Of course, the obligation of virtue rests ultimately on the will of God; and is a consequence of the Divine Perfection: but we fully believe in a Moral Sense, or sentiment of Conscientiousness, implanted by our Creator, to incline us to do what we know to be our duty. Conscience, we believe to be this principle, guided by reason, and acting retrospectively, by the aid of memory. Both conscientiousness, and reason, are, however, liable to be enfeebled and perverted; and hence the necessity for a higher incentive to duty, in the sanction of religion, enforced by Divine Revelation. Dr. Paley, considering private happiness as our motive to virtue, and rejecting the doctrine of a Moral Sense, founds our inducement to virtue on selfish principles, of mere reason, and personal benefit. While we admit that such principles often govern the actions of men, we think that the gratification of the Moral Sense, in the consciousness of virtuous conduct, is a high and peculiar inducement to virtue, independent of all reasoning and that a feeling of this kind was necessary, in order to counterbalance other feelings; which without this, would more frequently lead us astray. Thus, by a wise Providence, the duties enjoined upon us, in our present state, are made to contribute to our happiness while the crimes forbidden by virtue and religion, are such as, if generally allowed, would soon spread misery and destruction among mankind.

We proceed to treat of Ethics, under the four heads of Personal, Cognate, Social, and Religious Duties; the last, strictly speaking, including, and sanctioning all the others.

§ 1. Personal duties, are those which relate especially to, or which we owe immediately to ourselves. They all refer to Self-preservation, the first law of nature; or to Self-improvement, which is of no less importance. The first three of the cardinal virtues, temperance, prudence, and fortitude, are a part, but only a part, of the vir tues which come under this head. Temperance, includes the control and regulation of all our propensities and sentiments. It comprehends therefore sobriety, and all its kindred virtues. The opposite vices are gluttony, drunkenness, impurity, covetousness, anger, and the like; the indulgence of which is a voluntary sacrifice of life, health, and happiness, for a false and momentary enjoyment. Prudence, in avoiding useless risk or danger; and Fortitude, in opposing or confronting danger, when unavoidable, are also duties which we owe chiefly to our own happiness. Patience in enduring pain or disappointment, is often confounded with fortitude; but is more properly its effect. Industry and Economy, are doubtless moral duties; necessary to our future comfort and support, especially in sickness and age. Sloth, and prodigality, or extravagance, are criminal therefore, even towards ourselves; however countenanced by the luxurious and the vain.

The duties of Mental, Moral, and Religious Cultivation, result, like the preceding, from the will of God, that we should promote our own happiness, and his honor and glory. The acquisition of knowledge, promotes our happiness, by enlarging our sphere of usefulness, and giving us more elevated views of the Creator and his works. Moral improvement, subserves the same object, besides the gratifica

tion of the moral sense; and if sought with the right motive, it is the sure avenue to higher views of our duty and our destiny. It will lead us to realize how imperfect is that Code of Honor which the world has formed for its own convenience; which permits the gamester, the adulterer, the drunkard, the plunderer, the swindler, the calumniator, and the duellist, though a murderer, to mingle with honorable men, unpunished and unreproached. It will also bring us to realize how far the Civil law falls short of defining and prescribing our moral and religious duties; for which use indeed it was never intended; having reference to our political duties only.

Most

§ 2. By Cognate or Domestic duties, we mean those which grow out of the different family relations; and which may be classed as conjugal, parental, filial, and fraternal. Conjugal duties, are those which pertain to the husband, and wife, in the married state. of these are reciprocal; as affection, constancy, sympathy, comfort, and assistance; which the parties pledge to each other at the altar. As the wife is necessarily more or less dependent upon the husband; he is in duty bound not only to support and protect her for the present time, but also to provide for her future support, in case of his disability or death. The wife, on the other hand, is pledged to obedience; because there should be but one head to a family: but the husband who can abuse his power, tyranically, is unworthy of the

name.

