I would not be checked by my Uncle, nor all the Uncles in the work. I will not, fays the wicked unguarded fool, for as foon as my Father dies, I'll go away. That's right, fay they, you are 'fool if you don't. I will, I will, fays he. PART III.-LESSON I. Of the bappy Life of TOMMY and the wretched End of HARRY. The Folly of receiving bad Advice. HARRY, by the bad counsel of others, feils goes on in wickedness to fuch a height, that his Uncle is obliged to tend word to his Father, that he cannot poffibly keep him much longer. The death o their Mother, and the bad course of Harry's life, had fuch an effect upon the poor old gentleman, that he foon after fell ill and died. He left Tommy indeed the chief part of his fortune, and, though Harry did not deserve a fhilling, yet fo tender was he, that he left him five hundred pounds, hoping ftill, that through the care of his Uncle, and his own future conduct, he might be happy. Harry being now of age, and having received his fortune, inflead of minding hisUncle and Brother, continues to follow bad company, and now, having money, he is perfuaded (and foolishly. perfuades himself) that he can live better from his Uncle than with him therefore he refolves that his Uncle's and Brother's advice fhall never do him good, fo he never comes near them. In fhort, Harry's delight is only in his old wicked acquaintance, and he has, befides thefe, fome new rakes, that with him joy in his fortune, and he takes it as a very great mark of their favor, and is fool enough to treat them, because they rail at his Uncle and Brother, and tell him, that bis Father was an old fcoundrel, for leaving him no more; all which the fool hears with a smile swears it is true, and tells these vultures, that they are the beft friends he has in the world, notwithstanding he has spent the greatest part of his fortune on them. LESSON II. Of bad Habits. Here we may plainly fee, what a fad thing it is for youth to bend their minds fo much to pleasure and pastime. Harry cannot now go to a play or concert, and when it i over, return home foberly, as he ufed to do. No, no, he must after that go to the tavern, or to fomne private wicked place of other, with a fet of wicked companions. In short, he is now become a perfect owl, for you cannot fee him in the day-time, and when you do, he blinks like an owl: nor can you find him at night, but by chance; but this you may be fure of, that he is at fome houfe of ill-fame; for drinking, swearing, lying, gaming, and fitting up all night, &c. are now his common practices. Now while foolish Harry is thus wasting his time, spending his money, and destroying his reputation, Tommy is improving his fortune and his mind, for, his time being now out, his matter loves him so well, that he not only takes him into partnership, but in a fhort time recommends him to a virtuous wife, with whom he had a very handsome fortune, befides a thousand pounds which his mafter gave him; and we hear, that his master fince has left all the trade to him, so that he is now become a great man, LESSON III. Of brotherly Love. One thing must not be omitted, as a great mark of the brotherly love of Tommy: and that is, that, though he is now to profperous, and his brother Harry fo debafed by his folly, yet as he found Harry would not come near him, he refolved (if poffible) to find him out, and talk to him once more concerning his unhappy life; for who knows, fays he, but the respect I fhew to my brother may be taken fo kindly, that it may be one great step to reform him. Tommy therefore takes a friend with him for fear of danger, and after a long hunt, found him at one of his old houses. Tommy at first fight did not know Harry, he looked so fortifli, and fo fhabby; nor did Harry directly know his brother Tommy because his dress, carriage, and deportment, were fuch as Harry and his companions had for a long time been ftrangers to. However, they foon knew one another by the tone of voice; and indeed Harry had so much good manners left, as to tell Tommy, that he took it very kind he fhould pay fuch a regard to him. A refpect, fays he (before his companions) that I am not worthy of Now one would think by fuch an expreffion as this, that Harry was really fenfible of his faults; and, in fhort, his brother was surprised to hear such a sentence from him, and thought with himfelf, that he fhould now certainly fucceed in being a means to fave him from the very brink of ruin. Indeed, the place was quite improper for good advice, much els to talk over family affairs; therefore, after Tommy had fubmitted to be agreeable in fuch bafe company for an hour or two, he perfuaded his brother Harry to go to a tavern, to spend an hour with him and his friend, to which-Harry confented. LESSON IV. Tommy and Harry's Conversation. Tommy being now in a proper place, begins to talk to Harry very seriously, but yet fo tenderly and mildly, that he never once upbraided him, only defired hini, for God's fake, and the credit of his family, to change his way of life; for, fays he, the company you keep, will certainly be your ruin. I don't care for that, fays the hardened wretch. O, brother Harry, fays Tommy, I have now no hopes of you! Yet as God has profpered me, it is my duty to ferve you as a brother; I will therefore make you an offer before this gentleman, which, if you accept of it, muft certainly be for your good; but if you refufe it, I fear you will repent it when too late. The thing is this: if you can be fo much master of yourself, as to abandon fuch base company as we have now found you with, and will behave in a fober mauner, you fhall live with me; I will