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years。 In the course of his travels he generally acquires some
knowledge of one or two foreign languages； a knowledge； however；
which is seldom sufficient to enable him either to speak or write
them with propriety。 In other respects he commonly returns home
more conceited； more unprincipled； more dissipated； and more
incapable of any serious application either to study or to
business than he could well have become in so short a time had he
lived at home。 By travelling so very young； by spending in the
most frivolous dissipation the most precious years of his life；
at a distance from the inspection and control of his parents and
relations； every useful habit which the earlier parts of his
education might have had some tendency to form in him； instead of
being riveted and confirmed； is almost necessarily either
weakened or effaced。 Nothing but the discredit into which the
universities are allowing themselves to fall could ever have
brought into repute so very absurd a practice as that of
travelling at this early period of life。 By sending his son
abroad； a father delivers himself at least for some time； from so
disagreeable an object as that of a son unemployed； neglected；
and going to ruin before his eyes。
Such have been the effects of some of the modern
institutions for education。
Different plans and different institutions for education
seem to have taken place in other ages and nations。
In the republics of ancient Greece； every free citizen was
instructed； under the direction of the public magistrate； in
gymnastic exercises and in music。 By gymnastic exercises it was
intended to harden his body； to sharpen his courage； and to
prepare him for the fatigues and dangers of war； and as the Greek
militia was； by all accounts； one of the best that ever was in
the world； this part of their public education must have answered
completely the purpose for which it was intended。 By the other
part； music； it was proposed； at least by the philosophers and
historians who have given us an account of those institutions； to
humanize the mind； to soften the temper； and to dispose it for
performing all the social and moral duties both of public and
private life。
In ancient Rome the exercises of the Campus Martius answered
the purpose as those of the Gymnasium in ancient Greece； and they
seem to have answered it equally well。 But among the Romans there
was nothing which corresponded to the musical education of the
Greeks。 The morals of the Romans； however； both in private and
public life； seem to have been not only equal； but； upon the
whole； a good deal superior to those of the Greeks。 That they
were superior in private life； we have the express testimony of
Polybius and of Dionysius of Halicarnassus； two authors well
acquainted with both nations； and the whole tenor if the Greek
and Roman history bears witness to the superiority of the public
morals of the Romans。 The good temper and moderation of
contending factions seems to be the most essential circumstances
in the public morals of a free people。 But the factions of the
Greeks were almost always violent and sanguinary； whereas； till
the time of the Gracchi； no blood had ever been shed in any Roman
faction； and from the time of the Gracchi the Roman republic may
be considered as in reality dissolved。 Notwithstanding；
therefore； the very respectable authority of Plato； Aristotle；
and Polybius； and notwithstanding the very ingenious reasons by
which Mr。 Montesquieu endeavours to support that authority； it
seems probable that the musical education of the Greeks had no
great effect in mending their morals； since； without any such
education； those of the Romans were upon the whole superior。 The
respect of those ancient sages for the institutions of their
ancestors had probably disposed them to find much political
wisdom in what was； perhaps； merely an ancient custom； continued
without interruption from the earliest period of those societies
to the times in which they had arrived at a considerable degree
of refinement。 Music and dancing are the great amusements of
almost all barbarous nations； and the great accomplishments which
are supposed to fit any man for entertaining his society。 It is
so at this day among the negroes on the coast of Africa。 It was
so among the ancient Celts； among the ancient Scandinavians； and；
as we may learn from Homer； among the ancient Greeks in the times
preceding the Trojan war。 When the Greek tribes had formed
themselves into little republics； it was natural that the study
of those accomplishments should； for a long time； make a part of
the public and common education of the people。
The masters who instructed the young people； either in music
or in military exercises； do not seem to have been paid； or even
appointed by the state； either in Rome or even in Athens； the
Greek republic of whose laws and customs we are the best
informed。 The state required that every free citizen should fit
himself for defending it in war； and should； upon that account；
learn his military exercises。 But it left him to learn them of
such masters as he could find； and it seems to have advanced
nothing for this purpose but a public field or place of exercise
in which he should practise and perform them。
In the early ages both of the Greek and Roman republics； the
other parts of education seem to have consisted in learning to
read； write； and account according to the arithmetic of the
times。 These accomplishments the richer citizens seem frequently
to have acquired at home by the assistance of some domestic
pedagogue； who was generally either a slave or a freed…man； and
the poorer citizens； in the schools of such masters as made a
trade of teaching for hire。 Such parts of education； however；
were abandoned altogether to the care of the parents or guardians
of each individual。 It does not appear that the state ever
assumed any inspection or direction of them。 By a law of Solon；
indeed； the children were acquitted from maintaining those
parents in their old age who had neglected to instruct them in
some profitable trade or business。
In the progress of refinement； when philosophy and rhetoric
came into fashion； the better sort of people used to send their
children to the schools of philosophers and rhetoricians； in
order to be instructed in these fashionable sciences。 But those
schools were not supported by the public。 They were for a long
time barely tolerated by it。 The demand for philosophy and
rhetoric was for a long time so small that the first professed
teachers of either could not find constant employment in any one
city； but were obliged to travel about from place to place。 In
this manner lived Zeno of Elea； Protagoras； Gorgias； Hippias； and
many others。 As the demand increased； the schools both of
philosophy and rhetoric became stationary； first in Athens； and
afterwards in several other cities。 The state； however； seems
never to have encouraged them further than by assigning some of
them a particular place to teach in； which was sometimes done；
too； by private donors。 The state seems to have assigned the
Academy to Plato； the Lyceum to Aristotle； and the Portico to
Zeno of Citta； the founder of the Stoics。 But Epicurus bequeathed
his gardens to his own school。 Till about the time of Marcus
Antonius； however； no teacher appears to have had any salary from
the public； or to have had any other emoluments but what arose
from the honoraries or fees of his scholars。 The bounty which
that philosophical emperor； as we learn from Lucian； bestowed
upon one of the teachers of philosophy； probably lasted no longer
than his own life。 There was nothing equivalent to the privileges
of graduation； and to have attended any of those schools was not
necessary； in order to be permitted to practise any particular
trade or profession。 If the opinion of their own utility could
not draw scholars to them；