UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 STRI CTURES 
 
 ON T H t 
 
 LETTER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Right Hon. Mr. BURKE, 
 
 ON THE 
 
 REVOLUTION in FRANCE. 
 
 Haec cum loquerls, nos barones ftupcmus : tu videlicet tecum ipfe vides. 
 Cicer. de Fin. Bettor, et Mclor. Lib. ii. cap. 313. 
 
 - ' Liberty cannot be preferred long by any people, who do 
 
 not preferve that watchful and jealous fpirit of Liberty, on the neceflity of 
 which I haveinfifted. If you are once convinced of this truth, you will 
 know what opinion to entertain of thofe, who endeavour to extinguifh this 
 fpirit, and of thofe, who do all they can to keep it alive. 
 
 Bolwgbrokt; Rem. on the Hift. of Eng. Letter ii. p. ao. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for H. GARDNER, oppofite St. Clement's Church, 
 
 % 8 2 *&*> '79i.
 
 The Reader is defired to take No- 
 tice, that where the Pages only 
 are fet down in the Margin, they 
 refer to Mr. Burke's Letter.
 
 .. ERRATA. />L-ZS 
 
 Page unc 
 
 the note, for *o, read Xafeot 
 for Socrates, read Ifocrates 
 from bottom, for accompany, read accompanied 
 for heaven, read Heaven 
 for principal, read Principal 
 for his, read His 
 for his, read His 
 
 for dcs fpeculation, read de fpeculation 
 from bottom, for Qccs-iKivh, read <x<7i*a'si 
 from bottom for praeflantia, read pracftantior 
 for quofque, read quoque 
 ult. for to be fupported, read to be fo fupported 
 " the note, for cisi, read cioe and for deli' minirtri, read delli 
 miniftri 
 the note, for quito, read quefto. 
 the note, for fubtilc, read Tubtle 
 the note, after riches put a femi colon 
 the note, for eicelb, read eccitb 
 the note, from bottom, for traver, read haver 
 the note, for dopa read dopo 
 the note, for altra perfonne, read altre perfone 
 the note, from bottom, for facundo, read facendo 
 the note, from bottom, for acrefculi, read accrefcerli 
 
 forKlfo^SijMH, read KJifv^nneu 
 
 from bottom, for prafteribo, read praeteribo 
 
 from bottom, for confperit, read confpexit 
 
 for fencerim, read fenlerim 
 
 from bottom, for concluded, read excluded 
 
 the note, from bottom, for face read fare 
 
 for inftstutions, read inftitution 
 
 for boaft, read beaft 
 
 for dolls, read dolts 
 
 for accompliftiments, read "accompaniments 
 
 from bottom, for durations, read deviations 
 
 for modules, read modufes 
 
 dele con 
 
 for acquora, read aequora 
 
 from bottom for princes, read Princes ! 
 
 for dream, breaks, read dream, he breaks 
 
 for politeffe, read petitefie 
 
 from bottom for mifteries, read mytteries 
 
 the note, after Men, infert ' by a Woman." 
 
 for of, read off 
 
 dele the firft and line 9, for that, read the 
 
 from bottom, for lie, read be 
 
 the note, for danoro, read uanaro 
 
 for die, read dci 
 
 5 for danoro, read danaro 
 
 o for aneo, read anco 
 
 117 4 the note, for quantenque, read quantunquc 
 
 13 for igni, read ogni 
 
 ult. for rilener, read ritener 
 
 128 2. the note, for aurefculi, read ace re fee: li 
 
 6 for lecinio, read Licinio 
 
 129 1 for ottenuc, read otrenne 
 
 2 for d'alceni, read d'alcuni 
 
 10 for gle, read gli 
 
 for cornuttionc, read corruttione 
 
 for Poce, read Pochi 
 
 the note, for lilerici mufanti, read li C:.:ci!ci mercanti 
 
 for Coro, read loro 
 
 for objeci, read objects 
 
 for figrial, read fignat 
 
 the not'-, for pumeteff'-, read permstctTc 
 
 
 
 
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 ( 
 
 STRICTURES. 
 
 MR. BURlCE's letter, containing "Re- 
 fleftions on the Revolution in France, 
 &c." had paj^d into the hands of the greater 
 part of his readers, had, I believe, been anjver- 
 ed by many, and probably was laid afide, before 
 I could be prevailed on to give it a reading ; nor 
 would this at length have been complied with, 
 but at the interceffion of a friend, to whom I 
 can refufe nothing. My reafon for this cool- 
 nefs originated in having for fome time paft dis- 
 covered, as I conceived, an evident defalcation 
 in that gentleman's political principles, princi- 
 ples which did him honour, and gained him 
 reputation as a fpeaker; the exchange he has 
 made coincided not with my fentiments, and it 
 was with relucTance that I yielded myfelf once 
 more to be entangled in the fophiflry of an ec- 
 A a centric
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 centric genius levelled with fuch facility, and as 
 it were for amufement played off againfl reafon, 
 and with his leave, the rights of men. His 
 performance is long and tedious, or it might 
 feem to partake of thofe qualities only to me, 
 who am verging towards old age, and who found 
 there among fome matter ufeful and entertain- 
 ing, much to condemn as revolting againft his 
 former fentiments, as well as my own. Im- 
 prefTed with this idea, though labouring un- 
 der many difadvantages, and apprized that many 
 able writers had anfwered that publication, yet 
 I could not refrain from calling in my mite to 
 obrVuft, if not to Item, the ravages that fome 
 of thofe opinions might make on the minds of 
 mankind ; in doing this, I have adhered to my 
 own feelings and fentiments, regardlefs of what 
 may have been advanced by others. But be- 
 fore I proceed in this undertaking, I judge it 
 neceflary to profefs my fincerity ; that I am 
 actuated by no private motive, that I have no 
 pique or finifter view to promote, and that I 
 engage in it from pure benevolence with the 
 hope of promoting, though in a fmall degree, 
 the happinefs of my fellow creatures. 
 
 I nuift here premife, that controverfy is for 
 the moft pait not only unpleafant, but unprofit- 
 able ;
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 able ; it generally decides nothing. It is prin- 
 cipally employed on abftraft ideas, and the 
 matter affirmed or denied concerning them, 
 very rarely admits of unequivocal demonftration 
 or proof. All controverfy would be foon dif- 
 patched and determined, or rather there would 
 be no caufe for controverfy, could we proceed 
 in the like manner and with the fame certainty 
 as when difcourfing on figures and lines. No 
 perfon competent to the queftion doubts whether 
 4 X 4 = 16, or whether each angle of an equi- 
 lateral triangle be equal to either of the other 
 two; the reafon is, that the term or figure 4 
 contains or reprefents in the opinion of all men 
 converfant with it, one immutable invariable 
 known quantity ; this being immutably fixed, 
 the reft follows of courfe ; or if doubted, the 
 proof might eafily be adduced, for thofe who 
 did not perceive it carried its proof along with 
 it : and the like may be faid of the angles of an 
 equilateral triangle. But if men doubled, or 
 were of different opinions concerning the quan- 
 tity reprefented by the figure 4, fome imputing 
 to it a lefs, and fome a greater quantity, from 
 this uncertainty endlefs controverfy would arife 
 in difcourfing concerning it, nor could it be ad- 
 jufted till fome fixed and determined quantity 
 were appropriated to it by univerfal confent. 
 
 In
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 In difcourfing therefore on abftraft ideas from 
 the want of fuch determination, controverfies 
 are not only multiplied, but they have no end* 
 Logicians have in vain endeavoured to remedy 
 this defefr, by fubftituting definitions. No de- 
 finition can be fo conftru&ed as to excite in the 
 mind of another, that precife and clear percep- 
 tion of any abftraQ idea, nor indeed of any 
 thing elfe, which every competent perfon enter* 
 tains of the quantity reprefented by the figure 
 4, or by any other figure. Befides, in treat* 
 ing of abftracl; ideas, mankind are rarely agreed 
 in the component parts; fuppofe virtue for ex- 
 ample, fome men impute to it more, fome fewer 
 qualities, others again different qualities, fub- 
 traOing, retaining, or adding and modifying, 
 ad infinitum, agreeably to their own conceits or 
 opinions ; fo that unlefs all men were perfectly 
 agreed in the definition, as precifely as they are 
 in the quantity reprefented by the figure, the 
 definition is ufelefs, and confequently the con* 
 troverfy concerning virtue, or any other ab- 
 ilra6t idea, becomes endlefs, and undecifive. 
 This uncertainty arifing from deficiency of proof 
 and demonftratioj* attendant on abftraclion, has, 
 at different times, incited eccentric geniufes to 
 {tart new and ftrange doctrines, or to revive 
 and varniftx up the old ; not with a view to fup- 
 
 port
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 port the caufe of truth and humanity, but to 
 acquire to themfelves celebrity and fame ; and 
 in cafe controverfy mould arife, they have al- 
 ways an afylum in the imbecility of human 
 reafon, deftitute of thofe powers which are re- 
 quifite to convince by infallible proof and de- 
 monftration. Hence fo many oppofite do&rines 
 on the fame points are feen fubfifting in the 
 world, and ever will be, for human reafonings 
 are but judgments and opinions, often errone- 
 ous, and feldom or never fupported by abfolute 
 proof and certainty; controverfies, therefore, 
 when fettled, are determined by the pre- 
 ponderating weight or number of opinions ; 
 could they be concluded on principles of indu- 
 bitable demonftration and proof, no controverfy 
 could fubfift for a day; all erroneous reafon- 
 ings, judgments and opinions, would inftantane- 
 oufly flee before this light of truth, and be con- 
 iigned to darknefs and permanent oblivion. 
 Thus much is premifed, that it may not be ex- 
 pected of me to advance nothing without proof, 
 while Mr. B. has produced no proof, that I 
 fee, for any thing he has advanced. We have, 
 indeed, his doubts, conjectures, inuendoes, 
 half-explained -wifhes, defultory arguments, and 
 falfe deductions and conclufions ; but we have 
 not even that authority which might have been 
 
 obtained
 
 ( ) 
 
 obtained for many of the fafts he mentions; 
 fome of which, however boldly afTerted, are ex- 
 tremely queftionable. My age has rendered me 
 too experienced to rely on the ipfe dixit of any 
 man where I can difcover evident partiality, 
 and he muft pardon me if I do not give full 
 credit to all he relates. 
 
 It gave me no fmall concern to obferve a vein 
 of acrimony pervade his whole letter, pointed 
 dire&ly againft the Revolution in France, its 
 authors and abettors, wherever to be fonnd, 
 without any regard to their moral characters 
 or abilities ; the national aflembly treated with 
 indignant perfonalities ; and molt of their opera- 
 tions and meafures, without referve or diftinc- 
 tion condemned. The tone affumed, the en- 
 thufiaftic emotions, the prefumed knowledge, 
 from a long ftudy of men and things, with other 
 extraneous and extravagant matter might com- 
 mand a fmile or excite our pity. But when 
 he prefumptuoufly derides what is of the laft 
 importance, the execution of which is fo vaft as 
 to defy all the powers of the human mind to 
 accomplifh at once, to make no allowance for 
 human imbecility in what he conceives to be 
 error, but to confole himfelf in the future mif- 
 carriage of a plan concerted to reftore twenty- 
 five
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 five millions of the human fpecies to freedom ; 
 when we behold this unfriendly difpofition, we 
 are juftified in queftioning the purity of his can- 
 dour, the validity of his affertions, the power 
 of his affumed abilities, and to give him no 
 longer credit for any more of thefe accomplish - 
 ments and qualities, than are evidently {tamped 
 as his with the unerring feals of juflice and 
 truth. 
 
 Under what appellation we are to fpeak of 
 the form of government eftablifhed or eitablifh- 
 ing in France is immaterial ; it is however to 
 be denominated a mixed form of government, 
 its component parts are limited monarchy, and, 
 as I apprehend, a timocracy. The latter is 
 treated ofby Ariftotle ill his Ethics, lib. viii. c. 10. 
 
 rf \~r, <$ \ ecTto rijji^fjMTUv, tj TJ/noxp/cr*}!/ hiynt oikmo <pxnna.i ; 
 
 it differs from a democracy which admits 
 all the citizens to a fhare in government, but 
 the timocracy fuch only as pay a tax or have 
 an income ; the democracy refpe&s per/on, the 
 timocracy per/on and property. This mixed with 
 a limited monarchy, is a form of government 
 which I believe no where exifted before ; but it 
 is not to be condemned or cenfured on this ac- 
 count, for the fame may be alleged of the mixed 
 form of our Englifh Government, the like 
 
 B havmg
 
 ( m ) 
 
 having never before exifted in any nation, nor 
 does it exift in any kingdom but our own, yet 
 mankind are far from faying that it comes under 
 the denomination of thofe forms of government 
 which are accounted bad ; nor will any but 
 rafh and conceited men condemn the other till 
 they fee the effect : all who do fo, form their 
 opinions on theoretical principles, on a fubjeft 
 which can. only be determined by faft from 
 experience. Of governments purely fimple, 
 judgment may be formed ; but of new complex 
 governments, of which we have had no experience, 
 intemperance and folly alone would affume the wif- 
 dom of deciding and contemning. Ah ariftocracy 
 is generally confidered by politicians as a vicious 
 form of government ; yet ariftocracy properly 
 blended and tempered ^th limited monarchy 
 and democracy * are the condiment parts of 
 
 our 
 
 * In what is abore advanced concerning the Englifh fom> 
 of government, I rather complied with common opinion than 
 adhered to my own, I fhould otherwife have find that the 
 component parts of this mixed form, of government are limited 
 monarchy, an ariftocracy, and' a timocracv. I cnnnot think 
 myielf juitified in this deviation from received opinions with- 
 out giving my reafuns. A part of what is termed democratic 
 are the membeis of the Iloufeof Commons, yet no one of 
 thofe is intitied to a f u in that Moufc who is not pofTciTed of 
 land to a certain annual value, and this is purely timocratic ; 
 
 thofe
 
 ( ) 
 
 ourform of Government. 'Ina potion compounded 
 or* various ingredients one or more of them may 
 be poifonous and deleterious, yet the whole medi- 
 cine i"o compounded may neverthelefs be falubri- 
 ous, or one medicine may be fo counteracted by 
 
 another 
 
 thofe who elecl a part of thefe members muft be poffefled of 
 a freehold to a certain annual value, or which pays not lefs 
 than a certain annual tax, this again is purely timocratic; they 
 who eleft the remaining part either derive their right from 
 certain fpecified fervitudes, and this is not democratic, or, are 
 intitled to it from being inhabitants of particular defcriptions 
 in corporate towns, and this is not democratic ; while by far 
 the greater number of the people, ftich as mechanics in towns 
 and villages and all the peafantry who have not ferved a proper 
 (hare of fervitude under freedmcn, or have no freeholds to a 
 certain annual amount, are totally excluded from enjoying any 
 (hare in government, all of whom in a democracy would par- 
 take of it. This part then of our government ufually termed 
 democratic, for thefe reafons appears to me to be timocratic. 
 
 The whole taken together produces a form of government 
 which on a comparifon with others is efteemed good ; but I 
 prefume far from perfect while the greater number of the 
 people are totally excluded from any (hare in government; and 
 it may be found very difficult hereafter even to preferve it in 
 its original Mate however imperfedt; for if even the ariflocratic 
 and timocratic bodies fhould become corrupt and refign their 
 legislative power to the will of miniftry, then would the execu- 
 tive and legislative power be verted in the fame hands, and the 
 government would -become defpotic, retaining the forms only 
 of a mixed form of government. Whether or not it be juft 
 to exclude the major part of the people from all (hare in go- 
 vernment in this democracy, I fay not, but it may be a fubjedt 
 not to be flighted by minilUy.
 
 ( >* ) 
 
 another as when mixed to produce falutary 
 effe&s : thus, though the form of government 
 eftablifhed in France mould have one of its 
 component parts vicious abftja&edly, I fay, 
 mould this be the cafe, not that I know or 
 imagine it is, yet by the combination it may 
 prove an excellent form of government, and 
 replete with all that is requifite to produce 
 public happinefs. This, I fay, may be the 
 effect ; I do not affert ; nor would be fo confi- 
 dent as thofe who arraign thefe legiflators, their 
 laws, their abilities, and what they have already 
 organized, in terms which would excite in me a 
 concious degradation by expofing to contempt 
 my prefumption and weaknefs in the deciding 
 on a fubjeft which time and experience only 
 can determine. Forms of government, the 
 judicial alone excepted and which was known 
 only to the Jews, are of human invention, the 
 archetype has been fuppofed to be that of pri- 
 vate families *, be this as it may, civil 
 government has been made to involve in it 
 the mod abflrufe, profound, and confumate 
 knowledge ; the combinations are almolt in- 
 finite ; 
 
 * See Ariftotle's Ethics., lib. viii. can. i o. Qii.Mu.xTa b' avru 
 
 a.x\ cis; jra'a.onyu.xrai foo&* Ti,- at v.x\ i rat; cixiau,' ; and UC 
 
 afterwards, agreeably to this notion, compares the timocxacy 
 to a family of brofhers, . i -,- r .x7ix>i Z' omit y rut xhhfv*.
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 finite ; the tempers, the paflions, the interefts of 
 mankind numerous and difcordant; to recon- 
 cile, foften, and blend all this heterogenious mat- 
 ter into one confident, uniform, and beneficial 
 fyftem or whole, from whence fupreme good 
 wall be derived to all, is an undertaking replete 
 with the mod ardent difficulties. Thefe in- 
 creafe when no archetype prefents itfelf, and 
 in this predicament are the French legiflators ; 
 for though their timocracy is extremely ana- 
 logous to our own, yet the ariftocratic form is 
 totally excluded from their government ; nor 
 could it be introduced with any degree of 
 fafety ; for though the form of government 
 previous to the Revolution was defpotic, yet in 
 thefe nobles the people found almoft as many 
 petty tyrants ; their hauteur, their extorfions 
 and feverity had rendered them odious to the 
 people, and their difpofitions dangerous to free- 
 dom, fo that they could not be introduced with 
 fafety to form a di(tint clafs in their new form 
 of government. Their exclufion by which 
 their form of government becomes different 
 from ours, renders it alfo a new form of go- 
 vernment ; but I have no conception that any man 
 ib far from ridiculing what has been done, can de- 
 termine with any degree of precifion concerning 
 its inefficacy. A government fo formed may be
 
 ( 14 /) 
 
 bad, it may be a compound of good and bad, 
 or it may be far fuperior to any yet experi- 
 enced; but Mr. B. with all his philofophy and 
 politics, with all his experience and knowledge, 
 with all his meditations, reveries, and unremit- 
 ting refearches into men and things, will never 
 be able to perfuade me that he can form a 
 more decifive opinion concerning the event 
 than the generality of mankind. The fo much 
 boafted wifdom of man, fo much applauded by 
 man, and therefore no doubt impartial, what is 
 it at bed but plaulible conjecture ; and gene- 
 rally, removed but a few degrees from ftark 
 folly. Socrates who was very converfant in 
 governments and their adminiftration, and has 
 left us two treatifes exprefsly on thefe iubjecls, 
 ingenuoufly confefles that fo weak is his wif- 
 dom that he was unable to determine whether 
 the treatife he was then writing would have any 
 claim to merit; and that fuch doubts were very 
 common to authors of every kind, who though 
 they had laboured to rife to the dignity of their 
 fubjeci, yet whether they had properly acquitted 
 themfclves was uncertain till it was decided by 
 public determination*. If it was beyond the 
 
 ftretch 
 
 Ku$o?.cv ti 97Trovur^> t-n yj.z o^ro^st^is-Sai, v.at itr^ a 
 m*7fiit, iyv /iti;x?<,y.jn ca?.nr. E at. qv *CTa 79 Svcor 
 
 I-
 
 ( 6 ) 
 
 ftretch of the wifdom of fuch writers to deter- 
 mine with any precifion on fo trifling a matter 
 as a fmall treatife, till it had undergone the 
 examination of friends and had received the 
 judgment of the public, I humbly conceive it is 
 not within the range of Mr. B.'s knowledge, 
 nor that of any other perfon, to decide on the 
 merit and effect, of this new form of govern- 
 ment and the new code of laws yet in embryo ; 
 fubjecttf far more abftrufe from their nature, 
 and requiring a larger portion of wifdom in 
 proportion as the obj eel; is of more importance 
 and magnitude than moft others. But though 
 the wifdom of man is, yet his prefumption is 
 not, limited. One of the wifeft of his own 
 fpecies deriding his wifdom, fays, it is fomething 
 little better than nothing, &fmm ff0 px oxy 0u to,- 
 > t<7T **i ot^iK**. And the divine oracles frequent- 
 ly fpeak of man with all his collected wifdom as 
 a conceited fool, unable to conduct himfelf, or to 
 judge properly even in common occurrences. 
 
