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same time he can say, that they are not the result of any speculative views of human life, but that most of them have been suggested by his own actual experience. Although in the list of virtues several are nominally omitted, they are all included in some or other of those enumerated. The list of books is one which (he conceives) can hardly fail to make a good man, if duly attended to; although there are many more such in the world, and (excepting the two first) possibly some better. In the arrangement of his own remarks he has thrown such of them as did not appear to require much discussion, as nearly as possible, into the form of apophthegms; and those which required more amplification he has introduced in a practical essay. A few slight alterations have been occasionally

made in the form of the Scriptural extracts for the sake of connexion: but he trusts there is none in the substance, nor any deviation from the pure doctrines of Scripture. If the system he has recommended should be thought too exclusive, he has adopted it from a conviction that the purity of the mind is best preserved by an ignorance of evil, and its efficiency by a singleness of pursuit. And as it is considered essential to the perfection of a drama or an epic poem, that some leading design should prevail throughout the whole of it, so he conceives that a corresponding unity of object is essential to the perfection of the moral character. So long as this is kept constantly in view, he would not preclude the acquisition of any knowledge which is calculated to advance the main design.

He thinks he may say, that the discipline he has recommended is not only warranted by express passages of Scripture, but conformable to the general tenour and spirit of it. And if it should be thought to interfere too much with our worldly pursuits or our worldly pleasures, he thinks that objection is sufficiently answered by the passages he has cited in the second section. If the Gospel is our moral code, we have no option as to the practice of it. And it was probably to prevent any compromise between that and our passions, or the ever changing habits of society, that St. James affirmed that "whosoever shall

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keep the whole law, and yet offend

"in one point, he is guilty of all." (James ii. 10.) And it is worthy of remark, that the occasion on which he

made this declaration was little more than a matter of etiquette. The Author wishes it to be understood that he considers this little sketch as applying principally to the moral part of the Christian character, and that he leaves the details of religious faith and practice, except such of them as are too indispensable to be passed over even in a treatise of ethics, to more able and appropriate instructors; considering it sufficient for his present design, which is principally to shew to young persons what they are required to do in the common conduct of life, to refer to Scripture for all his authorities; without the slightest intention of setting up morality as a thing separable from, or independent of religion; but on the contrary expressly declaring, that it is only the

fruit and practical result of it, and that without a continual dependence upon the Divine grace and blessing, all human attempts at moral perfection must be ineffectual. He will only further observe, that the instructions he has suggested are calculated for different periods in the progress of education; and that the time and manner of communicating them must be left to the discretion of parents and instructors. And if his experience should enable any of the rising generation to attain to excellence without his errors, he would consider himself as rewarded in their attainments, and living again in their perfections.

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