worthless character; devoid of principle, and therefore devoid of shame. A young man is not far from ruin, when he can say, without blushing, I don't care what others think of me.

2. But to have a proper regard to public opinion, is one thing; to make that opinion our rule of action, is quite another. The one we may cherish consistently with the purest virtue, and the most unbending rectitude; the other we can not adopt, without an atter abandonment of principle and disregard of duty.

3. The young man whose great aim is to please, who makes the opinion and favor of others his rule and motive of action, stands ready to adopt any sentiments, or pursue any course of conduct, however false and criminal, provided only that it be popular.

+

4. In every emergency, his first question is, what will my companions, what will the world think and say of me, if I adopt this, or that course of conduct? Duty, the eternal laws of rectitude, are not thought of. Custom, fashion, popular favor: these are the things, that fill his entire vision, and decide every question of opinion and duty.

5. Such a man can never be trusted; for he has no integrity and no independence of mind, to obey the dictates of rectitude. He is at the mercy of every casual impulse and change of popular opinion; and you can no more tell whether he will be right or wrong tomorrow, than you can predict the course of the wind, or what shape the clouds will then assume.

6. And what is the usual consequence of this weak and foolish regard to the opinions of men? What the end of thus acting in compliance with custom in opposition to one's own convictions of duty? It is to lose the esteem and respect of the very men whom you thus attempt to please. Your defect of principle and hollow-heartedness are easily perceived: and though the persons to whom you thus sacrifice your conscience, may affect to commend your complaisance, you may be assured, that, inwardly, they despise you for it.

7. Young men hardly commit a greater mistake, than to think of gaining the esteem of others, by yielding to their wishes contrary to their own sense of duty. Such conduct is always morally wrong, and rarely fails to deprive one, both of self-respect and the respect of others.

+

8. It is very common for young men, just commencing business, to imagine that, if they would advance their secular interests, they must not be very scrupulous in binding themselves down to the strict rules of rectitude. They must conform to custom; and if, in buying and selling, they sometimes say things that are not

true, and do the things that are not honest; why, their neighbors do the same; and, verily, there is no getting along without it. There is so much competition and rivalry, that, to be strictly honest, and yet succeed in business, is out of the question.

9. Now, if it were indeed so, I would say to a young man; then, quit your business. Better dig, and beg too, than to tamper with conscience, sin against God, and lose your soul.

+

10. But is it so? Is it necessary, in order to succeed in business, that should adopt a you + standard of morals, more lax and pliable, than the one placed before you in the Bible? Perhaps for a time, a rigid adherence to rectitude might bear hard upon you; but how would it be in the end? Possibly, your neighbor, by being less scrupulous than yourself, may invent a more expeditious way of acquiring a fortune. If he is willing to violate the dictates of conscience, to lie and cheat, and trample on the rules of justice and honesty, he may, indeed, get the start of you, and rise suddenly to wealth and distinction.

11. But would you envy him his riches, or be willing to place yourself in his situation? Sudden wealth, especially when obtained by dishonest means, rarely fails of bringing with it sudden ruin. Those who acquire it, are of course beggared in their morals, and are often, very soon, beggared in property. Their riches are corrupted; and while they bring the curse of God on their immediate possessors, they usually entail misery and ruin upon their families.

12. If it be admitted, then, that strict integrity is not always the shortest way to success, is it not the surest, the happiest, and the best? A young man of thorough integrity may, it is true, find it difficult, in the midst of dishonest competitors and rivals, to start in his business or profession; but how long, ere he will surmount every difficulty, draw around him patrons and friends, and rise in the confidence and support of all who know him.

13. What, if, in pursuing this course, you should not, at the close of life, have so much money, by a few hundred dollers? Will not a fair character, an approving conscience, and an approv ing God, be an abundant compensation for this little deficiency of pelf?

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14. O, there is an hour coming, when one whisper of an approving mind, one smile of an approving God, will be accounted of more value than the wealth of a thousand worlds like his. In that hour, my young friends, nothing will sustain you but the +consciousness of having been governed in life by worthy and good principles.

HAWES

QUESTIONS.-What must be said of a total disregard of public opinion in a young man? What is the effect of making public opinion the rule of life? What erroneous opinion respecting strict honesty is ommon? Is it a well founded opinion?

Explain the inflections in the last five paragraphs.

ARTICULATION.

Grappl'd, grizzly, grumbl'd, crippl'd, crevice, cranny, frost.

They grappl'd and fell. The grizzly bear is ferocious. They grumbl'd at their crippled condition. Each crevice and cranny was filled with frost. Altars and shrines incredibly increase. Herdsmen protect herds in the forests. Scenes of pleasure soon pall upon the senses. The trees fell thundering and crackling and crashing. The Franks fled frantically.

LESSON LXV.

