PREFACE.
" WHO reads a preface ? " Many do not ,
but jump at once into the middle of a
bock But it is well to know something
about a book, before reading it; and who
so likely to give you information respecting
the contents of a book as the Author him-
self? I wish to see the youth of my
country come forward upon the stage of
life, models of excellence, with characters
formed for the times in which they are to
act. How much influence my book may
have, in securing such a result, I cannot
tell ; but my design in writing it has been,
to contribute something toward forming
the character of some of those who are to
be our future electors, legislators, governors,
ministers, lawyers, and physicians,
after the best model ; and, from the kind
reception of my former attempts to benefit
American youth, 1 trust they will give a
candid hearing to the few hints contained
in the following pages. It is intended for
boys, or, if you please, for young gentle-
men, in early youth, from eight or ten to
fifteen or sixteen years of age. It covers
substantially the same ground occupied by
a work for girls issued simultaneously with
it ; and some of the chapters are identical
in the two books, while others are entirely
different, and some partially so. It is the
hope of the Author, that every one who
Reads it, will strive to be a man, in the
highest sense of the term.
