LETTERS. 321 



you have met with any guide in the course of your bodily 

 travels who can "be compared to him. If you should 

 make Rome in your way, either there or back, I should 

 like to give you a letter of introduction to an old friend 

 of mine, whose name is Livy, who, as far as his memory 

 extends, will amuse you with pretty stories, and some 

 true history. There is another honest fellow enough, 

 to whom I dare not recommend you, he is so very crabbed 

 and tart, and speaks so much in epigrams and enigmas, 

 that I am afraid he would teach you to talk as unintel- 

 ligibly as himself. I do not mean to give you any more 

 advice, but I have one exhortation, which I hope you will 

 take in good part ; it is this, that if you set out on this 

 journey, you would please to proceed to it9 end : for I 

 have been acquainted with some young men, who have 

 turned their faces towards Athens or Rome, and trudged 

 on manfully for a few miles, but when they had travelled 

 till they grew weary, and worn out a good pair of shoes, 

 have suddenly become disheartened, and returned without 

 any recompence for their pains. 



And now let me assume a more serious strain, and ex- 

 hort you to cultivate your mind with the utmost assiduity. 

 You are at a critical period of your life, and the habits 

 which you now form will, most probably, adhere to you 

 through life. If they be idle habits, I am sure they will. 

 But even the cultivation of your mind is of minor im- 

 portance to that of your heart, your temper, and disposi- 

 tion. Here I have need, not io jyreach but to learn. You 

 have had less to encounter in your religious progress than 

 I have, and your progress has been therefore greater, 

 greater even than your superior faculties Avould have 

 Avarranted. I have had to fight hard with vanity at home, 

 and applause abroad ; no Avonder that my vessel has 

 been tossed about, but greater wonder that it is yet upon 

 the waves. I exhort you to pray with me, (and I entreat 

 you to pray for me,) that Ave may both weather out the 

 storm, and arrive in the haven of sound tranquillity, even 

 on this side the grave. 



"We have all particular reason to watch and pray, lest 

 self too much predominate. We should accustom our- 



