y the sacred conclave of Tag, Rag, and Bobtail, the
gracious atmosphere of the grog-shop. Yet it is of this that we must all
be puppets. This thumps the pulpit-cushion, this guides the editor's
pen, this wags the senator's tongue. This decides what Scriptures are
canonical, and shuffles Christ away into the Apocrypha. According to
that sentence fathered upon Solon, {Houto demosion kakon erchetai oikad'
hekasto}. This unclean spirit is skilful to assume various shapes. I
have known it to enter my own study and nudge my elbow of a Saturday,
under the semblance of a wealthy member of my congregation. It were a
great blessing, if every particular of what in the sum we call popular
sentiment could carry about the name of its manufacturer stamped legibly
upon it. I gave a stab under the fifth rib to that pestilent
fallacy,--"Our country, right or wrong,"--by tracing its original to a
speech of Ensign Cilley at a dinner of the Bungtown Fencibles.--H. W.]

FOOTNOTES:

[5] In relation to this expression, I cannot but think that Mr. Biglow
has been too hasty in attributing it to me. Though Time be a
comparatively innocent personage to swear by, and though Longinus in his
discourse {Peri Hypsous} has commended timely oaths as not only a useful
but sublime figure of speech, yet I have always kept my lips free from
that abomination. _Odi profanum vulgus_, I hate your swearing and
hectoring fellows.--H. W.

[6] i hait the Site of a feller with a muskit as I du pizn But their
_is_ fun to a cornwallis I aint agoin' to deny it.--H. B.

[7] he means Not quite so fur i guess.--H. B.

[8] the ignerant creeter means Sekketary; but he ollers stuck to his
books like cobbler's wax to an ile-stone.--H. B.

[9] it must be aloud that thare 's a streak o' nater in lovin' sho, but
it sartinly is 1 of the curusest things in nater to see a rispecktable
dri goods dealer (deekon off a chutch mayby) a riggin' himself out in
the Weigh they du and struttin' round in the Reign aspilin' his trowsis
and makin' wet goods of himself. Ef any thin 's foolisher and moor
dicklus than militerry gloary it is milishy gloary.--H. B.

[10] these fellers are verry proppilly called Rank Heroes, and the more
tha kill the ranker and more Herowick tha bekum.--H. B.

[11] it wuz "tumblebug" as he Writ it, but the parson put the Latten
instid. i sed tother maid better meeter, but he said tha was eddykated
peepl to Boston and tha would n't stan' it no how. idnow as t