Conclusion
Conclusion
These things, my dear Gerald, I have regarded as helpful to instruct and train good and noble youth; although my thoughts, as everyone can plainly see, are very much disconnected and lack methodical arrangement.
Let your own mind, however, dwell on these things. Carry out and improve, in your manner of living, what I have here outlined and roughly worked out. If you do this, you will, indeed, beautifully weave into your own life what I have here written without good order, and you will thus be a living example of the model which I have herein placed before you. Yes, I dare say that, if you practice these things, you cannot fail to become much more refined, cultured, and more nearly perfect than I have been able to outline for you.
It will be necessary, however, for you to go to work vigorously and to strain every nerve. This will help you very much to drive away indolence, the mother of all vice; for many persons, having formed habits of laziness, in early youth, soon become so shamefully indolent that they loiter about, as if they purposely wanted to be devourers of other persons' goods, or even cesspools of all vices. You, on the other hand, devote the spring-time of your life to that which is good and useful, because time passes rapidly and better opportunities seldom present themselves in later years. No time of life is more promising for doing good than youth. Not the man who can only talk much about God is a Christian, but he who labors faithfully with God to do great and holy things; therefore, my pious and noble youth, continue to lift up and adorn your noble family, your handsome person, and your patrimony— all advantages that you enjoy—with these true ornaments.
I have said less than I ought to say. Regard nothing as a true ornament but virtue, piety, and honor. Nobility, beauty, and riches are not intrinsic good, but they are conditioned by good fortune.6
May God preserve you blameless by his grace, so that you may never be separated from Him. Amen.