acquisition, the act or power of attaining. than the attainment6 of their pro- 6 Attainment, fession, by which they are hereaf-s acquirement, ter to live. But of what does this knowledge of the world consist? To despise virtue, to laugh at morality, and to give way to the most shocking scenes of folly and dissipation.7 8. Their Sundays, part of which at least ought to be spent in acts of piety8, are passed in revelling and drunkenness; and the exploits and excesses of that day, furnish plenty of boastful9 conversation for the rest of the week. What can be expected from a youth when he shall arrive at manhood, who has thus passed the morning of his life? And with what reason can either parents or masters complain of the depravity of the times, since they themselves take so little care of the morals of the rising generation? 9. The youth who has been long accustomed to revel through the dan gerous wiles2 of gaiety and pleasure, and has once given loose to the excesses of the town, will hard. ly ever be prevailed on to quit them, for what he considers as the dull enjoyments of a calm, peaceable and virtuous life. Deaf to all re 7 Dissipation, extravagant, spending. 8 Piety, s discharge of one's duty to God. 9 Boastful, as vain, proud, haughty.. #Depravity, corruption, a vitiated state. 2 Wile, sa deceit, a fraud, a trick, a strata gem. monstrances, he pursues his pleasure and perishes in the midst of his delusive2 enjoyments. Remonstrances; & discovery, representation. 2 Delusive, a apt to deceive. 3 Prevent, v to guide, pre engage, hinder. un 4 Unruly, a turbulent, centious. governable, li 10. To check these evils, and thereby prevents the fatal consequences, the infant mind must be carefully watched, and the unruly4 passons made to give way to the reason and authority of the parent. Nothing can be so pleasing and delightful, and at the same time more the duty of the parent than to watch over the tender thought, and the course for teach the young ideas to flow in a proper channel.5 11. To leave these cares to vain hope, that reason and maturity 6 will gradually fix the wandering mind, and bring it to a proper sense of its duty, is as absurd7 and ridiculous as to expect that the fiery steeds who has never felt the spur, the curb,9 the saddle nor the bridle, will with age become the peaceful, the quiet and the obedient animal. 12. Nature scems in some instances to have given to the inferior class of beings that degree of instinct which sometimes puts human reason to the blush. Shall inferior beings merely by the power of instinct qualities, shew more care and prudence in rearing their tender offspring, than proud man, with 5 Channel, 8 a stream of water; a grove, a gutter. 6 Maturity, s ripeness, com- 8 Steed, sa horse for state or war. 9 Curb. s an iron. chain made fast to the upper part of the branches of the bridle, running over the beard of the horse. + Instict, s a desire or aver. sion acting in the mind with out the intervention of rea son. all his lordly and boasted superiority of human reason? Extract from the eulogy on Doctor Pronounced by the Abbe Fouchet, in the My voice shall extend to France, to America and to posterity. I am now to do justice to a great man, the founder of American freedom; I am to praise him in the name of the mother city of French liberty. It is not the naturalist2 and the philosopher3 that the orator of the commons of Paris ought to describe, it is the man, who hath accelerated the progress of social4 order; it is the legislator who hath prepared the liberty of nations! pop his com cate 6 Sublime, a 2. The proverbs of Old Henry,'5 and poor Richard," are in the hands both of the learned and the ignorant; they contain the most sublime6 morality, reduced to ular language and common prehension; and form the chism7 of happiness for all mankind. Franklin did not omit any of the means of being useful to man, or serviceable to society. He spoke high in style and excellence. 7 Catechism, 8 form of instruc tion to all conditions, to both sexes, to every age. Amidst 3. At one and the same time he governed nature in the heavens and in the hearts of men. the tempests of the atmosphere,9 he directed the thunder; amidst the storms of society, he directed the passions.+ 4. He electrified2 the consciences in order to extract the destructive fire of vice, exactly in the same manner as he electrified the heavens, in order peaceably to invite from them the terrible fire of the elements. Venerables old man! angust4 philosopher! legislator of the fraternity 5 of the human race, what extatic happiness embellish ed the end of thy career! 5 Fraternity, s a consecration, society, refuge, a sanctuary, 6 Asylum, s & 5. From thy fortunate asylum,6 and in the midst of thy brothers who enjoyed in tranquility the fruit of thy virtues, and the success of thy genius, thou hast sung songs of deliverance. The last looks which thou didst cast around thee, beheld America happy; France, on the other side of the ocean, free; and a sure indication of the approaching freedom and happiness of the a mark, sign, world. 6. The United States, looking upon themselves as thy children, have bewailed the death of the fa Indication, s symptom. ther of their republic. France, thy family by adoption has honored thee as the founder of her laws; and the human race has revered thee as the universal patriarch,7 who has formed the alliance of nature with society.8 Thy remembrance belongs to all ages; thy memory to all nations; thy glory to enterni ty :9 On Temperance in Pleasure. 1. Let me particularly exhort‡ youth to temperance in pleasure. Let me admonish them to beware2 of that rock on which thousands from race to race continue to split. The love of pleasure, natural to man in every period of his life, glows3 at this age with excessive4 ardor.5 Novelty adds fresh charms as yet, to every gratification. 2. The world appears to spread a continual feast; and health; vigor and high spirits, invite them to partake of it without restraint. In vain we warn them of latent7 dangers. Religion is accused of insufferable severity, in prohibiting enjoyment; and the old, when they offer their |