Proverbs. Read these my directions often, think of them seriously, and practise them diligently though they seem but dry and ordinary things, yet you will find them useful in your conversation; which will be every day more evident unto you, as your judgment, understanding, and experience increase.

I have but little more to write at this time, but to wish and command you to remember my former counsels that I have often given you. Begin and end the day with private prayers to God, upon your knees; read the Scriptures, often and seriously; be attentive to the public worship of God, in the church ; keep yourselves still in some good employment; for idleness is the devil's opportunity, and the nursery of vain and sinful thoughts, which corrupt the mind, and disorder the life. Let the Girls take care of such business of my family, as is proper for them; and their recreations may be walking abroad in the fields, in fair or frosty mornings, some work with their needle, reading of history or herbals, setting of flowers or herbs, practising their music, and such innocent

and harmless exercises. Let the Boys be diligent at their books, and when they have performed their tasks, I do not deny them such recreations as may be healthy, safe, and harmless. Be you all kind and loving one to another, honouring your minister, not bitter or harsh to my servants. Be respectful to all. Bear my absence patiently, cheerfully, and faithfully, Do all things as if I were present among you, and beheld you; for you have a greater Father than I am, that always, and in all places, beholds you, and knows your hearts and thoughts. Study to requite the love, and care and expense of your father for you, with dutifulness, observance, and obedience to him; and account it an honour, that God hath given you an opportunity, in my absence, by your care, faithfulness, and industry, to pay some part of that debt, that, by the laws of nature and gratitude, you owe unto me. Be frugal in my family, but let there be no want: provide conveniently for the poor that come to my door. And I pray God to fill all your hearts with his

grace, fear, and love; and to let you see the advan

tage and comfort of serving him; and that his blessing, and presence, and comfort, and direction, and providence, be with you, and over you all.

I am your ever loving father,

MATTHEW HALE.

LETTER III.

ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY.

CHILDREN,

WHEN I last lodged in this place, in my journey up to London, I sent you from hence divers instructions concerning your Speech; and how you should manage it; and required you to take copies of it, and to direct your practice according to it. I forgot to inquire of you, whether you had taken copies of it, but I hope you have; and I do again require you to be careful in observing those, and my former directions given to you, some in writing, and many more by word of mouth. I have been careful, that my Example might be a visible direction to you; but if that hath been defective, or not so full and clear a pattern of your imitation, espe

cially in respect of my different condition from yours, yet I am certain that those Rules and Directions, which I have at several times given you, both in writing, and by word of mouth, have been sound, and wholesome, and seasonable; and therefore I do expect that you should remember and practise them: and though your young years cannot yet, perchance, see the reas son and use of them; yet assure yourselves, time and experience will make you know the benefit of them. In Advice given to young people, it fares with them, as it doth with young children that are taught to read, or with young school-boys that learn their grammar rules: they learn their letters, and then they learn to spell a syllable, and then they learn to put together several syllables to make up a word; or they learn to decline a noun, or to form a verb; and all this while, they understand not to what end all this trouble is, nor what it means. But when they come to be able to read English, or to make a piece of Latin, or to construe a Latin author, then they find all these rudiments were very necessary, and to good purpose; for by this means they come to understand what others have written, and to