L LA

are many short intervals in the day, between studies and pleasures : instead of sitting idle and: yavvning in those intervals, cake üp any book though ever so trifling a one, even dovvn to a jest book ; it is still better than doing nothing.

Nor do I call pleasures idleness, or time lost,

provided they are the pleasures of a rational being :

on the contrary à certain portion of our time, employed in those pleasures, is very usefully employed. Such are publie spectacles, assemblies of good company, cheerful suppers, and even balls. but then these require attention, or else your time is quite lost.

There are great many people, vvho think themselves employed all day, and vvho, if they vvere to . cast up their accounts at night, vvould find that they had done just nothing. hey have read tvvo or three hours mechanically, vvithout attending to:vhat they read, and consequently, vvithout either retaining it, or reasoning upon it, From thence they saunter into company, vvithout taking any part im: it, and vvithout observing character, of the persons, or the subject of the conversation ; but are either thinking of some trifle, foreign to the present purpose or often not thinkine at all ; vvhich silly and idle suspension of thought, they vvould dighify vvith the name of absence and distraction. They go aftervvards, it may be, to the play, vvhere théy gape at the company and the lights ; but vvithout minding the very thing they vvent to, the play.

Pray do you be as attentive to your pleasures as to your studies. In the latter, observe and reflect

upon all youread; and in the former, be vvatchfal and attentive to ail that you sce and hear, and never have it to say, as à thousand fools do, of things that vvere said and done before their face, —that, truly, they did not mind them, because they vvere thinking of something else. Why vvere they thinking ofsome- : thing else? and if they vvere, vvhy did they come there ? The truth is, that the fools vvere thinking of nothing. Remember the hoc age: do vvhat you are about, be that vvhat it vvill ; its either vvorth doing vvell, or not at all. Wherever you are, have (as the lovv, vulgar expression is,) your ears and your eyes about you. Listen to every thing that is said, and see every thing that is done. Observe the looks and countenances of those vvho speak, vvhich is often a surer vvay of discovering the truth, than from vvhat they say. But then keep ail these observations to yourself, for your ovvn private use, and rarely communicate them to others. Observe, vvithout being thought to be an observer : for other- “yvise people vvill be upon their guard fefore you.

SSII RIRE PRES ee

Consider seriously, and follovv carefully, T besech you, my dear child, the advice vvhieh, from time to time, L have given, and shall continue to give you : it is at once the result of my ions experience, and the effect of my tenderness for you, L can have no interest in it but yours. You are not yet capable of vvishing yourself half so vvell as I vvish you ; follovv therefore, for a time at least, implicitly, the advice vvhich you eannot suspect, though possibly, you may not see the particular advantages of it : but you vvill one day feel them. Adieu,

a CHERE A TEE PC à Dr UT CGT PR vi mue ee

RS Re er

Re

To Two absent Daughters,—On the improvement of Times in Youth.

Your joint letter, so vvell written, and so readily expressed, dilighted me, my dearest girls; and I am particularly glad that the vveather vvas 50 favorableas to allovv ofyour vvriting every thing vvorthy of observation in the course of your journey. Fevv things are better calculated to enlarge aud inprôve the understanding than travelling; and though in the short distance of tvvo hundred miles, traversed in a hasty manner, it may be imazined mach information cannot be acquired, yet the youthful observer may learn something from the difference appearances of nature, even if he should not have the opportunity of benefitinz by the observations of others. J can trace by your journal that such ad-

vantages vycre not neglected.

It affords me particular pleasure, to observe;that not even the attractions presen'ed by the metropo”

lis are sufficient to reconeile ou to this our first se”

paration ; because I considere it has à happy omen, vvhen the love of novels does not operate on the mind to the prejudice of nobler feelings.—Cherish

!,.. such tender affection,but at the same time vvith jud- FR . e Q ) ®

. gment and discretion,for Î vvish yon to euard equally against an excess of sensibility that vvill render

… you miserable, and the coutrary extreme of indiffe

rence.

Ï am glad no time has been lost in commencing vvith your masters, for time is of all treasures tte most fleeting; and as upon a proper use of it de-

pends our eredit here,;and our hope of felicity hereafter, it may vvell be deemed invaluabie : so pre cious indeed is the gift, that vve are intrusted vvith it only by single moments. In the commencement of the day, so large a portion ofthis means of improvement lies before us,that vve often neglect and mispend the only part.thinking enough vvill remain for our business ; and this is too much the case in the lengthened day of life; youth 4s prodigal of that vvhich money cannot purchase,;and the evening of old age, as vvell as that of day, often closes leavine the alloted task of each unfulflled.

Much of our happiness depends on alyvays having some pursuit to engage our attention; and this 15 evinced by cheerfulness almost invariably attendant on those vvho vvorthily employ their talents, according to their several stations.

ki {4 | | | th

The labouring part of the community exhibit in a striking manner the advantages of perpelual employment, We find them often destitute of even the common necessarics of life; but industry beguiles the hours.and leaves no time for useless repinings ; the hard pallet and scanty fare are received vvith cheerfuluess, and enjoyed in comfort vvhile many, vvliose opulence renders corporal labour unnecessary,andvvhose indolence precludes that vvinch is mental, pine und: r the heavy pressure of dejected and diseontented spirits, vvhich probably vvould be removed by tie stimulus of exertion.

This miserable state of degrading idleness, vvill, L trust, ever remain unknovyn by experience to you, my dear children ; but bad habits so casily and 1m-

perceptibly steal upon us, that T feel it my duty to observe every thine that in the cours se of possibilities may lead po astruy.

Our success in every purs suit Gepends not merely on

our abilitio x bn on à due arrangemont oÏ time, and in giving to each porio: l that particular occupation vvhicii best suits it, The mornins is usuaily considered as the season be v caleulated for study ; the head ,refreshied by rest,is then more clear,an to a] polie tion. Besides, in the natural order of things,those of most moment should be fir:t dispatched: for if! the earlier hours be pas sel in trifles, it 1s extremely ult to recall th AHRUtION aiter— Wards te subjects of a more serious nature. he povver Of “iténe thoushts and Éian them on any point at vvill,is invaluable,but is never the offspring of chance; on the contrary, fevv tliings are more difilcult to acq jure ; but if you are happy enough to gain it,and have judement in directing it into à propor channel, your improvement must neces ns be great and ra pie L'have lon: : been persuaded, that fixed stated hours for certain occupations, and rigidly adhering to the arrangement, is the only good method of ‘advange rcously em] ploying the day. But, in the execution of this plan you must be carefal to allovv je ia HE HARAS suficient time to make a daily progre tempting too many things in one morning induces versatility of characters and is à mental dis ssipation vvhich must not be indulged beyond à certain degree.

There is a most destructive habit,against vvhich TI cannot too earnestly guard you -th at of removing

from one employment to another,vvithout doing any things of consequence in any.Let me carnestly beg of you to improve vvith the seed-time of life, that the product may be an easy and abundant harvest, not ot nevv accomplishments,but of useful information and of solid virtuous habits. Then may you hope to pass through life and discharge its duties vvith the respect of others, and the approbation of your ovvn conscience. Above all, forget not the paramount claims of religion : unaffected piety is especially graccful in youth; should you be spared to reach old age, it vvill smooth the decline of life and it vvill prepare you for the endless joys of eternity.