g16 
able to effet, as far as human infirmity 
will permit, with the utmoft candour, 
with all due deference to thofe who may 
differ from me, and without any. of that 
authoritativenefs, pctulance, and pofitive 
affertion which are fo frequent in polemi- 
cal writings; and I hope without any 
fpark or atom of ‘‘ hatred, malice, and all 
uncharitablenefs.”> — 
Suppofing, then, that Pizarro is to be 
the object of attention to all fucceeding 
ages, it does not appear to me, after due 
eonfideration of the matter, that it will 
Jead to any very important difcoveries in 
the philofophy of chemifiry. I really do 
_ not fee how the much-contefted points re- 
fpecting the produétion of gas can be ad- 
jufted, even if Mr. Sheridan had done 
more juftice to his author. Nor can I 
conceive that our advancement in the eal- 
zag art will be greatly. promoted by 
placing Pizarro at the head of the college, 
tor although the firft four aéts are very 
fittle altered by Mr. Sheridan, who, it 
muft be confeffed, was exceedingly {paring 
of his trouble, yet they throw no light 
on the doétrine of fever; and although 
Cora is made in the fifth to fing a bravura 
fong, it will not determine the rifing con- 
rover{y on the cow-pfox, nor decide whe- 
ther the gouf be always a hereditary dif- 
eafe. If we pafs on to other branches of 
knowledge, we fhall perhaps find that the 
univerfal topic is fomewhat deficient in 
moft of them. We cannot, for example, 
_aequire a certainty in hiftorical facts, 
when we fee that a hero who was privately 
murdered in one hiftory, is publicly killed 
in our play. Nor will our advances in 
geography, I am fore afraid, be greater 
under the reign of the monopoliling Pi- 
zarro, than when people ufed not to think 
it impertinent to: mention fuch men as 
Vancouver, Peyroufe, Parke, or Browne. 
With refpeét to trade and manufadures, 
indeed, I am ready to allow, that fome- 
thing may be~done; but I unfortunately 
am none of thofe who confider making 
money as ‘* the whole duty of man ;”’ and 
L remember the time when writers ufed to 
confult their fame, and managers. refpeéct 
true tafte. But de mortuts, &c. 
It would be quite unneceflary to run 
round the circle of {ciences and point out 
to you exaétly where Pizarro may or may 
not come in contact. Doubtlefs its anni- 
lating influence may mount upwards and 
affect our aftronomical fyitem, and indeed 
from thefe beautiful inflated paragraphs 
with which the morning papers have been 
fer fometime diftended, I already perceive, 
Pizarro the Univerfal Topic t 
[ Auguft, 
to ufe an old faying, ¢* that there is fome-. 
thing in the wind.”’ But, leaving feience 
out of the queftion for a moment, I with, 
in the fame {pirit of candour which has 
hitherto animated my pen, to obferve, that 
in my humble opinion, Pizarro will not 
affect the political flate of Europe fo much 
as fome very refpectable tea-tables and 
crowded coffee-rooms have fuppofed.—« 
Sufficient time, I allow, it may be faid, 
has not been given; but three months are 
elapfed fince the appearance of this fweep- 
ing comet-tail, and yet I can fee no mate- 
rial change in the difpofition of the Frenclk 
council, nor, except the late victory gained 
by marfhal Suwarrow, have we as yet feen 
that it is likely to reftore the ancient ftates 
of Italy. Nay, what I advance with more, 
yet I hope pardonable boldnefs, if we look 
nearer home, its effects are not proportio- 
nate to the univerfality of its fame. It 
has not fhortened the number of taxes, nor 
the length of debates, Its influence upon 
religion and focial order is ftill deemed 
lefs than may be expeéted from a zealous 
and cordial co-operation of the allied 
powers. We know it did nothing at 
Raftadt, and, as fome think, there has 
been no privy council yet called upon the 
fubject. But whatis more in point, I have 
it from a confidential perfon in the office 
of Mr. Dundas, one of his majefty’s prin- 
cipal fecretaries of ftate, that in the whole 
train of preparation now making for a 
fecret expedition, the merits of Pizarro 
have not once been fubmitted to the - 
board. 
And now, Mr. Editor, if thefe things 
are fo, as I humbly conceive they will be 
found fo, let me, by way of conclufion, 
afk whether it will be worth while to efta- 
blifh a chaos in the world of fcience and 
politics, with the exception only of 
Pizarro? -Or may we not, as we have 
been accuftemed, give to every thing its 
due and proper fhare of attention ? I hope, 
Sir, that in a year or two (it would be 
prefumption to expeét it fooner) we may 
again hear of Piti.and Fox, Suwarrow and 
Buonaparte, Jacobins and Antijacobins, 
Whigs and Tories, High Church and 
Low Church, Prefbyterians and Independ- 
ents, for thegeztlemen; and caps, bonnets, 
flounces, ribbons and fafhes, elopements, 
and crim. cons. for the ladies as ufual; and 
that it may one day be as common to fay 
“how do you do?’”as it is now to fay 
«6 how do you like Pizarro ?”* 
Tam, Sir, your's, &c. 
“4 LOVER oF VARIETY. 
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