Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-07-20

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sible quaker genflcmdh---from doctor
Manly, his kind and attentive physici-
an, and from his nurs I woman of
intelligence and piety! Well said |!
humanity and pietyi Most humane
doctor most pious nurse benevolent
and chaste historian, that haunts the
living to reyiie the dead; that keeps.
his ravenous eye upon his prey and
follows him just as the shark docs the
distempered vessel, to feed upon the
caTcase that leagues with honest doc
tors and pious nurses, whose, babLline
gossip he ve1chcs fer the .trath of his
most christian, history; doctors and
oioas, nurses who betray tie wresched
secrets of human fraiity and dissoly..
ing nature. to this evangelical rhistori-
an, who gloats with pleasure at the DR.
curious details, and gives them 10 the
world as the generous dedications Of
apostolic zeal, that hbors in the vines
yard of the Faith to save poor sinners,.
souls Oh, vile. hypocricy oh, gross
imposture. And viii you, honorable
citizens; he guided by this will
you believe it possible that this man
has no malice! To my imagination
his own story presents the image of
SOME nasty vermin, that engenders in
the morbid parts of some decaying
body the creature of corruption the
precursor OF lifes dissolution who.
like worm or maggot, begins but
where life ends, and battens in the bow
els OF disease. ~
Gentlemen,
I do not speak at random. This
history is now in evidence, and every
line of it is now before you. never
read it. but my eye has caught some
passages that warrant neto say, the au-
thor was malicious * unfair, & that he
neither could nor did believe the truth
of what he wrote, nor in the honesty
of those from whom he got it. No;
fbut he went about, like those that buy
Old rags and broken glass, and sought
for nothing sound, or whole or cieaalv.
For instance, he went to the house Of
Mr.. Hits, Il have marked the page
down. for your inspection,) and Mr..
Hits being two honorable to hold such
fvile communion, or furnish this II
boiler of the living and the dead, with
any vicious oaluihny against the man
his roof had once protected, or violate
the faith Of hospitality, he sets him
forth In history as concealer Of all
Heavenly truths, and travels round to
gather scandalous gossip from angry
enemies, from disappointed claimants,
soured expectants, from adverse liti-
giants, from pious nurses and chagrin-
cd doctors, whose bills and charges
were disputed and then returns with
his dirty budget, not like the bee that
sucks sweet honey from the fragrant
flowers, bat like a wasp, whose only
industry is in his sting, or like ser.
pent, who leaves the wholesome food,
that nature spreads, to feed his venom
Gus NAV with what is rank.
He knew Tom Paine to be the au-
thor of the Age of Reason, yet in his
book he's states himself to be the very
man who took upon himself the friend
ly and familiar Office on his return
from France, to take a lodging for him.
In the very preface of his history, you
may read this. He sat at table with
him, whilst he ate beef steaks, drank
beer & looked so ugly. Thus he con-
tinued his acquaintance with him
with Vdrious views" He was his
eulogist and commemorator that is
notorious. And on this trial he seems
to have no friends to vouch for him,
but all the worst Of Paiue's. What
could his counsel mean, who opened
with this proverb. "'Tell me your
company & I'll tell you who you are 20
You see how truth will pierce through
brazen walls. In his history he gives
some OF Paine's writings which the
public eye had never seen before, so
profitable is his industry!
Gentlemen,
never saw Tom Paine but twice or
thrice. The first time WIS in Paris,
when he seemed to me the type oil
fallen manhood----a melancholy ruin.
His habits then, not suiting well with
mine, left him to himself. ha d no
various views" I never CONNIE.
morated him Ii, inp. nor lihelled him