From the Companion of Youth (1847)
Critical Text: P. Braido Translation & Notes: P. Laws

INTRODUCTION

In 1847, Don Bosco published a book intended as a spiritual companion for the young, containing advice, religious instruction, prayers, liturgical texts and hymns. He called it Il Giovane Provveduto, known in English as "The Companion of Youth".
    This work had more than a hundred editions, and was translated into many languages. Our present text is from the Preface of his first edition, and contains a saying that is today seen as emblematic of Don Bosco's dedication to the young.

TEXT
To try to discourage young people from leading good lives, the devil uses two tricks in particular. The first is to make them think that serving God represents a life of misery, far removed from fun and recreation. My dear young people, it is not like this! I want to teach you a way of living the Christian life that will make you happy and contented, by showing you what real amusement and real pleasure are, so that you will be able to say with the holy prophet David, "Serve the Lord with gladness.. This is in fact my reason for writing this book, so that you may serve the Lord and be always cheerful.
    The second trick is the hope of living a long life with the chance of changing one's ways in old age or on the point of death. Take care, my sons, there are many who have been deceived in this way. Who can assure you you will live to old age? You would have to make a pact with death to wait until then. Life and death are in God's hands, however, and he can do with them as he pleases. And even if God does grant you a long life, listen to what he tells you: "Start a child on the right road, and even in old age he will not leave it"... This means that if we begin living a good life now that we are young, good will be our old age, good will be our death, which will be the beginning of eternal happiness. On the other hand, if bad habits take possession of us in our youth, generally speaking they will stay with us over the years to our old age. A sorry down-payment on a miserable eternity! In order that such a terrible thing not happen to you, I am offering you a plan for living that is brief and easy to carry out, but good enough to allow you to become the consolation of your family, a credit to your country, good citizens of this world so that you may one day be happy inhabitants of heaven.

(A short paragraph sets out the principal parts of the book, for the guidance of the youthful readers.)

My dear friends, I love you with all my heart, and it is enough for you to be young for me to love you very much. I can assure you, you will find books written for you by persons much more virtuous and clever than I, but you will struggle to find anyone who loves you in Jesus Christ more than I do, or who wants to see you truly happy more than I do. May the Lord be with you and see to it that by putting these few suggestions into practice, you may come to save your soul, and so give greater glory to God, the only reason I have compiled this work.
    Live happily, and the Lord be with you.
    Yours affectionately in Jesus Christ,

    Fr John Bosco