The New Hampshire Gazette

TO the PRINTER.

By inserting the following, you will oblige a Number of your Customers.

GOD from all Creatures hides the Book of Fate;
All but th'e Page prescrib'd, their common State.
POPE.

MANKIND in all Ages have discover'd a strong and unaccountable Propensity to be admitted to the Knowledge of the Secrets of Futurity; of being wise above what is written. From this Inclination arise many, perhaps the greater Part of the Evils of Life: And it is the Part of a wise Man to palliate as much as possible real Evils, and to exclude all imaginary ones; lest being intent on the Prospect of future Calamity he neglects the present Opportunity of doing Good, which is the only Time he may call his own. Misfortunes are shocking in themselves. There is no terrestrial Enjoyment so unsullied, and free from the Mixtures of Evil; that we need to form new Avenues of Pain, or magnify future Evil by Anticipations more terrible than the Evils themselves. There is scarcely any Circumstances of Life, that a wise Man ought so much to prize, as his Ignorance of future Contingencies, and Nothing is more essential to his Happiness, or conducive to his Peace. To prove this we need only view the State of those, who expect certain Punishment for the Commission of any known Crime. Even the Knowledge of the happy Periods of our Lives would not conduce to increase our Felicity: For whatever Good we hope for, we must earnestly desire the Presence of, and to desire earnestly implies, that we are uneasy and discontented without it.

There is a Story, which I have often heard of late, and which is a gross Mistake in Point of Fact, and may be attended with pernicious Consequences. It is this, that Sir Isaac Newton conjectur'd a remarkable Drought was to happen this Year, such as had never been known: and a Sickness that would sweep off great and unheard of Multitudes of the Inhabitants of the World. Experience has in some Measure evinced the Falsity of this Conjecture. supposing it form'd by Sir Isaac Newton: but it is absolutely false that he ever formed such a Prediction.

I have all his Writings both Philosophical and Chronological, and have perus'd them with strict Attention; but I can find no Manner of Foundation for any such Surmise: neither is there the least Hint given thro' the Course of the whole, from whence so tragical a Rumour could take its Rise.

If the Prophecy was true as to its supposed Author, and its Accomplishment demonstrably certain; it would be unreasonable to disclose it to the World, as it would serve no good End. I do not object to the Usefulness of Prophecy in general. The Prophecies of the ancient Sages related to such Calamities as national Wickedness or Disobedience had incurred, and which the Practice of Virtue would obviate or remove: But of what Service will it be to us to know the malign State of the Elements, since neither Prudence nor Foresight, nor Virtue can change them, without the Suspension of the Laws of Nature. .......

Such Predictions on the contrary, have a Tendency to fill the Minds of People with superstitious Apprehensions and imaginary Pain: they discourage the Sick and Melancholy; and as undoubtedly they will finally prove false, will bring Learning into Disrepute: and useful Knowledge will suffer by the Events of astrological Predictions. Tis Pity any Person should have Business enough to invent so mischievous a Fable; much more to father it upon the immortal Sir Isaac Newton. They would act much more wisely in endeavouring to remove the Calamities incident to private Life, than in spreading such stupid Tattle and Insignificance.

W. W.