reftedness, a communicativeness, and the practice of thofe duties, to which we are obliged by the frame of our Nature, and by the Relations we bear to God, and to the fubjects of his government.

For my part, I confefs that, many have been the failings of my Life, and great the defects of my obedience. But in the midst of all my failings and imperfections, my Soul hath always fympathifed with the afflicted, and my heart hath ever aked for the miferies of others. My hand has often relieved, when I wanted the fhilling to comfort my felf, and when it hath not been in my power to relieve, I have grieved for the fcanty Accommodations of others. Many troublesome and expenfive offices I have undertaken to do good to Men, and ever social and free have I been in my demeanour, eafy and smooth in my addrefs; and therefore, I trust that, whenever I am removed from this horizon, it will be from a dark and cloudy ftate, to that of joy, light, and full Revelation. This felicitates my every day, let what will happen from without. This supports me under every Affliction, and enables me to mentain a habit of fatisfaction and joy in the general courfe of my Life.

2. The things of my Childhood are not went to worth fetting down, and therefore I com- the Univer mence my Life from the first month of the'

fity in 1720

A College-
Life.

feventeenth year of my Age, when I was fent
to the University, and entred a penfioner,
tho' I had a larger yearly allowance than any
fellow-commoner of my College. I was re-
folved to read there, and determined to im-
prove my natural faculties to the utmost of
my power. Nature, I was fenfible, had be-
ftowed no genius on me.
This and under-
ftanding are only the privilege of extraordi-
nary perfons; who receive from Heaven the
happy conjunction of qualities, that they
may execute great and noble defigns, and
acquire the highest pitch of excellence in the
profeffion they turn to; if they will take the
pains to perfect the united qualities by art,
and carefully avoid running into caprice and
paradox; the Rocks on which many a
Genius has split. But then I had a tolerable
share of natural understanding, and from my
infancy was teachable, and always attentive
to the directions of good fense. This I
knew might rife with fome labour, to a
half merit, tho' it could never gain immor-
tality upon any account: and this was enough
for me.
I wanted only to acquire fuch de-
grees of perfections as lay within the small
sphere nature had chalked out for me.

3. To this purpose I devoted my collegelife to books, and for five years that I refided in the Univerfity, converfed so much with the dead that I had very little intercourse with the living. So totally had letters

en

engaged my mind, that I was but little affected towards most other things. Walking and Mufick were my favorite recreations, and almost the only ones I delighted in. I had hardly a thought at that time of the foolish choifes and purfuits of men; those fatal choices and pursuits, which are owing to falfe judgments, and to a habit of acting precipitantly, without examining the fancies and appetites; and therefore, very rarely went into the pleasures and diverfions which men of fortune in a Univerfity too commonly indulge in. My relaxation, after ftudy, was my german-flute, and the converfation of fome ingenious, fober friend; generally, my private tutor, who was a bright and excellent man; and if the weather permitted, I walked out into the country feveral miles. At this exercise, I had often one or other with me; but for the

most

part, was obliged to go alone. My dog and my gun however were diverfion enough on the way, and they frequently led me into scenes of entertainment, which lafted longer than the day. Some of them you will find in this Journal. The hiftory of the beautiful Harriot Noel you fhall have by and by.

A Courfe of

Reading in

4. At prefent, my scheme requires me to a College. fet down the method I purfued in my Readings, and let my Reader know the iffue of my ftudies. My time I devoted to Philofophy,

B 3

Of Mr. Locke's

Effay.

Natural

lofophy, Cofmography, Mathematicks, and the Languages, for four years, and the fifth I gave to History.

The first book I took into my hand, after receiving my note of admiffion, was the effay of that fine Genius, Mr. Locke, and I was fo pleafed with this clear and accurate writer, that I looked into nothing else, by reading it three times over, I had made a thorough acquaintance with my own underftanding. He taught me to examine my abilities, and enabled me to fee what objects my mind was fitted to deal with. He led me into the fanctuary of vanity and ignorance, and fhewed me how greatly true knowledge depended on a right meaning of words, and a juft fignificancy of expreffion. In fum, from the Effay my Understanding received very great benefits, and to it I owe what improvement I have made in the reason given

me.

If I could, I would perfuade all young Gentlemen to read it over and over with great attention, and I am fure they would find themselves very richly rewarded for their pains in reading it. They would acquire that juftnefs and truth of understanding, which is the great perfection of rational Beings.

5. When I had done, for a time, with Philofophy, this admirable Effay, I then began to study the first principles of things, the structure of

the

the Universe, the contexture of human bodies, the properties of beafts, the virtues of plants, and the qualities of metals, and was quite charmed with the contemplation of the beautiful order, and wife final caufes of nature in all her laws and productions. The ftudy had a delightful influence on the temper of my mind, and infpired into it a love of order in my heart, and in my outward manners. It likewife led me to the great first Cause, and in repeated views of harmony, wisdom and goodness in all the works of nature, rivited upon my mind a fixed conviction, that all is under the adminiftration of a general Mind, as far remote from all malice as from all weaknefs, whether in respect of understanding or of power. This gave me a due affection towards the infinitely perfect Parent of Nature, and as I contemplated his glorious Works, I was obliged in tranfports to confefs, that he deferved our love and admiration. This did alfo fatisfy me, that whatever the order of the world produces, is in the main both just and good, and of confequence, that we ought in the best manner to fupport whatever hardships are to be endured for virtue's fake: that acquiefcence and complacency with refpect to ill accidents, ill men and in-. juries, ought to be our part under a perfect administration; and with benignity and

B 4

con