He feels the purity of his purposes; but is
goaded by one excitement and exasperation after another, till he becomes
debased, worthless and criminal. This is strikingly illustrated in
the story of Dr. Johnson and the celebrated Windham, who, when he was
setting out as secretary to the lord lieutenant of Ireland, expressed to
his aged monitor, some doubts whether he could ever reconcile himself
to certain indirect proceedings which he was afraid would be expected
of him: to which the veteran replied, "Oh, sir, be under no alarm; in a
short time, depend upon it, you will make a very pretty rascal(87)."

(87) The phrase here used by Johnson is marked with the licentiousness
we sometimes indulge in familiar conversation. Translate it into a
general maxim; and it contains much melancholy truth. It is true also,
that there are few individuals, who, in the urgent realities of
life, have not occasionally descended from the heights of theoretical
excellence. It is but just however to observe in the case of Windham,
that, though he was a man of many errors, he was not the less
characterised by high honour and eminent virtue.

Such are the "inventions of man," or rather such is the operation of
those institutions which ordinarily prevail in society. Still, however,
much honour ought to be rendered to our common nature, since all of us
are not led away by the potent spells of the enchantress. If the vulgar
crew of the vessel of Ulysses were by Circe changed into brutes, so was
not their commander. The human species is divided into two classes, the
successfully tempted, and the tempted in vain. And, though the latter
must be admitted to be a small minority, yet they ought to be regarded
as the "salt of the earth," which preserves the entire mass from
putridity and dishonour. They are like the remnant, which, if they had
been to be found in the cities of the Asphaltic lake, the God of Abraham
pronounced as worthy to redeem the whole community. They are like the
two witnesses amidst the general apostasy, spoken of in the book of
Revelations, who were the harbingers and forerunners of the millenium,
the reign of universal virtue and peace. Their excellence only appears
with the greater lustre amidst the general defection.

Nothing can be more unjust than the spirit of general levelling and
satire, which so customarily prevails. History records, if you will, the
vices and follies of mankind. But does it record nothing else? Are