as not to give liberty to each one to deliver his opinion, and submit to the judgment of the major part, especially if they are judges of the dispute."

53. "Be not tedious in discourse; make not many digressions, nor repeat often the same matter of discourse."

54. "Make no show of taking great delight in your victuals, feed not with greediness; lean not on the table, neither find fault with what you eat."

55. "Set not yourself at the upper end of the table; but if it be your due, or the master of the house will have it so, contend not, lest you should trouble the company."

56. "When you speak of God, or his attributes, let it be seriously, in reverence and honor."

57. "Let your recreations be manful, not sinful.” 58. "Labor to keep alive in your breast, that little spark of celestial fire called conscience."

28. Remarks on the preceding Instructions. 1. The preceding observations, although written by way of instruction, are not supposed to communicate things that never were known before; yet they may perhaps give new ideas, and be the means of influencing some to give their minds to the study of moral and religious truth.

2. It is hoped that what is here stated may awake the good understanding and arouse the serious reflections of many who have not yet acted much on the stage of life, and have yet considerable time before

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them to spend in forming their character among others, either to their own honor or disgrace.

3. To such it must be a matter of vast importance to be exercised with timely consideration; and a careful pursuit of virtuous and honorable practices; inasmuch as one's whole life is apt to be influenced by early formed habits. A wise man will prepare a foundation suitable for the desired building. When a person's character is once established among the multitude, it is generally easy to retain it. If he have gotten to himself an evil name, it is vastly harder to obtain a good name, than to exchange the good for the evil.

4. Man is born for labor, and his duty is to press against the flood and tide of nature, reaching towards the fountain of all good; but if he float along down with the stream, how certainly he must land in the gulf of despair!

5. Then let each, in season, prepare his boat for the all-important voyage; let him love to study the art of being in readiness for the storm. Let him gather to himself information of the dangers of the way, both by history and the word of mouth; from the experience of others and that of his own, and thoroughly equip himself with all security. Then let the surges beat and the angry billows foam, but the soul will calmly waft its way to celestial peace.

6. Any person of common sense will see the necessity of wisely conducting temporal affairs, of properly understanding one's duty. The physician must read his book, he must know the nature of medicine, and

understand how to deal out portions. The mechanic must wisely arrange the parts of his work and know how to bring them together. The artist must study his art, he must cautiously pursue his rule; he must observe his receipts; and if he try experiments, he must lose his time and property if his plan is not laid agreeably to the unalterable order and nature of things.

7. The farmer also must understand the times and seasons, he must provide in due time. He must know when to put the seed into the ground, and when to secure the fruits of the earth. How regular is the order of natural things!

8. Thus we see that natural things demand our serious attention, and that future happiness in the things of time, depends on timely calculation. But these things are of short duration, they are but figures and shadows of spiritual things. And O, how vastly more important are the things that belong to the soul! the things of eternal duration, wherein consists our everlasting all ! Shall we not place our hearts greatly on these? Shall we not, as it were, disdain the darkening shadows of time, and fix our love and thoughts on the spirit,-on the things of our immense concern?

9. O who is he who wishes to ease the pain, to sweeten the bitter and soften the sorrows of a mortal world? let him come forth with a free hand; let him early seek not only his own good, but that of others; let him love to study the art of wise conduct, of gentleness, meekness and agreeable behavior.

10. Let him love to fill his mind with knowledge,

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with true spiritual wisdom, which will teach him the nature of cause and effect; show him what will be for his greatest good and what, not; show him what will gain union and what not, and give an understanding how to act in all his various conditions.

11. It is very agreeable to many to seek letter learning, to search after much knowledge of natural things, and at the same time irksome to turn the thoughts on spiritual things. But where is the wise man, who can tell us why it is so?

12. Is it because the matter does not concern us? Is it beyond our reach? Is it too difficult? Or is it because the field is not large enough for our labor, or the prospect spacious enough for our contemplation?

13. Some may say that this is a natural world, and our duty is in natural things, and that this spiritual learning, &c., belongs to another world. But let such consider the object of man's existence in this world; Is it not to prepare for another? Yea, and surely in this world, man is called to be a spiritual being.

14. Now therefore, is it not a pleasant task and encouraging to all, to turn their minds to this best of studies, to observe and to learn the best way to get along easily; to take notice both of things that we see, and of what we hear, and carefully watch the event?

15. It is a wise and ancient saying, that "The proper study of mankind is man," which signifies that the proper objects of our consideration are the ways and the nature of man. By this we may know how to conduct both for the good of others and of ourselves.

16. By observing the turn of others, and considering how to come to them in the best and most agreeable manner, we may shun many difficulties; and by closely watching our own conduct, and the effect it has on ourselves and others; and likewise by seeing the effect of the conduct of others, we may shun a multitude of disagreeables, and render ourselves and others happy. -O this is a study, this is learning worth our while!

17. But how natural it is to indulge a neglect, and sometimes a dislike to frequent counsels and hints about our moral conduct! But why do we so? Do we in our temporal concerns, to which we are attached, feel so sober, such a silent or disagreeable sensation at the kind assistance of a friend? Do we pass in silent neglect the observations of a wise author, or the rules of the artist? And is it not very inconsistent that we should be thus negligent respecting our moral character? seeing that we are so much more exposed in that point, than in temporal matters; considering too, that if we miss it in the latter, it is of small importance, compared with the former.

18. Then how plainly and loudly does reason demand us to adhere to its precepts, to turn our thoughts upon wisdom, and keep our feet in the path of virtue; which is simply by watching all our words and actions in a strict manner, carefully bearing on our minds never to act or speak at random, but to conduct ourselves strictly according to what we judge to be exactly right for the circumstance; striving and desiring at the same