Wesley Corpus

with the young men for their want of learning, he might be found as very an ignoramus as Mr. Middleton. And even with regard to many of those Tutors that have learning, how little are their pupils the better for it? Do they use all diligence to instil into them all the knowledge which they have themselves? Do they lecture them constantly? every day, either in the languages or sciences? Do they instruct them regularly and thoroughly, in logic, ethics, geometry, physics, and metaphysics? Are there not some, who, instea instead of once a day, do not lecture them once a week? perhaps not once a month, if once a quarter? Are not these precious instructers of youth? Indeed, when I consider many of the Tutors who were my contemporaries, (and I doubt they are not much mended since,) I cannot believe the want of such instructers to be an irreparable loss. 19. "Well, but they lose also the advantage of the public exercises, as well as of those in their several Colleges." Alas, what are these exercises? Excuse me if I speak with all simplicity. I never found them any other than an idle, useless interruption of my useful studies. Pray, of what use are the stated disputations for degrees? Are they not mere grimace? trifling beyond expression? And how little preferable to these are most of the disputations in our several Colleges! What worthy subjects are usually appointed for the scholars to dispute upon! And just suitable to the importance of the subject is the management of it. What are the usual examinations for the degree of a Bachelor or Master of Arts? Are they not so horribly, shockingly superficial as none could believe if he did not hear them? What is that, which should be the most solemn exercise we perform, for a Master of Arts' degree? The reading six lectures in the schools, three in natural, and three in moral philosophy. Reading them to whom? To the walls: it being counted an affront for any one that has ears to hear them. This is literally true: you know it is. But what an execrable insult upon com-mon sense! These are the public exercises: and is it a loss to have nothing to do with them? to spend all our time in what directly tends to improve us in the most useful knowledge.