XXVI

ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS.

Page

Men of letters are chiefly responsible for the use which is made of the press,the most mighty instrument for good or for evil, ever known, .... 340The distinction between the freedom of the press and its licentiousness,

stated and illustrated,.341

The press is abused, when it is employed to circulate slander, misrepresen-tation, calumny, and falsehood, in any of its forms, modifications, or de-grees, .343

Men of letters criminally abuse the press, when they make their writingsthe vehicle of immoral sentiments, or employ them to rouse and inflame

the licentious passions,.344

The press is still more criminally abused, when it is turned to the disparage-ment, misrepresentation, and vilification of the Christian religion, . . . 344

Remarks on the influence of Gibbon’s “ History of the Decline and Fall of

the Roman Empire,”.346

Duty and interest of men of letters to use their knowledge for the good of

society,.346

It is their duty to supply the public with the materials of reading, of an ap-propriate kind and in the greatest abundance,.347

CHAPTER V. Moral Tendency and Influence of Agriculture asa Profession.

The antiquity, dignity, and importance of agriculture,.348

Traits of character which the pursuit of agriculture is fitted to cherish, no-ticed, . 350

Judge Harper quoted respecting a difference between the agricultural char-acter of the Northern and Southern United States,.350

CHAPTER VI. Moral Tendency and Influence of Commerce andMerchandise as a Profession.

The reputation of our country for probity and honor depends on our mer-chants, more than on any other class of our citizens,.351

Merchants are the peacemakers of the world, for they show it to be the inter-est and happiness of all to remain at peace; they bring distant nations

together, and teach them to know and aid each other,.352

The risks and perils incident to the pursuit of commerce, described, . . . 352

Estimation in which American merchants are held in Europe,.353

The moral duties imposed on a bankrupt merchant, have respect to the ap-proach of his bankruptcy, and again, to the state of things when bank-ruptcy has actually overtaken him,.354

The preference given to endorsers and other preferred creditors in cases of

bankruptcy, animadverted on,.355

The education requisite for a successful merchant,.358

Merchants have generally been held in high estimation,.360

CHAPTER VII. Moral Tendency and Influence of Manufactur-ing Establishments.

Notice of the contents of a Report made to the Legislature of Massachu-setts, in 1836, which shows the state of feeling and opinion in that State, 360