the feeds of harmony.-It foftens animofities, renews endearments, and renders the countenance of man a refreshment to man. It prepoffeffes and wins every heart. It perfuades when every other argument fails; often difarms the fierce, and melts the stubborn.

To the man of humanity the world is generally disposed to ascribe every other good quality; of its influence all in fome degree partake, therefore all love it.

The man of this character rifes in the world without ftruggle, and flourishes without envy; his misfortunes are univerfally lamented, and his failings are eafily forgiven. The inward tranquillity which it promotes is the firft requifite of every pleasurable feeling. It is the calm and clear atmosphere, the ferenity and funshine of the mind.

Attacked by great injuries, the man of mild and gentle spirit will feel what human nature feels; and will defend and refent as his duty allows him but to ight provocations he is happily fuperior. Infpired with noble sentiments, taught to regard, with indulgent eye, the frailties of men, the omiffions of the carelefs, the follies of the imprudent, aud the levity of the fickle; he

retreats

retreats into the calmness of his fpirit, as into an undisturbed fanctuary, and quietly allows the ufual current of life to hold its course.

INDUSTRY.

DILIGENCE, and proper improvement of

time, are material duties of the young.. To no purpose are they endued with the best abilities, if they want activity for exerting them.In youth the habits of industry are moft eafily acquired. In youth the incentives to it are the ftrongest; from ambition and from duty, from emulation and hope, all the profpects which the beginning of life affords..

Industry is not only the inftrument of improvement, but the foundation of pleasure. He who is a stranger to it may poffefs, but cannot enjoy. For it is labour only which gives relish to pleafure. It is the appointed vehicle of every good man. It is the indispensible condition of our poffeffing a found mind in a found body.

We should seek to fill our time with employments which may be reviewed with fatisfaction. The acquifition of knowledge is one of the most

honour

honourable occupations of youth. The defire of it discovers a liberal mind, and is connected with many accomplishments, and many virtues. But though our train of life fhould not lead us to ftudy, the course of education always furnishes proper employments to a well-difpofed mind. Whatever we purfue, we fhould be emulous to excel.

Generous ambition and fenfibility to praife, are, especially at the youthful period, among the marks of virtue. We never ought to think that any affluence of fortune, or any elevation of rank, exempts us from the duties of application and industry; induftry is the law of our being; it is the demand of nature, of reason, and of God.

INTENT OF RELIGION.

IF there be any principle fully afcertained by religion; it is, that this life was intended for

His

a ftate of trial and improvement to man. preparation for a better world required a gradual purification, carried on by fteps of progreffive difcipline. The fituation here affigned him was fuch as to answer this defign, by calling forth all his active powers, by giving full scope to his mo

ral

1

ral dispositions, and bringing to light his whole character. Hence it became proper, that difficulty and temptation should arife in the course of his duty; ample rewards were promised to virtue; but these rewards were left, as yet, in obscurity and diftant prospect.

The impreffions of fenfe were fo balanced againft immortality, as to allow a conflict between faith and fenfe,-between confcience and defire,-between prefent pleasure and future good. In this conflict the fouls of good men are tried, improved and ftrengthened:-in this field their honours are reaped ;-here are formed the capital virtues of fortitude, temperance, and self-denial; -moderation in profperity, patience in adversity, fubmiffion to the will of God, charity and forgiveness to men amidst the various competitions of worldly intereft.

A

LOVE OF JUSTICE.

SENSE of juftice fhould be the foundation of all our focial qualities. In our most early intercourse with the world, and even in our most youthful amufements, no unfairness should be found. That facred rule of doing all things

to others, according as we wish they would do unto us, should be engraved on our minds. For this end, we should imprefs ourfelves with a deep fense of the original, and natural equality of men.

Whatever advantage of birth or fortune we poffefs, we ought never to display them with an oftentatious fuperiority. We fhould leave the fubordinations of rank, to regulate the intercourfe of more advanced years. In youth it becomes us to act among our companions, as man with man. We fhould remember how unknown to us are the viciffitudes of the world; and how often they, on whom ignorant and contemptuous young men once looked down with fcorn, have arisen to be their fuperiors in future years.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE.

To acquire a thorough knowledge of our

felves, is an attainment no lefs difficult than important. For men are generally unwilling to fee their own imperfections; and when they are willing to enquire into them, their felflove impofes upon their judgment. Their inter

courfe