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friend should be indifferent to him? Would he who gives a refusal to oblige like to receive one? In short, would he who acts wrongly to others like that others should act wrongly towards him? If not, let the spirit of the precept in question be attended to, and then there would be no longer contentions about who should have the most, or who should have the least; or if there were, it would not be who should have these things, but who should give them up. If men quarrelled, then it would be to know who should do the most good, who should be the most generous, the most obliging, the most ready to sacrifice his own ease for the happiness of others; for there is no species of excellence that we would not wish others to practise towards ourselves-thus our enemy would be made our friend and that love of self, which now uniformly leads us into errors in proportion as we give way to its influence, would, by changing its position, be made a most excellent guide to that which is right. How admirable, then, is that precept of morality, that will teach us to turn an evil to so great a good! it is a precept founded in reason and nature; a precept that, if generally acted upon, is alone calculated to reform the manners of society, and spread virtue and benevolence throughout the world."

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2. "Love your enemies, bless them who curse you, do good to them who hate you," &c.-Matt. v. 44.

It was a maxim with the ancients to hate their enemies, and revenge the injuries sustained. It is a grievous thing, indeed, to have enemies; but will our hatred make them the less so? If it be a laudable object to endeavour to remove the enmity of our foes, and transform them into friends, surely hatred cannot be the means of doing this; if it be not, then of what use is hatred? what good will it do either to me or to my enemy? If it will do no good, then why should it be cherished? But it stops not here: it is not merely productive of no good, it is the author of much injury; for he who suffers hatred to rankle in his bosom, will soon find it accompanied by malice; and when hatred and malice take up their abode in a man's mind, they make a woeful devastation among the delicate virtues of benevolence, tenderness, and love. Hatred, therefore, is a direful enemy to the disposition; and he who cherishes it blindly, fosters a much greater enemy than the one he hates-so also with revenge, which is nothing but the exercise of offended pride. If I sustain an injury which I cannot avoid, it is my business to bear it with fortitude and resignation, and make it as light as I can: but revenge will not teach me to do this; on the contrary, by pondering over my misfortune, it will soon magnify it to an extent far beyond what is real-for the revengeful disposition always over-rates the injury received.

Thus the imaginary evil that I shall have to bear will be greater than the real one, and instead of lessening the latter, it will double its weight-nor is this the whole of its ill effect; for the mind of a revengeful man is always in a state of painful fermentation, and a "perturbed spirit" of this nature is so great an enemy to the milder virtues, that it will soon corrode and destroy them. What then shall we say of this maxim of the ancients, that passion, not reason, was its origin; and being founded in passion, it wars against every principle of justice and equity? Examine now the moral tendency of our second precept, "Love your enemies," &c. or rather bear a good will towards your enemies; for the the term "love" is frequently used to express kindness, good will, or friendship. Now if a man have a good will towards his enemy, he will never designedly injure him; but if an opportunity present he will do him good, and if it be his wish to destroy that enmity, what way so proper as to return good for evil? To overwhelm him with civility and kindness-to shew him that love can triumph over hatred, and make his malevolence blush for shame! How noble, how admirable does the exercise of this principle appear, even in a wild Peruvian, who, when his uplifted arm declared the power that it held over the life of his implacable enemy, he bade him feel the keenness of a Peruvian's vengeance, and let the dagger fall at his feet! This is godlike, for it is the conduct which heaven pursues towards man-he makes his sun to shine on the just, and on the unjust, and gives food and raiment to him who receives it with an oath of blasphemy. Reader, if thou canst admire the moral tendency of this precept, let not thy disposition be ruffled or thy virtues contaminated by hatred, malice, or revenge; but love thy enemies, serve them who would injure thee, and do good to them who hate thee.

Oct. 12, 1812.

TIMOTHEUS.

ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN, CONTAINING OBSERVATIONS ON MORALS AND MANNERS.

To the Editor of the Freethinking Christians' Magazine.

OWIN

SIR,

WING to the occurrence of those unforeseen events incident to humanity, the promised "Advice" has not been so closely followed up as the writer originally designed; however, adapting the well-known maxin, "Better late than never," I now sit down to redeem the pledge given in your last volume, of offering some remarks upon the manners, and what is called deportment of young men,

VOL. II.

3 T

The readers of the former essays will remember, that gene ral arguments, in support of the invaluable advantages result ing from virtuous impressions upon the youthful mind, were laid before them, and the consequences of vice and virtue upon the human character were attempted to be exhibited in peculiar instances derived from actual knowledge. As these papers are principally intended for the use of those young men that possess the distinguished advantage of forming a part of your society, it is at least presumed that they know what the principles of virtue are; and should the arguments here advanced be successful in obtaining an influence on their minds, the writer ardently hopes that more active and determined exertions in this greatest of all causes will be the effect. To those readers that are not in the situation of the youths alluded to, and are convinced of the duty and advantages of beginning the thorny path of life in a way that will eventually lead to happiness, but who are, as it were, in a wilderness, without knowing where to direct their steps in order to arrive at the wishedfor point, I would recommend, at their commencement, a careful and scrupulous examination of the New Testament, with one determined object in view; and let that, in the first place, be an endeavour to discover a principle which shall serve as the foundation, and likewise furnish a stimulus for their raising a superstructure, that, when completed, will prove an inward satisfaction of mind to themselves, and create the admiration of all those around them. Such, I am fully satisfied, is the important revelation the Deity has kindly made to man of another stage of existence, in which ALL shall be rewarded or punished according to their actions in the present life.

