life, it is your part, not to affume the reins as yet into your hands; but to commit yourselves to the guidance of the more experienced, and to become wife by the wildom of those who have gone before you. Of all the follies incident to youth, there are none which either deform its prefent appearance, or blast the profpect of its future profperity, more than felf conceit, prefamption, and obftinacy. By checking its natural progress in improvement, they fix it in long immaturity and frequently produce milchiefs which can never be repaired Yet thefe are vices too commonly found among the young. Big with enterprize, and elated by hope, they refolve to treft for fuccefs to none but themselves. Fall of their own abilities, they deride the admonitions which are given them by their friends, as the timorous fuggetions of age. Too wife to learn, too impatient to deliberate, too forward to be refrained, they plange, with precipitant indifcretion, into the midst of all the dangers with which life

abounds.

Blair.

12. Sincerity and Truth recommended. It is accellary to recommend to you fincelty and truth. This is the bafis of every virtue. That darkness of character, where wienie no heart; thofe foldings of art, through which no native affection is allowed to penetrate, prefent an object, unamiable La every feafon of life, but particularly dious in youth. If, at an age when the art is warm, when the emotions are frong, and when nature is expected to fhew henelf free and open, you can already fimile and deceive, what are we to look for, when you thall be longer hackneyed in the ways of men; when intereft fhall have completed the obduration of your heart, and experifree fall have improved you in all the arts of guile? Diffimulation in youth is the forerunner of perfidy in old age. Its fait appearance is the fatal omen of growng depravity and future fhame. It dedes parts and learning; obfcures the atre of every accomplishment; and finks you into contempt with God and man. As you value, therefore, the approbation of Haven, or the eftcem of the world, cultivate the love of truth. In all your proceedings, be direct and confiftent. Ingeruity and candour poffefs the moft powerful charm; they befpeak univerfal favour, and carry an apology for almoft every fail ing. The pata of truth is a plain and fafe path; that of falfehood is a perplexing

maze. After the first departure from fincerity, it is not in your power to stop. One artifice unavoidably leads on to another; till, as the intricacy of the labyrinth increafes, you are left entangled in your own fnare. Deceit difcovers a little mind, which flops at temporary expedients, without rifing to comprehenfive views of conduct. It betrays, at the fame time, a daftardly fpirit. It is the refource of one who wants courage to avow his defigns, or to rest upon himfelf. Whereas, openness of character difplays that generous boldness, which ought to diftinguish youth. To fet out in the world with no other principle than a crafty attention to intereft, betokens one who is deftined for creeping through the inferior walks of life: but to give an early preference to honour above gain, when they ftand in competition; to defpite every advantage, which cannot be attained without dithoneft arts; to brook no meanness, and to ftoop to no diffimulation; are the indications of a great mind, the prefages of future eminence and diftinction in life. At the fame time this virtuous fincerity is perfectly confillent with the most prudent vigilance and caution. It is oppofed to cunning, not to true wifdom. It is not the fimplicity of a weak and improvident, but the candour of an enlarged and noble mind; of one who fcorns deceit, because he accounts it both bafe and unprofitable; and who feeks no difguife, because he needs none to hide him.

Ibid.

$33. Benevolence and Humanity. Youth is the proper feafon of cultivating the benevolent and humane affections. As a great part of your happiness is to depend on the connections which you form with others, it is of high importance that you acquire betimes the temper and the manners which will render fuch connections comfortable. Let a fenfe of juftice be the foundation of all your focial qualities. In your moft early intercourfe with the world, and even in your youthful amusements, let no unfairness be found. Engrave on your mind that facred rule, of doing in all things to others, according as you wish that they fhould do unto you. For this end, imprefs yourfelves with a deep fense of the original and natural equality of men. Whatever advantages of birth or fortune you poffefs, never difplay them with an oftentatious fuperiority. Leave the fubordinations of rank to regulate the intercourfe of more advanced years. At

prefent

prefent it becomes you to act among your companions, as man with man. Remember how unknown to you are the viciffitudes of the world; and how often they, en whomignorant and contemptuous young men once looked down with fcorn, have rifen to be their superiors in future years. Compaffion is an emotion of which you never ought to be ashamed. Graceful in youth is the tear of fympathy, and the heart that melts at the tale of woe. Let not eafe and indulgence contract your affections, and wrap you up in felfish enjoyment. Accuftom yourselves to think of the diftreffes of human life; of the folitary cottage, the dying parent, and the weeping orphan. Never fport with pain and diftrefs, in any of your amufements; nor treat even the meaneft infect with wanton cruelty. Blair.

$34. Courtesy and engaging Manners. In order to render yourselves amiable in fociety, correct every appearance of harfhness in behaviour. Let that courtesy diftinguish your demeanour, which fprings not fo much from ftudied politenefs, as from a mild and gentle heart. Follow the customs of the world in matters indifferent; but ftop when they become finful. Let your manners be fimple and natural; and of course they will be engaging. Affectation is certain deformity. By forming yourselves on fantastic models, and vying with one another in every reigning folly, the young begin with being ridiculous, and end in being vicious and immoral.

Ibid.