Parental duties, are among the most important, and responsible, which can be assumed: as, on their faithful performance, the welfare of society, and the fate of individuals greatly depends. The parent is bound not only to maintain his child, in sickness and in health, but to prepare him to become a useful member of society; to form his character, and to imbue his mind with right principles, and useful knowledge. This subject will be treated of more fully, in the branch of Education; but we may here remark that the parent who withholds the time and attention required for these objects, is answerable to God and to his conscience, for the consequences, however serious. The father should also provide for his child's comfortable establishment in life; and still advise and sympathize with him, when separated from the paternal home. Filial duties, are those which children owe to their parents; including affection, respect, sympathy, obedience; and assistance, as far as they have the power to render it. We might add probity, and candour; but these are alike necessary in all the domestic and social relations: for confidence, which is the soul of affection, and the key to respect and esteem, cannot exist without them. Obedience to parents, in all reasonable commands, we deem one of the cardinal duties; which should be enforced from early infancy; and which, if rightly understood, will be less a task than a pleasure. In the same class with filial duties, we would place those towards all elder Relations.

Among Fraternal Duties, or those relating to brothers and sisters, are affection, respect, sympathy, and assistance; the latter particularly from brothers to sisters, and from the elder to the younger. It includes watchfulness over manners and morals; and instruction as far as possible in useful and entertaining knowledge. In early age,

these duties extend to the sharing of each other's labors; the preservation of each other's character; the prevention of errors; and the redress of wrongs: and in maturity, they extend to the assistance of each other, as means and opportunities are afforded, in obtaining a comfortable settlement and support.

§3. Social Duties, are those which we owe to our fellow-men, in the relations of society; or as members of the great human family. These duties may be classed as either active or passive: that is, we are to avoid doing harm, and to strive to do good, to those around us, with a view to promote both their happiness and our own. Among the active, or positive social duties, are those of friendship, benevolence, and patriotism; while the passive, or negative, may all be comprehended under the single head of justice,as regards the persons, property, reputation, peace, and virtue of our fellow-men.

The duties of Friendship, are reciprocal; and closely resemble those of fraternity; including fidelity, kindness, defence against slander or wrong, and such advice or assistance as the relative situation of the parties may enable them to give. As these duties are voluntarily assumed, they should not be exacted by either party, longer than may be agreeable to the other; but neither should past favors be forgotten, nor old friends neglected; nor can a cessation of friendship justify subsequent injury, or betrayal of confidence. One of the most disagreeable traits of character, is a disposition to withdraw friendships once formed, on slight or insufficient cause. Great care should be exercised in the choice of friends; but still greater in preserving this relation, and performing its duties, when once assumed, either expressly, or by implication. The duties of Benevolence are not optional, but imperative on every human being. Assistance to the needy, and comfort to the distressed, whenever they can be afforded, belong to the very essence of humanity. Besides these more active duties, we owe courtesy and kindness to all persons whom we meet: as feeling the need of a like civility towards ourselves. Gratitude, prompting to make a due return for favors received, is a sacred duty; allied to benevolence, if it be not a simple act of justice.

Patriotism, comprehends the duties which we owe to our country; that is to our fellow-citizens collectively. Among these duties are obedience to the laws, and constituted authorities, so long as they accord with justice and virtue; support of them, and of all useful public institutions, by our quota of time and money; and influence, in favor of public virtue, of the best measures and the worthiest men, through the ballot-box, or the press; by precept and by example. It is no excuse to say that we can do but little towards the election of public officers, or the founding and support of benevolent institutions, or the preservation of public morals. If we neglect our share, we not only cause a deficiency; but encourage others to do the same, and make the deficiency greater: and so far as these effects may extend, we are answerable for the consequences.

Justice to our fellow-men, in regard to their persons, requires that we should avoid inflicting pain, whether by wounding, maiming,

contagion, contamination, or death. In regard to property, it requires that we should neither interfere with its lawful acquisition, nor take it from others when acquired, without just reason therefor. Hence it forbids theft, robbery, extortion, fraud, circumvention, or the withholding of just dues. It regard to reputation, justice forbids that we should injure it by slander, falsehood, prevarication, or even by divulging the truth, except for their own good or that of others. We should not disparage their capacity, skill, principles, or motives, without just cause; nor injure them in the affections or esteem of our fellow-men. As regards peace, or tranquillity, we should not disturb, or alarm them, or excite their passions, without just reason; and as regards virtue, we should not only avoid impairing it, where found; but even justice requires that we should manifest our displeasure at every vicious word, action, or example, that we are compelled to witness.

