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anxious, fhould be a complete Man of the World, or what is usually styled a Fine Gentleman, and a person of ability, infinuating, popular, applauded, fuccessful: for, pray take notice, we meet not, as I remember, in two large volumes, with a fingle sentence pointing to the immortality of man, or the approbation of God, or any other great principle of human excellence. Amidft many useful obfervations on life, and many neceffary axioms of prudence, the most trivial leffons are taught; and his well-known favourite doctrine is, without the leaft attention to human nature, fo inceffantly repeated, that it could fcarcely fail to disgust, instead of impreffing the young man for whom it was defigned. That he fhould even not fcruple recommending to his fon the imitation of a deeply criminal fashion in foreign gallantry, is indeed fhocking, and what ought to excite abhorrence in every one who retains any sense of decency. Shall I add in a few words, that to allure, to sparkle, to shine,

to flatter, to be flattered, and to rife, at whatever expence of truth, of rectitude, or of regard for nobler pursuits, are held up as the highest ends of existence; and instead of forming the perfon in question into a juft model of improved and elevated nature, to frame him into a mere courtly artificial being, or rather to fabricate and hammer him into a piece of polished machinery, was the fupreme folicitude of that man to whom our modifh youth in this Chriftian land look up, as the allaccomplished pattern, judge, and mafter of life and manners?

But, that we may draw to a conclufion, let us now in the laft place follow thofe pretty gentlemen-for fuch they wish to be thought-let us follow them into the world. What do they fee and hear of there, but betting, and gaming, and intrigues, and cabals, and places, and posts, and penfions, and stars, and garters; court favour and family intereft, ftatesmen regu

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larly buying votes, and their oppofers frequently feeking power; almoft all mankind bowing in the temple of Rimmon, or elfe worshipping in that of Mammon; to which laft idol, indeed, the apparent votaries of the other direct the homage of their hearts? In the early ages of Greece and Rome, Glory was the great object of men's devotion. In our times, it is Money: every thing now is facrificed to money: ambition itself, vanity, pride, all the paffions, wait on Avarice, even as the eye "of a man-fervant on the hand of his "mafter, and the eye of a maid-servant "on the hand of her miftrefs." Money, my friends, money is now prized and purfued as that which can purchase all things -And fo it can, a few trifling enjoyments excepted, fuch as good health, true contentment, a good confcience, and unfeigned efteem. As to merit, ability, rectitude, patriotism, and the honours which were wont to attend them in the genuine refpect and fincere applaufes of the beft

men; this more fagacious age has difcovered, that fuch airy qualities, and sḥadowy acquifitions, might formerly do well enough to fatisfy those who were infected with the knight-errantry of virtue; but that they fignify little now-a-days. Why? Because they would go for nothing on the turf, at the gaming-table, in the circles of fplendor, the abodes of luxury, or the reforts of diffipation. Such, my dear hearers but tell it not in" France, "publish it not in the ftreets of" Madrid

fuch are the fcenes, the very honour

able and highly-improving fcenes, which must form, and finish, and fend forth from time to time, the hopeful perfonages that are to be the fathers of the next generation, that are to command our fleets and armies, that are to fit in the British Senate, aud give law to half the globe; that are to fill the chief offices of government, and assist in the councils of their fovereign; in a word, that are to watch over the dearest interefts of liberty, religion, and mankind.

Eternal God! what but thy wonder-working Providence and Spirit can fave this nation from utter profligacy, ignominy, and deftruction? Ah, my young men, what fuperlative praife would redound to you, whom I now addrefs, were you, in the feveral fpheres for which you are intended-were You, I fay, to unite with the wife, the worthy, and the brave, who yet remain, and to vow in the name of the Omnipotent, that you will exert every faculty which nature has implanted, and every talent which principle can incite, to ftem the torrent of general corruption, to oppose against effeminate manners a mafculine virtue, to "quit you like men' in despite of enervating fashion, to fhow amidst the surrounding flavery of vice that you have "the rule of your own fpirits;" and wherever duty, wherever honour calls, there to play the men for your people, " and for the cities of your God!"

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