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THE day of the election being over, people applied
quietly to their usual employments, those of them that
were in a capacity to discharge the duties of their functions.
Some of them were not capable. And amongst
these the visionary philosopher was not in a condition to
present himself at the levee of the Governor; but was in
the hands of the surgeon, having received a blow with a
bludgeon, as he was leading up a merino ram, and insisting
for a vote.

The Governor himself had been indisposed the whole
day of the election, but being now recovered, and the legislature
about to meet shortly, it behooved him to think
of an address to the representative body. This he was
at a loss, whether in the mode of the kings of England,
personally, reading the speech himself or having it read
for him, in his presence, or whether to adopt that introduced
in these states, since the revolution; or rather in
this, a later period of the republican history, by sending
a message, that is, a written document to be communicated
by the Secretary.

The message has the advantage in this, that it is a
departure from the English precedent, which of itself
carries reason. But there is more in it when we consider
that it is more convenient. Because when a man
makes a speech orally, it is not all of it that can be heard
in the crowd that usually assembles on the occasion of
an inauguration. And when it is heard, it is not all of
it that can be recollected. Many things escape the memory.
Whereas when it is by way of written document,
it can be heard to his satisfaction; not that it would
be decent to encore it on the floor of the house; but
members can recur to it from time to time, and read it
themselves. In that case, they are not kept so long
standing on their feet, as when it is heard slowly, and
with much ceremony of bringing it forward in the first
instance. For the waiting the arrival of the Governor
that is to deliver the speech; and the arrangements that
must be made for the places of the other officers of government,
and the body of the representatives, is tedious;
and it ought to be a principle in public, as it is in

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private life, to consult ease where it answers no good purpose
to take trouble. Almost all unnecessary ceremony
is displeasing to a man of sense. The finest expression
that I have met with on this head, is in the Arcadia of
Sir Philip Sidney. “There was ceremony without being
ceremonious.”

I have some impression in my mind of having quoted
this very expression somewhere else in this or some
other book, but I cannot recollect with certainty, nor
have I time to turn back and examine. It is very possible
that I repeat the same ideas in many places,
but what of that, if a good thing is twice said. This
beautiful remain of the genius of that time, is addressed,
if I remember right, to his sister the Marchioness of
Pembroke. It is of her that the Epitaph is written.

You will say this is a digression. There is no doubt
but it is. But can it be said that I indulge myself much
in this way? On the contrary, are there many writers
that stick closer to their subject than I have in general
done. Besides I would not write a syllable of what I
am now writing, were it not that it is thought necessary,
that I should not leave my book at a short angle; but
round it off, by giving it something like a natural conclusion.
And the truth is, as my ideas are in a great
measure exhausted; I mean those that are near the surface;
I have not time to fish for such as swim in deep
water; or to wait, having taken all that were of a larger
size, until the small fry grow bigger. So that whenever
a thought leads me into a quotation, I do not make a
scruple of conscience, to run after it; especially if I
have any reason to think, upon the small reflection I can
give it, that the quotation will be better than the original
idea that might have taken place of it. So far as respects
my own taste, I read with great pleasure oftentimes,
a book, which has not a single idea in it from beginning
to end, except in the quotations. The only

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question that is made, will be, is the quotation from a
good author; or does it amuse, or instruct. Nor in
reading good moral observations, or anecdotes of great
men, do I care whether they are in a connected series,
or strung together like Swift's “Tritical dissertation on
the faculties of the human mind.” The apothegms of
Plutarch are somewhat in the same way. The chapters
of Athenæus, and the noctes atticæ of Aulius Gellius, are
of the same rambling sort of composition. Montaigne's
essays also; and some of the introductory chapters of
Henry Fielding. The fact is, that as a regularly bred
cook will shew his skill in the culinary art, by making
a savoury dish out of a bit of soal leather; or a whole
entertainment out of ordinary materials; so, it may depend
upon the manner, more than the matter of what
is said, whether it be acceptable. Unquestionably there
are but few that have the rare talent of saying things
agreeably; and I am not sure that I have shewn that
art in any degree in this book. But what hinders aiming
at it, by those who feel a benevolence of heart, and
wish to please. If any man is amused by any of these
images that I am endeavouring to paint, he will be under
obligation to me, though he may refuse to acknowledge
it. It is allowable towards the end of a book to
digress; and in the manner of old age deal in narrative.
Though I will acknowledge that I have seldom
met with old men who were not apt to digress too much
in their narrations. That old men are more talkative
than those of earlier years, is characteristic. “Garrulous
old age.” But that they are apt to digress is not
so generally noted; though it would seem to me to be
the case, and were it put upon me to account for it,
looking into nature at my own age, I would resolve it
into the multiplicity of ideas as one cause. They are
numerous, and press for utterance; and when a certain
set have had an outlet in part, the speaker suspends
awhile the prosecuting them, and goes back to fetch
others. It would be like Charon in his boat upon the
river Styx, were there an island in it, ferrying a number
of the shades half way; leaving them on the island,
and going back to bring others that distance, who are
crowding on the shore, and anxious to cross. Or like a
mechanic, that has a great number of customers, and
cannot satisfy, but by beginning the work of several, and

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carrying it on by pieces; having it in his power to say
to all that their work is on hands.

But I return to say something on the subject of ceremony,
the point from whence we digressed. For the
forms of taking place, or seats, or at least the coming
into the government house, partakes something of the
nature of ceremony in polite assemblies, on other occasions.
All attention to which, and the trouble of it, is
avoided by the transmitting what is to be said, in the
shape of what is called a message, which may be carried
by the secretary and laid on the table.

Having adopted the mode of address by message, it
was prepared, and transmitted to the legislature, now
convened. We have been furnished with an extract of
some part of it, which we shall now introduce.

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