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80          Juvenile Letters.
Carolina ; who writes me, that fhe has been greatly entertained in perufing them. I was perfuaded the book would fuit the tafte of my aunt, who is really a very pious woman, as well as a woman of fenfe and learning. I always 
had a great efteem and refpect for her ; which has been heightened fince the receipt of her laft letter. And as you are not one of that 
fort who are too airy to liften to ferious  fub-jects, I will do myfelf the pleasure to quote a few fentences from that letter.
   "My dear Niece, as I am fo far feparated "from you, that it is only by pen and ink 
"I can offer you my fentiments, I will hope 
"that your attention may be engaged, by fee-
"ing on paper, from the hand of one of your "warmeft friends, truths of the higheft impor-" tance ; which, though you may not find 
"new, can never be too deeply engraven on 
"your mind.
   "You are now in your fifteenth year, and 
"muft foon act for youfelf. Therefore it is 
"high time to ftore your mind with thofe prin-
"ciples, which muft direct your condu[(c?)]t,and                  
                                            "fix 
        Juvenile Letters.                    81 "fix your chara([c?)]ter. If you defire to live in 
"peace and honor, in favour with God and 
"man, and to die in the glorious hope of rifing
"from the grave to a life of endlefs happinefs;  "if thefe things appear worthy of your ambi-
"tion, you muft fet out in earneft in the pur-
"fuit of them. Confider that good and evil 
"are now before you ; that if you do not 
"heartily choofe and love the one, you muft
"undoubtedly be the wretched victim of the "other.
   "Do not therefore think it too foon to turn 
"your mind to God ; but offer him the firft
"fruits of your underftanding and affections.
"And be affured, that the more you increafe
"in love to him, and delight in his laws, the "more you will increafe in happinefs, in excel-
"lence, and honor. In proportion as you im-
"prove in true piety, you will become dear and "amiable to your fellow creatures, contented 
"and peaceful in yourfelf ; and qualified to "enjoy the beft bleffings of this life, as well as 
"to inherit the glorious promife of immor-
"tality."
                                            That

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-05 19:06:20