If it can give you any satisfaction (I am sure it will do so) to hear every thought of your heart has my perfect approbation, you hear it truly; but although there is not any, the least part, of your conduct that does not give me pleasure, there is, although you will be surprised to hear it, something in your brother's, with respect to you, that gives me pain. He told me of your asking his advice upon an inconsiderable subject, and his giving it to you rather honestly than elegantly. Dear child, take care of your heart, and you may be less uneasy about your expressions; let your thoughts be good, and never be uneasy about the words you put them in. The books recommended to you may be good or not, but you have no occasion for them; nor it is a pin matter in the affairs of life, whether you put every single word where it ought to be. But this is all a trifle, nor shall I pretend to enter into the matter; if it be worth any consideration, he is the best judge, so pray mind him; but what I speak of, is the manner in which you say he wrote of your cousin.

My dear, always respect your elders, and do not let any little school-boy's lesson put you above them in your own opinion, because they have forgotten it: nor because your cousin is a plain man, do you suppose he is less capable to advise you. He is a person of undoubted probity and uprightness of heart, and that is worth all the Greek and Latin of Westminster and Eton. He has made his way to a plentiful fortune, and he has the respect and esteem of all that he ever was concerned with. Would you wish for a better character or better fortune? God send you may conduct yourself through the world just as he has done: I, that would weary heaven with prayers for you, wish you nothing better. I do not pretend to say your brother is wrong in his judgment about this matter, for I do not understand the nature of it; all that I know is, you will never write a letter that will please me more than this you have sent already; and I think had I been in his place, I would not have put any thing in your mind upon an occasion of such little conse quence, that should have abated your regard for a person whose advice will be of service to you. But I know you will not do so. Preserve, I desire you, that respect for him which his years, and his integrity, and his success in the world, require; and whatsoever you may think about this trifle, do not let it lessen your esteem for one whom vour mother recommends to you.

My dear, I have said the more upon this subject, because it seems the only one by which you are in danger to err and

I have thought it the more necessary to say so, because the regard I desired you to pay to your brother might have ren dered it a kind of duty to go into this error. I have spoken to him about it, and he desires me to say, that he is perfectly of my opinion.

Farewell, my dearest boy; you have a very easy task before you, seeing you need only go on in he same path you have begun, to make all that love you happy.

I am, your affectionate mother.

LETTER XXV.-To a Friend against waste of Time Sir,

CONVERSE often with yourself, and neither lavish your time, nor suffer others to rob you of it. Many of our hours are stolen from us, and others pass insensibly away, but of both these losses, the most shameful is that which happens through our own neglect. If we take the trouble to observe, we shall find, that one considerable part of our life is spent in doing evil, and the other in doing nothing, or in doing what we should not do. We don't seem to know the value of time, nor how precious a day is, nor do we consider that every moment brings us nearer to our end. Reflect upon this, I entreat you, and keep a strict account of time. Procrastination is the most dangerous thing in life. Nothing is properly ours but the instant we breathe in, and all the rest is nothing; it is the only good we possess; but then it is fleeting, and the first comer robs us of it. Men are so weak, that they think they oblige by giving of trifles, and yet reckon that time is nothing, for which the most grateful person in the world can never make amends. I am, &c.

Sir,

LETTER XXVI.—Answer to a Friend.

To tell you, in answer to yours, what I think of prosperity, is, that I take it to be more dangerous to our virtue than adversity. It is apt to make us vain and insolent, regardless of others, and forgetful of God, ambitious in our pursuits, and intemperate in our enjoyments. Thus it proved to the wisest on earth, I mean Solomon. But I much admire what you say of silence, and wish I could practise hat passive virtue, which is the first step of wisdom, the nurse of peace, and the guardian of virtue. Words do but ruffle and discompose the mind, betraying the soul to a housand vanities I hope you will, in our next meeting,

find me greatly improved in what you so much recommend I am, Sir, yours, &c.

o me.

LETTER XXVII.-From a Young Lady, in answer to a Letter she had received from her Mother, advising her to persevere in the Christian duties she had been instructed in. Honored Mother,

I AM at a loss for words to express the joy I felt at the receipt of your letter; wherein you are pleased to acquaint me, that nothing ever gave my dear mamma greater pleasure and satisfaction, than the account I had given her of the conduct I observe in my spiritual affairs; and that I may still add to that comfort (which shall ever be my study) when an opportunity offers itself, I presume to continue the information.

When I have endeavored to discharge my duty to that Divine Being, to whom I am indebted for my existence, I repair to my toilet; but not with an intent to clothe my body (which I know must sooner or later fall into corruption) with vain attire, but with such as is decent or innocent; regarding fine robes as the badges of pride and vanity; keeping those enemies to our sex in particular, at too great a distance ever to dare an attempt upon my mind.