$35. Temperance in Pleasure recommended. Let me particularly exhort youth to temperance in pleasure. Let me admonish them, to beware of that rock on which thousands, from race to race, continue to fplit. The love of pleasure, natural to man in every period of his life, glows at this age with exceffive ardour. Novelty adds fresh charms, as yet, to every gratification. The world appears to spread a continual feaft; and health, vigour, and high fpirits, invite them to partake of it without reftraint. In vain we warn them of latent dangers. Religion is accufed of infufferable feverity, in prohibiting enjoyment; and the old, when they offer their admonition, are upbraided with having forgot that they once were young.-And yer, my friends, to what do the constraints of religion, and the counfels of age, with

respect to pleasure, amount? They may all be comprised in a few words-not to hurt yourselves, and not to hurt others, by your purfuit of pleasure. Within thefe bounds, pleasure is lawful; beyond them it becomes criminal, because it is ruinous. Are these restraints any other than what a wife man would choose to impose on himfelf? We call you not to renounce pleafure, but to enjoy it in fafety. Instead of abridging it, we exhort you to pursue it on an extenfive plan. an extenfive plan. We propose measures for fecuring its poffeffion, and for prolonging its duration.

§ 36.

Ibid.

Whatever violates Nature, cannot

afford true Pleafure. Confult your whole nature. Confider yourselves not only as fenfitive, but as rational beings; not only as rational, but focial; not only as focial, but immortal. Whatever violates your nature in any of these respects, cannot afford true pleasure; any more than that which undermines an effential part of the vital fyftem, can promote health. For the truth of this conclufion, we appeal not merely to the authority of religion, nor to the teftimony of the aged, but to yourselves, and your own experience. We afk, whether you have not found, that in a course of criminal excefs, your pleasure was more than compenfated by fucceeding pain? Whether, if not from every particular inftance, yet from every habit, at least, of unlawful gratification, there did not fpring fome thorn to wound you; there did not arife fome confequence to make you repent of it in the iffue? How long will you repeat the fame round of pernicious folly, and tamely expose yourselves to be caught in the fame fnare? If you have any confideration, or any firmness left, avoid temptations, for which you have found yourfelves unequal, with as much care as you would fhun peftilential infection. Break off all connections with the loose and profigate. Ibid.

$37. Irregular Pleasures. By the unhappy exceffes of irregular pleafures in youth, how many amiable difpofitions are corrupted or destroyed! How many rifing capacities and powers are fuppreffed! How many flattering hopes of parents "and friends are totally extinguished! Who but muft drop a tear over human nature, when he beholds that morning, which arofe fo bright, overcaft

with fuch untimely darkness; that goodhumour, which once captivated all hearts, that vivacity which sparkled in every company, thefe abilities which were fitted for adorning the highest stations, all facrificed at the fhrine of low fenfuality; and one who was formed for running the fair career of life in the midst of public efteem, cut off by his vices at the beginning of his courfe; or funk for the whole of it into infignificancy and contempt!--Thefe, O urful Pleasure, are thy trophies! It is thus that, co-operating with the foe of God and man, thou degradeft human honour, and blaf the opening profpects of humin felicity!

Blair.

36. Industry and Application. Diligence, induftry, and proper improvement of time, are material duties of the young. To no purpofe are they endoa d with the best abilities, if they want atty for exerting them. Unavailing, is cafe, will be every direction that Cabe given them, either for their temporal or fpiritual welfare. In youth, the habits of indufy are most easily acquired: in youth the incentives to it are strongest, frem ambition and from duty, from emulation and hope, from all the profpects which the beginning of life affords. If, dead to thefe calls, you already languish in flothful inaction, what will be able to quicken the more fluggish current of advancing years? Industry is not only the inftrument of improvement, but the foundation of pleafure. Nothing is fo oppofite to the true enjoyment of life, as the relaxed and feeble ftate of an indolent mind. He who is a ftranger to induftry, may pedefs, but he cannot enjoy. For it is labour only which gives the relish to pleafure. It is the appointed vehicle of every good man. It is the indifpenfible condion of our poffeffing a found mind in a found body. Sloth is fo inconfiftent with both, that it is hard to determine, whether it be a greater foe to virtue, or to health and happiness. Inactive as it is in itfelf, its effects are fatally powerful. Though it appear a flowly-flowing stream, yet it unGermines all that is ftable and flourishing. It not only faps the foundation of every virtue, but pours upon you a deluge of crimes and evils. It is like water which Ent purreñes by ftagnation, and then fends up noxious vapours, and fills the atmosphere Fly, therefore, from idlenefs, the certain parent both of guilt and of

with death.

ruin. And under idleness I include, not mere inaction only, but all that circle of trifling occupations, in which too many faunter away their youth; perpetually engaged in frivolous fociety, or public amufements; in the labours of dress, or the oftentation of their perfons-Is this the foundation which you lay for future ufefulnefs and esteem? By fuch accomplishments do you hope to recommend yourfelves to the thinking part of the world, and to answer the expectations of your friends and your country?-Amusements youth requires: it were vain, it were cruel, to prohibit them. But, though allowable as the relaxation, they are most culpable as the bufinefs, of the young. For they then become the gulph of time, and the poifon of the mind. They foment bad paflions. They weaken the manly powers. They fink the native vigour of youth into contemptible effeminacy.

