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truth, &c, as fanciful writers have imagined.  The moral sense, or conscience, is as much a part of man, as his leg or arm.  It is given to all human beings, in a stronger or weaker degree, as force of members is given them in a greater or less degree.  It may be strengthened by exercise, as may any particular limb of the body.  This sense is submitted, indeed, in some degree, to the guidance of reason; but it is a small stock which is required for this:  even a less one than what we call common sense.  State a moral case to a ploughman and a professor.  The former will decide it as well, and often better than the latter, because he has not been led astray by artificial rules.  In this branch, therefore, read good books, because they will encourage, as well as direct your feelings.  The writings of Sterne, particularly, form the best course of morality that ever was written.  Besides these, read the books mentioned in the enclosed paper:  and, above all things, lose no occasion of exercising your dispositions to be grateful, to be generous, to be charitable, to be humane, to be true, just, firm, orderly, courageous, &c.  Consider every act of this kind, as an exercise which will strengthen your moral faculties, and increase your worth.

4.  Religion, Your reason is now mature enough to examine this object.  In the first place, divest yourself of all bias in favor of novelty and singularity of opinion.  Indulge them in any other subject rather than that of religion.  It is too important, and the consequences of error may be too serious.  On the other hand, shake off all the fears and servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched.  Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion.  Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.  You will naturally examine, first, the religion of your own country.  Read the Bible, then, as you would read Livy or Tacitus.  The facts which are within the ordinary course of nature, you will believe on the authority of the writer, as you do those of the same kind in Livy and Tacitus.  The testimony of the writer weighs in their favor, in one scale, and their not being against the laws of nature, does not weigh against them.  But those facts in the Bible, which contradict the laws of nature, must be examined with more care, and under a variety of faces.  Here you must recur to the pretensions of the writer to inspiration from God.  Examine upon what evidence his pretensions are founded, and whether that evidence is so strong, as that its falsehood would be more improbable than a change of the laws of nature, in the case he relates.  For example, in the book of Joshua we are told the sun stood still several hours.  Were we to read that fact in Livy or Tacitus, we should class it with their showers of blood, speaking of statues, beasts, &c.  But