reflection, and earnest prayer to God for the assistance of his Spirit in the study of them; and on such a perusal,

am confident, you will find a beauty and a glory in them, beyond what the generality of the world apprehend. This guide alone is incomparably preferable to all the books and the friends upon earth without it. Follow it steadily, and it will lead you to Heaven.

As to your behaviour to your fellow-creatures, the directions of Scripture will be highly serviceable. Your great care, madam, must be to accommodate the general precepts of it to your own particular circumstances of life; and, to do this, you must beg that God would give you wisdom.

I might insist copiously on these hints, and add many others which would not be foreign to the case before us. But my letter is grown already to a very uncommon size; and fear that if I should go on to enlarge it, the review will be a burthensome task. What is still omitted, if I judge right of your character, your own good sense will in a great measure supply, under the directions of God's Word, and the influences of his spirit. And let me only entreat you, often to reflect on your conduct, and to consider your ways; for I am confident, that the generality of mankind who are undone for time and eternity, perish, not so much for want of knowing what is right, as through a failure of resolution in the pursuit of it, which is very much owing to the neglect of thought and reflection.

I add nothing further but my hearty prayer, which I shall frequently repeat, that a watchful Providence may continually surround you, and give the winds and the seas a charge concerning you; that the influences of his grace may secure you from all the temptations which

you have to encounter, and may make you a lovely ex• ample of all the virtues and graces of Christianity; that, after a safe, honourable, and prosperous visit to the Indies, you may be restored to your native land in peace, with a rich increase both of temporal and spiritual blessings so that, upon the whole, your present and future happiness may exceed all that we can particularly wish or pray for on your account.

You are now going from the company, the conversation, and the amusements of children, into a scene of life which affords more rational pleasures, and which will engage you in more important pursuits.--The world is opening before you; a wilderness in which many have been lost, and in which, among a thousand broad ways, there is but one narrow path that leads to happiness and honour. It is of great consequence to you to be directed into this path at first; for if you should miss it at setting out, you will find great dificulty in recovering it.I hope you will be long under the protection and guidance of parents, in whom there is all that can be wished in the relation; yet my affection for you induces me to give you a few plain instructions, which, I trust, will assist you in fulfilling your duty to

them, in obtaining the good will of others, and in promoting your own welfare.

Do not imagine that I think you inclined to every fault and folly that I shall warn you against: but you must remember, that we all have faults and follies; and that to caution persons while they are innocent, may spare them the shame and anguish of being reproved or upbraided after they are guilty.

Great part of the happiness of every individual depends upon the opinion and actions of others; it is, therefore, desirable for you to gain and preserve the good will of all with whom you are connected. Your regard and attention to them, will seldom fail to secure theirs to you. Be always ready to perform such acts of kindness as are in your power; taking care to avoid a partiality, which may lead you to do any thing in favour of one person, at the expense of another, or of yourself.

There are many acts of kindness to mankind in general, which are neither difficult, troublesome, nor expensive. The principal of these is, speaking well, or at least not speaking ill, of the absent. If you see a fault in another, do not make it the subject of conversation. Do not think yourself justified by saying, that what you report to another's disadvantage is true. If all the real failings of the best of us, were to be told to our dearest friend, perhaps all our virtues could scarcely secure his

esteem.

But this rule must not extend to the concealing of any thing by which another may be injured in his property or character, if by revealing it the evil may be prevented; and this is almost the only instance in which we are allowed to speak of the faults of others.

Be always punctual in returning what the world calls civilities. The failing in this, however trifling, is often

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taken for contempt, or at least for want of esteem; and I have known the omitting to return a visit, or to answer a letter, in due time, attended with coldness, indifference, and worse consequences. That persons ought not to set such a value on these trifles, is true; but, if they do, it behooves us to act conformably. However, as the resenting of a breach of these punctilios is really a fault, take care that you are not betrayed into it. Mere negligences should be below your resentment; though, for the sake of the infirmities of others, you should guard against them in yourself.

There are two ways of gaining the good will of the world, which weak people practise, because they know no other one is flattery; the other is lavish professions of friendship, which begin and end on the lips. Never stoop to either of these low and infamous arts: whatever is thus gained, is bought too dear. To refrain from this fault is easy but to guard against the ill effects of it in others, is difficult; it is not, however, more difficult than necessary. Always suspect that a person who flatters you, endeavours to gain a confidence which he intends to betray.

Remember, that whoever makes professions of friendship which are not sincere, is a hypocrite; and beware that your own vanity does not encourage you to think that you have merited uncommon and excessive instances of favour, and zeal to serve you. But the constant, steady esteem and friendship of a person long tried and well known, who has obtained a reputation for virtue and sincerity, is an invaluable treasure: if you can find it, preserve it with a religious care, and return it with fidelity and zeal.

Never be trusted with the secrets of others, if you can

by any means avoid it with decency; reject it, as an enemy to your peace, and as a snare for your good name. Whoever tells you a secret, usually tells it to many others at length, it is betrayed; and, as this breach of faith is always denied by the guilty, the innocent are generally suspected. It has been thought good advice not to reveal our own secrets; but I would rather advise you to have none. Do nothing that, if known, would wound your reputation, or fill your bosom with shame and regret. To lie at the mercy of accident; to be obliged constantly to watch over our words and actions, lest what we wish to hide should be discovered; is the life of a slave, full of fear, suspicion, and anxiety. Those who have nothing to apprehend but falsehood and detraction, enjoy their own innocence, have an open look, a noble confidence, and a native cheerfulness.

If, upon some difference, you should happen to lose any of your intimate acquaintance, do not be eager to relate the circumstances of the quarrel, in order to justify your conduct and condemn theirs. Those stories, which a thousand little circumstances make of importance to you, and warm your mind in the recital, are insipid to other persons; and, while you think you amuse them, and are rising into consequence, by a detail of your own prudent management, you will become tiresome, impertinent, and ridiculous. If the party with whom you have differed, should pursue this method, the wiser part of mankind will rather conclude them to be in fault, from their zeal to defend themselves, than you from your silence; for it is a consciousness that others will condemu us, which makes us eager to anticipate their judgment. -This rule extends to your talking of yourself and of