 IJoAArz yx^ y.x\ ruv tuuerftuv jroriiMX-rvv , xxi to>v xa-raXoya&iv 
 cxny^u.yiu.u.'x icv , tr utv it ti? aiotvoiai; tuna, iwt cvvi&veuv , fx.tyxK%i 
 Rfo^Mixi; t. x- r i7-/\v' tTTJTtXeaSfvra & t >ot to; XAo; vnootip(BivTa, 
 
 Ifocrat, ad Nicoe. p. 38. 
 
 * Socrat Apol. Seft. 9. p. 73. 
 
 Proofs
 
 ( >6 ) 
 
 Proofs of thefe affertions muft ftrike every one 
 who attends to the perpetual debates in certain 
 aflemblies, whofe members unqueftionably poffefs 
 as much wifdonv as is allotted to humanity, 
 who, notwithftanding are almoft conftantly di- 
 vided in their opinions on all queftions of im- 
 portance and difficult folution. The like too 
 may be obferved in mod authors treating on 
 the fame fubje6t, for their opinions are various. 
 This I fay could not happen if human wildom 
 were not precifely under the alleged predica- 
 ment. 
 
 If from thefe legiflative affemblies we go into 
 our higher courts of law, where, if this wifdom 
 exifted, we might reafonably expect to fee it 
 affembled^ yet here varying opinions are pro- 
 fefled, uncertainty is firmly rooted, and doubts 
 are ftarted which thefe courts ingenuoufly de- 
 clare they cannot refolve, the contefted points 
 are referred to the judgment of the twelve 
 fuperior fages of the law, who are frequently 
 divided in their opinions, and at length the 
 determination is fettled by counting of nofes. 
 
 I am very far from endeavouring to convey 
 the leafl reflection on any of the parties, I well 
 know thefe confequences are inevitable ; but I 
 
 adduce
 
 ( '7 ) 
 
 adduce fuch inftances merely to prove, that 
 when man extols his wifdom, he only boafts of 
 his weaknefs ; for if the legiflators who promul- 
 gated thofe laws fo framed them, that they were 
 unintelligible, or doubtful in their meaning, 
 this is no mark of their wifdom ; if clear and 
 intelligible, and yet the fages of the law do not 
 comprehend them, then here again wifdom has 
 nothing to boaft ; a deficiency muft be fome- 
 where, or every where, and our greatefl: wifdom 
 will be, to acknowledge that human and divine 
 oracles, which have ridiculed our high claims 
 and prefumption, are well founded, that we ac- 
 quiefce in the fentence, and humbly fubmit to 
 it, while fuch ftrong marks of human imbecility 
 confront us, and might rifle the danger of de- 
 riiion, were we to attempt a competition with 
 the little chirping linnet, in the forming of a 
 nelt, wherein to breed her young. 
 
 To come nearer home, I mean to every 
 man's own breaft, experience, I prefume, has 
 convinced him, if he has ever engaged in any 
 undertaking of confequence, either in art or 
 fcience, that both in the defign and progrefs of 
 the work, he has repeatedly changed his mind, 
 and altered his original mode of profecuting 
 his views, has made corrections, additions, fub- 
 
 C tiaftions,
 
 ( i8 ) 
 
 traftions, and a variety of alterations of one 
 kind or another, fuch as his mind did not fug- 
 geft to him in the formation of his original plan. 
 But this is not the charafteriftic of wifdom which 
 defigns perfe6tly, admits of no variation, and 
 executes completely. 
 
 But to relinquifh individuals, have we not 
 obferved two diftint legiflative bodies of men, 
 and in my estimation, poffeffing as much wif- 
 dom as any afiembly of men exifting, with the 
 executive power at their head, repealing laws 
 which they had before ena&ed, or altering, 
 new-framing, retrenching, or adding to them 
 on account of their imperfection, insufficiency, 
 and of their being, in one or more refpe&s, 
 inadequate to the end propofed, and all this 
 laboured circumfpection at lad: totally fruftrated 
 and defeated ; and this, furely not becaufe they 
 po fie fled a wifdom equal to the execution of 
 their views, or that could inform them if thofc 
 views could be executed, but becaufe they were 
 deficient in wifdom, which would have directed 
 them to refrain from, or fecurcly to have at- 
 tained the end propoled. If ihefe perlons, high 
 in estimation for their abilities, could not frame 
 fuel) laws without error, I prefume the bodv of 
 French legiilators, who are forming a whole 
 
 new
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 new code of laws for a great, rich, commercial, 
 and fpirited nation, are intitled, not to moil 
 malignant fneers and farcaftic coarfe appella- 
 tions, if they are fuppofed to have erred, but to 
 the greatefl indulgence, fupport, an/d afliftance 
 in their patriotic endeavours; while thofe who 
 prefume on their own weak abilities, and give 
 the reigns to fuch licenfe, would have a&ed 
 more prudently in examining what has patted 
 nearer home in concerns much lefs difficult, left 
 fuch farcafms, by reverberation, fhould with 
 redoubled force point there. 
 
 At the worft, if the legislators we are fpeak- 
 ing of fhould have materially ^rred, not that I 
 know or believe this to be the cafe, nor can 
 any Speculative vifionary theorift prove it, be- 
 ing a fat which time and experience alone can 
 reveal ; but I fay, fuppofing them to have erred 
 in the formation of their government and fome 
 of its organizations, is this a fubjefi for malevo- 
 lent reproach ? it is the work of men, and the 
 wonder would have been, to have feen it with- 
 out error; are thefe errors irrevocable? will 
 they admit of no touches of emendation ? are 
 their decrees like thofe of the Mcdes and Per- 
 iians, irrevci(iblc ? may they neither refcind nor 
 add ? hare they placed a bar to the exclufion 
 C 2 of
 
 ( o ) 
 
 of all future melioration and improvement whicfe 
 time, experience, and circumdances fhall fug- 
 ged, till by adopting fuch alterations (which 
 has ever been the invariable pra&ice of every 
 tolerable government, and in none [o more than 
 in our own) it is brought to the zenith of improve- 
 ment and perfection ? They certainly have not; 
 if therefore they have erred, the avenues are 
 open to amendment; what is it the moft peevifh 
 or fplenetic can require more ? and if the 
 means of improvement are to be found in the 
 powers of human nature, I truft too they have 
 abilities to difcover, and the ingenuoufnefs to 
 employ them, having already given, an ample 
 earned of their confummate philanthropy, in 
 their noble efforts to redeem a nation from the 
 two-fold bondage of fuperdition and flavery. 
 
 Prudence, therefore, I fliould have imagined 
 would have dictated to Mr. B. if we old men 
 could but pay half the attention tc prudence 
 which we do to our own prating, that it was 
 derogatory to him. and indeed in any one not 
 ablorbed in the weaknefs and I'olh of age, 
 to employ thole u^dcrou?* and unmanly terms 
 of reproach, which at times <>w openly and 
 covert!) diflcmiiidted throughout his v nole per- 
 formance, a^aind the greater part of the princi- 
 pal
 
 ( SI ) 
 
 % 
 
 pal authors f the French revolution and re- 
 form. But fuch reflections not only recoil on 
 their author, they appear to me to reflet on the 
 fenfe and fpirit of our nation, if, when publifh- 
 ed, we do not difapprove, but fit down filently 
 in a tame and mean acquiefcence ; for what a 
 man is content to hear, he may be confidered 
 
 as doing, m. yzg vica^mi uzovur, ruvrcc xsu voittv &**. 
 
 But as I choofe not to be involved either in 
 the language or cenfure, I here publifhed my 
 diffent and difapprobation of both : for were 
 I to fpeak of them, I fhould confider each 
 as a Proculeius, and fay, in the language of 
 Horace, 
 
 l ' i-vet extento Procule'itts ae<vo, . 
 hiatus in f rat res animi paterni : 
 Ilium agat penna metuente folvi 
 Fama fuperjlcs. 
 
 And I truit, from what I colleft from my ob- 
 fervation and the report of others, that a very 
 confiderable part of the people of this nation 
 inclines to the like opinion, and if neceffary, 
 would avow it by their fuffrages. 
 
 Prudence again, might have fuggefled to pro- 
 found politicians; who have feen fo much and 
 
 meditated 
 
 * Ariftot. Eth. lib. iv. c. S. p. 186.
 
 ( ) 
 
 meditated fo long on men and things, the great 
 impropriety or weaknefs in afTuming an au- 
 thoritative tone in deciding on the events in cafes 
 fo infinitely combined, intricate and abftrufe, 
 as are the greater part of thofe refpecting new 
 forms of government, and new codes of laws. 
 In forming judgment on prefent things, the 
 ufual method is to recur to former precedents^ 
 thefe invefligated and compared, we draw a 
 conclufion for the prefent exigency, adhering 
 to the axiom, like caufes mull: produce like 
 effects. The whole of fuch proceeding appears 
 to me extremely erroneous, and particularly fo 
 in the prefent inftance. Of the precedents or 
 examples recurred to, and the cafes with which 
 they are compared, there is not one in a million 
 that exactly correfponds ; and the leaft failure 
 in the mofl minute article may be, and generally 
 is, fatal : and thefe differences and difagree- 
 ments, multifarious as they arc, either from 
 their minutenefs on the one hand, or from the 
 deficiency of accutcnefs in human obfervation 
 on the other, efcape the keennefs of the molt 
 affiduous penetration. That like caufes will pro- 
 duce like effects, is a maxim which, cither 
 through mi (concept ion of its meaning, or mif- 
 application of it, has been productive of more 
 falfe reafoning and erroneous action, than per- 
 haps
 
 { 2 3 ) 
 
 haps any of thofe trite apothegms commonly 
 bandied among mankind. All like caufes will 
 not have like effects, unlefs that which a6is, 
 and that which is a6ted upon, are in each cafe 
 precifely fimilar. And this precision being want- 
 ing in innumerable inftances where it is fup- 
 pofed to exift, and where it cannot be difcover- 
 ed but that it doth exift in everyone of thefe in- 
 ftances, like caufes will produce different efFe&s, 
 becaufe the thing, for example, which is ated 
 upon is not in the fame precife ftate and condi- 
 tion in the one cafe, as in the other; the dif- 
 ference here again efcaping human penetration. 
 Thus, if a tax produced a fpecihx fum, and like 
 caufes produced like effeBs, the tax, when 
 doubled, fhould produce double the fum of the 
 former tax; but legiflators, who have adopted this 
 theory, have been frequently difappointed, with- 
 out having been able, with all their accutenefs, 
 to difcover and forefee thofe remote and fecret 
 obftacles which fruftrated their intentions. 
 Ail fuch reafoning then is erroneous, but it is 
 particularly fo in the prefent cafe, for there is 
 no precedent or example to direct us in our de- 
 cilions; here is a form of government or con- 
 fiitution entirely new and unknown to the world 
 before, with a new code of laws adapted to it ; 
 and I could with thefe wife politicians who con- 
 demn their proceedings and determine, moft 
 
 probably
 
 ( 2 4 ) 
 
 probably according to their own wifhes, that the 
 iffue muft be fatal, would, inflead of giving us 
 their decifive opinions, which no man of reafon 
 would eftimate at more than a ft raw, I fay, I 
 wifh they would tell us on what principles of 
 found reafoning they ground their confidence, 
 on what infallible criterion they found their 
 judgment. > For my own part, I am perfuaded 
 they have none ; and that they Aide along with 
 the reft of mankind on the flippery furface of 
 conjecture only ; that they are as wife as their 
 neighbours who hold a contrary opinion, but 
 not one iota wifer. 
 
 But their finances, they tell us, are totally 
 deranged; and what of that? is it not the na- 
 tural confequence of fuch a revolution ? and if 
 a perfon has the tooth-ach, it may derange him, 
 but is does not neceffarily follow that he muft 
 die of the pain. But they are miferable finan- 
 ciers, and underftand nothing of the matter ; 
 improbable, incredible as this is, let us fuppofe 
 it on the word and the wifdom of thofe who 
 pretend to be lb much wifer, and this admitted, 
 will any one allure us that they are fo dull a 
 people, that they are incapable of learning from 
 experience, what experience alone can initruct 
 and inform? The former unequal and partial 
 
 taxation
 
 ( *5 ) 
 
 taxation can no longer be continued under the 
 prefent form of government, which profeffes to 
 deal impartially with all its citizens ; of courfe 
 then new taxes muft be exa&ed, and new laws 
 enacted, to declare what they are, and the 
 mode of railing them ; in this very comprehen- 
 five and intricate concern, mould fome miftakes 
 appear, it is no more than what every reafon- 
 able perfon would expecl ; prefent derange- 
 ment will be fucceeded by future arrangement ; 
 time and experience, in the hands of ceconomy 
 and integrity, will adjuft the whole : in the 
 calm of the ftate, which will fucceed this little 
 temped, there will be opportunity to revife 
 what is amifs, and to apply the needful repairs, 
 till the whole is compleat. But no rational 
 being can fuppofe that a few erroneous calcula- 
 tions, or miftaken objefts of taxation, can ruin 
 a nation. A prefent temporary, tranfient, flight 
 diftrefs is one thing, total ruin is another; but 
 I have no conception that a kingdom, containing 
 twenty-five millions of induftrious, aftive, in- 
 telligent, and commercial inhabitants, who have 
 call off the yoke of defpotifm, and occupy near 
 three hundred thoufand fquare miles of terri- 
 tory, chiefly fertile, can be ruined by fuch 
 petty miftakes. If immerged for a moment 
 in difficulties, it muft fooa emerge and rife 
 D fuperior
 
 ( *6 ) 
 
 fuperior to them ; the powers ;c effed this are 
 at hand, they are prefent and innate, and the 
 operation as natural as any other in nature. 
 Were they even great, alarming, and imminent, 
 ftill there is redrefs, and this without recurring 
 to the dark magic of deep financiers, to convey 
 the reluftant property of the nation into their 
 own hands the people alone can effect it; and 
 will cheerfully do fo, if they entertain an ade- 
 quate idea of the bleffings derived to them by 
 thefe their deliverers. It is a tribute which they 
 cannot in reafon or juftice withhold, for if 
 Freedom could not be obtained at an eafier 
 rate, (till it would be a cheap purchafe, if the 
 pi ice was the laft (hilling in the nation. 
 
 To aflail our paflions, not to appeal to our 
 reafon and judgment, the writer furnifhes us 
 with lamentable pictures of private fufferings.. 
 Who, in a Revolution, does not expect to hear 
 of fome diftrefs ? who fits down to fee a tragedy 
 reprefented, and condemns the piece becaufe 
 there are tragical fcenes ? It cannot be expected 
 of all revolutions, that they mould be attended 
 with that gentle ebb and flow which accompany 
 that of our own country, and perhaps there are 
 thofe who would not willi it, left they mould 
 become more frequent. In this French Revo- 
 lution, confidering the numbers concerned, and 
 
 the
 
 ( *7 ) 
 
 the oppofing interefts, it is almoft miraculous, 
 that it fhould be attended with fo few which do 
 Violence to humanity. Let the reader who has 
 leifure and patience, confult Davila's hiftory of 
 a former attempt only at a Revolution in that 
 kingdom ; let him compare thofe fcenes of 
 flaughter, havoc, difolation, and aflaffi nation, 
 which continued for years, with the evils which 
 have attended this Revolution, and he will be 
 aftonifhed to find, that though fo much has been 
 effected, yet the confequent calamities, on a 
 comparifon, do not fo much as merit attention. 
 The former was as a ftorm, raging and durable, 
 in which the furious conflicting powers tore up 
 every thing, fcattered ruin around, leaving no- 
 thing behind them but the deadly traces of de- 
 valuation ; the latter as a tranfient gale, of fome 
 force but of fhort duration, which deprived the 
 lofty trees of their leafy honours, and fhook 
 down gracelefs fpires of bad architecture, which 
 had been too highly elevated. This has {im- 
 plied one grand theme for oratory, and your 
 great orators have a licence to blow the foapy 
 fuds of trifles into tranf'parent bladders of maer- 
 
 llltUCte, ETTEidVj on Xoyci rciiTv;i' lyova 7r,v $vciii, uer5' cio* 
 7 -uai 7Tfi Turn a.v7uv i^irff.zusbau, xou -to. Tt pcyx%a. laxiita 
 t ".rr.-i, e.i tci,- ^HtfOK ptytQo; vprSutau* , fa\'S IfoCTateS. 
 
 D 2 At 
 
 * Ifccrat. Pan. p. 99-100.
 
 ( 28 ) 
 
 At one time by heightening the teints in 
 their reprefenta'tions, at other times daubing 
 them with a falfe glare of colouring, and 
 working in a plenty of the pathos, our ora- 
 torical gentlemen expe6t to do wonders. But 
 this game has been played off fo frequently upon 
 us ; the keys of our fenfibility have been fo 
 repeatedly ftruck, and with fuch injudicious 
 violence, that I apprehend the reft of mankind, 
 as well as myfelf, are callous and deaf to all 
 they fay, and pay no more attention to them 
 than 
 
 Furius ebritts olirr., 
 Cum Ilionam cdormit, Catiettis milh ducetith, 
 Mater te appello, Clamantibus. 
 
 Hor. lib. ii. fat. 3. v. 6. 
 
