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quer slight difficulties, which make the grand difference between the strong and the weak-the virtuous and the unworthy; between the Christian and the cumberer of the ground. Besides, instead of profiting by past experience, I was perpetually placing an unwarrantable dependence on the future. As one year after another passed away, I still hoped better things from the next, and the next; and, ever yielding to the dangerous illusion, neglected to make the effort needful at the present moment. Oh, to look back upon those golden opportunities !

But, sir, I intend not to trouble you with my complaints any farther than as they may prove useful to others. Many of your readers have probably as long, or a still longer period of their minority before them. How unspeakable an advantage! How vast a difference, at this period of life, between seven years ago, and seven years to come! However the past may have been misimproved, the future-the fair, bright, promising future is still unconsumed, unwasted: that period of life of all others the most important, because upon it the formation of the character almost entirely depends, is yet, as it were, in their own power. Let them not suppose

that it depends upon the particular bent of their genius, or cast of their disposition, whether or not they are to rise above the common level of intellectual and moral excellence; or upon the exertions of their parents and teachers; it depends, as a means, upon their own exertions. All things are possible, I believe-all things, at least, that are good and desirable for us--to persevering effort: and without this, as I so well know, seven years, or seven times seven will do nothing for us ;--nothing, but strengthen bad habits, weaken good resolutions, and remove opportunities of improvement. Those temptations to delay and negligence which we feel to-day, will as assuredly return to-morrow, as the morning light;

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return too, with increased force, though inc imperceptible a degree to give the alarm.

Perhaps some of your readers may imagi ever it may be with regard to other thing time enough before me for religion; an occasion to reproach myself for not being in that respect, at the age of twenty-one. need not tell you that this is the most gri my complaint, and the true source of all the but listened to the admonitions of Scripture conscience, seven years ago, all that I w have followed of course. Religion, you kn remedy for carelessness, frivolity, slothful h tempers. I believe, indeed, that it makes easy, and irksome things pleasant.

Besides this, I believe it is not possible who has been favoured with a religious edu sist for seven years the convictions of o suffer all the impressions made by sermons tions of friends, and good books, to wea such an effect being produced in stilling th and hardening the heart, as to render the w of religion, so far as it depends on our ow speakably more difficult than it would hav

YEARS AGO.

I am, sir, your obedient se

II.

GOVERNMENT OF THE THOUGH

THERE is a prevailing desire in the m young people to be freed from the restraints an impatience for that period to arrive wh be at liberty to direct their own actions.

haps, very uncommon for them to imagine that they should be more willing even to do right--that it would be easier, and far more agreeable--if it were no longer a matter of constraint, but of choice.

Το any who may have entertained such ideas, I would propose a method by which they may already ascertain their powers of self-government; and direct them to a sphere of action, which, whatever their present circumstances may be, is subject to no external control; where parents, tutors, friends, have no dominion; where they are already emancipated from every outward restraint. Here then they may try their strength and prove their skill; and if they fail here, it is but reasonable to conclude that they would be, at least, equally unsuccessful, if entrusted with the direction of their own conduct.

But in what way, it may be asked, are persons whose time, pursuits, actions, whose very recreations are in a measure regulated by others, at liberty to command themselves? There are, indeed, several ways in which this question might be profitably answered; but we shall at present confine ourselves to one, and reply-Thought is free. Here is a boundless field, over which the youngest and most strictly guarded possesses unlimited dominion. Here the eye of the most watchful friend cannot penetrate. At the very moment that a child is gratifying a parent's feelings by some act of obedience, the thoughts may be so employed as would incur his severest displeasure. There is but One whose eye discerns "the thoughts and intents of the heart ;" and a lively recollection of that eye being ever present, beholding and recording all that passes within, would, indeed, supersede every other consideration.

Here then, let the proud spirit, impatient of control, and confident of his strength to resist temptation and avoid danger, begin to exercise his self-command. And here let the modest and ingenuous, who cheerfully sub

mit to wholesome restraint and parental guidance, give double diligence in guarding and regulating that to which parental authority cannot extend.

All self-government begins here. He who cannot command his thoughts, must not hope to control his actions. The smallest attention to our own minds must convince us that the thoughts require restraint. If left to pursue their own course, they will assuredly take a wrong one. Three different descriptions of thought might be mentioned, closely indeed connected with each other, but which generally, perhaps, occur in the following order-idle thoughts, vain thoughts, and wicked thoughts.

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Idle thoughts are those which ramble wantonly about the mind, ranging from one object to another, just as they will, without any effort to divert them into a useful channel. It might afford a profitable illustration of our meaning, if the train of thought passing through the mind of a young lady, for instance, while sitting for an hour alone at her work-table, could be taken down as it occurs. Perhaps she would herself be startled to peruse the motley record. Or should she be disposed to plead in her excuse that it was rather silly than sinful, let her remember, that "the thought of foolishness is sin." It is not said the thought of wickedness, but the thought of foolishness. And it is so, because it wastes time and talents which might be profitably employed, and for which we must render an account. It is not sufficient that the hands are occupied, the mind may be idle whilst they are busy and how much mischief and misery may be traced to indolence of mind! Thought is the chief prerogative of our being; the great means of ennobling and reforming it; it makes the grand distinction between the man and the brute. And yet, would it be paying too high a compliment to the capacities of the linnet or the lap-dog, (who we may suppose to be the aforesaid

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young lady's companions at her work-table,) to presume that the train of ideas or sensations, passing through their brains at the same time, would be at least as well worthy of note as those of their mistress? I would gladly amuse my readers with the alternate cogitations of the lap-dog, the linnet, and the lady; but being unwilling to hazard a conjecture with regard to the two former, I leave them to furnish those of the latter for themselves. If "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to do," it is no less true of idle thoughts. They are the first means he employs to ensnare us: of them we are not much afraid, and therefore are easily led on to the next step, which is short and easy indeed.

By vain thoughts, we may understand those wilful excursions of the imagination, those airy visions of future happiness, (as improbable as they are indeed undesirable,) which, it is to be feared, are by many, not only admitted, but encouraged. If any young person should yield to this kind of mental indulgence, under the idea of its being a harmless amusement, it can only be for want of observation of their own minds, or for want of suffi cient experience of its consequences. Its effects on the mind are much the same as those of intemperance on the body; enfeebling its powers, rendering every present occupation insipid--every duty dry, and creating a distaste for all mental improvement; at the same time that it cherishes the love of self, and blunts every benevolent and generous sentiment. Nor is it too much to say, that an habitual indulgence of these visionary pleasures is absolutely incompatible with religious improvement. The mind, whose favourite employment is forming plans and wishes for possessing the pleasures, honours, riches, vanities of this world, cannot be seeking, "first, the kingdom of God;" cannot be "hungering and thirsting after righteousness;" cannot have "fixed its affections

on things above." Well then might David exclaim, "I

VOL. I.

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