NUMBER XII ON SELF-SUFFICIENCY. I love my country, from my soul, WHETHER blockheads or knaves are invested with power, or elevated to a situation above their natural sphere, they are alike injurious to the well-being of society. The world abounds with sad examples of the evils arising from it, and yet, such characters are frequently taken by the hand, and prosper; to the exclusion of worthier members. Strangers to the noble qualities that pre-eminently mark the man of sense and sensibility; and bewildered with their good fortune, they bid defiance to justice and decorum, and indiscriminately exercise the mal-practices that self-sufficiency dictate, without the least regard to propriety, delicacy, or feeling. Without consulting their superiors, they too often decide on the merits of a case, and conceal from them such things as do not immediately tend to their own interest; or from which they L can acquire no personal renown! How distressing to behold the miseries that such men inflict on their brethren. 66 The wanton acts of cruelty they commit on those who are obliged sometimes to submit to oppressions which they cannot resist, may justly be compared to the barbarity of Marius, who, from a common soldier, being raised up to a Consul, not only gave the word for civil bloodshed, but was himself the sign for the execution. Every man he met in the streets, to whom he did not stretch out his right hand, was to be sacrificed." And thus many a worthy fellow-creature was brought to a miserable and untimely end. When such men are suffered to go on with impunity, those who are quiet spectators of their injustice and oppression, may be said to have some share in their guilt and it then becomes the concern of private individuals, who have any regard for the welfare of the community, to hold them up as objects unworthy of public support. Shall I see my friend injured, and not avenge his cause?or iniquitous proceedings against my neighbour, and not endeavour to put a stop to them? The consideration that one human being ought to have for another, and the social ties of nature forbid it. A glaring instance of the grievance complained of, may be traced in the following narrative; and may serve as a caution to the inexperienced and too credulous : Philanthropus, a gentleman of talent and ge nius, was ever active in exercising his abilities for the general good. Yet was he never known to contrive instruments of destruction to slaughter even foes. His humanity went not so far as to free a multitude of brave men, in one moment, from the miseries of war; but various have been his exertions for the preservation of human lives, and the alleviation of human calamities. But, alas! the man of genius has little chance with the man of war: this, by stratagem, carries every thing before him; that, by candour, loses all. In fine, the bold usurper of another's invention, gets often rewarded for his machinations; whilst the open-hearted promulgator of a public good, is not only sometimes left to starve upon his ingenuity, but is robbed even of his merit. Among other humane contrivances, Philanthropus, once upon a time, not a hundred years ago, brought forward a plan for the preservation of lives and property, God permitting, from the destructive elements of wind and water. His suggestions were received with well feigned rapture; minutely investigated, and approved of. He was highly complimented on his ingenuity; and "at all events," said the great man, who deigned for once to honor him with an interview, "should you not meet with a reward to the full extent of your expectations, you may certainly consider yourself entitled to a liberal compensation for the trouble and expense you must necessarily have incurred." Philanthropus certainly did consider himself entitled to a compensation, and a liberal one too, for the anxiety and many sleepless nights his ingenuity had cost him; independent of his expenses, and the utility of the invention, both in regard to His Majesty's Navy, and the lives of His subjects. Deceived by the official duplicity of a crafty underling, he incautiously entered into an explanation of his plan, and retired, elate with joy at his prospect of success; but what was his surprise and disappointment, when, after a lapse of a few days, he was informed by letter, "that His plan was to be found in some old drafts, and that the utility of it was Now going to be proved.” What, thought Philanthropus, a thing which you have allowed to be of such national importance, only going to be tried, upon my suggesting it anew! Aware, however, that it was not for him to make comments of such a nature, to so great a man, he wisely confined himself to home affairs; and merely petitioned to be indemnified for the expenses he had voluntarily entered into, with a view to save a nation's property, as well as the lives of his fellow-creatures. "What? Remunerate a man for an invention that has been known to the office for three hundred years!" exclaimed the official bashaw, with whom he had to communicate, "can you suppose we are going to throw away the public money in that way ?" "Since the merit of the invention is withheld from me," said Philanthropus, " all hopes of reward, for what I considered so new and useful a contrivance, are blasted at once. Giving up every claim then, on that score, I have merely to ask the reimbursement of my expenses: and I trust, sir, you will do me the favor, in consequence of my extreme disappointment, the pains I have taken to perfect the contrivance, and the exertions I have made in the cause of humanity and the preservation of national property; to state to the heads of your office the expenses in which I am involved, by coming up to town for the express purpose of laying before them, a plan of such national importance; expenses which I can ill afford to sustain, and consequently "And pray why was I not consulted before you took such decisive steps?" interrupted the blustering hero. "You had no authority from me, sir, to proceed in the way you have done, so I can do nothing for you. Had you explained the thing to me in writing, it might have answered your purpose just as well." Yes, thought Philanthropus, and your own too perhaps, for like-but comparisons are odious -the thoughts of Philanthropus, therefore, shall be passed over in silence; and the reader, if he please, may liken them unto a blazing comet-a sky-rocket-or any thing else, that may strike his imagination. With certain characters, expostulation is vain. |