THE

MINIATURE,

NUMB. XII.

MONDAY, July 9, 1804.

Multa in vitâ homines falsò opinari

CICERO. DE DOM.

Men are deceived in many of their opinsons.

NATIONAL prejudice, as being the source and

cement of that affection which binds a man to his native soil, is not only excusable, but to a certain degree necessary: unless he is thoroughly convinced that his country is superior to every other on the face of the earth, he will not feel that spirited pride, which the name of citizen should properly inspire; and consequently will not de fend its liberties, or fight for its glory, with the ardour of dignified patriotism.

I am of opinion that we owe no small portion of our present importance and weight in the scale of European nations, to the innate sentiments of our countrymen, with regard to their. neighbours on the Continent, and I should consider it as a death blow to our power, if an Englishman giving up the undisputed privilege of his ancestors, allowed himself inferior to a triple quota of Frenchmen; neither would I deprive him of his hereditary notions concerning the food, the manners, or courage of his Gallic opponents; let him believe that soup-maigre with an occasional frog is their sole nourishment, that all their valour is situated in their heels, and many such ideas, which, in themselves ridiculous and harmless, are nevertheless of wonderful efficacy in strengthening and preserving his attachment to his own beloved country.

For the same reason is local prejudice allowable, checking that continual restlessness, and wandering inclination, which renders a man discontented with any settled situation, and confining all his wishes and happiness within their proper sphere, the spot on which he lives. Thus the inhabitant of the uncultivated Lapland, would not exchange his snowy heights, for the most fertile vales of Lombardy; nor any one of my

fellow citizens the fields of Eton, for those of any other classical republic.

So far prejudice may prove even useful; but when we suffer it to become the standard and criterion of our judgement on men and things, to bias our understanding in such a manner, that neither reason, nor observation can counterbalance its baneful influence; then will all our opinions, be partial and absurd; all our actions diametrically opposite to the laws of reason and common sense. We are usually taught to believe that the Spaniard is haughty, the Italian vindictive, and the Turk jealous; the general character indeed may be true, but must we on that account conceive it immpossible that a Spaniard should be humble and condescending, an Italian of a forgiving temper, and a Turk an amiable husband?

The very admission of such preposterous ideas. argues a weak mind, which has not sufficient energy to follow the dictates of its own reason, but relies on the support and assistance of popular, opinion in the choice of what it shall believe, or what reject. In no respect however are we more liable to error, than in the application of our prejudices to particular trades and occupations, or

1

certain classes of individuals. Who does not imagine the essential quality of a Barber to be loquacity? As for the luckless generation of -Taylors, they are pronounced totally unfit for any manly occupation; nay, are almost excluded from the rank and privileges of men. Yet the majority of the former worshipful profession are in all probability grave and taciturn; while many of the -latter have on a recent occasion exchanged the needle for the bayonet, and performed their military duties with as much zeal and vigour as any of their countrymen; hereby refuting all proverbial adages to their discredit. and silencing the mis-placed raillery of prejudiced wags. Even the higher professions are not exempted from reproaches of this kind; we are taught to look with suspicion into a Lawyer's face, and to keep an eye to our pockets in the presence of a Bath physician. The folly of such precautions is too obvious to require animadversion.

Among several instances which have fallen un der my notice, a friend of mine, has acquired an unconquerable aversion to the whole tribe of Chimney-sweepers, in so much that he cannot behold a gentleman of the cloth, without evident marks of antipathy and disgust. Walking one day in com pany with him through the streets, I was exceed

ingly surprized by his stopping suddenly, and seizing my arm with great agitation, while at the same time he pointed to one of the sooty brotherhood at no great distance from us. Being acquainted with my friend's defect, I took the hint, and turned away from the object of his aversion; as he is in other respects remarkably sensible, and liberal minded, I could not refrain from expressing my astonishment at his extraordinary prejudice against a portion of mankind so very innocent and harmless, and so much more calculated to excite pity, than apprehension; at the same time inquiring the origin of this failing and the manner in which it had gained so great an as¬ cendancy over his better reason. He replied, that he really could not account for it himself to its full extent, but that he believed it had originated in his childhood, when every passing Chimney-Sweeper was pointed out by his nurse as an object of terror, and the threatened punish ment of all his infantine crimes was delivery into the hands of the black man.

From such trivial beginnings do our strongest prejudices frequently arise, and thus insensibly acquiring a dominion over the mind which reason in vain opposes, they place us in the most awkward and disagreeable situations, and expose