Hatred all Enemies of King and Church show against us for being presumed Parties, and the Envy the Gentry bear us upon a false supposition of our Ease, Luxury, and Prosperity: To which, we ourselves (said he) do foolishly contribute by treating Friends in our Chambers, as splendidly as if we were worth thousands, when perhaps half a Fellowship would not pay for two such Dinners, as are made upon a slight occasion. And of all Men Living, the Gentry ought not to be against us, or envy our moderate Fortunes, whose whole Employment is taking up in serving them, by Breeding their Sons here, and Serving their Cures hereafter. Perhaps it will be said the Sons of some of them Miscarry: It is great Pity any one should, but I am sure that Person ought to vindicate us, whose Son goes off Virtuously Bred: they do not know the Care is taken to secure their Children, and make them happy. I could willingly have heard him longer, but that he was to go his Rounds: It was pleasant to see how my Son trembled, to see the Proctor come in, without knocking at his Father's Chamber-door.  
The next Morning, I carried my Neighbour's Letter to the Tutor, who expressed a just deference to the Hand, but did not seem fond of the Employment. I thought to have found him mightily Pleased with the Opinion we had of his Conduct, and the Credit of having a Gentleman's Son under his Charge, and the Father with his Cap in Hand: Instead of all this, he Talked at a rate, as if the Gentry were Obliged to Tutors, more than Tutors to them. And when I asked him whether he thought me a Man who did not know how to be grateful? No, said he, (with somewhat of sharpness) I never met with a Gentleman backward in that in my life; and to tell you a great Truth, if I were of a craving Temper, I would not take half the care I do. For many Mothers (I would say Fathers too, were it not for shame) are so Wise as to think that Man much more accomplished for a Tutor, who can Cringe solemnly, Tattle in their way, lead them handsomely over a Gutter, and kiss their Hands with a good grace, than a Man of less Fashion and Ceremony; who instead of flattering Parents, and humouring the Son, sets carefully to work, and lets the Youth know what he comes up for. Though, in the mean time, I do not think Clownishness a Virtue, but plain Dealing was always thought so: And some Parents have not Wit enough to distinguish these Two, especially when they are a little Proudish: As for Ingratitude in Gentlemen, I never had any reason to complain; nay, I have often refused Presents, when I thought my Pains overvalued, though I believe (generally) an honest Tutor sells his Hours cheaper than the Fencer or Dancing-Master will. That which I value, is the great success and satisfaction I have had in the towardliness and proficiency of a great many Young Gentlemen, who, at this day, do the University Credit, and the places where they live Good, by their excellent Example: But, to be in earnest, the Care is Infinite, and the Fear they should Miscarry is very Afflicting: And yet, after all this, if the Divine you came from, told you, That he thought I would undertake your Son for his sake, than I must do it; and your Son shall know, before your own Face, what he must trust to. I do not see any lines of Disobedience in his Countenance. But I must desire you to lay your Commands upon him.  
1. That he observe the Duties of the House, for Prayers, Exercise, etc. as if he were the Son of a Beggar: for when a young Boy is plumed up with a new Suit, he is apt to fancy himself a fine Thing: Because he hath a penny Commors more than the rest, therefore he ought to be abated a pennyworth of Duty, Learning, and Wisdom. Whereas the Gentlemen in the University ought to do more Exereise than others, for they stay but little Time there, and aught to be accomplished in haste, because their Quality, and the National Concern make them Men apace. And truly, if Men may be heard in their own Cause, the Gentry are too severe in condemning the Universities for not sending home their Sons furnished with Ethics, Politics, Rhetoric, History, the necessary Learning of a Gentleman, Logic and Philosophy, etc. and other useful Parts; when they send up their Sons for Two, perhaps Three Years only, and suffer them to trifle away half that time too: It is an ungrateful task to the Tutor always to be Chiding, the Father must command greater Strictness; otherwise, when the Young Man, who hath been long in Durance, and here finds his Shackles knocked off, and the Gate wide open, he will Ramble everlastingly, and make it work more than enough for us to keep him Sober: whereas, if they will take care that he be furnished early at School with Latin, come up hither young and pliable, stay here and study hard for Five Years, then if he prove not able to do the King and his Country Service, I am content it should be our Fault.  
