of a gentleman,--general character, dignity, and
refinement;--nor his mind and heart the truest and noblest
sentiments of a man. Make it an object then, I again say, to spend
some portion of every week of your life in the company of
intelligent and virtuous ladies. At all events, flee solitude, and
especially the exclusive society of your own sex. The doctrines even
of Zimmerman, the great apostle of solitude, would put to shame many
young men, who seldom or never mix in female society.

"If you should be so unfortunate as not to have among your
acquaintance any ladies whose society would, in these points of
view, be profitable to you, do not be in haste to mix with the
ignorant and vulgar; but wait patiently till your own industry and
good conduct shall give you admission to better circles; and in the
meantime cultivate your mind by reading and thinking, so that when
you actually gain admission to good society, you may know how to
prize and enjoy it. Remember, too, that you are not to be so selfish
as to think nothing of contributing to the happiness of others. It
is blessed to _give_ as well as to _receive_.

"When you are in the company of ladies, beware of silliness. It is
true they will sooner forgive foolishness than ill manners, but you
will, of course, avoid both. I know one young gentleman of great
promise, who adopted the opinion that in order to qualify himself
for female society, he had only to become as foolish as possible,
while in their presence. That young man soon lost the favor of all
whose friendship might have operated as a restraint; but unwilling
to associate with the despicable, and unable to live in absolute
solitude, he chose the bottle for his companion; and made himself,
and the few friends he had, miserable.

"Nothing, unless it be the coarsest flattery, will give more
offence, in the end, than to treat ladies as mere playthings or
children. On the other hand, do not become pedantic, and lecture
them on difficult subjects. They readily see through all this.
Neither is it good manners or policy to talk much of yourself. They
can penetrate this also; and they despise the vanity which produces
it. In detecting deception, they are often much quicker than we
apprehend.

"A young gentleman, in one of the New England States, who had
assumed the chair of the pedagogue, paid his addresses to the
beautiful and sensible daughter of a respectable farmer. One day,
as she was present in his school,