[VidetheLettersofJosephIItodistinguishedPrincesandStatesmen，publishedforthefirsttimeinEnglandin“ThePamphleteer“for1821。
　　TheywereoriginallypublishedinGermanyafewyearspreviously，andthrowagreatlightuponthecharacterofthatmonarchandtheeventsofhisreign。]
　　IntheUnitedStatesofAmericathecodevariesconsiderably。InoneortwoofthestillwildandsimpleStatesoftheFarWest，wherenoduelhasyetbeenfought，thereisnospecificlawuponthesubjectbeyondthatintheDecalogue，whichsays，“Thoushaltdonomurder。“
　　Butduellingeverywherefollowsthestepsofmoderncivilization，andbythetimethebackwoodsmanistransformedintothecitizen，hehasimbibedthefalsenotionsofhonourwhichareprevalentinEurope，andaroundhim，andisready，likehisprogenitors，tosettlehisdifferenceswiththepistol。InthemajorityoftheStatesthepunishmentforchallenging，fighting，oractingassecond，issolitaryimprisonmentandhardlabourforanyperiodlessthanayear，anddisqualificationforservinganypublicofficefortwentyyears。InVermontthepunishmentistotaldisqualificationforoffice，deprivationoftherightsofcitizenship，andafine；infatalcases，thesamepunishmentasthatofmurderers。InRhodeIsland，thecombatant，thoughdeathdoesnotensue，isliabletobecartedtothegallows，witharopeabouthisneck，andtositinthistrimforanhour，exposedtothepeltingsofthemob。Hemaybefurtherimprisonedforayear，attheoptionofthemagistrate。InConnecticutthepunishmentistotaldisqualificationforofficeoremploy，andafine，varyingfromonehundredtoathousanddollars。ThelawsofIllinoisrequirecertainofficersofthestatetomakeoath，previoustotheirinstalment，thattheyhaveneverbeen，noreverwillbe，concernedinaduel。[“EncyclopediaAmericana，“art。Duelling。]
　　AmongsttheedictsagainstduellingpromulgatedatvarioustimesinEurope，maybementionedthatofAugustusKingofPoland，in1712，whichdecreedthepunishmentofdeathagainstprincipalsandseconds，andminorpunishmentsagainstthebearersofachallenge。AnedictwasalsopublishedatMunich，in1773，accordingtowhichbothprincipalsandseconds，eveninduelswherenoonewaseitherkilledorwounded，shouldbehanged，andtheirbodiesburiedatthefootofthegallows。
　　TheKingofNaplesissuedanordinanceagainstduellingin1838，inwhichthepunishmentofdeathisdecreedagainstallconcernedinafatalduel。Thebodiesofthosekilled，andofthosewhomaybeexecutedinconsequence，aretobeburiedinunconsecratedground，andwithoutanyreligiousceremony；norisanymonumenttobeerectedonthespot。Thepunishmentforduelsinwhicheither，orboth，arewounded，andforthoseinwhichnodamagewhateverisdone，variesaccordingtothecase，andconsistsoffine，imprisonment，lossofrankandhonours，andincapacityforfillinganypublicsituation。
　　Bearersofchallengesmayalsobepunishedwithfineandimprisonment。
　　Itmightbeimaginedthatenactmentssoseverealloverthecivilizedworldwouldfinallyeradicateacustom，theprevalenceofwhicheverywiseandgoodmanmustdeplore。Butthefrownsofthelawneveryethavetaught，andneverwillteach，mentodesistfromthispractice，aslongasitisfeltthatthelawgiversympathiseswithitinhisheart。Thesternjudgeuponthebenchmaysaytotheunfortunatewightwhohasbeencalledaliarbysomeunmannerlyopponent，“Ifyouchallengehim，youmeditatemurder，andareguiltyofmurder！“butthesamejudge，divestedofhisrobesofstate，andmixingintheworldwithothermen，wouldsay，“Ifyoudonotchallengehim，ifyoudonotruntheriskofmakingyourselfamurderer，youwillbelookeduponasamean-spiritedwretch，unfittoassociatewithyourfellows，anddeservingnothingbuttheirscornandtheircontempt！“Itissociety，andnottheduellist，whoistoblame。
