“Part with it as with money, sparing; pay
No moment but in purchase of its worth.”
But my letter grows long, and (you will say) tedious.
I remain,
My dear Nephew,
Your affectionate Uncle.
[62:1] Vol. I. No. 14.
[66:1] John Duncan, Esq. and Philip Duncan, Esq. of New College.
LETTER VI.
PUNCTUALITY.
MY DEAR NEPHEW,
I ventured to give you some advice respecting the employment of your time; perhaps I ought to follow up that letter with a few remarks upon punctuality. Unless you acquire the habit of punctuality, you will be apt, not only to lose your own time, but to make unjustifiable inroads upon the time of other persons.
Endeavour, therefore, to keep to your time in every appointment, whether the appointment be made by yourself or by others, (the college authorities for instance,) whether it be with a superior, an equal, or an inferior. Whether it be in a matter of business or in a matter of pleasure, try always to be true to it. Let this be your system and your habit. Some deviations from punctuality may now and then be unavoidable; but do not let them occur unless they really are unavoidable in fairness and reason. If you have yourself made an appointment, your word is, to a certain degree, pledged to your keeping to it. The case is in some measure the same, when, though the appointment is actually made by others, you have acceded to it.