2. That he writes no Letter to come home for the first whole Year. It is a common, and a very great inconvenience, that soon after a young Gentleman is settled, and but beginning to begin to Study; we have a tedious ill-spelled Letter from a dear Sister, who languishes and longs to see him as much, almost, as she doth for a Husband: and this, together with rising to Prayers at Six a Clock in the Morning, softens the lazy Youth into a fond desire of seeing them too: Then all on the sudden up Posts the Livery-Man, and the led Horse, inquires for the College where the young Squire lives, finds my young Master with his Boots and Spurs on beforehand, quarrelling with the Man for not coming sooner. The next news of him is at home, within a day or two he is Invited to a Hunting Match, and the Sickly Youth, who was scarce able to rise to Prayers, can now rise at Four of the Clock to a Fox-chase, then must he be treated at an Alehouse, with a Rump of Beef, Seven Miles from home, hear an Uncle, Cousin, or Neighbour Rant and Swear; and after such a sort of Education for six or eight Weeks, full of Tears and Melancholy, the sad Soul returns to Oxford: his Brains have been so shogged, he cannot think in a Fortnight: And after all this, if the young man prove Debauched, the University must be blamed. And, Sir, if you can bear a Truth, I hope you are not concerned in; the first Question the Tutor should ask, is, in what kind of Family and in what manner the Child hath been bred up before he comes to us. For, where Parents give good Examples themselves, and keep good Order in a Family, the University Business is half done to our hands: But if he shall come out of a Sty or a Den, see his own Father carried up three times a Week to Bed; hear nothing but Oaths and ill Language from Servants, etc. it must needs Vitiate the Virgin Soul; he comes up Diseased, and it will require very skilful Application to correct an Error in that first Concoction.  
3. That he frequent not Public Places, such as are Bowling-Green, Racket-Court, etc. for, beside the danger of firing his Blood by a Fever, heightening Passion into Cursing and Swearing, he must unavoidably grow acquainted with Promiscuous Company, whether they are, or are not Virtuous. Nay, were his new Acquaintance all very good, and of the strictest House, the certainty of making him Idle, by receiving and paying Treats and Visits is dangerous. I have seen two sorts of Liquor, each of them cold when they were singly touched, but when they were put together, they flamed with such a degree of Heat as melted the Glass they were in. Besides this, all young Gentlemen are not sent to the University with the same design with your Son; I know a very Honest, Lusty Country Gentleman of four or five Thousand a Year, who sent his Heir to the University, merely for Credit's sake; and wisely bid him spend what he would (which the Youth dutifully Obeyed), required no more of his Tutor than to keep him from knocking his Head against a Signpost, and dirting his silken Stockings at Nine of the Clock: do you think such a Man fit Company for your Son, whom you design to be Lord Keeper?  
4. Be sure that he discharge all Deuce Quarterly, and not learn to run into Debt, this will make him gain Credit and Buy Cheaper. Whatever he saves of your Allowance, let it be his own gain, perhaps that may teach him Thrift, and if I were fit to be your Tutor, I would advise you to double it: for Prodigality is a little more catching than Niggardliness with Young Gentlemen. I know a Person in the World who lived with as much Credit in Oxford as any Man, always Genteel in Habit, and where Entertainments were, becoming always Generous; and yet carried away with him a good Sum of Money, saved out of his Father's Allowance, and if he would give me leave, I would propose him as an Example to the Gentry of the University.  
5. What ever Letters of Complaints he writes home, I desire you to send me a Copy: for ill-natured untoward Boys, when they find Discipline sit hard upon them, they then will learn to Lie, Complain and Rail against the University, the College, and the Tutor, and with a whining Letter, make the Mother, make the Father believe all that he can invent, when all this while his main design is to leave the University, and go home again to spanning Farthings.  
6. I understand, by one of your Daughters, that you have brought him up a fine Pad to keep here for his Health's sake, now I will tell you the use of an Horse in Oxford, and then do as you think fit. The Horse must be kept at an Alehouse or an Inn, and he must have leave to go once every day to see him eat Oats, because the Master's Eye makes him Fat: and it will not be Genteel to go often to an House and spend nothing; and then there may be some danger of the Horse growing resty, if he be not used often, so that you must give him leave to go to Abingdon once every Week to look out of the Tavern Window, and see the Maids sell Turnips: and in one Month or two come home with a surfeit of Poisoned Wine, and save any farther charges by dying: and then you will be troubled to send for your Horse again: This was the unhappiness of a delicate Youth, whose great misfortune it was to be worth Two Thousand a Year before he was One and Twenty.  
7. That he go constantly to the University Church on Sundays.  
Before I came to be a Tutor, curiosity and a natural share of Thoughtfulness made me observe the Tempers of the Youth of the University, such as either Necessity or Accident had brought me acquainted with: and I found one too common an humour, which from the beginning, I did Lament, foreseeing, even then, a very unhappy consequence of it. You should see young Gentlemen mighty forward to hasten to St. Mary's, and happy the Man who could get the foremost place in the Gallery: but if the Preacher, who came up, did not please, either with his Looks, his Voice, his Text, or any Whimsy else, immediately a great bustling to get out; Neighbours of each side disturbed to make the Gentleman room: (who sometimes drags half a score along with him) especially if he had a pointed Band, and a silk Suit, and kept a Brace of Geldings; Well, when they had Fought their way out into the Streets, they were for venturing their Fortunes at another Church; but there the Minister was practical, dull, and plain, and being uncertain what to do, it being not yet Dinner time, they resolved to stumble in at one holy Threshold more, and what with staring about on the Auditors, talking aloud of, and censuring the Preacher, they made a hard shift to hold out till the little greezy Bells began to Ring to Veal and Mutton, and then by the modest admonition of going our, put the Minister in mind of being Civil to the rest of the Hearers. Coming Home, they talk as big as Bull-Beef of each Man they Herd: Though if you ask the very Text, (Alas!) He Talked so low they could not remember that.  
