Page:Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse.pdf/113

 scenes of infancy and childhood, mingled and blended together. Before you lies the untravelled path of your existence. Fancy perhaps tells you that it will be always clothed with flowers, and smiling with verdure. Yet suffer not the meteor of fancy to obscure the calm light of reason, or prevent you from listening to the voice of experience. Let the advice of your parents and friends be dear to your heart; this will moderate the rashness of youth, and restrain its volatility. But while you submit to the judgment of others, neglect not to read that volume, which above all others is full of instruction and true wisdom. It was given you from heaven, as a counsellor to your experience, and a guide to your wanderings. Read it daily; it gives knowledge and discretion; and if studied with humility will lead to truth. From these holy scriptures we receive another argument to illustrate the importance of the season of youth. We have seen that it is the proper time to acquire knowledge and virtuous habits; we there hear, in the voice of inspiration, that it is also the time to remember our Creator. We are none of us too young to remember him, and to love him. Let us therefore endeavour to fulfil his commands, to improve time diligently, and to walk humbly before him. By persevering in the path of duty, we shall be useful and happy. We are now all of us young. But a time approaches when we shall be young no more. Let