I  was  not  a  little  pleafed,  the  other  day,
upon  paying  a  vifit  at  the  houfe  of  a  perfon
of  diftinclion  in  the  country  ^  to  find  the

S  family


258      OLLAPODRIDA.     N°  26.
family  aflembled  round  a  large  ^  table,  co-
vered with  maps,  and  globes,  and  books,
at  the  upper  end  of  which  fat  a  young  lady
like  a  profefFor  reading  from  the  chair.  In
her  hand  fhe  held  a  newfpaper.  Her  father
told  me,  he  had  long  accuftomed  her,  while
reading  one  of  thofe  vehicles  of  intelli-
gence, to  acquaint  herfelf  with  the  feverai
towns  and  countries  mentioned,  by  turning
to  the  names  in  Salmon's  Gazetteer,  and
then  finding  them  out  upon  the  globe,  or  a
map ;  in  which  fhe  was  become  fo  great  a
proficient,  as  to  be  at  that  time  in  truth
giving  a  lecture  in  geography  to  her  younger
brothers  and  fifiers.  It  was  his  farther  in-
tention, he  faid,  that  from  Campbell's
Prefent  State  of  Europe ,  fhe  mould  acquire
a  jfficient  knowledge  of  the  hiftory  of  the
kingdoms  around  us,  as  well  as  our  own,
to  form  an  idea  of  their  importance  and  Jn-
terefls  refpecYively,  and  the  relation  each
bears  to  the  reft.  Verily,  thought  I  to
myfelf,  this  is  reading  a  aewfpaper  to  fome
purpofe  !

Children,


N°  26.     OLLAPODRIDA.       259

Children,  very  early  in  life,  are  eager  for
a  fight  of  the  newfpaper.  By  being  called
upon,  in  a  free  and  eafy  way,  for  fome
little  account  of  what  is  in  it,  they  may  be
gradually  brought  to  read  with  attention,
and  to  fix  upon  thofe  articles  which  are
mod  worthy  of  attention  ;  as  alfo  to  re-
member what  they  have  read,  from  one  day
to  another,  and  put  things  together.
