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might otherwiſe hang heavy upon your hands: it will furniſh you with ſtores of knowledge, which will qualify you to appear with credit and deſtinction in the company of perſons of ſenſe and education; and it will enlarge your capacity of uſefulneſs in the ſeveral connections of ſociety. In order to render your reading productive of theſe advantages, be careful in your choice of books, that your feelings be not debaſed, nor your heart corrupted, by a kind of "evil communication," not leſs dangerous than bad company; and that your time be not waſted upon theſe inſignificant and trifling productions, which convey no information, afford no moral exerciſe for the imagination, and excite no manly, generous, and virtuous ſentiments⟨.⟩ Be guided in this, by the judgment of thoſe who have had further opportunities than yourſelf of knowing what books are beſt adapted to afford you elegant amuſement and uſeful inſtruction.
As a conſiderable portion of your time will of courſe be ſpent in company of various kinds, it may be of great uſe to you, my dear ſon, to be furniſhed with certain leading maxims and rules, of prudence on the head of conversation. In your choice both of companions and aſſociates next to moral character, which ought unqueſtionably to be the first object⟨,⟩ pay attention to intellectual accompliſhments⟨.⟩ When you go into company, carry with you, as your
