To give an early preference to honour above gain when they stand in competition to despise every advantage which cannot be attained without dishonest arts to brook no meanness and to stoop to no dissimulation are the indications of a great mind the presages of future eminence and usefulness in life.

As there is a worldly happiness which God perceives to be no other than disguised misery as there are worldly honours which in his estimation are reproach so there is a worldly wisdom which in his sight is foolishness.

The passions are the chief destroyers of our peace the storms and tempests of the moral world.

Heaven is the region of gentleness and friendship hell of fierceness and animosity.

The path of truth is a plain and a safe path that of falsehood is a perplexing maze.

Modesty is one of the chief ornaments of youth and it has ever been esteemed a presage of rising merit.

Life with a swift though insensible course glides away and like a river which undermines its banks gradually impairs our state.

The violent spirit like troubled waters renders back the images of things distorted and broken and communicates to them all that disordered motion which arises solely from its own agitation.

Levity is frequently the forced production of folly or vice cheerfulness is the natural offspring of wisdom and virtue only.

Persons who live according to order may be compared to the celestial bodies which move in regular courses and by stated laws whose influence is beneficent whose operations are quiet and tranquil.

CHAPTER III.

Sentences requiring the application of the Colon, &c. Grammar, p. 265. Key, p. 123.

THE three great enemies to tranquillity are vice superstition and idleness vice which poisons and disturbs the mind with bad passions superstition which fills it with imaginary terrors idleness which. loads it with tediousness and disgust.

To sail on the tranquil surface of an unruffled lake and to steer a safe course through a troubled and stormy ocean require different talents and alas! human life oftener resembles the stormy ocean than the unruffled lake.

When we look forward to the year which is beginning what do we behold there? All my brethren is a blank to our view a dark unknown presents itself.

Happy would the poor man think himself if he could enter on all the treasures of the rich and happy for a short time he might be but before he had long. contemplated and admired his state his possessions would seem to lessen and his cares would grow.

By doing or at least endeavouring to do our duty to God and man by acquiring an humble trust in the mercy and favour of God through Jesus Christ by cultivating our minds and properly employing our time and thoughts by governing our passions and our temper by correcting all unreasonable expectations from the world and from men and in the midst of worldly business habituating ourselves to

calm retreat and serious recollection by such means as these it may be hoped that through the Divine blessing our days shall flow in a stream as unruffled as the human state admits.

A metaphor is a comparison expressed in an abridged form but without any of the words that denote comparison as "To the upright there ariseth light in darkness."

All our conduct towards men should be influenced by this important precept "Do unto others as you would that others should do unto you."

Philip III. king of Spain when he drew near the end of his days seriously reflecting on his past life and greatly affected with the remembrance of his mispent time expressed his deep regret in these terms "Ah! how happy would it have been for me had I spent in retirement these twenty-three years that I have possessed my kingdom."

Often is the smile of gayety assumed whilst the heart aches within though folly may laugh guil will sting.

There is no mortal truly wise and restless at once wisdom is the repose of minds.

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CHAPTER IV.

Sentences which require the insertion of the Period, &c*.

Grammar, p. 266. Key, p. 125.

THE absence of Evil is a real Good Peace Quiet exemption from pain should be a continual feast

Worldly happiness ever tends to destroy itself by corrupting the heart It fosters the loose and the Violent passions It engenders noxious habits and taints the mind with false Delicacy which makes it feel a Thousand unreal Evils

Feeding the hungry clothing the Naked comforting the afflicted yield more pleasure than we receive from those actions which respect only Ourselves Benevolence may in this view be termed the most refined self-love

The Resources of Virtue remain entire when the Days of trouble come They remain with us in Sickness as in Health in Poverty as in the midst of Riches in our dark and solitary Hours no less than

* As every learner is supposed to know, that the first word in a sentence must have a capital letter, there would be little exercise of his judgment, in applying the period, if no words were distinguished by capital letters, but such as propriety required. The compiler has, therefore, in this and the following chapters, affixed capitals to many words, which should properly begin with small letters. This method, besides the use chiefly intended, will also serve to exercise the student in the proper application of capital letters.

when surrounded with friends and cheerful Society The mind of a good man is a kingdom to him and he can always enjoy it

We ruin the Happiness of life when we attempt to raise it too high A tolerable and comfortable State is all that we can propose to ourselves on Earth Peace and Contentment not Bliss nor Transport are the full Portion of Man Perfect joy is reserved for Heaven

If we look around us we shall perceive that the Whole Universe is full of Active Powers Action is indeed the Genius of Nature by Motion and exertion the System of Being is preserved in Vigour By its different parts always acting in Subordination one to another the Perfection of the Whole is carried on The Heavenly Bodies perpetually revolve Day and Night incessantly repeat their appointed course Continual operations are going on in the Earth and in the Waters Nothing stands still

Constantine the Great was advanced to the sole Dominion of the Roman World A D 325 and soon after openly professed the Christian Faith

The Letter concludes with this Remarkable Postscript "PS Though I am innocent of the Charge and have been bitterly persecuted yet I cordially forgive my Enemies and Persecutors"

The last Edition of that valuable Work was carefully compared with the Original MS

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