the principal actors, but their companions; as in riot aud murder: and

in the case of treason, even silence is a crime therefore amongst traitors you must either betray your friend's life; or expose your own. This is not the greatest danger evil company brings with it; a deeper mischief still is, that it depraves the mind, and leaves a stain upon the understanding and the affections, which better counsels will with difficulty remove : this fatality is too often seen by its contagion upon the purest minds. The readiness with which youth receive evil impressions, spreads this venom so quickly and so surely, that

it is difficult to find an antidote for it. The unfortunate end of many a person, who was once probably welldisposed, speaks an awful lesson; for if you ask what has produced these miseries,they will all answer in nearly the same words; evil communications! your own memory can furnish you with many instances of the truth of my assertion: and earnestly do I pray that such recollections may prove warnings, not to you alone, but to many others.

There is an innate propensity in man to association; hence it is not the least part of our wisdom to make

choice of such companions as may be useful and honourable to us, rather than a disgrace and a blight upon our credit. It is good for you to select for your familiar friends, those who excel in their different pursuits; for much is to be acquired in the arts and sciences, as well as in every other branch of knowledge; by conversation with the wise and well-instructed; besides, the world will conclude either that you are wise, or that you will soon become so, when your associates are of that description. You will find a considerable advantage in connecting yourself with those who are able and willing to advise you,

provided you profit by it; and if counsel be the strength of kingdoms, surely it can be of no less utility in private concerns. When young men have for advisers the young like themselves, to whom they are generally more inclined, they are frequently entangled in difficulties, from which they cannot always free themselves : take therefore for your companions those who are become wise by experience; of which you may reap the advantage without any of its previous difficulty or danger.

But chiefly be solicitous to choose such as are careful of their reputa

tion, and sedulously attentive to that part of their nature which raises man from the brute, and assimilates him to deity. To this end never connect yourself in bonds of social friendship, (though ever thoughtful of them in kind deeds) with those too much below you, (I do not mean those of less property, but low of character and conduct,) lest you sink to their level, and in a worldly point of view, this sort of company is by far the most expensive, as it will be expected you pay for the honour of being the head.

Let however a higher motive than a pecuniary one induce you to avoid this species of society.