of

or learned. This you will find, by your own experience, true, that things will appear more naked to the eye of the soul, when the eye the body is shut; which, together with the quiet of the night, that time is rendered a most fit season for contemplation and contrivance. As a great advantage, not only to your book, but health and business also, I cannot but advise and enjoin you to accustom yourself to rise early; for, take it from me, no lover of his bed did ever yet form great and noble things. Now, though I allowed eight hours for your bed, with the preparation to it and from it, yet this was rather to point out the utmost limits beyond which you should not go, rather than to oblige you to observe such a proportion exactly. Borrow, therefore, of these golden morning flowers, and bestow them on your book. A noble person, of all others, has need of learning, and therefore should contribute most time to it; for, besides that it gilds his honour, and sets off his birth, it becomes his employment, which a nobleman, of all others, must not want, if he will secure his soul, honour, and estate, all which are in most certain danger from idleness, the rock of nobility, considering the plenty of his table, and society, with all sorts of temptation; if, therefore, he be a hard student, he is not at leisure to be vitious ; the devil knows it is to no purpose to tempta busy

man; be always, therefore, employed; and because some are triflingly active, that you may not with them be idly busy, your book will instruct you how. O Frank, did you but hear the complaints of excellent personages, for missing of that opportunity which you are now master of; or could you but suppose yourself old and ignorant, how tender would you be of the loss of one minute! what would you not give to return to these years you now enjoy! Let this consideration sink deep and settle in you. Be more curious of the expense of your time than of your gold; time being a jewel whose worth is invaluable, whose loss is irreparable; therefore secure the present time, that you may not hereafter lose more by a vain bewailing of the past. Now, because the best of learning is to study yourself, and I have reason to believe I have some skill in you, having so curiously observed your nature and inclination, I shall make some useful discourse in order to this knowledge, by which you may both see your defects and amend them.

YOURSELF.

The most profitable and necessary in the world is to know and study thyself; wherefore, with all the plainess, sincerity, and observation you can make in your best temper of mind and body, lay yourself open to yourself; take an impartial

survey of all your abilities and weaknesses, and spare not to expose them to your eye by writing, which I conceive is the best done by framing your own character, and so to draw the picture of your mind, which I recommend to your yearly practice during your life. This, Frank, if you flatter not yourself, will be your best-looking-glass, and must needs have a singular influence upon your religion, and serve your soul extremely well to very high purposes; for, by this means, your growth or decay in virtue will be discovered, and, consequently, ways for the increase of that growth, or for repairing those decays and breaches in the soul, will more readily be found out, and more easily cured. When have found both your forces and infirmities, then look with one eye upon them, and with the other on the realms you live in, whereby, comparing yourself with the general state of affairs, you shall soon discern whether there may be a correspondency and compliance between you and them, that you may thereupon either draw yourself within your private walls, to enjoy the happiness of an holy, quiet, and innocent repose, in case the times are rough and dangerous to sail in; or else, if calm and suitable, to engage yourself in some public employment, for the service of your country and advancement of your family; though, if I may guess at the future 'con

you

stitution of your mind by what I observe at present, were the times never so calm and inviting, you should not be easily enticed to embark yourself into the world, or engage in busy and great employments. Your best course, in my judgment, Frank, were to say your prayers at home, manage your little affairs innocently and discreetly, and enjoy, with thankfulness, what God has bestowed upon me. But it may so happen that your inclinations may be active, and your parts correspondent, and that good fortune may find you out in your privacy, and court you to employment, if she does, refuse her not, but embrace her with these cautions: First, be sure to ballast yourself well, by calling in to your aid all the advantages of learning, art, and experience: then consider to fit your sails to the bulk of your vessel, lest you prove a slug, or overset. And because commonwealths have their shelves and rocks, therefore get the skill of coasting and shifting your sails; I mean, to arrive at your journey's end by compassing and an honest compliance. Yet, if honesty be the star you sail by, doubt not of a good voyage, at least be sure of a good harbour.

APPENDIX, No. II.

EXTRACT

RELATIVE TO LORD SHAFTESBURY.

THE following defence of Lord Shaftesbury, from the imputation of having advised the shutting up of the Exchequer, is taken from Belsham's character of Lord Shaftesbury, page 93, of his History of Great Britain :

"Mr. Hume asserts, after Burnet, that Lord Shaftesbury suggested to Clifford the infamous advice of shutting up the Exchequer; although these statesmen were at this very time inveterate political adversaries. And there is extant a paper of objections, admirably penned, left by Lord Shaftesbury with the King, against that violent and iniquitous measure; and also a letter of the same nobleman, in which, adverting to this report, he styles it foolish as well as false. If any man consider,' says he, the circumstance of the time when it was done, and that it was the