fole nobility, was folicitous only about furnishing my mind with liberal knowledge, without giving attention to the one thing needful. ་ When I was thought fit for higher measures of learning than can be acquired in a private way, I was fent to a certain university, of no small character for teaching the different branches of education. New fubjects of learning excited my attention; and, except a little time spent in trifling diverfions with a few new companions, I plied my studies with indefatigable industry, and thereby procured the efteem of my preceptors. I fpent three years at the univerfity, in a diligent profecution of learning; and, in the recefs of the college, I was not inactive, except fpending a little time now and then in rural diverfions at my father's feat, whither I retired in vacation-tiine. During thefe three years of academical ftudies, I gave myself no trouble about either the knowledge or practice of religion, and was as ignorant of Christianity as any Heathen, who never heard of the name of Jefus. I feldom went to any place of public worship, or, if I did, paid little attention to the words of the preacher; a fyllogiftical argument, a mathematical problem, a metaphyfical distinction, an ethic queftion, or a claffical beauty, being matters of greater importance to me, than all the contents of the volume of infpi ration, or the most eloquent pulpit-harangue. I was always, from my earliest years, of a four, morofe, and reserved difpofition; fhy of company and converfation; coveting the acquaintance of few perfons, and few affociating familiarly with me, on account of my unfocial turn. Therefore, during the period above mentioned, I contracted no intimate friendship with any young gentleman, though I was civil to every body; and fo was under no temptations to a diffolute practice. But confidering confidering I had never been inftructed in the glorious and fublime doctrines of Chriftianity, though my converfation was far from being profane, it may be thought the lefs furprifing, that I was afterwards decoyed into vice, and lived fome time in abominable impiety. In the recess of the college between my third and fourth year of academical exercifes, my father, then an old man, was feized with a fever, and died in a few days, earneftly recommending to me fobriety, a diligent application to learning, and what he thought would be my future bufinets in life; but giving no particular inftructions as to a religious converfation. As I appeared to be a fober, fedate youth, he did not think it neceffary to appoint me a guardian; but left me to take poffeffion of and manage his whole fortune, giving me written inftructions for that effect. Soon after this event, having fettled my affairs in the country, I repaired to the univerfity for the fourth year. I had no fooner arrived, and refumed my ufual ftudies, than it was rumoured, that I was master of a free and independent fortune. This circumftance made me be greatly careffed by, and procured me the acquaintance of fome young gentlemen, whom I had formerly known only by face; and particularly of my dearly beloved, but now deceased friend, Jb T-s, Efq; This young gentleman made a very graceful appearance, had an amiable countenance, was well proportioned, poffeffed of every excellent qualification, of a polite, obliging, and affable addrefs, and of an open, frank difpofition. I infenfibly contracted an intimate acquaintance with him, and had a moft endeared affection to him,, fo as to be generally unhappy unless when I was in his company. He was poffeffed of a prodigious stock of knowledge in moft arts and fciences, had a A 3 voluble voluble and eloquent tongue, and could speak very fluently and elegantly on any subject. At the fame time he appeared to me to be modeft, fober, and ftudious. By this gentleman, whom I loved better than if he had been my own brother, was I, one evening, invited to drink a glass, with him and a few felect companions, at a távèrn. I attended him to the house; and though I had never formerly given a loofe to drinking, or any other extravagance, I drank pretty heartily that night, and was extremely delighted with the converfation of the company, moft of whom I was an entire ftranger to. The converfation turned chiefly on the advantages of fociety, and the pleàfure of indulging a fober glafs. Mr Ts difplayed his eloquence on this occafion; and addreffing himself to me, faid, with an air of friendfhip and regard," Mr Nu, you will find it to be greatly advantageous to you, to frequent our company at certain times, and indulge thẻ pleasure of an enlivening glafs. Man is a foci. able creature, and muft live ufelefs to himfelf and to the world, if he do not fometimes appear in company, and enjoy the pleafures of fociety. It is not at all proper for you to be continually poring upon books, and wafting your days in an hermitical folitude. Company and converfation will improve your mind, enlarge your ideas, brighten your fentiments, rub off that rufticity, ftiffnefs, and bafhfulness, fo confpicuous in your behaviour, and foon render you an ornament to any fociety. You want neither parts nor learning, and you are poffeffed of a great fhare of good fenfe; but you require cultivation, and your manners must be civilized. As you are now master of your own fortune, and have none to control you, where is the harm of living a little more freely than you did formerly, when perhaps your appointments were were confined, your finances forall, and the awe of parental authority before your eye. Abandon folitude, indulge the pleafures of life, and act as a rational being." zed me. Charmed with this converfation, I contracted a still more intimate acquaintance with Mr TS, and frequently took a glafs with him and his companions. I foon difcovered their principles, and im their practices were gradually difplayed before me. Vice is infectious, and the contagion quickly feiSolitude became irkfome, ardour for profecuting my ftudies abated, and my thirst after knowledge was extinguished. Company and converfation became my delight; books were thrown afide as ufelefs lumber; and nothing was attended to but the pleafures refulting from wine and women. As I never had got even a speculative acquaintance with the doctrines of Chriftianity, and had very feldom heard a fermon, I embarked in debauchery with the lefs reluctance, and, with very little remorfe, purfued vite in its various fhapes, fpending my time in almoft conftant dif fipation, and a free indulgence of the fenfual ap petites. So eafy is the tranfition from ftudious folitude to a life of unmanly pleafure; fo fpeedily are intellectual pleafures facrificed to thofe of the fenfes; fo imperceptibly is the love of learning drunk up by diverfions; and fo quick the remove from virtue to vice. Mr Ts was my patron; and I was fed entirely by him. We vifited all the noted bawdy-houfes in town, and wasted our time and ftrength among proftitutes, facrificing every thing to carnal gratifications, dreaming of à long continuing tranquillity, bleffing ourfelves in our hearts, and faying, We fhould have peace, though adding drunkenness to thirst. We fometimes inverted the fucceffion of day and night; fleeping by day, and fpending the night in drink. ing, gaming, and whoring: A noble life to be fure, and which, joined with affemblies and theatrical entertainments, which we pretty often attended, was the fummit of our defires and ambition. We spent three years in this course of fenfuality, without any remarkable occurrence; excepting that Mr T -s catched the venereal diftemper, which confined him to his room for a few days. When he recovered, we purfued our ufual course. During thefe years of pleasure, we became great gallanters of the ladies, took vaft delight in entertaining them with love-fongs, many of which my friend could fing very prettily; and we faid many fine, tender, and foft things to them. We attended them to the affembly, play-house, and other places of diverfion; and ufed certain freedoms with fuch of them as we could pervert, or found proper for our purpose. Indeed it were greatly to be wifhed, that the women in general were more modeft and virtuous than I have found many of them to be. I know there is a confiderable number of ladies of good difpofitions and virtuous characters. But, ah! there are many naughty and vile! plagues to men! enticers to lewdnels! gapers for prey! ah! to whom their beauty is a curfe; to whom, it is to be feared, the blackness of darkness is reserved for ever! On this fubject of the characters of women, it will not be improper or unentertaining to give fome remarkable anecdotes, In the houfe where I lodged, there was a fervant-maid, a handfome and beautiful girl, who feemed to be about twenty-four years of age. I had never difcovered any levity about her; but as fhe was often amufing herself with finging love-fongs, which she did in a charming manner, |