Dear Sir,—I have thought much on the paper I gave you
respecting the future plan of Cecil’s
education. I wrote it in a great hurry, and traced out in general what occurred
to me. I wish only that such parts of it may be executed, as may appear to you
to be practicable, and may not, from its labour, give any disgust to my son; my
great object, however, is that as long as he is under your tuition, he should
direct his principal attention to the Greek and Latin languages. His general
reading both in English and French has been so very extensive, and so far
exceeds what has usually been read by a person of his age, that any further
progress therein ought to give way to his improvement in the two learned
languages. These he can only learn at present. The former he may resume at any
time, and I have no doubt that his natural disposition will incline him to
resume it. I have already observed, in the paper I gave you, that as his
pursuit in mathematics is a favourite object of his own he should be left to
proceed in that at leisure times as his inclination may direct him. I am sorry
to give you this trouble, but I have thought it right in this manner freely to
explain myself, as you must be sensible how much I have this object at heart,
| 30 | MEMOIR OF REV. F. HODGSON. |
