For the Columbian Fountain.
Contributions from the Highlands.
{"newspaper_name": "The Columbian fountain.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": "Of our plan,\n\nNO. MI.\nDANGER OF THE FIRST GLASS."}
{"character_count": 1994, "word_count": 367, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9585000276565552], "ccnet_perplexity": [1198.9000244140625], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
NO. XII.


DANGER or THE FIRST GLASS.
g He that once sins, like him that slides on ice,
Goes gently down the slippery ways of vice;
Though conscience checks him, yet, those rubs


gone DER,


He slides on smoothly, and looks back no more"
ANON.
The influence Of habit upon man is
hardly enough considered We do not like
to think Of many subjects of great impor-
tance, because our thoughts, we foresee, will
lead us to perceive more and more clearly
the necessity of Immediately setting about
the work of reformation Hence, we find
ourselves constantly predisposed to cling 10
the habits of early life rather than to form
new ones. Nor have | a word to say against
such course, provided those habits were
such as conduce to the glory of God and
our SOUPS good.


But have another branch Of this subject
to mention, viz, that, although we are not
disposed to forsake early habits By forming
new ones in their stead, yet we have all a
tendency to conform ourselves, as we ar
rive at age, to the customs Of the comimu-.
nifty; and, In some cases, will even be will
ling to resign advantageous personal ways
to accQmmodate ourselves to those with
whom we may chance afterwards to be
thrown in company Here is the secret of
the commencement of many career Of vice,
and, may add, in no vice more than in
that OF lntenperance. 1t is often the case
that the first social glass leads to all the fu-
ture mischief 1t is dangerous to commit
the first sin; more SO the second, and so to
destruction. This applies, with unusual
force, to habits Of drinking; because the
very nature of alcoholic drinks as prepared
for beginners nowadays, is to excite de-
sire for more; and the unhappy victim cries
Give, give," until he is ruined for ever.


''Avoid the first glass y is excellent ad-
vice; but lest it should not be possible for
some who read this to take such advice,
will put it in a more extensive sense: Avoid,
. as you love your soul, avoid every glass
offered you from this moment forward


]. L. w.