Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Documents Relating to the Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey, Vol. 5: Newspaper Extracts Relating to New Jersey, October, 1780 July, 1782
The knowledge Of human nature is a science at once the most useful and difficult, as it is that which must help us to direct and adopt the Spirit of the laws by which men are to be governed. A strict moralist may lay down rules for the conduct of human life, and ?atter him self into a belief that because they are the most just they are practi cable; but in most cases an attempt of this nature would only serve to convince him of his errors, and the futility of his Opinion. The business of the closet is one thing, that Of persuading or convincing mankind very different. Solonithe Athenian lawgiver felt the force of this truth when he was asked if he had given his countrymen the best laws, his celebrated answer was, I have not given them the best I could, but the best they were capable Of receiving. Now it appears, if we were to judge Of his understanding or his virtue from his laws alone, we should not probably do him justice. But there is some times the perfection of policy in measures which are not perfectly virtuous; and the reason is the same that Solon gave, to wit, they are the best the people are capable Of receiving, or in other words, that the nature and situation of things will admit.
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