Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1800-10-06

cranIum' But like other boys, or rather, like
many men, retained the WORDS without know
ing their true import. The idea | imbbed
from the words was, that there Is a rnanitef diff:
ference ~ men eOab rsPe8 10 their Intellectual fur
nanre' fbaf aDbfk J9me are fzrni6ed eUib oab a
EEgk mind, otbers PaJ3f a number.
However, erroneous this idea may appear
to perions, who plume themfelves upon their
hyperion dlcernment, it in fact enabled me to
account for many fleming inconGaencies which
noticed in the conduit and conveffation Of
men. For inltance, when heard a perfon at
one time approving of actions which | had be.
fore heard him cenfure and condemn, / fet it
Gown that the man had many mird5 /; that 10
day he was under the influence of one, to-
morrow would be influenced by another, and
10 on.
When l advanced forward and was put TO
reading the writings Of wife philosophers and
,iubtle metaphyhcians, foon found their opin-
ions on this point were different from my own
Now there is, believe, pronerefs in m4rkind
to lay aide, a. vulgar and pue lie, tho(e fnti.
ments they have acquired 10 childhood; at
leaf it was my cafe. Willing to think as great
and wife men had thought before, l readily
embraced new opinions, rofe above the preju
dices of youth, and adopted as an incontro-
vertible petition. that no individual peri 4 has
more than one mind, however vaiouGy he NAV
th nix and at at life ent times he fenfe Of
my motto now wa not fbaf any man has bla
rally Of miHd5, but. fbaf 0wo1g nun5er Of men
fbe,e qoi4 Je a Va,iay Of otfai9as apoH TIE E1me
JnlJea,
Hiving Quilted The c,oilers OF College, and
again mixing with the wo Id At large, | was
determined 10 tut my PhrooPhy TO practice,
and % account for the different and incorfaent
conduit a opinions the fame perions, upou
the Pr NJ p e eltabIihed by EFT aud earned
men, vi ote works | had Perufed with zeal,
and even ven ration Often however was
PerPlexed frequently, at er all my philofophy,
was left IN the dark, and was at The point Of
embracing Pyrrhonilm, and laying it down as
an undoubted frub, that, there IL no [1eb thing az
truth exiting but that all fleming realities, are
doubtful, del4fve, and uncertain appearances.-
Such Hate OF doubt and uncertainty was
found TO be peculiarly tormenting for the
understanding is 70 formed that it mutt dwell
up things whi-h are really or apparently true
After long revolving lhele ideas, aHd examining
the lubjt q in vaiiou, points Of view, al length
re-adoPtel my 70 mer boyiih opinion. Being
condemned to mix with the vulgar and litter
ate, was determined 10 converle and argue, not
b. ltri9 logical rules, but ~ the cuaoms Of
the age; and 10 conhIer the authors Of the
learned book, | had read either as ignorant of
markind, or As beings Of more refined and ex-
alted natures, Whole works are adapted only to
beings Of their own rank.
Now appeal to you, Mr.. Printer, or u your
iagac'ous readers, whether my conduit is not
commendable Is there any way To account
for the extremely various an ! even contraddo-
~ conduit and fentiments Of the fame individu.
ais Al dlFe emit times, without fuppoing they
have NAM 'nmas ? IF there be, | with fome
Cne would give information how it may be
done.
A very cojf, if not learned, man hath faid,
" OH Of The abundance Of fbe heart, or mind, tbe
mouth lbsaketb." Now if the mind be one
and in1viible," il i plain TO a denomination
that the words and opinions, and likewiie the
conduit will ALTO be uniform and confident !;
but unverfAl experience and obfervation lhews,
the diveriity and nconiaency Of The fame m ms
opinions and actions at different times, and il
different ftuatons consequently .heYe are
many mcn Of many mind, When we hear man,
at one time, fpeakingi in terms of high commen-
daton of the pradice Of virtue, and loudly
exclaiming againR vice il general at another,
fee him engaged in vicious and immoral prac.
tices, and endeavoring BY words and argu-
ments TO vindicste his vile conduGt we mutt
conclude he has at :alt, f4Do minds When we
hear a man extolling the virtues of kindnefs.
charity, and benevolence, and perhaps the next
L. e. III a. -
fpurned from his door with unkind and re-
proachful words, we mutt fuPpofe he has many
minds.-When we hear man, at one time,
cenluring incompetence and excels, and at a.
mother, fee him Keeling with drunkenness, and
fagger;ng along the Greet, IS it not evident he
has many minds when we hear man repre-
handing the profAne fwearer, and at another
time, hear him fanaion every affirmation with