Ibid.

$39. The Employment of Time. Redeeming your time from fuch dangerous waite, feek to fill it with employments which you may review with fatisfaction. The acquifition of knowledge is one of the most honourable occupations of youth. The defire of it difcovers a liberal mind, and is connected with many accomplishments and many virtues. But though your train of life fhould not lead you to ftudy, the courfe of education always furnifhes proper employments to a well difpofed mind. Whatever you purfue, be emulous to excel. Generous ambition, and fenfibility to praise, are, especially at your age, among the marks of virtue. Think not, that any affluence of fortune, or any elevation of rank, exempts you from the duties of application and indufry. Induftry is the law of our being; it is the demand of nature, of reafon, and of God. Remember always, that the years which now pafs over your heads, leave permanent memorials behind them. From your thoughtlefs minds they may efcape; but they remain in the remembrance of God. They form an important part of the register of your life. They will hereafter bear teftimony, either for or against you at that day when, for all your actions, but particularly for the employments of youth, you must give an account to God. Whether your future courfe is defined to be long or fhort, after this manner it fhould commence; and, if it continue to be thus con

ducted,

$40. The Neceflity of depending for Suc

cefs on the Bleffing of Heaven.

Let me finish the fubject, with recalling your attention to that dependance on the bleffing of Heaven, which, amidst all your endeavours after improvement, you ought continually to preferve. It is too common with the young, even when they refolve to tread the path of virtue and honour, to fet out with prefumptuous confidence in themfelves. Trufting to their own abilities for carrying them fuccefsfully through life, they are carelefs of applying to God, or of deriving any affiftance from what they are apt to reckon the gloomy difcipline of religion. Alas! how little do they know the dangers which await them! Neither human wifdom, nor human virtue, unfupported by religion, are equal for the trying fituations which often occur in life. By the fhock of temptation, how frequently have the moft virtuous intentions been overthrown! Under the preflure of difafter, how often has the greateft conftancy funk! Deftitute of the favour of God, you are in no better fituation, with all your boated abilities, than orphans left to wander in a tracklefs defert, without any guide to conduct them, or any fhelter to cover them from the gathering ftorm. Correct, then, this ill-founded arrogance. Expect not that your happiness can be independent of him who made you. By faith and repentance, apply to the Redeemer of the world. By piety and prayer, feek the protection of the God of Heaven. Ibid.

41. The Neceffity of an early and clofe

Application to Wifdem.

It is neceflary to habituate our minds, in our younger years, to fome employment which may engage our thoughts, and fill the capacity of the foul at a riper age. For, however we may roam in youth from folly to folly, too volatile for reft, too foft and effeminate for industry, ever ambitious to make a fplendid figure; yet the time will come when we shall outgrow the relish of childish amufements: and, if we are not provided with a tafte for manly fatisfactions to fucceed in their room, we muft of courfe become miferable, at an age more difficult to be pleafed. While men, however unthinking and unemployed, enjoy an inexhauftible flow of vigorous fpi

rits; a conftant fucceffion of gay ideas, which flatter and fport in the brain, makes them pleafed with themfelves, and with every frolic as trifling as themfelves: but when the ferment of their blood abates, and the freshness of their youth, like the morning dew, paffes away, their spirits flag for want of entertainments more fatisfactory in themfelves, and more fuited to a manly age; and the foul, from a sprightly impertinence, from quick fenfations, and florid defires, fubfides into a dead calm, and finks into a flat ftupidity. The fire of a glowing imagination (the property of youth) may make folly look pleafing, and lend a beauty to objects, which have none inherent in them; juft as the fun beams may paint a cloud, and diverfify it with beautiful ftains of light, however dark, unfubftantial, and empty in itself. But nothing can fhine with undiminished luftre, but religion and knowledge, which are effentially and intrinfically bright. Take it therefore for granted, which you will find by experience, that nothing can be long entertaining, but what is in fome measure beneficial; becaufe nothing else will bear a calm and fedate review.

You may be fancied for a while, upon the account of good-nature, the infeparable attendant upon a flush of fanguine health, and a fulness of youthful fpirits: but you will find, in process of time, that among the wife and good, ufelefs goodnature is the object of pity, ill-nature of hatred; but nature beautified and im proved by an affemblage of moral and intellectual endowments, is the only object of a folid and lafting esteem. Seed. § 42. The Unhappiness confequent on the

Neglect of early improving the Mind.

There is not a greater inlet to mifery and vices of all kinds, than the not knowing how to pafs our vacant hours. For what remains to be done, when the first part of their lives, who are not brought up to any manual employment, is flipt away without an acquired relifh for reading, or tafte for other rational fatisfactions? That they fhould pursue their pleasures?-But, religion apart, common prudence will warn them to tie up the wheel as they begin to go down the hill of life. Shall they then apply themselves to their ftudies? Alas! the feed-time is already paft: The enterprizing and fpirited ardour of youth being over, without having been applied to those valuable purposes for which it was given,

all