| Citation |
BEP(F.739.029
8 Oct 1739:11,12 (218)
From the London Magazine for July, 1739. The Modern
Travelling Education Exposed.
Habits are most easily contracted, or alter'd, in our
tender years; for they strengthen with age, and at last
become so deeply engrafted, as never to be remov'd. How
then can we justify what is much worse than neglect in the
education of our youth? I mean giving into the modern
fashion of educating them ill.
Petit Monsieur Anglois, at about 8 or 9 years of age, is
sent to a French academy, in order to improve his mind with
learning; that is, dancing and fencing; where he is taught
to forget the little English, which his French maid had left
him; and to compleat an education is so wisely begun, before
he is 16 he is sent over to France, where having
accomplish'd his exercises, he makes the tour of Europe, as
much to his own improvement, as to the credit and honour of
his native country; to which about [in the] time of his
coming at age, he returns the prettiest dress'd man alive,
just old enough to take his seat in Parliament and to pass
is guardian's accounts, or join with his father [illeg.] a
recovery.
The young gentlemen are sent abroad to acquire taste, a [
]ern word for extravagance and folly.----What wishing
[illeg.]tances have I seen cast out by men and women at an
opera ! I verily believe that a few notes higher would have
thrown half the audience into each others embraces---This is
taste---To poison one's friends with pampering sauces, and
the highest provocatives, is taste---In short, I have known
taste turn the heads of several wise men, and reduce
multitudes of free men to dependency and slavery.
The grand tour is said to cost this Kingdom at least
200,000l. a year; and I should be glad to be inform'd, what
improvements our laws and constitutions have received from
it. it may be very pretty and entertaining to hear these
young lycurgi discourse about singers, fidlers, camaios,
intaglios, trade, excises, bastilles, inquisitions, satures,
taylors, ministers, paintings, cookery, conventions,
treaties and government; but to think of their becoming
senators and magistrates, is but a melancholy reflection. .
. [7 more paras.]
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