dency of truth. The first considerations of every politic statesman are, not what would be right-and what would be consistent with truth; but, what is the most agreeable to the public feelings-and in what degree right conduct can be reconciled with existing prejudices? A public wrong is perpetrated, but the statesman who inflicts it excuses himself by referring to the public opinion and voice, by which he says he is governed-the priest, who often becomes the moral apologist of the statesman, consults in like manner the prejudices of the public,-and the journalist, the echo of the public voice, in like manner consults the public wishes! A concordant result is thus produced at the very moment in which great public errors are committed! Calamities hence arise, followed by repentance and mutual accusations; yet the mischief cannot be recalled. Thus the history of human life, and the transactions of nations, are composed almost entirely of catalogues of errors, calamities, repentance, and often of vengeance, for crimes which arise less from the turpitude of individuals than from defects in the means of ascertaining truth, and of acting in accordance with it.

L

LXX.

Judgments of men agree whenever the premises are certain, as in geometry and arithmetic, and generally in objects of sense; but they disagree whenever the premises are uncertain, as in testimony, which depends on the credibility or honesty and knowledge of the parties; and in fancies and assumed principles, which vary with the constitutions and purposes of men. Testimony, fancies, and assumed principles, are, therefore, not means of forming infallible judgments, and consequently, no certain tests of truth; and only tests in the degree in which they are certain, or highly probable, so as to bring their objects within the operations of judgment. Thus every judging man laughs at or doubts about the fancied powers of attraction, repulsion, gravitation, and caloric; but he assents to the sensible powers of bodies in motion, and to the laws with which forces are geometrically proved to be propagated in gaseous and fluid media; because the latter are certain, and the former are merely creatures of the imagination. Similar differences create all the factions in science, and sects in metaphysics and theology; and the same

grounds of difference must always perpetuate both the factions and the sects.

LXXI.

Remember that accurate judging is not power per se, but power acquired; and that, as it arises either from the perception, or reminiscence of facts, so knowledge and experience are essential to its perfection; and men, in consequence, are qualified to judge only on subjects on which they have acquired knowledge and experience, and a man may be thought deservedly wise on many subjects, while he is a great fool on many others on which he has imperfect knowledge, or has not been in the habit of comparing facts and forming judg

ments.

LXXII.

Remember that, as minds are merely what they are taught, so the prejudices of education can scarcely ever be rooted out, and men cling to them as to their identities or existencies; hence it is that new truths never make effective progress in the generation which gave them birth; and that, as the prejudices of one age mingle with the education of the succeed

ing, more than one generation must pass away before new truths supersede established

errors.

LXXIII.

Remember that truth is like seed planted in the ground, the active powers of the circumjacent gasses were previously exerted in other ways, and it is some time before a regular action and re-action takes place between the novel introduction and the pre-established energies; that the germ, and its expansion, are still a novelty, and call for a diversion of power, which is slowly conceded, and dependent only on paramount force; but if this be sufficient, the germ becomes a tree, and, in due time, scatters seed which covers the earth: let men, therefore, plant seeds of truth, not in the expectation that they will at once become trees, and affect the judgments of mankind, but in the benevolent hope that, if possessed of native force, they will, like all seed, produce fruit in the due season of their maturity.

GOLDEN RULES RELATIVE TO POLITICAL

AND SOCIAL ECONOMY.

I.

THE wealth of nations consists in the accumulation and superfluity of marketable commodities, and in the power of producing them by labour and ingenuity; the balance of produce over consumption, or the amount of exports, whether natural or artificial, being the means of introducing luxuries, foreign necessaries, and the precious metals.

II.

The wealth of individuals consists in the appropriation of property, or of currency, as the representative of property. Were the whole population of Britain divided upon equal farms, with equal means, he would be the richest at the end of the year who, having had the best crops, had the most to spare to his less fortunate neighbours. He would