 Who does not perceive that this oratory is 
 nothing more than the fid 11 of playing on the 
 ignorance of mankind, and when duped, to lead 
 them captive, right or wrong, to the intereft or 
 opinion of the orator; that it is the rattle-fnake 
 \\\ fociety, and fafcinates to catch its prey. 
 With tfoefe notions, Mr. B. will pardon me, if 
 in perilling his letter, I fometimes fmile where 
 he might expect a tear, and again (lied a tear 
 where he might expect a laugh. Not that I 
 cannot feel fji the diiirefs of a king, if the dif- 
 
 trefs
 
 ( *9 ) 
 
 trefsl)e real, for in that cafe, I fliould be as 
 much afFe&ed as this writer or any other ; but I 
 cannot feel for an imaginary diftrefs, where there 
 is none, and no caufe for it exifts. If the dif- 
 trefs be real, I feel for him as a man, though 
 not as a king, unlefs by virtuous actions he has 
 ftamped that character with lingular merit cor- 
 refponding to that dignity. Of fuch perfonages 
 it is faid, that they obtain their high office and 
 power by the fpecial favour of heaven ; I really 
 am not competent to decide in this matter; but 
 if that be true, it appears to me, that when they 
 lofe them, that they lofe them alfo by and with 
 the confent and approbation of the fame all- 
 ruling principal, for I am certain fuch change 
 cannot take place contrary to his will, nor in 
 opposition to his eternal decrees. But fuch dig- 
 nities and powers, confidered by themfelves, are 
 mere gewgaws, and he who laments at being di- 
 vefted of them, if he means to lament as a man, 
 can only lament that he is thereby deprived of 
 the means of being more extenfively beneficent; 
 and here I fympathize with him. I profefs to 
 know little of kings and courts; from the little 
 knowledge, however, which I have of them, it 
 may be deemed a wonderful efcape, if the for- 
 mer are not completely contaminated by the 
 latter; it would be almolt as miraclous for a 
 
 perfon
 
 ( 3" ) 
 
 perfon to pafs through the fire unhurt, as to 
 refide in a court and retain his probity, if the 
 following nervous and animated reprefentation 
 bears a refemblance of the originals, for in this 
 picture we fee collected and grouped all the 
 meaneft vices of human nature mafked ; Ou'on 
 life, fays Montefquieu, ce que les hijioriens de tous 
 les terns out dit fur la cour del Monarques ; qu'on 
 fe r'appelle les converfations des homines de tous les 
 pais fur le miferable caracTere des courtifans ; ce ne 
 font point des chefes des /peculation, mais oVune trifle 
 experience. Lambition^ dans I'oifivete, la baffaffe 
 dans I'orgueil, le defir de s y enrichir fans travail, 
 Vaverficm. pour la verite ; la flatttrie, la trahifon, 
 la perfidie, I 'abandon de tous fes engagements, le 
 mepris des devoirs du citoyen, la crainte de la virtu 
 du prince, I'efperance dc fes foibleffes, et plus que 
 tout cela, le ridicule perpetuci jette fur la vertu, font, 
 jecrois, le caratlere dc la plupart des courtifans 
 marque dans tous Irs lieu-x et dans tous les terns. Or 
 il eft tres mal-aife que les principeaux d'un etat 
 Joient malhonnetes gens, et que les, inferieurs Joient 
 gcnS'dc-bien, que ceux la fount (rempeurs, et que 
 ceux-ci confentent a nitres cur. duties*. There was 
 not perhaps a court in Europe more flrongly 
 impregnated with the bafenefs, vice, and infamy 
 
 above 
 
 * Montcfijuieu, Ti\\ dc. Loix, Iiv, ill. th. 5.
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 above defcribed, than that of France, before 
 the Revolution, and which, it is to be hoped, 
 the Revolution has done away. No man of in- 
 tegrity can conceive himfelf diftrefled in being 
 releafed and refcued from fuch company, or in 
 refigning a defpotic power, which gave life, 
 foul, and energy to fuch iniquity. I was never 
 guilty of flattering fovereigns, but if I am not 
 greatly mifinformed, a better intentioned man 
 doth not exift than Louis the Sixteenth king of 
 France. To fuppofe him diftrefled, argues a 
 want of knowledge of his character and merit. 
 So far from exciting our concern or fympathy, 
 he has unequivocally demonftrated to the world, 
 that the greatnefs of his foul, on the prefent 
 occafion, foars far above all praife, that his 
 magnanimity and heroifm are fo tranfcendently 
 exalted that men lofe fight of it, or will not 
 comprehend it. He has voluntarily declared in 
 public acts, when no neceflity induced him to 
 make fuch declaration, that he implicitly con- 
 fides in the National Affembly, approves of the 
 form of government they have eftablifhed, and 
 has taken an oath to fupport and defend it. He 
 has wifely confidered, though it militates againft 
 the creed of courtiers, that the end propofed in 
 civil focicty is civil happinefs, that the founda- 
 tion of this is freedom, that public freedom is 
 
 founded
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 founded on public virtue, that public virtue can 
 never flourifli where the corrupt example of the 
 great is vicious, and that their vices are cherilh- 
 ed and forftered by defpotifm : he therefore 
 cheerfully relinquishes this odious, illicit, and 
 unjuft power in favour of the people, that they 
 may become virtuous, free, and happy* 
 
 Yet this is the character on which it has been 
 endeavoured to draw down our commiferation*. 
 I profefs to look up to it with applaufe and ad- 
 miration, Ecu fpeBaculum dignum, ad quod 
 refpiciat, intentus opcri fuo Deus t Ecce par Deo 
 dignum /f This is true heroifm, and if I muft 
 with Mr. B. look up to fovereigns^ with that 
 awful refpeft and veneration, it (hall be to fuch 
 only as pofTefs and exert this heroifm. There 
 are two fpecies of heroifm, the fpecious and the 
 genuine. The former was appropriated in bar- 
 barous ages to afts which they fuppofed to be 
 virtuous. A hero was a perfon who was fuccefs- 
 ful in battle, though the grounds on which he 
 undertook the war were unjuft; and the appel- 
 lation was given indifcriminately to all who laid 
 countries defolate, overturned cities and towns, 
 and fertilized the land with deluges of human 
 
 blood, 
 
 * P. 99. -t Seneca do Divin. Prov. i P. i:S.
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 blood, proudly and defpotically trampling on 
 the peace and rights of mankind, as it were, in 
 contempt of human nature. But who, in thefe 
 enlightened times and days, as we boaft, of ci- 
 vilization, does not confider Alexander, and the 
 reft of that tribe of heroes, as objects of horror 
 and indignation ; every rational being muft de- 
 teft the defpotic power they aflumed, the hands 
 in which it was entrufted^ and the ufe to which 
 it was applied. But the other fpecies of he* 
 roifm, which I term genuine, is of a very dif- 
 ferent complexion ; it is founded on benevo- 
 lence, it confifts in every poffible exertion in 
 every ftation to promote the happinefs of the 
 whole human race. We cannot compare the 
 characters of Alexander and Trajan without in- 
 jury to the latter, and fupprefling the feelings of 
 humanity in our own breads. What are the 
 trappings of fovcreignty compared with the hap- 
 pinefs of millions ? what is haughty defpotifm 
 compared with filial affection ? what are ftern 
 corrofive commands compared with voluntary 
 obedience and cheerful refignation, if neceffity 
 fhould prefs, of fortune and life ? The defpot 
 ungeneroufly confoles himfclf in grafping the 
 former ; the hero of benevolence affuredly fe- 
 cures to himfelf the other. The defpot, if not 
 infcnfiblc, has but a pitiable cxiilcncc amidft 
 E falfe
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 falfe fplendor, attended with fufpicions, trea- 
 fons, tumults, fears and alarms : the other knows, 
 no anxiety; and confcious fclf-approbation, the 
 moft enlivening cordial of life in ficknefs and in 
 health, is ever prefcnt to invigorate his mind. 
 To embrace this, defpots might willingly refign 
 their baubles of fceptres, relinquifh their falle 
 Mattering courtiers, and all the mockery and 
 lumber of courts : both cannot he held together, 
 and he that will be a hero muftmake large facri- 
 fices, by voluntary refignation of what the folly 
 of vanity terms great and good. This the king 
 of France has wifely done, and adheres to it in 
 defpite of the folicitations of pretended friends 
 and courtiers, who wifh to refume their tyranny 
 under his fanclion and patronage : but he has 
 made the better choice, by attending to the one 
 thing needful, the prayer and profperity of the 
 people; and in fpite of all mifreprefentation, 
 he has a&cd the part of true heroifm. will be 
 applauded by all the friends of mankind, and will 
 meet with that confolation in life and in death, 
 which he could not expeft while he grafped and 
 exercifed the former powers of deipotifm. He 
 may now appropriate to himfclf that motto which 
 few can claim, and no defpot can affume Nil 
 confeire iibi, nullaquc palcfcere culpa. 
 
 Thus
 
 I 35 J 
 
 Thus has Louis the Sixteenth taken the moft 
 folid ground to rife in the annals of fame, by 
 this honourable facrifice to the happinefs of his 
 people; this will be his confolation under every 
 affliction to his laft moment ; and when it fhall 
 be faid of other princes, that they juft lived and 
 died, or, proh pudor, that they fcattered de- 
 valuation and ruin, the candid hiftorian will rank 
 him with the Antonius's and Trajans, and the 
 reft of thofe princes who purfued true heroifm 
 through the path of beneficence, whofe luftre, 
 though bright, he will eclipfe, and whofe glo- 
 ries, however great, will on the comparifon, 
 " hide their diminifhed heads." 
 
 There are in the world thofe who affect 
 heroifm, but the path they purfue leads not to 
 it ; they have neither the magnanimity nor the 
 bounty to urge them to make the neceffary fa- 
 crifice; the fublime heroic char after is not to 
 be purchafed at a vile price, they muff bid higli 
 who vvifh to obtain it, and bring with them their 
 tcilimonials of temperance and felr-denial. In an 
 elevated and highly exalted fphere, I" recollect 
 but two heroes at prefent in the world, Louis 
 the Sixteenth, who relinquished his pomp and 
 power to make his people happy, and Washing- 
 ton, who after a long and defperate conteft, 
 E a which
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 which he glorioufly maintained in fupport of the 
 rights and liberties of his fellow-citizens, no 
 fooner became viclorious, than he retired from 
 the head of the army he commanded, and which 
 he might have employed to the purpofes of am- 
 bition, and content with the fole reward which 
 felf-confcioufnefs beftows on heroic aQions, 
 fought repofc in the calm of rural retirement. 
 
 Mr. B. fpeaking of the former government of 
 France, thinks that it was not fb very bad;* in 
 fupport of this opinion, he lays fome ftrefs on 
 the population of that country. Population ap- 
 pears to me to fettle one point, which is, that 
 the government had not cut off, or fent into 
 exile a great part of its inhabitants. Though 
 the government of Perfia was highly defpotic, 
 yet was the country full of inhabitants. Climate, 
 diet, employment, and a thoufand other con- 
 tingencies affect population in general more 
 than government. Ifocrates makes the criterion 
 of good government to be the wealth and wif- 
 
 doiTI of its fubjecls, Tr.uuc* taro <roi Toy xxKu; G*<r&tu, 
 txt tcv.; c'.;yjj r /.i:zv; of?.; tvVofkn t'ov; xa crutyfoteffTeeoti ytrof/.t*ovf 
 
 h Tz* crj tr\y.o.aup t. To for in our judgment from 
 this left, the government was bad, lince info de- 
 plorable 
 
 * P. 1S7. Lc. i Ifoc. ad Niece, p. 50.
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 plorable a fituation were the finances of the 
 kingdom, that a convention of the ftates was re- 
 luctantly affembled to ward off the impending 
 danger of a national bankruptcy. It may be 
 afked, Did the people of France, under this 
 government, enjoy their liberty, life, and pro- 
 perty in as full and ample a manner, as of right 
 they ought to do, and would have done under 
 a juft, wife, and equal government, and to 
 which all men are entitled, being the real pur- 
 pofcs for which they enter into civil fociety ? 
 To this, any man of plain fenfe can anfwer, 
 that they neither did, nor could ; the govern- 
 ment was defpotic both in theory and practice. 
 The Baftile was the inquifition-prifon of the 
 civil power. Any perfon, at the nod of the 
 king, the minifter, or any minion, or of any of 
 their miftrefles, might be fuddenly feized, and 
 conveyed thither, fnatched from his wife and 
 family, innocent or guilty, and at the pleafure 
 and caprice of him who fent him, uncondemned 
 and even unheard, might be dragged to the tor- 
 ture-chamber, provided exprefsly for that pur- 
 pofe, and there repeatedly undergo every tor- 
 ture of an inquifuion ; if a more favourable fate 
 awaited him, he is conveyed to a dungeon, to 
 remain in folitude and fullen darknefs, juft 
 tinged with as much light as may difcover to 
 
 him 
 
 ' f ': a * ' ? " *
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 him the wretchednefs of his fituation, and make 
 him long for light and liberty, deprived of 
 which, he there remains fed on a fcanty allow- 
 ance of mouldy bread and foul water, till thefe 
 combined evils clofe a lingering life and miser- 
 able exiftence. But if a ftill more fortunate fate 
 attended him, and which fome enjoyed under the 
 relentlefs cruelty of this government, it was to 
 be immediately murthered on coming within the 
 walls. Thus, while the court rioted in luxury, 
 government let loofe the reins of crueltv, adeo 
 nee luxuriae quidquam crudelUas, nee crudddati 
 luxuria obetat*. 
 
 Infurreftions, revolutions, war, and whatever 
 has a tendency to wafte human blood, or to de- 
 ftroy the peace of fociety, Hand foremoft in the 
 lift of my averfions, 
 
 O pater et rex 
 Jupiter, ut pereat pojitum rubigine telum y 
 
 Nee auifquam iioceat cupido mihi pacts 
 
 ITor. lib. ii. fat. i. v. 42. 
 
 Yet all the fophiflry of declaimers will never be 
 
 able to perfuade me that all the aggravated dif- 
 
 tn ffes, from the king to the cottage, which have 
 
 k been 
 
 * Qmnt. Curt, lib. 10. fub fine.
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 been fo pathetically lamented, were not advan- 
 tageoufly commuted in the extirpation of this 
 hydra of power, and the government fo weak 
 and wicked as to tolerate it ; a power awfully 
 cruel to the fubjeci, degrading to humanity, and 
 (tamping ignominy on national character. But it 
 is afked*, comparing this government to fome 
 old caftle, or other edifice, " if the walls could 
 " not be repaired ?" no doubt any building may 
 be repaired, the queftion may be, is it worth the 
 repairing ; the gutting old houfes and buttrefs- 
 ing the walls, are wretched fhifts ; and moil who 
 have engaged in the undertaking, if they va- 
 lued convenience, fafety, and elegance, have 
 repented of the folly : if men want only a 
 temporary retreat, and their finances are low, 
 they muft manage as they can; but this is not 
 the cafe in forming governments ; they are 
 made for duration, and there are always plenty 
 of materials; the only thing wanting, is to put 
 them well together, upon a well concerted plan, 
 and fuch as will admit of alteration and addition 
 without injury to the edifice, in cafe any thing 
 has been omitted. Corruption, defpotifm, and 
 other vicious qualities had not only completeh 
 lapped the foundations of the ancient fabric, but 
 
 had 
 
 50.
 
 ( 40 ) 
 
 had rotted mod of the materials, fo that they 
 became ufelefs in their prefent form, and a 
 new edifice was neccflary ; thus at leaft thought 
 the political architects of France, or they would 
 not have removed it as a nuifance. This was 
 their bufinefs, and why they are not as com- 
 petent to it as Mr. B. or even more fo, I pro- 
 fefs not to underftand ; and after all, he could 
 not be interefted in it fo deeply, as to juftify thofe 
 terms of reproach which he fo plentifully pours 
 forth from the vial of wrath, on the members 
 of their national aflembly*. But the Baftile was 
 not the only grievance in the old government, 
 among others, was the defpotic power of railing 
 monies f on the fubjecl: at pleafure, contrary to 
 the known rights of the people. If I miftakc 
 not, Mr. B. fupported a fimilar plea of the 
 Americans, which terminated not only in a 
 revolution, but in a total fubverfion of govern- 
 ment, and lofs of that country to Great Britain, 
 after a contefl, which coft one hundred and fifty 
 millions, and an hundred thoufand lives. And 
 yet it is to be remembered, that even the bit- 
 
 terefl; 
 
 Pages ;i, 52, 54, 55, 57, 59, 61, 8c, 86, ico, &o &c. 
 
 + In the " Addrcfs to the National Aflembly," Appendix, 
 N III. p. 42, it L faid, " It is alfo an acknowledged prin- 
 ciple, that the French cannot be taxed without their own 
 conrent."
 
 ( i ) 
 
 tereft enemies of America never thought of in- 
 troducing among them a power like that of the 
 Baliile, but the defpotic power only of taxation, 
 a defpotic power over property, not over life 
 and limb : and grim as this power might be, 
 yet was it a rofe-lipped feraph, compared with 
 that other hideous demon ; but under the old 
 government, France rifid both to ftruggle with ; 
 it was in faft a defpotic power over life, liberty 
 and property. A government thoroughly taint- 
 ed with thefe vices, affuming over man a power 
 which he rarely will affume, and which no per- 
 fon of humanity will exert, in its utmoft limit, 
 over beafts, one would imagine could not be 
 worth the patching and preferving ; and I muft 
 confefs, without being in any wife interefted, 
 and only giving it as a matter of opinion, fuch 
 a government is better done away. 
 
 The power over life, I do not mean that ca- 
 pricious power we have been treating of, but a 
 power folemnized by law and judicial proceed- 
 ings, however cautious and merciful, is a very 
 ferious concern ; and I fcruple not to fay, that 
 no fet of men, forming themfelves into civil 
 fociety can, in their compact, make over that 
 power to another, or to government. No one 
 can convey to another a greater right or intereft 
 F in
 
 in any thing than what he himfelf poffeffes. No 
 man has power over his own life, he has it only 
 in trull from Heaven, the fole difpofer of life 
 and death. Therefore, when men enter into 
 civil fociety and compact, they cannot make 
 over to government a power over their own 
 lives, becaufe that is a power they never pof- 
 feffed. The conditions of fuch a compaQ would 
 be null and void. I will not enquire into the 
 generally affumed authority of governments 
 over the lives of their fubjecls; but it feems 
 extremely clear to me, that no fuch power in 
 man over man exifts, nor can be exercifed in 
 any cafe, where there is not an exprefs fanftion 
 for it in the laws of GOD, The powers exer- 
 cifed in all governments muft be in fubordi- 
 nation to the laws of God, they cannot run 
 counter, or rife fuperior to them. 
 
 To whatever crimes the laws of God have an- 
 nexed death, the civil magifirate acls in fubor- 
 dination to them, and by them is juftified when 
 he inflicts that punifhment for thofe crimes. But 
 to proceed a ftep further, appears to me ex- 
 tremely dangerous, becaufe it is in fac\ faying, 
 that though the laws of God have declared what 
 crimes fhall be punithable with death, yet I 
 alfo by my authority will point out other 
 
 crimes,
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 crimes, and accordingly inflicl: death on thofe 
 who are guilty of them. If magistrates imagine 
 thev have fuch a power they would aft pru- 
 dently in examining with the greateft circum- 
 fpe&ion from whence they derive it. But if it 
 be only doubtful if fuch a power rightfully 
 Cxifts in any government, yet that capricious 
 licence ufurped in France mud be acknow- 
 ledged on all hands to be hideous, and to defeat 
 the very end of civil fociety; for all modern 
 governments are human inftitutions ; they are 
 inftituted by man for the benefit of man, and the 
 benefit propofed is the general happinefs. Homo, 
 cuifclicitas in civili difciplina ordinata ejl, ut cujus 
 gratia ordinata ejl, ut ejl felicitas, cujus gratia tota 
 civilis difciplina ordinata ejl, it injlituta tota virtu-' 
 turn explicatio -Semper autem finis, cui res or- 
 dinata ejl, ceteris omnibus jinibus praeflantia exiflit. 
 A government therefore fo extremely vitiated 
 as to be able to admit into it fuch a depravity, 
 mufl be wholly contaminated; and, coute qui 
 coute, equally merits to be deftroyed and ex- 
 tirpated, with the fouleft murtherer : for though 
 the plague of political leprofy were moil ap- 
 parent in the blotches of the Baftile, yet all the 
 other parts were arTefted and incurable ; with- 
 out fuch a general corruption, the fources of 
 F % their
 
 ( a ) 
 
 their finances could not have been fo effectually 
 exhaufted and dried up. 
 
