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It is to he hoped, too, that your sons may, many of them, 

 follow it after you. It is a promising heginninu' of life. 



Set your hoy out heartily upon it. Teach him to honor God, 

 to obey his father aiul mother, to be courteous to his sisters, 

 and to los'e his countiy. Let him learn to spend his evenings 

 at home, and to choose to do it. Train him carefully, Imt not 

 hardly, in his work ; and let him never come to despise work 

 with his hands. Have him put spirit and life in it, so that he 

 may become a quicker and better workman than any of the men 

 you can hii-e. Let him early learn responsibility, and grow to 

 be watchful and systematic and prompt. See that of his own 

 mind his hoe is always bright and his cart under cover. Give 

 him a good chance at the schools. Ground him in history. 

 Strengthen him with Blackstone and the Federalist and Kent ; 

 and let him walk, in the winter nights, with the kings of 

 letters and song. Teach him to hate a lie, to scorn dishonor 

 in others, or in himself. Have him to be careful for his own 

 rights, but chiefly as part of the rights of all. Make him more 

 mindful of a caucus than of his daily bread. Let him be early 

 and resolute and patient at a town meeting ; helpful in all 

 neighborhood undertakings ; more anxious to be useful than to 

 he thought so ; and understanding that to serve his country 

 does not signify to be served himself of her and fed at her 

 hand. Let him be builded thus clear and broad and sound, 

 strong with the integrity and backbone and pluck of his 

 fathers, trustworthy, trustworthy in every grain of his life-, a 

 great, solid, upright, steadfast man. 



When he is grown up and these things are well established 

 upon him, let us know of this boy of yours, and after we have 

 sent him to Congress we will make him Governor and 

 President. 



