is unfortunate man be divested of his estate, because
he is tractable and indolent, runs in no man's debt, invades no man's
bed, nor spends the estate he owes his children and his character; when
one who shows no sense above him, but in such practices, shall be
esteemed in his senses, and possibly may pretend to the guardianship of
him who is no ways his inferior, but in being less wicked? We see old
age brings us indifferently into the same impotence of soul, wherein
nature has placed this lord. There is something very fantastical in the
distribution of civil power and capacity among men. The law certainly
gives these persons into the ward and care of the Crown, because that is
best able to protect them from injuries, and the impositions of craft
and knavery; that the life of an idiot may not ruin the entail of a
noble house, and his weakness may not frustrate the industry or capacity
of the founder of his family. But when one of bright parts, as we say,
with his eyes open, and all men's eyes upon him, destroys those
purposes, there is no remedy. Folly and ignorance are punished! Folly
and guilt are tolerated! Mr. Locke has somewhere made a distinction
between a madman and a fool:[394] a fool is he that from right
principles makes a wrong conclusion; but a madman is one who draws a
just inference from false principles. Thus the fool who cut off the
fellow's head that lay asleep, and hid it, and then waited to see what
he would say when he awakened and missed his headpiece, was in the right
in the first thought, that a man would be surprised to find such an
alteration in things since he fell asleep; but he was a little mistaken
to imagine he could awake at all after his head was off. A madman
fancies himself a prince; but upon his mistake, he acts suitably to that
character; and though he is out in supposing he has principalities,
while he drinks gruel, and lies in straw, yet you shall see him keep the
port of a distressed monarch in all his words and actions. These two
persons are equally taken into custody: but what must be done to half
this good company, who every hour of their life are knowingly and
wittingly both fools and madmen, and yet have capacities both of forming
principles, and drawing conclusions, with the full use of reason?"

From my own Apartment, July 11.

This evening some ladies came to visit my sister Jenny; and the
discourse, after very many frivolous and public matters, turned upon the
main poi