The original / by the late Thomas Walker, edited and arranged under distinct heads; with additions by William A. Guy.

  • Thomas Walker
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The original / by the late Thomas Walker, edited and arranged under distinct heads; with additions by William A. Guy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    2 MOTIVES, AND PLAN OF THE WOPK. not wantonly quit its path, or if in their zigzag course they sometimes cross or deviate into it, as party, sect, or narrow interest leads them ; but alas ! by the pure love of truth their actions are never guided. As long as the truth suits their purpose—well ; but the moment it does not, they shut their eyes, or turn away. Look wherever you please, in public or in private, and you will find that it is so. Yet our holy religion again and again commands, and our worldly welfare, properly understood, unceasingly requires, that we love and follow the truth. In conclusion I must tell you, that with regard to pecuniary profit as an author, I estimate that, as I do popularity in my capacity of magistrate. A desire for popularity has no influence on my decisions ; a desire for profit will have none on my writings, I hunt neither after one nor the other. If they follow as consequences of a patient and fearless perseverance in the establishment of right,—well and good ; I value them on no other terms. I aspire in my present under- taking to set an example towards raising the national tone in whatever concerns us socially or individually; and to this end I shall labour to develope the truth, and seasonably to present it in a form as intelligible and attractive to all ages and conditions as lies in my power. I have given you my name and additions, that you may be the better able to judge what credit I am entitled to in respect to the different subjects of which I may treat, and as the best security against the licence which authors writing anonymously, even when known, are but too apt to allow themselves. [On the 15th July—an interval of seven weeks—the author again addressed his readers thus :—] Deaii Header, whether gentle or simple, male or female, young or old—for I am happy to say I have of all sorts, I do not know whether you find yourself in any degree wiser, or better, or happier for my labours so far as they have gone, but I am sure I do. At least, from the very frequent testimonies I meet with, I cannot doubt but that 1 Imve contributed to your amusement; and I consider that to be a great point gained, if I can maintain it; because with amusemen*, you cannot fail in the end, considering the sources I draw from, to derive considerable profit. In my first address I told you it was an alterative diet of sound and comfortable doctrines, blended with innoxious amusement, that I proposed to set before you, and I hope so far I have kept my word. Like all alteratives, it is only by perseverance that mine can produce much effect, and you must learn from my desultory writings, what is to be learnt, as you would from other people’s conversation, by habitual attention. I have been much amused with the progress of opinion as to my
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