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Literary
July 7, 1792
National Gazette
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
What is this article about?
An allegorical essay compares governments to ships on the sea, where leaks represent political abuses threatening liberties. Free printing presses act as pumps to prevent foundering, with the people as sounding rods to detect issues. References Horace's comparison of the Roman empire.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A new sort of an ALLEGORY.
GOVERNMENTS and states have something in them so analogous to a ship and her crew, sailing on the high seas, that from the earliest ages, the resemblance has afforded constant occasion of allegorical comparison.
Horace, in his time, compared the Roman empire to a vessel tossed in a storm at sea, and intimates it would have been much better that she had continued in the quiet port of republicanism, than have ventured out on the boisterous element of royalty.—I do not recollect, however, that any author has considered the comparison in the following point of view.
There is no ship, nor vessel of any kind but is more or less pestered with leaks, which are in some degree necessary to keep the ship sweet;—neither is there any government but is constantly infested with abuses and encroachments of a nature more or less considerable, and more or less dangerous to the liberties of the people.—The leaks in a ship, tho' ever so trifling, become fatal in a few days sailing, if the pumps are not duly jogged : if these be neglected the ship soon becomes water-logged, and perishes in the next gale of wind with all her crew—governments are liable to the same danger, of political foundering, if free printing presses (like the pump on shipboard) are not worked more or less briskly, according to the degrees of political leakage.
But whether the ship leaks or not is for the sounding rod to discover, and this is the business of the people.
July 6.
GOVERNMENTS and states have something in them so analogous to a ship and her crew, sailing on the high seas, that from the earliest ages, the resemblance has afforded constant occasion of allegorical comparison.
Horace, in his time, compared the Roman empire to a vessel tossed in a storm at sea, and intimates it would have been much better that she had continued in the quiet port of republicanism, than have ventured out on the boisterous element of royalty.—I do not recollect, however, that any author has considered the comparison in the following point of view.
There is no ship, nor vessel of any kind but is more or less pestered with leaks, which are in some degree necessary to keep the ship sweet;—neither is there any government but is constantly infested with abuses and encroachments of a nature more or less considerable, and more or less dangerous to the liberties of the people.—The leaks in a ship, tho' ever so trifling, become fatal in a few days sailing, if the pumps are not duly jogged : if these be neglected the ship soon becomes water-logged, and perishes in the next gale of wind with all her crew—governments are liable to the same danger, of political foundering, if free printing presses (like the pump on shipboard) are not worked more or less briskly, according to the degrees of political leakage.
But whether the ship leaks or not is for the sounding rod to discover, and this is the business of the people.
July 6.
What sub-type of article is it?
Allegory
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Political
Liberty Freedom
What keywords are associated?
Allegory
Government
Ship
Leaks
Liberties
Printing Presses
Political Abuses
Literary Details
Title
A New Sort Of An Allegory.
Key Lines
Governments And States Have Something In Them So Analogous To A Ship And Her Crew, Sailing On The High Seas, That From The Earliest Ages, The Resemblance Has Afforded Constant Occasion Of Allegorical Comparison.
There Is No Ship, Nor Vessel Of Any Kind But Is More Or Less Pestered With Leaks, Which Are In Some Degree Necessary To Keep The Ship Sweet;—Neither Is There Any Government But Is Constantly Infested With Abuses And Encroachments Of A Nature More Or Less Considerable, And More Or Less Dangerous To The Liberties Of The People.
Governments Are Liable To The Same Danger, Of Political Foundering, If Free Printing Presses (Like The Pump On Shipboard) Are Not Worked More Or Less Briskly, According To The Degrees Of Political Leakage.
But Whether The Ship Leaks Or Not Is For The Sounding Rod To Discover, And This Is The Business Of The People.