4 
wots. “a on Khunderproof’s fray. 209 
_ plause ; (read, Shakespeare’ s Coriolanus; which 
exhibits as faithful a picture as ever was drawn of 
the: talents required for attaining popular favour.) 
In vain do men of sense discover the fallacy of the 
arguments of. the favourite of the day, and expose 
the duplicity of his conduct. The people, whilst the 
fascination lasts, attribute these efforts to sinister 
motives, and he is idolized the more. Why, I prays 
ys Ee, so many individuals displeased at. Mr Thunder- 
proot’s writings, but that they think they have an 
indirect tendency, to sap the foundations of the popu- 
larity of their present favourite 2 
_ It is the fafhion at present to think that in mat- 
‘ters of government the voice of the people must be 
anfallibly right. But are not the people equally ca- 
able of judging aright -in other matters as in that of 
government ? Is the popularity of a quack doctor al- 
ways strictly proportioned to his knowledge in the 
aedical art? Are those preachers who are most dis- 
/ 
‘tinguifhed for their knowledge, the greatest favourites 
of the people? Was it not the-wnerring voice of the 
,people that conferred unlimited power upon the pon- 
tiff of Rome for so many ages? Fy upon it! Can 
men who think, can men who read, can men who 
reason, for one moment act with so little consistency 
as to afsert that the multitude ever can be goveried 
by reason? It has ever been with them Hosanna or 
crucify, merely as the whim struck them at the mo- 
ment*. Yet think not, my good Sir, that though I 
5 a 
J 
\ * Nothing is so generally detested a5 favewritism in regil goverr~ — 
+ Meats, and justly; but a popular gover'unent is one uninterrupted sys~ 
“tem of favouritism. The creatuseof the day, though too often destitute 
of virtue, or any amiable quality, is perpetually idolized asa Mod; and 
VOR, 1x. DD 
