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with advantage to yourselves, the thoughts, ideas, and impressions which are ever and anon revolving in that little world of yours-the mind. The most illiterate youth in this class, has some thoughts worthy of being harvested. You have never written; therefore you are like untried quarries, and uncultivated lands-you know not what you contain, nor what you are able to produce. Perhaps you have never read those lines of Martin Tupper's-" The commonest mind is full of thoughts, some worthy of the rarest; and could it see them fairly writ, would wonder at its wealth."

I am particularly anxious to see you use your pens, not because the habit of writing will enable you to produce something worth sending to press, but I commend it to your attention primarily for your own improvement; and should any of you be induced through my advice to adopt the habit, I feel quite certain that you will not regret the step, though you may never become the author of a single article, tract, or pamphlet.

Let us look at one or two of its advantages.

1. Writing engenders studious habits. It exercises the faculties of mind; earth, air, sea, and sky, are found to furnish food for thought and contemplation, and suggest to an active and inquiring mind countless subjects for consideration. Such a one does not neglect to study the doings of past ages; nor does he disregard the important movements of the present day. He is a thoughtful and reflective reader; he does not resemble many of the present generation, who peruse book after book, simply for temporary pleasure, but reads for lasting profit; hence he does not, like the swallow, just skim the surface of water, but dives down into its depths, bringing up each time some fresh treasure as the reward of his search and toil. Thus he not only obtains much valuable information, but many new ideas are suggested; and these being placed upon

paper, assume a definite form, and may be regarded by him as sterling and imperishable property.

2. Writing tends to self-acquaintance. In more senses than one, many persons are more familiar with others than they are with themselves. "Know thyliis excellent advice; but the great majority of mankind act as though they never heard of it, or if they have, totally disregard its teaching. The mirror, and the photograph, may convey to the eye the exact form of every feature, and yet the individual may be profoundly ignorant of himself; for these things cannot place in his hands a transcript of the inward man. The pen must be the instrument whereby to obtain anything like a correct portrait of the more valuable part of his nature; for, after all, "the mind's the standard of the man."

Thus we might go on to an indefinite length, and shew how writing improves the memory, systematises the thoughts, corrects the judgment, regulates the feelings, and controls the passions. But we must abstain, and at once throw out a few hints to those who do occasionally write. Let me entreat of you not to be discouraged when you find that your productions are not equal to your expectations. I know that many are frequently dissatisfied with their papers; and this dissatisfaction operates diversely on different dispositions: some it incites to greater effort and assiduity; but others it greatly retards, or entirely prevents from making another attempt. These unfortunates have our deep sympathy: let us now tender unto them our feeble assistance. I observe, then, that it is more than probable that the unsuccessful essays were on unsuitable subjects, and that those papers which have given the greatest satisfaction, were upon themes more interesting, and better understood. It is well for the traveller to know something of the road he is about to journey on. And so the writer who wishes either to please himself, or edify others, must be familiar with his

subject. It is dangerous for those who cannot swim to dive into strange waters: and it is unwise for the young writer to take up subjects and questions with which he is but partially acquainted. If there is a young man present who has been dispirited by his first or second performance, with all earnestness I say-Try again. Think of Bruce and the spider; of Demosthenes and the pebbles; and learn, if you have not yet done so, the rewards of perseverance and determination. Bear in mind that completeness is of gradual growth; the man was once a child— the oak was once an acorn. And all the great ones of earth, who are discovering new truths in science, and sending forth fresh beauties in literature, had once to go through the first rudiments of education like you, to learn their A B C. Sit then no longer in the valley of despair, or on the stool of discontent, musing on past failures and defects, but be up and doing. Remember, "the glory of young men is their strength;"-not merely strength of body, but strength of mind and strength of purpose. Climb now the hill of progression, and ere long you will be seen ascending the mountain side, whose topmost point is perfection.

We purpose now to offer a few remarks on style. By style we mean the peculiar manner in which a person expresses his conceptions by means of language. We use the term "peculiar," because no two persons either think or write exactly alike; and therefore every writer is in some measure the author of a new style. Think of this,-for it may prevent carelessness in writing. It is not sufficient to possess lofty thoughts, and grand ideas; for these may exist in the mind in such a state of confusion, that were they to be heedlessly and hastily placed upon paper, they would in all probability astonish the writer and confound the reader. I observe, then, that to be the author of a successful style, you must study. It is no easy matter to write down your thoughts so that

they shall be both pleasing and understandable to those who read them. "A word fitly spoken," says Solomon, "is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." And, believe me, a paragraph fitly written, will be worth all the toil you can bestow upon it. I would guard you against trusting to your innate abilities, for in this matter natural talent will not of itself enable you to write anything very satisfactorily. I ait that some do accomplish many things more quickly and more effectually than others; but if we look at the most successful orators, or the world's

Erst-class" authors,

cation to study, indomitable perseverance, and conant practice, have made them to stand out as bright and ble examples of what men in earnest can do for themselves and for others. Take for example the greatest of the Grecian orators: will you find that Demosthenes trusted to nature? No-far from it. History, for our encouragement and information, makes known the fact that few men ever trusted less to what we term "genius." From early life, he cultivated his mind by reading the productions of great He shut himself up in a cave, that he might stly without interruption. He cultivated his voice bly in his own room; and so anxious was this maron the sea-shore, and improved the action of his vons man to adopt a good style of writing, that he took Thucydides for his model, writing out his his(in effect) do likewise." Do not depend too much

we shall find that close appli

men.

tory eight

upon your

tire hath

times with his own hand. "Go thou and

natural abilities; cultivate whatever Nabestowed; but be particularly solicitous to

improve those qualities of mind which seem most to require attention: for however much nature may have door, depend upon it that art and application can do I cannot lay down or call your attention to any

much more.

existing

rules which will enable you to write freely But I can with some assurance

and accurately.

affirm, that to be the author of a good style, you must not only read observingly the productions of the most eminent writers, but also labour diligently, and be patient. Some time ago, it was not an uncommon occurrence for the essayist to inform us, that the paper he was about to read, was written within an hour of meeting. I am glad that we have no such announcements now; for such compositions were not the product of great mental toil, but of unlaboured impulse. True, they sometimes read smoothly, and were well received; yet they seldom produced any salutary effects; for they contained but little philosophy, being upon subjects of a much lighter nature than those ably-written papers which have not only borne the marks of study, carefulness, and anxiety, but have been instrumental in removing ignorance, prejudice, and error. I hold, therefore, that the most thoughtful productions are the more valuable ones; and that his style is the best who writes the clearest, and by his paper effects the most good.

Aim at perspicuity. Endeavour to comprehend your subject in all its bearings, ere you begin to write upon it; then decide how to treat it, and arrange your ideas accordingly. By thus methodising your thoughts, many advantages will accrue : among others, clearness of conception; this is one of the essentials to perspicuity-the other is clearness of expression; for however clearly we conceive of the subject ourselves, it is frequently very difficult to place it unambiguously before others. Our thoughts when dressed in words, do not always resemble "the city set on a hill, which cannot be hid," but rather the "candle when placed under a bushel." Obscurity is the antithesis of perspicuity; therefore it should be our endeavour to avoid the one and cherish the other. The youth whose language is so limited that he finds it hard to "clothe his ideas in the suitable garments of speech," must beware

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