The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-05-26
OF A D ID K Z S 5 L S.

Addrefes was to declare the gratitude OF the people
and pay futabe honour to the merit of the peon TO
whom they offered. They were fort Of ineenie al
oending from thankful hearts, TO ome great perionage OF
upefor virtue in commemoraton OF lone act OF public
utility and hgnal rcnown When man in high hation,
had einently diangued hmielf for the good OF the
nnt, the people, as regard for his fevioes and to te
their deep ene Of his worth, paid him this grateful tribute
Of sppaue In this ene public addees of angular
uie They were kind of homage paid to merit and
thence mulaon TO vrtuous deeds II was true and in
rne glory, thus receive the commentator of the Peo-
pies becauc uoh commentator was only believed on anita
bic and dctsrving characters. t'
But whatever might Be the primitive intention of thoie
Panegycs il is evident, that modern times no 70 nice
in their public addrciles They ara little better than
former compliments, and thOe too, generally pretty fiat
and fuliome. They in hort, like mot modern dedca-
tons, hypeboe and degeneraed into perfect ate'
man is often celebrated for Actions, he never Performed
and exolcd for virtues, which he never poleed. Hence
Plantation Governor win have his Praea refounded, TOR
hs flaming zeal promoting the true ntereit ct province
before he pob know in what its true nereit conits
receive plentiful neene for having done, whateyey body
knows he has done So far therefore, as thee encoma
c competitions were of e while they celebrated only real
merit and glorious deeds, they become, in great
eaure, absolutely uiee and impairment. They heqpent-
~ snake dRntlicn between the different Characters o.
the who FL the Office, but prefent the fame euoguns
whonoevef fills it, whether be adoFns or dsraees IT.
Of uanicendent genius and eminent Probit or an ais
loaded with preennen and void Of every vrtue in fhort,
tbs bet and the WORT are accoej in the fame high rans
Of nauous adulaton. Nay, they arc, for the moi part,
pe.e are and buefque. For what elle than the keene
irony public appuie, who rather deieyes public
abhorrence Would rot PanegyTe the great piety Of
Cardinal Woolfey or the ngular honey Of COL Charters,
pe downright facan and droley have read an addreis
to Richard CROMWELL which mcit grseouily accepted
by his hghne and vet rendered him exGutey ridiculous
d. 49, hodx mi i
have iecn sde6 Of three pages to gentleman OF high
rank, by prrons who knew nothing OF him, but that be
had pots TO confer, and offices TO diipoic OF.
lis fhe eafe thing in the world, for great men to pro-
cure fush addrees There always were and always viii be,
tools and dependents Of ufeient influence, TO place iueh
feather in e cap of their patron But is very odd that
ueh addres mould pats for proof of the merit of the man,
who is the ubed Of them. They fedon or ever contain
the lenfe Of the people. have known corporation prefer
an address, for which they eenured by the whole body
of their continents and yet il intended TO do notable
execution at home and prove how iuPremey ms Excel
ency was beloved by the whole city.
have heard of Governor, who, while he was plum
derng his Mater and pereeutnE the province, wasted
quantity of this political perfume to embam his mdeeds,
and part an meaiures, that naturally created
hench in the noris Of every an of nfe and integrity
The good gentleman communicated his neeehy to lone OF
his adorcrs. They prompt offer the aerfce; but
puzzled about the materials At length the whole city was
allied our glorious de.iverer, who delivered not
II sycry dvering upon thele occaons to fee the forma
" praelcd in the competition Of addreis. Nothings
les regarded than the real character OF the Peon to be
fattered. The queion is what he defeves to Rave
laid ofIin, what he win be moa pleaed at having fad.
And as lis pfemed, that the fame incene which has been
offered to his predeceofS, will be ALTO acceptable TO hm3
old addrees induhouy procured, and carefully con-
ed. Nor are theie address mongers lefs cautious in de-
waiting from precedent than lawyer would be TO frame
wit that isnot in the cgRer. For this reaion, have
often wondered that among that infinite multitude Of Eng
lin Wits who live on their ingenuity, none have publi
ed collection Of addEcies. am Pcrfuaded, that book.
ieer in NewYor would not be loier BY the commodity
It's long fnce the meaning Of words was inverted, and
guilt and innocence COMPOUNDED together But melancholy
il is and highly to be deplored, when Of genius and
capacity, potue their pens enternze exalted humans,
and dignity public vllainy. Has not Horace mmortaiEed
cxfar, an infamous ufrpe, who triumPhed over Rome
and her Liberties And who greater fyeoPhant than
the famous Patercuus :
1t was dro enough, fee the Ens, after the rsora-
ton, be5es teing their JOY, BY avhing the wealth of
the nation to exto in Panygercs, the merit Of Charles
the feccond; monarch, who did iAdeed fpsrd his
time ike Dorntan, in catching Hes but with as little ad-
vantage 20 his people, conned il with Freneh rumpet
and lsp-dozs Nor were any aaefes fuh6des, eeem-
ed ffcient to deronhTae the nations loyalty, tl they
had cannonzed his father, who had governee without law
and thrown the kingdom into eonTalEens.
Tn. Romans uied fwear BY tie dignity OF Calgula-
They might WITH equal proprct have invoked the Pe o.
Lu-fr. The inczrnzte demon sd al the mehefhe could;
- ia o4ffe oaffr.