54 



deeply into any, but those connected with his 

 own profession. His erudition and eminence 

 as a surgeon and anatomist, have necessarily 

 confined his researches in ancient history, in 

 the science of legislation, and, above all, in the 

 study of natural and revealed Theology. 



Under these circumstances, Gentlemen, you 

 should listen to him with very different degrees 

 of respect, when he is discoursing on his own 

 profession, and when he is interfering with the 

 professions of others. Thus when he smiles 

 " at those satisfactory tests of personal merit, 

 cc the stars and ribbons and orders, of which 

 " civilized men are so justly proud," we may 

 pardon him his ignorance of the nature and 

 constitution of society, on account of his ex- 

 cellence and acquirements as a professor of 

 surgery; but we are not obliged to acquiesce in 

 such Utopian and impracticable speculations. 

 Your natural good sense will inform you, that 

 some distinctions of this kind are necessary in 

 every polished community. Nor are you bound 

 to follow him in his preference of the Ante- 

 rican to the English government, nor to de- 

 cide in favor of a constitution which has not 

 lasted half a century, against one which has 

 survived the shocks of ages, and raised a little 

 island to be the mistress and admiration of the 

 world. 



Above all, let me caution you against those 

 sceptical opinions and infidel prejudices, which, 

 I lament to observe, are so frequently blended 



