are beneficial to individuals, communities, art, science, literature, and even religion.

12. On Gaming.

I. Playing at games of hazard is an amusement of the most pernicious kind.

II. It originates in avarice, and similar base and selfish passions.

III. It was practised by the ancients; and has been carried to great excess in several modern cities.

IV. It seems to be a vice of all ages and nations, and of all ranks of people.

V. The effects of gaming are ruinous to temporal prosperity, happiness, and morals.

13. On Chivalry.

I. Chivalry was a system of knighthood, which professed to relieve all who were oppressed.

II. The original motives to chivalry seem to have been humanity and a love of justice.

III. Chivalry began during the time of the Crusades.

IV. It was confined almost exclusively to the Christian states of Europe.

V. At first, chivalry produced very beneficial effects; but ultimately it became injurious, and even ridiculous.

14. On Philosophy.

I. Philosophy signifies originally the love of wisdom: in its ordinary acceptation it comprehends physical, moral, and mental science.

II. Reason, and the other intellectual powers of man, lead him to study philosophy in its enlarged acceptation.

III. Philosophy was cultivated by several of the nations of antiquity: it is still more extensively studied in modern times.

IV. Eminent philosophers have appeared in various parts of the world, but chiefly in Europe.

V. Many dangerous errors have been propagated by professed philosophers; but, when properly conducted, the study of every department of philosophy is beneficial.

2. PROPOSITIONS.

Exercise 96.

Rudiments, p. 160.

1. Delays are dangerous.*

I. Nothing can be more unfavourable to the success of an undertaking, than frequent and unnecessary delays.

II. So many and unexpected are the disappointments in life; so frequently do things happen contrary to our expectations that unless we seize the present moment, we run the greatest risk of being disappointed.

III. If it were not so, we should not hear so many encomiums on the advantages of alacrity and watchfulness in business, or so many admonitions to dissuade us from losing a favourable opportunity.

IV. The very different practice of the fox and the hare affords us a useful lesson on this subject. As soon as the former heard the hounds, he began his flight, and by a constant pace, often avoided them, or at least preserved his life much longer; while the latter, though a swifter animal, by delaying her flight, and frequently stopping to listen, fell sooner a sacrifice to her enemies.

V. History is full of examples of the danger of delay. Mark Antony, by delaying his return to Rome, and dissipating his time with Cleopatra, suffered Octavius Cæsar to

The outlines in this Section are taken, with slight alterations, from Walker's "English Themes and Essays."

F

supplant him in the favour of the Roman people, and at last to deprive him of his share of the empire of the world.

VI. In the following passage, Shakespeare has admirably expressed the advantage of embracing, and the danger of neglecting, any favourable opportunity :—

There is a tide in the affairs of men,

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

VII. There is nothing, therefore, which we ought to keep more constantly in mind, than the danger of committing any important transaction to the hazard of delay.

2. Evil communications corrupt good manners.

I. Nothing is more certain than that constant intercourse with those who are vicious and immoral, will infallibly infect us with vice and immorality.

II. Man is a creature of imitation; and it is as impossible to avoid imitating manners which are constantly before our eyes, as it is to avoid speaking a language which we are constantly hearing.

III. Besides, whatever is perpetually present to us loses its singularity. Vice, which at first is odious, by being frequently witnessed becomes less disagreeable; and if it happens to be united with qualities which we admire, we slide, by insensible degrees, into an imitation of characters which at first shocked us by their turpitude.

IV. As a young unvitiated palate generally dislikes highly seasoned and pungent sauces, but at last becomes fond of them; so a virtuous mind, which at first is disgusted with vice, by too much familiarity becomes enamoured of it.

V. History, both ancient and modern, affords us many instances of the danger of communicating with evil. None is more striking than that of Solomon, who, although very highly favoured by God, yet, by holding too familiar inter

course with heathen nations, was at last seduced into idolatry.

VI. Moralists of all ages have earnestly exhorted us to flee from the company of the wicked; and Dr Johnson remarks, that there are few who do not learn, by degrees, to practise those crimes which they cease to censure.

VII. How justly, therefore, may we conclude with the sacred writer, that if we accustom ourselves to the converse of those who are evil, we shall assuredly be led to become evil ourselves.

3. Well begun is half done.

I. When we have once determined upon doing anything, and have actually begun it, we may, with great propriety, be said to have half finished it.

II. The beginning of an undertaking is always the most difficult as we proceed, we acquire ease and expedition by practice; and the labour lessens as we draw towards the

conclusion.

III. Besides, we have a strong desire to finish what we have once begun, that our pains may not be thrown away, and our work left imperfect.

IV. Physicians tell us, that when the cause of a disease is known, the cure is half performed; and, in like manner, we may say, that when any difficult undertaking is fairly begun, it is half executed.

V. It was the policy of Alexander the Great to surprise his enemies. When he had resolved on an enterprise, he lost no time in commencing it, and was generally ready to give his adversaries battle before they supposed he had begun his march. To this speedy commencement of his enterprises was owing his rapid and unexampled success.

VI. It is a common saying, that fortune favours the brave. If this saying is true, it is probably because the brave begin their undertakings with promptitude, and carry them on with energy, which soon bring them to a termination.

VII. With the utmost truth, therefore, it may be affirmed, that when we have made a good beginning of any task, the principal and most disagreeable part of the labour is over.

4. Perseverance generally prevails.

I. Perseverance seldom fails in making us successful in anything we undertake.

II. The steps by which we advance may be slow; yet, as every step brings us nearer the end, if we continue to make progress, our endeavours must at last be crowned with

success.

III. How surprisingly anything increases, to which we add only a little every day; and what a large volume the exercises which we write at school, would make at the end of the year!

IV. The fable of the hare and the tortoise is a very good illustration of the force of perseverance. The former, trusting to her swiftness of foot, delayed setting off on the race so long, that the latter, though slow, by constantly advancing a little, got first to the goal, and became the winner.

V. In history, we scarcely read of any fortifications, however strong, which held out against persevering besiegers; and, in common life, we find the utmost difficulty in refusing the importunity of those who incessantly solicit us.

VI. Dr Johnson says, that diligence, which is nearly allied to perseverance, is never wholly lost; for, even though we miss our principal aim, we gain improvement by the pursuit.

VII. It may therefore be concluded, that if we make but little progress in our undertakings, it is generally more owing to want of perseverance than to want of ability.

5. Necessity is the mother of invention.

I. The inconvenience which men feel for want of anything generally prompts them to devise the means of supplying it.