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be led to that freedom of difcuffion, without the habit of which no difference exifts between opinions and prejudices.

I am,

Your truly affectionate father,

J. A.

B 4

LETTER

LETTER II.

ON STRENGTH OF CHARACTER.

DEAR SON,

IF I can speak experimentally to any moral benefit in growing older, it is, that increafing years augment the ftrength and firmnefs of the character. This is a part of the natural progrefs of the human fyftem, and is probably as much owing to phyfical as to moral causes. The diminution of mobility and irritability in the animal frame, muft fortify it against external impreffions, and give it a greater ftability in its action and re-action. So far, however, as this is a corporeal procefs, it cannot be anticipated; and the young must be exhorted to wait patiently for this advantage, till it comes to them

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in due course of time, to compenfate for the many privations they must undergo. But if an enquiry into the purely moral causes of the oppofite defects can fuggest moral means of obviating them in some measure at any period, it will certainly be worth the pains; for a due degree of firmness and confistency is abfolutely effential in forming a refpectable character. Let us, then, enter upon fuch an investigation.

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On retracing my own feelings, I find that the first and principal cause of juvenile weakness is falfe fhame. The shame of being fingular,-the fhame of lying. under restraints from which others are free, the fhame of appearing ungenteel, -are all acutely felt by young perfons in general, and require ftrong principle, or much native firmness of temper, to furmount. Most of the defections from parties and fects in which perfons have been educated, originate from this fensation, which is perhaps more feductive to the young, than even intereft to the old. It firft makes them hefitate to avow themfelves,

felves, and defirous of paffing undistinguifhed in mixed companies; it next leads them to petty deceptions and compliances; and finishes with making entire converts of them, frequently with an affectation of extraordinary contempt of those whom they have forfaken, in order to prevent all fufpicion of their having been of the number. The beft guard against this conduct is a ftrong impreffion of its meannefs. If young men were brought to difcern that cowardice and fervility were the chief agents in this progrefs, their native generofity of fpirit would powerfully oppose fuch a degradation of character. Still more might be gained by accuftoming them to fet a value upon the circumftance of ftanding apart from the mafs of mankind, and to esteem as honourable every diftinction produced by the exercife of freedom in thinking and acting. I am aware that there is a danger to be avoided on this fide, too, and that the pride of fingularity is equally ridiculous and difguftful in a young man. But this, I be

lieve, is not the leading error of the times; which is rather a propensity to fubmit implicitly to the decifions of fashion, and to value onefelf more upon following, than oppofing, the manners and opinions of the majority.

The fear of offending is another fnare to young minds, which, though commonly originating in an amiable delicacy of character, must in fome degree be overcome before a manly fteadiness of conduct can be fupported. Many inftances have I known, in which the fpecies of adulation called by the Latins affentatio, has been occafioned by a mere dread of giving offence by contradiction. But fuch a habit of affenting to every thing that may be advanced, is in danger of fubverting all our principles; and we may come to practise from artifice that complaifance which we perceived to be fo agreeable, when only the confequence of modeft deference. This is an evil attending the practice, otherwise so instructive, of frequenting the company of feniors and fu

periors;

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