The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Young Man's Guide, by William A. Alcott

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: The Young Man's Guide

Author: William A. Alcott

Release Date: December 14, 2007 [eBook #23860]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE***

E-text prepared by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, and the Project Gutenberg
Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net)

THE YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE.

by

WM. A. ALCOTT.

Twelfth Edition.

Boston:
Perkins and Marvin.
1838.

Entered, according to act of Congress, in the year 1835,
By Perkins & Marvin,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of
Massachusetts.

TO THE READER.

When I commenced this work, my object was a mere compilation. There
were many excellent books for young men, already in circulation, but
none which I thought unexceptionable; and some of them contained
sentiments which I could not approve. I sat down, therefore, intending
to make selections from the choicest parts of them all, and prepare an
unexceptionable and practical manual; such an one as I should be
willing to see in the hands of any youth in the community.

In the progress of my task, however, I found much less that was wholly
in accordance with my own sentiments, than I had expected. The result
was that the project of _compiling_, was given up; and a work prepared,
which is chiefly _original_. There are, it is true, some quotations
from 'Burgh's Dignity of Human Nature,' 'Cobbett's Advice to Young
Men,' 'Chesterfield's Advice,' and Hawes' Lectures; but in general what
I have derived from other works is re-written, and much modified. On
this account it was thought unnecessary to refer to authorities in the
body of the work.

The object of this book is to _elevate_ and _reform_. That it may prove
useful and acceptable, as a means to these ends, is the hearty wish of

THE AUTHOR

Boston, Dec. 9, 1833.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE FIRST EDITION.

The great purpose of the Young Man's Guide, is the formation of such
character in our young men as shall render them the worthy and useful
and hap