perhaps, may not so readily occur to every one, and especially not to every young man. I refer to that important point in the manners of all publick men, viz. the wisdom of not being "over civil," or excessive in your polite attentions to any one. I have known ministers, as well as others, who have been really lavish in their civilities to a few individuals among their friends and neighbours; so much so as to attract particular notice; while others, equally, or perhaps more worthy, but less conspicuous, they have scarcely treated with common deco

rum.

Their coldness to the latter, would not have been so observable, had it not been contrasted with their extreme civility to the former. Diversities of this kind ought to be as much as possible avoided; and the correction. ought to be applied to both extremes. It is never wise for a minister to be so excessively intimate, so inordinately friendly with any particular individual, or individuals, among his people, as to become a subject of remark, or to embarrass him in his intercourse with others. Ne quid nimis, is an invaluable maxim, in its application to clerical intimacies and civilities, as well as to a thousand other things. Those which are carried to excess, seldom last long, or end well. The most truly judicious and generally acceptable publick men I have ever known, were remarkable for not being extremely civil

to any, even to those whom they were known most highly to value; but for that moderate, yet vigilant attention to all, which was by no means inconsistent with special friendships, but which indicated a desire to be truly useful to all classes of persons.

I hope you will not be disposed to say, that the foregoing counsels are adapted to form that cold, selfish, and calculating style of manners, which ought to be avoided, rather than cultivated. If it be so, I am egregiously deceived. Let me entreat you to go over every item again, carefully, and see whether wisdom, prudence, and the word of God do not sanction them all. The idea that the manners of any one ought to be left to take care of themselves, is a miserable delusion. As long as we are bound, every hour, to "consider our ways," and, "whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, to do all to the glory of God," it will be incumbent upon persons, of all ages and stations, to endeavour in all things, even the minutest, to "order their conversation aright." But for a minister of the Gospel, who stands continually as a "watchman," and a "defender," on "the walls of Zion ;" and who is acting every hour, not only for himself, but also for the church of God;-for him to doubt whether habitual care as to every word, and look, and action, is incumbent on him, is indeed, strangely to misapprehend his obligations.

If you ask me, where you shall find a MODEL of such clerical manners as I have endeavoured to describe; I answer, No where, in all its parts, in absolute perfection. This, however, is no more a reason why an attempt should not be made to portray and recommend such manners, than our inability to find a perfect pattern of the Christian temper, in any mere man, is a reason why that temper should never be de scribed or inculcated. But I have been so happy as to meet with a few examples of manners nearly approximating to those which are recommended in this letter. One of the most venerable and excellent clergymen in the United States, has remarked, that he thought some of 'the more polished and pious of the ministers belonging to the Moravians, or United Brethren, furnished specimens of manners as worthy of imitation as any he had ever seen. In this opinion, I am inclined to concur. I have marked in a few of those worthy men, that happy union of gravity, dignity, gentleness, and unaffected kindness of deportment truly rare, and which it would be delightful to see copied by every minister of religion in the land.

LETTER III.

GIVING NO OFFENCE IN ANY THING, that the ministry be not blamed. 2 COR. vi. 3.

OFFENSIVE PERSONAL HABITS.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,

THERE are many personal habits, which all polished people concur in regarding as offensive; and which of course cannot be indulged in the presence of such persons, without giving them pain. Sometimes, indeed, so much pain, that, after a while, the society of those who habitually indulge in them, if not avoided altogether, will be in a degree unwelcome, whereever they go. These habits are painful to wellbred persons on various accounts. Some of them, because they are offences against personal cleanliness; others, because they make an uncomfortable impression, in other respects, on the senses of those with whom we converse; and a third class, because they indicate the absence of that respect and attention to those around us, which every man c correct deport

ment is expected to pay, and which he never omits to pay, without incurring a serious disadvantage.

I propose, in the present Letter, to mention. some of these personal habits. And let me entreat you not to consider me as unnecessarily minute or fastidious in my enumeration. Some of the items adverted to, may excite a smile, and others a less comfortable emotion; you may rest assured, however, that I shall mention none but such as I know to be offensive; to many persons deeply so; and to have been remarked upon with great severity. This is enough for a delicate, conscientious man; who will consider no correction of an evil habit as beneath his notice, which will give him more ready access to all companies, and render, perhaps, many of his personal efforts to do good much more ac ceptable and useful.

1. Among these offensive habits, the first that I shall mention, is that, of SPITTING ON THE FLOORS AND CARPETS, of the apartments in which you are seated. This is a habit with which Americans are constantly reproached by those Europeans who travel among us, or who have occasion to remark on our national manners. Nay, a late writer in one of their periodical works, pronounces, that "the Americans must give up all pretensions to good-breeding as long as they allow themselves to spit on