epistletoayoungfriend may__,1786. ilanghaethought,myyouthfu'friend, asomethingtohavesentyou, tho'itshouldservenaeitherend thanjustakindmemento: buthowthesubject-thememaygang, lettimeandchancedetermine perhapsitmayturnoutasang: perhapsturnoutasermon. ye'lrytheworldsoon,mylad and,andrewdear,believeme, ye'llfindmankindanuncosquad, andmuckletheymaygrieveye: forcareandtroublesetyourthought, ev'nwhenyourend'sattained anda'yourviewsmaycometonought, whereev'rynerveisstrained. i'llnosay,menarevillainsa' thereal,harden'dwicked, whahaenaecheckbuthumanlaw, aretoafewrestricked but,och!mankindareuncoweak, an'littletobetrusted ifselfthewaveringbalanceshake, it'srarelyrightadjusted! yettheywhafa'infortune'sstrife, theirfateweshouldnacensure forstill,th'importantendoflife theyequallymayanswer amanmayhaeanhonestheart, tho'poortithhourlystarehim amanmaytakaneibor'spart, yethaenaecashtosparehim. ayefree,aff-han',yourstorytell, whenwi'abosomcrony butstillkeepsomethingtoyoursel', yescarcelyteloony: concealyoursel'asweel'syecan fraecriticaldissection butkeekthro'ev'ryotherman, wi'sharpen'd,slyinspection. thesacredloweo'weel-plac'dlove, luxuriantlyindulgeit butnevertemptth'illicitrove, tho'naethingshoulddivulgeit: iwaivethequantumo'thesin, thehazardofconcealing but,och!ithardensa'within, andpetrifiesthefeeling! tocatchdamefortune'sgoldensmile, assiduouswaituponher andgathergearbyev'rywile that'sjustifiedbyhonour notfortohideitinahedge, norforatrainattendant butforthegloriousprivilege ofbeingindependent. thefearo'hell'sahangman'swhip, tohaudthewretchinorder butwhereyefeelyourhonourgrip, letthatayebeyourborder itsslightesttouches,instantpause— debara'side-pretences andresolutelykeepitslaws, uncaringconsequences. thegreatcreatortorevere, mustsurebecomethecreature butstilhepreachingcantforbear, andev'ntherigidfeature: yetne'erwithwitsprofanetorange, becomplaisanceextended anatheist-laugh'sapoorexchange fordeityoffended! whenrantingroundinpleasure'sring, religionmaybeblinded orifshegiearandomsting, itmaybelittleminded butwhenonlifewe'retempestdriv'n— aconsciencebutacanker— acorrespondencefix'dwi'heav'n, issureanobleanchor! adieu,dear,amiableyouth! yourheartcanne'erbewanting! mayprudence,fortitude,andtruth, erectyourbrowundaunting! inploughmanphrase,“godsendyouspeed,” stilldailytogrowwiser andmayyebetterrecktherede, theneverdidth'adviser!