Shun all loose words; and rash, inconsiderate expressions. Your education hitherto, I know, has made, or ought to have made, this caution unnecessary to you: but, as you are coming among a set of people of different manners and behaviour, you will perhaps observe greater liberties than are decent, taken in this respect by some of the most profligate; which, I hope, you will rather dislike than imitate. It would be a great affliction to me, that you should so behave as to lose the fruits of the good education, which your father has been at a great expense to bestow upon you; and that I should teach you a trade at so dear a rate as the forfeiture of your morals.

With regard to your trade, I must desire you to avoid two things; idleness and eye-service. In your working time, do not, by reading, or any other amusement, waste your hours. In this respect, you may become a very good or a very bad example, to the rest of the apprentices. They will soon take the same liberties which you give yourself: and so I shall have all the care and trouble of idle and impertinent boys, without the profit that ought to arise from their diligence, and good performance. Remember, there is a time for every thing. You may employ your holidays, or spare-time, in reading: and this will, I am persuaded, be sufficient; except you should be so undeserving as to amuse yourself, through idleness of disposition, with a book, when you should be at work.

It needs not be said that I shall expect from you, a watchful eye for my interest, and to see that nothing is wasted or misapplied. But I would not have you quick to trifling faults, so as to bring upon yourself the imputation of a spy, or a tale-bearer. This you

must be very careful of; or, else, you will make all the house your enemies, and will lead a very uneasy life with them, especially in my absence: but your indenture will tell you that you must not see me wronged.

I expect, as to bed-time, working-time, spare-time, Sundays, &c. an entire conformity to the rules of the house; and to all others which I shall, from time to time, give you. I also expect that you will take the directions of those, whom I shall intrust with the management of things in my absence, with the same attention, as if I gave you them myself. Your readiness in this particular will be attended with a double benefit to yourself: it will show me, that I may, in proper time, if it please God to continue my life, commit things to your management; and people will be the more readily disposed, by the example of your submission to the rules of your elders, to pay regard to yours, when your good conduct shows that you are fit to be intrusted with a superior direction yourself.

Till you get a good insight into your business, if you are for talking with the men, or your fellow-apprentices, let it be about your business: then you will not have occasion to talk impertinently, or much; and every question you ask, will bring with it some improvement. It is very unbecoming for young people to talk much, especially among their elders. A close mouth is, generally, the sign of a wise head. If your fellow-apprentices should happen to be saucy, or talkative, does not every one blame them for it, and call it by the name it deserves? And would you follow the worst examples? Providence has given us two ears, and but one tongue: as if to teach us that all persons,

and especially young persons, should hear twice as much as they should speak. I desire that, in your working-time, I may see far more of the produce of your fingers, than hear of your tongue. Observe with respect to those who are always rattling and prating, how little they say that is worthy to be remembered, or even to be repeated. It was once prescribed to a very talkative person, under a penalty to which he consented, to keep silence but one day; and to write what he would otherwise have said. What was the effect of this? He was quickly tired of writing; and what he did write, was such stuff, that he was quite ashamed it should be seen.-I do not, however, wish that you should be a mute, or a mope. There is a medium in all things: which you are to aim at, in this as in all other cases.

There is one thing remaining, more important than all the rest; but which, I hope, your good education, and common sense, will render it but just necessary for me to mention: that is, your duty to GOD, and having the fear of Him, in all your actions and views. This will make you just to every one; it will secure, like a strong wall, all your other virtues, and bring down a blessing upon all your honest endeavours: and if you hope to thrive, and do well, in the world, your due observance of this, whatever examples you may see to the contrary, will make your hope reasonable and well grounded.

I have been longer than I intended; yet I could say more but other things that time, or particular occasions, may make further necessary, I shall, if God spare my life, inform you of as we go along. Meantime, believe that the advice which I have given you, is the effect of the extraordinary care I have for your wel

fare; and, by making a proper use of it, show your

gratitude to

Your affectionate uncle and friend,

SAMUEL RICHARDSON.

SECTION 5.

Anecdotes of good and faithful servants.

THE character of a faithful servant, is truly honourable; and it has always been highly honoured by the good and wise.

In the Bible, we read of many excellent servants.

Abraham placed so much confidence in Eliezer, his faithful steward, that he sent him to his own country, and his own kindred, to choose a wife for Isaac, his son. Eliezer prayed to the Lord, to direct him in the choice; "to send him good speed, and to show kindness to his master." He was very careful that his master's camels, which were with him, should have proper rest and food. And when he went into the house of his master's kindred, he would not take any refreshment for himself, until he had told his errand. Finding his journey prosperous, "he worshiped the Lord; and blessed the Lord God, who had led him in the right way." As soon as he had finished his business, and he, and the men, who were with him, and the camels, had rested sufficiently, he could not be prevailed upon to stay any longer. He said to his master's kindred: "Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way. Send me away, that I may go to my master."

Jacob, and Joseph his son, were both of them servants; and highly blessed of the Lord. Laban, whom, though he was not a kind master, Jacob served faithfully for more than twenty years, said to him: “I

have learned by experience, that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake."-Joseph was held in high honour, by Potiphar, by the keeper of the prison, and by Pharaoh, king of Egypt; all of whom he served very faithfully, and wisely: "the Lord was with him; and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper."

Naaman, the Syrian general, was afflicted with a leprosy. His servants were very kind and attentive to him. The little maiden, who waited upon his wife, said to her mistress: "Would God, my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy."

And when Naaman heard what she had said, he went thither: but he would not do what Elisha, the prophet, told him to do, till he was very much urged and entreated by the servants, who were with him. And when he had done it, he was cured; and he acknowledged the great God of Israel.

Nehemiah and Daniel were servants to heathen princes, and lived among heathen people, who knew not the Lord; but they neglected not to worship the true God, and to keep his commandments.

The centurion's servant, who is mentioned in the history of our blessed Lord, (Luke vii.) was, no doubt, a very good and faithful servant: for it is said that "he was DEAR unto his master; and when he was sick, and ready to die, his master, who had heard of Jesus, sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him to come and heal his servant."

In our own country too, we have read, and heard, of many very excellent servants.

Martha Bairstow lived servant in the same family for several years. Her master and mistress coming to distress, she would not leave them; but rendered them what assistance she could, from her little savings of former times.