country.

In politics, what evils have resulted from abstract terms to which no
ideas are affixed,--such as, "The Equality of Man--the Sovereignty or
the Majesty of the People--Loyalty--Reform--even Liberty
herself!--Public Opinion--Public Interest;" and other abstract notions,
which have excited the hatred or the ridicule of the vulgar. Abstract
ideas, as _sounds_, have been used as watchwords. The combatants will
usually be found willing to fight for words to which, perhaps, not one
of them has attached any settled signification. This is admirably
touched on by Locke, in his chapter of "Abuse of Words." "Wisdom, Glory,
Grace, &c., are words frequent enough in every man's mouth; but if a
great many of those who use them should be asked what they mean by them,
they would be at a stand, and know not what to answer--a plain proof
that though they have learned those _sounds_, and have them ready at
their tongue's end, yet there are no determined _ideas_ laid up in their
minds which are to be expressed to others by them."

When the American exclaimed that he was not represented in the House of
Commons, because he was not an elector, he was told that a very small
part of the people of England were electors. As they could not call this
an _actual representation_, they invented a new name for it, and called
it a _virtual one_. It imposed on the English nation, who could not
object that others should be taxed rather than themselves; but with the
Americans it was a sophism! and this _virtual_ representation, instead
of an _actual_ one, terminated in our separation; "which," says Mr.
Flood, "at the time appeared to have swept away most of our glory and
our territory; forty thousand lives, and one hundred millions of
treasure!"

That fatal expression which Rousseau had introduced, _l'Egalite des
Hommes_, which finally involved the happiness of a whole people, had he
lived he had probably shown how ill his country had understood. He could
only have referred in his mind to _political equality_, but not an
equality of possessions, of property, of authority, destructive of
social order and of moral duties, which must exist among every people.
"Liberty," "Equality," and "Reform" (innocent words!) sadly ferment the
brains of those who cannot affix any definite notions to them; they are
like those chimerical fictions in law, which declare the "sovereign
immortal, proclaim his ubiquity in various places," and irritate the
feelings of