 On the articles Religion and Priefthood, 
 though I am neither Papift nor Diffcnter, Mr. 
 B.'s fentiments and mine are by no means in 
 unifon, or rather we differ toto codo. To reply 
 to all he has faid on thefe fubjc&s I conceive 
 would be a wafte of time, few perfons Handing 
 in need of information, or joining in the fame 
 opinions with him, although what he has ad- 
 vanced is ufiierd in under the pompous patronage 
 of WE, as though he were fupported in his 
 opinions by the unanimous voice of the whole 
 nation. He fays*, " I beg leave to fpeak of 
 " our church eftablifhment which is the firft of 
 " our prejudices, not a prejudice deftitute of 
 " reafon, but involving in it profound and ex- 
 " tenfive reafon." With regard to church efta- 
 blifhments in general, they might be juftifiable 
 on the fuppofition that the magiftrate was en* 
 dued with wifdom from above, to enable him 
 unequivocally to discriminate which is the moft 
 perfect religious profeffion. But as in all coun* 
 tries, and in every country where the Chriftian 
 religion is profelfed, mankind are divided in 
 
 their 
 
 * P. 136.
 
 f 45 ) 
 
 their opinions on this point, and will not be in* 
 duced by gentle or harfh means to renounce 
 their opinions and embrace any other, and as 
 the magiftrate is incompetent to decide on the 
 queftion, being as blind as the reft, the confe- 
 quence is, that if he eftablifhes a religion for 
 the people which they are to follow, the people 
 muft neceflary follow a blind guide. Religion 
 is intimately connected with confeience, and 
 principally refpects a future flate. The parties 
 concerned are the perfon, his confeience and 
 heaven. I fee not how another party can in- 
 trude, fo long as the perfon difturbs not the 
 harmony of fociety. To appoint him a religion, 
 command him to embrace it, or in cafe of re* 
 fufal to exclude him from certain privileges in 
 fociety, appears to me unreafonable, partial* 
 and arbitrary ; and this too in a cafe where the 
 magiftrate has no right to interfere, and in which 
 he pofleftes no knowledge fuperior to that of 
 
 thofe whom he affets to direct. -I fhrink not 
 
 from declaring openly, though I do fo with 
 concern and regret, that in my opinion, genuine 
 practical religion is much on the decline; of 
 theory, farcical fhew, pomp, and parade, there 
 is certainly enough, and perhaps too much, but 
 of practice there is a great deficiency, we grafp 
 at the fhadow but relincjuifh the fubftance. 
 
 Without
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 Without entering into an examination of thfe 
 combined and multifarious minuter reafons for 
 this retrograde motion, it (hall be ingenuouily 
 confefTcd, that I look upon eftabliihments as 
 the grand original caufe. It is here, that on 
 examining from the higheft down to the lowefl 
 officer, excepting only the induftrious beneficed 
 clegyman who refides on his fingle living, and 
 the labouring curate who performs all the drud* 
 gery, that we are (truck with perpetual examples 
 of indolence, luxury, and pomp; we may fee 
 them ardently purfuing every amufement, grati- 
 fication, or employment but the true one, that 
 to which they were appointed, and for which 
 they are paid. This evil, in this modified mi* 
 niftry of the gofpel, has its root in the fertile 
 foil of eftablifhment only ; if men were to pav 
 their pallors by voluntary contribution, they 
 would as in all other cafes, fee that they per* 
 formed their duty for the pay (which is a rule 
 that thofe who object to this reftraint immutably 
 praftife with refpecl to others) and if the mi- 
 niftry be beneficial to the caufe of religion, re- 
 ligion would be benefited by fuch miniftry : 
 but in eftablifhment, the cafe is reverfed ; and 
 I leave the candid difinterefted public to deter- 
 mine from what is daily before them, whether 
 
 an
 
 ( 47 h 
 
 an eftablifhment be the mean of fincerely pro- 
 moting the true interefts of religion. I fcruple 
 not therefore to avow that I am no abettor of 
 eftablifhments, but fupport that every one mould 
 be left to choofe his own religion and paftor, 
 and to requite him as he deferves j arid that the 
 civil power fhould equally and impartially pro- 
 tect every feet, and punifh only fuch as are re- 
 fra&ory and deftroy the public peace. To me 
 it is truly ludicrous toi fuppofe that the civil 
 power is more anxious for my prefent and 
 future welfare than I am myfelf ; on this fup- 
 pofition it fhould alfo appoint me my apothe- 
 cary, furgeon, and phylieian, as well as my 
 prieft. 
 
 In our church eftablifhment all its officers, 
 from the Archbifhop of Canterbury down to the 
 curate, are as much the creatures of the civil 
 power as the petty conftables. They cannot 
 alter by adding to, or omitting any part of the 
 fervice, they cannot introduce a prayer as from 
 themfelves, nor otherwife do any thing that is 
 not appointed, or ordered them by the civil 
 power. Such is the opinion entertained of them 
 by the civil power, that it will not permit them 
 to tranfgrefs in a fingle word from what it has 
 
 prefcribed
 
 ( 48 ) 
 
 prefcribed throughout the whole fervice. Ye6 
 under this difadvamage, I might have faid the 
 many contingent difadvantages attendant on this. 
 eftraint, we fee them in their various orders 
 move heaven and earth to get preferment, fa 
 that though it is poffible, fetting afide this hope, 
 " that their hope mould be full of immortality," 
 as Mr. B. fays*, yet I do not comprehend how 
 *' they Ihould not look to the paltry pelf of the 
 " moment,"t as this feoms to be the principal, 
 if not the fole motive for their engaging in that 
 office : meanwhile government appears to me to 
 refemble a perfon who fquints, looking one way 
 and feeing another, fupporting an eftablifhment 
 under the appearance of 'religious benefit, while 
 the true object to which it is directed is the 
 ftrengthening its own power, by its numerous 
 dependents and expectants of mitres, lordfhips., 
 palaces, and the variety of honours, accom- 
 panied with rich emoluments in its gift, all which, 
 are confidcred as penfions or life eftates ; an4 
 this, if the words imply any thing, is " the con- 
 " fecration of the flate, by a (late religious efta- 
 " blilinnent.^" Ouam multa ifii homines vident in 
 umbris ct in lucis quae nos -non videmus ! or- is he 
 tormented with the refllefs fpirit of novelty 
 
 which 
 
 P. 137. +P. 156. % P. 137. $ Cicero.
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 which furnifhes him with ideal wings, to raife 
 him above common conceptions, 
 
 Tenianda 'via eft, qua me yuofque pojjim. 
 
 Tollere humo ; * 
 
 to foar we know not whither ; for after all, as 
 Ovid ohferves, 
 
 Quid tentare nocebit ? + 
 
 We are told, " They can fee without pain, 
 t; or grudging an archbifhop precede a duke." J 
 I hope Mr. B.'s French friend, to whom he is 
 giving all this wonderful information, and that 
 which follows, underdands that he is fpeaking 
 only of England, not Great Britain, as the king- 
 dom of Scotland knows nothing of archbifhops 
 and bifhops, and blefs their ftars, that they are 
 not like affes, loaded with fuch inhuman bur- 
 thens. As Mr. B. has not let his friend into the 
 fecret, why the people of England " can fee 
 " without pain or grudging an archbifhop pre- 
 " cede a duke," I will beg leave to do it for 
 him ; it is fimply this, that they care not a fig 
 about the matter. Whether this precedes, or 
 that hangs upon the rump of the other, interefts 
 them no more than, who danced firft and lalt at 
 G a court 
 
 * Vlvg. Geor. iii. v. 9. + Ovid. Met. lib. ii. J P. 154.
 
 ( Jo ) 
 
 a court ball. I know they are too wife, and I 
 am certain they are engaged in more important 
 concerns, than to attend to fuch fooleries. But 
 the duke, who may conceive himfelf more 
 nearly interefted, may alfo perhaps fmile with a 
 fneer of ineffable contempt at the ignorance and 
 ftupid bigotry of the age in which this etiquette 
 was eftablifhed. The explanation is, the bifhop 
 of Rome, as pope, is both bifhop and prince; 
 by fraud and artifice on one hand, working on 
 fuperftition and ignorance on the other, he ex- 
 alted himfelf fuperior to all his brother princes ; 
 fo the archbifhop following the precedent, alfo 
 raifed himfelf paramount above all his bro- 
 ther peers. Neither of thefe precedents, it 
 is true, is to be found in the a6ts of the 
 apoflles, and by fome miftake or other it was 
 omitted in the four gofpels, yet certainly there 
 is great merit in that ingenuity which fup- 
 plicd thefe defects. Yet I entertain fome 
 doubt if the laity were at this time to make 
 a compact with the clergy, whether this and 
 many other things would be exactly as they are. 
 If any reformation fhould take place, I beg 
 humbly to recommend, and I fuppofe it could 
 be effected on Mr. B.'s intcreft, that as the 
 bifhops only " raifed their mitred fronts in 
 
 ;i courts
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 courts and parliaments"*, that the archbifhops, 
 both of them, fhould have theirs adorned with a 
 double mitre; his holinefs at Rome has three, 
 though it muft he confeffed the tiara has loft 
 fomething of its original fplendor, fince the 
 cioud of ignorance has been difiipated, and 
 bigotry in fome meafure expelled the world. 
 
 Mr. B.'s Friend is again informed that the 
 people of England, not the people of Scotland 
 who are not bleffed with an archbifhop or biihop 
 in all their kingdom, and confequently are in a 
 perilous and defponding ftate in civil and reli- 
 gious concerns for want of fuch art eftabjifh* 
 ment; I fay, he is informed that the people of 
 England " can fee a bifhop of Durham, or a 
 " biihop of Winchester, in poffeffion often thou- 
 ' fand pounds a year; and cannot Conceive why 
 " it is in worfe hands, than eftates to the like 
 %< amount in the hands of this earl, or that 
 " fquire.t" If Mr. B. does not mean to deceive 
 his friend, as I would perfuade myfelf he does 
 not, then the true meaning of the paffage is this : 
 Why is not this or that bifhop as juftly entitled 
 from his merit or oriice to the poffeiTfon of 
 dlates to the amount of ten thoufaud pounds a 
 G 2 . year 
 
 * P. t 53 . + P. IJ4 .
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 year as this earl, or that fquire. Mr. B. has 
 been very cautious and circumfpeft in his terms, 
 but if that is not the fenfe he would convey, and 
 that he means fimply to fay without regard to 
 contingencies, that fuch eftates are as properly 
 difpofed of when in the hands of A. and B. as 
 when in thofe of C. and D. then we are lofing 
 our time in contending about nothing. But if 
 what I have fuppofed to be, is his real meaning, 
 then this fhadow vanifhes and we may grapple 
 with the fubftance. Immediately preceding the 
 paffage I have cited, Mr. B. treating of thefe 
 fame perfons fays, " that acquired perfonal no- 
 " bilitv, which they intend always to be, and 
 " which often is the fruit, not the reward (for 
 {: what can be the reward ?) of learning, piety, 
 " and virtue." From whence we may conclude 
 that perfonal nobility, together with immenfe 
 eftates, are bellowed on them, if not as the re- 
 ward, yet as the fruit of their learning, piety, 
 and virtue. I will quarrel with no man about 
 whether thefe are fruits or rewards, nor will 
 they, I apprehend, fo long as they can fecure 
 them ; but if they claim under the title of lcarn- 
 ing, piety, and virtue, methinks the title fhould 
 always be clear, and not often, and that they fhould 
 never be difpofed of to a claimant under a falfe 
 title. I have already in the beginning of this 
 
 efTay
 
 ( 53 ) 
 
 eflay declared my opinion concerning humart 
 wifdom or learning, and therefore (hall not repeat 
 it here; and as to piety (of which I confider vir- 
 tue as a part) I am very ready to admit with 
 Mr. B. that it is rather a rare commodity ; and 
 commodities certainly rife in their price in pro- 
 portion to their fcarcity and the demand for them* 
 But dear Mr. B. for a queftionable piety, as nei- 
 ther you nor any man can difcriminate its finceri- 
 ty, would you think of granting, if not as a reward 
 yet as a fruit, the title of nobility with an eflate 
 of ten thoufand pounds a year ? If piety bears 
 fuch fruit botanifts will be at a lofs where to 
 qlafs it, and it muft rank alone under the name 
 of the tree of knowledge of worldly good and 
 evil, and will foon be propagated in every part 
 by hypocritical knaves in this our paradile of 
 fools. Genuine piety is no cripple, therefore 
 does not Hand in need of the crutch of nobility 
 on one fide, nor that of immenfe riches on the 
 other for ber fupport; in her journey to Hea* 
 ven, thefe, and efpecially the latter, would be 
 an impediment, an obft.rucl.ion, and caufe of her 
 itumbling, if we may believe divine oracles * in 
 
 preference 
 
 * Matt. ch. ix. v. 23. Mark, ch. x. v. 25. 
 Luke, ch. xviii. v. 2;.
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 preference to Mr. B. and what if I mould 
 doubt if genuine piety ought to accept them 
 either as a reward or fruit ! Mr. B. quotes 
 Fenelon once if not oftener, and I will take the 
 example ; in his life of Socrates he remarks, 
 Auffi Socrate avoit-il coutume de aire, qu'il ne ccn- 
 cevoit pas comment un homme qui fairoit profejjion 
 tfenfeigner la vertu, pcuvoit finger a en tirer quel- 
 que profit : comme fi de s'acquerir tin tonne tc 
 homme, et de fe /aire un bon ami de fen difciple^ 
 netoit pas le plus riche avantage et le profit le plus 
 folide qu'on put rttirer de fes foins*. In another 
 place he fays of him, Iletoit pauvre, mais fi con- 
 tent de fa pauvrete, que, quoiquil ne tint qua lui 
 d'etre riche en acceptant les pre/ens que Jes amis et 
 Jes dijciples vouloient le forcer de recevoir, il les 
 renvoya toujours au grand deplaijir de fa /emmet 
 qui ne goutoit point du tout cetle philofophie t. 
 Yet Socrates was but a heathen with all this 
 felf-denial. We are alfo acquainted with the 
 temperance of the apoftles, and fome of the firft 
 paftors of the primitive church. Men of under- 
 ftanding mult fmile at the fophiftry employed on 
 fimilar occafionsj when the quellion is artfully 
 turned on the complainant by afking him, do 
 not you aft after the like manner ? for this is 
 
 no 
 
 * Fcmlon, Vie de focrate, p. 121. f Fenelon, Vie de 
 Socrate, p. 123, 124. X P. 155.
 
 ( 55 ) 
 
 no more than endeavouring to juftify one thing w 
 that is wrong, by another ; while the point 
 turns limply upon this, is the matter in queftion 
 right or wrong, and not upon who and who a&s 
 fo and fo : and agreeably to that fophiftry when 
 we receive inftruciions from the pulpit which 
 the inftruftors themfelves do not praftife, we 
 muft " think them cheats and deceivers " ;* a 
 conclufion in which however I prefume Mr. B. 
 will not agree. 
 
 But I am fo weak as to imagine, that when 
 an injunction is laid by Heaven on the preachers 
 of the gofpel, fuch injunction is to be obeyed 
 till the law is repealed, and this without regard 
 to time, place, or any circumftances that may 
 a.rife in the woild ;t for if the commands of 
 Heaven were to be made to vary with human 
 changes, alterations and inftitutions, under this 
 control it would be man in effeel; who made the 
 law and not God. Thus on the fuppofition 
 that more luxury were introduced into the world 
 than was pra&ifed at the firft preaching of the 
 gofpel, does it follow therefore that the preacher 
 is to be enriched and the commands of Heaven 
 relaxed to enable him to engage in thofe luxu- 
 ries 
 
 * P. 1 5 j, 156. +P. i S ;.
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 ries which the gofpel condemns. For this mud 
 be their fuppofition when they tell us the prea^ 
 cher's emoluments are to vary with the times, 
 manners and cuftoms. There was however as 
 much luxury in the world at the time of the 
 firft preaching of the gofpel as there is now ; 
 Rome, Antioch, Athens, Jerufalem, Alexandra, 
 Ephcfus, and many other great and opulent 
 cities can witnefs it ; but from all fuch corrup- 
 tions the preachers were to turn alide, keeping 
 themfelves pure and undefined, not only on 
 their own account, but for the fake of example 
 to others. That it was never intended the 
 preachers of the gofpel fhould enrich themfelves 
 by the gofpel, becaufe if it had fuch a provilion 
 would have been appointed them, whereas the 
 appointment is the reverfe ; and had it been 
 the intention of Chrift that they fhould be en- 
 riched, fuch appointment would have been made 
 to the Apofiles as having the belt claim not only 
 on account of their great induftry which was 
 indefatigable and hazardous, but alfo becaufe 
 they preached that which at that time could not 
 be known bat by their means : whereas now in 
 thefe kingdoms at leaft, every man may know 
 the gofpel, if he can but read, at a very trifling 
 expence. That the new fangled doclrine by 
 which fome would endeavour to perfuade us, 
 
 that
 
 ( 57 ) 
 
 that if thefe preachers are not enriched they 
 cannot properly carry on their miniftry from 
 the want of a due weight with the people, which 
 is to be obtained by that mean, is a mere 
 mockery and prieft-craft artfully introduced to 
 acquire them wealth, or to fupport them in the 
 poffeflion ; and if the cafe were as they repre- 
 fent it, it would be as much as to fay that Hea- 
 ven on the one hand cannot propagate its gof- 
 pel without having recourfe to the trafh of pelf 
 and other worldly means for afliftance, and on 
 the other that the people were fo ignorant that 
 they would neither believe nor praftife the doc- 
 trines of the gofpel till they were informed of 
 the wealth of the preacher. But fa6l proves 
 the contrary of what thefe men affert, and that 
 the minds of the multitude are not in this cafe 
 influenced by the property of the preacher ; 
 for when Meffrs. Whitefield and Wefley entered 
 upon the office of public preaching, they were 
 perfons of neither fortune nor property, yet 
 were they attended by incredible multitudes 
 whenever they preached; it was their doctrine 
 then (good or bad, for I pronounce nothing 
 concerning it) and not their profperous condition 
 in life which influenced thefe multitudes and 
 gained them fuch numbers of warmly devoted 
 profelytes. Thefe inftances I give from know- 
 H ledge
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 ledge of the fafts, and many more might be 
 adduced; fo that I hope this jargon will be no 
 more obtruded upon us to impofe on the de- 
 luded understandings of mankind, it being evi- 
 dent that the preachers may promote, and ef- 
 fectually too the caufe of religion however 
 moderate their revenue, even as the Apoftles 
 did; and that it was never intended they fhould 
 be made rich by the office, becaufe no other 
 provifion is made for them by the gofpel* than 
 a neceffary maintenance on voluntary contri- 
 bution, which is alfo confirmed and enforced 
 again in the writings of Paul and Petert. But 
 they tell us, it is degrading to gentlemen of 
 literature to be fo fupporied. I know not 
 where they imbibe this notion, but it fcems it 
 is not degrading to be fupported by charity at 
 the Univerfities, nor to receive fcllowfhips 
 which are but charities ; and if it be degrada- 
 tion they may choofe whether or not they will 
 take upon them the office, no man can force it 
 upon them, and if they enter upon it with fuch 
 improper and high notions they appear to mc 
 
 disqualified 
 
 * Matthew, ch. x. v. ic. 14. Mark, ch. vi. v. 7. 11. 
 Luke, ch. ix. v. 2 6, and ch. x. v. 3 7 ; and in his A<51s of 
 the Apoiiles, ch. xx. v, 33. 34. 
 
