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can we give ourselves, that we fhall have either inclination, refolution, or power, to ftop and turn back, and recover the right way from which we have fo long and fo widely wandered, and enter upon a new life, when perhaps our ftrength now faileth us, and we know not how near we may be to our journey's end? These reflections I have fuggefted principally for the fake of those, who, allowing themselves in greater indulgencies than are confiftent with a liberal and virtuous education, give evident proofs that they are not fufficiently aware of the dangerous encroachments, and the peculiar deceitfulness, of pleafurable fin. Happy for them, would they once feriously confider their ways! and no time can be more proper, than when these folemn seasons of recollection and religious dif cipline fhould particularly difpofe them to feriousness and thought. They would then difcover, that though they are awhile carried gently and fupinely down the smooth stream of pleasure, yet foon the torrent will grow too violent to be ftemmed; the waves will arife, and dash them upon rocks, or fink them in whirlpools. It is therefore the part of prudence to stop short while they may, and to divert their courfe into a different channel; which, whatever obstructions and difficulties they may labour with at first, will every day become more practicable and pleasing, and will affuredly carry them to a ferene and fecure haven.

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On

On Benevolence and Humanity.

YOUTH is the proper feason 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 justice be the foundation of all focial qualities. In your most early intercourfe with the world, and even in your youthful amusements, let no unfairnefs be found. Engrave on your mind that facred rule, of doing in all things to others, according as you wish that they should do unto you.' For this end, impress yourselves 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 to rank, to regulate the intercourfe of more advanced years. At 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, on whom ignorant and contemptuous young men once looked down with fcorn, have risen to be their fuperiors 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 ease and indulgence contract your affections, and wrap you up in selfish 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 amusements; nor treat even the meanest infect with wanton cruelty.

In order to render yourselves amiable in fociety, correct every appearance of harshness in behaviour. Let that courtesy diftinguish your demeanour, which springs

, not

not fo much from ftudied politenefs, as from a mild and gentle heart. Follow the customs of the world in matters indifferent; but stop when they become finful. Let your manners be fimple and natural; and of courfe they will be engaging. Affectation is certain deformity. By forming yourfelves on fantaftic models, and vying with one another in every reigning folly, the young begin with being ridiculous, and end in being

vicious.

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On the Advantages of Conversation.

T is with much pleasure I look back upon that philofophical week which I lately enjoyed at

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as there is no part, perhaps, of focial life which affords more real fatisfaction than thofe hours which one paffes in rational and unreferved converfation. The free communication of fentiments amongst a set of ingenuous and speculative friends, fuch as thofe you gave me the opportunity of meeting, throws the mind into the most advantageous exercife, and fhews the ftrength or weakness of its opinions, with greater force of conviction than any other method we can employ.

That "it is not good for man to be alone," is true in more views of our fpecies than one; and fociety gives ftrength to our reafon, as well as polish to our manners. The foul, when left entirely to her own folitary contemplations, is infenfibly drawn by a fort of conftitutional bias, which generally leads her opinions to the fide of her inclinations. Hence it is that the contracts those peculiarities of reasoning, and little habits of thinking, which so often confirm her in the most fantastical errors. But nothing is more likely to recover the mind from this false bent, than the counterwarmth of impartial debate. Converfation opens our views, and gives our faculties a more vigorous play; it puts us upon turning our notions on every fide, and holds them up to a light that discovers those latent flaws, which would probably have lain concealed in the gloom of unagitated abstraction. Accordingly, one may remark, that most of those wild doctrines, which have been let loose upon the world, have generally owed their birth to perfons whose circumstances or difpofitions have given them the feweft opportunities of canvaffing their respective systems in the way of free and friendly debate. Had the authors of many an exE

travagant

travagant hypothefis difcuffed their principles in private circles, ere they had given vent to them in public, the obfervation of Varro had never, perhaps, been made, (or never, at leaft, with fo much juftice) that "there is no opinion fo abfurd, but has fome philofopher or "other to produce in its fupport."

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