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their eyes against, would in their turn with reason despise them, when grown old in their errors," see p. 42 and 47.
But I have no where intentionally aimed the shaft of censure at any one, or attempted the character of a particular man; much less have I dared to attack indiscriminately a whole body of men. As far as I have engaged in painting the errors or faults of any, I have endeavoured to represent general actions of men, such as they are, and not the picture of individuals. Yet, as Le Sage has justly remarked, there are some persons who cannot read, and I say there are others who cannot hear, without making an application of those vicious or ridiculous characters which they learn from an author. With him I declare to all who have such a malicious propensity, that they are in the wrong to apply the portraits which they may find here exhibited; nor let any reader take for his own what may equally belong to another, otherwise he will foolishly expose himself, as Phædrus says,
"Stulté nudabit animi conscientiam."
The notice I have here given is, I hope, sufficient therefore to exculpate me from the groundless charge of having unjustly reflected upon, or censured the conduct of others,
