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Letter to Editor
March 3, 1795
Gazette Of The United States And Daily Evening Advertiser
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
What is this article about?
A letter criticizing a writer 'Common Sense' for undervaluing philosophy without expertise, asserting that critics must know themselves, the subject, and their audience. It mocks the opponent's arguments and presents a syllogism equating speech without fundamentals to beastly behavior.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
For the Gazette of the United States.
Mr. FENNO.
IT is an usurpation for any writer to fill up any part of a public paper with quotations, designed to undervalue the ancient and notorious excellence of Philosophy. I am not a mountebank, nor am I led by l'esprit d'une courtisane, to lose my time in answering the barrowed prolixity of "Common Sense," being more than certain, that the solidity of his preamble, and conclusions, can have no other existence, but in his whimsical imagination. There is no necessity of cutting off the nose, or procuring the assassination of any body, to teach him the right way: And should the brains of our reformer be squeezed for two minutes only, I am convinced, that he himself, and even his knife, or any material emblem, would not produce a drop of wisdom, nor courage. I wish that any man who undertakes to discuss a subject, should know, thoroughly, 1st. Who he, himself, is: 2dly. What he treats of; and 3dly. Whom he presumes to address his harangue to. On this ground, I am not far from believing that this writer is a fool; he writes as such; and the public will be so indulgent as to regard his nonsense with pity and contempt.
A Better Sense.
P. S. It is admitted, that nobody can penetrate the defects of science, without being thoroughly acquainted with it, or what is belonging to it—of course, either Common Sense's strictures on "Philosophy" are sound; and then he must be a Philosopher, tho' an apostate; or, they are not worth notice, and he is an impostor. Can he discover the defects of the following syllogism, and answer it with his anti-philosophical apparatus?
Whoever speaks, or writes, without fundamentals, speaks, or writes without reason; and whereas, the want of reason forms the characteristic of beasts, therefore, whoever speaks, or writes, without fundamentals, makes a beast of himself. How many are there, in this world, who boast the eminence of MAN, because they walk upon two legs, and had the fortune to be born without feathers!!
Mr. FENNO.
IT is an usurpation for any writer to fill up any part of a public paper with quotations, designed to undervalue the ancient and notorious excellence of Philosophy. I am not a mountebank, nor am I led by l'esprit d'une courtisane, to lose my time in answering the barrowed prolixity of "Common Sense," being more than certain, that the solidity of his preamble, and conclusions, can have no other existence, but in his whimsical imagination. There is no necessity of cutting off the nose, or procuring the assassination of any body, to teach him the right way: And should the brains of our reformer be squeezed for two minutes only, I am convinced, that he himself, and even his knife, or any material emblem, would not produce a drop of wisdom, nor courage. I wish that any man who undertakes to discuss a subject, should know, thoroughly, 1st. Who he, himself, is: 2dly. What he treats of; and 3dly. Whom he presumes to address his harangue to. On this ground, I am not far from believing that this writer is a fool; he writes as such; and the public will be so indulgent as to regard his nonsense with pity and contempt.
A Better Sense.
P. S. It is admitted, that nobody can penetrate the defects of science, without being thoroughly acquainted with it, or what is belonging to it—of course, either Common Sense's strictures on "Philosophy" are sound; and then he must be a Philosopher, tho' an apostate; or, they are not worth notice, and he is an impostor. Can he discover the defects of the following syllogism, and answer it with his anti-philosophical apparatus?
Whoever speaks, or writes, without fundamentals, speaks, or writes without reason; and whereas, the want of reason forms the characteristic of beasts, therefore, whoever speaks, or writes, without fundamentals, makes a beast of himself. How many are there, in this world, who boast the eminence of MAN, because they walk upon two legs, and had the fortune to be born without feathers!!
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Satirical
Philosophical
What keywords are associated?
Philosophy
Common Sense
Critique
Syllogism
Reason
Fundamentals
Knowledge
What entities or persons were involved?
A Better Sense
Mr. Fenno
Letter to Editor Details
Author
A Better Sense
Recipient
Mr. Fenno
Main Argument
criticizes 'common sense' for attacking philosophy without proper knowledge, insisting that effective discourse requires understanding of self, subject, and audience; challenges with a syllogism on the necessity of fundamentals in reasoning to avoid beastly irrationality.
Notable Details
References To 'Common Sense' As Prolix And Whimsical
Syllogism On Speaking Without Fundamentals Making One A Beast
Pity And Contempt For The Writer's Nonsense