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THERE is in the moral world, what may be called
an influenza, as well as in the natural. I leave it to
physicians to treat particularly of the influenza in the natural
world; though disquisitions as to the origin, and
history of an epidemic is more within the province of
the natural philosopher than of the physician; this last
having to do, more with the treatment, and cure of diseases,
than with the history; though it must greatly
conduce to a knowledge of the remedy of a disorder, to
know its origin, and cause, and progress. Hence it is,
that no man, whose mind, from nature, or from education,
or both, has not been led to investigate causes, and effects,
in the natural world, can be a great physician. In
laying this down, I reason in my own mind from analogy.
For though my knowledge of this subject is not
extensive, I mean of the subordinate necessity of general
information to particular science, in the case of a
physician; yet I can have some conception of it, from
what I do know, and can more confidently assert in the
case of a jurisconsult, and politician. By politician I do
not mean a diplomatist, having a knowledge of affairs
of state, or that has been employed in correspondence
and communications with foreign ministers; or in the
relations and conventions of states with each other.
It is a higher science, that I have in view, the arrangement
of a form of government for a people; the making
salutary laws. Here it is that I find myself on a commanding
eminence; when in imagination, I can reach it,
surrounded with the great of the world. To them is
owing all that distinguishes man from man; whether
they have moulded systems that are the offspring of accident
in their beginnings, or, that, on original ground
they have built fabricks; I will acknowledge that almost
all systems of liberty, have begun like almost all other
things, that are great, from nothing; and have been gradually
moulded to permanence, and durability. And
while the unceasing activity of the passions have led to
such changes, as have established, or preserved liberty,
the same cause has invariably led to the dissolution of
free governments. It therefore becomes a matter of the

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nicest observation, and most comprehensive judgment,
to know where to rest. Nevertheless in the most settled
state of things, and most happy establishment, if
some one like Ehud, blows a trumpet for a change, he
will have followers. It may be impossible to trace the
very point in the community at which a wild idea took
its rise, or what passion in the individual gave it birth,
but its progress, like the influenza, may be traced; and
its gradual march from north to south, or from east to
west, and its deleterious effects. It is immaterial whether
it is the common law that is to be abolished, or the right
of suffrage extended to beasts. No matter what the innovation,
it will have partizans. What we have depicted
therefore ought not to be set down as incredible. I
would not wonder if it should come to be seriously agitated
some years hence, unless this burlesque prevents
it. For you might as well express surprise at a man
under an influenza having a fever, as at the multitude
under a political impression, being thrown into delirium,
and phrenzy. In a case of such madness, direct reasoning
will be of no avail; but the turning the course of the
thought aside by the substitution of some other; not perhaps
questioning the practicability, much less the expediency
of the proposition, in vogue, but suggesting a
more eligible mode of execution. If divisions can be
sown amongst the innovators as to the ways and means,
they may be diverted from the principal object. Thus
in the case of bestial suffrage, admit that quadrupeds
have a right to human society, yet the question may be
made, whether a gradual, or an immediate emancipation
may be advisable. After this, another ground of discrepancy
may be laid, suggesting with what species of the
brutal kingdom it may be proper to commence the reform.
Some who speak first, will say an elephant, and
then a Rhinoceros; when all voices are heard, there
may be found as many opinions as there are voices.
Quot hominum, tot capitum. By good management it
may be brought to a wrangle whether votes shall not be
in proportion to bulk, strength, or swiftness. To oppose
the giving a vote at all will be unwise, but the giving it
in a different way and manner from that proposed, or if
some strong and monstrous inconvenience can be pointed
out, immediately about to fall upon themselves, such
as was hit upon, on this occasion, of their changing
places, and turning beasts, and being yoked to carts;

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knocked on the head; or taken in traps, it may succeed.
For this is not barely touching the pocket, but affecting
the person. It is affecting it sensibly; for the tugging at a
trace up a hill presents an idea that is intelligible, and immediately
repulsive. Much more the being shot at with a
rifle, and the hide taken off as you would a bear-skin. No
man will run a risk of a change of affairs, if a bare possibility
of such a reverse as this, can be brought into
view.

I am well aware that there are readers; that is, there
will be readers, if they do read, and come to the sense of
these last sentences, who will say, what is this, but nonsense?
But to such I beg leave to put this question, and
let them answer me after much thought and due deliberation,
whether it is not what every one cannot do;
to talk nonsense eloquently. I know of no author in
which this is more exemplified, than a book much praised,
but in which I have never been able to discover a
single ray of sense; and that is Bolinbroke's idea of a
patriot king. And as a parallel to this, I give another
as it appeared to me at the time I cast my eye upon it,
which was in early life; and which book is always spoken
of as a model of stile; viz. Shaftsbury's Characteristics.
But the truth is, I could not ascertain the point
of his observations. I take the chapter that I have just
written to be somewhat of the same cast. But as


—“Learned Commentators view
In Homer more than Homer knew,”
the critics may draw something out of it. But if they
should not be able to extract a sentiment, let them confine
their observation, to the stile, which, at our entrance
on the task of writing this book, we declared to be our
primary object. I will acknowledge at the same time,
entre nous, that stile is what I never could exactly hit,
to my own satisfaction. And in the English language,
that of Hume, Swift, and Fielding, is the only stile that
I have coveted to possess. For I take it they are precisely
the same, according to the subjects of their writing.
But the easy, the natural, and the graceful, is of
all stiles, whether of manners or of speaking, the most
difficult to attain.

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