At last, I perceived that this Ambulatory Roving carelessness of Humour, begat an indifferency of going to any Church at all: And so prepared the young Gentry, when they should come to be let lose into the wide World, to be no great opposers of Atheism.  
This was unhappily contributed to, by the Disputes concerning the Sabbath: Some contending for a very Jewish observation; Others, disproving its Morality, both brought contempt upon that Day, and accidentally upon Religion itself: As did also the Levelling Churches with Stables, and making the Inward Worship of God, oppose the Outward  
For whosoever knows the great Laziness and Supidity of the Vulgar, need not be told that Religion is kept up by the distinction of the Lord's-day from other days; and if the Plough were stopped, a long Sermon Preached, and a Psalm or two Sung, Religion, Name, and thing, would quickly be destroyed, and the Country People's Hair and Nails would grow as long as Nebuchadnezzar's in the fourth of Daniel.  
Therefore, I pray Sir, command your Son to be true and just to the Outside of Christian Religion, and leave the rest to God's Grace upon the use of means. Let him not hearken to the Whispers of such as would insinuate distasteful Notions of Ceremonies of Church-Government; for if he once grows dissettled in his Mind from the Public Worship, than he will pickeer out under every Hedge, for a new Religion, and finding himself disappointed, 'tis odds but in a twelve months' time he may magnify the Leviathan, and when he comes to that, if he doth not cut your Throat (provided he can do it safely) for fear you disinherit him, truly you are beholden to him.  
8. Oblige him to frequency of Writing Home: For coming to the University is not like going beyond Sea, where some Persons learn to forget their Relations, and would absolutely 'Slight them, were it not for a Bill now and then. Letters to and fro are some kind of Guard upon a Youth: And it will not only be an honest means of filling up some Idle time, but will make him better able to Write an handsome Letter which is no disparagement to a Gentleman, or to Write a good Hand, which few do. Beside all this, he who gins to contemn his Relations, to whom he owes all, will quickly reckon Tutor a Relation not so considerable and regardable as at first he was told. And in a little time Commands will look like Tyranny and Usurpation; and then Tutor, Father, and Vicechancellor, will never be able to balance the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.  
9 I would not have him grow in love with Cards and Dice. For though at first nothing may seem more harmless than to cheat a tedious hour or two with the loss of a Trifle: Yet by degrees much Play will beget Skill, and Skill will beget Emulation, this will heighten Wagers: Frequent losses will increase Passion: Frequent conquests will make him think himself a greater Gamester than really he is: And whenever he goes so far that Passion blinds what Skill he hath, or Opinion makes him bold of what Skill he hath not, than it will be time to send him up to London, to help maintain the Wits of the Town.  
Amongst whom, if he loseth, it's likely he is Cheated; if he wins, than he must Fight the Man he hath Undone: And so stake 2000 Pounds a Year against a Silver Sword: If you permit him to be fond of Gaming while he is young, and this doth not befall him, indeed it is none of his Father's fault.  
10. As for your Allowance and moderate Pocket-Money, it must be at your Discretion: Only I desire that it may go through my hands, at least the whole first year, till I can take some measures of his Discretion. I would not have him allowed too little, that he may live like a Gentleman; and I would not have him allowed too much, lest he should set up for nothing else.  
11. That he grow intimate with none, but such as I shall recommend to his Acquaintance: Necessity, Good Manners, and the customary Respect which is usually paid Strangers, will command a friendly Correspondency with the Members of the same College. But it is of very ill Consequence, for an unexperienced, easie-natured Person of Quality, (the better natured, the sooner undone) to make himself fond of every Man, who shall court a constant Familiarity, with all the Civility of Address and Friendship.  
For, if he be a man of great Acquaintance, so must you. If he be Idle, then, by frequent Avocations, he will by degrees lessen the Practice of your Duty, and jest you out of the Opinion of it. Then Prayers shall be called Loss of Time; Disputations, School-play; and Lectures, Pedantry: Then the Tutor's Presence will become frightful, Advice useless, and Commands provoking.  
12. You must leave him wholly to me, for the Method of his Study, and the Books he must read; and expect an Account from me, of his Abilities and Inclinations, in order to a Course of Life hereafter.  
13. And now, last of All, I must ingenuously tell you both, That if he observes all these things, and doth it merely out of a Fear of your Displeasure, and not out of a Sense of his Duty to God, as well as Man, (and secretly wish, that he had Liberty to be as wild as the worst;) it will be but a sort of Eye service, a forced Compliment of good Nature, and never come to much.  
But, if he be a serious and thinking Youth, Virtuously and Religiously inclined; if able to consider the Performance of his Duty, as a share of that Service God requires for the Talents He affords: Then he will study without bidding, and say his Prayers when no Man sees: And a Voice then from behind, shall bid him go on, and presper; and all the Care and Kindness in the World I will promise you, shall be thought too little.  