　　Femaleinfluence，too，whichissopowerfulinleadingmeneithertogoodortoevil，takes，inthiscase，theevilpart。Mereanimalbraveryhas，unfortunately，suchcharmsinthefemaleeye，thatasuccessfulduellistisbuttoooftenregardedasasortofhero；andthemanwhorefusestofight，thoughoftruercourage，isthoughtapoltroon，whomaybetrampledon。Mr。Graves，amemberoftheAmericanLegislature，who，earlyin1838，killedaMr。Cilleyinaduel，trulyandeloquentlysaid，ontheflooroftheHouseofRepresentatives，whenlamentingtheunfortunateissueofthatencounter，thatsocietywasmoretoblamethanhewas。“Publicopinion，“saidtherepentantorator，“ispracticallytheparamountlawoftheland。Everyotherlaw，bothhumananddivine，ceasestobeobserved；yea，withersandperishesincontactwithit。Itwasthisparamountlawofthisnation，andofthisHouse，thatforcedme，underthepenaltyofdishonour，tosubjectmyselftothecode，whichimpelledmeunwillinglyintothistragicalaffair。Upontheheadsofthisnation，andatthedoorsofthisHouse，reststhebloodwithwhichmyunfortunatehandshavebeenstained！“
　　Aslongassocietyisinthismood；aslongasitthinksthatthemanwhorefusestoresentaninsult，deservedthatinsult，andshouldbescoutedaccordingly，solong，itistobefeared，willduellingexist，howeverseverethelawsmaybe。Menmusthaveredressforinjuriesinflicted，andwhenthoseinjuriesareofsuchanaturethatnotribunalwilltakecognizanceofthem，theinjuredwilltakethelawintotheirownhands，andrightthemselvesintheopinionoftheirfellows，atthehazardoftheirlives。Muchasthesagemayaffecttodespisetheopinionoftheworld，therearefewwhowouldnotratherexposetheirlivesahundredtimesthanbecondemnedtoliveon，insociety，butnotofit——aby-wordofreproachtoallwhoknowtheirhistory，andamarkforscorntopointhisfingerat。
　　Theonlypracticablemeansfordiminishingtheforceofacustomwhichisthedisgraceofcivilization，seemstobetheestablishmentofacourtofhonour，whichshouldtakecognizanceofallthosedelicateandalmostintangibleoffenceswhichyetwoundsodeeply。ThecourtestablishedbyLouisXIVmightbetakenasamodel。Nomannowfightsaduelwhenafitapologyhasbeenoffered，anditshouldbethedutyofthiscourttoweighdispassionatelythecomplaintofeverymaninjuredinhishonour，eitherbywordordeed，andtoforcetheoffendertomakeapublicapology。Ifherefusedtheapology，hewouldbethebreakerofasecondlaw；anoffenderagainstahighcourt，aswellasagainstthemanhehadinjured，andmightbepunishedwithfineandimprisonment，thelattertolastuntilhesawtheerrorofhisconduct，andmadetheconcessionwhichthecourtdemanded。
　　If，aftertheestablishmentofthistribunal，menshouldbefoundofanaturesobloodthirstyasnottobesatisfiedwithitspeacefuldecisions，andshouldresorttotheoldandbarbarousmodeofanappealtothepistol，somemeansmightbefoundofdealingwiththem。
　　Tohangthemasmurdererswouldbeofnoavail；fortosuchmendeathwouldhavefewterrors。Shamealonewouldbringthemtoreason。Thefollowingcode，itishumblysuggestedtoallfuturelegislatorsuponthesubject，would，inconjunctionwiththeestablishmentofacourtofhonour，domuchtowardseradicatingthisblotfromsociety。Everymanwhofoughtaduel，eventhoughhedidnotwoundhisopponent，shouldbetried，and，uponproofofthefact，besentencedtohavehisrighthandcutoff。Theworldwouldthenknowhistruecharacteraslongashelived。Ifhishabitsofduellingweresoinveterate，andheshouldlearntofireapistolwithhislefthand，heshould，uponconvictionofasecondoffence，losethathandalso。Thislaw，whichshouldallownocommutationofthepunishment，underanycircumstances，wouldlendstrengthandauthoritytothecourtofhonour。Inthecourseofafewyearsduellingwouldberankedamongstexplodedfollies，andmenwouldbegintowonderthatacustomsobarbarousandsoimpioushadeverexistedamongstthem。
　　THELOVEOFTHEMARVELLOUSANDTHEDISBELIEFOFTHETRUE。
　　“Well，sonJohn，“saidtheoldwoman，“andwhatwonderfulthingsdidyoumeetwithallthetimeyouwereatsea？“-“Oh！mother，“
　　repliedJohn，“Isawmanystrangethings。“——“Tellusallaboutthem，“repliedhismother，“forIlongtohearyouradventures。“——“
