Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-06-19
PROFESSIONS AND PRACTICE.

and in all countries cast thick shade OF
disrepute over the vauutings OF philan-
throphts. the pretensions Of trading po-
!iticians, and he professions OF hot pa
triots. All observers Of penetration and
knowledge have regarded them as too
false and hollow to be relied upon with
safety, and as little better than what
Shakespeare calls springs to catch GOOD
cocks" So continually have they been
detected too, that one might reasonably
suppose, it facts did not contradict the
supposi,ion, that the long-bi'!ed tribe it.
self, albeit little noted by naturalists tor
acuteness Of discerumsnt, must long since
aave been scared away, and that the very
snipes and woodcocks Of the human race
would he ashamed to be cajaled by traps
so clumsy, and bats SO nauseous' SO dis
gnsiing, 50 repu!sise.
As may reasonably be expected when
any particular plan has its Foundation
laid in falsehoad, so it fares with those
pretenders: their conduct though on sta.
ted emergencies which demand studious
attention they make their external ac-
lions square, for the short moncnt OF ell
fort, with their professions) is sure, the
moment they wander from their guard,
and resign themselves to the guidance OF
their own real dispositions, to be at vari-
anse with the fiction on which they build
their system Of impo,ture, aud they are
found to give up every virtue Of which
they make profession, to the correction OF
worldly prudence, and to the control Of
self and all its interests and apPetites-
aye even to its very fancies, however
worthless or capricisus thus their cen.
duct, compared with their publ Profes.
sions, becomes such har,equin's Jacket
Of III assorted patchwork, that it is as.o-
nishing how intelligent beings can be so
b,wildsred with mental fog, as TO believe
any thing sincere can Turk usder such a
motley garb of tawdry inconsistency.
This sort Of public cajolers is fosnd
busting about every where-but more
particularly where any Office that depends
upon popular favor soiicits pursuit Eve
~ new within or caprice Of the people is
adopted by them with apparent frantic
enthusiasm. The zeal Of an old eligion-
ist in behalf Of an exploded faith, or Of
q recent dissen,er for some new tangled
doctrine, cannot be mere seemingly ear.
nest than one Of these qGcious tribe TOR
the success Of the thing he espouscs; and
il il can only be tortured into the posi-
bility Of an advantage to the country, oh!
be is ready to die for it, and to trample
down as an eneRy to the country every
one who has sagacity enoughto doubt the
value u the new object Of fdslatry, and
honesty enough to ayow it.
One of the principal causes why those
gascouading professions vary so essen.
tally IRON the practice Of them, is, that
from their very nature, these professions
are general-whereas the practice is par.
ticuIar. The one being every body's bu.
sines and therefore nobody's business,
is never done; while the other being the
business Of bat one, and that the dearest
and most beloved Of all others, SELF, is
taken all possible care Ct. A small eff
fort, made 10 very short pace Of time,
serves to "give out such a. seeming a.
will seal the pablo eve, up close as oak :"
that done, the redoubtanle patriot turns
round upon his heel, aud with the blaze
Of patriotism still reflected, quite real,
upon his back, goes of IN pursuit OF game
mo e suited to his personal interest, with
out moulti:g one feather Of lis sincerity.
This is the trick of every day, is every
day detected. and lob, poor human ma
tureI is every day successful. Let US
suppose that home manufactures is the
cry. One Of. those gentlemen who choo-
ses to be distinguished as brawling pa
trioS, buys him Coat Of cloth made on
this side Of the Atlantic-ior fear it
should be mistaken, gets it as coarse AMI
Is ill-dyed o. pcssibe-goes to a public