The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

3l6LETTERS^ TRACTS, b'c*.ftudcnts to know a little about compofition ;the compofingone difcourfe a-yenr produces the fame effeclilill ; and little alteration is made, though le6^ures oncompofition are now delivered.But if, inftead of one difcourfe, there were ten ortwelve difcourfcs compofed yearly by each ftudent,the advantage of the leftures would foon appear.Though thefe difcourfes were not all delivered fromthe dclk, but only looked over, and the errors in com- _pofiticn pointed out by the mailer,a wonderful pro- mficiency would be made ; and your pofition, that the ^fcholars of an able and of a weak profcffor are juliequal, would no longer be well founded.In the mean time, I allow the pofition. I fuppofeI have touched at the caufesof it, which you did not.The remedy, I think, is obvious, if teachers willpleafe to be at a little more pains ; without whichthings will go on as before *, and the rifing generationwill have no caufe to value themfelves in pointof compofition above their predeceilbrs, notwithltajidingthe beil lectures they may hear.But I would fain hope, that along with fo goodle6tures more frequent compofition will aifo foon bebrought in fafhion. When the precepts are fq welldelivered, what pity is it tliat the pra6iice fliould befo much negletled ! The udlity of conjoining themwill fome time appear. Indeed it is manifeil, thatthe jufteit precepts, unlefs they are applied to practice,are very ufelefs things, and very foon forgot.But if one labours to make himfelf mailer of the ar