5«g JAMAICA. 



through the country, and the many hundred viftims which he facri- 

 ficed every year, there arlfes a very ftrong evidence of the falubrity of 

 the climate, which of itfelf is pregnant with but few endemial difeafes ; 

 and thefe are pretty well underltood by phyficians of any tolerable 

 education and experience; fo that, had it not been for the activity of 

 Mr. Apozem, the proportion of fuch as might have owed their exit 

 liirly and truly to the climate, during the time he flourifhed here, 

 would have been too infignificant to caufe the fmalleft furprizc. 



Mrs. Apozem (for our hero thought meet to take unto him a wife, 

 m hopes of making fome reparation to fociety for the thoufands he had 

 fent out of the world) was a religious, good fort of a woman, and 

 would very often give him wholeiome admonition. " I would ad- 

 " vlfe you, my dear Mr. Apozem, faid fhe, to turn from your evil 

 *■* ways, a«d honeflly confefs your ignorance, by refufing to prefcribe 

 •*- for diforders, to which you know you are as much a ftranger as 

 "• niyfelf. Surely this would be more humane in you, than to go on 

 " at this rate, wilfully and confcioufly adminiftering your flops to the 

 ♦' deftrudion of your fellow creatures. Ignorance is never criminal, 

 '*■ except when it doesmifchiefj and then, if it is unchecked, God only 

 ** knows where it will flop. It is true, you think to fupprefs your 

 " qualms of confcience by alledging, that you do not difpenfe your 

 ** fluff with a downright direft intention to wound or kill ; but, if the 

 ** efTeiifl is generally hurtful, what does your intention lignify in the 

 " fight of God? If you was to ftand in the middle of a crowd with a 

 " leaded gun in your hand, and difcharge it with your eyes fhut, 

 " \YOuId this acquit you of the damage that enfued; you might fay, 

 " I took no aim, I politively did not fire at any particular perfon, and 

 *' tiierefore did not intend to kill the poor man who happened to be 

 '< ftruck with the ball: but, I am afraid, thisexcufe would not fatisfy 

 *< a jury, they would moft undoubtedly call it murder, and, after all 

 " the logic of your diftinftion, you certainly, my dtar, would be 

 " hanged, v/hich heaven forbid! for in fliort, although you did not 

 " pofitlvely intend to kill Dick or Tom, yet you confcioufly did ati 

 " aft, which, your own mind muft have fuggefted, wa&^not perfedlly 

 " innocent, confidering the fatal effefl it would in all human probabi- 

 ** lity cccafion." Mr. Apozem ufed to hear thefe harangues pretty | 

 frequently, andfometimes he would even promife amendment j but fo 

 4 flinty 



