when no man can work." With an heart enlarged to you beyond what words can express,

" MY VERY DEAR BILLY,

"IT is a pleasure to know where to direct to you. Were it not to you, it would be no pleasure to write, for I am tired. I long to see you, not for the sake of hearing news, but because I love you. What a noise have you made in the world! How many eyes are upon you. How many hearts fear for you! How many envy you !—I hope you are in the possession of heavenly enjoyments, and walking comfortably in the good ways of God. These are your best days, make much of them, and by your indifference to yourself, and that holý negligence which is a bright ornament, and necessary to blunt the edge of even kind suspicion, shew that you can be popular without being proud. The church as well as the world looks with a jealous eye upon the young minister of the day, and especially upon those who have no paternal property to support gay appearance. Mr. Thornton in a letter of Thursday, says, The prevalent attention to dress

and outward appearance feeds the pride, and ruins more than half our young ministers. Even awkwardness, if it tends to humble them is desirable; for what is more odious than a finical, conceited, dressed up, young minister, that thinks he is the mighty orator. I would never wish ministers to be slovenly, but I had rather see them in worsted hose, than in nice silk stockings, and would prefer such as drink water and small liquors, to those who cannot do without wine and spirits." I write not this to reproach you, but as my most dearly beloved, to caution and warn you. I know you` will take it as an evidence of my right, to subscribe myself,

"Ever your's, affectionately, &c."

"Painswick, Nov. 21, 1789."

I have taken an extract or two from letters addressed to me after my removal from him. I could have added to their number greatly;' for his fatherly care never declined. When his students left him, he followed them with his prayers and advice; he watched over them with a godly jealousy, and cautioned, warned, exhorted, encouraged them according as their circumstances required. They were always welcome to his house as visitants; and nothing

could afford him greater delight than to see any of them in his pulpit, and to witness the fruit of his labors. He has often been seen standing the whole sermon with eager attention and pleasure glistening through his tears.

I would only add that he was peculiarly attentive to the behavior and manners of his young men. No person ever valued more than he did, the moralities and proprieties of life in all its relations and conditions. This is not

always the case. Some of those who are very zealous for what they call the power of Godliness, trample upon its external forms, and circumstantial appendages, which yet are often not only ornamental but highly useful. Taken up with great things they overlook little ones; not considering that what is little in one view, may be great in another; that what is little in its abstract being, may be great in its consequences, and its connexions. In this view it is hardly possible to know what is unimportant, especially in moral conduct, and in public office. Are there no instances to be found of characters whose excellency has been obscured and whose usefulness has been injured-perhaps-ruined, by little levities, familiarities, indulgencies, and inconsistences, which the severest casuist could not construe into positive

crime? But it has been said with equal truth and beauty "That the character of a minister is like that of a female: to be suspected is almost as bad as to be guilty." A feather discovers the direction of the wind as well as a tree. Our Lord in sending forth his twelve apostles and seventy disciples issued a variety of maxims and admonitions, which, were they to be delivered now at the ordination of even a young evangelist, would be deemed trifling. It was the advice of Solomon "Let thine eyes look straight on:"-" Ponder the path of thy feet, and thy goings shall be established."

Upon these principles Mr. Winter entered into the detail of practice; and adduced instances to exemplify the defects or the excellences he described. It was an object with him to teach them how to appear in the parlor as well as the pulpit. He did not think it unnecessary to guard them against superfluous wants, and unseemly customs-against the sottish and offensive habit of smoaking; against giving trouble where they happened to lodge; against keeping up the family beyond their usual time of repose; against inexactness in keeping them waiting at meals; against the

* Clayton's charge at the ordination of Mr. Brookbanks.

use of spirituous liquors; against fondness for delicacies. He did not think it needless to re gulate their deportment towards servants, suggesting the propriety of noticing them, as well as the heads of the family in morning and evening devotion. It will be naturally concluded that he did not leave them uninstructed, in their relation to female society. He minutely specified the prudence that must guide them in the design of marriage; and taught them to maintain the sacred obligations arising from choice and engagement. Nothing offended him more than the versatility of some young preachers who seem to think they have a right to trifle as they please with the affections and characters of those they address.

He knew that a minister's acceptance and usefulness, depended as much upon conduct as upon talent; and therefore as a tutor he knew that he could not discharge his office by teaching them how to decline and conjugate; how to find a word in the root and follow it in the ramifications; how to form a syllogism or argue without it; how to form a style, and use the figures of rhetoric, without turning their attention minutely, morally and practically upon themselves:-so that they should leave him able to compose a sermon, but not to form a cha