the old, when they offer their admonitions, are u braided with having forgot that they once were youn

-And yet, my friends, to what do the restraints religion, and the counsels of age, with respect to ple sure, amount? They may all be comprized in fe words, not to hurt yourselves, and not to hurt other by your pursuit of pleasure. Within these boun pleasure is lawful; beyond them, it becomes crimina because it is ruinous. Are these restraints any oth than what a wise man would choose to impose himself? We call you not to renounce pleasure, b to enjoy it in safety. Instead of abridging it, we e hort you to pursue it on an extensive plan. We pr pose measures for securing its possession, and for pr longing its duration. Consult your whole natur Consider yourselves not only as sensitive, but rational beings; not only as rational, but social not only as social, but immortal. Whatever violate your nature in any of these respects, cannot affor true pleasure; any more than that which undermine an essential part of the vital system can promo health. For the truth of this conclusion, we ap peal not merely to the authority of religion, no to the testimony of the aged, but to yourselves an your own experience. We ask, Whether you have n found, that in a course of criminal excess, your plea sure was more than compensated by succeeding pain Whether, if not from every particular instance, ye from every habit, at least, of unlawful gratification there did not spring some thorn to wound you, ther did not arise some consequence to make you repent c it in the issue? If you have any consideration or an firmness left, avoid temptations, for which you hav found yourselves unequal, with as much care, as you wouldshun pestilential infection. Break off all con nections with the loose and profligate. When sinner entice thee, consent thou not. Look not on the wine when, is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup; for at the las

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tbiteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Remove thy way from the strange woman, and come not near the door of her house. Let not thine heart decline to her ways; for her house is the way to hell. Thou goest after

er as a bird hasteth to the snare; and knoweth not that tis for his life. By these unhappy excesses of irregular pleasure in youth, how many amiable dispoitions are corrupted or destroyed! How many rising capacities and powers are suppressed! How many attering hopes of parents and friends are totally exinguished! Who but must drop a tear over human nature, when he beholds that morning which arose so bright, overcast with such untimely darkness; that good humour which once captivated all hearts, that Pivacity which sparkled in every company, those abilties which were fitted for adorning the highest station, all sacrificed at the shrine of low sensuality; and one who was formed for running the fair career of life in the midst of public esteem, cut off by his vices at the beginning of his course, or sunk, for the whole of it, into insignificancy and contempt!-These, O inful Pleasure! are thy trophies. It is thus that, cooperating with the foe of God and man, thou degradest human honour, and blastest the opening prospects of human felicity.

In

Diligence, industry, and proper improvement of ime are material duties of the young. To no purpose Are they endowed with the best abilities, if they want activity for exerting them. Unavailing, in this case, will be every direction that can be given them, either for their temporal or spiritual welfare. In youth the abits of industry are most easily acquired. youth, the incentives to it are strongest, from ambi■ tion and from duty, from emulation and hope, from all the prospects which the beginning of life affords. f, dead to these calls, you already languish in slothful inaction, what will be able to quicken the more luggish current of advancing years? Industry

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is not only the instrument of improvement, but th foundation of pleasure. Nothing is so opposite t the true enjoyment of life, as the relaxed and feebl state of an indolent mind. He who is a stranger t industry, may possess, but he cannot enjoy. For i is labour only which gives the relish to pleasure. ! is the appointed vehicle of every good to man. It i the indispensable condition of our possessing a soun mind in a sound body. Sloth is so inconsistent with both, that it is hard to determine whether it be greater foe to virtue, or to health and happiness. In active as it is in itself, its effects are fatally power ful. Though it appear a slowly flowing stream, yet i undermines all that is stable and flourishing. It no only saps the foundation of every virtue, but pour upon you a deluge of crimes and evils. It is like wa ter which first putrifies by stagnation, and then send up noxious vapours, and fills the atmosphere with death. Fly, therefore, from idleness, as the certain parent both of guilt and of ruin. And unde idleness I include, not mere inaction only, but all tha circle of trifling occupations, in which too many saunter away their youth; perpetually engaged in frivolous society, or public amusements, in the la bours of dress, or the ostentation of their persons. Is this the foundation which you lay for future useful ness and esteem? By such accomplishments, do you hope to recommend yourselves to the thinking par of the world, and to answer the expectations of your friends and your country?—Amusements, youth re quires. It were vain, it were cruel to prohibit them But though allowable as the relaxation, they are mos culpable as the business, of the young. For they ther become the gulf of time, and the poison of the mind They foment bad passions. They weaken the man ly powers. They sink the native vigour of youth into contemptible effeminacy. Redeeming your time from such dangerous waste, seek to fill it with

on.

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mployments which you may review with satisfacThe acquisition of knowledge is one of the host honourable occupations of youth. The desire fit discovers a liberal mind, and is connected with hany accomplishments, and many virtues. But though our train of life should not lead you to study, the ourse of education always furnishes proper employhents to a well-disposed mind. Whatever you pursue, emulous to excel. Generous ambition, and sensibilito praise, are,especially at your age, among the marks fvirtue. Think not,that any affluence of fortune, or any levation of rank, exempts you from the duties of application and industry. Industry is the law of our be ng; it is the demand of Nature, of reason, and of God. Remember always, that the years which now pass over our heads, leave permanent memorials behind them. from your thoughtless minds they may escape; but hey remain in the remembrance of God. They orm an important part of the register of your life. They will hereafter bear testimony, either for or a inst you, at that day, when for all your actions, but articularly for the employments of youth, you must ve an account to God. Thus I have set before ou some of the chief qualifications which belong a virtuous and religious character; piety, modes

truth, benevolence, temperance, and industry. Whether your future course is destined to be long or hort, after this manner it should commence; and, if it ontinue to be thus conducted, its conclusion, at what me soever it arrives, will not be inglorious or unppy.

Let your attention be recalled to that dependence the blessing of Heaven, which, amidst all your deavours after improvement, you ought continuly to preserve. It is too common with the young, wen when they resolve to tread the path of virtue and onour, to set out with presumptuous confidence in emselves. Trusting to their own abilities for carry

ing them successfully through life, they are careless o applying to God, or of deriving any assistance from what they are apt to reckon the gloomy discipline o religion. Alas! how little do they know the danger which await them? Neither human wisdom, nor hu man virtue, unsupported by religion, are equal to th trying situations which often occur in life. By th shock of temptation, how frequently have the mo virtuous intentions been overthrown? Under the pres sure of disaster, how often has the greatest constanc sunk? Every good and every perfect gift, is from abov Wisdom and virtue, as well as riches and honour, com from God. Destitute of his favour, you are in no bette situation, with all your boasted abilities, than orphan left to wander in a trackless desert, without any guid to conduct them, or any shelter to cover them from th gathering storm. Correct, then this ill-founded arr gance. Expect not, that your happiness can be inde pendent of him who made you. By faith and repen ance, apply to the Redeemer of the world. By piet and prayer, seek the protection of the God of heave In fine, remember the solemn words, in which a grea Prince delivered his dying charge to his son; word which every young person ought to consider as ad dressed to himself, and to engrave deeply on his hear Thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father! and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willin mind. For the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understan eth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek hu he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he wi cast thee off for ever.

END OF

BLAIR ON THE DUTIES OF THE YOUNG.