Parents of this Class have, with regard to their younger Sons, two principal things to do: first, they are carefully to attend to their Genius, Temper, and Inclinations; and next they are to resolve on an Employment suited to them: this settled, they are to pursue their Education accordingly. The three learned Professions, Divinity, Law, and Physic, require not only deep Erudition, but require too a Species of Learning proper to each; besides, as these are Employments of the most serious Nature, and of the most weighty Consequence, not to give them all the Qualifications that human Wit is capable of attaining, is surely a grievous Error. Yet are there sometimes other Errors too material to pass unobserved: not those of the Head, but of the Heart. It is in general hoped, that where due Care is taken in forming the Manners, the natural Corruption of the Heart may be corrected; but where that is neglected, or our Endeavours to effect it prove fruitless, which, it is to be feared, they sometimes will, the utmost Care should be taken in the Choice of an Employment for Life. It is a Rule in Life, that where we cannot do any great Good, we should do no Harm; and therefore it should be a Rule with Parents to place their bad Children, if they are so unhappy as to have any, as remote from Mischief as possible. Now to apply this to the Matter in hand, we must observe, that to fill up these important Stations with all their just Requisites, we must not only have a sound Education, and a clear Head; but we must also have an upright Heart: that is, we must resolve to banish every sinister Aim, and have no Views but those of Justice, Probity, and Honour. To what must we ascribe the general Reproaches thrown with so much Freedom on Professions which have in their Nature the strongest Claim to Respect, as their Foundation is Virtue, Truth, and Justice; but to the corrupted Channels the Stream passes through? For tho’ Men’s Judgments frequently err, and false Constructions are often put on the best Actions; yet it is to be feared the Complaints are sometimes but too just. Men strongly tempted by irregular Passions, whether Pride, Avarice, Revenge, or others, will naturally incline to gratify them: hence then appears the Necessity, in these Professions particularly, of well-regulated Hearts: that on one side no Injury may be done, and on the other, that no Censure may be justly incurred.