29 TILE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. seize every opportunity to increase in knowledge. From " the vicissitudes and revolutions of nations and families," and from the " various occurrences of the world," learn the instability of mortal affairs, the uncertainty of life, the certainty of death. From a coffin and a funeral, learn tomeditate upon your own de- partpre. From the vices and follies of others, observe what is hateful in them ; consider how such 'a practice looks in another person, and remember that it looks as ill or worse in yourself'. From the virtues of others, learn something worthy of your imitation. From the deformity, the distress, or calamity of others, derive lessons of thankfulness to God, and hymns of grateful praise to your Creator, governor andbenefactor, who has formed you in a better mould, and guarded you from thoseevils. Learn also the sacred lesson of contentment in your own estate, and compassion to your neighbour under his miseries. From your " natural powers, sensations, judgment, me- mory, hands, feet, &c." make this inference, that they were not, given you for nothing, but for some useful employment to the honour ofyour Maker, and for the good of your fellow -crea- tures, as well as for your own best interest and final happiness. From the sorrows, the pains, the sicknesses and sufferings that attend you, learn the evil of 'sin, and the imperfection of your present state. From your own sins and follies, learn the patience of God toward you, and the practice of humility to- ward God and Inen. Thus from every appearance in nature, and from every occurrence of life, you may derive natural, moral and religious observations to entertain your minds, as well as rules of conduct in the affairs relating to this life, and that which is to come. II. In order to furnish the mind with a rich variety of ideas, the laudable curiosity ofyoung people should be indulged and grated rather than discouraged. It is a very hopeful sign in young persons, to see them curious in observing, and inquisitive in searching into the greatest part of things that occur ; nor should such an enquiring temper be frowned into silence, nor be rigorously restrained but should rather be satisfied by proper an- swers given to all those queries. For this reason also, where time and fortune allows it, youngpeople should be led into com- pany at proper seasons, should be carried abroad to see the fields, and the woods, and the rivers, the buildings, towns and cities distant from their own dwelling; they should be enter- tained with the sight of strange birds, beasts, fishes, insects, vegetables, and productions both of nature and art of every; kind, whether they are the products of their own or foreign na- tions ; and in due time, where providence gives opportunity, theymay travel under a wise inspector, or tutor to different parts
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