　　Well，then，“saidJohn，“asweweresailingovertheLine，whatdoyouthinkwesaw？“-“Ican’timagine，“repliedhismother——“Well，wesawafishriseoutofthesea，andflyoverourship！““Oh！John！
　　John！whataliaryouare！“saidhismother，shakingherhead，andsmilingincredulously。“Trueasdeath？saidJohn；“andwesawstillmorewonderfulthingsthanthat。“——“Letushearthem，“saidhismother，shakingherheadagain；“andtellthetruth，John，ifyoucan。“——“Believeit，orbelieveitnot，asyouplease，“repliedherson；“butasweweresailinguptheRedSea，ourcaptainthoughtheshouldlikesomefishfordinner；sohetoldustothrowournets，andcatchsome。“——“Well，“inquiredhismother，seeingthathepausedinhisstory。“Well，“rejoinedherson，“wedidthrowthem，and，attheveryfirsthaul，webroughtupachariot-wheel，madeallofgold，andinlaidwithdiamonds！““Lordblessus！“saidhismother，“andwhatdidthecaptainsay？“——“Why，hesaiditwasoneofthewheelsofPharaoh’schariot，thathadlainintheRedSeaeversincethatwickedKingwasdrowned，withallhishost，whilepursuingtheIsraelites。“——
　　“Well，well，“saidhismother，liftingupherhandsinadmiration；
　　“now，that’sverypossible，andIthinkthecaptainwasaverysensibleman。Tellmesuchstoriesasthat，andI’llbelieveyou；butnevertalktomeofsuchthingsasflyingfish！No，no，John，suchstorieswon’tgodownwithme，Icanassureyou！“
　　Sucholdwomenasthesailor’smother，intheabovewell-knownanecdote，arebynomeansrareintheworld。Everyageandcountryhasproducedthem。Theyhavebeenfoundinhighplaces，andhavesatdownamongthelearnedoftheearth。Instancesmustbefamiliartoeveryreaderinwhichthesamepersonwaswilling，withgreedycredulity，toswallowthemostextravagantfiction，andyetrefusecredencetoaphilosophicalfact。ThesameGreekswhobelievedreadilythatJupiterwooedLedaintheformofaswan，deniedstoutlythattherewereanyphysicalcausesforstormsandthunder，andtreatedasimpiousthosewhoattemptedtoaccountforthemontruephilosophicalprinciples。
　　Thereasonsthatthusleadmankindtobelievethemarvellouslyfalse，andtodisbelievethemarvellouslytrue，maybeeasilygathered。OfalltheoffspringofTime，Erroristhemostancient，andissooldandfamiliaranacquaintance，thatTruth，whendiscovered，comesuponmostofuslikeanintruder，andmeetstheintruder’swelcome。Weallpayaninvoluntaryhomagetoantiquity——a“blindhomage，“asBaconcallsitinhis“NovumOrganum，“whichtendsgreatlytotheobstructionoftruth。Tothegreatmajorityofmortaleyes，Timesanctifieseverythingthathedoesnotdestroy。Themerefactofanythingbeingsparedbythegreatfoemakesitafavouritewithus，whoaresuretofallhisvictims。Tocallaprejudice“time-hallowed，“
　　istoopenawayforitintoheartswhereitneverbeforepenetrated。
　　Somepeculiarcustommaydisgracethepeopleamongstwhomitflourishes；yetmenofalittlewisdomrefusetoaidinitsextirpation，merelybecauseitisold。Thusitiswithhumanbelief，andthusitiswebringshameuponourownintellect。
　　Tothiscausemaybeaddedanother，alsomentionedbyLordBacon——amisdirectedzealinmattersofreligion，whichinducessomanytodecryanewly-discoveredtruth，becausetheDivinerecordscontainnoallusiontoit，orbecause，atfirstsight，itappearstomilitate，notagainstreligion，butagainstsomeobscurepassagewhichhasneverbeenfairlyinterpreted。Theoldwomaninthestorycouldnotbelievethattherewassuchacreatureasaflying-fish，becauseherBibledidnottellherso，butshebelievedthathersonhaddrawnupthegoldenandbejewelledwheelfromtheRedSea，becauseherBibleinformedherthatPharaohwasdrownedthere。
　　Uponasimilarprinciplethemonksoftheinquisitionbelievedthatthedevilappearedvisiblyamongmen，thatSt。Anthonypulledhisnosewithapairofred-hotpincers，andthattherelicsofthesaintsworkedmiracles；yettheywouldnotbelieveGalileo，whenheprovedthattheearthturnedroundthesun。