When public prayers and breakfast are over, I apply my thoughts to the duty of the school; and divide the time appointed for them, as equally as possibly I can between the several branches of education I am engaged in, both before and after dinner.

When school is finished for the day, I, accompanied by a young lady who is my bed-fellow, and of a like disposition, retire to our room, where we improve ourselves by reading. Books of piety are our most common choice. These warm our will, and enlighten our understandings; they instruct us in the cause of our misconduct, and prescribe to us a remedy ; they neither flatter a dignified title, nor insult the peasant who tills the ground; but, like painted busts, look upon every one alike. In fine, they refresh the memory, enlarge the understanding, and inflame the will; and, in a delightful manner, cultivate both virtue and wisdom.

Having finished our reading, either of piety or history which we prefer next, (especially such as relates to our country,) and supper and prayers being over, I retire alone to my room, to take an impartial view of the actions of the day. If my conscience does not accuse me of having committed any thing criminal, I give glory to God; and with bended knees

and an humble heart, return him unfeigned thanks for protecting me against those temptations which the enemy o. mankind is ready to allure us with: for I am persuaded i. was not my strength of virtue that withstood the temptations, but His assisting grace that enabled me to overcome them: and if I am conscious of having done amiss, I sue for pardon, and lay not my body to rest, till I have procured peace to my

soul.

If at any time I am permitted to pay a visit (which liberty your indulgence allowed) I take care to time it properly; for there are certain times when visits become rather troublesome than friendly; wherefore I avoid them when much company is expected, or when I am certain that family affairs will not admit of sufficient leisure to receive them; the former on my own account, the latter on my friends'; for much company assembled together, serves more to confuse our ideas, than enliven them. Wherefore, when I am so unfortunate as to ill-time a visit, I withdraw as soon as civility and ceremony will permit me; for in my weak opinion, Madam, long conversations grow dull, as few of our sex are furnished with a sufficient fund of materials for long discourses, unless it be to comment upon the frailties of the absent, and turn their misfortunes into a subject of our most cruel diversion.

This, Madam, is a vice you have often cautioned me against, and I shall be particularly careful to avoid it; it being both an unchristian and disingenuous principle, to feast ourselves at another's expense.

This is all I have to offer at present; and am, with great humility, most honored Madam,

Your most dutiful daughter.

LETTER XXVIII.-From a Young Lady to her Mother, requesting a favor.

Dear Madam,

THE many instances you have given me of your affection, leave me no room to believe that the favor I presume to ask will be displeasing. Were I in the least doubtful of it, 1 hope my dear mamma has too good an opinion of my conduct, to imagine I would ever advance anything that might give ner the least dissatisfaction.

The holidays are now at hand, when all of us young la dies are to pay our several personal respects and duties to our parents, except one; whose friends (her parents being dead)

reside at too great a distance for her to expect their indulgence in sending for her; besides, were they to do so, the expense attending her journey would be placed to her account, and deducted out of a small fortune left her by her parents.

This young lady's affability, sense, and good nature, have gained her the friendship and esteem of the whole school; each of us contending to render her retirement (as I may justly call it) from her native home and friends, as comfortable and agreeable as we possibly can.

How happy should I think myself above the rest of our young ladies, if you will give me leave to engage her to spend the holidays with me at home! And I doubt not but her address and behavior will attract your esteem, among the rest of those she has already acquired.

Your compliance with this request, will greatly add to the happiness I already enjoy from the repeated indulgencies and favors conferred on her, who will always persevere to merit a continuance of them. I am, with my duty to papa,

Dear Mamma,

Your most dutiful daughter.

LETTER XXIX.-A letter from a Lady to a Maid-Servant who had left her. In which is contained a useful lesson for all persons in that state of life.

Dear Sally,

I HAD your letter very safe, and though I have failed to answer it before, yet my daily prayers and best wishes have constantly attended you. I trust you have the good fortune to please where you are, as I hear nothing to the contrary: I go by the old saying, No news is good news. If you are so happy as to be in favor with the family that you have the honor to serve, I make no question of your continuing in it, by a constant endeavor to deserve it. I told you above, and I told you the truth, that I daily remember you in my prayers · and at the same time I will not suppose that you forget to remember yourself. I fancy you lie with the other maid, and know not that you have a closet or retiring-place to yourself; but whether you have or nct, I entreat you to let no pretence whatever prevail on you to omit the indispensable duty of prayer to God. I hope your fellow-servant thinks as she ought on this occasion; but if she be so unhappy as not to do it, endeavor to gain her over by your example, but beware of being perverted by hers. To wake in a morning, anɔ