Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub

77. True Philosophy.—Madame Necker relates the following anecdote of M. Abauret, a philosopher of Geneva:—It was said of him that he never had been out of temper: some persons, by means of his female servant, were determined to put this to the proof. The woman in question stated that she had been his servant for thirty years, and she protested that during that time she had never seen him in a passion. They promised her a sum of money if she would endeavour to make him angry; she consented, and knowing he was particularly fond of having his bed well made, she on the day appointed, neglected to make it. M. Abauret observed it, and the next morning made the observation to her, she answered that she had forgotten it; she said nothing more, but on the same evening she again neglected to make the bed; the same observation was made on the morrow by the philosopher, and she again made some such excuse in a cooler manner than before. On the third day he said to her, "you have not yet made my bed; you have apparently come to some resolution on the subject, as you probably found it fatigue you. But after all it is of no great consequence, as I begin to accustom myself to it as it is." She threw herself at his feet and avowed all to him.

78. On the Diffusion of Knowledge. When knowledge, instead of being bound up in books, and kept in libraries and retirement, is obtruded on the public in distinct sheets; when it is canvassed in every assembly, and exposed upon every table, I cannot forbear reflecting upon that passage in the Proverbs: "Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth her voice in the streets; she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the opening of the gates. In the city she uttereth her words, saying, how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning? and fools hate knowledge?"-Spectator.

79. Alchymy. As for that part of chemistry, which is applied to the transmutation of metals, and the search of the philosopher's stone, which has enchanted, not to say turned, so many brains in the latter ages—though some men cannot comprehend how there should have been so much smoke, for so many ages in the world about it, without some fire-it is easy, I think, to conceive, that there has been a great deal of fire, without producing any thing but smoke. If it be a science, it is certainly one of the liberal ones; for the professors or followers of it have spent more money upon it than those of all other sciences together; and more than they ever will recover, without the philosopher's stone.—Sir W. Temple.

80. A Youth introduced suddenly into life, feels as awkwardly as one immersed for the first time in water; and the chances are that he sinks as soon.-Zimmerman.

81. A Hint.—With what consistency can that man reprobate the bad government of his country who practises not good government at home?

Detrosier.

82. The Cry of the Poor-In this country there is a crying sin-there is a loud complaint going up daily to Heaven, that the property of the poor is held captive in injustice; that their rights are withheld, though their title is known and recognised by all, save those who could enforce it for them; that they daily die of want, whilst their expiring glance rests on the gorgeous, the ungodly display of ecclesiastical pride and pomp; whilst their last sigh can scarcely fail to bring down a heavy curse on that wealth which was left for their support, but which so cruelly and so long has been wrested and withheld from them.—Dr Doyle.

83. Anecdote of Voltaire.-When the English and French were disputing as to their respective rights to certain territories in America, Voltaire happily remarked, that they were quite agreed upon one point; viz., that the natives had no right at all to the land in question.

84. Popular Opinion.-If any ask me what a free government is, I answer, that, for any practical purpose, it is what the people think so; and that they, and not I, are the natural, lawful, and competent judges of this matter.-Burke.

85. Good-breeding, like charity, not only covers a multitude of faults, but to a certain degree supplies the want of some virtues, for in the common intercourse of life it acts good-nature, and often does what mere good-nature cannot always do; it keeps both wits and fools within those bounds of decency which the former are too apt to transgress, and which the latter never know.-The World.

86. The Pursuit of Good an Instinct of Man's Nature.-The desire to learn is natural, and no less pleasing to the mind of man, than his desire of getting and as men receive more contentment in one new purchase than in often thinking on all those which they had made before; so our understanding takes a great deal more pleasure in feeding upon new nourishment than in chewing the cud upon that which it had already; yea, and among these new repasts, if it light upon any which it never tasted before, it receives it, as our palate is wont to do, with so much the more pleasure: for nature is more pleased with the change, than the continuation of the use of any thing; the reason is, because seeking the supreme good, and not finding it in any of those things which he hath yet made trial of, she always hopes to find it elsewhere. This sweetness is that which allays the bitterness of learning to children, who are ravished with the pleasure of learning all those histories, and pedantical conceits, which we can so hardly endure when we are grown up to more age. And we are so delighted with novelty, that there is no beast so ill-favored, which seems not pretty, when it is young, witness the ass's foal; nor no plant of so little delight as that novelty cannot recommend it.-A Question, whether there be any thing new. 1640. A Pamphlet the Harleian Library.

87. America. There are no tithes, no poor-rates, no excise, no heavy internal taxes, no commercial monopolies. An American can make candles if he have tallow, can distil brandy if he have grapes or peaches, and can make beer if he have malt and hops, without asking leave of any one, and much less with any fear of incurring punishment. How would a farmer's wife there be astonished, if told that it was contrary to law for her to make soap out of the potass obtained on the farm, and of the grease she herself had saved! When an American has made these articles, he may build bis little vessel, and take them without hinderance to any part of the world: for there is no rich company of merchants that can say to him, “You shall not trade to India; and you shall not buy a pound of tea of the Chinese; as, by so doing, you would infringe upon our privileges." In consequence of this freedom, the seas are covered with their vessels, and the people at home are active and independent. I never saw a beggar in any part of the United States; nor was I ever asked for charity, but once, and that was by an Irishman.—Hodgson's Letters from America.