ARTICULATE distinctly.-Sur-prise, not s'prise: di-rect-ly, not d'rec-ly old maid, not ole maid: just, not juss: un-der-stand, not un-der-stan: slight-est, not slight-es: ob-ject, not objec.

A-ver'-sion, n. dislike.

F-ro-ny, n. language intended to convey

De-ris'-ion, n. the act of laughing at in contempt.

a meaning contrary to its literal sig- In-com-pat'-i-ble, a. inconsistent, that nification. can not exist together.

TIT FOR TAT.

Mrs. Bolingbroke. I wish I knew what was the matter with me this morning. Why do you keep the newspaper all to yourself, my dear?

+

Mr. Bolingbroke. Here it is for you, my dear; I have +finished it.

Mrs. B. I humbly thank you for giving it to me when you have done with it. I hate stale news. Is there any thing in the paper? for I can not be at the trouble of hunting it.

Mr. B. Yes, my dear; there are the marriages of two of our friends.

Mrs. B. Who? Who?

Mr. B. Your friend, the widow Nettleby, to her cousin John Nettleby.

Mrs. B. Mrs. Nettleby? Dear! But why did you tell me? Mr. B. Because you asked me, my dear.

Mrs. B. Oh, but it is a hundred times pleasanter to read the +paragraph one's self. One loses all the pleasure of the surprise

by being told. Well, whose was the other marriage?

Mr. B. Oh, my dear, I will not tell you; I will leave you the pleasure of the surprise.

Mrs. B. But you see I can not find it. How +provoking you are, my dear! Do pray tell me.

Mr. B. Our friend, Mr. Granby. Mrs. B. Mr. Granby? Dear! Why did you not make me guess? I should have guessed him directly. But why do you call him our friend? I am sure he is no friend of mine, nor ever was. I took an aversion to him, as you +remember, the very first day I saw him. I am sure he is no friend of mine.

Mr. B. I am sorry for it, my dear; but I hope you

see Mrs. Granby.

+

Mrs. B. Not I, indeed, my dear. Who was she?

Mr. B. Miss Cooke.

will go and

Mrs. B. Cooke? But there are so many Cookes. Can't you

* distinguish her any way?

Mr. B. Emma, I think.

Mrs. B. Emma Cooke?

Has she no Christian name?

Yes, Emma.

No; it can not be my friend Emma Cooke; for I am sure she was cut out for an old maid.

Mr. B. This lady seems to me to be cut out for a good wife. Mrs. B. May be so. I am sure I'll never go to see her. Pray, my dear, how came you to see so much of her?

Mr. B. I have seen very little of her, my dear. I only saw her two or three times before she was married.

Mrs. B. Then, my dear, how could you decide, that she was out out for a good wife? I am sure you could not judge of ner

by seeing her only two or three times, and before she was married.

Mr. B. Indeed, my love, that is a very just observation.

Mrs. B. I understand that compliment +perfectly, and thank you for it, my dear. I must own I can bear any thing better than irony.

Mr. B. Irony? my dear, I was perfectly in earnest.

+

Mrs. B. Yes, yes; in earnest; so I perceive; I may naturally be dull of apprehension, but my feelings are quick enough; I comprehend too well. Yes, it is impossible to judge of a woman before marriage, or to guess what sort of a wife she will make. presume you speak from experience; you have been pointed yourself, and repent your choice.

+

I

disap

Mr. B. My dear, what did I say that was like this? Upon my word, I meant no such thing. I really was not thinking of you in the least.

Mrs. B. No, you never think of me now. I can easily believe that you were not thinking of me in the least.

Mr. B. But I said that, only to prove to you that I could not be thinking ill of you, my dear.

Mrs. B. But I would rather that you thought ill of me, than that you did not think of me at all.

Mr. B. Well, my dear, I will even think ill of you, if that will please you.

Mrs. B. Do you laugh at me? When it comes to this, I am wretched indeed. Never man laughed at the woman he loved. As long as you had the slightest remains of love for me, you could not make me an object of derision: ridicule and love are incompatible, absolutely incompatible. Well, I have done my best, my very best, to make you happy, but in vain. I see I am not cut out to be a good wife. Happy, happy Mrs. Granby!

Mr. B. Happy, I hope sincerely, that she will be with my friend; but my happiness must depend on you, my love; so, for my sake, if not for your own, be composed, and do not torment yourself with such fancies.

Mrs. B. I do wonder whether this Mrs. Granby is really that Miss Emma Cooke. I'll go and see her directly; see her I must.

Mr. B. I am heartily glad of it, my dear; for I am sure a visit to his wife will give my friend Granby real pleasure.

Mrs. B. I promise you, my dear, I do not go to give him pleasure, or you either, but to satisfy my own curiosity.

MISS EDGEWORTH.