It was very Comical, to hear the differing Apprehensions I and the rest of the Company had of this Discourse. For the Women longed to go, and see the College, and the Tutor. And when he was gone out of the Room, I asked, how they liked the Person, and his Converse? My Boy clung about his Mother, and cried to go Home again; And she had no more Wit, than to be of the same Mind: She thought him too weakly, to undergo so much Hardship, as she foresaw was to be expected. My Daughters, who (instead of Catechism, and Lady's Calling) had been used to read nothing but Speeches in Romances, and hearing nothing of Love and Honour in all the Talk, fell into downright scolding at him; called him the Merest Scholar: and if this were your Oxford-Breeding, they had rather he should go to Constantinople to learn Manners. But I, who was older, and understood the Language, called them all great Fools; and told them, That there was so much plain, practicable Truths in what he had said, that if every Gentleman would effectually take such a Course, it were impossible for one Child in Forty to miscarry.  
But perceiving, by some Part of the Discourse, that our Children should be earlier furnished in the School with Learning, and so come sooner to the University than generally they do, before they are too much their own Men, and in sight of One and Twenty: In behalf of a Young Noble man of my near Acquaintance, whose Eldest Son was about four or five Years of Age, and who was very solicitous to manage his Education to all the best Advantages, I desired him to furnish me with some Instructions, serviceable to that Noble Family, in the Prevention of such Inconveniencies, as I myself had run into.  
He told me, That he thought a Child might, by Twelve Years of Age, be furnished with good Skill in Latin, and some in Greek; and then, after Five Years stay in the University, be very well prepared for all the Uses of Travel, according to the Methods and Directions in the Book of Education, and Gentleman's-Calling; which can never be read over too often by the Gentry. The most easy and common Advice, which every Man's Experience shows to be most absolutely necessary, he bade me practise, as follows.    

General Directions for the better Education of a CHILD of Great Quality.  
1. CUre the Mother of the Disease called Fondness, if you can; otherwise the Child will be bred so tenderly, as to be good for little. Every Door must be shut, and a Fire made in the midst of July, while my young Master's a dressing; so that most times he doth not prove Hardy enough to be Healthy or Wise. Take a curl headed Boy from the Side of a Beggar, (the Phlegmatic Offspring of Buttermilk, and sour Cheese) who runs Bareheaded all Day, and snoars all Night upon a Bag of Straw: Take and spirit this Rational Clod into Turkey; and after a Course of Hardship, in Thirty Years time, You may meet him at the Head of an hundred thousand men, matching Politics with all the witty and civilised World. Certainly Gentlemen are born with better Blood, Spirits, and Parts, than such a Fellow; but you see what Discipline may do with One; while, through too much Warmth, Laxity, and Softness of Skin, the very Soul of the Other transpires and wastes.  
2. Though I would not have a Child dealt withal peevishly; yet it is of very ill Consequence, always to gratify him in the unsatiable Wantonness of his little Wishes. This naturally tends to the making him humoursome and self-willed, and all that the Parents get by that Quality, when he grows towards One and Twenty, they may put in their Eyes, and see never the worse. Place a Child at the Table where there are Twenty Dishes, He shall reach out his Finger, point and call for every one; and when he hath dined, (too long by an Hour) ask him, If he will have this or that? he never fails to say, Yes: which is not worse for his Health, than in other Instances for Morals.  
3. Good Care ought to be taken what Diet the Child eats: For, though I cannot mechanically show, how heavy Pudding, and Salt, or (which is worse) Fresh Beef, gets in, and mixeth with the Soul of a Child; yet I dare say, The Learned in Physic are able to prove, That the more of such things you load a tender Stomach with, the longer you keep him from being a Poet, or a Privy-Counceller. I should go nigh to rail at Sweetmeats too; but that we have a scurvy Proverb of being ill-natured, if you love them not; whether Wine (which is now frequently given) be proper for Children or no, you were best consult the Doctor. Light Meats, Chicken, Mutton, etc. once every Day, and Spoon-Meat are thought most agreeable.  
4. The Exercise which a Child should use, is to be considered: I would not have his Motions violent, but I would have him much stir, and often fan his Blood with dry and fresh Air: I have heard of a certain Great Lady, Mother of many Children, which deserved as much Fondness as any breathing; but instead of Riding in a Coach, and Glasses up, made them Walk out a Mile or two in a clear, sharp, frosty Morning, put their Noses and Lips into such a Red and Blue that would have made half the Mothers in England think their Children Dying; but after this, I never heard any Man complain, that it spoiled either their Health, Beauty, or their Wit. Of all Hardships, use the Child to Rise early.  
5. Care must be taken what Company the Child keeps.  
I am not yet come to the inconvenient mixture of Persons of Quality in the same School with Tinkers and Cobbler's Children, which, perhaps, may teach them base, dirty Qualities (they were never Born to) of Lying, Filching, Railing, Swearing, etc. because I have not yet resolved myself how it can be avoided: I am only now speaking of a Child very young, and bred at Home.  
I have observed, that the Eldest Sons of Great Families, lose Three Years at least. For the common Cry is, that it is time enough to learn their Books when they come to be seven or eight years Old. This might in a degree be true enough, if in the mean time they did only converse with Wise and Serious Companions.  
