LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 33 



genius, or a dunce ; a martyr for religion, or a mur- 

 derer for pelf. The physical .is the father of the 

 moral man ; and it is quite true, " Qitbd animi 

 mores temperamenta sequantur" : and no less true is 

 it, that " Philosophy has been in the wrong, not to 

 descend more deeply into physical man : I here it is 

 that the moral man lies concealed: the outward 

 man is only the shell of the man within."'' To alter 

 a man's moral character, you need only alter his 

 physical condition. Take the brave and hardy 

 mountaineer from his hills lap him in luxury let 

 him be fed on dainties, and couched on down let 

 his lullaby be sounded by the " soft breathing of 

 the lascivious lute," instead of the wild music of 

 the whistling wind you will soon reduce him, first 

 physically, and then morally, to the rotund but 

 helpless condition of the turtle-fed, yet imbecile, 

 alderman. In a few years, replace him on his 

 mountain-top set him beside his former compa- 

 nions shew him the aggressor against his rights, 

 the oppressor of his race bid him meet and repel 

 the common enemy. Behold ! his courage has 

 fled ; the love of liberty and independence is dead 

 within him ; the spirit of freedom sleeps ; he trem- 

 bles, and yields, preferring the indolence of slavery 

 to the toil necessary to preserve him free. It may 

 c 3 



