178 



nected by all Europe for his scientific discoveries and im-. 

 provements. Can he compare the glory of Newton, of 

 Lavoisier, of Franklin, of Adam Smith, Avith the puny satis- 

 faction of an obscure farrier ? 



Even Mr. Hume was of opinion, that all pleasures of the 

 same species were equal; for he says, that all that are happy 

 are equally happy ; and by happiness he certainly understood 

 pleasure. He pretends that " a little miss with a new gown 

 «' at a dancing school ball, receives as great enjoyment as a 

 " general at the head of a victorious army, or the greatest 

 " orator who triumphs in the splendor of his eloquence, 

 " while he governs the passions and resolutions of a nume- 

 " rous assembly.*"— This Doctor Johnson denied, adding, 

 that " a peasant and a philosopher may be equally satisfied^ 

 " but not equally happy. Happiness consists in the multi- 

 " plicity of agreeable consciousness. A peasant has not the 

 " capacity of having equal happiness with a phlosopher." 

 And Boswell adds, " I remember this question very happily 

 " illustrated by Mr. Robert Brown at Utrecht; — a small 

 " drinking glass, said he, may be equally full, but a large 

 " one holds more than the small."f- 



The equality of pleasures is also deemed certain by the in- 

 genious author of principles of moral philosophy : " There is," 



(says 



• Essays, 4to, p. 102. f Life of Johnson, -vol. 1. p. 428. 



