1826. Philosophy teaching by Examples. 377. 
ogan-place’ to ' Ratcliffe-highway,—the “ Memoirs! of’ Harriet 
Wilson.” It makes me strange even to the very disposition that I owe,” 
to’observe how egregiously the best judges have erred concerning ‘the: 
stope afid’tendency of this work. One calls out “scandalum magnatumi;”) 
another vociferates “indecent exposure ;” a third cries “ abominable ex») 
tortion’; "a fourth chuckles over the gibetting of his friends:'a fifthis’ 
tétrified lest‘ himself shuld become the hero of the tale ; but no'one’ 
- dréams/ of viewing the’ production in its true light, as a compendioas 
treatise of morals, illustrating by practical instances,’ love and: life, dex; 
monstrating the superior morality of mofal England, discoverving the pit=: 
falls-which beset ‘a life of pleasure, and proving that “ the gods are just, 
and ofour pleasant vices make instruments to scourge us.” Such a work is 
to’the science of morals, what dissections of living animals are to phy-* 
siology—painful enough to the victims, but admirably profitable to 
those who know how to make use of them. Methinks I hear the frail 
but philosophic teacher exclaiming, with Terentian elegance— 
Id vero quod ego puto mihi pulmarium 
Me reperisse quomodo adolescentulus 
Meretricum injuria et mores possit noscere 
Maturé ut cum cognovit perpetuo oderit. 
i 
Andas “ nothing under nobility approaches mistress Kitty,” and it is 
not every man’s lot to go to Corinth, the utility of such instructions 
cannot be too highly rated, nor the number of cheap editions too exten- 
sively multiplied. Another important lesson which this great moralist 
teaches is addressed to the spiritual pride of the upper classes of 
society ; who because, for some reason or other, they are not often’ 
hanged or transported, are but too apt to rail against the immorality ‘of 
the common people, to legislate away their innocent amusements, and’ 
lean with severity upon their frailties. This is a crying sin;' and most’ 
fortunate is it that we possess so faithful amonitor,—a mirror so true;—a’ 
remedy so fitted to purge away the dangerous conceit. If “ vice to be 
hated need but to be seen,” the vices of the aristocracy are in thé work 
in question held up to their contemplation, not only without’ ‘clothes,’ 
but without a skin. Mrs. Pilkington, the wife of that Rev. Mr. Pil- 
kington who figures in Swift's correspondence, was the first, I believe,’ 
who hit off the mode of raising a “ Paphian rent,” and at the same 
time “ victorgue virum volitare per ora,” by threatening to show up her’ 
old friends and connexions, and letting them off for a douceur,’ or 
ning her portraits when the originals came down handsomely. And’ 
“may be considered as the founder of the new school of morals. 
Georgiana Anne Bellamy and Mrs. Baddeley followed in the same ‘track, 
= other writers of less celebrity have succeeded, without’ a le 
re Song great original, until Miss Wilson came, and carried the school 
once to perfection. The genius of the happiest inventions have often’ 
. remained exposed for years to human contemplation, without any oné hav- 
ing possessed wit enough to discover their capabilities, and to turn them 
ccount. It will not escape the penetration of the reader, that the gem 
of these practical codes of morals existed for centuries in the last dying 
s of criminals, who have passed out of this life by the debtor's 
of Newgate ; ‘nor will they fail to be struck at the vast inferiority 
prima intenzione to the completed work. © et 
“Among the teachers of this school may be reckoned a long list of 
M.M. New Series.—Vou.II. No,10. 3C 
, - 
