ot pronounce him a
humbug, the word does not apply to him. He is a fool.

Looked at on one side, the history of humbug is truly humiliating to
intellectual pride, yet the long silly story is less absurd during the
later ages of history, and grows less and less so in proportion to the
spread of real Christianity. This religion promotes good sense, actual
knowledge, contentment with what we cannot help, and the exclusive use
of intelligent means for increasing human happiness and decreasing human
sorrow. And whenever the time shall come when men are kind and just and
honest; when they only want what is fair and right, judge only on real
and true evidence, and take nothing for granted, then there will be no
place left for any humbugs, either harmless or hurtful.

CHAPTER II.

DEFINITION OF THE WORD HUMBUG.--WARREN OF LONDON.--GENIN, THE
HATTER.--GOSLING'S BLACKING.

Upon a careful consideration of my undertaking to give an account of the
"Humbugs of the World," I find myself somewhat puzzled in regard to the
true definition of that word. To be sure, Webster says that humbug, as a
noun, is an "imposition under fair pretences;" and as a verb, it is "to
deceive; to impose on." With all due deference to Doctor Webster, I
submit that, according to present usage, this is not the only, nor even
the generally accepted definition of that term.

We will suppose, for instance, that a man with "fair pretences" applies
to a wholesale merchant for credit on a large bill of goods. His "fair
pretences" comprehend an assertion that he is a moral and religious
man, a member of the church, a man of wealth, etc., etc. It turns out
that he is not worth a dollar, but is a base, lying wretch, an impostor
and a cheat. He is arrested and imprisoned "for obtaining property under
false pretences" or, as Webster says, "fair pretences." He is punished
for his villainy. The public do not call him a "humbug;" they very
properly term him a swindler.

A man, bearing the appearance of a gentleman in dress and manners,
purchases property from you, and with "fair pretences" obtains your
confidence. You find, when he has left, that he paid you with
counterfeit bank-notes, or a forged draft. This man is justly called a
"forger," or "counterfeiter;" and if arrested, he is punished as such;
but nobody thinks of calling him a "humbug."

A respectable-looking man sits by your side in an omnibus or rail-car.
He converses fluently, and is evidently a