by Harvey Newcomb, 1847
On Childhood and Youth
Nature and Objects of Education
Piety, as the Spring of Action,
and Regulator of the Soul
Filial Piety
Treatment of Brothers and
Sisters
Behavior at School
Behavior at Table
Behavior at Family Worship
Private Prayer
Habits
Education of the Body
On Useful Labor
Education of the Heart
Education of the Mind
Reading
Writing
Indolence
On Doing One Thing at a Time
On Finishing What Is Begun
Choice of Society, and
Formation of Friendships
Bad Company. Mischievousness
On Amusements
Government of the Tongue
On the Art of Agreeable and
Profitable Conversation
Inquisitiveness
On the Importance of Being
Able to Say "No"
On Being Useful
On Being Contented
Union of Serious Piety with
Habitual Cheerfulness
PREFACE
"Who reads a preface?" Many do not; but jump at once into
the middle of a book. But it is well to know something about a book, before
reading it; and who so likely to give you information respecting the
contents of a book as the Author himself? I wish to see the youth of my
country come forward upon the stage of life, models of excellence, with
characters formed for the times in which they are to act. How much influence
my book may have, in securing such a result, I cannot tell; but my design in
writing it has been, to contribute something toward forming the character of
some of those who are to be our future electors, legislators, governors,
judges, ministers, lawyers, and physicians—after the best biblical model.
And, from the kind reception of my former attempts to benefit American
youth, I trust they will give a candid hearing to the few hints contained in
the following pages. It is intended for young gentlemen—in early
youth, from eight or ten to fifteen or sixteen years of age. It covers
substantially the same ground occupied by a work for girls issued
simultaneously with it; and some of the chapters are identical in the two
books, while others are entirely different, and some partially so. It is the
hope of the Author, that everyone who reads it, will strive to be a
Christian man, in the highest sense of the term.