§ 4. Religious Duties, are those which we owe to the Supreme Being, the Great Author of our existence; whose will we are im-pelled to obey, both from a sense of obligation, and a desire of future happiness, implanted in our minds through His beneficence. These duties, we repeat, comprehend all others; for to God we owe them all but we here include, more particularly, Adoration of the Deity for his perfections; Thanksgiving for his past goodness, both to ourselves and to our fellow-men; Prayer for its continuance; Submission to his will; and Obedience to his laws, whether recognised in nature or in revelation.

Among the Perfections of the Deity, which demand our highest veneration, we may name his Eternity and Ubiquity, or existence in all time and space; his Omniscience, or infinite knowledge and wisdom; his Omnipotence, or infinite power; his Excellence, or infinite purity and glory; his Benevolence, or unspeakable kindness; his Justice, which time may impeach, but eternity will vindicate; and his Mercy, in providing a way of salvation, by an eternal and infinite sacrifice, by which he may be just, and yet a Saviour of sinners, of every one who will accept the proffered grace. In reverencing the Deity for these perfections, we are necessarily inspired with those emotions which conduce to a virtuous life; and hence, such reverence becomes a part of our moral duty, aside from its higher or religious bearing.

No system of Morals can be complete, which does not lay its foundation firmly on our unchangeable relation to the Deity, and our obligation to worship him in spirit and in truth. By Prayer and Thanksgiving, we draw near to Him; and, in this communion, our worldly passions are purified, or brought back to their healthy state. Submission to His will, has a like effect upon the mind; especially in affliction; which often serves to wake the drowsy soul from dreams of earthly bliss, and wing its flight for heaven. As we are bound to obey the divine law, it is also our duty to study this law; both in the book of nature, and in that of Revelation. The more we study the Bible, the more we shall realize that it is indeed the inspired book of Eternal Wisdom. The peculiar duties which it inculcates ;-Repentance and Faith in the Saviour, and the obser

vance of the Christian Sabbath and Ordinances; are those which nature must sanction, though she could never teach and they alone can prepare us for that spiritual world to which we are rapidly advancing. Of these duties, we are to treat farther, in a subsequent department; and we therefore conclude the branch of Ethics by repeating the expressive terms of Scripture; Love to God, and Good Will toward men; as the sum and substance of morality; the fruits of Christian piety; and among the essential conditions of happiness; both in this life, and in that which is to come.

CHAPTER V.

EDUCATION.

EDUCATION, is that branch of knowledge which relates to the training and guardianship of young persons, from infancy to mature age. The name is from the Latin, educo, I bring up, or educate; and it has also been termed Pedagogics, and Pedeutics, from Greek words of similar meaning. We would lay great stress on its importance; as relating to the preparation of youth for subsequent life, and influencing the character, and prospects, not only of individuals, but of nations,-through ages yet to come. The highest powers, and noblest sentiments of our nature, might remain forever dormant, were they not developed by the instruction of the wise and good; who have themselves received like instruction from their predecessors. But we may use the term Education in a still wider and higher sense, to include the whole training of the soul, by inward reflection and outward events, by intercourse with men, and instruction from above, -the whole training of the human soul, for the enjoyment of immortality.

That the ancients were not inattentive to this branch of knowledge, is shown by the Cyropædia of Xenophon; in which he developes his ideas of a perfect education;-as also by the institutions of Lycurgus and Solon; the former of whom made education a business of the state; and the latter besides prescribing public instruction at the Gymnasia, excused the son from supporting his parents, if they had taught him no trade. In modern times we may point to the example of Oberlin, who, in 1767, became the pastor of the Ban de la Roche; and instructed the poor peasantry, in religion and science, agriculture and the arts, till that sterile region became the happy abode of plenty, peace, and piety. Another noble example was that of Fellenberg; who, about the year 1800, devoted his fortune to the establishment of the farm school of Hofwyl; and has there perfected the manual labor system; by which the pupils labor for their own support, and thus practise the useful arts, while they are devoting a portion of the time to letters and science. He liberally adopted Pestalozzi's modes of instruction, by diagrams and experiments, in aid of verbal description; and many farm, or manual labor schools, have since been formed, on this improved model.