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II. The station of men in society, more dependent on educa

tion than on birth or fortune.

III. Fortune may descend to us from others; but education must be acquired by ourselves.

IV. Alexander the Great said he was more indebted to his tutor Aristotle, than to his father Philip.

V. The superiority of one man to another, owing more to education than to nature.

VI. How many have remained in inferior situations, who might have risen to eminence, but for the want of education!

VII. Much may be done in the way of educating themselves afterwards, by those whose education has been neglected in childhood and youth.

VIII. We ought to cherish gratitude to the friends who have bestowed upon us this blessing, and respect for the institutions at which we ourselves have been educated, or which place education within every one's reach.

7. On the Love of Order.

I. Order is of the utmost importance in the affairs of life. II. A love of order is a love of beauty, propriety, and harmony, in the material and in the moral world.

III. A love of order appears in the regulation of our expenses, in the spending of our time, in the choice of our company, and

even in our amusements.

IV. Arguments for orderly habits from the Scriptures.

V. Connexion between the love of order and other virtues.

8. On Affectation.

I. Affectation is apparent hypocrisy.

II. It has its origin in vanity.

III. Affectation hurts the pride of others, by endeavouring either to impose upon them or to excel them, and therefore makes them

its enemy.

IV. Nothing more exposes affectation than contrasting it with its opposite. Affectation wears a disguise, is a double character, and creates suspicion; simplicity is what it appears to be, has a unity of character, and creates confidence.

V. Affectation is a folly by which we gain nothing but contempt. VI. An affected character may be compared to a palace built of ice.

VII. Affectation tarnishes the most shining qualities.

9. On Composition.

I. The general meaning of the word, its application to particular arts, and the branch of study to which it is usually limited. II. The importance of studying composition, knowledge being of little use without the art of communicating it.

III. The best means of acquiring this art.

use.

10. On Conversation.

I. Ability to converse little appreciated, because of familiar

II. The improvement derived from conversation.

III. The pleasure derived from conversation.

11. On Reading.

I. Reading compared with conversation.

II. Reading more conducive to improvement than ordinary conversation.

III. Its effect upon the mind of the student.

IV. Its effect upon his language.

12. On Memory.

I. Memory the storehouse of the mind.

II. To some not a treasury of things, but a lumber-room of words. III. What ought to be the effects of observation, discourse, and reading?

IV. To what persons will memory bring constant causes of regret and misery?

V. To whom is it a never-failing spring of pleasure?

13. On Curiosity.

I. Curiosity a useful or a pernicious principle, according as directed.

II. What we owe to well-directed curiosity.

III. The effects of ill-directed curiosity.

IV. Character of a person notorious for ill-directed curiosity.

14. On Filial Duty.

I. The earliest virtue we can practise. What may be rea

sonably hoped of the child that displays it.

II. It is a virtue of the heart: it has also the sanction of the understanding.

III. Remarkable examples of filial duty.

15. On Patriotism.

I. A sentiment inculcated by nature; for as we naturally prefer our kindred to ordinary acquaintances, and the latter to strangers, so do we prefer our native country to every other. II. How this sentiment should operate. III. Remarkable examples of patriotism.

16. On the Art of Printing.

I. When and by whom discovered and improved.

II. In what way has it operated in the diffusion of knowledge? III. What have been its effects?

IV. What benefits may we yet hope from it?

17. On Knowledge.

I. We are provided with faculties for acquiring knowledge. II. What may be inferred from this?

III. The advantages of extensive knowledge.

IV. The dangers of false or pernicious knowledge.

18. On Obedience.

I. What depends upon obedience?

II. When does it cease to be a duty?

III. The evils of disobedience.

IV. The most remarkable example of obedience.

19. On Self-Denial.

I. Consists in abstaining from present indulgence for the

sake of greater expected good.

II. A great principle both of religion and of morals.

III. To a certain extent necessary to real enjoyment.
IV. Remarkable examples.

20. On Piety.

I. Necessary to virtue.

II. Necessary to happiness.

SECTION IV.

MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS (continued).

Write miscellaneous essays according to the following

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I. The DEFINITION: state the subject distinctly, and, if necessary, explain it by a formal definition, a paraphrase, or a description.

II. The CAUSE: show what is the occasion of the subject, or from what it proceeds.

III. The ANTIQUITY, or NOVELTY: show whether the subject was known in ancient times; in what state it was, if known; and in what state it is in modern times.

IV. The UNIVERSALITY OF LOCALITY: show whether the subject relates to the whole world, or only to a particular portion of it.

V. The EFFECTS: examine whether the subject be good or bad; show wherein its excellence or inferiority consists; and point out the advantages or disadvantages which arise from it.

EXAMPLE.

On Friendship."

I. Friendship is an attachment between persons of congenial dispositions, habits, and pursuits.

II. It has its origin in the nature and condition of man. He is a social creature, and naturally loves to frequent the society, and enjoy the affections, of those who are like himself. He is also, individually, a feeble creature, and a sense of this weakness renders friendship indispensable to him. When he has all other enjoyments within his reach, he still finds his happiness incomplete, unless participated by one whom he considers his friend. When

* This subject, and those which follow, may also be proposed in the form of questions; thus:

I. What is friendship?

II. What is the cause of friendship?

III. What was anciently thought of friendship, and what examples are on record? What is friendship seldom remarkable for in modern

times?

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IV. Is friendship confined to any particular rank in life, or state of society?

V. What are the benefits of true, and the evils of false friendship?

I

in difficulty and distress, he looks around for advice, assistance, and consolation.

III. No wonder, therefore, that a sentiment of such importance to man should have been so frequently and so largely considered. We can scarcely open any of the volumes of antiquity without being reminded how excellent a thing is friendship. The examples of David and Jonathan, Achilles and Patroclus, Pylades and Orestes, Nisus and Euryalus, Damon and Pythias, all show to what a degree of enthusiasm it was sometimes carried. But it is to be feared that, in modern times, friendship is seldom remarkable for similar devotedness. With some it is nominal rather than real, and with others it is regulated entirely by self-interest.

IV. Yet it would, no doubt, be possible to produce, from every rank in life, and from every state of society, instances of sincere and disinterested friendship, creditable to human nature, and to the age in which we live.

V. After these remarks, to enlarge on the benefits of possessing a real friend appears unnecessary. What would be more intolerable than the consciousness that, in all the wide world, not one heart beat in unison with our own, or cared for our welfare? What indescribable happiness must it be, on the other hand, to possess a real friend; a friend who will counsel, instruct, assist ; who will bear a willing part in our calamity, and cordially rejoice when the hour of happiness returns! Let us remember, however, that all who assume the name of friends are not entitled to our confidence. History records many instances of the fatal consequences of infidelity in friendship; and it cannot be denied that the world contains men, who are happy to find a heart they can pervert, or a head they can mislead, if thus their unworthy ends can be more surely attained.

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