Part 44 (1/2)

'Who are they?'

'Enquire for the father at St Stephen's; and for the mother at Westminster-hall I assure you they are both enraptured at their own offspring The old lady sits in state, and daily praises her babes with the rave a face that it is i, when you hear her She is so serious, so sole she utters is oracular, and so irascible if she does but sothe beauty and perfection of her brats, that there is no scene in the world which tickles e during her eulogiu approbation; or the contortions of her physiognomy, when any cross incident happens to impede the torrent of her fondness With all due respect to her hable old lady'

'You have a turn for ridicule: but I confess, if I thought your picture were true, I do not believe my sensations would be so pleasant as yours appear to be'

'And why, in the nah at the mistakes and miseries of mankind?'

'For a very simple reason: because it is the only way that can render them endurable None but a fool would cry at what cannot be corrected'

The colloquy betweento me, and left me to pause and ruminate This picture, said I, is satirical I own: but surely it is unjust Blackstone, beyond all doubt, understood the science profoundly; and his account of it is very different indeed

I turned back to the passage I have quoted

'It distinguishes the criterions of right and wrong; teaches us to establish the one and prevent punish or redress the other; employs in its theory the noblest faculties of the soul, and exerts in its practice the cardinal virtues of the heart: it is universal in its use and extent, is accommodated to each individual, and yet comprehends the whole co, how sublis of an old wo laughter, itsilent, I was impelled to address myself to Trottman 'I wonder, sir,' said I, 'that you should be such an enemy to law'

'I an eneood reason: I find it a very certain source of ease and affluence even to the e on; and of riches, honours, and hereditary fame, to men of but very moderate talents

I may surely expect to come in for my share; and therefore should be a rank fool indeed were I its ene fanatics Let them dream, and rave, and write: while I mind my own affairs, takepresent establishments, and look doith contempt on the puppies who prate philosophy, and bawl for reforhts had taken, I suspected that he had divined this froht have dropped, and that his attack was personal: I therefore eagerly replied--'Your language, sir, is unqualified'

'Iyour pardon I never quarrel about what I have heard certain poentlemen call principles'

'Then all those persons, who differ in opinion froentlemen?'

'Oh dear, no, sir! Only all those that are absent The co to the received rule, is excepted'

There was so impudently humble and satirical in his look, while he uttered this: yet so contrived as to ry blockhead, who should take offence at it; and I certainly was not inclined to quarrel with my new comrades, the first day of our acquaintance

Beside, Trottnificant man, in appearance; pot-bellied, of a swarthy co, and ure, as well as his turn of mind, must have made it ridiculous to have quarrelled with him I therefore waited for some more fortunate opportunity, to repay hi to be vanquished by wit, and satire, as by force of argue, whose te mind, said, 'You do not know my friend Trottman yet, Mr Trevor He cares but little who has the hter'

'Life is a journey,' added Trottman; 'and, if I can travel on terra fir landscape, let those that please put to sea in a butcher's tray, and sail in quest of foul weather'

'Yes, sir, but the search of ease is the loss of happiness; and to fly froer is the likeliest way to uide'

'And who is this guide to safety?'

'It is, what you appear to hold in conte the blind Conjure up one phantoiously we improve!'

'From what you have said, I am not surprised that you should consider principle as a phantom But you only quarrel with the word: for, as principle canmore than a rule of action, deduced fro our present conduct, you, certainly, like other men, act from principle It is a ers out of the fire'