918  OCTOBE8«

vtiott  16  not  a  Very  cas^y  task,  but  it  is  an  extr^mefjf
necessary  one:  if,  after  an  excursion  which  has  car*'
tied  him  into  gi*eat,  and  what  is  called  good  com*
pany,  he  returns  home  not  quite  so  well  satisfied
with  home  as  he  was  before,  he  has  contracted  a
taint  that  may  be  worse  than  the  scab  among  hia
aheep.  The  caustic  of  wholesome  self-discipline  be-
tomes  necessary.  He  should  guard  carefully  against
one  of  the  mpst  natural  propensities,  or  Ms  plea-
sares  (partially  assuming  somewhat  of  the  garb  of
husiness)  will  prove  like  the  pleasures  of  so  many
ether  classes,  treacherous  dissipation,  and  lay  a
foundation  for  uneasiness  and  regret.
Letter  td  a  Friend."^^*  With  a  small,  but  in-
creasing family,  you  have  taken  possession  of  year
estate,  which,  if  I  understand  you  clearly,  is  of  the
gross  rental,  including  the  lands  in  hand,  of  about
600I.  a  year ;  and  that  the  net  receipt,  every  out*
going  paid,  is  461U:  this  will  be  your  whole  de-
pendence, for  it  cannot  be  prudent  to  reckon  upon
any  prq/it  at  preterit  from,  the  1 80  acres  of  farm
which  your  father  occupied,  and  which  you  have
in  occupation.
