iv. PREFACE. 



and happiness through life, mainly depend upon a strict 

 adherence to the rules of morality and religion. The 

 vouth who is early tutored in an invincible regard for his 

 own character, will soon perceive the duties imposed upon 

 him by society, and will have pleasure in fulfilling them, 

 as much for his own satisfaction as for the sake of his 

 fellow men: but when the latent powers of the mind are 

 neglected, or not directed into the paths of rectitude, by 

 good precepts and worthy examples, vice and folly enter 

 the opening, and lead their victim into evils and errors, 

 which render his life miserable, and sometimes hurry him 

 into an ignominious grave. 



To delineate the characters and passions of men, under 

 the semblance of Lions, Tigers, Wolves, and Foxes, is 

 not so extravagant a fiction as it may at first sight seem: 

 for the innocent and inexperienced will find, w r hen they 

 engage in the busy scenes of the world, that they will have 

 to deal with men of dispositions not unlike those animals: 

 and that their utmost vigilance will be required to guard 

 against their violence or machinations. 



In attempting to form an estimate of the characters of 

 mankind, many gradations and shades will be found 

 between the two extremes of virtue and vice. The philan- 

 thropist views with feelings of benevolence the wavering 

 balance, and adds those he finds on the confines to the 

 number of the virtuous; while the misanthrope, with 

 gloomy malignity, endeavours to include within the circle 

 of vice, those who are standing upon the ill-defined line 

 of division, and thus swells the number of the bad. Both 

 observe with pain, that great numbers exist, whose whole 

 lives seem to be spent in disfiguring the beautiful order 

 which might otherwise reign in society, regardless of the 



