Why are we to love prejudices, merely
because they are prejudices? A prejudice is a fond obstinate
persuasion, for which we can give no reason; for the moment a
reason can be given for an opinion, it ceases to be a prejudice,
though it may be an error in judgment: and are we then advised to
cherish opinions only to set reason at defiance? This mode of
arguing, if arguing it may be called, reminds me of what is
vulgarly termed a woman's reason. For women sometimes declare that
they love, or believe certain things, BECAUSE they love, or believe
them.
It is impossible to converse with people to any purpose, who, in
this style, only use affirmatives and negatives. Before you can
bring them to a point, to start fairly from, you must go back to
the simple principles that were antecedent to the prejudices
broached by power; and it is ten to one but you are stopped by the
philosophical assertion, that certain principles are as practically
false as they are abstractly true. Nay, it may be inferred, that
reason has whispered some doubts, for it generally happens that
people assert their opinions with the greatest heat when they begin
to waver; striving to drive out their own doubts by convincing
their opponent, they grow angry when those gnawing doubts are
thrown back to prey on themselves.
The fact is, that men expect from education, what education cannot
give.
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