teach you my bufinefs, and you shall partake of the profits of it; in fort, you shall want for nothing. Here was love indeed! Who would have thought Harry fo mad, and fo ftupid, as not to accept fo kind, an offer? or who could expect but that he would have embraced his brother with tears of love and gratitude? Inftead of this, he rose up in a great paffion, and fwore like a Hector, bent his fift at his brother, and told him that he kept better company than he did every day of his life, and that he never would live fuch a humdrum life he lived; then flew to the door, never took leave of the gentleman nor his brother, but ran to his companions, and told all that had paffed; who clapped their hands, and received him with fhouts of applaufe, called for a fresh bottle, and spent the remaining part of the night in drinking and caroufing. LESSON V. Of Harry's Downfall. Thus Harry goes on, till he has not only spent all his money, but has alfo loft all his credit, reputation, and friends; and having been fo long used to fuch a lavish and profligate way of life, money he fill must have to fupport his extravagance and folly and yet, fo great is the pride of his heart, that rather than accept of his brother Tommy's kind invitation to live with him and be happy, he now takes up with unlawful methods, and affociates with none but gamblers, fhop-lifters, and street-rubbers; and one night, baving been with fome of the Takes and bloods of the town, they committed a murder and a robbery; but, being closely pursued, Harry, with four more of the gang, were taken, and carried before a magiftrate, who ordered them to Newgate. Harry, however, with two others, made their efcape, and went over fea in triumph, and would often laugh at the misfor tunes of those two that were left behind, and thought themselves" very fecure; but even thither, divine vengeance followed them; for a storm arofe, and drove the fhip against a rock on the coast of Barbary, and it being very dark, many of the crew perished, befides Harry's two unhappy companions. LESSON VI. Of Harry's late Repentance and Death. Harry, indeed, was by the violence of the waves caft upon the fhore, but in the morning he was presented with a fhocking scene. A raging fea on one fide, and a wild defolate place on the other; and having not the leaft hopes of ever escaping, we may easily guefs how he talks to himself.-O, fays he, that I had been more obedient to my parents, and more grateful to my friends! O that I could now make all wicked youth fenfible of my forrow, and their own folly! How would I prefs upon them to avoid all manner of ill company, to hearken to the inftruction of their friends, and pursue the paths of virtue.-Wicked wretch that I am! God be merciful to me a finner. Thus he went on, often thinking on his old words, don't care, but too late; for after roaming about and bemoaning his unhappy fate, till he was almost ftarved to death, he at last, we hear, became a prey to wild beasts, which God fuffered to tear him to pieces, as a juft reward for his disobedience and mif- spent life, Thus, you fe, that, as Harry followed nothing but vice, he lived a wretched life, and died a miferable death; but Tommy was always a pattern of virtue and goodness, and still lives happy. THE APPLICATION. Learn then, betimes, O youth, to know your duty to God, your parents, and mankind in general, and take care not only to know, but to do it, and let the examples of Tommy and Harry be a ways jet before you, that you may escape the juft judgment of the one, and enjoy equal peace and profperity with the other. I Jhall conclude the story with the advice that king David (a little before his death) gave to his fon Solomon, which, if you follow, you cannot fail to be happy. "And thou, Solomon, my fon, know thou the God of thy fa ther, and ferve him with a perfect beart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord fearcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou feek bim, be will be found of thee, but if thou forfake bim, he will call thee of for ever." I Chron. chap. xxviii. ver. 9. TABLE XVI. Of Contractions of fuch Things as are necessary to be underflood, in which Words and Sentences are known by certain Letters only. A. B. or B. A. Bachelor of Arts K. King A. D. in the Year of our Lord Km. Kingdom A. M. or M. A. Mafter of Arts L. Lord or Lady A. P. G. Professor of Aftronomy Ldp. Lordship in Gresham College B. D. Bachelor of Divinity Bart. Baronet B. V. Blessed Virgin Cwt Hundred Weight or 112 Pounds Col. Colonel C. R. King Charles C. S. Keeper of the Seal Ladp. Ladyship Lieut. Lieutenant LL. D. Doctor of the Canon and Civil Law Ltr. Letter M Marquis Madm. Madam M. D. Doctor of Physic Md. Medicine Mdm. Memorandum C. P. S. Keeper of the Privy Seal Mr. Master D. D. Doctor of Divinity Dec. December Deut. Deuteronomy Ditto (or Do.) the same Eccl. Ecclesiastes Eccls. Ecclesiastes Ep. Epistle Eph. Ephesians Esq. Esquire Ev. Evangelist Ex. Exodus or Example Feb. February F. R. S. Fellow of the Royal Gal. Galations Genmo. Generalissimo Gen. Genesis Gent. Gentleman Hon. Honourable Hd. Honoured Mrs. Mistress Oct. October Parl. Parliament Philom. a Lover of the Mathe matics P. M. G. Professor of Music in Q. Queen or Question Reg. dep. deputed Register Rev. Revelation Rt. Rev. Right Reverend Sept. September Salop. Shropshire St. P. T. Professor of Divinity The. Theophilus I. H. S. Jesus, the Saviour of Man Wp. Worth:pful Isa. Isaiah Joh, or Jno. John Xtpr. Christopher [Laws Xtn. Christian Other Contractions in Printing or Writing. gor v. as for Example i. e. that is q. d. as if he should say V. versc vide. se |