The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-10 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC 3OUIINALS.

We have just consigned to the limbo of all
absurd communications here, a letter, signed
" Thomas Oldacre," in which the writer up-
braids us, kindly but foolishly, for " mislead-
' ing the public," as he says, respecting the condi-
tion of the farmers. We should wish to
know if the farmers would thank us for asserting
that they arc, as he represents them, all bank-
rupts and beggars, and of course not to be
trusted or allowed any credit for the necessaries
which they have occasion to purchase : we think
the good rude English spirit of the farming in-
terest would kick at such insulting imputations
as these. We allow that the farmer is not «so
well off' as he has been; but can no one recol-
lect the time (it is not so long ago) when the
expene4.›.s and extravagance of this class of per-
sons were at; much spoken of as their supposed
difficulties and distresses are now celebrated ?
But why, we ask, should farmers be, as they arc
scandalously reported, in the very abyss of bank-
ruptcy ? COM is at a remunerating price, and live
stock of every kiwi high. And as it appears by sure
returns that the consumption of tobacco, spirits,
wine, and tea, is greater than ever, it is incredible
that bread and meat should not also be eaten at
least as much as usual in common times. Rates
are high—not higher than they have been : on
the contrary, better management of them having
been introduced by experience, they arc lower.
And if rates were high, wages are the reverse.
The farmers, also, are not the only people who
pay rates ; on the contrary, they have shifted off'
a considerable portion of weekly wages to the
rate-book, and kindly indulge the shopkeeper
with the privilege of paying their labourers. On
the recall of the small notes, and the effect pro-
duced by that measure, the mast erroneous opi-
nions--.-do not indeed prevail, because we
do not suffer them, but—are continually
obtruded. Ignorance and stupidity predict-
ed mischief from the calling in of the
small notes, (ignorance anti stupidity having
first indeed asserted that the act was impossible);
and impudence would now maintain that the
mischief has arrived. But why should the ex-
tinction of the small notes affect the markets ?
their place has been supplied by gold. When
the 1/. and 2/. notes were in circulation, there
was no such thing as gold to be seen : now we
see nothing else in small payments. We ourselves
refuse it as less convenient than paper. We
cannot at once lay our hands upon one of the
Bank returns, but there is, no doubt, as much
or more money now in circulation as at any an-
tecedent period since the war ended. And
what is the result of all this ? Certainly not
that the times ate easy—we would not be mis-
understood as aiming at such a conclusion, but
that the difficulties of them are exaggerated ; that
our real sufferings are more sensibly felt, on ac-
count of the unnatural mid short-lived state of
lavish abundance in which we were once placed ;
and above all, as we have shown, that the
causes of the present pressure are triirepre-
sented.— Times.

In one of the many instructive and entertain-
ing articles in " The Book of the Boudoir,"
by Lady Morgan, there are some excellent ob-
servations on the tactics necessary for combat-
ting successfully with errors :
" The opinions of the world," says her Ladyship,
" are usually a mixture of small portions of truth,
with an overwhelming mass of error. From amongst
an infinite variety of shades, is formed a sort of
average doctrine, which constitutes the opinion of
the greatest number. . . Around this centre are
accumulated the various extremes which represent
the prejudices and interests of the smaller corps and
categories in society. . . To belong to any of
these corps ensures toleration, in proportion to their
numbers and respectability; and the same truth
may be advanced with different success, according as
it is promulgated under the sanction of a powerful
or an inefficient name. The Unitarians are permit-
ted openly to impugn the divinity of our Saviour;
and the Quakers are allowed to reject all interfer-
ence of Priests; while those who are vulgarly and
quaintly called Freethinkers, are punished for an
idle jest against the Established Church. The for-
mer existing in considerable bodies, are enabled to
master opinion; while the latter having few to sym-
pathise with them, are opposed by all the pre-
judices and all the passions of society, • • • •
. . . . It is not then so much the intrinsic
opinion to be attacked which is matter for consi-
deration,_ as the point of view in which it may be
presented, and the manner of effecting its separation
from the interests in which it is involved. The attack
upon established error should resemble that game
which children play by casting a bundle of small
sticks into a confused heap; and then endeavouring
to pick them out one by one without disturbing the
rest. We shall begin by casting about for the de-
tached and isolated points, and next remove those
which have the fewest connections—leaving un-
touched the pieces in which there are the greatest
implications—till, at last, perhaps, they will fall by
their own weight. . . . The interests and passions
of those who may be hoitile to a given reformation
are not at all involved in an equal degree. There
are thousands and tens of thousands4vho will ac-
cept of a principle, up to a certain point, where it
begins to operate on themselves. With a few ex-
ceptions, all the world is beginning to be reconciled
with free trade in every branch of industry but their
own. It is therefore dangerous to push a principle
at once to its utmost extreme. The further it is
carried the more persons are alarmed, and the less
is the shame attendant upon brutish opposition.
The moderate, moreover, in all disputes, collect
around them the half-thinkers and half-feelers—a
powerful faction, embracing those who are too indo-
lent to inquire or too corrupt to desire a practical
improvement to the fullest extent. For such per-
sonages a middle term is a convenient retreat ; and
by neutralizing their opposition, you gain time and
a clearer stage. This may not always be very can-
did ; but if the cosi a cwt.° system be allowable in
oratory, it is less justifiable where the grave inte-
rests of the species are at issue. The numbers of
those who see questions in their wholeness are very
small; the mass are moved by especial instances
and examples. In knowledge nothing is isolated;
and the establishment of one truth is the dethrone-
ment of many others."
It is a most material point to know to what
extent a person ought to be honest who wishes
to avoid being knocked on the head. To know
the odour in which opinions are, is of itself a
most important science. For want of this know-
ledge a man may be more dishonest than neces-
sary ; and his sincerity, instead of benefiting
him, may, on the contrary, be of positive disad-
' vantage to him. Hypocrisy and mendacity,
therefore, require something more than the mere
disposition to be insincere. As this world is
continually advancing, a cunning man must
know when to shift his ground.Atfllo:irss
rnTdessetlpaleeenmccete,d,
topinionsllvllialtltte
which ought to receive no quarter in this year,
may in the cowrse of ten years, be respectable,
by
rich
bn
etter
yetreimur saetnh‘eavinjiltoertatnialiriei
ohbeuiyts
ta.
i)respectable—thatinstothactomo
uprlecterliyiisn,
public has
ival
ep erwsaostooWscaehtairgenungieendnairbyiel,:
opinion
if
any man were to deliver the arguments by which .
the late Lord Liverpool combated one of Sir
Samuel Roniilly's Bills; he would be considered