A  large  body  of  men  drawn  together  may  not  un-
aptly be  compared  to  certain  chemical  preparations,
which,  in  their  feparate  Hate,  are  perfectly  innoxious ;
but,  by  being  united,  are  rendered  inflammable,  and
even  poifonous.  Mankind  have  feldom  been  aflem-
bled  in  great  numbers  for  any  ufeful  purpofe  :  when-
ever  we  fee  a  vaft  multitude,  we  may  well  exclaim,  with
Jacob,  0  my  foul!  come  not  thou  into  their  fecret  ;  unto
their  affembly  mine  honour  be  not  thou  united.  It  is
not  improbable,  that  many  of  the  people,  whom  Pilate
called  together  to  the  trial  of  our  Saviour,  had,  before
that  took  place,  fmcerely  believed  that  a  great  Pro-
phet lad  arifen.  But  no  fooner  were  they  affembled
in  the  practorium  than  all  the  people  (in  the  fulled
fcnfe  of  that  emphatical  phrafe)  cried  oift,  Crucify  him,
crucify  him.!

Abfalom  was  now  no  longer  a  novice  in  the  ma-
nagement of  popular  meetings  :  we  may  fuppofe  he
kept  the  paffions  of  his  followers  conftantly  heated
by  haranguing  perpetually  on  the  abufes  of  go-
vernment, as  faclious  men  always  find  it  eafy  to
do  :  we  may  alfo  fuppofe  that  he  blackened,  by
every  artifice  in  his  power,  the  chara&er  of  his
good  father,  the  king ;  fometimes,  it  may  be,  de-
claiming on  his  adultery  with  Bathfheba,  and  the

C  c  3  murder


39°  °N    THE    CHARACTER    OP    ABSALOM.
