INCE the time that Mr. SHERIDAN delivered his first Course

SIN LE thes, he has been many

of Lectures, he has been repeatedly follicited by many persons. of the most distinguished abilities, to draw up a regular plan, for the introduction and establishment of the Art of Elocution, and the grammatical study of the English language, as points which would contribute much to the improvement of education, and confequently to the benefit of these realms.

BUT he owns, whatever inclination he may have to obey their commands, the undertaking appears to him to be too arduous, and far beyond his strength. To digeft fo important a plan would require much time and thought, as well as much greater talents than he can boast. Or could vanity even fuggeft to him that he is equal to the point, there are many weighty reasons for his declining it.. An attempt to fettle an affair of fuch national concern would, in any private person, be too invidious a task, and might expofe him to much

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much cenfure. A plan of that fort should be the joint product of fome of the ableft heads, whofe characters might give fuch an authority, and whose power might give fuch a fanction to what they propofed, as to abash prejudice, filence envy, and difarm ridicule.

BUT that he may fhew his readiness to obey the commands of such respectable personages, as far as lies in his power, he will endeavour to throw together fome loose thoughts on the subject, in order that they may undergo the examination of men of judgement and experience, and that a regular plan may be drawn up under the direction of fuch men of genius and abilities, as fhall be inclined to give their affiftance on this occafion.

IT has been a point difputed in what place these studies ought to commence; though most are agreed, that they can not be too early inculcated, and that children ought to be trained in them from the very first rudiments, when the pliant organs are easily formed to the pronunciation of any founds; and before prejudice, or evil habits fhall have taken root.

IT is certain, that the principles of elocution, and the rules of English Grammar cannot be too foon inftilled. But this can be effected only by a fufficient number of skilful masters, and a welldigested system of rules, neither of which are at present ready to our hands.

THE first neceffary step, therefore, will be to find out a method whereby a fufficient number of skilful masters may be procured to teach English, and the art of speaking, by one uniform system of well-digested rules.

THE

as in

THE most speedy and effectual way to accomplish this point will be the establishment of these studies at the two Universities those will be found collected all fuch as are hereafter to be mafters of schools, who by learning the English grammar themfelves, and the art of speaking, by one uniform system of rules, will of course afterwards be enabled to teach them in the fame out the kingdom.

way through

WHEN a grammatical knowlege of our mother tongue, and a critical skill therein, together with the art of reading it with propriety, and reciting it publickly with judgement and grace, fhall become part of a collegiate course, and confer honour and reputation on fuch young gentlemen as may distinguish themselves in that way, it must also become an object of serious attention to all Schoolmasters, that their pupils may not go to the Universities unprepared in fuch material articles.

SUCH mafters therefore as are at prefent too old to learn, or to alter their own confirmed habits; or fuch as have not talents to inftruct their scholars in the art of elocution, or to afford in themselves patterns for imitation, will be obliged to take ushers from the Universities, as foon as they can be procured, who may be properly qualified to give inftruction in those branches. And parents, when they come to see the great use and neceffity of these additional ftudies; will not demur against paying an additional price to the masters, ' in order to enable them to make it worth the while of fuch ushers, to take the extraordinary pains, which an institution of this nature will require.

OR in schools where the ufhers are fixed and properly qualified to teach what is now their chief province, the dead languages only, as