DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, ss.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty-seventh L. S. day of April, in the fifty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, JOEL HAWES, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:

"Lectures to Young Men, on the Formation of Character "&c. originally addressed to the young men of Hartford and "New-Haven, and published at their united request. Fourth "Edition. With an additional Lecture on Reading. By JOEL "HAWES, Pastor of the First Church in Hartford, Ct."

In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning by se"curing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the au"thors and proprietors of such copies, during the times "therein mentioned."-And also to the Act, entitled, "An "Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled, 'An Act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, "Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such "copies, during the times therein mentioned,' and extending "the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and "etching historical and other prints."

แ

CHAS. A. INGERSOLL, Clerk of the District of Connecticut.

A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me,

CHAS A. INGERSOLI,

Clerk of the District of Connecticut.

These Lectures, originally designed for this city, and subsequently preached in New-Haven, by special desire of several clergymen of that place, are affectionately inscribed to the Young Gentlemen who attended their delivery, and at whose united request they are now published; with the fervent prayer of the author, that they may contribute to the virtue, respectability and happiness of those, in whose present and future welfare he feels the warmest interest. Hartford, April, 1823.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE THIRD EDITION.

The Lecture on Reading, was first addressed to the Mechanics' Society in this city, and subsequently to the young people belonging to the author's congregation. It is affixed to the third edition of this little volume, with the hope that it may add something to its value.

Hartford, May 1929,

LECTURE I.

CLAIMS OF SOCIETY ON YOUNG MEN.

1 JOHN, ii. 14.

I HAVE WRITTEN UNTO YOU, YOUNG MEN, BECAUSE YE ARE STRONG.

WHEN Cataline attempted to overthrow the liberties of Rome, he began by corrupting the young men of the city, and forming them for deeds of daring and crime. In this, he acted with keen discernment of what constitutes the strength and safety of a community -the virtue and intelligence of its youth-especially of its young men. This class of persons, has, with much propriety, been denominated the flower of a country-the rising hope of the church and society. Whilst they are preserved uncorrupted, and come forward with enlightened minds and good morals, to act their respective parts on the stage of life, the foundations of social order and happiness are secure, and no weapon formed against the safety of the community can prosper.

This, indeed, is a truth so obvious, that all wise and benevolent men, whether statesmen, philanthropists, or ministers of religion, have always felt a deep and peculiar interest in this class of society; and in all attempts to produce reformation and advance human happiness, the young, and particularly young men, have engaged their first and chief regards.

How entirely this accords with the spirit of inspiration, it is needless to remark. Hardly any one trait of the Bible is more prominent than its benevolent concern for the youthful generations of men. On them its instructions drop as the rain and distil as the dew; around their path it pours its purest light and sweetest promises; and by every motive of kindness and entreaty, of invitation and warning, aims to form them for duty and happiness, for holiness and God.

It is, I trust, in the spirit of these sentiments, that I propose, in this and some following discourses, to address myself directly to the young men of this community. 1 feel that in doing so, I attempt a service for a most interesting portion of society; and while I shall aim, as is meet, to use great plainness of speech, I beg you, my friends,