But when they are able to speak and prate, they begin to be exceedingly acceptable, and the Dalliance of every Creature towards them is obliging; but all this while, this doth but invite the useless Tattle of a foolish Nurse, a Footboy, or a Kitchenwench: and, if his Mastership is to be pleased with seeing the Stable, and Sitting on an Horse, than he is farti●e● accomplished with the illbred Language and Actions of the out-lying Servants also. This I mention, because I know some Families, in which Children sometimes better Beloved then the rest, or else because there were no more, having had constant familiarity, and scarce any other converse with their Parents, and Those Persons of Experience and Thought. The Children have grown apace into Sense and Reflection, and made wiser Persons ashamed of their own Age.  
But for a Child to be most in the Company of Servants, and so many Livery-men always waiting and bareheaded, if it doth not make the Living-Creature Proud, Idle, and think himself fit to be a Lord, (before the King and Nation doth) truly he is less of kin to Adam than I am.  
6. Since this Youth of Quality must be bred up at Home, my next Advice is, To get a grave, experienced, well-tempered Person to manage him, by descending to all the little Observances his Age and your Expectation requires: But then I must have leave to tell you, that your Allowance must be very considerable, and his Estate will bear it: For no Wise Man will Play the Fool to no purpose: And if you or his Relations shall fancy that common Maxim, The cheaper the better, you will meet with Men, who will Serve and Please you, and the Child at present; who perhaps hereafter, will reckon himself no great Gainer, when he finds the want of that Accomplishment which his Quality and Parts deserve, and that his Brains were sold for twenty Pounds a Year.  
It is not well enough considered, what it costs to be Dearned and Wise, both pains and money: And where as Scholars are looked on as Poor and Mean, born to serve them who have the luck to be Rich; yet I do not find truly that great Ones part easily with what they come hard by.  
I could tell you of a Person in the World, worth some Thousands Yearly, a Man very considerable for Management, Temper, Justice, and all the Qualities of a Gentleman, if he had not placed too much Wisdom in thrift. He had an Eldest Son incomparable for Parts and Good-Nature, and more willing to be made a Wife Man than Boys generally are. But the good Father, to save the charges of a great School, and Boarding abroad any where, was resolved to diet him in Wisdom at his own Table, with the cheap assistance of a poor Chaplain, who was to bestow upon him all the week as much Wiseness as ten pounds a year, and a good stout Dinner is generally worth.  
When the young Heir came towards Age, I happened to be acquainted with him, and in some degrees of Familiarity; and finding very fine Parts in the Rubbish of a great deal of Clownery, I once dealt with him very Frowardly, and asked him plainly, How it came to pass that he was not a Wifer Man? Ask my Father, said he. And when I replied, That his Father was reputed a Discreet Man; Yes, said the young Gentleman, and I thought him so, when I was a young Child: But now I am growu up, and the World expects some agreeable Conversation with my Age, Quality and Acquaintance, I appear so little in Company, and am sensible how little I appear, that I wish I had either only been Born with Wit enough not to be Begged, or that my Father had valued the Improvement of my Parts at a Thousand a Year of my Estate.  
7. The Tutor, I propose, will do well by all the Artifice of Kindness, and easiness to gain Affection from the Child. For otherwise by Force and bare Duty, he will Learn as little from that Tutor, as a Farmer doth from the Minister, by the Sermon which is next Preached after he hath paid his Tithes.  
8. Keep the Child, as much as possible, out of all Company, wherein there may be danger of seeing Actions of Rudeness, Indecency, Debauchery, Infirmity, especially if they are committed by near Relations, Father, Mother, Brother, etc. Incredible is the observation of Children: And, I dare say, they think long before we perceive it; and the Reverence and Regard they have for Relations, recommends all Actions to their Imitation, with a strong Prejudice.  
9 By all Arts of Kindness, prevent Frowardness in him, which will turn to a very ill Quality, when he grows up.  
10. When he is able to Speak plain, and capable to be Taught, let him learn Sense and Words together: I mean, Teach him such Words as signify some material Sense, either of Breeding, Morality, or Religion; and not idle, useless Words, which signify nothing but the Folly of such as Teach them.  
11. When you begin with him, do not clog him with too much, to make him loath or dread it; but let him come to the Book as to his Recreation, or to gain Credit.  
12. Accustom him to kind and friendly words even towards Servants and Inferiors. This will not only be obliging but will habituate the Child to Respect and Decency to men of higher Degree, to Parents and Tutor himself; and be sure to instruct him of the regard to be had according to men's different Qualities.  
13. The method how to teach him Latin with most advantage and expedition I must wholly leave to the Tutor: For whether it be sooner learned by the Rules of Grammar as is done in Schools, or barely by Construing Authors and talking Latin with the Child always, by which sometimes Gentlemen are taught, I am not able to answer mine own Arguments for each: Use him much to Translation, which I think much better than Composition.  
