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other hand the most efficient means of destroying the power of moral and political despotism. Few of mankind comparatively speaking, have the means of procuring and still fewer have the requisite leisure to study and digest extensive systems of ethics or politics. Small tracts are best suited for the perusal of the generality of mankind. Your little volume entitled "The Intellectual Flambeau" appears to me well calculated to diffuse impressively, correct knowledge on the subject of morals, and the political rights of man. Much light on those interesting subjects, is condensed into a small compass, and is within the reach of almost every man, however limited his means or his leisure. Persevere in your lau dable work, and may your success equal your wishes, assured that you will reap that reward which results from a consciousness of having endeavored to promote the present and future happiness of your fellow men.

Accept assurances of
personal regard from

DR. JESSE TCRREY, Jun.

SIMON SNYDER.

Harrisburg, 8th Nov. 1816.

From N. B. Boileau, Secretary of the state of Pennsylva

Sir,

nia.

HARRISBURG, Nov. 3th, 1316.

I cordially agree with the sentiments expressed by the governor, and join with him in wishing your success may be equal to your philanthropic desire that your little book may have its due effect in correcting the habits of intemperance-the too predominant and prevailing vice of the present day-and that you may enjoy the high satisfaction which springs from an approving heart, and from the evidence that your labor has not been in vain.

With best wishes for your personal welfare
your ob❜t. ser't.

DR. JESSE TORREY, Jun.

N. B. BOILEAU.

A SERIOUS ADDRESS,

To the Rising Generation of the United States.

Eminently Favored Youth,

CONT

MONTEMPLATE calmly and attentively, the sacred legacy which must soon be committed to your your charge, in trust for your successors-and eventually for the whole human race! You constitute the only insulated Arrarat, on which the Olive Branch of Peace, and the "glad tidings" of Freedom and Happiness, can be deposited and preserved to a greaning World, drowned in fears!! Prove yourselves, then, deserving of the exalted office which Providence has assigned you. To do this, it is indispensable that you cultivate your understandings, and store them with the golden treasures of knowledge, philosophy and wisdom. Where these abide Tyranny cannot exist-no more than darkness in the midst of sun beams. Know also that these will preserve you, infallibly, from a species of slavery, much more odious and destructive to human happiness, than the most barbarous political despotism that exists,

Of ignorance, vice, and all the ven❜mous passions ;-
Of intemperance, crimes, and a host of idle fashions.

Virtue and wisdom are the offspring of knowledge;-and human happiness, says Seneca, is founded upon wisdom and virtue." And further, that "philosophy gives us a veneration for God, a charity for our neigbor; teaches us our duty to Heaven, and exhorts to an agree ment one with another; it arms us against all difficulties; it prompts us to relieve the prisoner, the infirm, the necessitous; it is the health of the mind; shines with an riginal light; makes us happy and immortal. In poverty it gives us riches or such a state of mind as makes them superfluous."

My young friends remember that you possess within yourselves, the innate germ of wisdom, virtue, happiness--the spirit of God in your hearts, constantly pleading for your own welfare. You have only to listen to this friendly monitor, and feed the sacred spark with the light of instruction and wisdom.

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Wisdom, says Seneca, instructs us in the way of

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nature; to live happily; teaches us what things are good, what evil, that no man can be happy, but he that needs no other happiness but what he has within himself; no man to be great or powerful, that is not master of himself. That this is the felicity of buman life; a felicity that can neither be corrupted or extinguished.Nay, says he, so powerful is virtue, and so gracious is Providence, that every man has a light set up within himself for a guide, which we do all of us both see and acknowledge, though we do not pursue it.* That a good man is happy within himself, and independent upon fortune: kind to his friend; temperate to his enemy: religiously just; indefatigably laborious, &c. That there is not a duty to which Providence has not annexed a blessing".

Finally, without taking up the discussion of future rewards and punishments, I must declare my conviction that in our present stage of temporal existence, every de viation from the path of rectitude and duty, is as certainly punished with its appropriate penalty, as that pain is the inevitable consequence of thrusting our hands into fire, and indicates an equal deficiency of wisdom and

common sense.

