these Papers lay by for above two Years unread, and almost forgotten.
After which time, being perus'd and Corrected, they were communicated
to some Friends of the Authors, who judging them capable to be useful,
they are now sent into the World in that Hope.

There is nothing pretended or suppos'd to be in them which is not
obvious: but Truths the most evident, are sometimes overlook'd, or not
sufficiently and universally attended to: And where these are Truths
of moment, it is no ill Service, by frequent representations of them,
to procure them attention.

I think there can be few heartily concerned for the Vice and
Immorality that abounds amongst us, who have not sometimes reflected
upon loose or careless Education, as one cause thereof: But yet the
great weight that right Instruction and Discipline of Youth, is of, in
respect both of Peoples present and future Felicity, is (as I take it)
far from being generally so settl'd in the Minds of Parents, as to be
steadily look'd upon by them as the one thing to that degree
necessary, that without due care taken thereof, all other indeavours,
to render their Children happy, either in this Life, or in that which
is to come, are likely to be very inefficacious.


That right Instruction, in regard of Vertue, consists in joining
together, inseparably, good Principles with early Habits, either of
these being insufficient without the other, is likewise, I presume, no
new Thought: But is yet what appears to me to be very little reflected
upon. When this is duly consider'd, People cannot, I think, but be
soon convinc'd from what Hands the right Instruction spoken of, ought
to come; for nothing can, in my Opinion, be more obvious than that is.