solitude of my early habits. We need no worse companion than our
unregenerate selves, and, by living alone, a person not only
becomes wholly ignorant of the means of helping his fellow-
creatures, but is without the perception of those wants which most
need help. Association with others, when not on so large a scale
as to make hours of retirement impossible, may be considered as
furnishing to an individual a rich multiplied experience; and
sympathy so drawn forth, though, unlike charity, it begins abroad,
never fails to bring back rich treasures home. Association with
others is useful also in strengthening the character, and in
enabling us, while we never lose sight of our main object, to
thread our way wisely and well." (2)

An entirely new direction may be given to the life of a young man
by a happy suggestion, a timely hint, or the kindly advice of an
honest friend. Thus the life of Henry Martyn the Indian
missionary, seems to have been singularly influenced by a
friendship which he formed, when a boy, at Truro Grammar School.
Martyn himself was of feeble frame, and of a delicate nervous
temperament. Wanting in animal spirits, he took but little
pleasure in school sports; and being of a somewhat petulant
temper, the bigger boys took pleasure in provoking him, and some
of them in bullying him. One of the bigger boys, however,
conceiving a friendship for Martyn, took him under his protection,
stood between him and his persecutors, and not only fought his
battles for him, but helped him with his lessons. Though Martyn
was rather a backward pupil, his father was desirous that he
should have the advantage of a college education, and at the age
of about fifteen he sent him to Oxford to try for a Corpus
scholarship, in which he failed. He remained for two years more