ufed in Schools under the Title of Selectæ e Profanis Scriptoribus Hiftoriæ. The learned and ingenious Profeffor Rollin was fo well pleased with it, that, in Vol. 1. p. 83, of his Belles Lettres, be thus recommends it as a valuable Compilation.

I

know of no Book, which may be more useful, and at the fame Time more agreeable to Youth. It contains excellent Precepts of Morality, collected with great Order and Judgment; with very affecting Pages of Hiftory upon every Article. I know jome very confiderable Perfons who have acknowledged themfelves to have found a great Deal of Pleafure in reading it." Several Works of a fimilar Kind have been published in Englifb and other modern Languages, which is a fufficient Proof of the general Excellence of the Plan, and that it is well calculated to answer the Purposes intended by it. But of thofe which have appeared in our own Language, fome are too voluminous and expenfive for common Use; and all of them (which I have hitherto been able to meet with) contain a Number of Articles which are of no immediate Concern to Children ;-fuch as the Duties of Parents, of Hufbands and Wives, of Mafters and Servants, and of Princes, Magistrates, and Generals, and many other Particulars which might be mentioned-I therefore thought there was fufficient Room for a new Publication of this Kind, which might be neither too coftly and extensive for general Ufe, nor incumbered with a Collection of fuch Sentiments and Examples, as would indeed be proper

enough

enough upon another Occafion, but are certainly ufelefs and uninterefting to School-boys, for whose immediate Inftruction thefe Performances are ufually published. I have, accordingly, been careful to confine the following Mifcellany to fuch a moderate Size, that the Parent or Tutor may have no Reafon to object to the Price of it, nor the Pupil to be difgufted with the Length of it; and all the Sentiments and Examples have been restricted to those Duties in which the youngest are as much concerned as thofe of riper Years; fuch as Religion, filial and fraternal Affection, Temperance, Patience, Veracity, &c. To give the Work all that Variety which is peculiarly pleafing to Youth, (and, at the fame time, to diftinguish it from all other Performances of the Kind,) every Chapter concludes with a Dialogue, or an Effay upon the Subject, from fome Author of Reputation, where I could find one to my Purpose, but generally with the former, as being the easiest and most agreeable Method of Inftruction. But all the Dialogues, excepting two (which I was obliged to furnish myself), are Tranflations from Xenophon and Erafmus, with fuch Omiffions and Alterations as my Plan required.Care has likewife been taken to select fuch Sentiments and Examples as appeared to me to be most pertinent and ftriking; and I have endeavoured to communicate the whole in a correct and eafy Style, which might neither exceed the Capacity of young Readers, nor vitiate their Language; for which Purpose I have felected thofe Paffages which are

borrowed

borrowed from the ancient Writers (who, indeed,
bave furnished much the largest Part of the Work)
from the original Authors themselves.
The laft
Chapter, which treats of Politenefs and Good-breed-
ing, is wholly compofed of fuch Extracts from the
Letters of the late Earl of CHESTERFIELD, as
were thought to be most immediately inftructive to
Youth: The noble Author was himself a great Ad-
mirer, and an exact Pattern of the polite Manners
be recommends, and, for that Reafon, was much
better qualified to give Advice upon that Head to
others, than moft Authors who have written upon
that Subject. As Examples of this neceffary, tho'
Leemingly trivial Accomplishment, must be fought
for in real Life, and not in Books, it was judged
necessary to deviate from the general Plan of the
Work by omitting them.

Upon the whole, if the Performance here offered
to the Public has been executed in fuch a Manner,
as to answer to the Profeffions above set forth; Ï
beg Leave to recommend it to the Notice of Pa-
rents in general, and of all those who are intrufted
with the Education of the British Youth; and
bumbly flatter myself that they will favour it with
all the Encouragement in their Power.

THE COMPILER.

CONTENTS.

CHA P. X.

Of the Reverence due to the Aged, and the Refpect and Gratitude which we owe to our Teachers and Inftructors

C.H A P... XI.

Of Good-breeding, Polite Behaviour, and the

Art of Pleafing in Company

225

243

THE