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PERSONAL DUTIES.

[Part IV.

The most skilful and persevering instructer can do little *morethan give his pupils an opportunity of learning ; their actual ad-vancement must depend on the diligence and efforts, which theyare willing to use. This is true of all mental cultivation, intel-lectual, social, and moral. Parents, instructers, and other friendsmay do something ; but any well-marked, and especially any unu-sual success, must come from the personal endeavours of theindividual. It may be added, for the encouragement of thosewho are willing to make the trial, that, wherever the wish formental improvement has been sincere, decisive, and persevering,inspired with enthusiasm to attain the end in view, prepared tomake sacrifices and submit to self-denial with cheerfulness, suchwish has not often been destined to disappointment.

We shall see most distinctly the importance of the duty ofcultivating the mental powers, and the rewards which wait on itssuccessful performance, if we estimate it by the effects withwhich it has sometimes been crowned. Not to ascend higherthan comparatively late times,—Lord Bacon, after spendingmuch of his life in active pursuits, viewed human knowledge inall its dimensions, marked its errors and defects, and pointed outthe path to its renovation and extension. Newton’s views andconclusions were coextensive with the material universe ; hissublime genius excluded confusion and disorder from all the do-minions of the Almighty, and proved that they are all resplen-dent with the elements of beauty, grandeur, and sublimity.Locke ascended to the sources of thought and reflection, andsubjected the senses, powers, and faculties of the understandingto the most acute, comprehensive, and searching analysis. Atthe present day, no man can expect to be highly useful or suc-cessful, whose mental faculties have not been carefully disciplinedand fully invigorated and matured.

Nor does this discipline and improvement, which I am attempt-ing to illustrate, refer to the understanding alone ; it embracesequally the temper, the passions, the affections, the habits, andthe manners. These all refer to the mind, and are equally ca-pable of cultivation. The various faculties of our nature, too,should be cultivated in due proportion, harmony, and consistencywith each other. “ There is no profession or pursuit,” says