416 LETTER TO 



should have been exhibited by men, many, per- 

 haps all, of whom discharge with propriety the 

 duties of their private stations in society, is 

 one of those facts relative to the human cha- 

 racter, which, however difficult to be explained, 

 are still unquestionably true. There is a certain 

 gallantry in doing a wrong thing for the sake 

 of another, which in some degree lessens the 

 deformity of the action. The odiousness of 

 such an action is still further diminished, should 

 it tend to the benefit of many. If it promises 

 to promote the interests or happiness of a whole 

 nation, its name, if not its nature, is often 

 changed ; and what in private life would have 

 been denominated vicious, may now be re- 

 garded not only as pardonable, but even as me- 

 ritorious. Besides-, the members of corpora- 

 tions commonly imagine, that they have a right 

 to do every thing which has been done by their 

 predecessors, notwithstanding the circumstances 

 may have long ceased to exist, under which 

 their ancient rules were established. Again ; 

 the actions of most persons, when they are not 

 under the dread of general laws, seem to be 

 chiefly regulated by the praise and blame of 

 those by whom they are immediately sur- 

 rounded. The peasantry upon our coasts, who 

 in the ordinary situations of life do not appear 



