376 Philosophy teaching by Examples. [Ocz. 
brow! | When a physician wishes to know the properties of anew, drug,) 
he immediately gives it to a dog—unless indeed some, human animal’ 
of smaller pecuniary value is at hand, to be made the subjectof:the; 
experiment. When the Congreve rocket is required, to do the, work, of., 
death with more accuracy and despatch, the ingenious inventor, sets) to, 
work his artificers in the elaboratory at Woolwich: but when the human; 
heart or head are the subjects of inquiry, instead of applying at once to; 
“ the parties concerned,” men still fly to their folios of theology,,and, 
preach upon the matter till they are perplexed in a labyrinth) of; 
no-meanings,—to the great loss of rest of the country gentlemen in Par-), 
liament, and to the horror of the over-worked newspaper-reporters, | 
Let any speculative man but sum up the vast and varied savings which, 
would accrue from the overthrow of the imposing but useless scaffoldage of 
“ifs” and “ands,” and “ therefores” and “ thoughs,” which at pre-, 
sent govern the speeches and actions of public personages, and he will 
rejoice with me in learning that a new light is breaking upon mankind, 
that a new school of philosophy is springing up, which, to use an 
expressive Irishism, will zzsense men respecting their own nature, and 
lay bare the realities of life with a cynical veracity, that leaves nothing 
to be desired. Well indeed have our nursery sages decided, that 
“ Tf * ifs’ and ‘ ands’ 
Were pots and pans, 
We should have no need of tinkers.” 
—This short sentence may be taken as a summary and judicious. cri- 
ticism on all the books of moral philosophy that ever were written, 
which are indeed but so many elaborate treatises, on catching birds by. 
putting salt on their tails. Why it should haye been said that experience; 
is the wisdom of fools (experientia stultorum magistra) I never could under-, 
stand. Certain it is that fools are the only persons who never profit. by its 
while the wisest allow that the purchase of one ounce of « London. parti- 
cular” experience, is worth a pound of the very best advice that ever 
was brewed by a tutor or a father. It is on this account, and with a, 
view to the dissemination .of juster and more fructiferous notions. of 
morality, that some of the best and most loyal men that England 
ever knew have set on foot a plan for substituting Sunday papers for 
sermons, and for superseding the dry musty didactic pages of Tillotson 
and Taylor, by those fascinating displays of the practical workings of the 
passions, which enliven the pages of the “* John Bull” andthe « Age.” 
- Certain individuals who take a pleasure in “railing against the Lord’s 
anointed,” and demonstrating that whatever is, is wrong, have imagined 
that the style and matter of these publications but ill accord with the 
professions of religion and morality, which form so prominent a part of 
the true Tory creed. These short-sighted critics overlook the deep and. 
recondite meaning, to run their heads against what half an eye might 
enable them to avoid. What they mistake for illiberal libel, or vulgar 
abuse, is indeed nothing else than “ philosophy teaching by examples,” — ) 
than a running commentary upen the Whole Duty of “Man, illustrating 
what he ought to be, by the contrast. of a perpetual example of. what.he. 
is. Another splendid instance of this cynical, but impressive mode. of. 
tuition, is to be found in that wonderful production which. forms’a part, 
of the private libraries of all persons—of ‘fashion .and of. no.fashion, 
alike—the zocturna versata manuversata diurna” of. every baudark, from 
bis wo, Be 
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