Letters from a Father to His Son

Indeed, if a man reflects for a moment on what has happened to
him within his own experience—if he uses the reasoning faculties
which God has given him, he must feel astonished at the folly
and absurdity of those who, by the practice of falsehood and
idleness, by ingratitude, selfish indulgences and rudeness of
demeanor, become at once unhappy in their own minds and the
object of contempt and dislike to others.
Considering morality, then, in a merely selfish point of view—
reflecting on what it is certain must be best for ourselves—most
for own advantage, comfort, and happiness, our course is clear. It
appears astonishing that any individual of common capacity and
observation and with ordinary means of instruction, should ever
mistake it.
The pursuit of virtue and the possession of these moral qualities,
increase our capacity and enlarge the field of our enjoyments.
Whereas, immorality deprives its possessor of every blessing of
which humanity is susceptible. The results of immorality and vice are
pain, melancholy, disgrace, loneliness, discontent, disease, and even
death! The practice of morality improves the temperament,
eminently qualifies a man for the society of his fellow creatures,
advances his fortunes in the world, and, in case of unforeseen
adversity, enables him to bear with the ills incidental to
humanity. By the cheerfulness of his temper and the greatness of
his mind, he will rise superior to every difficulty. This is part of
the framework and construction of man. It is a self-adjusting
principle fixed in his nature—-it is one of the guides given him
for his conduct, and a very intelligible and plain and
unmistakable guide it is.
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