14. Be sure to keep him constant to Devotion, and let not his own private prayers be tedious and wearisome.  
15. Make him able to read Greek, and turn the Lexicon upon occasion, as far as the Greek Testament.  
16. A short Series of the History and Chronology of the Old Testament, by Question and Answer, with a general Knowledge of the Globes, would be useful, and make him proud of Learning.  
17. The excellent Qualities of Cyrus in Xenophon translated & commended would be an admirable Pattern for Emulation.  
18. Of all the good Qualities, from the very beginning, accustom the Child to speak the truth, and when he is faulty, do not affright him into lying, and silly excuses (which Servants commonly teach them) but by mildness and security from childing, at the first beget in him the courage of confessing his faults: Great Actions of Honour and Justice depend upon Veracity.  
19 Whatever the Child doth well, either voluntary or out of observance of former Commands, be sure let him have Commendation enough, this is a principal Reward and tickles the proud Flesh.  
20. Let no Person chide the Child who is in a great fit of Anger, lest the violence of it make him moped, or the indecency of it make him grow careless.  
21. I would not have Parents or Tutor be always childing for little things: those will better be mended by persuasion; and to chide for every fault alike, will in time make the Youth think great faults no worse than little ones, and reproving a mere thing of course; 'tis the Common, but a very inartificial way.  
22. Whenever you find the Child in an Extravagant fit of Froppishness and Anger (how little soever be the provocation) do not express anger to him at that time, but immediately sweeten him, take his part, and get him out of the fitas soon as you can, lest it grow violent and lasting, and at a cooler season argue the indecorum with him, when Reason will come in to his assistance.  
23. Never disgrace the Child or upbraid him with his Follies before Strangers: this may cut him too much, and never be forgotten; and it will be very obliging when he is afterwards made understand how kind you were in moderating your reproofs for his Honour's sake.  
24. Let not the Child be frighted with horrid stories of Bug-bears or idle tricks in the dark: the ill consequences may be very-great.  
25. Never let him be accustomed to laugh at men's natural Infirmities, but give him occasion from thence of thanking God who hath made the Difference.  
26. Magnify and help him to admire the glorious parts of the Creation and variety therein: this will beget early Notions of Reverence and Honour for the Maker.  
27. Keep him from hearing any Paradoxes disputed in the place where he is, either of Religion, Morality, Government, etc. and when ever it happens, let him see his Parents and Tutor undertake always the better side.  
28. A good short Collection of Proverbs out of Solomon, and the Proverbs of each single Nation (wherein their Wisdom consists) such as respect God, Religion, good Manners, civil Breeding and Duty in all Relations, well digested into a Method, and under proper Heads, to be judiciously explained to the Child at leisure times, would be of incomparable use: Because that short grave, sententious way of Instruction sticks better in the Memory and helps his Thinking.  
29. Let him read nothing by himself which is not very easy for him to comprehend, lest it discourage his reading: and let all your Discourses with him be very plain, and of such things as he is capable to be instructed in: this will help and draw out his Parts, whereas Difficulties will balk and stifle them.  
30. If you find him begin to grow pert and forward, never check him, but you must be sure to modify his Wit, you must set limits, and say hitherto and no farther, bond it with Good-nature and Decency: For there is one Quality mightily taking, and especially if it discover itself early in a Child, which is to Jeer and Reflect upon Men and their Actions: Beside the Impudence, Ill-nature, and Abusive Language which this is generally attended with (and so is the most unbecoming Breeding for a Gentleman) it many times proves very dangerous in promiscuous Company. It is not long since, for a Sentence no greater than the Wise men's of Greece (and not half so witty) a fine Gentleman had his Brains beaten out: Cicero was a great Jester, but the cry went on Antony's side for Wit, when he had gotten his Head off.  
31. If you find him impetuously in love with any thing you do not like, you must not bluntly and suddenly check him, this may make him love it the more, and look on you as the Enemy of his Happiness; but by degrees lessen the value of the Object, persuade him of its disagreeableness, and divert him with something more innocent, and of a differing nature, Alterius vires subtrahit alter amor.  
32. If you find him apt to take offence at any single man's Person, disgust and hate him; by all means strive to qualify this, never rest till you have made him a Friend, let him know the Duty and have the Honour of Forgiving. This may be of use if he live to be a great Man.  
33. If you find him inclining to Thoughtfulness, Sadness and Sighing, correct it with all imaginable pains by pleasant Converse, light Diets, cheerful Recreations, delightful Readins, lest he get an Habit, and at last grow Melanchely, that is, useless and unserviceable.  
34. That all occasions in his Company to magnify Virtue and debase Vice: Furnish him with Examples of both out of Scripture, of God's Judgements and Deliverances: but till he is ripe enough to be instructed, you may forbear letting him read those Chapters wherein the failings of good Men are recorded. The Plainness and Spirit of Devotion contained in the Psalms, speak them fittest to be read by a Child.  
These (said the Tutor to me) are the uppermost Rules that occur as absolutely necessary to be observed in the first breeding of the Person of Quality you talk of: Though, if your Dinner did not wait you, perhaps I might think of more, but first try these effectually, and consult the Book of Education for other necessary Instructions.  
