Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-08-16


US an accident that happened to him when
he was a school boy. This worthy knight
being then but STRIPPING, had occasion to
inquire which was the way to st. Anne's
Lane, upon which the person to whom he
spoke, instead of answering the question,
called him young popish cur, and asked
him who had made Anne saint. The boy
being IN some confusion, inquired of the
rc1t ne met, which was the way 20 Annals
Lane but was called prick cared cur for
his pains, and instead of being shown the
way, was told, that she had been saint be-
fore he was born and would be ope after he.
was hanged. Upon this says my friend, l
did not think fit to repeat the former ques-
ton, but going into every lane of the neigh
borhood, asked what they called the name
Of that lane. By which ingenious arti6ce
he found out the place he enquired after,
without giving offence to any party. My
friend generally closes this narrative with
reflections on the mischiefthatp parties do in the
country /; how they spoil good neighborhoods,
and make honest gentlemen hate one another.
There cannot greater judgment befal a
country than such a dreadful spirit of d.
vision as rends government into two dis
tinct people, and makes them greater stran-
gers and more averse to one another, than
if they were actually two different nations.
The effects of such division are pernicious
to the last degree, not only with regard to
those advantages which they give the COM
mon enemy, but to those private evils which
they produce in the heart of almost every
particular person. This in influence is very
fatal both to mems morals and their under
standings it sinks the virtue of nation, and
not only SO, but destroys even common sense.
A furious party spirit, when it RACES in
its full violence exerts itself in civil war
and bloodshed, and when it is under its
greatest restraints, naturally breaks out in
falsehood, detraction, calumny and partial
administration of justice. In word, it fills
nation with spleen and rancor, and extin.
guishes all the seeds of good nature, COM
parison and humanity.
Plutarch says very finely, that mar
should not allow himself to hate even his en-
emies; because, says he, if you indulge
this passion on some occasions, it will rist
of itself in others if you hate your enc
mics you will contract such vicious habi
of mind, as by degrees viii hreal-nut upol
indifferent to you. I might here observ
how admirably this precept Of morality (whicl
dlscerns the malignity of hatred from tn
passion itself, and not from its obiect) an
swers to that great rule which was dictated
to the world about hundred years befor
this philosopher wrote but instead of that
l shall only take notice, with real grief Q
heart, that the minds of many good men a
mong us appear soured with party princi
pies, and alienated from one another, in sue
manner as seems to me altogether incor
sistent with the dictates either of reason g
religion. Zeal for public cause is apt t
breed passions in the hearts of virtuous PEI
sons, to which the regard of their own privat
interests would never have BETRAYED then
If this party spirit has so i'll an effect o
our morals, it has likewise very great on
upon our judgment. We often hear poc
/ lnsipld paper or pamphlet cried up, an
sometimes noble piece deprecated,
those who are of different principle fro
the author. One who is actuated by th
! spirit is almost under an incapacity Of di
, cerning either real blemishes or beauties
? A man of merit in a different principle,
5 like an object seen in two different med
! that appears crooked or broken, howev
! straight and entire it may be in itself. F
r this reason, there is scarce person of al
: figure who does not go by two contrary ch;
r acters as opposite to one another as lig
n and darkness. knowledge and learnt
suffer in a particular manner from the stran
prejudice, which at present prevails among
all ranks and degrees in the nation.
men formerly became eminent in learn
e societies by their parts and acquisitions, th
s. now distinguish themselves BY the warn
n and violence with which they espouse th
RS respective parties. Books are valued W
'e the like considerations; an abusive, scul
W Gus style passes for satire, and a scheme
st party notions is called fire writing.
to There is one piece of sophistry practi
is by both sides, and that is the taking ;
Sc scandalous story, that has been ever wi
an pered or invented Of private man, fc
in known undoubted truth, and raising su
1d BILE speculations upon it. Calumnies
ly have been never proved, or have been o.
10 refuted are the ordinary postulata of IL
Ill infamous scribblers, upon which men proc
6- as upon first principles granted by all n
n though in their hearts they know they
zee false, or at best very doubtful. When t
lr- have laid these foundations of scurrilit,
&C. is no wonder that their superstructure is
or ry way answerable to them IF this sha
ed less practice of the present age endures m
zee longer. praise and reproach will cease t
yes motives Of action in good men.
IN There are certain periods of time in
IN governments when this inhuman spirit
to walls Italy was long torn in pieces by
de- Guelfs and Gibellines, and France by t
OF who were for and against the League,
9th it is very unhappy for a man to be boz
apt such stormy and tempestuous season.
les is the restless ambition of artful men
en-, thus breaks people into factions, and d
ore several well meaning persons to their il
Tres est by spocious concern for their coul
ent How many honest minds are filed with
charitable and barbarous notions, out of
zeal for the public good? What crut
me, and outrages would they not commit ag
like men of an adverse party, whom they v
honor and esteem, If, instead of consid