Page images
PDF
EPUB

a wild way, which I know can never be brought about.

Fantom. I despise a narrow field. O for the reign of univerfal benevolence! I want to make all mankind good and happy.

Trueman. Dear me! fure that must be a wholesale fort of a job: had not you better try your hand at a town or a parish first?

Every

Fantom. Sir, I have a plan in my head for relieving the miseries of the whole world. Every thing is bad as it now ftands. I would alter all the laws, and do away all the religions, and put an end to all the wars in the world. I would everywhere redrefs the injuftice of fortune, or what the vulgar call providence. I would put an end to all punishments; I would not leave a fingle prifoner on the face of the globe. This is what I call doing things on a grand scale. "A fcale "with a vengeance!" faid Trueman. "As "to releafing the prifoners, however, I "do not fo much like that, as it would be

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

liberating a few rogues at the expence "of all honeft men; but as to the rest of

[ocr errors]

your plan, if all Chriftian countries "would be fo good as turn Christians, it "might be helped on a good deal. There "would be still misery enough left indeed; "because God intended this world fhould "be earth, and not heaven. But, Sir,

66

among all your abolitions, you must abo"lifh human corruption before you can "make the world quite as perfect as you

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

pretend. You philofophers feem to me "to be ignorant of the very first feed and "principle of mifery-fin, Sir, fin: your fyftem of reform is radically defective; "for it does not comprehend that finful "nature from which all misery proceeds. "You accuse government of defects which "belong to man, to individual man, and of "course to man collectively. Among all 66 your reforms you muft reform the hu"man heart; you are only hacking at the

branches, without ftriking at the root. "Banishing impiety out of the world, "would

C 2

"would be like ftriking off all the pounds "from an overcharged bill; and all the "troubles which would be left, would be "reduced to mere fhillings, pence, and "farthings, as one may fay."

Fantom. Your project would rivet the chains which mine is defigned to break.

Trueman. Sir, I have no projects. Projects are in general the offspring of refttefnefs, vanity, and idlenefs. I am too bufy for projects, too contented for theories, and, I hope, have too much honesty and humility for a philofopher. The utmost extent of my ambition at prefent is, to redrefs the wrongs of a parifh apprentice who has been cruelly used by his master: indeed I have another little scheme, which is to profecute a fellow in our ftreet who has fuffered a poor wretch in a work-house, of which he had the care, to perifh through neglect, and you muft affift me.

Fantom. The parish must do that. You muft not apply to me for the redress of fuch petty grievances. I own that the

wrongs

wrongs of the Poles and South Americans so fill my mind, as to leave me no time to attend to the petty forrows of workhouses and parish apprentices. It is provinces, empires, continents, that the benevolence of the philofopher embraces; every one can do a little paltry good to his next neighbour.

Trueman. Every one can, but I do not fee that every one does. If they would, indeed, your business would be ready done to your hands, and your grand ocean of benevolence would be filled with the drops which private charity would throw into it. I am glad, however, you are such a friend to the prifoners, because I am just now getting a little subscription from our club, to fet free your poor old friend Tom Saun. a very honest brother tradefman, who got first into debt, and then into gaol, through no fault of his own, but merely through the preffure of the times. We have each of us allowed a trifle every week towards maintaining Tom's young C 3 family

ders,

family fince he has been in prison; but we think we fhall do much more fervice to Saunders, and indeed in the end lighten our own expence, by paying down at once a little fum to restore to him the comforts of life, and put him in a way of maintaining his family again. We have made up the money all except five guineas: I am already promised four, and you have nothing to do but give me the fifth. And fo for a fingle guinea, without any of the trouble, the meetings, and the looking into his affairs, which we have had; which, let me tell you, is the best, and to a man of business the dearest part of charity, you will at once have the pleasure (and it is no fmall one) of helping to fave a worthy family from starving, of redeeming an old friend from gaol, and of putting a little of your boasted benevolence into action. Realize! Master Fantom: there is nothing like realizing. "Why, hark ye, Mr. Trueman," faid Fantom stammering, and looking very black," do not think I value a guinea;

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »