means you may actually multiply your pleasures, and enjoy with the highest relifh, to the largest extent, and for the longest term, every gratification becoming your nature, and fuited to your ftate.

Our system, nevertheless, may appear to be fomewhat unfafhionable. But if you will honour us with your attention, we doubt not of being able to convince you, that in reality it implies nothing vulgar or illiberal; that it requires not a fingle action, word, look, or thought, of which you can have reafon, in any company, or on any occafion, to be ashamed. Neither, as I hope, will you find us, in the profecution of our plan, ftrict without neceffity, or fevere without caufe. We are willing, Gentlemen, to make every candid allowance for the imbecillity of human nature, like those who feel themselves men; and for the gaiety of juvenile minds, like those who remember that they also were once young. When the clearest rules

of duty oblige us to remonftrate, and our warnings are feconded by the most awful fanctions of religion, even then we would temper admonition with tenderness, and engage you to embrace instruction chiefly from ingenuous motives; always regretting when we are compelled to enforce it by confiderations lefs attractive, but never affuming the air of a tutor, or adopting the ftyle of thofe that affect" to have do"minion over your faith, inftead of being "helpers of your joy."

"Young Men exhort to be fober"minded-Intreat the Younger Men as "Brethren"-were the directions given by an Apoftle to two Evangelifts, who were both his pupils and his friends, refpecting the manner in which they should treat the Youth of their days. You will not fay, that this was the language of a bigot. A bigot, you are fenfible, is the avowed enemy of all moderate counfels. A condefcending difpofition, an obliging de

meanour, he neither practifes nor commends. His fancy is too much heated to regard the measures of common fenfe, or the laws of focial life, in matters of fpiritual concern; and his judgement is too narrow to comprehend the extenfive objects of religion and humanity. Such a man does not exhort, but dictate, docs not intreat, but command; and as for the plain unpretending virtues of prudence and fobriety, a temperate mind and a difcreet behaviour, what are they to him who is intoxicated with a conceit of his fuperior fanctity and wifdom? How different was the character of Saint Paul!

Formerly, indeed, he too had been a blind and furious zealot: but, from the time that he imbibed the meek and lowly fpirit, with the enlarged and generous. principles, of his new Mafter, no one could be more mild or unaffuming, more ftrictly attentive to the rights of mankind, or more sweetly follicitous for their falva

tion. "Young Men exhort"-towhat? To display their courage, or their zeal, by perfecuting thofe who differ from them, by deftroying God's creatures in God's name, as he had done when himself a young man; or yet to evidence their vir→ tue and their picty by renouncing all terrestrial enjoyments, relinquifhing all fecular connexions, and being unprofitable to others under the pretence of faving` themfelves? No; but to be "Sober-minded," that is to fay, regular and confiderate, careful to govern their paffions, improve their faculties, and prepare for performing with diligence and discretion their duty to fociety. But however important or neceffary fuch advice may appear, it must never be obtruded with officioufnefs, or preffed with afperity; it muft ftill be prompted by a benevolent difpofition, and ftill accompanied with an amiable addrefs. This enlightened man well knew that the human mind revolts against all violent attempts to controul her; that she requires

to have her reafon convinced by argument, and her affection engaged by kindness; that her innate pride is fhocked at thofe who would prefume to tutor her with rigour; that both the fpirit and the impatience of Youth in particular are apt to rebel, where authority, however founded, is not foftened by gentleness, or rather where the mafter is not happily concealed in the friend; but that much may be done by him who has the skill to graft inftruction upon ingenuity, and to gain the confidence of his difciples by ufing them well.—“ Intreat the Young "Men as Brethren." Regarding them as the rational offspring of your common Parent, as members of the fame great family with you, initiated in the fame divine faith, and deftined to the fame immortal fellowship, avoid in your reproofs, admonitions, and counfels, whatever might tend to disgust or difcourage them: let candour and benignity reign in all: befeech, obteft, conjure them to be wife, to be good, to be happy: let your arguments