Page images
PDF
EPUB

solicitqus to maintain the esteem of his successive assistants in the family, by his own behaviour to them, and the respect, which he required from the students to them: And they thought themselves happy in his friendship, and the opportunities they had, by his converse, instructions and example, to improve themselves, while they were assisting in the education of others. As the method of education in the seminaries of protestant dissenters is little known, it may be proper to give some general account of his; which bears a near resemblance to others of the kind. He chose to have as many of his students in his own family as his house would contain, that they might be more immediately under his eye and government. The orders of this seminary were such, as suited a society of students; in a due medium between the rigour of school discipline, and an unlimited indulgence. As he knew that diligence in redeeming their time was necessary to their attention to business, and improvement of their minds, it was an established law, that every student should rise at six o'clock in the summer, and seven in the winter. A monitor was weekly appointed to call them, and they were to appear in the public room, soon after the fixed hour. Those who did not appear were subject to a pecuniary penalty, or, if that did not cure their sloth, to prepare an additional academical exercise; and the monitor's neglect was a double fine. Their tutor set them an example of diligence, being generally present with them at these early hours. When they were thus assembled, a prayer was offered up, suited to their circumstances, as students, by himself when present, or by them in their turns. Then they retired to their respective closets till the time of family worship. The Doctor began that service with a short prayer for the divine presence and blessing. Some of the students read a chapter of the Old Testament from Hebrew into English, which he expounded critically, and drew practical inferences from it; a psalm was then sung and he prayed. But on Lord's-day mornings something entirely devotional and practical was read instead of the usual exposition. In the evening, the worship was conducted in the same method, only a chapter of the New Testament was read by the students from Greek into English, which he expounded; and the senior students in rotation prayed. They, who boarded in other houses

skill in the Greek and Latin Classics, as well as to their ability for instructing the young men in certain departments of mathematical and philosophical science. Among Dr. Doddridge's assistants, besides Mr. Orton, may be named the late Rev. Dr. Aikin, and the Rev. Mr. James Robertson, who has been for many years professor of oriental literature in the university of Edinburgh.-K.

in the town, were obliged to attend his family worship and take their turns in reading and prayer, as well as to perform it in the several houses where they lived. Those who were absent from it were subject to a fine, and, if it were frequent, to a public reprehension before the whole society. By this method of conducting the religious services of his family, his pupils had an opportunity, during their course, of hearing him expound most of the Old Testament, and all the New Testament more than once, to their improvement as students and christians. He recommended it to them to take hints of his illustrations and remarks, as what would be useful to them in future life, especially if their situation or circumstances prevented their having the works of the best commentators. He advised them to get the Old Testament and Wetstein's Greek Testament, interleaved in quarto, in which to write the most considerable remarks for the illustration of the scriptures, which occurred in his expositions, and in their own reading, conversation and reflections. The Family Expositor sufficiently shews, how worthy his remarks were of being written and retained, and how his family was daily entertained and instructed.-Soon after breakfast, he took the several classes in their order and lectured to each about an hour. His lectures were generally confined to the morning; as he chose to devote the afternoon to his private studies and pastoral visits. His assistant was employed at the same time in lecturing to those, whom he had more immediately under his

He has given some general account of the course of his pupils' studies in his short memoirs of the life and character of Mr. Thomas Steffe, so that I have little more to do on this head, than transcribe it.

One of the first things he expected from his pupils, was to learn Rich's short hand, which he wrote himself, and in which his lectures were written; that they might transcribe them, make extracts from the books they read and consulted, with ease and speed, and save themselves many hours in their future compositions. Care was taken in the first year of their course, that they should retain and improve that knowledge of Greek and Latin, which they had acquired at school, and gain such knowledge of Hebrew, if they had not learned it before, that they might be able to read the Old Testament in its original language: A care very important and necessary! To this end, besides the course of lectures in a morning, classical lectures were read every evening, generally by his assistant, but sometimes by himself. If any of his pupils were deficient in their knowledge of Greek, the seniors, who were best skilled in it, were appointed

to instruct them at other times. Those of them, who chose it, were also taught French. He was more and more convinced, the longer he lived, of the great importance of a learned, as well as a pious education for the ministry: And finding that some who came under his care were not competently acquainted with classical knowledge, he formed a scheme to assist youths in their preparations for academical studies, who discovered a promising genius and a serious temper. He met with encouragement in this scheme from the countenance and contributions of many of his friends, and had some instructed under his eye; but as it only commenced about two years before his death, much progress could not be made in it.*-Systems of logic, rhetoric, geography and metaphysics were read during the first year of their course, and they were referred to particular passages in other authors upon these subjects, which illustrated the points, on which the lectures had turned.† To these were added lectures on the principles of geometry and algebra. These studies taught them to keep their attention fixed, to distinguish their ideas with accuracy and to dispose their arguments in a clear, concise and convincing manner. After these studies were finished, they were introduced to the knowledge of trigonometry, conic sections and celestial mechanics. A system of natural and experimental philosophy, comprehending mechanics, statics, hydrostatics, optics, pneumatics, and astronomy, was read to them; with references to the best authors on these subjects. This system was illustrated by a neat and pretty large philosophical apparatus; part of which was the gift of some of his friends, and the remainder purchased

* Dr. Doddridge was not, in every instance, so attentive to the classical preparation of the students received into his seminary as could have been wished. Sometimes he admitted serious young men, of perhaps three or four and twenty years of age, who had very little of that preparation, and who never distinguished themselves in this respect, by their subsequent improvement. He thought, however, that they might be useful in plain country congregations; which was undoubtedly the case. Several of them, though not abounding in learning, sustained the ministerial character with a decent reputation.-K.

