LETTER 27.

From a Young Woman just gone to service in'New-York, to her Mother in the country.

DEAR MOTHER,

It is now a month that I have been at Mr. Wilson's, and I thank God that I like my place so well. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are both worthy people, and greatly respected by all their neighbors. At my first coming here I thought every thing strange, and wondered to see such multitudes of people in the streets; but what I suffer most from is, the remembrance of your's and my father's kindness; but I begin to get more reconciled to my state, as I know you were not able to support me at home. I return you a thousand thanks for the kind advice you were so kind to give me at parting, and I shall endeavor to practice it as long as I live; let me hear from you as often as you have an opportunity; so with my duty to you and my father, and love to all friends,

I remain ever, your most dutiful daughter.

MY DEAR CHILD,

LETTER 28.

The Mother's Answer.

I am glad to hear that you have got into so good a family. You know that we never should have parted from you had it not been for your good. If you continue virtuous and obliging, all the family will love and esteem you. Keep yourself employed as much as you can, and be always ready to assist your fellow servants. Never speak ill of any body, but when you hear a bad story, try

to soften it as much as you can; do not repeat it again, but let it slip out of your mind as soon as possible. I am in great hopes that all the family are kind to you, from the good character I have heard of them. If you have any time to spare from your business I hope you will spend some part of it in reading your Bible, and the whole Duty of Man.. I pray for you daily, and there is nothing I desire more than my dear child's happiness. Remember, that the more faithful you are in the discharge of your duty as a servant, the better you will prosper if you live to have a family of your own. Your father desires his blessing, and your brothers and sisters their kind love to you. Heaven bless you, my dear child! and continue you to be a comfort to us all, and particularly to

Your affectionate mother.

LETTER 29.

From an Uncle to his Nephew, an apprentice, on his keeping bad company, bad hours &c.

DEAR NEPHEW,

I am very much concerned to hear, that you are of late fallen into bad company; that you keep bad hours, and give great uneasiness to your master, and break the rules of his family. That when he expostulates with you on this account, you return pert and bold answers; and instead of pomising or endeavoring to amend, repeat the offence; and have entered into clubs and societies of young fellows, who set at naught all good example, and make such persons who would do their duty, the subject of their ridicule, as persons of narrow minds, and who want the courage to do as they do.

Let me on this occasion expostulate with you, and set before you the evil of the way you are in. In the first place what can you mean by breaking the rules of a family you had bound youself by contract to observe? Do you think it honest, to break through engagements into which you have solemnly entered? Seven years, several of which are elapsed, is not so long a term but that you may see it terminate before you are over fit to be trusted with your own conduct. Twenty-one or twenty-two years of age is full early for a young man to be his own master, whatever you may think; and you may surely stay till then at least, to choose your own hours, and your own company; and I fear as you go on, if you do not mend your ways, your discretion will not then do credit to your choice. Remember you have no time you can call your own, during the continuance of your contract; and must you abuse your master in a double sense: rob him of his time, especially if any of it be hours of business: rob him of his rest; break the peace of his family, and give a bad example to others? And all for what? Why to riot in the company of a set of persons, who contemn, as they teach you to do, all order and discipline; who, in all likelihood, will lead you into gaming, drinking, swearing, and even more dangerous vices, to the unhinging of your mind from your business, which must be your future support.

Consider, I exhort you, in time, to what these courses may lead you. Consider the affliction you will give to all your friends, by your continuance in them. Lay together the substance of the conversation that passes in a whole evening, with your frothy companions, after you have come from them, and reflect what solid truth, what useful lessons, worthy of being inculcated in your fu

ture life, that whole evening has afforded you; and consider whether it is worth breaking through all rule and order for?-Whether your present conduct is such as you would allow in a servant of your own? Whether you are so capable to pursue your business with that ardour and delight next morning, as if you had not drank or kept bad hours over night? If not, whether your master has not a double loss and damage from your misspent evenings? Whether the taking of small liberties, as you may think them, leads you not on to greater? For let me tell you, that you will not find it in your power to stop when you will: and then, whether any restraint at all will not in time be irksome to you?

I have gone through the like servitude with pleasure and credit. I found myself my own master full soon for my discretion what you think of yourself I know not; but I wish you may do as well for your own interest and reputation too, as I have done for mine: and I assure you I should not have thought it either creditable or honest to do as you do. I could have stood the laugh of an hundred such vain companions as you choose, for being too narrow minded to break through all moral obligations to my master, in order to show the bravery of a bad heart, and what an abandoned mind dared to perpetrate. A bad beginning seldom makes a good ending, and if you were assured that you could stop when you come for yourself, which is very improbable, how will you answer it to equity and a good conscience, that you will not do so for your master? There is, let me tell you, more true bravery of mind in forbearing to do an injury, than in giving offence. You are now at an age, when you should study to improve not divert your faculties. You should now lay in a fund of knowledge, that in time, when rip

ened by experience, may make you a worthy member of the commonwealth. Do you think you have nothing to learn, either as to your business, or as to the forming of your mind? Would it not be much better to choose the silent, the sober conversation of books, than of such companions as never read or think? Let me entreat you then, my dear kinsman, for your family's sake, for your own sake, before it be too late, to reflect as you ought upon the course you have entered into. By applying yourself to books, instead of such vain company, you will be qualified in time for the best of company, and be respected by all ranks of men. This will keep you out of unnecessary expenses, will employ all your leisure time, will exclude a world of temptations, and finally set you above that wretched company which now you seem so much delighted with.

And one thing let me recommend to you, that you keep a list of the young men of your standing within the compass of your knowledge, and for the next seven years observe what fate will attend them: see if those who follow not the course you have so lately entered into, will not appear in a very different light from those who do and for the industry and prosperity of the one, and the decay or failure of the other, (if their vain ways do not blast them before or as soon as they begin the world) you'll find abundant reason every day to justify the truth of the observations I have thrown together. As nothing but my affection for you could possibly influence me to these expostulations, I hope for a proper effect from them, if you would be thought well of by, or expect any favor from,

Your loving uncle. P. S. Your master will, at my request, send me word of the success of my remonstrance.