lypi, ON THE BRIDEWELL ACT. 1 43 



I fee no claufe in the Bridewell A& psnnitting the farnjers 

 to participate in the management of this Bridewell, or its 

 funds. Indeed it is unnecelTary. No profit that ever may 

 thence arife will fall to their fliare. And as this is an age in 

 which is manifefted a fpirit of levelling and reducing to a kind 

 df equality the various diftindtions of fociety, fo, probably from 

 the fame principle, it has been wifely provided in this bufinefs, 

 that as the lairds have taken the burden of contriving it upon 

 themfelves, together with the great burden attending the 

 management or dividing the profits ; fo the tenants have the 

 honour conferred upon them of paying the greater part of the 

 annual expence ; thus reducing the functions of both parties 

 more nearly to a par. i have the honour^ Sir, to remain 



A TENANT. 



County of Edinburgh^ 

 Sept. 20. 1791. 



To the Editor of the Bee, 



SIR, 



To me it has often been matter of wonder, that men of the 

 firft education and genius fhould mark profeffions as the flan- 

 dard of abilities, and treat mechanics and peafants (I mean 

 in opinion) as if their bufinefs formed their intellei^uals. Sta- 

 tion no doubt, and independence, give full force to tlie exertions 

 of the mind, and muft make fuperior one of two, fuppofed to 

 have equal faculties ; but this alone is the difference, and the 

 Criterion to fix upon. I allow cullom has an amazing effcd 

 on all, and Itamps, as it were, the manner which diilingui/hes 

 all profeffions J and from thefe appearances, it would feem phi— 

 lofophcrs draw their conclufions. Thefe obfervations ftarted 

 to my view on reading your Bee, Vol. IV. page 1 7. where 

 your traveller is furprifed at a barber having fo much nvit as 

 to obferve ^/'j judgment to get quit of a long beard. The tra- 

 veller's fanciful defcription may be juftified in the tradsfman lie 

 he met with ; but he forgets that all the nuorld is ajiage, and 

 all the men and women merely players I That a fenfible barber 



