LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
331 
associations which operate on the mind in proportion to its 
strength or weakness, from which often result those stubborn 
prejudices to which every man is more or less a slave, and by 
which the character of the individual is essentially distinguished. 
By virtue of this principle, it was not to be wondered at, that 
some of the associates of the cabin had imbibed certain prejudices 
against the musk ox beef, which rendered it a matter of indifference 
to them whether it were burnt to a cinder in the oven, or given 
to the Esquimaux by mistake for a haunch of seal. They 
could not refrain associating the fore-quarter with the part that 
had been previously set before them, and therefore they had in 
their own minds pre-determined not to eat a morsel of it. All 
pre-determinations are however founded on false principles, and 
never was a more able or beautiful illustration of that position 
exhibited, than in the case of Yorick and the Monk, when the 
former, before seeing the holy mendicant, had imbibed so strong 
a prejudice against him, that he determined in his own mind, 
1 not to give him a single sous.” 
The dinner hour arrived, and the long expected joint appeared 
on the table : it is a habit peculiar to the human character, to 
form to itself the image of any particular object or individual, 
whom report has elevated, and the notion which is then formed 
has seldom or ever any resemblance to the reality. With a 
warrior we generally fancy something to be associated that is 
great, noble, and commanding, but history informs us that some 
of the greatest generals, have in their appearance been insignifi¬ 
cant and diminutive. When we hear a beautiful woman spoken 
of, we create in our own minds a certain ideal, which on coming 
to a view of the object, we find to be decidedly false. Some 
of the Asiatics to the present day, when they hear the East 
India Company spoken of, fancy to themselves a very old woman, 
and frequently inquire how old the good lady may be; and 
we will venture to predict, that there is not an individual who 
has formed to himself a picture of the visage and outward form 
of Capt. Ross, but will find, on meeting with him, that his fancy 
has created something which has no relation with the truth, 
