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servants being liable to be arrested. One noble lord observes, That the coachman of a peer may be arrested, while he is driving his master to the House, and that, consequently, he will not be able to attend his duty in parliament.

12. If this were actually to happen, there are so many methods by which the member might still get to the house, that I can hardly think the noble lord is serious in his objection. Another noble peer said, That, by this bill, one might lose his most valuable and honest servants. This I hold to be a contradiction in terms: for he can neither be a valuable servant, nor an honest man, who gets into debt which he is neither able nor willing to pay, fill compelled by the law.

13. If my servant, by unforeseen accidents, has got into debt, and I still wish to retain him, I certainly would pay the demand. But upon no principle of liberal legislation whatever, can my servant have a title to set his creditors at defiance, while, for forty shillings only, the honest tradesman may be torn from his family, and locked up in a gaol. It is monstrous injustice! 1 flatter myself, however, the determination of this day will entirely put an end to all these partial proceedings for the future, by passing into a law the bill now under your lordships' consideration.

14. I come now to speak, upon what, indeed, I would have gladly avoided, had I not been particularly pointed at, for the part I have taken in this bill. It has been said, by a noble lord on my left hand, that I likewise am running the race of popularity. If the noble lord means by popularity, that applause bestowed by after-ages on good and virtuous actions, I have long been struggling in that race; to what purpose, all-trying time can alone determine.

15. But if the noble lord means that mushroom, popularity, which is raised without merit, and lost without a crime, he is much mistaken in his opinion. I defy the noble lord to point out a single action of my life, in which the popularity of the times ever had the smallest influence on my determinations. I thank God I have a more permanent and steady rule for my conduct,-the dictates of my own breast.

16. Those who have foregone that pleasing adviser, and given up their mind to be the slave of every popular impulse, I sincerely pity: I pity them still more, it

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their vanity leads them to mistake the shouts of a mo for the trumpet of fame. Experience might inform the that many, who have been saluted with the huzzas' of crowd one day, 'have received their execrations the nex and many, who by the popularity of their times, ha been held up as spotless patriots, have, nevertheless, a Ppeared upon the historian's page, when truth has ti umphed over delusion, the assassins of liberty.

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17. Why then the noble lord can think I am ambition is of present popularity, that echo of folly, and shadow of renown, I am at a loss to determine. Besides, I do not know that the bill now before your lordships, will be po pular it depends much upon the caprice of the day.

18. It may not be popular to compel people to pay their debts; and, in that case, the present must be a very unpopular bill. It may not be popular either to take away any of the privileges of parliament; for I very well remember, and many of your lordships may remember, that, not long ago, the popular cry was for the extension of privilege, and so far did they carry it at that time, that it was said, the privilege protected mem. bers even in criminal actions; nay, such was the powert of popular prejudices over weak minds, that the very de... cisions of some of the courts were tinctured with that doctrine.

19. It was undoubtedly an abominable doctrine. 1 thought so then, and I think so still: but, nevertheless, it was a popular doctrine, and came immediately from those who are called the friends of liberty; how deservedly,' time will show. True liberty, in my opinion, can only exist when justice is equally administered to all; to the king and to the beggar.

20. Where is the justice then, or where is the law that protects a member of parliament, more than any other man, from the punishment due to his crimes? The laws of this country allow of no place, nor any employment, to be a sanctuary for crimes; and where I have the honour to sit as judge, neither royal favour, nor popular applause, shall protect the guilty.

21. I have now only to beg pardon for having employed so much of your lordships' time; and I am sorry a bill, fraught with so many good consequences, has not met with an abler advocate: but I doubt not your lordships' determination will convince the world; that a bill, calculated" to contribute so much to the equal distriby

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still enters, for a principal share, into all those great departments of society. It is connected with eminere, in every liberal art; with reputation in every branch of fair and useful business; with distinction in every public station.

10. The vigour which it gives the mind, and the weight which it adds to character; the generous sentiments which it breathes; the undaunted spirit which it inspires; the ardour of diligence which it quickens; the freedom which it procures from pernicious and dishonourable av-. ocations; are the foundations of all that is.. hig y honourable, or grea ly successful among men.

11. Whatever ornamental or engaging endowments you now possess, virtue is a necessary requisite, in order to their shining with proper lustre. Feeble are the attrac tions of the fairest form, if it be suspected that nothing within corresponds' to the pleasing appearance without. Short are the triumphs of wit, when it is supposed to be the vehicle of malice.

12. By whatever means you may at first attract the attention, you can hold the esteem, and secure the hearts of others, only by amiable dispositions, and the accomplishments of the mind. These are the qualities whose influence will last, when the lustre of all that once sparkled and dazzled has passed away.

13. Let not then the season of youth be barren of improvements, so essential to your future felicity and honour. Now is the seed-time of life; and according to "what you sow, you shall reap." Your character is now, under Divine Assistance, of your own forming; your fate is, in some measure, put into your own hands. 14. Your nature is as yet pliant" and soft. Habits have not established their dominion. Prejudices have not preoccupied" your understanding. The world has not had time to contract and debase your affections. Al, your powers are more vigorous, disembarrassed, and freel than they will be at any future period.