 + 1 Tim. ch. iii. v. 3. 1 Tim. ch. vi. v. S 1 . Philip, 
 ch. iv. v. 1 1- 18.' i Peter, ch. v. v. 2. 3.
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 difqualified for it ; fcripture which fpeaks plain 
 and without ceremony alluding to them and 
 their fervice exprefsly fays " the labourer is 
 " worthy of his hire." 1 But why more degrading 
 to them than to other gentlemen of literature 
 and of the fame^profeffion, though not provided 
 for by a prodigal eftablifhment, and who are 
 perfectly fatisfied with fuch a difpenfation ? or 
 why more degrading than to others who are of 
 the eftablifhment, and yet accept of voluntary 
 contribution for additional fervice, which if 
 neceffary, ought to be performed as included in 
 the eftablifhment ? Or why is it more degrading 
 to them than it was to the primitive paftors of 
 the church who were all fupported by volun- 
 tary oblations,t when religion was incorrupt 
 and the purity and fimplicity of their manners 
 were a mining example of temperance in all 
 things to the reft of mankind ? Or laftly, why 
 more degrading to them than it was to the 
 Apoftles who were contented to be fupported, 
 H 2 and 
 
 * Luke, ch. x. v. 7. See alfo, 1 Tim. ch. v. v. 18. 
 
 + Dopo che Crifto N. Sigore mpnto al Ciclo li Santi 
 Apoftoli feguircno nella" Chiefa di Gierufalcmme l'Uteffo 
 inflituto d'haver il dunaro Ecclefiaftico per li due effetti fapra- 
 detti, cise per bifogno dell' Miniftri dell* Evangelio e per 
 elemofine de Poveri : e il fondo di quito danaro era funilmentc 
 k oblationi delle fedeli. Fra Paolo deile Matiere Bencikiarc.
 
 r 6" ) 
 
 and whofe life, manners and converfafton one 
 would imagine, if they do not mean to deal 
 wit,h duplicity by us, they would in all things 
 endeavour to emulate. I fufpecl: that under 
 this allegation is concealed a fallacy ; or at leaft 
 that one great objection to voluntary contribu- 
 tions is, that their duty mufl be attended to, 
 but that under eftablifhment what is fo noto- 
 rious I need not exprefs ! In the interim it 
 may, or rather it may not be equivocal, whe- 
 ther if thefe gentlemen of literature who ex- 
 claim fo loudly againft voluntary contributon 
 could be affured of railing by thefe means 
 twice the fum they now receive under the efta- 
 blifhment, all this nonfenfe of humiliation and 
 degradation would not be inftantly in the 
 opinion of mod of them removed, and generally 
 acknowledged to be vox pretercaque nihil. 
 
 But to return to Mr. B. and his two bifhops, 
 " They can fee," fays he, " a bifhop of Dur- 
 *' ham, or a bifhop of Winchefier, in poficfTion 
 " often thoufand pounds a year; and cannot 
 '' conceive v.hy it is in worfe hands than eflates 
 " to the iike amount in the hands of this carl, 
 " or that fquire.* If they cannot, I pity their 
 
 ignorance ; 
 
 * P. 154-
 
 ( 6i ) 
 
 ignorance ; but I deny the aflertion. Becaufe 
 it is impoffible for them to conceive that their 
 " learning, piety and virtue" can be intitled to 
 fuch great rewards, or can bear fuch fruit, while 
 hundreds of the fame profeffion with at leaft an 
 equal fhare of thofe accomplifhments are almoft 
 ftarving on a comparifon with their refpetlive 
 incomes. If fuch immenfe eftates are as well 
 difpofed of when in the hands of bifhops, as in 
 thofe of earls or fquires, why would not all the 
 eftates of the kingdom be equally well difpofed 
 of if in the hands of the clergy as if in fay 
 hands ? This was once their beloved fcheme, 
 and judge Blackftone* not only fays that they 
 
 would 
 
 * " In deducing the hiftory of which ftatutes" (of mortmain), 
 ** it will be matter of curiofity to obferve the great addreffc 
 and fubtile contrivance of the ecelcfiaftics in eluding from 
 " time to time the laws in being, and the zeal with which 
 " fucceflive parliaments have purfued them through all their 
 " finefles : how new remedies were ftill the parents of new 
 " evations ; till the legiflature at laft, though with difficulty, 
 " hath obtained a decifive vidlory." 
 
 Blackftone's Comm. b. ii. ch. 18. p. 168. 
 
 " Not content with the ample provifion of tithes, which 
 
 " the law of the land had given to the parochial clergy, they 
 
 " endeavoured to grafp at the lands and inheritances of the 
 
 " kingdom, and (had not legillature withftood them) would 
 
 " by tliis time have probably been mailers of every foot of 
 
 " ground in the kingdom." 
 
 Id. b, iv, ch. 8. p. 107.
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 would in time have effected it, but fo great were 
 there manoeuvres and confummate artifice that 
 it called forth all the powers of government to 
 defeat their project : an evident mark that the 
 wifdom of that government did not conceive 
 that thofe eftates were as well difpofed of in 
 the hands of the church as they would be when 
 in thofe of the laity. No lands in a commercial 
 country fliould be abforbed in mortmain ; the 
 hope of acquiring them is a fpur to honeft and 
 a&ive induftry in contrail to drowfy floth and 
 ofcitancy ; eftates when they come into the 
 hands of the church are in irredeemable mort- 
 main, but they pafs from the hands of the earf 
 and the fquire into the hands of thofe who are 
 more provident and induftrious. The law has 
 fuch averfion to mortmain that even it has 
 limited entails which bears but a femblance of 
 it to a very narrow compafs. The eftates of 
 the earl and the fquire defcend to them by 
 inheritance, their anceftors acquired them by 
 labour or induftry of one kind or other, they 
 furnifhed fuch a portion of thefe as was judged 
 equivalent to fo much eftate or to fo much 
 fpecie as would purchafe the eftate, and the 
 contract was carried on in an open market to 
 which every man might have brought his in- 
 duftry and fold it for a valuable confideratipn, 
 
 and
 
 ( 6 3 ) 
 
 and afterwards leave it to his heir. But their 
 lordfhips do not, I prefume, confider themfelves 
 heirs to their fees, nor thofe fees to be in- 
 heritances, but rather that they are fucceflbrs to 
 them by the appointment of the civil power. 
 "What intrigues, cabals, and exertions of influ- 
 ence and intereft are employed to obtain them, 
 is belt known to thofe who gain them by fuch 
 means; and though it is poflible that " learn- 
 " ing, piety, and virtue" may be confidered 
 in the difpofal of them, yet I apprehend they 
 are not always the principal confideration. 
 How the church came into poffeflion oflhefe 
 eftates will hardly bear the inquiry;* the 
 
 means 
 
 * The reader will be well informed of the manner by which 
 the church gained its riches, its avarice, and abufe of them, 
 by reading Father Paul on Benefices : this cannot be explained 
 in a few quotations, the following may give him fame intima- 
 tion : La gran divot ione de' principi, e pop-iti ft come fece crefcere 
 le richezsu eccleftafliche grandamente , coji eccilb nelli miniflri eccle- 
 fiaflici gran fete al moltiplicarli, dal qual eccefpt 71011 furono man:o 
 li bent int.ntionati; imperocbe <vedendo come la dijiriliutione de' beni 
 ecclejiafiici cade-va in gloria di D/o, e btaieficio commune, conclude^ 
 I'ano, che quanta piu <vi fnffe nella Chiefa da diftribuire tanto meglio 
 fnffe : onde i'adope>a<vano con ignivia, e ccn ogni arte ad aqtti- 
 frame, non avertendo, je il modo che ufavano, fnffe legitimo, e c~>n- 
 ducente all' equitd ; ma pur che fortifcro Veffetto, cioi, che la Chiefa 
 aquijlaffe per qualunque via, le parcva traver fattofacrifcio a Dh 
 Cofi ai'tnne nelli primi tempi dopa che la Chiefa sttenne facoltd 
 
 d'acqui",a>e
 
 ( 64 ) 
 
 tneans being the fame with thofe by which 
 they would have poffeffed themfelves of aH 
 the lands in the kingdom, had not the wif- 
 Jom of legiflature prevented them. I cannot 
 therefore on the whole conceive but that thefe 
 eftates are in worfe hands when in thofe of the 
 bifhops, than when in thofe of the earl or fquire ; 
 and this, were it only the fingle plea in the con- 
 cluding words of the quotation, becaufe lafciando 
 la cura dell' infegnare la dcttrina di Chrijlo, tutti 
 fi occupavano ncll' avaritia, and if there is no em- 
 ployment for fuch perfons, then no fuch perfons 
 are wanted ; and if it be neceflary to give fuch 
 immenfe rewards for learning, let them be 
 given, but why make religion the ftalking-horfe; 
 religion, I fay, which is a fcience in which lead 
 
 can 
 
 d'acqui/lare beni Jlabili, era creditto da alcutti religioji, che fujft 
 fer'vith di Dio prrvare li proprii figliuoli, e parenti per donare alle 
 Cbiefe, perilche anco von trala/ciatano arte alcuna per indur le 
 Vedc-ue, Donzt/le, et altra pnfonne facili, e prrvare It proprie crfc 
 per lafciare alia Chie/a : il difordine pa/so cosi prefld li termi/.i t 
 tjfer fuperato, *he fu necrjfiiato il prinape di pro^jederti. Fra Pao'o, 
 
 dclle Matene Benefic : p. 17 18. With re.ped to the 
 
 bifhops he had before faid : Noti Ji fermi pcrd in quefio fiato il 
 diford.ne, rr.a incominciorno li vefewi a mancare delle folite tlemofint 
 alii p<rveri, e miner per fe quello che dovea effer dijlribm 0, e con 
 li beni delta Chie/a communi fatti ricchi, facundo anco drlie ufure 
 per accrefculi, e lifciando la cura dell' irtjegnare la dottrina di 
 Chrijlo, tutti Ji occupavano veil' ai'aritia, le quali cofe S. Cipriani 
 pixnge. Fra Paolo, ut l'opra, p. 12.
 
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 Can be known beyond what may be attained by 
 a very moderate underftanding on a diligent 
 reading of the bible; for what fuch cannot com- 
 prehend, the learned will only perplex with un- 
 founded conjectures. So much of a law which 
 is to be praftifed by all men, muft neceflarily 
 be levelled to all men's capacities, and they are 
 not to wait for the acquifition of learning, and 
 lofe that time which fhould have been more ufe- 
 fully employed in the performance of their 
 duty. 
 
 But " it may be true, that fo many dogs and 
 " horfes are not kept by the former*." I 
 know not what dogs or horfes thefe bifhops 
 keep, but I take it for granted they keep as 
 many as they like, and that they would not be 
 retrained from keeping more, if they judged it 
 convenient, on any qualms of religion. A per- 
 fon who has an eftate for life only, if he has a 
 family, cannot confidently with prudence fquan- 
 der away as much money as another who has a 
 real eitate of the fame income, and which he 
 can give to his heirs. And yet fuch bifhops 
 make no contemptible figure in horfes, in equi- 
 pages, in their parks, and their palaces, in their 
 
 I tables 
 
 5+-
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 tables and other luxuries, wherever the fpirit of 
 avarice is not predominant ; inftead of dividing 
 part of the fpoil with their humble brothers, the 
 curates, who do all the work while they fit idle, 
 and for which they are religioufly forgotten ; 
 though their inceflant labours, if praying and 
 preaching to the people promote the caufe of 
 religion, render them more beneficial in one 
 month, than the toils of many bifhops in many 
 years. 
 
 " When once the commonwealth has efta- 
 " blifhed the eftates of the church as property, it 
 " can, confidently, hear nothing of the more or 
 " the lefs*." I have already obferved that the 
 church eftablifhment is a creature of the flate, 
 as much fo as the army eftablifhment ; the ftate 
 judged fuch an eftablifhment neceffary, appro- 
 priated offices, and appointed officers, f and 
 whenever it fh all judge them unneceffary in the 
 whole or in part, it may in part or in the whole 
 diflolve and difband them jufi as it may the 
 army, and with equal confiflency too, applying 
 the expence to other purpofes of the flate. Who 
 will have the prefumption or bigotry to deny 
 it ? I may be afked, is not then religion necef- 
 fary 
 
 # P. 154. >v
 
 ( 6 7 ) 
 
 iary in a ftate ? Unqueftionably it is, and per- 
 haps nothing is fo necefTary ; but it does not 
 necefTarily follow that to have a religion you 
 muft have priefts. We have a feci: among our- 
 felves whofe devotion, piety, and purity of man- 
 ners are at leaft equal to thofe of any other fel 
 or people, yet there is not a priefl among them : 
 the Mahometan religion extends much farther, 
 and embraces a greater number of devotees than 
 the Chriftian religion, yet it is promulgated and 
 fupported without the aid of a fingle prieft ; 
 that religion knows nothing of them, and there- 
 fore there is no religious ftrife or animofity 
 among them, they are unanimous becaufe there 
 are no allurements to diverfity of opinion ; and 
 the like unanimity would probably have attended 
 the Chriftian religion, had fuccecding preachers 
 followed the example of the apoftles, both in the 
 reward they received and the do&rine they 
 preached ; for they did not comment, as now, 
 on texts of fcripture, but only preached or pub- 
 lifhed to tv*[yiXio, that is, " the good meffage, 
 news," or, " tiding." which from a Saxon word 
 we term " the golpel," and this " good tiding," 
 was, that Child was come into the world to fave 
 all who repented and' believed on him : agree- 
 ably to this fays Mark, ch. xiii. v. 10. " The 
 il go (pel muft firft be publifhed among all na- 
 I 2 " tions,"
 
 ( 68 ) 
 
 " tions," the terms employed w^xShhh to tvmfy&M* 
 muft have the conftruftion above given, and 
 cannot imply a comment on any part of the 
 gofpel, which was the practice of after times, and 
 probably was the inftrument which fevered reli- 
 gion into fo many divifions. But I may be 
 thought to be wandering from my fubjel, which 
 I will refume and clofe by obferving, that wealth 
 tends not to the benefit of religion,, whether in. 
 the hands of bifhops, or of the church in ge- 
 neral, that if it is not pomp but humility which 
 fhould be their boaft, and that they have the 
 leaf! to do with human concerns of any fet of 
 men living; of this I will not bring evidence 
 from the law of our religion, where it is con- 
 ftantly inculcated, left I fhould be accufed of 
 fanaticifm, but will cite the repeated tefti- 
 mony of a learned bifhop, who. though deceived 
 in fome particulars, yet certainly had knowledge 
 fufficient to inform him what was his duty and 
 to recommend a like practice to others, which 
 he has done in the perfuafive words of eloquent 
 Latin diBion : Illud -non pratlcribo, quid in fecrcta- 
 rio fedens, nunquam cathedra u/us ejl. Nam in ecdcfa 
 nemo unquam ilium fedtrt ccn/perii : jicuL quendam 
 mtper [ieflor d omnium) non fine meo pudore vidi, 
 :iii Julio, quaji regio tribunals, eel fa jde rejt- 
 denian. Sulpicii Severi, dial. ii. p. 280. 
 
 Again,
 
 ( 6 9 ) 
 
 Again, the worthy bifhop fpeaking from experi- 
 ence, knowledge, and the Simplicity of an un- 
 corrupt heart, fays, what ought to be written in 
 letters of gold, or rather deeply engraven on 
 the mind of every man : . Ecclejiam auro non flrui, 
 fed poiius deftrui. Sulpicii Severi, dial. ii. p. 246. 
 Araminium (epi/copi) convenere : quibus omnibus 
 annonas et cellaria dare imperator prate tper at. Sed 
 id ncjlris. id eft Aquitanis, Gallis, ac Britawnis in- 
 decens vifum : repudiatis jifcalibus, propriis fwmpti- 
 bus vivere maluerunt. Tres tantum ex Britannia, 
 inopia proprii. publico ufi /unt, cum oblatum a ceteris 
 collationem refpuijjent: Janclius putantes jifcum 
 gravare quam fingulos. Hoc ego Gavidium epi/co- 
 pum nojlrum, quafi obtreclantem referre folitum 
 audivi. Sed longe alitur Jencerim : laud i que attribuo 
 epifcopis, tarn paupere> juijje, ut nihil proprium 
 haberent. ulpicii Severi. Sacr. Hilt. lib. ii. 
 p. 162, 163. For the fake of brevity I will 
 cite but one paffage more : Centum etiam argenti 
 Ubras obtulit quas vir btatub nee rcjpuit, nee recipit. 
 Sed prim quam. pondus illud monajkru limen attin- 
 geret, redimendis id captivis continub deputavit. Et 
 cum ei fuggereretur aJraUibus, ut ahquid ex eo in 
 fun p turn mono j tern rejervaret, omnibus emm anguf 
 tum tjjc vitlum. multis dec.JJe vejlitum. Nos, inquit, 
 ecclefia et pa/tat et vejtiat, duvimodo nihil nojlris 
 ufibus quaejtj/e videamur. Sul. Sev. dial. iii. 
 
 P- 3 2 5-
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 11 The people of England know how little ir> 
 " fluence the teachers of religion are likely to 
 " have with the wealthy and powerful of long 
 " ftanding, and how much lefs with the newly 
 " fortunate, if they appear in a manner no way 
 '* afTorted to thofe with whom they muft affo- 
 " ciare, and over whom they muft even ex- 
 " ercife, in fome cafes, fomething like an au- 
 " thority.*" I would fain understand what is 
 this, li fomething like an authority," this lifp- 
 ing, muttering expreffion, like that of a froward 
 child who dares not fpeak out left it mould be 
 underftood and corre&ed. Mr. B. is here fpeak- 
 ing of thefe fcientific " teachers of religion," 
 who affociate with " the wealthy and powerful," 
 which is true enough, though it might be as well 
 if they affociated more with perfons of an in- 
 ferior degree ; and over thofe wealthy and 
 powerful perfons, " they muft even exercife, in 
 " fome cafes, fomething like an authority:" 
 For what, and in what particulars ? Is it really 
 an authority, or is it no authority, and where is 
 it to commence, and where is it to ceafe; all 
 thefe particulars fhould have been marked out 
 with the ftricteft line of precifion; for it is dan- 
 gerous to eftablifh an authority, which like re- 
 port, 
 
 " P. Ij-2, IC3.
 
 ( 7> ) 
 
 port, ever goes on encreafing, trampling down 
 whatever it ftands upon, and then imperioufly 
 buffetting with its head the clouds. If thefe 
 wealthy and powerful perfons can but read, 
 they may foon know more of their religion than 
 they will pra&ifc, by reading their teftaments ; 
 and this may be as eligible as learning it at 
 fecondhand from an interefted teacher of reli- 
 gion ; his authority here then, I prefume, is 
 ufelefs, for if they will not pra&ife their duty 
 which they collect from reading, why fh'ould 
 they do fo when they collect it from the teacher, 
 unlefs Mr. B. thinks proper to arm him with 
 coertion, and by a coup de legerdemain con- 
 vert the teacher into a confeffor. But " the 
 " people of England have difcerning ears" and 
 eyes too, and I truft will never be led back 
 again to that old ftate ecclefiaftical juggle. 
 From what we daily fee fome judgment may be 
 formed of this affociation of the teachers of re- 
 ligon with the powerful and wealthy, and from 
 what I have obferved, it may by no means be 
 generally confidered as founded in religion, but 
 in other views totally diftant from it, and from 
 whieh all authority is concluded, at lead on the 
 part of the teacheF ; and as this aflbciation is 
 fixed on the firm rock of mutual pleafure and 
 convenience, nothing is likely to diffolvc it, but 
 
 the
 
 ( 7* ) 
 
 the teachers "prefuming to " exercife; in Tome 
 " cafes, fomething like an authority." 
 
