from the line of danger.

But this consideration has led me much beyond the true subject of this
Essay. The instructor of youth, as I have already said, is called
upon to use all his skill, to animate the courage, and maintain the
cheerfulness and self-complacency of his pupil. And, as such is the
discipline to be observed to the candidate, while he is "under a
schoolmaster," so, when he is emancipated, and his plan of conduct is to
be regulated by his own discretion, it is necessary that he should
carry forward the same scheme, and cultivate that tone of feeling, which
should best reconcile him to himself, and, by teaching him to esteem
himself and bear in mind his own value, enable him to achieve things
honourable to his character, and memorably useful to others. Melancholy,
and a disposition anticipating evil are carefully to be guarded against,
by him who is desirous to perform his part well on the theatre of
society. He should habitually meditate all cheerful things, and sing the
song of battle which has a thousand times spurred on his predecessors
to victory. He should contemplate the crown that awaits him, and say to
himself, I also will do my part, and endeavour to enrol myself in the
select number of those champions, of whom it has been predicated that
they were men, of whom, compared with the herd of ordinary mortals, "the
world," the species among whom they were rated, "was not worthy."

Another consideration is to be recollected here. Without
self-complacency in the agent no generous enterprise is to be expected,
and no train of voluntary actions, such as may purchase honour to the
person engaged in them.

But, beside this, there is no true and substantial happiness but for
the self-complacent. "The good man," as Solomon says, "is satisfied from
himself." The reflex act is inseparable from the constitution of the
human mind. How can any one have genuine happiness, unless in proportion
as he looks round, and, "behold! every thing is very good?" This is the
sunshine of the soul, the true joy, that gives cheerfulness to all our
circulations, and makes us feel ourselves entire and complete. What
indeed is life, unless so far as it is enjoyed? It does not merit the
name. If I go into a school, and look round on a number of young faces,
the scene is destitute of its true charm, unless so far as I see inward
peace and contentment on all sides. And, if we require this eminently in
the young, neither can it be les