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Remains of ... Daniel Sandford [ed.] with a memoir by J. Sandford (1830)
Remains of Daniel Sandford with a memoir by J Sandford - ed. - 1830 Author:Daniel Sandford Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: LETTERS FRIENDS. TO A YOUNG FRIEND AT OXFORD. Edinburgh, May 30, 1818. My Dear Believe me, I was much flattered and gratified by your kind attenti... more »on in writing to me so soon after your arrival at Oxford, and have regretted every day the indisposition or interruptions which have delayed my acknowledgment of your kindness till this day ; when my letter will, by all accounts, reach you only time enough to wish you a pleasant and happy vacation. You do me the kindness to express a wish for my advice. That advice can only be of use to you when you return in October; and I am not willing to give up the hope of seeing you in your way southwards in the Autumn, when I may do better in conversation, now that you have seen something of the society and ways of the University. Still I have somewhat to say, in the opinion that you purpose to see anothernew place, namely, London, before you join your friends in the country. With the present style of youthful society at Oxford, I am scarcely at all acquainted. Some features of it I am much inclined to approve ; for I am told, that, in the best circles at least, there is no drinking, which in my time was the bane of our meetings. I hear also that you are very well mannered towards each other—another very commendable circumstance. But there are dangers too, and one great evil, (I speak under correction,) is the temptation of card-playing. You remember, I dare say, Dr Johnson's definition of card-playing: in one point, that definition applies to such engagements at college; cards are a substitute, and a very bad one, for conversation, When young men of good principles and good understandings meet together frequently, the vapid nonsense, which does mighty well whispered into the ear of an un-idea'd girl at a crowded rout in Edinb...« less