 But " what muft they think/' fays our author, 
 " of that body of teachers, if they fee it in no 
 " part above the eftahlifhment of their do- 
 " medic fervants.*" Does it follow, that be- 
 caufe no part of that eftablifhment fhould be on 
 a level with that of domeftic fervants, that there- 
 fore there fhould be bifhoprics to the enormous 
 amount of ten thoufand pounds or more an- 
 nually ? Is there no wholfome medium between 
 an annual eftablifhment of about forty or fifty 
 pounds, and ten thoufand ! How much foever 
 this gentleman may footh the good people of 
 England by flattering their difcernment, I fhould 
 apprehend that they had loft their fenfes if they 
 did not in this inftance make a proper difcrimi- 
 nation. But I would^afk in my turn, what opi- 
 nion mankind muft entertain of a great part of 
 that body of teachers, whofe claims amount to 
 four millions of pounds fterling per annum, while 
 the individuals are conftantly exerting every 
 nerve of intcreft to get as much of this fum as 
 he poflibly can by means of rich bifhoprics, 
 deaneries, and pluralities, leave by their rapa- 
 
 cioufnefs 
 
 * P. 153.
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 cioufnefs fiich of their brethren as have no in- 
 tereft, unfeelingly to partake without relief of 
 an earned pittance for labour which is inferior 
 to the eftablifhment even of fome of their owa 
 domeftic fervants ? I may be told in the lan- 
 guage of Mr. B. that we who complain are 
 " cheats and deceivers,*" for we acl; no better 
 ourfelves. Were the facl true, this would be 
 only juflifying one bad ation by another, and 
 this is not reafoning, *ut encouraging vice. 
 However we may acl, yet thefe teachers are 
 confefledly a feparate body of men fet apart and 
 paid for example. All men no doubt are com- 
 mendable for fetting good examples in all 
 things ; but it is particularly incumbent on thefe 
 men to do fo, by their office and funclion; they 
 are raifed as an objeft to the gazing multitude, 
 and are diftinguifhed from the reft by their ha- 
 bit, pay, and privileges ; every bad precedent 
 has more weight coming from them, than from 
 others, and efpccially with the lower claGTes of 
 the people who form the multitude. But I may 
 be told, that thefe men are but human beings, 
 fubjet to the like infirmities with ourfelves. 
 .To which I anfwer, that he who cannot walk 
 worthy of that vocation to which he has called 
 K himfeif, 
 
 * P. i S 6.
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 himfelf, ought to decline it : his fituation places 
 him in a different light from other men ; there 
 are many things which in a layman would be 
 indifferent, in him obnoxious ; and if fuch a 
 plea were admitted, vice might under it be al- 
 moft foftened down into the appearance of vir- 
 tue, efpecially in the eftimation of thofe who 
 may imagine that " vice lofes half its evil, by 
 ** lofing all its groffnefs,*" according to the 
 new doftrine of morality, and which it is to be 
 hoped, our " teachers in religion" will not en- 
 force by " the exercife of fomething like an 
 " authority," till they have re-confidered their 
 teftaments, as I profefs to fee nothing there, nor 
 even in ancient morality, which has the lead 
 tendency to fupport a pofition fo favourable to 
 the encouragement of every fpecies of iniquity, 
 by reducing it to half its enormity on the fimple 
 manoeuvre of omitting groffnefs in the perpetra- 
 tion. Impreffed with this notion we are no 
 longer to be furprifed, on obferving its author 
 directing his envenomed farcafms againft thofe 
 who would reform flagrant abufes, telling man- 
 kind that, " Thefe men fpeak broad. Their 
 " tongue betrays them. Their language is in 
 11 the patois of fraud ; in the cant and gibberifh 
 
 " of 
 
 P. n 3 .
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 " of hypocrify. The people of England mult 
 " think fo, when thefe praters affeft to carry 
 ". back the clergy to that primitive evangelic 
 " poverty which, in fpirit ought always to exift 
 '* in them."* Yet if thofe words " poverty in 
 " fpirit" mean any thing, notwithstanding the 
 commendation, it is that very difpofition which 
 we are here condemning. It is this " poverty 
 " in fpirit," for no poverty in fpirit can be 
 evangelical, the term is nonfenfe fo applied, 
 that excites in them that cenfurable avarice and 
 rapacity to fieze on the large revenues of the 
 church and not divide them with their poor 
 brethren ; to grafp a number of lucrative plu- 
 ralities, as many as he can obtain, and appro- 
 priate them to himfelf alone, which were in- 
 tended, as in juftice they ought to be feverally 
 difpofed of among as many individuals t, and 
 K 2 this 
 
 * P. i 55 . 
 
 + Formerly no ccclefiaftic entertained fo much as an idea 
 of having more than one benefice, it was a perfonal fervice and 
 on that account did not admit of it, and was thought to be at 
 lead equal to any man's abilities : fo far from holding many* 
 it was not permitted them to exchange one benefice for ano- 
 ther more lucrative. AW/7 tempi primi delta Cbiefa, era un fanta 
 e lodrvol ufo, che chi era ordinata ad' una Cbiefa, mat in fua <viia 
 lafciarva il carico, per haver Beneficio di maggiore rendita, d di 
 maggiore honore ; pareva a ciafcun affai face I'ufflcia fua al 
 meglie. Fra Paolo, delle Maticre Beaefic. p. 176.
 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 this is in contempt of their brethren in diftrefs, 
 of reafon, and of juftice. From the fame 
 " poverty in fpirit" proceeds non-refidence, fo 
 generally complained of ; for our clergy through- 
 out the country are become fo learned and 
 perfons of fuch exquifite tafte and feelings, that 
 their parifhioners whom they were appointed 
 principally to benefit, and from whom they 
 receive their pay, are now thought too contemp- 
 tible to be affociated with ; they therefore leave 
 them to their fate and retire to large towns or 
 cities, where they find a variety of more rational 
 amufement amidft more polifhed company. But 
 if* we complain of thefe and many other abufes, 
 from which I apprehend the nation in general 
 is a great fufferer, we are termed illiberal, and 
 treated with contemptuous illiberal abufe. Yet 
 I think nothing can be more illiberal than the 
 praftices I have defcribed, and perhaps nothing 
 throughout the kingdom calls louder for a re- 
 form, even though the confequence fhould be 
 of calling them back to that primitive evangelic 
 purity and fimplicity of life and manners, which 
 I conceive fhould be infeparable from their 
 Order, in all times and in all places, whatever 
 changes and revolutions the Itatc of fublunary 
 things may undergo. But I would not wifh 
 them to be contaminated cither " with poverty 
 " in fpirit" or to be "poor in fpirit," fincc 
 
 thefe
 
 ( 77 ) 
 
 thefe are expreffions which in our language are 
 fynonimous to " meannefs of fpirit;" and al- 
 though the former may be fuppofed to be jufti- 
 fied by a paffage which may be thought ana- 
 lagous in Matthew, ch. v. v. 3. " Blefled are 
 " the poor in fpirit," yet whoever will conli- 
 der the original will fee, * wL^o* r<f wnvpcurt, does 
 not mean to be " poor in fpirit," but to be in 
 fpirit as the poor are generally repFefented, 
 that is " humble and meek." And this meek- 
 nefs of fpirit though it may be derided by the 
 frivolous, and the pofTeffor injured by the vio- 
 lent and oppreflbr, yet is it revered by all good 
 men, and crowned with a blefTmg from the au- 
 thor of our religion But to return, I may be 
 told in alleviation of the abufes, for j unification 
 there can be none, that in molt profeflions there 
 are gradations, as in the army and navy, where 
 from humble and unprofitable beginnings men 
 rife to honourable and pr< iitable ports. I an- 
 fwer that the church make; a mockery of all 
 this ; that if a man has interefl: he may be a 
 layman to day of any profeflion, and to-morrow 
 become clerical and enter immediately on be- 
 nefices to the value of two hundred or two 
 thoufand pounds a year or more ; and all this 
 attended with as little trouble as the putting 
 ojf one coat to put on another, even to the 
 
 holding
 
 ( 7' ) 
 
 holding of pluralities*, though a perfonal of- 
 fice, as though a man could divide himfelf, and 
 officiate in two places at the fame time. The 
 duty of a pallor was formerly confidered as 
 laborious, and confcience was thought to be 
 concerned in entering upon and performing 
 that office ; but thefe qualms being diffipated 
 by abufes which are become in a manner ge- 
 neral, nothing more is looked to than the in- 
 come, and this is confidered merely as a life 
 eftate ; and therefore efpecially of late years it 
 has been a common practice to relinquifh pro- 
 feflions which are laborious or hazardous, and 
 feek an afylum in the church where there is 
 more convenience, eafe, and better pay. But I 
 conceive it is rather hard upon the laity, that 
 becaufe thefe men have thought proper for their 
 own conveniency and emolument to change 
 their coats from blue, or red, or any other 
 colour, to black, that therefore they (hould im- 
 mediately aiTume the power of " exercifing 
 " fomething like an authority" over us poor 
 laity, and none over that order into which they 
 were recently admitted ; as though the chang- 
 ing 
 
 * In the army I believe we never hear of a captain com- 
 manding two diftinft companies ; nor in the nary of a captain 
 being captain of two men of war at the fame time ; why ? be- 
 caufe it is a perfonal fervicc, and therefore hidcoufly inconfiftcnt.
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 ing a coat or wig conveyed knowledge or pow- 
 er, and that thefe men were much wifer now, 
 than when they purfued their former profeffion. 
 Undoubtably they are as the children of this 
 world, and the reft of their order opprobrioufly 
 ftile them wolves leaping over the fold to run 
 off with what they term their property ; but this 
 alfo convinces me that thefe too have fet their 
 hearts full as much upon the profits which are 
 derived from the trafic in religion, as upon re- 
 ligion itfelf; fcr certainly they would not 
 wound them with terms of reproach, if they 
 interfered not with their emoluments and preach- 
 ed for nothing. 
 
 Mr. B. obferves, " And after all, with this 
 " gothic and monkifh education (for fuch it is 
 " in the ground-work) we may put in our 
 " claim to as ample and as early a fhare in all 
 " the improvements in fcience, in arts, and in 
 " literature, which have illuminated and adorn- 
 " ed the modern world, as any other nation in 
 " Europe."* Be it fo, but who is we ? For 
 the paffage is fo managed that unlefs Mr. B.'s 
 friend reads cautioufly he may imagine he 
 means, we of this kingdom or of thefe king- 
 doms; but it is no fuch matter, for we means, 
 
 we 
 
 * P. 149.
 
 ( So ) ' . 
 
 we of the church eftablifhment, who as he ex- 
 prefTes himfelf at a little diftance before*, 
 " we of the old ecclefiaftical modes and fafhions 
 11 of inftitutions," and, " we found thefe old 
 " inftitutions, on the whole, favourable to mo- 
 " rality and difcipline, &c."f : fo that in fac\ 
 he confines all this merit to thofe of the church 
 eftablifhment. Does not this refemble the ho- 
 ned trick of robbing other men's houfes of their 
 furniture to adorn our own ? At this rate, Scot- 
 land is but a boaft, and all of this kingdom who 
 are not of the church eftablifhment muft be 
 confidered as dolls and idiots, for not having 
 contributed fo much as their mites to this 
 mighty mafs of art and fcience. Does this pro- 
 ceed from vanity, folly, or what ? I will men- 
 tion no names, it is invidious; but I will intreat 
 the reader to turn his eyes towards Scotland if 
 he can without blufhing ; and on the various 
 bodies of difTenters of this kingdom if he can 
 without indignation, at this exclufive and filent 
 contempt of their abilities. But this is not the 
 only inftance by many in which this writer 
 Conaius efl clarijfimis rebus tenebras obductrt\ : but 
 the reader muft be illiterate indeed whofe 
 difcernment cannot penetrate this mift of fo- 
 
 phiftry. 
 
 Mr. 
 
 * P. 148. + P. 149. \ Cic. Lucull. cap. iii. p. 7.
 
 ( Si ) 
 
 Mr. B. may flatter himfelf that he has faid 
 fomething extremely fafcinating and pleafing to 
 the ears of the people of this kingdom in his 
 account of liberty*, and their title to it as an 
 inheritance t, together with its " bearing and 
 " enfigns armorial" with its " gallery of por- 
 " traits, its monumental infcriptions, &c. &c." 
 L One 
 
 * P. 149. 
 
 + I cannot by any means be prevailed on, by any thing 
 advanced by Mr. B . to confider my liberty in the light of an 
 inheritance from my forefathers. For it may be faid to me, 
 you claim your liberty as an inheritance from your anceftors, 
 but where is their title to it, and how came they by it ? You 
 plead indeed your Bill of Rights and Magna Charta; but 
 thefe are not title deeds ; they are no more than recognitions of 
 rights obtained by your anceftors on a fuppofed prior good 
 title ; that title I queftion ; and until you have eftabliftied it, 
 thefe recognitions will not take effect. So that for want of 
 the original which is called for, and which cannot be made 
 out, on Mr. B.'s plan, we may at laft be oufted of our liber- 
 ties. But if I claim my liberty on a grant from Heaven, the 
 title is indifputable, for the appeal is to every man's reafon ; 
 every ingenuous mind will acknowledge the confeioufnefs of 
 it, and mankind be unanimous in the decifion. To claim 
 too under this title is certainly more honourable, than under 
 parchment Bill of Rights and Magna Charta, which grant 
 it as an indulgent conceflion, or as an act derived from pre- 
 fent neceflity and which may be contended to have been 
 wrenched from the hands of power by the untoward nefs of 
 the times. And if I miftake not a fimilar plea has been 
 agitated.
 
 ( 8* ) 
 
 One would conclude he was defer ibing the folly 
 of that weaknefs (luck up in fome churches 
 over the vaults of the proud ennobled dead, by 
 the vanity of their mean heirs or fuceefibrs. It 
 rather reprefents the' accomplifhments of de- 
 parted liberty, than of liberty in full health and 
 vigor. I enter not upon liberty by the flimfy 
 title of inheritance; I found my right on a 
 fuperior claim. It is the gift of Heaven to all 
 mankind ; he has the fame title to it that he 
 has to life; it is a grant from the fame bounte- 
 ous donor; born of flaves or free-men he 
 brings it with him, when he comes into the 
 world; and he cannot with juftice be deprived 
 of it but by an act of his own. Fraud or vio- 
 lence may wrench it from him as it may every 
 thing elfe; but it is ftill fraud or violence, 
 though it be the a6l of a prince, and as much 
 i'o as if it were the at of a private individual ; 
 the means too which have oufted him of it, 
 will teach him, and juftifiably too, the means of 
 recovering it. I will not then fland indebted 
 to man, and his feeble and frequently wicked 
 counfel, for my liberty ; I claim it as the gra- 
 cious gift of Heaven, the fole author of the 
 boon. Tliis is natural liberty, and this he may 
 reftrain and confine within narrower limits, as 
 when man enters into a ftate of fociety he then 
 
 relinquifhes
 
 ( 8 3 ) 
 
 relinquifhes a part of this natural liberty for the 
 general good of the whole fociety : but neither 
 this civil liberty, nor natural liberty, nor any 
 other liberty that I know of accords with Mr. 
 B.'s account of it when he fays " the effect of 
 " liberty to individuals is, that they may do 
 " what they pleafe," becaufc reafon, confcience 
 and the laws of God, each of them and all of 
 them, whether in or out of fociety evidently 
 fuggeft to each individual that he is not to mur- 
 ther; but civil liberty, which is the liberty I 
 am now fpeaking to confifts in the power which 
 every perfon has of doing what he pleafes pro- 
 vided it be not repugnant to the laws of God, 
 nor to laws in the enafting of which he has 
 duly participated. If he has had no (hare in 
 making thofe laws, I do not fee how thofe laws 
 concern him ; he lives it is true among others 
 under laws which reftrain natural liberty, but 
 what is that law to him who has had no fhare 
 in the making it, and is therefore not bound to 
 obey it : for every man before he entered into 
 fociety had an equal fhare of liberty, on enter- 
 ing into fociety he ought therefore to have an 
 equal fhare in forming thofe laws by which his 
 liberty is to be abridged. I have advanced 
 thus much becaufe Mr. B. obferves '* <; I fhail 
 L 2 " only 
 
 * P. 8*.
 
 ( 84 ) 
 
 11 only fay here, in juftice to that old fafhioned 
 " conftitution, under which we have long prof- 
 " pered.. that our reprefentation has been 
 " found perfe&ly adequate to all the purpofesj 
 " for which a reprefentation can be defired or 
 " devifed ;" and probably he might have alleged 
 the fame, and with equal truth, if the electors 
 were only one tenth of their prefent number. 
 But if thofe who are deprived of a voice in 
 enacting laws fhould think otherwife, and they 
 have as good a right to think for themfelves 
 as Mr. B. has to think for them, and mould 
 they take the matter up on the footing of in- 
 juftice as they may well do, what then will his 
 unfounded affertion avail ? can he imagine his 
 ipfe dixit will have more confequential weight 
 than a fly on a broad-wheel waggon. I am well 
 perfuaded the American war, which I think 
 Mr. B. condemned as well as myfelf, with all 
 its ruinous and fatal confequences to this nation, 
 and from which it will not, if ever, recover in 
 a century, was principally to be imputed to this 
 inadequate reprefentation ; that war had never 
 been entered upon had there been a juft and 
 equal reprefentation, for the majority of the 
 people oppofed it, which was the caufe of its 
 terminating fo injurioufly to us. I mud there- 
 fore deny " that our reprefentation has been 
 
 " found
 
 ( 8 5 ) 
 
 " found perfe&ly adequate to all the purpofes 
 " for which a reprefentation of the people can 
 " be defired or devifed;" on the contrary it 
 appears to me to be far better calculated, to- 
 gether with its long parliaments, to ferve the 
 purpofes and fchemes of a defpotic miniftry, 
 than to promote the caufe and benefit of the 
 people. How long it may be fubmitted to I 
 know not; an attempt towards a melioration has 
 been begun, and for the prefent feems to be 
 relinquished, but this is no reafon why it may 
 not be again refumed, and infifted on, when the 
 firft favourable opportunity (hall offer. 
 
 The prefent unequal reprefentation certainly 
 does not anfwer the purpofes of the people ; and 
 may be productive of much future evil which 
 ought to be prevented by an adequate reprefen- 
 tation. Suppofe eighty perfons in every hun- 
 dred throughout the kingdom are not reprefent- 
 ed ; and that they fhould fay, You gentlemen 
 are rcprefented and have a fhare in legiflation, 
 therefore you mud approve, and pay, thefe 
 taxes ; but we have no fhare in legiflation, we 
 neither cleft nor arc rcprefented, neither do we 
 approve of this multitude of taxes, and therefore 
 we will not pay them. Was not a cafe exactly 
 fimilar the caufe of the American war ; the 
 
 Americans
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 Americans would not be taxed becaufe not re- 
 prefented ; and this doftrine -is perfe&ly con- 
 fonant to the conftitution of England. I afk, 
 if thefe men mould argue thus, would they not 
 have reafon and juftice on their fide ? and how 
 would you in confeience oblige them to the pay- 
 ment ? The projeft againft America Mr. B. re- 
 probated, how can he fupport the like here ; 
 the doftrine of taxation without reprefentation 
 was productive of infinite mifchief; is it then to 
 be adhered to and perpetuated here ; reafon 
 and equity are againft it, and what is more, 
 numbers. Numbers, he may fay, as he fome- 
 where does, " is the law of force;" I anfwer, 
 not neceffarily fo, it may as often be the law of 
 right. Numbers certainly imply force, yet not 
 merely force, but alfo reafon and right. Take 
 promifcuoufly five hundred perfons on one hand, 
 and fifty on the other, and it is moft probable 
 there will be more force in the former than in 
 the latter, it is alfo highly probable that there 
 will be more reafon alfo : no good caufe can be 
 affigned why the probability is not in favour of 
 there being more wifdom among the five hun- 
 dred perfons than among the fifty. Upon the 
 whole therefore, there fecms to be a necelTity 
 for an adequate reprefentation were it only to 
 prevent the evil we have been treating of; and 
 
 thii
 
 ( 8 7 ) 
 
 this not only poffible but probable evil demon- 
 ftrates that the prefent reprefentation does not 
 anfwer, as fays Mr. B. every purpofe of an ade- 
 quate reprefentation. Is it then prudent to fit 
 quietly down fatisfied with Mr. B.'s bare affer- 
 tion, and wait the event ? 
 
