fessor of law especially is bound to refrain from strong drinks: And when to this consideration, is added the powerful, if not equally powerful, one, that no man can study and thoroughly understand the profound and complicated systems of the civil and national law, or the mere municipal constitutions and laws of his country alone that no man can be able to trim the midnight lamp over volumes replete with the lore, and covered with the dust of ages--without possessing a sound mind in a sound body-we again perceive at once that no lawyer can do his duty to himself to his clients-to his country-or his God, who drowns his intellect, and enervates his physical constitution, in the foul dregs of the bottle and the bowl. I need not say more, and perhaps I could not with propriety have said less. I feel confident, that the professors of law will act up to the letter and spirit of their profession; that a profession that forms one of the strongest, as well as one of the most brilliant pillars of the state; and one of the firmest bulwarks of constitutional freedom; will never degrade itself by a practice, calculated to destroy its usefulness, and eclipse its glory: That it will remember the illustrious examples of Cicero and Demosthenes-Bacon and Hale-Blackstone and Jones-Jay, Hamilton and Clinton-and by a steady emulation of these departed but unfading luminaries, preserve its own honor unsullied, and render its fame both glorious and imperishable.

Before I conclude, however, I must once more insist upon it, that without temperance, knowledge is vain, and labor fruitless: This is the foundation of all learning, and of all morality, if not of all religion. Why then should it not prevail? Why should it not engage the hearty and zealous support of every American citizen? There is but one reason-and that a vile and mercenary one: It is that the sale of alcohol in various shapes, brings money into the pockets of thousands: But alcohol, in all its shapes, destroys health and life, and spreads ruin and misery around in their most distressing and awful forms. The cause of temperance, then, I repeat it, and let it be repeated, and echoed, and re-echoed, from shore to shore, and from pole to pole, is the cause of existing and of unborn millions-the cause of the human race-the cause of God and humanity. On such a cause, angels must look down with an approving smile; and all virtuous men must rejoice to be enlisted with its advocates. On such a cause, forbid it Heaven, we beseech thee, that any American shall look with an eye of apathy, or turn a deaf ear to the claims which it has upon his patriotism and humanity, his morality and religion, for active and untiring, for zealous and persevering exertion in support of its laudable and benign purpose. Throw down all-give up all your possessions, said the blessed Saviour to the young man in the gospel, and follow me! And may we not, in like manner, and for a similar, if not

the same reason, say to the young men of the present age; aye, and to the young women likewise; throw up all your vain and idle pursuits, give up all your spare time, to promote and ensure the success of the glorious, the god-like cause, on whose banner is inscribed, as with a sun-beam-TEMPERANCE, HEALTH AND HAPPINESS, LONG LIFE AND HONEST FAME ON EARTH; AND IN HEAVEN ETERNAL FELICITY AND GLO

RY!
1*

* A small portion of the preceding address, was formerly written and published in the (Albany) PLOUGH Box, which I then edited; and about a quarter of a column of it once appeared, as a communication, in the Albany Daily Advertiser. In the course of my late literary labors, I have several times availed myself of my old editorial matter.

P

INTERLUDE.

In the preceding Lessons we have pointed out and justly character ised, four of those public nuisances on a broad scale, which ought, in our humble opinion, to be carefully avoided by the rising, and all future generations: And if we have not adverted to a lower grade of similar nuisances, it is because, if our young readers can be induced, on reflection, to abandon these altogether, then the same wisdom, virtue and fortitude will enable them to refrain from the rest.

one moment.

Having, in our First Lesson, noticed one argument, which is used in support of Theatres and Circusses, we will here notice another, which is, that if youth have not such places to resort to, they will go to worse places. Independent of the insult which this argument offers to the moral sense of every young man, look at the principle of it It amounts to a compound with sin. But if we have no right to compound for crimes committed against the civil government of our country; can we have a right to compound for those committed against the word and will of God? We might just as rationally say in plain English to our youth-If you will refrain from breaking the law against murder, you may break that against robbery with impunity! This conclusion follows from the logic, that if we do not open a way for them to one sinful indulgence, they will themselves find the way to another, and perhaps a worse one. We hope, on the contrary, that every young man who becomes convinced that Theatres, Circusses, Race-grounds, and Intemperance, are all vicious concerns, which he ought to avoid as he would a den of rattle-snakes, may have the good sense to perceive the fallacy of such logic; and while he bids farewell to the low pursuits we are speaking of; will at the same time resolve firmly to have nothing to do with still lower and more vicious ones. But taking his stand on the invulnerable ground of Christianity, will pursue through life, no other course but that which becomes a being responsible to God for every moment of his time, for his every word and action; a being bound to the attainment here of all the pure moral and spiritual gifts and graces; and to the performance here, of all the high and holy duties which are to fit him for another and a better world.