considered as ominous of neglect in his study, as well as in other departments of official duty. Indeed, I hold it to be disreputable for a clergyman, at any time, and in any families, to be in the habit of making long and lounging visits. They exhibit him as an idle man ;—a miserable character for one who has been set to "watch for souls as he who must give an account."

4. While you indulge, in a moderate, and well-regulated manner, the feelings and habits of private friendship among the people of your charge, let it be manifest that, even in your social visits, you are QUITE AS ABLE TO FIND

THE HOVEL OF THE POOREST AND MEANEST,

as the mansion of the most wealthy. And if you make a social call at the latter more frequently than at the former, let it be seen that your object is, not to solicit favours for yourself, but to obtain aid for the indigent, the sick, and the forsaken. It has an ill aspect indeed, when a minister of the Gospel is found begging for his own emolument, or even indirectly endeavouring to attract presents to himself; but it is an honour rather than a discredit to him, when he often appears as a beggar for others; as the advocate of the poor, the almoner of the widow and the orphan.

5. The LENGTH OF YOUR VISITS is a point well worthy of notice. It may be readily

granted, indeed, that in reference to this point no rules either absolute or universal can be laid down. Long and short are relative terms; and are often understood very differently in the country, and in large towns. But this is one of

the cases in which it is better to err on the side of excessive brevity than excessive length. It appears to me, then, that, on ordinary occasions, instead of spending four or five hours in one visit, it is preferable to divide that time into four, five, or even more visits, especially if they be merely of the social kind ;—and in populous places, several visits of the social kind, may be easily despatched within an hour. Here, as in preaching, it is better to rise and take your leave, while all are interested, and wishing you to stay longer, than to hang on until conversation flags; until some members of the circle become impatient at their detention; and, perhaps, all begin to wish you gone.

Nor ought you to suppose that this is a matter which will claim your attention only by and by, when you become a minister. It is worthy of your attention now. While you are a student, you should aim to form such habits, in reference to this, as well as other subjects, as will be suitable to go with you through life. Let me say, then, that now, and at all times, you wish your visits to be welcome, MAKE SHORT. He who sits several hours

if

THEM

I

in a single visit, ought not only to be very much at leisure himself; but he ought also to be very sure that those whose time he is occupying, have nothing to do. Young and inexperienced persons are apt to feel as if they were the only visiters in the circles to which they resort. They forget to calculate what the consequence must be to the order and employments going on in those circles respectively, when perhaps, the same encroachments on their time are made by other visiters five or six times every week. More than this. Endeavour early to learn the art of discovering, by the appearance of things, at a glance, whether the members of the family in which you visit, are at leisure to attend upon you, or very busy, and desirous of being occupied. If you have reason to suppose that the latter is the case; if you know that they have been called from some urgent employment to receive you; or, if you perceive, that, by coming in, you have interfered with a projected walk or ride, it is always better immediately to withdraw.

Let this principle more especially guide you in your visits, abroad as well as at home, to clergymen, and other professional men, who, from their occupying publick stations, are less masters of their own time than most others; and more incommoded, of course, by frequent and tedious intrusions on their time. There is, in

deed, an old French proverb, which says, "that it is never any interruption for one literary man to visit another." I protest against the unqualified application of this proverb, as a dreadful nuisance. Lord Bacon was accustomed, with emphasis, to say, "Temporis fures amici." Cotton Mather, and after him Dr. Watts, caused to be inscribed in large letters over his study door, these words, "BE SHORT."

When an acquaintance, who was rather prone to be tedious, called once on the ve. nerable Dr. Doddridge, and said, after seating himself, "I hope, Sir, I do not interrupt you," that excellent and laborious Divine replied, with characteristick frankness, "To be sure you do." Clergymen, if those of no other station do so, ought to sympathize with one another on this point. And, I will add, if no others venture to adopt so candid a practice, they ought to learn and adopt the important art of hinting when they are particularly busy, and thus abridging interviews which are not likely to be very useful. This appears to me a matter in which the conscience of a good man must be deeply engaged. He whose time is much occupied in visiting the sick and the dying, in instructing the ignorant, counselling the anxious, and preparing for the Pulpit those discourses with which the welfare of multitudes may be connected ;-surely cannot feel at liber

ty frequently to waste, or to allow others to waste for him, hours, or even moments, in the mere chit chat of ceremonious visits.

A strict attention to this point will be of great importance to you during your connexion with the Theological Seminary. Where a hundred young men are assembled for the purpose of Biblical and Theological study, the greater part of them under the same roof, if there be any intercourse between them at all, the utmost vigilance, on all hands, will be requisite to prevent it from degenerating into an inconvenience, and a burden Those who are not habitual and systematick students themselves, can hardly ever be made to appreciate the importance of allowing others to be so. Hence no small portion of their time is spent in unnecessary, and often perfectly useless, calls at the rooms of others; thus committing the double sin, of squandering their own time, and encroaching on that of their neighbours, which, but for them, might be very profitably spent.

Set yourself, mildly and delicately, but firmly, in opposition to these encroachments. Cause it to be distinctly understood, that you wish to enjoy certain definite hours for unbroken study; and if there be any with whom this understanding is not sufficient, I would deliberately advise that you lock your door, and utterly disregard all knocks, until the portion of