I hearty thanked him, and finding it late, I invited him to Dinner with me at the Inn, but he refused, saying that such Houses were not built for Gownsmen, and made me leave my Son to dine with him, having (said he) observed the great Improvidence of the Gentry who when they come to enter a Son, (which is commonly at the Act, that solemn season of Luxury) bring Wife and Daughters to show them the University; there's mighty Feasting and drinking for a week, every Tavern examined, and all this with the company of a Child, forsooth, sent up hither for Sobriety and Industry.  
After this he invited us the next day to a Commons, and according to his Humour before, I expected to have been starved in his Chamber, and the Girls drank Chocolette at no rate in the morning for fear of the worst.  
It was very pleasant to see, when we came, the constrained Artifice of an unaccustomed Compliment, Silver Tankards heaped one upon another, Napkins some twenty years younger than the rest, Glasses fit for a Dutchman at an East-India Return.  
And at last came an Entertainment big enough for ten Members of the House: I was ashamed, but would not disoblige him, considering with myself that I should put this man to such a charge of forty shillings at least, to entertain me, when for all his honest care and pains he is to have but forty or fifty shillings a Quarter, so that for one whole Quarter he must do the drudgery to my Son for nothing.  
After Dinner I went to the public Bowling Green, it being the only Recreation I can affect. Coming in, I saw half a score of the finest Youths, the Sun, I think, ever shined upon: they walked to and fro, with their hands in their Pockets, to see a match played by some Scholars and some Gentlemen famed for their skill. I gaped also and stared as a man in his way would do: But a Country ruff Gentleman, being like to lose, did swear at such a rate that my heart did grieve that those fine young men should hear it, and know there was such a thing as swearing in the Kingdom. Coming to my Lodging, I charged my Son never to go to such public places unless he resolved to quarrel me.  
Having settled my Son and lest my commands with him, we all made haste home again, in earnest much better satisfied with the Government of the University than I was before: for all this while I had as critically observed all miscarriages as a prejudiced man may be imagined to do.  
And (to say more) when we were summoned thither a while before to sit in Parliament, I was resolved narrowly to scan the carriage of the University towards the Members, to understand the temper and opinion, as far as the free converse in Coffee Houses (where every man's Religion and Politics are quickly seen) could discover.  
The plainness and freedom young Masters used was odd at the first, but afterwards very pleasant, when it appeared to be a kind of Trade not Policy: For being used all the week long to dispute Paradoxes, the Disputacity reached afterwards to matter of Religion and State. But in fine I perceived there was nothing of design or malice in all this, but a road of Converse, arising partly out of hatred to fanatics and want of experience and conversation in the world, which teaches men to be more cautious in promiscuous discourse.  
As for their Civility to the Members we must own it, we had their Lodgings (as good as they were) for nothing, with civility and respect wherever they met us agreeable: when at the same time the Townsmen put Dutch rates upon their Houses, that under five or six pound a week a Whig could not have room enough to speak Treason in. I could not perceive but they both talked and preached against Popery as much as any men, though in the business of Succession they still favoured the Duke. I walked the Streets as late as most people, and never in ten days time ever saw any Scholar rude or disordered: so that as I grow old, and more engaged to speak the truth, I do repent of the ill opinion I have had of that place, and hope to be farther obliged by a very good account of my Son.  
And upon the whole matter let me offer you one Caution, when you cry out Idle, Ignorant, Illbred, Dekauched, Popish University, I am sure you speak at a venture, and do but echo the illnatured Fame of things: And ill Language doth not become the mouth of a Gentleman though the matter be true. But I am now convinced that we wrong them; As for their Idleness, the Graver sort kept close: 'tis true Curiosity brought out the young Gentlemen to see new Faces and show their new Ribbons: for Ignorance we are not Judges, and the Nation generally frees them from that: for their Ill-breeding, Simplicity and Plainness is their Guise, and they look upon all things else as Art. Debauchery may happen among some of so many, but all my Acquaintance abominate it as much as you and I do. And as for Popery, the most serious men I knew there study to make themselves able to resist the Temptation: so that for us of the Gentry to rail at them for Popishly affected, and men forlorn as to Protestant Religion, is very Unjust and Uncharitable.  
In the next place you beg my direction in the management of the Canvas: I confess I shall never be able to admire enough the most excellent Constitution of our Government by way of a Parliament, wherein the meanest Subject hath his just regard, and forty shillings a year makes a man wise enough to choose his Representative: nay now of late very Cottagers and Quakers come in for a share in electing that Assembly, which for aught I know turns and winds the great Affairs of all Europe: Though I must confess I am sorry, that in Elections so little regard is had to the Wisdom and Virtue of the Candidate, and that so much use is made of the Ignorance and Vices of the people.  
It will not be safe to depend upon the vulgar of your own Party, because many of them will appear to have no Votes either on Account of Swearing or Estates; and yet their Zeal for the Cause will hurry them on to poll.  
