You have recently come across an advertisement which offers a short-term online course for an activity that happens to be your hobby.Write a letter to your father,who lives in another city asking for his permission to join that class and also reassuring him that it won't interfere with your studies.
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Answer:
Dear father,
AS you are now entering into the World, and will probably have considerable Dealings in your Business, the frequent Occasions you will have for Advice from others, will make you de|sirous
of singling out among your most intimate Acquaintance, one or two, whom you would view in the Light of Friends.
In the Choice of these, your utmost Care and Caution will be necessary: for, by a Mistake here, you can scarcely conceive the fatal Effects you may hereafter experience: Wherefore, it will be proper for you to make a Judgment of those who are fit to be your Advisers, by the Conduct they have observed in their own Affairs, and the Reputation they bear in the World. For he who has by his own Indiscretions undone himself, is much fitter to be set up as a Land-mark for a pru|dent Mariner to shun his Courses, than an Example to follow.
Old Age is generally slow and heavy, Youth headstrong and precipitate; but there are old Men who are full of Vivacity, and young Men reple|nish'd with Discretion; which makes me rather point out the Conduct than the Age of the Persons with whom you should chuse to associate; tho' after all, it is a never-failing good Sign to me of Prudence and Virtue in a young Man, when his Seniors chuse his Company, and he delights in theirs.
Let your Endeavour therefore be, at all Adven|tures, to consort yourself with Men of Sobriety, good Sense and Virtue; for the Proverb is an un|erring one, that says, A Man is known by the Com|pany he keeps. If such Men you can single out, while you improve by their Conversation, you will benefit by their Advice; and be sure remember one thing, that tho' you must be frank and unreserved in delivering your Sentiments, when Occasions offer, yet that you be much readier to hear than speak; for to this Purpose it has been significantly observed, that Nature has given a Man two Ears,
and but one Tongue. Lay in therefore by Obser|vation, and a modest Silence, such a Store of Ideas, that you may at their Time of Life, make no worse Figure than they do; and endeavour to bene|fit yourself rather by other Peoples Ills than your own. How must those young Men expose them|selves to the Contempt and Ridicule of their Seniors, who having seen little or nothing of the World, are continually shutting out by open Mouths and closed Ears, all Possibility of Instruction, and making vain the principal End of Conversation, which is Improvement. A silent young Man makes generally a wise old one, and never fails of being respected by the best and most prudent Men. When therefore you come among Strangers, hear every one speak before you deliver your own Sen|timents; by this means you will judge of the Merit and Capacities of your Company, and avoid exposing yourself, as I have known many do, by shooting out hasty and inconsiderate Bolts, which they would have been glad to recal, when perhaps a silent Genius in Company has burst out upon them with such Observations, as have struck Con|sciousness and Shame in the forward Speaker, if he has not been quite insensible of inward Reproach.
I have thrown together, as they occurr'd, a few Thoughts, which may suffice for the present to shew my Care and Concern for your Welfare. I hope you will constantly from time to time, com|municate to me whatever you shall think worthy of my Notice, or in which my Advice may be of Use to you. For I have no Pleasure in this Life equal to that which the Happiness of my Children gives me. And of this you may be assured; for I am, and ever must be,
Your affectionate Father.