"A Man of true Honour will as soon break open a Lock as a Letter, which does not belong to him; and pick his Neighbour's Pocket, as soon as discover his Nakedness in this Respect; for a Letter, being the Representative of the Person's Heart, who sends it, ought to pass, without Examination or Interruption, to the Hand, to which it is directed; since, otherwise, this Convenience will be of little Use to Mankind, who would no more communicate their Thoughts, in a free Manner, upon many Topicks, than they would talk upon them in publick Company."
— Caleb d'Anvers [pseud. for Nicholas Amhurst, Henry, Viscount Bolingbroke, and William Pulteney, Earl of Bath]
Work Title
Place of Publication
London
Date
Friday, April 14, 1727
Metaphor
"A Man of true Honour will as soon break open a Lock as a Letter, which does not belong to him; and pick his Neighbour's Pocket, as soon as discover his Nakedness in this Respect; for a Letter, being the Representative of the Person's Heart, who sends it, ought to pass, without Examination or Interruption, to the Hand, to which it is directed; since, otherwise, this Convenience will be of little Use to Mankind, who would no more communicate their Thoughts, in a free Manner, upon many Topicks, than they would talk upon them in publick Company."
Metaphor in Context
It is agreed on all Hands that, amongst private Persons, nothing ought to be held more inviolable than the Communication of our Thoughts by a mutual Intercourse of Letters. The tender Concerns and reciprocal Endearments of Lovers; the unguarded Intelligence of intimate Friends; the Mysteries of Tradesmen and Mechanicks; the Negotiations, Contracts and Engagements of mercantile Persons; the Views, Expectations and Pursuits of Some; the Misfortunes and Necessities of Others; and the Secrets of Families in general, of whatsoever Kind, which are conveyed in an epistolary Manner, are Things of so sacred a Nature, that, in all civiliz'd Countries, it has been esteem'd highly scandalous to satisfy our Curiosity at another's Expence A Man of true Honour will as soon break open a Lock as a Letter, which does not belong to him; and pick his Neighbour's Pocket, as soon as discover his Nakedness in this Respect; for a Letter, being the Representative of the Person's Heart, who sends it, ought to pass, without Examination or Interruption, to the Hand, to which it is directed; since, otherwise, this Convenience will be of little Use to Mankind, who would no more communicate their Thoughts, in a free Manner, upon many Topicks, than they would talk upon them in publick Company. When a Man therefore has set down his Thoughts upon a Piece of Paper, and put his Signet upon it, he ought to be as safe as if he was privately talking to his Friend in his Closet; and I cannot help thinking that Man a worse Kind of Evesdropper, who breaks into this secret Cabinet, than one, who skulks under my Window, or listens thro' the Key-hole.
(p. 230)
(p. 230)
Categories
Provenance
Searching in Google Books
Citation
The Craftsman. By Caleb D'Anvers, of Gray's-Inn, Esq. (London: Printed for R. Francklin, 1731). <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
11/12/2013