After examining the evidences upon which this most im

portant fact rests, and satisfying their minds of its truth, the next step advisable to be taken, in connection with the preceding, is a close examination of those superior moral principles, so well suited to the constitution and circumstances of man, with which the teaching of Jesus and writings of the Apostles, abound, displaying, in numerous instances, a capaci ousness of mind, and a correct knowledge of human nature, truly extraordinary.

A character enjoying these advantages, and possessing a mind feelingly alive to their importance, the next step should be an union with the Christian Church, which combines within itself so many and such varied advantages, as reflects the highest honour upon its framer, for giving man an institution so perfect in all its parts, as to call forth every feeling of the heart, and every exertion of the mind. It will be said, all do not possess the advantage: I feel the force of this objection, and

sincerely lament its truth. But I well know that there are many who do enjoy it-to them I would say, first qualify yourselves, then embrace the opportunity, and you will be in the high road to true happiness both here and hereafter.

When we have gone this length in the pursuit of virtue, there are numerous other things of minor yet of no mean consequence, and are indisputably necessary to that character who aims at eminence, and desires to be as perfect as his nature is capable of (which, by the way, is no small degree). The opinion of the world, with the great part of mankind, is the secret spring from which all their actions emanate; with others, it is treated contemptuously, and most ridiculously set at nought: be it our aim to avoid the folly of both extremes, as they are equally dangerous-the judgmeut which the world forms of our characters will be highly valued by men of the strictest virtue. It appears to be the very consummation of weakness, to pay no attention to what is said of us by other men-beings of the same species with ourselves-connected with us by the strongest ties and linked together in one grand chain by the great author of the universe. The purity of our principles is of small import, unless they are actively exerted in all the concerns of life.

My young friends, it is not merely necessary that we should possess the pure principles of virtue, but likewise the manner of exercising them is a point of very considerable conse quence, in order that they may produce all the benefit they are entitled to upon society. It is not sufficient that we should be merely just in our dealings, but that likewise our justice should be combined with a pleasing, agreeable, and polite manner of address, so that the superiority of our principles may have the advantage of their own innate excellence, joined to a prepos sessing behaviour in their professors, which all mankind admire, though few practise it from right motives. What can be a greater disadvantage, or more disgusting, than to see a man possessed of enlightened ideas, whose general conduct, particularly to those whom he considers inferior to himself in men. tal acquirements, is so disagreeable, so morose, and so overbearing, that a stranger would discover no difference between him and an inhabitant of the wilds of America, except in the form of his garb? yet such characters are not scarce-the literary world of the last age possessed one in a Johnson.

And now, my youthful readers, as much-very much of our success in life depends upon the manner in which we display our principles, let it be our aim to exercise those little arts for which nothing is given, and upon which such a high value is It so happens, from the constitution of society, that those men with whom we are engaged in active life, have little

set.

opportunity and still less inclination to know our moral worth; consequently a pleasing manner, and an engaging address, are almost the only criterion by which they can or wish to form a judgment of our character. This being the case, how desirable it is to obtain possession of such current coin; to the most careless observers of human nature, the effect of first appearance has been so strongly felt, that we may, with propriety, term it the witchcraft of first impressions. I may state it as an universal principle of our nature, existing from the plough boy to the philosopher, all feel its effects-so much so, that it is with considerable difficulty we can overcome its force, and correct our judgment by cool examination. If such is the effect upon liberal and reflecting minds, what must it be with the world in general? This is a most weighty argument, that we should convert a fault of our nature (if it can be so called), to an advantage, and so conduct ourselves that first impressions shall be favourable ones. The success of men,

destitute of both talent and virtue, has often come under observation; still we have seen these characters the most. attentive, the most obliging, and the most polite of men; yet shall it be said of the professors of the purest religion upon earth, that their success in life was retarded, and that even the vicious and profligate obtained an advantage over them, merely from an attention to trifles? No, let them spurn at the imputation, and shew the world, that as their principles are of a more ex、 alted kind, so shall their actions be superior in every valuable qualification.

And here, when I speak of politeness, let me be understood -I do not mean that degrading and contemptible practice, which borrows the name without possessing the smallest claim to be so denominated, not even more than the late Mr. Elwes had to be called charitable, or a priest to be titled Reverend. There is an animal in existence, Mr. Editor, that naturalists have not noticed-in order to render my feeble assistance to that noble science, I can confidently inform them, that, after the nicest examination, they are discovered to be a compound of the ass and monkey, in the form of men. This hint may be improved upon by the editor of the next edition of Buffon or Goldsmith; yet the tricks and caperings of these animals is called politeness-can there be a greater libel on the English language than so to pervert it? True politeness does not consist in regular and studied motions; but in a dignity of conduct, an easiness of carriage, a complaisant behaviour, a pleasing address, and marked attention to all those around you upon every occasion; and here again I must throw out a caution, for fear the nice lines of distinction should not be observed, and the remedy prove worse than the disease— then

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