Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

of their own abilities, they deride the admonitions which are given them by their friends, as the timorous fuggeftions of age. Too wife to learn, too impatient to deliberate, too forward to be reftrained, they plunge, with precipitant indifcretion, into the midst of all the dangers with which life abounds.

V. Sincerity.

IT is neceffary to recommend to you fincerity and truth.

These are the basis of every virtue. That darkness of character, where we can fee no heart; thofe foldings of art, through which no native affection is allowed to penetrate, present an object unamiable in every feason of life, but particularly odious in youth. If, at an age when the heart is warm, when the emotions are strong, and when nature is expected to fhow herself free and open, you can already smile and deceive, what are we to look for when you fhall be longer hackneyed in the ways of men; when interest shall have completed the obduration of your heart, and experience fhall have improved you in all the arts of guile? Diffimulation in youth is the forerunner of perfidy in old age. Its first appearance is the fatal omen of growing depravity and future fhame. It degrades parts and learning, obfcures the luftre of every accomplishment, and finks you into contempt with God and man. As you value, therefore, the approbation of heaven or the esteem of the world, cultivate the love of truth. In all your proceedings be direct and confiftent. Ingenuity and candour poffets the moft powerful charm; they befpeak univerfal favour, and carry an apology for almost every failing. The path of truth is a plain and fafe path; that of falsehood is a perplexing maze. After the firft departure from fincerity, it is not in your power to stop. One artifice unavoidably leads on to another; till, as the intricacy of the labyrinth increases, you are left entangled in your own fnare. Deceit difcovers a little mind, which stops at temporary expedients, without rifing to comprehenfive views of conduct It betrays, at the fame time, a daftardly fpirit. It is the refource of one who wants courage to avow his defigns, or to rest upon himself. Whereas opennefs of character difplays that generous boldness

which ought to diftinguish youth. To fet out in the world with no other principle than a crafty attention to intereft, betokens one who is deftined for creeping through the inferiour walks of life: but to give an early prefe rence to honour above gain, when they ftand in competition; to defpife every advantage which cannot be attained without difhoneft arts; to brook no meanness, and to stoop to no diffimulation; are the indications of a great mind, the prefages of future eminence and diftinction in life. At the fame time, this virtuous fincerity is perfectly confiftent with the most prudent vigilance and caution. It is oppofed to cunning, not to true wisdom. It is not the fimplicity of a weak and improvident, but the candour of an enlarged and noble mind; of one who fcorns deceit, because he accounts it both base and unprofitable; and who seeks no disguise, because he needs none to hide him.

VI. Benevolence and Humanity.

YOUTH is the proper feafon for cultivating the benevolent and humane affections. As a great part of your happiness is to depend on the connections which you form with others, it is of high importance that you acquire betimes the temper and the manners which will render fuch connections comfortable. Let a fenfe of juftice be the foundation of all your focial qualities. In your most early intercourfe with the world, and even in your youthful amufements, let no unfairness be found. Engrave on your mind that facred rule, of "doing in all things to others according as you with that they should do unto you." For this end, imprefs yourselves with a desp fenfe of the original and natural equality of men. Whatever advantages of birth or fortune you poffefs, never difplay them with an oftentatious fuperiority. Leave the fubordinations of rank, to regulate the intercourfe of more advanced years. At prefent it becomes you to act among your companions as man with man. Remember how unknown to you are the viciffitudes of the world; and how often they, on whom ignorant and contemptous young men once looked down with fcorn, have rifen to be their fuperiours in future years. Compaffion is an emotion of which you ought never to be afhamed,

alhamed. Graceful in youth is the tear of fympathy, and the heart that melts at the tale of wo. Let not cafe and indulgence contract your affections, and wrap you up in felfish enjoyment. Accuftom yourselves to think of the diftreffes of human life; of the folitary cottage, the dying parent, and the weeping orphan. Never fport with pain and diftrefs in any of your amufements, nor treat even the meanest infect with wanton cruelty.

