Chap. IV.] CULTIVATION OF A SENSE OF DUTY.

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The situation of both these classes is unfavorable to mental cul-ture, and it is not certain, which of them has the greatest diffi-culties to surmount. The means of the poor man are extremelyscanty; he is beset with many discouragements, if not with des-pair ; and he habitually feels, that mental cultivation is, in hiscase, unattainable. Still many, immersed in the depths of pover-ty, have broken through all its difficulties and discouragements.On the other hand, the love of ease, amusement, and pleasure, —indolence with its seductions and fascinations, — gaming with itsexcitements, — fashion with its frivolities, — pride, vanity, andostentation, beset the children of the very wealthy, on their wayto improvement, virtue, eminence, and usefulness.

CHAPTER IY.

CULTIVATION OF A STRONG, DELICATE, AND PERMANENTSENSE OF DUTY.

Every man owes it to himself to cultivate a strong, delicate,and permanent sense of duty. The general importance of act-ing uniformly on this principle has been so earnestly insisted onbefore,* that I need not do much more than simply advert to itin this connexion.

A sense of duty is the helm by which we are to guide ourcourse ; nothing can or will supply the want of it. A goodtemper, a general good intention, a general disposition to doright, will not supply its place. It is something more thaneither or all of these. They approach it, they resemble it,they constitute a part of it. Still it is something more thanall of them. Firmness and perseverance are among its constitu-ent parts, and obstinacy and self-will are among the counterfeitsof it, by which men are most apt to impose on others, and evenon themselves. Without being governed by a sense of duty,the individual will be prompted by caprice, by passion, by preju-

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See above, pp. 11-14.