1791. LITEI^ARY IN.TELLIGENCER. 2^5 



ing. To the ideas we have picked up in early life, 

 how apt are we to chei-ifh a fond affection ? Wlien thefe 

 chance to be founded on truth, the prejudice in their 

 favour becomes ufef'.d, but if on error, extremely pe}-- 

 jiicious. £)ften in both, cafes however, they are more 

 the efFeft oi feeling and education, than the refult of 07tr 

 own inquiry and invcfagation. Hence people often ve- 

 nerate what they do not fufhciently know, and make a 

 great ado, about what they are unable to give a reafon for. 

 To hear the truth of their principles called in queilion, 

 llartles and alloniUies them ; and as they are not aware of 

 objeftions, they will often admit none. They are hot and 

 impatient under contradiction, and often uncharitable in 

 tlieir treatment. Thus it is that undue prejudice nar- 

 rows and contrafts the mind, that it Hops the progrefs 

 of truth and virtue in the world, and cherilhes hatred 

 and malevolence among mankind. A man devoid of it, 

 and polleffedof true liberality of mind, who regards truth 

 above every other confideration, fets to work in order to 

 find it outybr him/elf, perfe6ily regardlefs where it maj 

 be found, whether among the many or the /ew, or 

 where it may lead him, providing he difcover it. This 

 is buying the truth ; and after he has thus bought it, 

 he will not fell it, nor make any mean compliances 

 with the world inconliftent thei'ewith. He knows that 

 from various coniiderations, mankind ot?-;^/? differ in opi- 

 nion: this teaches him candour and modefty, well know- 

 ing that truth exilts ; and that in however varied ihapes 

 it may appear in the world, it \w'\\\ finally prevail and 

 exhibit its own native lull re. 



Precipitance of judgm.ent, is unfavourable to the in- 

 terefts of truth. When a man is impatient in his in- 

 quiries ; when he will not be at pains to procure the 

 requitite information ; when he will not coolly and de- 

 liberately weigh and digell arguments ; when he infers 

 general conclufions from particular cafes ; when he al- 

 lows his mind to dwell too much on one fide of an ar- 

 gument, to the negle£l of every other confideration 