 I fhall now treat of the crown of thefe king- 
 doms, and examine whether it be hereditary or 
 not : but I muft firft premife that under the pre- 
 fent parliamentary reprefentation, unequal, in- 
 adequate, and unj-uft as it appears to me, yet 
 we muft fuppofe it to be a true reprefentation 
 of all the commons of thefe kingdoms, as it is 
 confidered as fuch in the eye of the law and 
 fiftion, whatever it may be in reality in the 
 fcales of juftice and reafon. When a crown 
 is faid to be hereditary, it muft at lead be at- 
 tended with the fan&ion of uniformity in defcent. 
 If there be but one precedent in the fucceffion to 
 the contrary, however minute the deviation, the 
 uniformity of this chain of hereditary fuccefliort 
 is as effectually deftroyed by this one link being 
 broken as if thefe durations were many and va- 
 rious. And Mr. B. appears to me to be totally 
 miftaken when he-endeavours to juftify his opi- 
 nion by faying " Privilegium non tranfit in ex- 
 
 " an plum ;"
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 " mplwm ;"* for he is not there treating of privi- 
 leges, but the law of inheritance, and to which* 
 that does not apply. The like happens in mo- 
 dules and whatever depends on cuftora ; the 
 cuftom being broken, the law which was found- 
 ed upon it is wholly deftroycd and done away. 
 The uniformity of hereditary fucceffion is de- 
 ftroyed by fetting afide the next in blood, in 
 the male line where there is one. Of this there 
 are feveral inRances in the defcent of the crown 
 of England. Whenever this happened it was 
 always effected by the voice, eleftion, and 
 choice of the people. Mr. B.'s own words con- 
 evince this when he fays, " there is no perfon 
 " fo completely ignorant of our hiftory, as not 
 " to know, that the majority in parliament of 
 " both parties were fo little difpofed to any 
 " thing refembling that principle, that at firft 
 " they were determined to place the vacant 
 " crown, not on the head of the Prince of 
 " Orange, but on that of his wife Mary.t" 
 That they firft concluded on one thing and then 
 determined upon another, evinces that they 
 judged they had a right to do either, and that 
 the crown was at their difpofal ; this alfo ap- 
 pears from the fa6l in their crowning of the 
 
 Prince 
 
 * P. 22. + P. 23.
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 Prince of Orange who was not the heir. In crown- 
 ing the Prince of Orange they to all intents and 
 purpofes elected him to the crown ; and who are 
 they who elecled him, but the two hou fes, who, as 
 above explained, do fully imply all the people 
 and every individual in thefe kingdoms. And if 
 this be not an election of the people, I profefs 
 not to underftand what is fo. So much for the 
 crown being eletlive ; but they have a further 
 right, for the people may ouft the poffefibr by 
 whatever right he may have obtained the poffef- 
 fion ; the precedent in James U. to go no further, 
 cftablifhes this right, and if there be not an ab- 
 folute indefeafable right veiled in the people to 
 ouft and to elet, then I proteft I cannot dis- 
 cover how all thofe who have fucceded James 
 II. down to the prefent time are not ufurpers: 
 for if they do not found their right in the right 
 of the people to ouft and to eled, they do not 
 appear to me to have any right. The at of 
 James is called an abdication, as though it were 
 a voluntary at ; it was a voluntary a6l of the 
 like nature with that of a prifoner who volun- 
 tarily follows from neceflity ; and the facl: is, 
 that James could hold the throne no longer 
 againft the oppofition of the people, he there- 
 fore voluntarily fled by conflraint. The true 
 conitruction of which is, that he was abfolutely 
 M and
 
 ' ( go ) 
 
 and to all intents and purpofes oufled by the 
 people. And if the people had not a right to 
 ouft, they could have no right to elect his fuc- 
 ceflbr, as in fuch cafe there was no vacancy, for 
 though he abdicated, yet might he again return 
 and take pofTeffion ; but that which prevented 
 this was the exerted right of the people which 
 oufted and excluded him and heirs for ever, by 
 their ckttion of the Prince of Orange. That by 
 which this was effeQed was truly an election or 
 choice, and not an al of parliament, for the 
 two eftates without the third cannot make an act 
 of parliament, and nothing is binding on the 
 people but an aft of parliament; it was there- 
 fore as I faid, a choice or election made by both 
 houfes in behalf of all the people of thefe king- 
 doms who were prefent, either in their own per- 
 fons, or virtually by their reprefentatives. On 
 the whole then I conclude from precedent, that 
 the crown of thefe kingdoms is eleftive, and not 
 hereditary; and that the people on good and 
 fubftantial reafons may ouft or ejeel the pof- 
 feflbr: to which lad affertion Mr. B. appears to 
 me to affent, when with ftriQ: propriety he de- 
 clares that " the punifhment of real tyrants is 
 M a noble arid awful at of juftice;"* for I know 
 
 but 
 
 * P. i.jj.
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 but of two ways by which fuch crimes can be 
 properly and with any degree of fecurity punifh- 
 ed, and the mildeft by far of the two, and for 
 which reafon I fhould certainly adopt it, is by 
 ejection. But though the crown be elective, 
 and the right of election refides in the people, 
 yet it is not neceflary that fuch right fhould on 
 all occafions be exercifed ; nothing is eafier to 
 be conceived than that a perfon may pofTefs the 
 moft full and ample right, and yet it may be 
 imprudent to exert it, and prudent to let it lie 
 dormant. On this principle I imagine the wif- 
 dom of the nation has tacitly acquiefced in per- 
 mitting the crown to devolve by defcent where 
 no important objection appeared, thereby avoid- 
 ing the exceffes which might probably be at- 
 tendant on fuch an election. And I prefume the 
 fame wifdom will, fhould it ever become neceffary, 
 which heaven forbid, determine them not only 
 to exert this their right of ele&ion, but alfo that 
 of eje6tion. I am, however, very far from 
 thinking this a trifling concern either on the 
 part of the prince or people, yet caufes may in 
 future arife to render fuch meafures neceflary ; 
 what may be generating in the womb of time no 
 human wifdom can explore, and therefore thefe 
 rights are not to be furrendered or buried in 
 oblivion, though lulled to reft while all is peace- 
 ful 2 ful,
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 ftil, harniouious, and beneficent; or even were 
 that harmony in forae confiderable degree in- 
 terrupted it might not be altogether prudent to 
 roufe thefe rights from their beds of peace ; there 
 fhould be fome violent caufe to call forth fuch 
 powerful effe&s ; the fymptoms of the difeafe 
 fhould be deadly when defperation introduces 
 thefe draftic applications which are to fuccede 
 the ufe of more lenient medicines and methods 
 which after repeated trial have been found to 
 fail. 
 
 I have been the rather induced freely to de- 
 clare my fentiments on this fubje6l, becaufe 
 fome timid or defigning minds have confidered 
 it as a matter which fhould never be agitated ; 
 my opinion is different from theirs for the fake 
 both of the prince and the people. Where 
 rights are not known and defined, there can be 
 no certain or fettled rule of aftion ; we are wan- 
 dering by the uncertain flitting gleam of a 
 meteor inftcad of clear day-light. No man not 
 verging to bankruptcy diflikes looking into his 
 accounts, the more flourifhing his condition the 
 more cheerfully he examines them ; fimilar to 
 this is the cafe of the people of thefe kingdoms; 
 and as what we have been difcourfing upon, forms 
 one of their molt important accounts, the ftate 
 
 of
 
 ( 93 ) 
 
 of it mould be fcrupuloufly examined, fairly 
 drawn out, and held up to public view and in- 
 fpe&ion ; when thus expofed, neither party can 
 err through ignorance, whatever he may do 
 through intentional perverfenefs ; and the con- 
 clufion is, that many errors will thus be avoided 
 which from miftaken principles might tend to 
 embarrafs each. If I have a right but know not 
 what it is, nor how far it extends, nor when it 
 is proper to ufe it, or fuffer it to be dormant, 
 I might as well, or perhaps better be without it; 
 for an improper ufe of it in any way might bring 
 diftrefs on myfelf or others ; but when myfelf 
 and all who are interefted are acquainted with 
 this right and its contingencies, nothing but an 
 unaccountable and wilful perverfion, not error 
 or miftake, can make it the caufe of injurious, 
 contention. To bring it forth therefore, to 
 affert, explain and define it, to hint at thofe 
 feafons when it may and when it fhould not be 
 excited, appears to me beneficial to both parties 
 as the fureft mode of producing tranquility., 
 peace, and harmony, by keeping each within its 
 proper line of conduct ; which, on the one fide 
 or on the other, might be erroneoufly tranfgref- 
 fed or craftily eluded, while this right lay con- 
 cealed in obfeurity and ignorance as fomething 
 too dangerous to be brought forth and handled. 
 
 But
 
 ( 94 ) 
 
 ut I repeat it, that thefe rights though im* 
 qucftionable, fhould never be excrcifed but in 
 the laft ftages of ihe ftatc difeafe when all other 
 remedies have been tried and found ineffectual; 
 then only, are they to be exerted, then only is 
 the meafure "wife, and then this wifdom will be 
 juftified of her children. But unlefs thefe rights 
 are veiled in the people their condition miift 
 be truly pitiable ; they can be Ao better than 
 hewers of wood and drawers of water j the 
 makers of brick without draw for their tafk- 
 mafters ; beads of burthen, and beau's of re- 
 proach, without the hope of meliorating their 
 condition ; Egyptian bondage ceafed, but here 
 is a flavery without end. 
 
 Before I quit this article of the fucceflion I 
 mull take notice of a paflage in Mr. B.'s letter 
 where he fays, " The terms of this ai bind us, 
 '' our heirs, and our pofterity, to them, their 
 " heirs, and their pofterity;"* to which he 
 adds, " being proteftants, to the end of time." 
 I can but fmile to fee it enforced by the words 
 " to the end of time," as though every a6l of 
 parliament which did not exprefs the contrary, 
 was not confidered as perpetual at the time it 
 
 was 
 
 
 
 * P. 33-
 
 ( 95.) 
 
 was ena&ed, how foon foever afterwards it 
 might be repealed; and as though an at of 
 parliament which declares itfelf to be perpetual 
 could not be repealed by any fucceeding par- 
 liament; for if one parliament has the power 
 to ena6t, a fucceeding parliament has an equal 
 power, and furely may repeal. Mr. B. feems 
 to me to confound two things in themfelves 
 perfectly diftincTt, an act of parliament, and a 
 contract ; now this was an aft of parliament, and 
 not a contract as thai was at the union, and 
 which cannot be avoided but by confent of the 
 parties ; whereas this being an aft of parlia- 
 ment it may be repealed by any fucceeding par- 
 liament, and therefore may not be binding as 
 he expreffes it <: to the end of time." The 
 only provifion is, they "being protectants ;'* 
 as though it were impoffible that a people could 
 be made wretched under a proteftant prince ; 
 and by fccuring that obtained every thing. At 
 this rate our lives, liberty and property are all 
 facrificed to a name ; and if the people fo un- 
 derftand it with Mr. B. I cannot fee they can 
 have rcafon to complain be the event what it 
 may. 13ut the doubt is, whether they will 
 be prevailed on to embrace this heretical doc- 
 trine. 
 
 From
 
 I 
 
 96 ) 
 
 From vifions of politics let us for a moment 
 pafs with Mr. B. to vifions of love, beauty, and 
 enthufiaftic admiration, wrapped up in the 
 giddy rant of rhapfody. The fire of the boy 
 in his teens feems re-kindled in the icey veins 
 of this old gentleman ; the recolleftion of the 
 rays of beauty feems at this diftance of time 
 to impart a glow even in the winter of age, 
 and to revive the extinguifhed flames of youth 
 and love. But he muit be heard ; and obferve 
 with what folemnity and diffidence this impor- 
 tant bufinefs is opened', while all the attentive 
 world ftands mute to hear. " It is now fix- 
 '* teen or feventeen years fmce I faw the queen 
 " of France, then the dauphinefs at Verfailles; 
 " and furely never lighted on this orb, which 
 " fhe hardly feemed to touch, a more delight- 
 *' ful vifion."* Reader, didft thou or did 
 any man ever fee " a vifion" with or without 
 wings " light on this orb ?" No. Then " furely 
 " never lighted on this orb a more delightful 
 " vifion" if none ever lighted on it before. 
 This is adhering to truth and propriety. I 
 would have given fomething for a peep at this 
 paragon who after Ihe lighted flood firm on this 
 orb " which (he hardly feemed to touch ;" who 
 
 bore 
 
 P. 112.
 
 -( 97 ) 
 
 bore the femblance of bone and flefh which 
 were but vifionary. Virgil's Camilla was but a 
 lumpifla fhe afs to her, as her lightnefs was the 
 mere effeft of the fwiftnefs of her motion, 
 
 curfuque pedum praeverttrc vetitus, 
 
 I 
 
 And after all (he only 
 
 Intaclatfegetisperjumma volartt 
 Gramina ; nee teaeras tur/u laejtjfet arifias 
 Vel mare per medium, fluclu fu/pen/a tumenli 
 Ferret iter ; celeres nee tingertt acquora plantas. 
 
 But Mr. B. does not proceed to inform us of 
 his queen 
 
 Illam omnis leftis agrifque effufa jwventut 
 Turbaque miratur matrum, et profpeQat euntem; 
 
 Attaint is iuhians animis 
 
 Vir. JEn. vii. v. 807 81 1. 
 
 No ; that he faw her, loved, and admired, is 
 fuflicient; what the reft of the world thought 
 does not merit consideration. He goes on, 
 " I faw her jufl; above the horifon." Where 
 
 could this be ; the horifon at Verfailles ! 
 
 ." Decorating and cheering the elevated fphere 
 <: flic juft began to move in." The words " to 
 t: move in," form an elegant and harmonious 
 clofe to this fentencc ; the writer fcems to have 
 run himfelf out of breath, though the panegy- 
 N vie
 
 ( ?8 ) 
 
 ric is but juft begun. Thus we go on from the 
 turgid to the languid,' following the courfe of 
 nature, after a ftorm fucceeds a calm." Glit- 
 " tering like the morning-ftar, full of life, and 
 " fplendor, and joy." No doubt joyous enough 
 at being releafed from confinement to difplay 
 herfelf and be admired; in this there is nothing 
 vifionary. " Oh! what a revolution!" Ay, 
 a revolution indeed, and* they have to thank 
 Heaven for it. But is Mr. B. the man of ex- 
 perience,* obfervation, and all that, to be fur- 
 prifed at fuch a revolution, as though nothing 
 fimilar had ever happened before, while hifto- 
 ries teem with fuch, and greater, revolutions; 
 and every kingdom in its turn will furnifh the 
 like wherever the rights of mankind are vio- 
 lated and contemned. Had I a voice that 
 could be heard amidfl: the pomp of pride, the 
 ardor of ambition, and the tumult of paffions, I 
 would exclaim as a friendly monitor, princes ! 
 to reign fecurely, ye muft reign in the hearts of 
 your fubje&s. " Little did I dream," and 
 again fays he, " little did I dream;" though it 
 mould feem he is dreaming throughout the 
 whole of this "vifion;" till ftarting from this 
 dream, breaks forth into, " 1 thought <en thou- 
 
 " land 
 
 * P. 120. ct alibi.
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 " fand fwords mull have leaped from their 
 " fcabbards to avenge even a look that threat- 
 " ened her with infult.'' We have read of the 
 automaton tripods of Homer,* the felf-opening 
 gate of Milton. t and to vie with thefe we have 
 now the felf-leaping fwords of Mr. B. from 
 their fcabbards: wonderfully fublime truly; 
 may we call this poetry or profe run mad. 
 This new invented machinery will I fuppofe 
 be adopted by the military ; but I muft confefs 
 myfelf fo firm a friend to peace, that I mould 
 fooner think of rivetting them there, were it 
 only to prevent frantic frolics fimilar to that 
 adverted to by Mr. B. " But the age of 
 " chivalry is gone. "J Ay, thank Heaven and 
 Cervantes ! and it were better that all its abet- 
 N % tors 
 
 * ' " Tfiirofrx; yx% mhoji irxnas vriv/ii, 
 Ecrrxpzvxi iripi toi^ok iVJixVioi; f/.tyx;oio' 
 Xfvaiac de vty vwo wxt.ct iy.xotu 7rt.'-jfun 9?K, 
 Qtyix o; avrofjLXTct Saw olaxiar' etytevx, 
 lia at/~j 7r:oi Sv^x vsoiaro, -Jxvy.x idjovai. 
 
 Horn. Iliad, (s) xviii. v. ^3 377 
 
 till at the gate 
 
 Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate felf open'd wide 
 On golden hinges turning, as by work 
 Divine the fov'ran architect had fram'd. 
 
 Milton, P. L. b. v. v, 255 2 r6. 
 
 i ^ "3.
 
 ( lOO ) . 
 
 tors were gone with it, than to have it revived : 
 there are but two many madmen already in the 
 world without feeking for an addition in knight- 
 errantry, when we fhould be under the necel- 
 fity of covering the area in Moorfields as a 
 repofitory for their diftempered brains And 
 here we give the finifking ftroke to this tinfel 
 difcription of her majefty, which in my opinion 
 is fo far from an encomium that it neither 
 enhances her virtues, nor does the leaft credit 
 to its autuor. Arrd the reader, who perceives 
 the qualms of ficknefs or langour availing hirn^ 
 may perhaps find a reviving cordial in what is 
 faid on a fubjeft fomewhat analogous by the 
 pen of Milton, which thus delineates the queen 
 of the univerfe : 
 
 On fhe came, 
 
 Led by her heav'nly Maker, though unfeen, 
 And guided by his voice, nor uninformed 
 Of nuptial fanftity and marriage rites : 
 Grace was in all her fteps, heav'n in her eye, 
 In ev'ry geflure dignity and love. 
 
 Parad. Loir, b. viii. v. 484 4-9. 
 
 Milton's judgment was too refined and accurate 
 to bring her down, heaven knowns whence, 
 alighting as it were a fparrow upon a dunghill, 
 there to glitter like a potfherd. No, led by 
 the heaven of her mind, her innate confeious 
 
 virtue,
 
 ( . ) 
 
 virtue, and in the modcft confidence of the 
 purity of her undiffembled affe&ion, (he goes 
 forth to meet the partner of ail that Heaven 
 could give in a human form; and as fhe moved 
 towards him, 
 
 Grace was in all her (reps, Heav'n in her eye, 
 In ev'ry gefture dignity and love. 
 
 Thus a tranfeendent genius by a few ftrokes 
 gives grandeur and dignity to his fubject; 
 while minor geniufes, with all their elaborate 
 pains, mark it with a politejje, which renders it 
 mean, and fometimes contemptible. 
 
