Whence comes the dew that stands on the outside of a tankard that has
cold water in it in the summer time?
Does the importation of servants increase or advance the wealth of our
country?
Would not an office of insurance for servants be of service, and what
methods are proper for the erecting such an office?
* * * * *
Whence does it proceed that the proselytes to any sect or persuasion,
generally appear more zealous than those that are bred up in it?
_Answer_. I suppose that people BRED in different persuasions are
nearly zealous alike. Then he that changes his party is either sincere
or not sincere: that is, he either does it for the sake of the
opinions merely, or with a view of interest. If he is sincere and has
no view of interest, and considers before he declares himself how much
ill will he shall have from those he leaves, and that those he is
about to go among will be apt to suspect his sincerity: if he is not
really zealous, he will not declare; and therefore must be zealous if
he does declare.
If he is not sincere, he is obliged at least to put on an appearance
of great zeal, to convince the better his new friends that he is
heartily in earnest, for his old ones he knows dislike him. And as few
acts of zeal will be more taken notice of than such as are done
against the party he has left, he is inclined to injure or malign them
because he knows they contemn and despise him. Hence one Renegado is
(as the Proverb says) worse than ten Turks.
* * * * *
SIR,--It is strange, that among men who are born for society and
mutual solace, there should be any who take pleasure in speaking
disagreeable things to their acquaintance. But such there are I assure
you, and I should be glad if a little public chastisement might be any
means of reforming them. These ill-natured people study a man's
temper, or the circumstances of his life, {351} merely to know what
disgusts him, and what he does not care to hear mentioned; and this
they take care to omit no opportunity of disturbing him with. They
communicate their wonderful discoveries to others, with an ill-natured
satisfaction in their countenances, _say such a thing to such a man
and you cannot mortify him worse_. They delight (to use their own
phrase) in seeing galled horses wince, and like flies, a sore place is
a feast to them. Know, ye wretches, that the meanest insect, the
trifling musqueto, the filthy bug have it in their power to give pain
to men; but to be able to give pleasure to your fellow creatures,
requires good nature and a kind and humane disposition, joined with
talents to which ye seem to have no pretension.