If you manage yourself wisely, I know no man can make a better Figure in the Field than you, and thus, presuming of you in the House, I will next give you my thoughts concerning your Behaviour there. For the least misbehaviour at first coming is not easily forgotten in that Place.  
1. I will recommend and furnish you with Books and Copies which give an Account of the Original, Privileges and Proceed in that House, which will make you capable to act very serviceably, whether you prove a great Speaker or no.  
2. It will be the best use you can make of the first three or four months (if you sit so long) to be particularly acquainted with the Face, Parts and Designs of every Member, more particularly, I advise you,  
1. Not to be a Speaker too soon, which is incident to Youth.  
2. Whenever you speak, your native Modesty will be very becoming, and Brevity withal; for we old Stagers did always look on it as our Privilege to be tedious.  
3. Meddle with no man's Person, because you do not know how many you disoblige; do not begin early to reply to other men's Speeches, because such a man ought to be very considering and ready.  
4. Never speech it when you are provoked to be angry, because it will be hard then to act with decency, required in so great a Meeting.  
5. Study not to be much concerned when you are replied upon with Sharpness or Jeer.  
6. Beware of discovering any Affectation of being Witty: for that shows you pleased with what you say, which is unacceptable, and beneath the Opinion you ought to have of an Assembly so august. Do not affect great Words, for a design to be thought Learned shows the want; and the more knowing any man is, the plainer he is able to express his mind. But on the other side, you must not descend to low and mean expressions, that will savour of an ungenteel Breeding. Beware of all unusual motions and gestures of Head, Eyes, Hand, Body, or the like.  
7. When any matter of great moment is debated, be not forward to speak, because at your Age it is impossible you should comprehend the matter, design and managery of the Case. But be sure at such a time to frequent the House, and be a diligent Auditor: for than you will hear the Reason, Law, Policy and Eloquence of our English Gentry: Masculine Eloquence which flows upon all Occasions, not constrained to the fulsome Anaphoras and Paranomasia's of the modern Rhetocians, those Whistles and Rattles of Schoolboys: Not but those Figures when they were first, or now when they are wisely used, are good Ornaments: But it is a vast mistake to transplant those Flowers out of the fertile soil of Cicero and the Ancients, and think they will thrive and grow in every Clod-pate; to think that those Schemes in a small Epitome, robbed of the Advantages to be understood, such as are the Occasion, Person, Time, Connexien, etc. should by being barely learned by heart, make every Puny able to imitate the greatest Master of Speech in all mankind.  
When you come once to be taken notice of; then remember to fortify yourself against solicitations to serve a Party, and that from men who will think they do you Honour to vouchsafe you a gracious Nod: the Inconveniences will be many.  
1. Under Pretence of preparing Buness you must be a Slave to Clubbs of twelve, one, two, three of the Clock, whereby the Health will be impaired and ill Habits gotten.  
2. You must then resolve to captivate your Judgement to the Opinion of the Leading-men of your Party. And then your own Reason will be quite lost, you will never attempt to examine the true merit of the Cause, and so many times be betrayed to the eager pursuit of what you would abhor did you well consider what perhaps your mighty Leader pursues out of Passion, Interest or Human Inadvertency, when all the while you think he doth act with due Deliberation; Integrity of Intention, and merely on Public good: such an Authoritative Leading-man is the Bane of any Society whatever.  
3. You must expect to bear a share in Answering for all the Imprudences of your Party. No number was ever so happily combined, but that some Persons in it would be apt to act some extravagant Part, out of Zeal to serve a Cause, which will make a Thinking-man blush to favour.  
4. You certainly create Enemies to yourself, all of the opposite Persuasions, though you never had thoughts or design so to do. All Acts of unkindness received, or Acts of Revenge threatened, shall respect you as one of the Party, who are purely simple and passive, as much as if you had been the first Mover or Executioner of the whole; this makes Neighbours, Friends, Kindred, at Daggers drawing when e'er they meet: Believe it, the necessary Mixture and Complication of your Affairs in the World, and the various Relations you must bear, will afford you Contrasting more than enough. Create as few Troubles to yourself as you can.    

An INDEX of the most remarkable Common-Places hinted in the foregoing Papers.  

A Rash and uncharitable Censure of the University of Oxford, page 2.  
Fear of being censured is a great hindrance to good and honest Actions, page 4.  
A busy Life requires some Leisure more than ordinary to prepare for Death, page 5.  
Some obvious and necessary Rules to make a Gentleman's Life more easy and quiet, page 7.  
A few short Rules to make his Life more useful in the World, page 13.  
No men greater Enemies to the University than such who afterwards are sensible that they were neglected there, page 19, 20.  
A little stateliness in a young Heir, not to be condemned, page 22.  
The odiousness and folly of imperious Pride, page 23.  
The sad consequences of want of Learning in a young Country Gentleman, page 24.  
The necessity of Care in licensing Schcolmasters, page 25.  
The Mother an incompetent Judge of children's Education, page 26.  
Marriage preferable to a single life, ibid.  
The obvious occasions of the Contempt of Matrimony, page 27,  
The Character of a young Lady fit for a Person of Quality, page 29.