ACADKMIC PURSUITS.

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rigid and intense application, may destroy—andyou may perhaps be inclined to pause upon theadventure, to examine your strength for thecombat, to weigh the chances of the game, andto look a little more minutely at the natureof the trophies you expect to carry away; andthen, having taken a cool and deliberate view ofthe question, you may venture to ask—Can Isit quietly down under these laureled honours,to the enjoyment of books, " friendship, and re-tired leisure 1"

Retired leisure ! where is it to be found ? Not inthis bustling, cheating, and worrying world. No;not even " stalled theology" will now allow it.We do not live in monkish times ; there are dutiesto be performed, there are hungry expectants,—enemies to be watched, vigilant to observe omis-sions, and ready to mark or make lapses in yourconduct. In short, the path to preferment hasnot been Macadamized; but, on the contrary,such deep ruts have been made by the jostlingand jumbling of every sort of vehicle on the road,r2