- 50 — lucubrations of Timothy Hairbrain. Nov. t4. 
stale, and another vocabulary must be invented ad 
captandum vulgos. 
Of all the words, however, that were ever invented, 
_diberty is that which has bore the longest sway, and 
has admitted the widest diversity of acceptations. It 
is a very Proteus of a term, which means every 
thing, or any thing, or what you will. It is believed 
among the superstitious people in this country that 
certain magicians have it in their power to cast 
glamar, as they call it, into the eyes of the specta~ 
tors, by which means they can make the objects they 
choose to present, afsume any appearance they in- 
cline. A feather will thus afsume the appearance of | 
a fine lady; a bundle of straw an emperor; a turnip 
will appear to be a diamond; and a cork an ingot of 
gold. Nothing can resist the power of this charm 
but a four bladed clover ; but he who is pofsefsed of 
this talisman is able to withstand the utmost pow- 
er of the,magician. To such a man a spade appears to 
be a spade, though all world fhould say it is a spear. 
Now I verily believe that the whole of this fable 
has been invented by some fhrewd fellow, as an em- 
blematic illustration of the power of this magical word 
liberty. Liberty, to sober minded men, in all ages, 
means, ‘‘ the power of doing whatever is necefsary for 
promoting our own welfare, without disturbing the 
peace of others #” and under this idea it cannot fail to 
be the object of adoration of all mankind. Before 
this sacred power every knec fhould bow, and to obtain 
-itevery heart fhould beat with ardour. But what are 
the ridiculous objects that have been dignified with 
this glorious name in different ages, and worthipped 
