439 
after a perfon who has a perfed knowledge 
of farming, as if all our farmers were new 
philofophers, and the refult of the labours 
of all the agricultural focieties in the 
world, was to be picked up by 2 refer- 
ence to ‘* X.Y, at a hair-dreffer’s in the 
Strand,” or by perfonal application toa 
Regifter Office, and paying a failling | 
But ftill you may fay, all this proves 
nothing ; it only intimates tbat there are 
fome people who advertile for perfeét cha- 
racters, but is does not prove that they 
have fourd them. ‘Thefe advertifers may 
themfelves be zew philofphers, who with 
to perfuade the public in this way that 
“<< fach things are.’’°—Here are only wifhes, 
but where are the gratificatiots ? Here are 
fplendid and fine-iounding hopes held out 
to a cajoled public, but where is the rea- 
lity? where the enjoyment? - 
ObjeRions like thele, Mr. Editor, would 
I grant, be fatal to my argument, if I 
were not provided with the means of over- 
throwing them. In faét, they affect only 
half my argument, which was to prove 
that there are many perfons who, although 
profefled enemies to perfection, are tor 
ever expecting, looking for, and adver- 
tifing for it. But the latter part is to 
prove that they actually do, or may ob- 
tain their wifhes, becaufe the perfec cha- 
vaGters themielves ftep forwards, and an- 
nounce the completion of perteétibility 
with firmne!s, and as much modeity as can 
be fuppofed to exift im a ftate of perfection. 
¥n a paper now before me, a lady affures 
us that the is perfec? miffref/s of Engliih, 
French, Italian, mufic, and needlework. 
Now, Sir, I humbly prefume that this is 
a ftate of perfection which has hitherto 
beffted the endeavours of all our learivd 
academies, both at home and abroad, 
aided and affifted by vaft troops of lexicons, 
dictionaries, grammars, &c. &c. &e. 
Yer all this has been accomplifhed, as you 
will find, by addreffing a note to *¢ Mrs. 
A.B. at the green-grocer’s, corner of the 
ftreet,”’ who informs you that for all this 
perfection ¢¢ falary is no object.” 
Permit me to remark here, by the way, 
that it is a great miftake in ws philofophers 
¢o fuppole, that we can keep all our im- 
provements and difcoveries to ourfelves, 
er that we can publith them in fuch high- 
toned language that the vulgar fhall not be 
able to comprehend them, and confe- 
quently, that perfection, wherever it is 
attained, is to be obtained only by the 
great andthenoble. Iknow not what can 
poffefs us with a notion {fo contrary to 
fact and experience. Can you find in the 
metropolis a tavern-keeper who does not 
On Perfection. 
[ Dee. '¥, 
aflure the public that he is capable of giv- 
ing perfec fatisfaction to all his cuftomers ? 
Can you enter into the thop of a tradef- 
man whofe goods are not per/e4, and who 
does not treat you with the moft perfe 
politenefs? The truth is, Sir, that fo far 
are people in general from being enemies 
to perfection (whatever they may profefs) 
Ido maintain that their faftidioufnefs in 
this refpeét has {pread among usa quan- 
tity of perfeétion which pervades all ranks 
of life. Your wits ftrive at perfeétion as 
much as any body, although perhaps it 
would be hard times for thofle of the dra- 
ma, if the public bad not in their ftudy of 
perfectibility, acquired the art of being 
perfe&ly good-humoured. Obferve, like- 
wife, how this, I muft fay, unreafonable 
luft after perfection, bears upon public 
men and meafures. You expect a miniffer 
of fate to be perfe&tly acquainted with war 
and finance. You fend out geaerals, and 
you expect them to be perfect. You pop 
into achurch, and you come out with dif- 
guilt, becaufe the clergyman has fome 
fmail remains of human frailty, which does 
not fuit your nice tafie; and you mur-. 
mur even under the Gothic roof of Weft- 
minfter Hall, becaufe you do not find that 
all lawyers are perfett; nay the very law 
itfelf is expofed to this rage for perfec- 
tion. 
As to domeftic affairs, I have already 
touched upon the general wifh for perfect 
fervants. Small as their wages are, and 
fervile their condition, you expect that 
every thing fhall be perfect they attempt, 
from the making of a pudding, to the 
fcouring of a ftair cafe. Here, indeed, 
the public have been gratified. If we 
may believe the newfpapers and the regi- 
fier-offices, fervants in general have at- 
tained all the perfection which new or old 
philofophers could wifh, particularly per- 
fest fobriety, perfect cleanlinefs, and what 
is above all, and isthe grand climax of per- 
fectibility, perfec? hone/iy. 
Thus tar, I flatter myfelf, I have 
proved how unjuftly our new philofophers 
have been blamed for introducing ianovae 
tions in doétrine, fince what they profefs 
toteach, has long entered into cur prac- 
tice, and is'a prime obje& with every man, 
whether belonging to the old er new 
{chool, who wifhes to live comfortably, 
and have things in perfeftion. But this is 
not all. If I mittake not, we have ex- 
tended the boundaries of perfe&tion. Ido 
not with to confufe the fubjec&t by meta- 
phyfieal diftinStions, yet from what I am 
about to advance, I fubmit to you, whe- 
ther we have not attained two kinds. of per. 
fc Sion ? 
