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Show yourfelf to Ruin and Mifery. For Habits, a'l I have often told you, want but a Beginning. And a Man of Bufinefs, who gives himfelf the Jeafi Liberty of exceeding the Bounds of M.oderation in Diverfions, cannot tell how far he may go, or where he lhall fiop. Remember, I have warned you, hundJeds of Times, to fhun the jirjl.Appe11ranu of Evil. To direct you how to conduct yourfelf in every Part of your (Economy and Management of your Bufinefs, is impoffible for me at prefent. But one general Advice I will give you, which, if you have the Prudence to follow it, will an·· fwer all your Occafions.· It is only, to choofe fome Man of Years and Experience, efpecially, if poffible, in your own Way of Life, of an honefi and blunt Carriage; to chufe, I fay, luch a Man for your Friend, to whom you may propofe all your Dcligns in Life, before you put them in Execution, and whofe Advice you may afk in all your Difficulties. Do not depend wholly upon your own Judgment; but in the choice of a Friend, firive to find one who has the univerfal Approbation of his Acquaintance, for his Integrity and Difcernment. And when you confult him upon any Scheme, you have Jll your Head, if it be . of fuch a Nature that SecJecy would' be necetfary, propofe it, if y<>u can, in fuch a way as he may not know it is a Defign of yours: For your Secrets will always be fafer in your own Breafi than in that of any other Perfon, though the moll: prudent and difcreet that ever lived. And never fet up your own Opinion againfi that of Men of univerfally approved Judgment, and who are your Superiors in Age: For Judgment and Difcretion are not. to to be gained without Experience, and in PeopTe of natural good Abilities are never wanting, if they have had that Advantage. If yc.u fhould ever come to be for yourfelf in Life, you will not fail to have Application made to you from time to time, by needy People of your Acquaintance, for Affifiance with Money, or begging you to interpofe your Credit for them. I would in all fuch Cafes ad\<ife you to obferve this general Rule, " That whoever de" fires you to lend him your Affifiance to an " Extent beyond what you may fafely lay your " Account with lofing, is no trw~ Friend; but " has his own Intereft only at Heart, and means " to make you his Dupe." Whenever, therefore, any Pcrfon in Diftrefs defires you to a/Eft him with your Money or Credit, without offering you a direct Security, confider with yourfelf, whether the Sum is fuch as you may fpue, without Detriment to your AfFairs; and if it is not, by no means venture it in the Hands of your nearefi Relation: For lent Money is almoil always lojl Money, and the Perfon, to whom it is lent, is hardly ever the better for it. At the fame time, if you can in fuch Cafes prevail with a number of other Friends to join with you in ailifiing a good Man, fo as the Sum lent, or engaged for by each, may be moderate, and the Burden may fall the lighter for being divided; or if you can any other way be of Advantage, without endangering yourfdf; never think you can take too much Pains for the Service of difl:retfed Worth. If you would wifh to live eafy and undifiurbed, either from within or from without, remember never to meddle with any Perfon's Character, |