a public place, wherein, the languages, the arts, or sciences, are taught. Thus we say, a grammar school, a writing school, a school of natural philosophy, &c.—The word is formed from the Latin schola, which, according to Du Cange, signifies discipline and correction; he adds, that it was anciently used, in general, for all places where several persons met together, either to study, to converse, or do any other matter. Accordingly, there were schola palatinae, being the several posts wherein the emperor's guards were placed; schola senatoriorum, schola gentilium, &c. At length the term palled off to civil magistrates; and accordingly in the code we meet with schola charitableiorum, schola agentium, &c.; and even to ecclesiastics, as schola cantorum, schola facerdotum, &c.

The Hebrews were always very diligent to teach and study the laws that they had received from Moses. The father of the family studied and taught them in his own family. The Rabbins taught them in the temple, in the synagogues, and in the academies. They pretend, that even before the deluge there were schools for knowledge and piety, of which the patriarchs had the direction.—They place Adam at their head, then Enoch, and lastly Noah. Melchisedec, as they say, kept a school in the city of Kajrath-sepher, otherwise Hebron, in Palestine. Abraham, who had been instructed by Heber, taught in Chaldea and in Egypt. From him the Egyptians learned astronomy and arithmetic. Jacob succeeded Abraham in the office of teaching. The scripture says, he was "a plain man dwelling in tents;" which, according to the Chaldee paraphrase, is, "that he was a perfect man, and a minister of the house of doctrine."

All this, indeed, must be very precarious and uncertain. It cannot be doubted but that Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel, instructed the people in the wilderness, and that many good Israelites were very industrious to instruct their families in the fear of God. But all this does not prove to us that there were any such schools as we are now inquiring after. Under Joshua we see a kind of academy of the prophets, where the children of the prophets, that is, their disciples, lived in the exercise of a retired and solitary life, in study, in the meditation and reading of the law of God. There were schools of the prophets at Naioth in Ramah; 1 Sam. xix. 12, 20, &c. See the article Prophet.

These schools, or societies of the prophets, were succeeded by the synagogues. See the article Synagogue.

Charity-schools, are those schools which are set apart by public contributions or private donations for the instruction of poor children, who could not otherwise enjoy the benefits of education. In no country are these more numerous than in Great Britain, where charity and benevolence are characteristic of the nation at large. The following is a summary view of the number of charity-schools in Great Britain and Ireland, according to the best information at present, 1795. SCHREVELLIUS, CORNELIUS, a laborious Dutch critic and writer, who has published some editions of the ancient classics more distinguished for their elegance than accuracy: his Greek Lexicon is esteemed the best of all his works. He died in 1667.

SCHULTENS, ALBERT, professor of Hebrew and of the eastern languages at Leyden, and one of the most learned men of the 18th century, was born at Groningen, where he studied till the year 1706, and from thence continued his studies at Leyden and Utrecht. Schultens at length applied himself to the study of Arabic books, both printed and in manuscript; in which he made great progress. A short time after he became minister of Wassenar, and two years after professor of the eastern tongues at Franeker. At length he was invited to Leyden, where he taught Hebrew and the eastern languages with extraordinary reputation till his death, which happened in 1750. He wrote many learned works; the principal of which are, 1. A Commentary on Job, 2 vols. 4to. 2. A Commentary on the Proverbs. 3. Vetus et regia via Hebraizandi. 4. Animadverfiones philologice et critice ad varia loca Veteris Testamenti. 6. An excellent Hebrew grammar, &c. Schultens discovered in all his works found criticism and much learning. He maintained against Gouffet and Driessen, that in order to have a perfect knowledge of Hebrew, it is necessary to join with it, not only the Chaldee and Syriac, but more particularly the Arabic.

SCHURMAN, ANNA MARIA, a most extraordinary German lady. Her natural genius discovered itself at six years of age, when she cut all sorts of figures in paper with her scissors without a pattern. At eight, she learned, in a few days, to draw flowers in a very agreeable manner. At ten, she took but three hours to learn embroidery. Afterwards she was taught music, vocal and instrumental; painting, sculpture, and engraving; in all of which she succeeded admirably. She excelled in miniature-painting, and in cutting portraits upon glass with a diamond. Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, were so familiar to her, that the most learned men were astonished at it. She spoke French, Italian, and English, fluently. Her hand-writing, in almost all languages, was so imitable, that the curious preferred specimens of it in their cabinets. But all this extent of learning and uncommon penetration could not protect her from falling into the errors of Labadie, the famous French enthusiast, who had been banished France for his extravagant tenets and conduct. To this man she entirely attached herself, and accompanied him wherever he went; and even attended him in his last illness at Altena in Holstein. Her works, consisting of De vita humanae termino, and Dissertatio de ingenii multibris ad doctrinam et meliores literas aptitudine, and her Letters to her learned correspondents, were printed at Leyden in 1648; but enlarged in the edition of Utrecht, 1662, in 12mo, under the following title: A. M. Schurman Opuscula Hebraea, Graeca, Latina, Gallica, Profanæ, et Metrica. She published likewise at Altena, in Latin, A Defence of her attachment to Labadie, while she was with him in 1673; not worth reading. She was born at Cologne in 1667, but resided chiefly in Holland, and died in Friesland in 1678.

SCHWARTENBURG,

Sunday SCHOOLS are another species of charity schools lately instituted, and now pretty common in Great Britain. The institution is evidently of the first importance; and if properly encouraged must have a very favourable effect on the morals of the people, as it tends not only to preserve the children of the poor from spending Sunday in idleness, and of consequence in dissipation and vice, but enables them to lay in for the conduct and comfort of their future life a stock of useful knowledge and virtuous principles, which, if neglected in early life, will seldom be sought for or obtained amidst the hurry of business and cares and temptations of the world.

The excellent founder of Sunday-schools was Mr Raikes, a gentleman of Gloucestershire, who, together with Mr Stock, a clergyman in the same county, and who, we believe, was equally instrumental in the business with Mr Raikes, shewed the example, and convinced many of the utility of the plan. From Gloucestershire the institution was quickly adopted in every county and almost every town and parish of the kingdom; and we have only further to remark on a plan so generally known, so much approved, and so evidently proper, that we hope men of eminence and weight will always be found sufficiently numerous and willing to bestow their time and countenance in promoting it to the utmost of their power.