292 SALMONIA. 



bitter or sour; and scepticism and discon- 

 tent — sicknesses of the mind — are often 

 the results of devouring it. 



Hal. — Surely you cannot have a more re- 

 ligious, more moral, or more improved popu- 

 lation than that of Scotland ? 



PoiET. — Precisely so. In Scotland, edu- 

 cation is not forced upon the people — it is 

 sought for, and it is connected with their 

 forms of faith, acquired in the bosoms of their 

 families, and generally pursued with a distinct 

 object of prudence or interest: nor is that 

 kind of education wanting in this country. 



Phys. — Where a book is rarely seen, a 

 newspaper never. 



PoiET. — Pardon me, — there is not a cot- 

 tage without a prayer-book; and I am not 

 sorry that these innocent and happy men are 

 not made active and tumultuous subjects 

 of King Press, whom I consider as the 

 most capricious, depraved, and unprincipled 

 tyrant, that ever existed in England. De- 

 praved — for it is to be bought by great 

 w ealth ; capricious — because it sometimes 

 follows, and sometimes forms, the voice of 

 the lowest mob; and unprincipled — because, 



