The young should remember, that people will judge them by the company they keep.  This principle is perfectly correct.  In selecting their associates, they act voluntarily.  They choose such as they please.  When they seek the society of the ignorant, the vulgar, the profane and profligate, they give the best of reasons for believing that they prefer profligacy and vulgarity to virtue and purity.  To what other conclusion can the observer come?  If they preferred virtue and purity, they would certainly seek pure and virtuous associates.  Hence society have adopted the very correct principle of judging the young, by the character of their associates.  If they would be thought well of, they should strive to associate with those who are known to be virtuous and good.  However blameless and upright young persons may have been, if they begin to associate with those whose reputation is poor, and whose conduct is improper, they will soon be esteemed no higher than their companions.

These reflections show the youthful how important it is, that their associates should be of the right stamp.  They should see the necessity of selecting their companions.  The great difficulty with the young is, that they leave this important matter altogether too much to “chance.”  If they happen to fall into good company, it is very well; and their associates and intimate friends will be likely to be of that class.  But if, unfortunately, they meet with the vicious and unprincipled, and are, to any great extent, thrown in their way, they are as likely to form intimacies with them as with any others.

Such negligence is exceedingly unpromising and dangerous.  Whoever allows it, will be in far more danger of falling under the influence of the vicious than the exemplary.  Instead of this heedlessness, they should carefully and thoughtfully select their associates.  They should not be willing to form terms of intimacy with, every one into whose society they may be casually thrown.  They should inform themselves of their tastes, habits, and reputation.  And from the circle of their acquaintance should choose those with whom they would form terms of intimacy.

Be cautious to select aright.  The entire career in after-life depends very much on this.  How many a young woman of fine attractions has had her reputation injured, and her prospects for life destroyed, by associating with those whose character and habits proved to be bad.  When once young women get a taint on their reputation in this way, or in any other manner, it is exceedingly difficult to wipe it out.

The ruin of multitudes of young men can be traced to the same origin—­a bad selection of associates.  I have in my mind’s eye now, a case in point.  A young man, born in this city, and known to most of you, was naturally endowed with the rarest abilities and the finest talents.  He belonged to one of the most wealthy and respectable families.  He had every advantage for cultivation, and for the highest