discrimination, but unspeakably more anxious that you should habitually feel and constantly evidence that sweet consideration for the feelings and the situations of others, which is one distinguishing trait of the love that seeketh not her own' and ' pleaseth not herself."

You will remark that in speaking of biography I do not recommend to you any single book. Our lists are very full in this fascinating class of literature, and you will be guided by circumstances, and by the advice of judicious friends, until you, yourself, have, by reason of use, your senses exercised, to discern between good and evil.'

6

I have spoken of religious reading, history, and biography; I have not comprised all in this paper that I had intended, but I have been led to dwell longer on each head than I had originally meant. I now fear that, like the Sultana Scheherezade, of story-telling memory, I must break off somewhat abruptly, with the hope of resuming my subject another day. If life and power be continued to me, and your patience hold out, you will hear from me again.

LETTER IV.

My present letter ought to make some allusion to what are commonly considered scientific pursuits. Start not at the proposed subject.

I follow a judicious author, in assuring you that the cultivation of every kind of knowledge is necessary for the full developement of the faculties. It gives the power of surveying a given subject on every side. The one-sided view peculiar to little minds, and to those which have not been properly cultivated, is the source of much mis-apprehension, much wrong judgment, and much positiveness of opinion. Of course, you remember the pretty French saying-Toutes les vertus sont sœurs, et tous les vices sont frères.' There is the same general connexion among the departments of human knowledge. Despise none-cultivate, as far

as you have time and opportunity, all. I do not wish you to be a smatterer and pretender-quite the contrary; but there is a radical distinction between a smattering, and a small portion of legallyacquired and well-arranged knowledge.

I give you two rules on this head. Take care to know well what you do know; and never pretend to know what you do not. Independently of higher motives, I can assure you that this last species of deception is a peculiarly hopeless one. You are not only, like the Jay in the fable, sure to be found out, but, like the same unfortunate biped, you will lose credit even for the acquirements which you may really possess.

All philosophy has been well ranged into two sciences; contemporaneous nature, or natural history; successive nature, or natural philosophy. very little reflection will convince you, that all which man can know respecting the universe, must fall under one of these heads.

A

Natural philosophy has been subdivided into natural philosophy, strictly so called, whose province it is to investigate the changes which are measurable; and chemistry, those which cannot be mathematically computed.

D

The breadth of the field is displayed to you, but whither shall I direct your attention? The mind almost wavers in the magnificent prospect that bursts upon its eye, and is overpowered with the splendid vastness of the works of God. The acknowledgment of Sir Isaac Newton, one of the mightiest intellects that ever was employed in the wonders of creation, is equally correct and humble : "I am but as a little child picking up pebbles on the shore of the great ocean of truth." I cannot but think that it will be a part of the blessedness of heaven, to have our minds opened to behold the glory of God as displayed in creation, as well as in redemption, providence, and grace. Here, indeed, "we see through a glass darkly;" there, reason may be exchanged for intuition, and we may be enabled to make our discoveries by one glance, instead of being obliged to work them out, as we now do, by a slow and gradual process of thought.

Human knowledge is confessedly imperfect, and there are many points, more especially in the ways and works of God, in which the confession of ignorance, and the preservation of a humble silence, are true wisdom. I have very often been struck with the beauty and energy of the inquiry in

Dante, which may fairly be applied to the subject

before us

Or tu chi se' che vuoi seder a scranna
Per giudicar da lungi mille miglia,

Con la veduta corta d'una spanna ?1

We are not forbidden to ask and search; but we are forbidden to scan those secrets which we ought rather to admire and we are not to pride ourselves upon our supposed knowledge, when the sum of our knowledge, like that of Socrates, ought to be an acknowledgment of our utter ignorance.

In order to make any progress in natural philosophy, beyond the first elements, some knowledge of geometry will be necessary. The various uses of this beautiful science, and the advantage of its study to the mind, are generally acknowledged and insisted upon. One of its advantages is, that, unlike many branches, it is safe, nay useful, to know even a little.

In theology, I advised you to keep to the old authors; in science, I reverse the maxim. The discoveries of the moderns have been so numerous

Who art thou that wilt sit at thy desk, judging things a thousand miles off, with the short view of a span ?