se
who might not welcome it, and by want of time. I have scarcely time to
write to all those who are willing first to write to me. Many cases have
occurred where individuals have strongly desired some private
communication with me, but have hesitated long, and shrunk reluctantly
from the first step. I hope it will not be so with you. Should you ever
wish to receive from me any direct religious instruction, I hope you
will write immediately and freely. I shall very probably not even notice
that it is the first time I have received such a communication from you.
So numerous and so frequent are these communications that I seldom
observe, when I receive one from any individual for the first time, that
it comes from one who has not written me before.

* * * * *

Such are the means to which I resort in endeavoring to lead my pupils to
God and to duty. And you will observe that the whole design of them is
to win and to allure, not to compel. The regular devotional exercises of
school, are all which you will _necessarily_ witness. These are very
short, occupying much less time than many of the pupils think desirable.
The rest is all private and voluntary. I never make any effort to urge
any one to attend the Saturday meeting, nor do I, except in a few rare
and peculiar cases, ever address any one personally, unless she desires
to be so addressed. You will be left therefore in this school
unmolested,--to choose your own way. If you should choose to neglect
religious duty, and to wander away from God, I shall still do all in my
power to make you happy in school, and to secure for you in future life,
such a measure of enjoyment, as can fall to the share of one, over whose
prospects in another world there hangs so gloomy a cloud. I shall never
reproach you, and perhaps may not even know what your choice is. Should
you on the other hand prefer the peace and happiness of piety, and be
willing to begin to walk in its paths, you will find many both among the
teachers and pupils of the Mt. Vernon School to sympathize with you, and
to encourage and help you on your way.

CHAPTER VII.

SCHEMING.

The best teachers in our country, or rather those who might be the best,
lose a great deal of their time, and endanger, or perhaps entirely
destroy their hopes of success, by a scheming spirit, which is always
reaching forward to something new. One has in his mind some new school
book, by which Arithme