Advice to Youth; Containing a Compendium of the Duties of Human Life, in Youth and Manhood

by Hugh Blair

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1837 edition. ...others, to contrive and direct--in short, within the sphere of society, there is employment for every one; and, in the course of these employments, many a moral duty is to be performed; many a religious grace to be exercised. 1V'o one is permitted to be a mere blank in the world. No rank, no station, no dignity of birth, no extent of possessions, exempt any man from contributing his share to public utility and good. This is the precept of God. This is the voice of Nature. This is the just demand of the human race upon one another. One of the first questions, therefore, which every man who is in the vigor of his age should put to himself is--"What am I_ doing in this world? What have I done, whereby I may glorify God, and be usefull to my fellows? Do I properly fill up the place which belongs to my rank and station? Will any-memorial remain of my having existed on the earth? or, are my days passing fruitlessly'away, now when I might be of some importance in the system of human afl"airs?"-_--Let not any man imagine that he is of no importance, and has, upon that account, a privilege to trifle with his days at pleasure. Talenthave been given to all; to some, ten; to others, jive,to others, two. 0ccu_p_1/ with these till I come, is the command of the great Master, to all. Where superior abilities are possessed, or distingulshed ad--vantages of fortune are enjoyed, a wider range is aiforded for usefull exertion, and tl/"2 world is entitled to expect it. But, among those who fill up the inferior departments of society, though the sphere of usefullness be contracted, no one is left intirely insignificant. 'Let us remember, that in all stations and conditions, the important relations take place, of masters and...

24 pages, Paperback

Published September 13, 2013

About the author

Hugh Blair FRSE was a Scottish minister of religion, author and rhetorician, considered one of the first great theorists of written discourse. He was a significant figure in the Scottish Enlightenment and is best known for his Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres (1783), a prescriptive guide to composition.

In 1783 Blair was one of the founder members of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He served as its Literary President from 1789 to 1796.