be avoided, and how are the mischiefs of _living_
errors to be corrected? Words, arguments, morality, and religion, at
the commencement of a quarrel, are exerted in vain--the storm of bad
passions carries, for a season, all before it--and after mischiefs are
irretrievably perpetrated, reason and experience produce repentance,
when, alas, it is useless! Princes and statesmen are too proud and
powerful to permit themselves to be instructed, or I would advise them
on such occasions to _doubt_ their imaginary infallibility. Let them
solemnly _doubt_ whenever some mischief, which they cannot repair,
must be the consequence of their decision; and when that decision may,
_perchance_, arise from some mistake! But I fear this just maxim of
Philosophy will never become a practical rule of policy strong enough
to counteract the benefits of extended patronage enjoyed during wars
by corrupt ministers; to allay the puerile love of glory cherished by
weak princes; or to subdue the demoniacal passions and irrational
prejudices artfully excited by rulers, and too often cherished by
infatuated nations.

I accosted a young man, who had lost both arms, and was walking
pensively between the trees. After some expressions of heart-felt
commisseration, I enquired by what mischance he had met with so
untoward a wound? He told me that he was in the act of loading his
musket, when a cannon-ball, passing before him, carried off one arm
above the elbow, and so shattered the other, that it was necessary to
amputate it. He then named some paltry battle where this accident
befel him; the issue of which to either of the contending parties was,
as I recollected, not worth the joint of a little finger, even if the
entire object of the campaign, or war, was worth so much! But, said I,
you are of course well provided for in the hospital--"No, (he replied,)
there is not room for me at present; but, owing to the severity of my
wounds, I have a double allowance as an out-pensioner--yet, (he
modestly remarked,) it may easily be supposed that even a double
allowance is not enough for a man who cannot help himself in any
thing--I cannot dress myself, nor even eat or drink, but am obliged to
be fed like a child; I have a poor old mother who does her best for
me, or"----here the young man's voice faultered, and some tears hung
on his cheeks--for, alas, even these he could neither wipe away nor
conceal! Parched must have been the eye that would not mingle tears
w