University of Virginia Library

LETTER CLXXXIV.

I have just received your letter of Saturday, which I
read with much pleasure; although I cannot think you are
right in giving up exercise altogether. You know my opinion
of female society. Without it we should degenerate
into brutes. This observation applies with tenfold force to
young men, and those who are in the prime of manhood.
For, after a certain time of life, the literary man may make
a shift (a poor one, I grant) to do without the society of ladies.
To a young man nothing is so important as a spirit of
devotion (next to his Creator) to some virtuous and amiable
woman, whose image may occupy his heart, and guard it
from the pollution which besets it on all sides. Nevertheless,
I trust that your fondness for the company of ladies
may not rob you of the time which ought to be devoted to
reading and meditating on your profession; and, above all,
that it may not acquire for you the reputation of Dangler—
in itself bordering on the contemptible, and seriously detrimental
to your professional character. A cautious old
Squaretoes, who might have no objection to employing such
a one at the bar, would, perhaps, be shy of introducing him
as a practitioner in his family, in case he should have a pretty
daughter, or niece, or sister; although all experience shows
that, of all male animals, the Dangler is the most harmless
to the ladies, who quickly learn, with the intuitive sagacity
of the sex, to make a convenience of him, while he serves
for a butt, also.

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The person you first refer to, always "appeared, indeed,
very much my friend;" but it was appearance only. When
you shall have observed as much upon the world as I have
done, you will know that such characters are as incapable of
friendship, or even of conceiving its idea, as poor St. George
is of playing on the flute, or comprehending what is meant
by the word music. I wonder his attempts on my purse
never once succeeded.

I have a letter from Ryland: he is much pleased with his
new position, and is, I trust, doing well. Of the "forbidden
fruit," I say, taste not, touch not, handle not the thing.

God speed you.