Therefore exert yourselves without delay, to secure the means of enlightening your understandings with instruction. For this purpose form yourselves into societies in your respective neighborhoods, and establish free libraries, by means of subscriptions, and contributions of books.

"Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go; keep her; for she is thy life."

[SOLOMON.]

I am not inclined to advise you to restrain yourselves from a rational indulgence in innocent athletic amusements, but fail not, if you prefer genuine happiness to misery and repentance, to devote the most of your evenings and leisure hours to mental improvement and reading ing Read the life of the celebrated Franklin and follow his advice. But beware of the Syren snares of

*"I know the right, and I approve it too;
Condemn the wrong, and yet the wrong pursue."

POPE.

NOVELS. Is not a beautiful garden, in a state of living verdure, and native bloom both more entertaining and instructive, than a heap of counterfeit artificial flowers made of paper, yielding fruits the most pernicious?

Let your library commence with the following books; making about 20 volumes. A contribution of 25 cents each from 100 persons would probably defray the cost of the whole of them. The youth, not already trained to depravity, that can read merely these few books, without being fascinated with the pleasures of science, wisdom, benevolence, and moral rectitude, must be a prodigy of stupidity and worthlessness.

The Looking Glass for the Mind, The Newtonian System of Philosophy Explained, Burton's Lectures to Young Ladies, Lady's Library, Mavor's Abridgment of Natural History, Historical Grammar, Blair's Grammar of Chemistry, Joyce's Scientific Dialogues, Seneca's Morals, Translation of Xenophon's Socrates, Priestly's Considerations for the use of Young Men, Baron Knigge's Practical Philosophy of Social Life, or the Art of Conversing with Men, Beauties of History, History of Sanford and Merton, Universal Geography, &c.

While in health, taste not a single drop of distilled. spirit, for except as a remedy for some diseases, it is a positive poison to man or any other animal; this important fact is demonstrated, not only by chemical analysis, which proves that in the process of fermentation the material of spirit imbibes from the atmosphere a substance,called oxygen, the internal application of which is well known to be noxious to animal life; but also by its ef fects upon brute animals, some kinds of which, it kills* instantaneously, and impedes the growth of others!

Accept, beloved youth, these counsels of your sincere friend. Heed them with fidelity; and peace, contentment, good will, and gladness shall be the companions of your lives.

An individual who was formerly addicted to the use of distil led spirits, stated that he compelled a fowl to swallow a table spoonful of rum, which produced immediate death!

TO PHILANTHROPISTS.

In the hope that the impulse of a disposition " to do good,” may influence, some magistrate, physician, tutor, preacher, attorney, private citizen, or generous youth, in every district in which these sheets may be circulated; to volunteer his exertions for the institution of a free libra. ry, and reading society, I have procured for publication, a correct copy of the Constitution originally adopted by the Juvenile Library Society at New-Lebanon. It was composed by the writer of these pages, at the age of 17 years. The language or plan can be varied as may be found expedient.

THE CONSTITUTION

Of the New Lebanon Juvenile Society for the Acquisition of Knowledge.

WE

NEW LEBANON, March 19, 1804. HEREAS we the youth of New-Lebanon, are fully convinced that it is indispensably necessary for our happiness and welfare, that we cultivate our understandings, improve our morals, and acquire useful knowledge while we are young, and while our minds are susceptible of improvement. And therefore we do hereby agree to associate, and form ourselves into a Society, for the purpose of establishing a Library, improving our minds and acquiring useful Knowledge. And we do a gree ordain and determine :—

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1. That this Society shall meet together every first Monday in March, and choose fom among themselves, a President, Librarian, Secretary, and a committee of five, who shall transact the business of the Society and continue in office until others are duly elected.

2. The President, or in his absence the Librarian and three others of the committee, shall form a board competent to transact all business of the Society; or in the absence of the President and Librarian, four of the committee, who shall choose a chairman for the present meeting.

President to preside at concerns of the Socie

3. It shall be the duty of the the meetings and superintend the ty; and to give advice as to the purchase of suitable books, &c.

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