THE HIVE OF ANCIENT AND MODERN LITERATURE. TH On the Conduct of Youth. HERE feems to be a peculiar propriety in addresfing moral precepts to the rifing generation. Befides that, like travellers entering on a journey, they want direction, there are circumftances which render it probable, that inftruction will be more efficacious in youth than at a maturer period. Long habits of bufinefs or pleasure, and an indifcriminate intercourse with mankind, often fuperinduce a great degree of infenfibility; and the battered veteran at laft confiders the admonitions of the moralift as the vain babbling of a fophift, and the declamation of a school-boy. The keen edge of moral perception is blunted by long and reiterated colliffion; and to him who has loft the finer fenfibilities, it is no lefs fruitless to addrefs a moral discourse, than to reprefent to the dead the charms of melody, or to the blind the beauties of a picture. But youth poffeffes fenfibility in perfection; and unless education has been totally neglected, or erroneously pursued, its habits are usually virtuous. Furnished with a natural fufceptibility, and free from any acquired impediment, the mind is then in the most fa A vourable vourable ftate for the admiffion of inftruction, and for learning how to live. I will then fuppofe a young man prefent who has paffed through the forms of a liberal education at school, and who is juft entering on the ftage of life, to act his part according to his own judgment. I will addrefs him, with all the affection and fincerity of a parent, in the following manner :— "You have violent paffions implanted in you by "Nature for the accomplishment of her purposes; but "conclude not, as many have done to their ruin, that "because they are violent, they are irresistible. The "fame Nature which gave you paffions, gave you alfo ❝reafon and a love of order. Religion, added to the light of Nature and the experience of mankind, has concurred in establishing it as an unquestionable "truth, that the irregular or intemperate indulgence "of the paffions is always attended with pain in fome "mode or other, which greatly exceeds its pleafsure. ་ "Your paffions will be eafily restrained from enor"mous excefs, if you really wish and honeftly endea"vour to restrain them. But the greater part of "young men study to inflame their fury, and give "them a degree of force which they poffefs not in a "state of nature. They run into temptation, and de"fire not to be delivered from evil. They knowingly "and willingly facrifice, to momentary gratifications, "the comfort of all which fhould fweeten the remain"der of life. Begin then with moft fincerely wifhing "to conquer thofe fubtle and powerful enemies whom "you carry in your bofom. Pray for Divine affiftance. "Avoid folitude the first moment a loose thought infinuates itself, and haften to the company of those "whom you respect. Converfe not on fubjects which "lead to impure ideas. The perverfe ambition of arriving at the character of a man of spirit by vicious audacity, has of late "univerfally prevailed, and has ruined the greater part "of the British youth. I have known many young ❝ men "men proud of the impurest of diftempers, and boast"6 ing of misfortunes which are attended with the "greatest pain and mifery, and ought to be accom"panied with fhame. Far more have taken pains to "fhine, amidst the little circle of their vicious acquain"tance, in the character of gay libertines, than to ac"quire, by useful qualities, the efteem of the good. "From motives of vanity, health and peace are sacri"ficed, fortunes lavished without credit or enjoyment, "every relative and perfonal duty neglected, and Reli"gion boldly fet at defiance. To be admitted into the company of those who difgrace the family title which "they inherit, thousands plunge into debauchery with❝out paffion, into drunkennefs without convivial en joyment, into gaming without the means or inclina❝tion for play. Old age rapidly advances. When ❝ vanity at length retreats from infult and from morti"fication, avarice fucceeds; and meanness, and disease, "and difgrace, and poverty, and discontent, and despair, "diffuse clouds and darkness over the evening of life. "Such is the lot of those who glory in their fhame, ❝ and are ashamed of their glory. "Have fenfe and refolution enough, therefore, to "give up all pretenfions to those titles, of a fine fel❝ low, a rake, or whatever vulgar name the temporary "cant of the vicious bestows on the diftinguished liber" tine. Preferve your principles, and be fteady in "your conduct. And though your exemplary be"haviour may bring upon you the infulting and ironi"cal appellation of a Saint, a Puritan, or even a Me"thodist, perfevere in rectitude. It will be in your "power foon, not indeed to infult, but to pity. Have fpirit, and difplay it. But let it be that fort of fpirit "which urges you to proceed in the path in which you "were placed by the faithful guide of your infancy. "Exhibit a noble fuperiority in daring to difregard the "artful and malicious reproaches of the vain, who "labour to make you a convert to folly, in order to "keep them in countenance. They will laugh at first, A 2 "but |