88. Catherine de Medicis.-When the infamous Catherine of Medicis had persuaded Charles the IX. of l'rance to massacre all the Protestants in the kingdom, that detestable Prince sent orders to the governors of the different provinces, to put all the Hugonots to death in their respective districts." Sire," answered one Catholic governor, who will ever be dear to humanity, "I have too much respect for your Majesty not to persuade myself that the order I have received must be forged; but if, which God forbid, it should be really your Majesty's order, I have too much respect for your Majesty to obey it."—Elegant Anecdotes.

89. The last Argument of the Poor, whenever they have recourse to it, will carry more, perhaps, than persuasion to parliament, or supplication to the throne.-Junius.

90. Causes-Anxiety for the future disposeth men to inquire into the causes of things, because the knowledge of them, maketh men the better able to order the present to their advantage.—Hobbes.

91. Freedom of Thought being intimately connected with the happiness and dignity of man in every stage of his being, is of so much more importance than the preservation of any constitution, that to infringe the former, under pretence of supporting the latter, is to sacrifice the means to the end. Robert Hall,

92. "Philosophers are disposed to turn all events to beneficial ends."

LONDON!

Published by J. H.STARIE, 59, Museum Street, J. PATTIE, 17, High Street, St. Giles; and may be had of all Booksellers.

[J. H. Starie, Printer, 59, Museum Street,

66

Materials for Thinking.

EXTRACTED FROM THE WORKS OF

ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS.

WHATEVER CHARITY WE OWE TO MEN'S PERSONS, WE OWE NONE TO THEIR ERRORS."-Bishop Burnet.

No. IV.]

Published Weekly.

[Price One Penny.

93. Desire of Ease the principal Motive to Action.-Though happiness be the universal aim, yet the pursuit of it is as various as the constitution, habits, and age, of the persons seeking it, and thus each man being moved by his prevalent desires, his faculties will be directed to the attainment of those things only, he considers at that time to make a necessary part of his individual happiness. All other good, however great in reality or appearance, excites not a man's desires who looks not on it, to form a part of that happiness wherewith he in his present thought can satisfy himself. Happiness under this view every one constantly pursues, and desires what makes any part of it; other things acknowledged to be good he can look upon without desire, pass by, and be content without. There is no one perhaps so senseless as to deny that there is pleasure in knowledge; and for the pleasures of sense they have too many followers to let it be questioned, whether men are taken with them or no. Now let one man place his satisfaction in sensual pleasure, another in the delight of knowledge, though each of them cannot but confess there is great pleasure in what the other pursues, yet neither of them making the other's delight a part of his happiness, their desires are not excited, but each is satisfied without what the other enjoys, and so he is not determined to the pursuit of it. But as soon as the studious man's hunger and thirst make him uneasy, he whose desire was never moved by any allurements of good cheer, delicious wines, &c. is, by the uneasiness of hunger and thirst, presently determined to eating and drinking, though possibly with great indifferency, what wholesome food comes in his way; and, on the other side, the epicure buckles to study when shame, or the desire to recommend himself to his mistress, shall make him uneasy in the want of any sort of knowledge.

Let a drunkard find that his health decays, his estate wastes, discredit and diseases, and the want of all things, even of his beloved drink, attend him in the course he follows, still the returns of uneasiness at missing his companions and the habitual thirst after his cups, drives him at the usual time to the tavern, though he at the same time admits, that the pleasures of NEW SERIES,

health and plenty are far preferable to the tickling of his palate with a glass of wine, or the idle chat of a soaking club. His perseverance in vice is not for want of considering the greater good, which, in the intervals of his drinking hours, he will make resolutions to pursue, but, on the return of his uneasiness, at the want of his accustomed delight, the greater acknowledged good loses its hold, and the present uneasiness determines him to the wonted action, and thereby gets stronger footing to prevail against the next occasion.-Locke.

94. No Drunkards in France.-A drunkard is a character unknown in France. If a man, only flushed with liquor, came into company, the men would look coldly on him, and the women would not speak to him. That door would never be opened to him again. Drinking is considered as a vice so low and disgusting, that it is held in contempt even by the common people. That vice then a man could never learn there. If he were unhappy enough to be addicted to it, and had any sense of shame, travel would be a very probable means to cure him.-Elegant Anecdotes.

95. Universal Suffrage.-To refuse any member of the community a vote in the making of the laws, or in the appointment of the men who are to make them, is neither more nor less than an act of outlawry; nay more, it is a positive robbery, if a particle of his property be touched for the purposes of the community who have thus excluded him. The man who is denied a vote in the management of the affairs of the community to which he belongs, is, to all intents and purposes, a slave, for he is wholly dependent on the will of others. His life, liberty, property, and happiness, are all in the hands of others: he is clearly at their mercy.

Voice of the People.

96. The Priesthood.-Of all the ancient states known, China is the only one which has not been subjected to the priesthood.

Philosophy of History.

97. The Impolicy of Prosecution for Opinions.—All violence exerted towards opinions which falls short of extermination, serves no other purpose than to render them more known, and ultimately to increase the zeal and number of their abettors. Opinions that are false may be dissipated by the force of argument; when they are true, their punishment draws towards them, infallibly, more of the public attention, and enables them to dwell with more lasting weight and pressure in the mind. The progress of reason is aided, in this case, by the passions, and finds in curiosity, compassion, and resentment, powerful auxiliaries.-Robert Hall.

98. Peace. If peace is not to be found at home, is it not natural to expect that we should look for it abroad? The parents, and husbands, who know not this, may be brought to repent of their ignorance.

Zimmerman.

« PoprzedniaDalej »