The logic was Dr. Watts's, which was very fully pursued. On rhetoric the lectures were slender and imperfect, being only a slight enlargement of a small compendium that had been drawn up by Mr. Jennings. Geography was better taught; but of metaphysics there was only given at this time a brief epitome, as the great objects it presents, were afterwards more amply considered.-K.

A collection of important propositions, taken chiefly from Sir Isaac Newton, and demonstrated, independent on the rest. They relate especially, though not only, to centripetal and centrifugal forces.

Muschenbroeck was made use of in my time as a text book, and afterwards Rowning. For the particular objects to which they relate, recourse was had to Clare on Fluids, and Keill's Astronomy.-K.

by a small contribution from each of the students at his entrance on that branch of science. Some other articles were touched upon, especially history, natural and civil, as the students proceeded in their course, in order to enlarge their understandings and give them venerable ideas of the works and providence of God. A distinct view of the anatomy of the human body was given them, as it tended to promote their veneration and love for the great architect of this amazing frame, whose wonders of providential influence also are so apparent in its support, nourishment and motion: and all concurred to render them agreeable and useful in conversation, and to subserve their honourable appearance in the ministry.-A large system of Jewish antiquities, which their tutor had drawn up, was read to them in the latter years of their course, in order to illustrate numberless passages in the scriptures, which cannot be well understood without a knowledge of them. In this branch of science likewise, they were referred to the best writers upon the subject. Lampe's Epitome of Ecclesiastical History was the ground work of a series of lectures upon that subject; as was Buddæi Compendium Historia Philosophica of lectures on the doctrines of the ancient philosophers in their various sects.

But the chief object of their attention and study, during three years of their course, was his system of divinity, in the largest extent of the word; including what is most material in pneumatology and ethics. In this Compendium were contained, in as few words as perspicuity would admit, the most material things which had occurred to the author's observation, relating to the nature and properties of the human mind, the proof of the existence and attributes of God, the nature of moral virtue, the various branches of it, the means subservient to it, and the sanctions by which its precepts, considered as God's natural law, are enforced; under which head the natural evidence of the immortality of the soul was largely examined. To this was added some survey of what is, and generally has been, the state of virtue in the world; from whence the transition was easy to the need of a revelation, the encouragement to hope for it, and the nature of the evidence, which might probably attend it. From hence the work naturally proceeded to the evidence produced in proof of that revelation, which the scriptures contain. The genuineness, credibility and inspiration of these sacred books

* Mr. Orton mentions particularly, natural and civil history; but these two objects do not fall under my recollection. At most they were scarcely enough considered to deserve a distinct specification.-K.

were then cleared up at large, and vindicated from the most considerable objections, which infidels have urged. When this foundation was laid, the chief doctrines of scripture were drawn out into a large detail; those relating to the Father, Son and Spirit, to the original and fallen state of man, to the scheme of our redemption by Christ, and the offices of the Spirit, as the great agent in the Redeemer's kingdom. The nature of the covenant of grace was particularly stated, and the several precepts and institutions of the gospel, with the views which it gives us of the concluding scenes of our world and of the eternal state, bevond it. What seemed most evident on these heads. was thrown into the propositions, some of which were problematical; and the chief controversies relating to each were thrown into the Scholia; and all illustrated by a very large collection of references, containing perhaps, one lecture with another, the substance of forty or fifty octavo pages, in which the sentiments and reasonings of the most considerable authors on all these heads, might be seen in their own words. It was the business of the students to read and contract these references, in the intervals between the lectures; of which, only three were given in a week, and sometimes but two. This was the author's capital work, as a tutor. He had spent much labour upon it, and was continually enriching it with his remarks on any new productions upon the several subjects handled in it. This system his pupils transcribed. It is now published; and the world will judge of its value and suitableness to answer the end proposed, and will observe how judiciously it was calculated to lead the students gradually on from the principles, to the most important and difficult parts of theological knowledge. His heart was much set upon their diligent application to the study of this. system; and the rather, as he thought the study of divinity was too much neglected in many seminaries, and other branches of science of infinitely less importance in themselves, especially to persons intended for the ministry, were too closely pursued*.-Besides the expositions in the family, above men

* I am no stranger to the character that was given of this work in the Monthly Review. But that Account of it was drawn up in so very injudicious and uncandid a manner, and the author of that article appeared to be so utterly unacquainted with the subject he wrote upon, that no intelligent reader could be much influenced by it. The Doctor's friends therefore thought it needless to enter into a particular confutation of it, and chose to trust the work to make its way by its own merit and the character of its author.

As another edition may soon be demanded, it may not be amiss to suggest, that it would be extremely useful to enlarge the list of references, by introducing the names and productions of those writers who have treated upon the several matters

« PreviousContinue »