Thus expediency is continually contrasted with simple principles, till truth is lost in a mist of words, virtue, in forms, and knowledge rendered a sounding nothing, by the specious prejudices that as|sume its name. Going back to first principles, vice skulks, with all its native deformity, from close inves|tigation but a set of shallow reasoners are always exclaiming that these arguments prove too much, and that a measure rotten at the core may be expedient. Yet the imperfect con|clusions thus drawn, are frequently very plau|sible, because they are built on partial expe|rience, on just, though narrow, views. The mind must be strong that resolutely forms its own principles for a kind of intellectual cowardice prevails which makes many men shrink from the task, or only do it by halves. Men, in general, seem to employ their rea|son to justify prejudices, which they have im|bibed, they cannot trace how, rather than to The rights and duties of man thus simpli|fied, it seems almost impertinent to attempt to illustrate truths that appear so incontro|vertible yet such deeply rooted prejudices have clouded reason, and such spurious qua|lities have assumed the name of virtues, that it is necessary to pursue the course of reason as it has been perplexed and involved in error, by various adventitious circumstances, com|paring the simple axiom with casual de|viations. What acquirement exalts one being above another? Virtue we spontaneously reply.įor what purpose were the passions im|planted? That man by struggling with them might attain a degree of knowledge denied to the brutes whispers Experience.Ĭonsequently the perfection of our nature and capability of happiness, must be estimated by the degree of reason, virtue, and know|ledge, that distinguish the individual, and direct the laws which bind society: and that from the exercise of reason, knowledge and virtue naturally flow, is equally undeniable, if mankind be viewed collectively. In what does man's pre-eminence over the brute creation consist? The answer is as clear as that a half is less than the whole in Reason. To clear my way, I must be al|lowed to ask some plain questions, and the answers will probably appear as unequivocal as the axioms on which reasoning is built though, when entangled with various mo|tives of action, they are formally contradicted, either by the words or conduct of men. IN the present state of society it appears ne|cessary to go back to first principles in search of the most simple truths, and to dispute with some prevailing prejudice every inch of ground. THE RIGHTS AND INVOLVED DUTIES OF MANKIND CONSIDERED.
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