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claim on our future hopes, and therefore of 

 somewhat more manageable character, a much 

 shorter period, a few months, or even weeks, 

 with due diligence and a close attention, on the 

 part of the tutor, to the precise line of conduct 

 which I have chalked out for him, may, it i 

 probable, suffice to bring the pupil into such a 

 state of order, as to warrant his admission 

 where, with all the further benefits of good 

 example before him, which he will now be 

 enabled to comprehend, he will have the means 

 of greatly extending his own knowledge, and 

 of making the best of his way towards perfec- 

 tion. Much undoubtedly will depend on the 

 nature of the subject you have to deal with; 

 and still more, perhaps, upon the circumstance 

 which I must all along be considered as pre- 

 mising, viz. that the pupil came into your hands 

 uncontaminated by ill example, and uninjured 

 by any silly experiments or ignorant attempts 

 at his instruction. I am sufficiently aware how 

 extremely difficult it will ever be, to have the 

 raw material in such a state of purity, even 

 with all the pains which, generally speaking, it 

 may be within the power of a gentleman to 

 take, in order to get his puppies reared out of 

 the reach of this kind of mischief. But it will, 

 I am sure, be accorded to me, that, in my vague 

 speculation concerning the extent of this first 



