Elizabeth-Town gazette., 1819-01-19

IiEtGuuS dBO pENSAN0
which bound them to society |; aud VINO
are now paying the forfeiture oil their
liolIies and crimes. The iairest portions
Eof the earth are still blotted with misery
and disease, aud the brightest faculties Oh
man are still mingled with Jolly.
Though all that | have now said De
strictly true, yet TO be candid, must
confess, that some few improvements 10
some particular branches Of human knowl
edge, have been brought about. For III
stance, | will allow, that in the little ar
ticle oil dress, small advances have been
made since the time tha. Adam and Eve
covered themselves with fig-leaves. For
il must be apparent to the eyes OF all, that
our modern bucks and bellies have an ap-
parei much more virt;ious than that oil
bare fg.leaf. A long, modest, swinsle
tailed surtout, sweeping with proper de-
corum in the rear OF dignity, is as great
an advance as could we'll be imagined,
that way, towards perfect happiness. The
ladies, too, have risen considerably in the
more GRATED parts OF characteristics, and
made lefty advances towards aa honorable
distinction.
But these are very small items, hardly
worth mentioning by one who takes COM
prehensive view OF mans whole char
acter, and observes it iD every different
light, as have always done. A person
who does this, will perceive that mankind
are just about as bad as ever, and full as
miserable; and little more dishonest,
think, than they were some forty or fifty
years ago, when l was young. Pride
seems to have increased little likewise,
and there are many more drunkards than
formerly, especially among the younger
sort.-Gambling has made most alarming
progress, and SANDER is more common
than it used to be. And the reason of all
this is very plain to me: People are so
very busy 10 reforming the morals of their
neighbours, that they take not the least
notice OF their own. Does an acquaint-
ance or a particular friend commit any
little error,-zounds the whole neigh
6ourhood is in an uproar! The tender
consciencses of even reprobates are alarm
ed, lest morality should suffer. And
they who have privately been guilty of
the same thing thousand times them
selves, are as fierce as blood hounds in
hunting down friend for an accidental
failing, when perhaps his very inexpe-
rience in that business was the cause of his
being found out And this, it is pretended,
is all done for the good of the public
les, morality should suffer. Zounds !!
we're it not that it might be deemed slander
which is thing always abhorred-lI
should have no hesitation in affirming
and maintaining too--even at the risk of
my reputation with the ladies--that this is
all hypocrisy feigned zeal in the cause
|of morality, only assumed to mask seme
monstrous vices. Now ii is evident to
me that this is the plain and simple reason
why the world has never improved any
from all that has been said and written
about virtue. And indeed how can it be
otherwise, when no one attends to his own
failings, but is continually hunting after
his neighbours
For the future, l hope mankind will
preach less to others, and think more of
themselves instead of prosecuting with
such relentless rigour an erring brother,
who perhaps was unwittingly led astray,
let the jealous punisher of crime, look at
bis own deeds If the ardor of his temper
in the case Of wounded morality is NOT
quenched, let him strike-where justice
| dictates.
hope the fair part Of my readers will
not take any offence at what said mo-
ment ago, respecting my high standing in
their favour; and although / talked rather
lightly about risking my reputation with
them, yet am sure, they will have too
much sagacity to believe that was Sc
rious in It. ltwas only figure of speech,
mere flourish of rhetoric Ito render
what followed more emphatic; which
their great good sense must have perceiv
ed. Far be it from me to do any thing
which may put in Jeopardy my strong
claim on their admiration. Although no
one-I speak confidently-is in less dan
ger Of meeting with such catastrophe.
intend very shortly, to devote whole
number entirely to their edification--
which no doubt, will have its effect in
raising me in their esteem.
TALE OF OLD TINES.
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