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companion, and the urbanity of the accomplished gentleman; the stiffness and acrimony of the difputant tempered and moulded into a pleafing deference; the practice of yielding and obliging might beget a promptnefs to yield and oblige; the obfervance of decency improve into the love of goodness; or, to exprefs the whole in a few words, every rougher paffion and ungracious habit vanish away, as the furliness of winter disappears before the genial influence of the spring.

But, to experience such defirable effects, the fociety under confideration must be cultivated with fteadiness and relifh; not fo, you may be fure, as to neglect other fources of improvement; but, I repeat it, with steadiness and relish; two things, indeed, very closely connected; and, I add, from earliest youth, before-what? Hear me, O hear me, and receive inftructionbefore the foul is poifoned with Senfuality, that most dangerous, most destructive, most epidemical of all diforders, from which I fear the rarely recovers.

Amongst thofe men that were early infected with the love of fenfual pleasure, we have known individuals, who, in the conversation of virtuous and fentimental women, were vifibly embarraffed, aukward, and conftrained, like clowns in the prefence of their fuperiors. Unaccustomed to fuch a fituation, and confcious of that meanness which Vice must inwardly feel before the dignity of her Rival, they seemed to be out of their element, restless and unhappy, till they returned to more congenial affociates, with whom they might give loofe to all the licentioufness of their ideas and appetites,

Truft me, Sirs; chafte fociety is never thoroughly agreeable even to the politest libertines, whatever disguise they may wear, or whatever ease they may affume. Such fociety filently reproaches their crimes, and reminds them of those innocent delightful days which they once knew, and can now only recollect with a figh. Happy the youth, that has no reflection of this kind'

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to chill the ardour of his honeft fenfibilities, or damp the harmless gaiety of his foul, among the worthiest people of either fex. Ah, my young friend, what felicity would you forego, what mifery would you incur, fhould you ever be guilty of aught that might incite you fecretly to hate, or dread, the presence of Virtue !

Do you love your health, health, your honour, your quiet, your reputation, your most valuable connexions, your highest interests on earth, or in Heaven? Be perfuaded to take the counsel of a friend.-What is it? -If at any time paffion or example, courtezans or debauchees, should attempt to corrupt you; instead of parleying, or deliberating, or even lingering to difpute, fly to the best and moft improved woman of your acquaintance. In her company you will be fafe, as in a " City of Refuge :" by her approbation you will be confirmed in thofe principles, and that conduct, which only can insure it in converfing with her, your fancy will be amufed, your under

tanding exercised, and your heart nourished: every improper idea will give place to better fentiments: every wrong bias will be counteracted: what thall I say more? Virtue arrayed by the Graces, attended by the Smiles, and beheld in the perfon of fuch a woman, will look fo fupremely engaging, that the low arts, and unhallowed labours, of profligates and harlots to beguile you, muft appear in your eye contemptible and hateful. Who, that has been accustomed to a palace, would quit it for a fty? Who, that has contracted a taste for whatever is excellent in poetry, or painting, would defcend to take pleasure in a wretched dauber, or a common verfifier? Who, that is fmitten with "the beauty of holiness," can look with delight on the loathsomeness of fin? Is the difference less striking, or will the contraft be less strongly felt by an ingenuous youth, between a worthy and fenfible perfon of the other fex, and the victims of Infamy in either?

Let monks and mifanthropes pretend to what they will; the foul of man will feldom be long fatisfied without the entertainment of female converfation. It was fo formed by the unerring Creator; nor perhaps will any thing, next to "wisdom that is from above," guard it more powerfully against the forcery of Vice, than the near and frequent view of Female Excellence,

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If we might be permitted to quote our own observation, as any kind of evidence on this point; it is certain, we have ever found those the most honourable, moral, and confcientious men, who had the greatest regard for women of reputation and talents. May we not venture to add, that genuine Piety, the piety of fentiment and affection, the piety which governs life, is, as far as our fex are concerned, to be met with most commonly among such men?

The fame depravity, indeed, that doubts the existence of virtue in female nature,

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