Genre:

Homily

Subjects:

Associationism, Education, Piety, Creation, Biblical Authority

    Having lost a bunch of keys, the narrator, 'A Country Correspondent', reflects allegorically on them, observing: 'I conceived it might not be unprofitable to my young readers to see an exhibition of that phenomenon of mind, arising out of what philosophers designate by the learned title of the laws of association' (45). The writer reflects that the key of knowledge is good, but that prayer is the 'master key', and that 'every young person' should 'begin his studies with prayer; it will sanctify his knowledge, for unsanctified learning is a dangerous thing' (46–47). Observes: 'When a youth first begins to look abroad on the face of nature, and to enquire after knowledge, he will ask who made this beautiful world, the sun, the moon, and the stars? [...] The key that will unlock to him these wondrous mysteries, is the knowledge of the word of God' (47). Reminds the reader: 'Knowledge is generally applicable to subjects of human science, wisdom to those of heavenly morality' (49).