CONTENTS. Introductory Remarks. - Renewal of Friendship with Charles Murphy and Arthur Sampson.-A Scene by the Side of the River.- Charles Murphy and the Fortune-teller. - Conversation on An- gling. Letter from Arthur Sampson. His Visits to myself. — My Cousin John. - My Reception at Uncle John's. - Snow-balling Mother Marpet's Door.-Mother Marpet's Revenge. Cousin John's Waywardness. Remonstrance fruitless.- Uncle John's Grief at his Conduct. - Uncle John's Prediction concerning myself. His Death, and its Effects upon Cousin John. Ruptured A Letter from my old Friend Gervase. Relates the Death of my Companion William Gervase. William's Character. Caution necessary in making Friends.- Cowper's Remarks on a public Edu- cation. William Gervase, an Example of its Failure in producing High Moral Character. -A Change at Lee Cottage. Allusion to the Circumstances which led to the Death of William Gervase. — An Emblem.-Frank Goddard. His Character. Obtains a Go- vernment Situation. His Father's Parting Advice and Warning. - His first Visit to his Parents. His second Visit. A Scene on the Lawn. Conversation on the Love of Nature in the human Breast. Remarks on the Gratitude due from Man to God. - The Death of Mr. Goddard.-Frank Goddard becomes an Infidel. - Conversation on the Soul. - The Results of his Infidel Views... 66 Thoughts on Man's innate Power of Improvement. The Character of Matt Norden. A Scene at the Coach Office. - Matt's Pursuit of the Coach. His Father's Designs of bringing him up to the Church frustrated by his Inactivity. The Character of a dutiful Son delineated. - Matt Norden located in London. - The Effects An Eastern Tale. - The End of Friendship should be considered. — John Morphew. Some Account of his Parents.- A Lesson on Contentment. Izaak Walton quoted. -The Character of John Morphew.- Despised by Matt Norden. - His_Cause pleaded by myself. My Success.-The Story of Master Evrett and Charles Murphy. John Morphew's Friendship increased by my Vindica- tion of his Character. John Morphew goes to reside in London. - His Industry rewarded. Sends his first Reward to his Parents. - His filial Piety.- Becomes a Partner in the Firm by which he was employed.-Lives in Honour and Affluence.-Thomas Fuller's A Fable. The Story of Alnaschar. The Fable and Story of Uni- versal Application. A Tale from Theocritus. - Fred Sherbourne. The Character of his Father. Fred's Expectations. Intends to lead the Life of a Gentleman.- Commences Gentlemanship.- The Object of Envy among his Companions. -The Death of his Father. His Disappointment. Resolves to leave Rose Cottage to seek his Fortune. - My parting Advice to him. - Becomes a Bankrupt. Placed in a Counting-house. - His Regret.-Lines on The reflecting Boy: Lines from Wordsworth.- Fred Sherbourne's Conjectures. Alfred Rowland. His Character vindicated by my- self. A Game of Cricket. Alfred's Arrival on the Cricket Ground. His Plea for his late Appearance. - Discourses on the Wonders of Creation.-Fred Sherbourne's Interruption.-Alfred's Rejoinder. Alfred's Example followed by myself. Our solitary Rambles. Joined occasionally by our Companions. Fred Sher- bourne's Confession of Inferiority. Alfred's Reputation.- Lines on the Beauties of the Mind. The Attainment of Knowledge MY YOUTHFUL COMPANIONS. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. RENEWAL OF FRIENDSHIP WITH CHARLES MURPHY AND ARTHUR SAMPSON.-A SCENE BY THE SIDE OF THE RIVER. -CHARLES MURPHY AND THE FORTUNE-TELLER. CONVERSATION ON ANGLING. LETTER FROM ARTHUR SAMPSON. HIS VISITS TO MYSelf. -REPROVES CHARLES MURPHY.-ARTHUR SAMPSON'S LAST LETTER AND DEATH. A VISIT TO HIS GRAVE. Many sounds were sweet, Most ravishing and pleasant to the ear; My early friends, friends of my evil day Friends in my mirth; friends in my misery too. - POLLOK. YES, I have listened with delight to the sounds of music, I have been enraptured with the varied lays of the songsters of the grove, and I have been soothed with the humming of the insect's wing by the margin of the rippling stream, but I have never yet heard any thing so sweet as that of the voice of a friend. In my youth a friend was my delight, and the remembrance of many a chosen companion is still dear to my heart. I can almost fancy I see their faces sitting round my table as I write; so fondly are they cherished in my memory. B It is proverbially said, that friendships formed at school are of an evanescent nature. Experience has taught me that this assertion is for the most part correct. Of many of my old schoolfellows I have known nothing after the last hearty shake of the hand. There is no rule, however, without an exception. Some of my companions at school became companions of my youth, and none of them were more ardent in their friendship than Charles Murphy and Arthur Sampson. One of my first thoughts on returning to the home of my childhood, after finishing my education, was, whether I should be forgotten by Charles Murphy. "I know he loves me," said I to myself," but then I know also that he is so light-hearted, that he may soon so far forget me as to drop my acquaintance." But Charles Murphy, though light-hearted, soon showed that he had a soul formed for lasting and sincere friendship. It was not many days before the postman brought me a letter from my old friend, which read thus: "My dear Philosopher, "I really don't know how you feel, but I can assure you that I feel somewhat dull. You know that I anticipated being happy all the day long, when I had laid aside my Valpy and my Bonnycastle, my Murray and my Goldsmith; and truly, when I first reached home, I hardly knew how to contain myself. I was here, and there, and every where: just like the bees that we used to chase over the lea as they roamed from flower to flower sucking in their honied sweets. I could scarcely eat or sleep for joy: I was like one, in fact, as my sister Sophy said, who was taking leave of his senses. But, my dear philosopher, a change is come over me. Somehow or other I begin to feel dull, and I am half inclined to think that in six months my face will vie with yours in length. But can you tell why it is that I feel dull? You will doubtless say that it is because I am idle, and you will assert that if I employ my hands my mind will surely be at ease. Now there you are wrong: philosopher as you are, you have for once shot a bow at a venture, and have in consequence missed the mark. No, no, the cause of my dulness arises from a cause wholly different from this. The truth is, dear philosopher, you yourself are the cause of this lengthening of my face. We have lived so long together that I seem to feel I can scarcely live without you. It appears to me, indeed, that my heart or my affections, or whatever it may be called, is gone on a journey in search after you. If you should meet with it, pray send it home quickly, for sister Sophy begins to complain that I look very mopish, Yet, upon second thought, I would not trouble you to send it back again. No, no, dear philosopher; you have and shall have my heart's best affection, and the object of this letter is to assure you how much, how deeply, and how sincerely I love you. It is related of Hannibal, that while a youth he swore eternal enmity to the Romans at the altar. I could not have done such a thing as this, but if |