The Virginia Gazette

From the FOOL.

SIR,

Were it lawful or decent to be ludicrous with the miserable State of our Country, the Quack Remedies applied to her Diseases would prove an inexhaustible Fund for satirical Mirth: But however diverting it may be, in Speculation, to see Men wilfully or ignorantly mistaking the Causes of the Commonwealth's Distempers, and of course mistaking the Methods of Cure, we cannot give a Loose to merry Reflections, because the Effects of such Mistakes are so far from being speculative, that they actually bear hard upon Thousands, and create more Disorders than they obviate; and therefore, instead of indulging a Smile, every serious Mind and humane Heart cannot but tremble at the Consequences.

Physician cure thyself, is a Reflection that must not be levelled solely at the Gentlemen of the Faculty: It is applicable to all Professions, all Orders of Men.

Whoever would reform another, should first mend his own Manners, otherwise his good Advice will be slighted; and if Force be used to make it go down, this makes the Matter worse; or in Cases of Injustice or Immorality, the lowest and most ignorant have Sense and Knowledge enough to discern, that the highest and the most learned ought not to take greater Liberties than themselves.

In vain may the Parson deliver sound Doctrine and pure Morality from the Pulpit, if his Actions give the Lie to his Sermons: The Generality of his Congregation forming their Judgments chiefly from Appearances, will be too apt to conclude he is only acting a Farce, as Players do for Bread, and hardly be brought to believe and practice what they suspect he himself is not inwardly persuaded of.

In vain may Legislators enact Laws to keep the State in order, and make People sober and honest, if they themselves are not Patterns of Temperance and Probity. Precepts without Example make but faint Impressions even on the Well inclined, and too frequently leave such as are ill inclined worse than they found them.

If we wanted to find out the Epidemical Distemper of the Age, our Inquiry ought not to have rested at Gin. To do so, and make our Prescriptions agreeable to such careless Search, is like applying a Plaster or Ointment to the Hand or the Foot, when the Intestines are ulcerated, and the whole Body covered with Wounds, Bruises, and putrefying Sores.

That the Body politic is out of order, is obvious to all; but that it is sick almost to Death, is perceived by only a few. And what is the Cause of this Disease? From whence spring these great Disorders in the Commonwealth?

From Luxury: Here we may begin and end our Inquiry: it is all answered in one Word, which comprises the unnatural Gin drinker, Beer-guzzler, Wine-bibber, Punch-tippler, Tea-sipper, &c. as also the Cormorant, that devours as much Meat as would serve the Turn of half a Dozen temperate Men; and the Epicure, that cannot live without a French Cook: To which I may add the constant Resortes to Plays, Balls, Operas, Masquerades, Concerts, Bear-Gardens, Horse-Races, Cock-Matches, and those that deal more with Print-shops than with the Booksellers.

Luxury may be briefly defined, a Man's living above what his Estate or Income will bear, or indulging himself in Ease and Diversions beyond what is necessary to preserve Health of Body and Mind; and this, upon nice Scrutiny, will be found the epidemical Distemper of the Age. In this we see all Ranks and Condition: emulate one another: This Bane of civil Society, this Cankerworm of the State, has got the Dominion everywhere; it reigns despotically at Court, and in the Camp; lays waste both Town and Country; and oh! that I could say it has got no Footing among the Ministers of the Gospel, those Preachers of Mortification and Self-Denial.

The Effects of universal Luxury are so well understood, that it seems needless to dwell upon them: Nevertheless, for the Sake of some, who have been taught to view them in a more favourable Light than they are set by our Moralists and grave Politicians, we may briefly observe, that this Vice, or Complication of Vices, has destroyed Empires much mightier than the British Monarchy. Whither it will lead this Nation, God only knows; but thus much we know from History, that no People immersed in Luxury could long preserve their Liberties.

And indeed it cannot be otherwise in the Reason and Nature of Things: For, as with Individuals, Luxury wastes the Estate, breeds Diseases in the Body, and of Course greatly impairs the Vigour of the Mind; so it must also be in Societies. Without Temperance and Oeconomy, the brightest Genius can make no great Progress in Arts and Sciences, nor the greatest Hero compass any mighty Designs that require much Time and Expence.

Where Luxury reigns, there the People are always selfish, venal and effeminate: No generous Spirit is left, to encourage Projects for the public Good; no Firmness to oppose Designs pernicious to the Commonwealth; no Virtue to stem the Torrent of Vice; no Steadiness and Resolution to make an effectual Stand for expiring Liberty.

Where Luxury prevails, there we must always expect to see Opposition faint, or ill-concerted, or made with sinister Views: For want of Oeconomy every Cause is starved, and Opposition terminates in some infamous Coalition.

Without Temperance and Oeconomy a Man can neither raise nor keep himself above Want, nor safely despise the Frowns of great wicked Men, nor turn a deaf Ear to their insidious Blandishments. Without these Virtues every good Principle in him will be gradually eradicated, and succeeded by every ruinous Vice and disorderly Passion; and then, if Poverty stares him in the Face, he lies open to the first Temptation.

The luxurious Man living only for himself, becomes incapable of doing any Good, has no Bowels of Compassion for others, no Feeling for the Miseries of his Neighbour, nor the least Sense of any public Calamities. All his Views centering in dear Self, if he can but gratify his sensual Appetites, enjoy his favourite Diversions, and find Supplies for all his Extravagancies, it is indifferent to him whether he gets it by fair or foul Means.

His Body being distempered, and his Intellects clouded by a Course of Intemperance and Dissipation, his Days pass away without ever taking any Thought about a future State. Religion, that best Support of true Patriotism, is totally banish'd by Luxury: To enjoy this, he takes the Bribe, and sells his Country; and, Esau-like, parts with his Spiritual Birth-Right too, for a Mess of Pottage.

Whenever a Nation abounds with Fribbles and Lukewarm Patriots, Epicures and Infidels, Time-serving Divines and timorous Lawyers, with Shoals of M------l Pensioners, Puffers, Informers, and perjured Miscreants, it is in the high Road to Destruction, is hastening apace to some fatal Catastrophe; is ripe for being enslaved by any Domestic Foe rich enough to buy it, or any Foreign Enemy powerful enough to invade it.

I am, Sir,

Yours, &c.

OLD STERLING.