4th. In your reading, use often to invert and apply that which you observe applicable to some purpose and if this change be a robbery, God help late writers. Sure I am, nothing to my reason appears more effectual to raise your invention and enrich your understanding.

5th. After reading, remember, as from the table, so you rise from your book, with an appetite; and being up, disturb not the concoction, which is infinitely improved by a rumination or chewing of the cud. To this end, recollection with yourself will do well, but a repetition with another far better; for thereby you will get a habit of readily expressing yourself, which is a singular advantage to learning; and by the very discoursing of what you learn, you again teach yourself: besides, something new, and of your own, must of necessity stream in.

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6th. For the choice of your books, be advised by your tutor; but, by my consent, you should not have above one or two at the most in every science, but those very choice ones. I will commend one book to you,—we begin with it when we are boys, yet it will become the oldest and

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gravest man's hand,—it is Tully's Offices; a most wise and useful book, where here you shal shall have excellent philosophy excellently dressed. And those that are skilful in the language say, that

the whole Latin tongue is there with all its purity and propriety.

7th. For the more orderly managing of your study, I would have you divide the day into several employments. Great and wise persons have given you the example. If you will have me dispose your time for you, I shall proportion it into three octaves: eight hours of which for sleep, comprehending dressing and undressing; eight hours for devotion, food, and recreation, in which I comprehend visits and your attendance upon me; the other octave, give it constantly to your studies, unless business or like accident interrupt, which, if it shall, you must either recompense by the succeeding day's diligence, or borrow from your recreation. But by no means intrench upon your hours of devotion, which I would have you proportion into little and frequent offices, to sweeten the spirits and prevent wearisomeness. Possibly even these hours also of devotion may sometimes receive interruption, by travel or employment of necessity; then your offices must be the less. You may likewise be deprived of the conveniency of place: if yet steal a retirement-nothing must hinder you from withdrawing yourself, and a good man makes any place an oratory. But be sure no merry-meeting, pastime, or humouring of others,

So,

make a breach upon your daily exercise of piety -nothing but evident necessity can dispense.

8th. Be not ashamed to ask if you doubt; but be ashamed to be reproved for the same fault twice.

9th. Be constant in your course of study; and although you proceed slowly, yet go on in your path assiduity will make amends at last. He that can but creep, if he keeps his way, will sooner come to his journey's end, than he that rides post out of it.

10th. Endeavour at the highest perfection, not only at your studies, but in whatsoever you attempt: strive to excel in every thing, and you may perform many things worthy of praise, nothing meanly. He that aims further than he can shoot, and draws with his utmost strength, will hardly shoot short, at least deserves not to be blamed for short shooting.

11th. Avoid night studies, if you will your wit and health.

preserve

12th. Whether thou dost read or hear any thing—indeed whatsoever you do intend what thou art about, and let not thy mind wander, but compel it to be fixed and present. If any other thought comes across thee in thy study, keep it off, and refer it to some other time: this wandering of your spirit you know I have often

reproved, therefore, whatsoever you do, do it, and nothing else.

13th. Suffer not thy memory to rest; she loves exercise, and grows with it every day: commend something notable to her custody; the more she receives, the better she keeps; and when you have trusted any thing to her care, let it rest with her a while, then call for it again, especially if it be a fault corrected. You must not err twice; and by this frequent calling her to account, she will be always ready to give you satisfaction; and the sooner, if what she was entrusted with was laid up orderly, and put, as it were, in the several boxes of a cabinet.

14th. If thou wouldst seem learned, the best way is to endeavour to be learned; for if thou dost not strive to be that which thou desirest to be, thou desirest to no purpose, which gives me occasion to recommend this following advice to your especial regard.

15th. It is an extreme vanity to hope to be a scholaf, and yet to be unwilling to take pains; for what excellent thing is there that is easily composed ? Its very difficulty doth imply, and, as it were, doth invite us to something worthy and rare. Consider, it is a rose that thorns do compass; and the forbidden object sharpens t the desire in all other things. Thus a difficult mis

tress makes a lover more passionate; and that same man hates an offered and a prostitute love. I dare say, if learning were easy and cheap, thou wouldst as much slight her; and, indeed, who would have any thing common with a carter or a cobler? Something there is, doubtless, in it, that none but noble and unwearied spirits can attain her; and these are raised higher, and heightened by its difficulty, and would not gain her otherwise. Something there is in it, that no money or jewels can buy her. No, Frank, nothing can purchase learning but thy own sweat : obtain her, if thou canst, any other way. Not all my estate can buy thee the faculty of making but one quick epigram -the trifling part of her; wherefore I entreat thee, Frank, to raise thy spirit, and stretch thy resolution. And so often as thou goest to thy book, place before thy eyes what crowns, sceptres, mitres, and other ensigns of honour, learning hath conferred upon those that have courted her with labour and diligence; besides the rare pleasure of satisfaction, which, of itself, is an honourable reward. And let me tell thee, Frank, a learned holy man, (and such a one would I fain have thee to be) looks like an angel in flesh-a mortal cherubim. And because letters are great discoverers of the man, therefore, when you write, let your style be genteel, clean, round, even, and plain, un

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