difpofed to use them were already furnished from a variety of quarters: and when I contemplated those giddy youth who wanted admonition moft, I easily discovered that they were least inclined to receive it. From the impetuofity of their paffions, and the force of their prejudices, together with the thousand artifices that were conftantly employed to inflame the former and strengthen the latter, while the voice of Virtuous Friendship, and of Domestic Wisdom, was either not exerted, or not heard in the din and tumult of the world, nothing seemed fo difficult as obtaining the attention of fuch minds to counsel in the shape of Sermons. I well knew with what contempt and disgust they were taught to look on every thing that bears the name of Preaching nor was I confcious of poffeffing fkill fufficient to furmount effectually fo powerful an obstacle.

:

The regard to decorum, which the generality of Young Women deem it ne

ceffary to preferve; the happy restraint from many evils, and fubjection to useful rules, which that lays them under; their quick feeling of reputation, and ardent. defire to please by a demeanour at once attractive and unblemished; the diffufive influence of these qualities on their whole characters; the peculiar warmth and softnefs of their affections; their fuperior aptitude for devotion; their prevailing fenfibility to whatever can entertain the imagination, or imprefs the heart; and perhaps may be added, the lively intereft: they take in those that are avowedly attached to them, as they might perceive I was;—all these things concurred to fupply me with fuch handles in addreffing that fex, as I could not hope to find in the other cafe. If, in confequence of fo many advantages, my endeavours met with approbation, it was natural for me to entertain doubts of success, where thofe advantages did not take place; where, on the còntrary, the difadvantages were great; and

where this conviction would be frequently returning to deprefs my ideas, and to damp my efforts.

It was alfo obvious to confider, that the attraction of novelty was gone; that the public is apt to rife in its demands in proportion to its paft indulgence; that many would expect fomething better than what preceded, without allowing for the greater difficulty of the task; and that readers of more candour might be difappointed, without any blameable defect on the part of the writer. He might use his utmost diligence in a work, which he undertook for reasons apparently good, but which from its nature was unavoidably less interefting or he might make the attempt at a period of life, when affiduity was relaxed, and ardour abated.

By reflections of this fort I was reftrained for a courfe of years. At length, however, I affumed refolution from the re

peated and animating calls of kindness; and to thofe Young Men, who had virtue. or decency enough to give me.an atten tive hearing, I applied myself from the Pulpit in a series of Difcourfes, which I meant afterwards to publifh. Nor did I meet with any thing inaufpicious on the occafion; the ufual audience being from that time, increased by a number of fuch, whose approbation was not more encouraging, than their attendance was regular and ferious. But on weighing yet further the circumftances before mentioned, I fixed at laft on the plan now executed, in which I have ftudied to accommodate myself alfo to the gayer part of my youthful friends, for whofe happiness, as well as for that of the graver, I fhall always be follicitous, without giving up a fingle point of true religion, or found morality.

It has been my aim to engage the hearts, no less than the understandings, of my hearers, in favour of truth and goodness.

Curious fpeculations, learned enquiries, philofophical difquifitions, or the diftinctions of a metaphyfical Divinity, did not enter into my defign. If they had, they might have been easily extracted from a moderate library. But, partly to impress upon the youthful mind, fentiments of piety and worth, partly to warn it against the mischiefs to which it is most exposed in a ftate of public manners highly corrupt and feducing, was my chief endeavour.

Fam under little apprehenfion, that those who join liberality of fentiment to serioufnefs of principle, will reject the friendly counfels here prefented, because they are not introduced with Texts of Scripture, because they are not fettered by the formalities of method, or yet because they are accompanied with illuftrations, remarks, and modes of compellation, more familiar, lefs folemn, and nearer the level of common life, than have been often adopted in grave difcourfes.