ithmetic, who is no
arithmetician without a pen or pencil in his hand. These are but the
ladders upon which he should ascend to the science, and not the science
itself.

4. CHEMISTRY AND OTHER NATURAL SCIENCES.

If I were to name one branch, as more important to a young man than any
other,--next to the merest elements of reading and writing--it would be
chemistry. Not a mere smattering of it, however; for this usually does
about as much harm as good. But a thorough knowledge of a few of the
simple elements of bodies, and some of their most interesting
combinations, such as are witnessed every day of our lives, but which,
for want of a little knowledge of chemistry, are never understood,
would do more to interest a young man in the business in which he may
be employed, than almost any thing I could name. For there is hardly a
single trade or occupation whatever, that does not embrace a greater or
less number of chemical processes. Chemistry is of very high importance
even to the gardener and the farmer.

There are several other branches which come under the general head of
NATURAL SCIENCE, which I recommend to your attention. Such are BOTANY,
or a knowledge of plants; NATURAL HISTORY, or a knowledge of animals;
and GEOLOGY, or a general knowledge of the rocks and stones of which
the earth on which we live is composed. I do not think these are
equally important with the knowledge of chemistry, but they are highly
interesting, and by no means without their value.

5. GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION.

The foundation of a knowledge of Grammar is, in my view, Composition;
and composition, whether learned early or late, is best acquired by
_letter writing_. This habit, early commenced, and judiciously but
perseveringly followed, will in time, ensure the art not only of
composing well, but also grammatically. I know this position is
sometimes doubted, but the testimony is so strong, that the point seems
to me fully established.

It is related in Ramsay's Life of Washington, that many individuals,
who, before the war of the American Revolution, could scarcely write
their names, became, in the progress of that war, able to compose
letters which were not only intelligible and correct, but which would
have done credit to a profound grammarian. The reason of this
undoubtedly was, that they were thrown into situations where they were
obliged to write much and often, and in such a manner as to be clearly
understood. Perhaps the misint