hearts, without pride or affectation: and having found fuch friends, you should bind them to your hearts with "cords of love," and faffer nothing but death to diffolve the union which reafon, prudence, benevolence, and virtue, have formed. "Forfake not an old friend, for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is like new wine, when it is old thou shalt drink it with pleasure."— "Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forfake not."

At the fame time, however, that you are affiduous to fecure and to perpetuate the bleffings of friendship, be careful to deferve them. Never forget, that "he that hath a friend, muft fhew himself. friendly." Between minds, as well as between bodies, attraction can fubfift no longer than it is reciprocal; and mutual kindness can only be cherished by mutual endeavours to ferve and oblige. If you are frequently receiving from your friend tokens of attachment and affection, watch

for

for opportunities of making equivalent returns ; or if inequality of condition should on your part render this impracticable, be the more careful to feize every occafion of exprefling, in ways not inconfiftent with the delicacy of friendship, your sense of obligation. Above all, study to render yourself worthy of the friendship 'you value, by cherishing all those amiable qualities, and practifing all those fubftantial virtues, which unite to form the character of a true friend. More particularly cultivate the kind and generous affections." Friendship is the reciprocation of affection; and he who has none to bestow, has no right to expect any in return." To hope to gain a friend without this, is as if the merchant fhould expect to purchase a jewel of the highest value without being able or willing to pay the price for it. On the contrary, kindnefs will always be found to produce kindness; and no man will fail to be rich in the returns of love, who is careful to purchase

T 3

purchase it with the payment of love. Exercise an habitual command over yourfelves, to check thofe fudden gufts of illhumour or paffion which the casual interference of opinions, inclinations, or interefts, may tend to excite. The maxim is well-founded, that friendship is not to be formed with an angry man. Be ever ready to allow to your friend that indulgence which you claim for yourself; and rather by gentlenefs and forbearance invite generofity, than by a rude and unyielding affertion of your right awaken the latent fpirit of difcord. Be upon your guard against every propensity towards peevishness and fretfulness. Nothing is more diffonant to the tones of love than the harsh murmurs of difcontent. Friendship loves to breathe a free and pleasant air, and to bask in the sunshine of cheerfulness: amidst the fogs and damps of fretfulness, it fickens and dies. Even in forrow, if you wish to fecure the confolations of friendship, you must refrain

from

from peevish and ill-humoured complaints. Friendship muft provide itself against the ftorm as well as the calm; and he who wishes to preserve a friend to the last hour of his life, must endeavour to carry a mild, placid, and affectionate temper, through all the viciffitudes of the world. Cherish that generosity of spirit which will enable you easily and cheerfully to part with the gifts of fortune at the call of friendship. Live in the conftant habit of participating and communicating with all around you, and with those most who are most deferving of your affection. Finally, let your friendships be cemented and perpetuated by virtue. A friendly heart is the united refult of all the virtues; and it is exactly in the proportion in which virtuous difpofitions and manners are cultivated, that we are prepared to discharge the duties and enjoy the pleasures of friendship in this life, and to participate in the focial felicities of the life to come.

Prayer for a Competency.

PROVERBS Xxx. 8.

Feed me with food convenient for me.

IT is one of the most important leffons which true wifdom and which religion teacheth, that we fhould apply our principal attention to the culture of our minds, and the acquifition of those poffeffions which are of a moral and spiritual nature. If we defire to be happy either in this world, or that which is to come, it should be our chief care, not to increase in riches, and rife in power, but to improve ourselves in the habits of piety, benevolence, humility, contentment and fortitude,