15. Whatever impulse you now give to your desires and passions, the direction is likely to continue. It will form the channel in which your life is to run; nay, it may determine its everlasting issue. Consider then the employment of this important period, as the highest trust which shall ever be committed to you; as in a great meas ure, decisive of your happiness, in time, and in eternity. 16. As in the succession of the seasons, each, by the

invariable laws of nature, affects the productions of what is next in course; so, in human life, every period of our age, according as it is well or ill spent, influences the happiness of that which is to follow. Virtuous youth gradually brings forward accomplished and flourishing manhood; and such inanhood passes off itself without uneasiness, into respectable and tranquil old age.

17. But when nature is turned out of its regular course, disorder takes place in the moral, just as in the vegetabler world. If the spring put forth no blossoms, in summer there will be no beauty, and in autumn, no fruit; so, if youth be trifled away without improvement, manhood will probably be contemptible, and old age miserable.— If the beginnings of life have been "vanity," its latter end can scarcely be any other than "vexation of spirit.'

18. Lshall finish this address, with calling your attention to that dependence on the blessing of Heaven, which, amidst all your endeavours after improvement, you ought continually to preserve. It is too common with the young, even when they resolve to tread the path of virtue and honour, to set out with presumptuous? confidence in themselves.

19. Trusting to their own abilities for carrying them successfully through life, they are careless of applying to God, or of deriving any assistance from what they are apt to reckon the gloomy discipline of religion. Ålas! how little do they know the dangers which awaits them? Neither human wisdom, nor human virtue unsupported by religion, is equal to the trying situations which often occur in life.

20. By the shock of temptation, how frequently have the most virtuous intentions been overthrown? Under the pressure of disaster," how often has the greatest constancy sunk? "Every good, and every perfect gift, is from above." Wisdom and virtue, as well as "riches and honour, come from God." Destitute of his favour, you are in no better situation, with all your boasted abilities, than orphans' left to wander in a trackless desert, without any guide to conduct them, or any shelter to cover them from the gathering storm.

21. Correct, then, this ill-founded arrogance. Expect not, that your happiness can be independent of Him who made you. By faith and repentance, apply to the Redeemer of the world. By piety and prayer, seek the protection of the God of heaven. I conclude with the

tion of justice as the present, requires with your lordships but very little support.

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SECTION V.

a Se-ri-ous, sé'-rẻ-us, grave, important,(l Cor-re-spond, kór-rè-spónd, to suit, keep up commerce by letters Per-ceive, pår-sève', to discover, m Pli-ant, pll'-ånt, bending, flexible,

know

limber

c Vic-ious, vish'-ůs, devoted to vice n Pre-oc-cu-py,pré-ôk'-ků-pi, to prepos d Ir-re-trie-va-ble, ir-rè-trèè'-vå-bl, irrecoverable, not to be regained

Bess

o In-va-ri-a-ble,in-vå ́-rè-á-bl,unchangee In-dis-cret-ion, in dis-kresh'-ån, im- able

prudence, rashness, inconsideration p Veg-e-ta-ble, vêd'-jè-tå-bl, belonging f En-join, ên-join', to direct, to order to all sorts of plants, a plant g Ad-mo-nit-ion, âd-mò-nish'-un, coun-b Pre-sump-tu-ous, pre-zám'-tshù-ůs, sel, gentle reproof confident, irreverent h Vi-vac-i-ty, vè-vås'-è-tè, sprightli-r Dis-as-ter, Diz-ás'-tår, misfortune, ness, gaiety grief

i Pre-vi-ous, prè'-vè-ås, antecedent, be-s Con-stan-cy, kôn'-stán-sè, resolution, fore firmness

2 Prob-i-ty.prób'-è-tè, honesty, sincerity t Or-phan, dr'-fån, à child who has lost Av-o-ca-tion, âv-vò-ká'-shån, the act father or mother or both of calling aside

An address to young persons.

1. I INTEND, in this address, to show you the importance of beginning early to give serious attention to your conduct. As soon as you are capable of reflection, you must perceive that there is a right and a wrong in human actions. You see, that those who are born with the same advantages of fortune, are not all equally prosperous in the course of life.

2. While some of them, by wise and steady conduct, attain distinction in the world, and pass their days with comfort and honour; others of the same rank, by mean and vicious behaviour, forfeit the advantages of their birth; involve themselves in much misery; and end in being a disgrace to their friends, and a burden on society.

3. Early, then, may you learn, that it is not on the external condition in which you find yourselves placed, but on the part which you are to act, that your welfare or unhappiness, your honour or infamy, depends. Now, when beginning to act that part, what can be of greater moment, than to regulate your plan of conduct with the most serious attention, before you have yet committed any fatal or irretrievabled errors?

4. If instead of exerting reflection for this valuable purpose, you deliver yourselves up, at so critical a time, to sloth and pleasures; if you refuse to listen to any

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