5ó2 ON THE EDUCATION -0r YOUTH. Wed kind hints of admonition that he might know when he had been too silent, and when too forward to speak. Thus by enjoy- ing the advantage of society above the level of his own age and understanding, he was always aspiring to imitation; -and the excesses and defects of his conduct were daily noticed and cured. His curiosity was gratified abroad with new sights and scenes, as often as his parents could do it with convenience, that he might not stare and wonder at every strange object or occur- rence ; but he was made patient of restraint and disappointment, when he seemed to indulge an excessive desire of any needless diversion. If he sought any criminal pleasures, or diversions attended with great danger and inconvenience, the pursuit of them was absolutely forbidden ; but it was done in so kind a manner, as made the guilt or peril of them appear in the strongest light, and thereby they were rendered hateful or formidable, rather than the objects of wish or desire. When Ugenio first began to go abroad in the world, his companions were recommended to him by the prudence of his parents ; or if he chose them himself, it was still within the reach of his tutor's observation, or the notice of bis father's eye : nor was he suffered to run loose into promiscuous company, till it ap- peared that his mind was furnished with steady principles of vir- tue ; till he had knowledge enough to defend those principles, and to repel the assaults that might be made upon his faith. And for this reason, till he was twenty years old, he gave account to his superiors how he spent the day, whensoever he was absent from them ; and though they did not at that age require that he should ask formal leave for a few hours excursion. Yet it was hardly thought fit to trust him to his own con- duct for whole days together lest he should meet with temptations too hard for his virtue, till he had gaided resolution enough to say NO boldly, and to maintain an obstinate refusal of pernicious pleasures. He was told beforehand how the profane and the lewd would use all the arts of address, and how subtily they would practise upon his good humour with powerful and tempting im- portunities. This set him ever upon his guard, and though he carried his sweetness of temper always about with him, yet he learned to conceal it wheresoever it was neither proper nor safe to appear. By a little converse in the world, he found that it was necessary to be positive, bold and unmoveable in rejecting every proposal which might endanger his character or his morals; especially as he soon became sensible that -a soft and cold denial gave courage to new attacks, and left him liable to be teized with fresh solicitations. He laid down this therefore for a constant rule, that where his reason had determined any practice to be either plainly sinful, or utterly inexpedient, he would give so tints a denial, upon the principles of virtue and religión, as L
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