to obtain it, or any obstacle indirectly thrown in the way of a rival con.. petitor, the generous flame of emulation is extinguished, and a mear degrading spirit is substituted in its place. One would think that the mortification which the student must suffer, when he receives a prize which he is conscious he did not deserve, should dispose him to reject it as altogether unworthy of his acceptance. The student cannot have for gotten the manner in which the friendly stratagem of Nisus, in favor of Euryalus, was received by the other competitors at the celebration of the Trojan games."

"An enlarged view should be taken of the field of competition. Tha field may be called up by the imagination. The person in whom the true spark of emulation is kindled, may imagine himself placed upon the same arena with the competitors of other centuries and other ages. Virgil endeavored to rival the fame of Homer, and Cicero that of Demosthenes When Cæsar passed the statue of Alexander, he is said to have burst into tears, because the Macedonian had surpassed him in military achieve ments. When ambition and emulation are conjoined in the same character occupied in similar exploits, it requires some discrimination to determine what belongs to each.'

This sketch, of course, is not intended as a specimen of a simple theme on emulation, but merely as a general outline of the materials, with the view of pointing out to the student the course he should take to find them. He has only to embrace the subject of the theme closely, to apply to his own mind for light and knowledge, - to press himself with interrogatories relative to his demands, to follow the natural associations of things, and he will soon find materials enough, and arrive at much information which he could not otherwise have conceived to be within his reach. The concluding step is to select from these materials, and to arrange them according to the particular end he has in view. If this part of his work be rightly performed, he will not find much difficulty in suitably expressing what he clearly and distinctly knows."

[A list of subjects for Exercises will be found in the last article, under the head of Regular Subjects.]

If the course thus laid down by Mr. Jardine for the management of themes, be found too loose or too difficult, the student may follow the more mechanical one of Mr. Walker. His course for regular subjects or simple themes has already been given. The following is his course, with regard to themes in general: *

After the Theme or Truth is laid down, the Proof consists of the following parts:

1st. The Proposition or Narrative; where we show the meaning of the Theme, by amplifying, paraphrasing, or explaining it more at large.

*It will be noticed that Mr. Walker designates simple themes as Regular Subjects; while he embraces, under the term of Theme, those only which in general are called complex themes. This accords with his definition of a theme, which he says is the "proving of some truth."

2d. The Reason; where we prove the truth of the Theme by some reason or argument.

3d. The Confirmation; where we show the unreasonableness of the contrary opinion; or, if we cannot do that, we try to bring some other reason in support of the former.

4th. The Simile; where we bring in something in nature or art, similar to what is affirmed in our Theme, for illustrating the truth of it.

5th. The Example; where we bring instances from History to corroborate the truth of our Theme.

6th. The testimony or Quotation; where we bring in proverbial sentences or passages from good authors, which show that others think as we do.

7th. The Conclusion; when we sum up the whole and show the practical use of the Theme, by concluding with some pertinent observations.*

Example.

TOO MUCH FAMILIARITY GENERALLY BREEDS CONTEMPT.

Proposition. There is no observation more generally true than that our esteem of a person seldom rises in proportion to our intimacy with him.

Reason. Such is the general disguise men wear, that their good qualities commonly appear at first, and their bad ones are discovered by degrees; and this gradual discovery of their

* The rules are thus versified by Mr. Walker

The Proposition, the Reason, the Confirmation, the Simile, the Example, the Testimony, and the Conclusion.

The Theme at large the Proposition gives,

And the same thought in other words conceives.

The Reason shows the Proposition true,

By bringing arguments and proofs to view;
The Confirmation proves th' opinion right,
By showing how absurd 's the opposite.
If that's not to be done, it tries to explore
Some proof in aid of what was given before.
The Simile an apt resemblance brings,
Which shows the theme is true in other things;
The Example instances from History draws,
That by mankind's experience prove our cause:
The Testimony to the wise appeals,
And by their suffrage our opinion seals.
Some useful observations come at last,
As a conclusion drawn from what is past.

failings and weaknesses, must necessarily lessen our opinion of them.

Confirmation. It is the nature of man to have a high opinion of any excellence he is not fully acquainted with: he is prone to imagine it much greater than it really is; and therefore when it becomes thoroughly known, the expectation is at an end, and the good qualities which we at first admired, having no longer the recommendation of novelty, become not only less striking, but often produce indifference and contempt.

Simile. As the frogs in the fable were at first terrified by the noise of the falling of the log which Jupiter threw down into the lake for their king, but by degrees became so familiar with their wooden monarch as to despise it; so kings have often found by mixing too familiarly with their subjects, and masters by being too free with their servants, that they have lost their importance in proportion to their condescension.

