INTRODUCTION. XXI 



from youth to manhood, and from manhood to 

 old age; and those hobbies or recreations, 

 call them which you will, are the pleasantest 

 and best which leave no painful recollections 

 behind them. Yet some aged and self-disap- 

 pointed philosopher, or peevish moralist, to 

 whom such pursuits no longer present either 

 novelty or gratification, will tell you that the 

 sum of them all is folly, the substance a time- 

 amusing shadow, and the end disappointment 

 and s vexation of spirit ; ' but w r e find that few 

 or none are willing to listen to him, however 

 famed for his wisdom and experience, whose 

 present preaching and past practice have 

 been at variance with each other. 



The nature of man still remains the same, 

 though his mind be ever so much improved 

 by education, or enlightened by the collective 

 wisdom and experience of ages ; he is subject 

 to the same appetites and passions, influenced 

 by the same tastes and distates, fond of novelty, 



