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You are now, my young Friends, at that age, (and in saying this I anticipate but a fhort time) when the world is just opening its prospects before you. They are, at prefent, narrow and confined; but, as you ascend the hill, they will become more extenfive. A great variety of ubjects will then prefent themselves to your warm and lively imaginations. Their novelty will delight, but their appearance may deceive you. Without the direction of fome friendly monitor, your artlefs minds will be liable to be captivated by delufive pleasures. You, at first, can judge only from externals. Your focial intercourfe being now commenced, you will fee a number of perfons, who will appear, from their countenances, to be perfectly at eafe; and you may be tempted from thence to make flattering estimates of human life. You can form no difcrimination of character; and, therefore, will be liable to mistakes. To enjoy the prefent hour is the principal object of your wishes: all is fun-fhine. In the gaiety of your hearts, you flatter yourselves with its continuance; nor have you any idea of those clouds which will afterwards obfcure it. Your dreams are undifturbed by anxious care, and fearful expectations. But know-and it is neceffary you fhould know it-that human life is chequered with ills, fome of which you must unavoidably experience. I would not caft a gloom over

your

your minds, by the prefage of evils, many of which you may perhaps efcape, and others are probably at a distance. But as the misfortunes of youth, and even age, often proceed from neglect or mismanagement in childhood, this, therefore, is the feafon, when you should be fortified against them; when you should be taught to diftinguish between Virtue and Vice, and fhould be fhewn the different confequences of each. As the Paffions discover themselves at an early age, fo their effects cannot be defcribed to you too foon. You should be told in what manner they agitate the fpirits, and be-come the fources of difquietude. As for instance

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Anger enflames the blood, is a temporary deprivation of reafon, and involves thofe, who rather indulge, than endeavour to conquer, their refentments, in perpetual quarrels and contentions. Envy is a worm which corrodes the breast, and makes thofe, who cherish it, miferable, becaufe others are happy.-Pride meets with daily mortifications, which more than counterbalance the fplendor of rank, or gifts of fortune.-Vanity, or an extravagant defire of admiration, is oftentimes fatal to Virtue, and at laft terminates in contempt.-Avarice, or an inordinate love of Wealth, deftroys the finer feelings of humanity, and makes riches a. curfe instead of a bleffing. The Covetous neither

neither enjoy the good things of life themselves, nor communicate a portion of them to others in diftrefs; the relief of which to a generous mind, would be more gratifying, than the contemplation of hoarded gold-Diffimulation is not only odious in itself, but frequently deftructive in its consequences. The artless, and undefigning, who act from fixed principles of integrity, never suspect the honour and veracity of another, till they both fee and feel, from the misfortunes of others, and from their own experience, that promises are frequently made, only to deceive and to betray. They become the dupes of treachery, because they expected truth, where they met with falfehood; and placed confidence where they should have harboured diftruft.-Pleasure is a bewitching Syren, which flatters its votaries with unbounded delights, invites them to tafte of the forbidden fruit, and at laft plunges them into guilt, and mifery.

These are the paffions which debase the nature of man. But as much as it is corrupted by Vice, fo much is it ennobled by Virtue-her precepts are fhort and fimple. By them you are taught, that innocent amufements neither vitiate the mind, impair the health of the body, nor leave a fting behind-the sting of conscious guilt-the feverity of after reflection; That Modesty is the brigheft ornament of the female

fex: That Truth and Sincerity will confer, in the end, more Honour, Efteem, and even Profit, than the little tricks of cunning and diffimulation, because, however fuccefsful at firft, they muft at laft be detected: That contentment and refignation will find comfort, even in an humble station: That Affability will gain Friends, and Prudence, in a great measure, fuperfede the want of their affistance: And lastly, that Piety, however profligates may defpife it, will be your chief fupport and confolation in forrow, in miffortune, and even in death itfelf; because of the encouragement it affords of a future life, where the ways of God will be vindicated to man, by the rewards he will beftow on the good, and the punishment he will inflict on the bad.

It appears, then, highly requifite, from what has been faid, that you should be warned againft the dangers to which you are expofed, at your first entrance on the busy stage of life, as well from the artful feductions of others, as from the fuggeftion of your own defires: That you fhould be informed of the neceffity of qualifying yourselves for those important characters you may hereafter affume: And, in short, that you should be previously inftructed in those duties, which will render you, both in youth and age, refpected and efteemed; and will make you ufeful to others and happy in yourselves.

LECTURE 11.

LECTURE II.

Infancy is, perhaps, the finest and most perfect Illustration of Simplicity. 'Tis a State of genuine Nature throughout.

FEMALE. TUITION

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THE ftate of childhood is, in itself, fo ata tractive, that they, who can behold it, without pleafing emotions, must be deftitute of fenfibility. We are naturally affected at the fight of infantine beauty, innocence and fimplicity. Here we contemplate the moft exquifite workmanfhip of nature without the fophiftry of art-uncorrupted by diforderly paffions-undifguifed by policy and diffimulation, and uncontaminated by evil examples. The bloffoms> of fpring are not only beautiful in themselves,and therefore excite our notice; but are observed also with greater fatisfaction, from the profpect,. with which they flatter us of ripening into fruit. In like manner, my young Audience, we anticipate the time, when the exterior graces. will add fresh charms to your perfons; and when the accomplishments of the mind, will } render your manners and converfation lovely and engaging.

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