Example. James the First, King of England, was a man of considerable learning, and had as few bad qualities as the generality of his subjects; but, by jesting with his attendants, and descending to childish familiarity with them, scarcely any King of England was held in greater contempt.

Testimony. A celebrated teacher has said that young people cannot be too much on their guard against falling into too great familiarity with their companions; for they are sure to lose the good opinion of those with whom they are familiar.

Conclusion. It may, therefore, be laid down, as confirmed by reason and experience, that nothing requires greater caution in our conduct, than our behaviour to those with whom we are most intimate.

The necessity of Exercise.

Exercises.

The proper use of Amusements.

On Laudable Exertion.

The importance of a good character.

The Folly of Dissipation.

Want of Piety arises from the want of sensibility.

The importance of Hospitality and the civilities of common life

Religion consistent with true politeness.

On the pleasures of Conversation.

The dignity of virtue amid corrupt examples.

The duties and pleasures of Reflection.

The obligations of Learning to the Christian Religion.

On Decency as the only motive of our apparent virtucs.

The importance of the government of temper.

The value of the art of printing.

The baneful effects of Indulgence.

The influence of the Great.

The Beauty and Happiness of an open behaviour and an ingenuous Disposition.

The utility of religious ceremonies.

A good heart necessary to enjoy the beauties of nature.

The wisdom of aiming at perfection.

Family Disagreements the frequent cause of immoral conduct.

The selfishness of men of the world.

The necessity of Temperance to the health of the mind.

Advantages of music as a recreation.

Necessity of attention to things as well as books.

The influence of fashion.

An honorable death preferable to a degraded life.

LXVII.

ABSTRACTS.

An abstract is a summary, or epitome, containing the substance, a general view, or the principal heads of a treatise or writing.

The taking of abstracts from sermons, speeches, essays, &c. is an exercise which the student will find exceedingly useful in the cultivation of habits of attention, as well as of analysis. In writing abstracts, it is not necessary to endeavor to recall the exact language of the original, the purpose of the exercise is fully subserved, if the principal idea be recorded

Example.

ON DIVERSIONS.

It is generally taken for granted, by most young people of fortune, that diversion is the principle object of life; and this opinion is often carried to such an excess, that pleasure seems to be the great ruling principle which directs all their thoughts, words, and actions, and which makes all the serious duties of life heavy and disgusting. This opinion, however, is no less absurd than unhappy, as may be shown by taking the other side of the question, and proving that there is no pleasure and enjoyment of life without labor.

The words commonly used to signify diversion are these three, namely, relaxation, amusement, and recreation; and the precise meaning of these words may lead us to very useful instruction. The idea of relaxation is taken from a bow, which must be unbend when it is not wanted to be used,

that its elasticity may be preserved. Amusement literally means an occasional forsaking of the Muses, or the laying aside our books when we are weary with study; and recreation is the refreshing or recreating of our spirits when they are exhausted with labor, that they may be ready, in due time, to resume it again.

From these considerations it follows that the idle man who has no work can have no play; for, how can he be relaxed who is never bent? How can he leave the Muses who is never with them? How can play refresh him who is never exhausted with business?

When diversion becomes the business of life, its nature is changed; all rest presupposes labor. He that has no variety can have no enjoyment; he is surfeited with pleasure, and in the better hours of reflection would find a refuge in labor itself. And, indeed, it may be observed, that there is not a more miserable, as well as a more worthless being, than a young person of fortune, who has nothing to do but find out some new way of doing nothing.

A sentence is passed upon all poor men, that if they will not work, they shall not eat; and a similar sentence seems passed upon the rich, who, if they are not in some respect useful to the public, are almost sure to become burthensome to themselves. This blessing goes along with every useful employment; it keeps a man on good terms with himself, and consequently in good spirits, and in a capacity of pleasing and being pleased with every innocent gratification.

As labor is necessary to procure an appetite to the body, there must also be some previous exercise of the mind to prepare it for enjoyment; indulgence on any other terms is false in itself, and ruinous in its consequences. Mirth degenerates into senseless riot, and gratification soon terminates in satiety and disgust.

Abstract of the above.

1. It is a common error to suppose that diversion should form the business of life, the contrary being true.

2. This is proved by the derivation of the words used to express diversion - viz., relaxation, amusement, and recrea

tion.

3. They who have no labor can have no diversion.

4. When diversion becomes labor, it is no longer diversion. 5. All men must have occupation, or be miserable.

6. There must be labor of mind as well as labor of the body, for the well being of both.

Exercises.

Exercises in the practice of taking abstracts are frequently presented by the preacher. They may also be found in volumes of sermons, in periodical papers and essays, in common text-books in literary institutions, and in the wide circle of English literature It is not, therefore, deemed important to present them in detail in this volume.