VII. Industry and Application.

To no

DILIGENCE, induftry, and proper improvement of time, are material duties of the young. purpose are they endowed with the best abilities, if they want activity for exerting them. Unavailing, in this cafe, will be every direction that can be given them, either for their temporal or fpiritual welfare. In youth, the habits of induftry are moft eafily acquired: in youth, the incentives to it are strongest, from ambition and from duty, from emulation and hope, from all the prospects which the beginning of life affords. If, dead to these calls, you already languifh in flothful inaction, what will be able to quicken the more fluggish current of advancing years? Induftry is not only the inftrument of improvement, but the foundation of pleafure. Nothing is fo oppofite to the true enjoyment of life as the relaxed and feeble state of an indolent mind. He who is a stranger to industry may poffefs, but he cannot enjoy. For it is labour only which gives the relish to pleasure. It is the appointed vehicle of every good to man. It is the indifpenfable con dition of our poffeffing a found mind in a found body. Sloth is fo inconfiftent with both, that it is hard to determine whether it be a greater foe to virtue, or to health and happiness. Inactive as it is in itself, its effects are fatally powerful. Though it appear a flowly-flowing ftream, yet it undermines all that is ftable and flourishing. It not only faps the foundation of every virtue, but pours upon you a deluge of crimes and evils. It is like water, which first putrifies by ftagnation, and then fends up noxious vapours, and fills the atmosphere with death. Fly, therefore, from idlenefs, as the certain parent both of guilt and of ruin. And under idleness I E

[ocr errors]

include

include, not mere inaction only, but all that circle of trifling occupations in which too many faunter away their youth; perpetually engaged in frivolous fociety, or public amusements; in the labours of drefs, or the oftentation of their perfons. Is this the foundation which you lay for future usefulness and esteem? By fuch accomplishments do you hope to recommend yourselves to the thinking part of the world, and to anfwer the expectation of your friends and your country?-Amusements youth requires; it were vain, it were cruel, to prohibit them. But, though allowable as the relaxation, they are moft culpable as the bufinefs, of the young, For they then become the gulph of time and the poifon of the mind. They foment bad paffions. They weaken the manly powers. They fink the native vigour of youth into contemptible effeminacy.

VIII. Proper Employment of Time..

REDEEMING your time from fuch dangerous wafte, feek to fill it with employments which you may review with fatisfaction. The acquifition of knowledge is one of the most honourable occupations of youth. The defire of it discovers a liberal mind, and is connected with many accomplishments and many virtues. But, though your train of life fhould not lead you to study, the course of education always furnishes proper employments to a well-difpofed mind. Whatever you purfue, be emulous to excel. Generous ambition, and fenfibility to praise, are, efpecially at your age, among the marks of virtue, Think not that any affluence of fortune, or any elevation of rank, exempts you from the duties of application and industry. Industry is the law of our being; it is the demand of nature, of reason, and of God, member always, that the years which now pals over your heads leave permanent memorials behind them. From your thoughtlefs minds they may efcape; but they remain in the remembrance of God. They form an important part of the register of your life. They will hereafter bear teftimony, either for or against you, at that day, when, for all your actions, but particularly for the employments of youth, you must give an account to God. Whether your future courfe is deftined to be

Re

long

long or fhort, after this manner it fhould commence & and, if it continue to be thus conducted, its conclusion, at what time foever it arrives, will not be inglorious or unhappy.

IX. The true Patriot.

ANDREW Doria of Genoa, the greatest fea-captain of the age he lived in, fet his country free from the yoke of France. Beloved by his fellow-citizens, and fupported by the Emperor Charles V. it was in his power to affume fovereignty without the leaft ftruggle. But he preferred the virtuous fatisfaction of giving liberty to his countrymen. He declared in public affembly, that the happiness of feeing them once more reftored to liberty, was to him a full reward for all his fervices: that he claimed no pre-eminence above his equals, but remitted to them abfolutely to fettle a proper form of government. Doria's magnanimity put an end to factions that had long vexed the ftate; and a form of government was eftablished with great unanimity, the fame,that, with very little alteration, fubfifts at prefent. Doria lived to a great age, beloved and honoured by his countrymen; and, without ever making a fingle ftep out of his rank as a private citizen, he retained to his dying hour great influence in the republic. Power, founded on love and gratitude, was to him more pleasant than what is founded on fovereignty. His memory is reverenced by the Genoefe; and, in their hiftories and public monuments, there is bestowed on him the most honourable of all titles -FATHER of his COUNTRY, and RESTORER of its LIBERTY.

[ocr errors]

X. On Contentment.

CONTENTMENT produces, in fome measure, all thofe effects which the alchymift ufually afcribes to what he calls the philofopher's Stone; and if it does not bring riches, it does the fame thing by banishing the defire of them. If it cannot remove the difquietudes arifing out of a man's mind, body, or fortune, it makes him easy under them. It has indeed a kindly influence on the foul of man, in refpect of every being to whom he ftands related. It extinguishes all murmur, repining, and in

E-2

gratitude

« AnteriorContinuar »