It will be understood, that I speak to Young Men at large, as forming one numerous Affembly, which I suppose to be prefent, and whofe prefence I feel to be an object of importance and animation. I only except the hypocritical bigot, the profligate. infidel, and the malevolent detracter. For them I profefs no zeal on them I can stamp no impreffion; and from them I expect no quarter, if they should chance to mix with my hearers. It will likewife be perceived, that these Two Volumes comprife but a portion of my fubject, which appears on the flighteft furvey both comprehensive and various. To do it but tolerable juftice, many topics of much moment will afterwards require our confideration, if it shall please Heaven to afford leifure and ability. ERRATA. Vol. ii. Page 15, Line 14, for rudeft, read meret. ----- grefs. ADDRESS I. ON THE RESPECT DUE TO YOUNG MEN. W "HETHER I confider you, whom I have now the pleasure of addreffing, as individuals, or a part of society; as entering on the theatre of life, or defigned for a higher exiftence when you leave it; as poffeffed of great advantages, fubject to many difficulties, or expofed to peculiar temptations; I am deeply impreffed with your importance, and tenderly anxious for your welfare. Thus, indeed, I have long felt with regard to you; and to merit your esteem by promoting your improvement, your reputation, and your happiness, has long been an object of my ambition. Will you hearken to me, then, as to a brother and a friend, whilft I endeavour with freedom and affection, with familiarity and respect at the fame time, to engage your thoughts on a variety of topics clofely connected with your particular circumftances, and your best interests? I pretend to no influence, but that of perfuafion, and to no authority, but that of truth. It is not my intention to indulge indifcriminate fatire, or general declamation against vice and folly, without any diftinction of characters, or any view to the principles and manners of the age. I mean not to burden your memories with the minute fubdivifions of fcholaftic method, or to perplex your understandings with the unfatisfactory fubtilties of theological debate. Yet lefs would I feek to mislead your imaginations by the phantoms of a wild enthufiafm, or chill your hearts by the gloomy spectres of superstition. Far from wishing to debar you from any innocent delight, I propofe to fhow, by what |