 I have in my time frequently heard, and do 
 {till hear* the parade of much metaphyfical 
 jargon touching governments ; and when wri- 
 ters have bewildered themfelves in the intricate 
 and endlefs labyrinths of unfounded metaphy- 
 fics if they can find readers weak enough to 
 follow them, they mult be bewildered likewife. 
 This may anfwer latent purpofes, for it renders 
 government an occult fcience, and then tends 
 to exclude all the non-initiated with them in 
 their miseries from entertaining any jufl idea 
 of government" as incompatible with their abili- 
 ties 
 
 * P. 145 14J. et alibi.
 
 { 102 ) 
 
 ties and fituation ; and this ultimately clofes in 
 paflive obedience and non-refiftance. The divine 
 right of kings, which implies defpotifm, was 
 formerly fo much agitated that the divine rights 
 of men, which muft have had prior exiftence 
 and were infinitely better founded, were almoft 
 forgotten : the combination was that the prieft 
 fhould fupport this fame divine right, and in 
 return the divine right mould fupport the prieft. 
 But the people would be duped by neither; 
 and this defpotifm, otherwife called divine 
 right, at one time fo firmly maintained, becom- 
 ing contemptible, was fo relaxed as to be un- 
 serviceable : hereupon politicians racked their 
 brains to produce a fimilar effect, from a dif- 
 ferent caufe. To this end they endeavour to 
 perfuade mankind that government is a meta- 
 physeal fcience, of courfe all men are de- 
 barred meddling with it but the adepts ; as thefe 
 are few in number, fo all but a few are ex- 
 cluded reafoning upon it,* and as the govern- 
 ing power can always command a few, their 
 doctrine will ever be that which is pleating to 
 that power, and the pleafing doctrine to mod of 
 them is abfolute power and paflive obedience. 
 Another mode was alfo adopted, and that ge- 
 nerally 
 
 * P. '43
 
 ( 103 ) 
 
 nerally throughout Europe, which was, that as 
 the preachments of the priefts could not pre- 
 vail, a numerous military force mould be 
 eifcablifhed to threaten ancj over awe the 
 people. This was precifely the cafe in France, 
 and, though unintentionally, confeffed to be fo 
 by Mr. B. for he fays, fpeaking of this army 
 which with a fnecr he terms " Janiffaries" * 
 which I underftand to be a term of contempt, 
 " If they are not cut off by a rebellion of their 
 " people, they may be ftrangled by the very 
 " janiffaries kept for their fecurity againft all 
 " other rebellion." We fee then plainly the 
 purpofe for which fuch armies at fo vaft an 
 expence are maintained ; fuch is the principal 
 view in their eftablifhment ; but a fatal confe- 
 quence attends it ; for as fuch numbers with 
 arms in their hands become dangerous if kept 
 in idlenefs, fo if there is no employment for 
 them at home they muft be ufed abroad, and 
 hence arife thofe frequent wars, or maffacres 
 among the nations of Europe. Thefe armies 
 thus commanding implicit obedience in their 
 refpective countries, the people fo awed muft 
 be wretched ; where men may not fpeak 
 of government and its proceedings, ap- 
 prove 
 
 
 
 * P. 133.
 
 ( io 4 > ) 
 
 prove or condemn, remonflrate and reform, 
 as * their prudence regulated by occuring 
 events and circumftances fhall direft, fuch 
 fubje&s, I fay, are no better than (laves or 
 mere machines, Hand on the fame level with 
 their cattle, and are confounded by govern- 
 ment in one general mafs. Let interefted or 
 impaffioned perfons reafon ever fo long, with 
 all their fucated arguments, crafty fophiftry, and 
 the artifice of thowing plainnefs into perplexity, 
 yet they will never be able to perluade one 
 rational man, that this was not the precife ftate 
 of the French nation previous to the revolution. 
 Every intelligent and candid perfon in that 
 kingdom knew it, and fighed for redrefs; but 
 they dreaded the army which had been the 
 dire inftrument of defpotifm and diftrefs. That 
 army, as by infpiration, became at once en- 
 lightened and generous, refented the bafenefs 
 of that bufinefs in which it had been employed, 
 and with a fpirit which will ever immortalize 
 it, gave its fuffrage and fupport to the caufe of 
 liberty. The individuals underftood, that be- 
 fore they became foldiers they were citizens ; 
 that the duty of a citizen is paramount to all 
 duties next to that due to Heaven ; that the 
 firlt duty of a good citizen is to refcue his 
 fellow citizens from the chains of bondage, and 
 
 place
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 place them in the iituation of men. .In this, 
 that army co-operated, and it reflects higher 
 honour and brighter luftre on their character, 
 than if they had gained a compleat victory over 
 ten times their own number in battle. 
 
 But this it feems in the eftimation of Mr. B; 
 the quondam patriot, is deferving of reprehen- 
 fion, who informs us in his ufual ftile of mifre- 
 prefentation, " Thus we have feen the King of 
 " France fold by his foldiers for an increafe 
 " of pay."* But if an increafe of pay had 
 effected this, a fuper added additional pay would 
 have brought them back again; for men who 
 aft only for pay and have no principle, are al- 
 ways to be biaffed by a fuperior influence of 
 profit. Hence it appears to me, that if they re- 
 ceived additional pay, yet the motive on which 
 they acted was principle. When mankind aft 
 purely for profit they relinquifh principle, but 
 when they aft on principle they are not to be 
 warped by profit. I know not experimentally 
 the influence of pay ; but thofe who do, are apt 
 to impute more to it than thofe who arc unprac- 
 tifed will readily admit, judging perhaps from 
 their own feelings and actions, which however 
 O are 
 
 * P. m3.
 
 ( io6 ) 
 
 are not applicable to all cafes and circumftances. 
 I would not be underftood in this to fay that 
 Mr. B. judges from his own experience; for I 
 will not give credit till better informed, and 
 hardly then, of an infinuation which has been 
 thrown out,* that he receives a penlion of one 
 thoufand five hundred pounds a year on the 
 Irifh eftablifhment ; I have feveral infurmount- 
 able reafons to fix me in a contrary opinion. 
 In the firft place Mr. B. was a patriot, and pa- 
 triots plead not for pay in the caufe of the 
 people ; pay and patriotifm are inconfiftcnt, 
 heterogeneous j when fhe motive is pay all pa- 
 triotifm vanifhes, we cannot ferve two mafters. 
 Next, men of honour claim no more than their 
 due; and I perfuade myfelf that though Mr. B. 
 thinks that ten thoufand pounds fterling a year 
 is not too much to pay for the piety and virtue 
 of a bifhop, yet he conceives his own merit in 
 any thing and in all things in which he has ferv- 
 ed his country cannot be eflimated at fo high a 
 rate as one thoufand five hundred pounds a year; 
 and that it would fhock his feelings and his mo- 
 defty not only to accept it, but to have the ten- 
 der of it made to him. And laftly, the infinua- 
 tion comes to us in the mod queftionable fhape, 
 
 it 
 
 * See, The Rights of Men."
 
 ( 107 ) 
 
 it being alledged that he receives the penfion 
 " in a fictitious name ;" this, would caft a fhade 
 of darknefs on the deed, and " men love dark- 
 " nefs rather than light, becaufe their deeds are 
 " evil." I make no fcruple therefore to affert 
 that for my own part, I confider this infinuation 
 as uncandid and malevolent, the effect of envy 
 fporting its detractions againft that which it has 
 not the virtue to emulate. But at the fame time 
 that I cannot believe imaginary affertions and 
 bafelefs vifions, yet can I give full credit to 
 what Mr. B. himfelf has advanced analogious 
 to this fubjet; and he tells us, fpeaking of the 
 preceding fentiments in his letter, that " they 
 " come from one who derives honours, diftinc- 
 " tions, and emoluments, but little."* H<e then 
 certainly defires them ; and the terms but 
 " little," are fo vague and indefinite that no 
 one can truly meafure them but the mind of the 
 writer. What excellent fkill fome men poflefs 
 of cxprefling their earned wifhes fo as to be 
 thought, and not to be thought at the fame in- 
 ftant, to entertain any fuch defire ! Too flurdy 
 direftly to afk, but not lb magnanimous as to 
 refufe ; if you will offer, we are ready to accept, 
 whether they be honours, diftinc'tions, emolu- 
 O 2 ments, 
 
 P. 3 *+-
 
 ( io8 ) 
 
 ments, or any thing elfe ; and though we defire 
 them but little, yet we are ready to accept a 
 great deal, and that cheerfully and thankfully. 
 If this be a juft conftru&ion of that paffage, as 
 I trull every one will conclude it to be, we have 
 here then a clue that will guide us through all 
 the labyrinths of recoiling dodrines fo repeated- 
 ly and falfely given under the fignature of We : 
 whilft we abfolutely difclaim, by far the greater 
 part of them, and pronounce them no better 
 than forgeries, as we were never confulted either 
 in the flgning or in the giving fo much as our 
 affent to them ; but on the contrary, reprobate 
 them with debellation, as falfe, injudicious, er- 
 roneous, as fraught with mifchief to the caufe 
 of religion, of civil polity, and of the public 
 weal. Hence too it may be accounted for why 
 he facrifices his farrago of inccnfe on the altars 
 of flattery to the king and queen of France ; 
 and why, on the other hand, he calls forth from 
 their gloomy haunts the infernal fpirits of invec- 
 tive, abufe, and detraction, and lets them loofe 
 on the heads of the principal revolutionises, the 
 National Affembly, the army, and in fhort the 
 whole commonalty of the injured people of 
 France. But I may be aiked, how can he 
 " who dehres honours, diftinttions, and emo- 
 u lumenu, but little," expect that defire can be 
 
 gratified
 
 ( io9 ) 
 
 gratified by fuch a procedure ? It has been the 
 repeated practice of moft courts of Europe, that 
 when a foreign prince conceives himfelf to have 
 been benefited by the fubjeel of another prince, 
 to recommend him to his own prince as an ob- 
 ject of favour and diftinclion ; the politeffe of 
 courts rarely, if ever, paries over fuch recom- 
 mendation with indifference : and men who de- 
 fire thefe diftinftions though but little, will em- 
 ploy every lure to catch them. It mould feem 
 then that fo far from Mr. B. receiving a penfion 
 of one thoufand five hundred pounds a year on 
 the Irifh eftablifhment under a fictitious name, 
 that from his own words he has not as yet 
 been gratified in his defires, nor does he defift 
 from the purfuit though hitherto he has been 
 difregarded, and treated with neglecl : 
 
 In fober old England, once wife, as fays Fame, 
 If men could not fucceed, they relinquish 'd the game : 
 But now we're grown wifer as fome wizards think, 
 And the cafe is revers'd in diftinclions and chink. 
 
 I have hinted above that Mr. B. is guilty of 
 mifinterpretation, or mifreprefentation. I will 
 feleft, from among many, a few iuitances. But 
 as I ill a 1 1 nuike \xk of Dr. Price's name, I judge 
 it necelfary to premife, that I am not a diflenter, 
 and that I never frequented any public place of 
 
 vtorfhip
 
 ( no ) 
 
 worfhip but the church of England, though in 
 fome parts of its fervice to which I have infur- 
 mountable obje&ions I do not join : that as to 
 Dr. Price, I never faw him in my life to know 
 him, nor had I ever any communications with 
 him. On feeing this perfon fo petulantly treat- 
 ed, or as I fhould conceive grofsly infulted, re- 
 peatedly, and with a profufion of bitternefs and 
 ill-wiH in Mr. B.'s letter, I have endeavoured 
 to obtain a jufl account of his character. He is 
 reprefented to me as a perfon truly venerable 
 for his age, for his life, and converfation ; per- 
 fectly unambitious of every thing but doing 
 good, and filling that ftation which he holds 
 in life as becomes a preacher of the gofpel ; 
 covets not wealth, is inoffenfive, mild and gentle 
 in his manners, to which he joins the qualities 
 of being induftrious, fenfible, eloquent. It 
 feems from Mr. B.'s letter, for I know nothing 
 more of it than what he retails,* that this fame 
 Dr. P. had delivered in a fermon, " Thofe 
 " who diflike that mode of worfhip which is 
 " prefcribed by authority ought, if they can 
 " find no worfhip out of the church which they 
 " approve, to fet up a feparate worfhip for 
 " tbemfelves ; and by doing this, and giving an 
 
 " example 
 
 * P. 15. the note.
 
 ( * ) 
 
 " example of a rational and manly worfhip, 
 " men of weight, men of rank and literature 
 " may do the greateft fervice to fociety and the 
 " world." This paffage is highly difpleafing to 
 our profound theologian Mr. B. and therefore 
 in his comment, he thus reprefents it: " Dr. 
 " Price," fays he, " advifes them to improve 
 " upon non-conformity ; and to fet up each of 
 " them a feparate meeting-houfe, upon his own 
 " particular principles. It is fomewhat remark- 
 " able, that this reverend divine fhould be fo 
 " earneft to fet up new churches, and fo per- 
 " fe&ly indifferent concerning the doBrine 
 " which may be taught in them. His zeal is 
 " of a curious charafler. It is not for the pro- 
 " pagation of his own opinions, but of any 
 " opinions. It is not for the diffufion of truth, 
 " but for the fpreading of contradiction. Let 
 " the noble teachers but diffent, it is no matter 
 (s from whom or from what." But would it not 
 be more remarkable if a perfon poffeffing the 
 fmallcft abilities and the leaft candour fhould 
 thus mifconftrue and mifreprefent fo plain a 
 paffage. Dr. P. is confcious he preaches un- 
 der a toleration ; from a fenfe of gratitude he 
 is defirous that this benefit may be extended to 
 all. Let all therefore who have the opportunity, 
 not being fatisfied with the doclrines delivered 
 
 in
 
 ( " ) 
 
 in one place Tefort to another more agreeable to 
 his perfualion. I conceive this to be dictated 
 by the fpirit of toleration. If Dr. P. had faid, 
 I am the only teacher of true religion, and ye 
 are inexcufable foe not attending my lectures ; 
 he would then have breathed the fpirit of arro- 
 gance mixed with intolerance, and Mr.-B. if I 
 miftake not, would have been one of the firfl to 
 condemn him. And when he fpeaks in a lan- 
 guage totally diflimilar, Mr. B. mifreprefents 
 and condemns. Why ? Becaufe Mr. B. in the 
 plenitude of his perverfenefs is determined he 
 fhall be condemned. Long before I read that 
 pafiage J entertained the like fentiment with 
 Br. P. No human authority can have a right 
 to bend my confeience to his religion, becaufe 
 it cannot determine which fyftem of religion 
 is the pureft; therefore, I fay, let every man 
 go as his confeience directs ; not for the fake 
 of oppofition, but for confeience fake. Yet 
 when men argue thus, Mr. B. may in his 
 dogmatical tone tell us we are cants and hy- 
 pocrites ; but I would be glad to know how 
 men who think and acl otherwife can avoid 
 not only the imputation, but the conviction, 
 of cant and hypocrify. Mr. B. throws all this 
 cant, fraud, and hypocrify into one fcale ; as 
 though there were none to counterbalance it 
 
 in
 
 ( "3 ) 
 
 in the other, which would be extraordinary in- 
 deed, circumftanced as matters are, while fuch 
 allurements are thrown out as are mod likely to 
 deftiroy all confeience in matters of religion. 
 If Mr. B. is charmed with thefe old gothic ftruc-. 
 tures, let him fit there if he pleafes till he con- 
 tracts a tertian ; but why are others to be com- 
 pelled to fit there chilling and freezing, under pain 
 of being ftigmatized as cants and hypocrites, and 
 thus become a facrifice to his wild extravagan- 
 cies. "Why are their fentiments to pafs through 
 the torturing fires of his mifreprefentation and 
 accounted a faaccherum faturni to poifon man- 
 kind, while he is the porter to the old original 
 warehoufe for all kinds of noftrums while, kill 
 or cure, the profit is immenfe. 
 
 Here follows another inftancc of mifinterpre- 
 tation, and wilful it muft be, for the fagacity of 
 Mr. B. can never be fo blunted as not to per- 
 ceive what all the reft of the world can clearly 
 underftand. Dr. Price it fecms had faid fome- 
 where, for I know no more of it than what I 
 fee in an extract made by Mr. B. in his letter,* 
 that " a reprefentation, chofen chiefly by the 
 
 Treafury, and a. Jew thoufands of the dregs 
 P of 
 
 * P. 82.
 
 ( "4 ) 
 
 *' of the people, who are generally paid for 
 " their votes." On this pafiage Mr. B. makes 
 the following remark : " You will fmile here at 
 " t ! rfe confiftency of thofe democratifts, who, 
 " when they are not on their guard, treat the 
 " humbler part of the community with the 
 " greatefr. contempt, whrlft, at the fame time 
 " they pretend to make them the dcpolitaries of 
 " all power."* Mr. B. maft furcly imagine 
 his friend to whom he addrefles his letter to be 
 the verrieft dolt that ever exifted, to think that 
 he mould fmile truly, while Mr. B. is impofmg 
 on him by mifreprefentation. The words of 
 Dr. P. are to be taken together as they ftand 
 connected, " the dregs of the people who are 
 " generally paid for their votes;" and Dr. P. 
 with all other democratifts never could dream 
 of making this venal tribe the depofitaries of 
 power, but the objecls of contempt and fevere 
 punifhment, and therefore he certainly is con- 
 fiftent in thus expofing fuch infamous characters 
 to the fcorn of mankind. In the interim I will 
 beg leave to fubmit to the confideration of Mr. 
 B.'s friend a remark or two much more juft 
 than that of Mr. B. which is, that all demo- 
 cratifts have a great and fincere regard for the 
 honed 
 
 * P. 8 %
 
 ( 145 ) 
 
 honeft and virtuous in the humbler or lower 
 clafles of the people ; they know they have 
 power, all revolutions evince it, as they ^ave 
 power they ought alfotohaveTfome fharein legifla- 
 tion were it merely with a view to policy, omitting 
 juftice, thereby foothing them to promote the 
 general tranquility and preventing revolutions. 
 In point of juftice viewing them as men, they 
 are intitled to it ; in a free country can any 
 man who has not forfeited his right be ex- 
 cluded from a fhare in legiflation ; it is con- 
 tradiction in terms. And if we confider it witji 
 rcfpe6t to taxation, here again his right is ob- 
 vious; not only they alfo pay taxes, but it will 
 be found I prcfume on enquiry that thofe in 
 this kingdom who have no fhare in legiflation, 
 pay as great a part of the taxes, as thofe who 
 have. And laiily, as to the article of utility, 
 no nation can exit! without them. If Mr. B. 
 is of opinion that a government charged with 
 this and other (Inking partialities can be firm, 
 liable, and durable, I muft freely confefs I dif- 
 fer from him in opinion, and tremble for the 
 confequenccs ariiing from thefe rnailes of leaven 
 which are maturing with time to bind forth in 
 fome dangerous fermentation ; to teil men of 
 old conftitutions; and forms and ceremonies, 
 will then avail but little, and the viler policy 
 P 2 is
 
 ( "6 ) 
 
 is furely to labour at improvement and meliora- 
 tion while yet it is day, and the fubjeft is ca- 
 pable of receiving the remedies, and the rulers 
 of applying them with fuccefs. But obftinacy 
 is not connected with reafon, nor mifreprefcn- 
 tation with candour; and Dr. P. has not faid 
 that the commonalty of the people are corrupt 
 and venal, but that there are a few thoufands 
 of the dregs of the people, meaning, I fuppofe, 
 the voters in many of our rotten boroughs, who 
 being generally paid for their votes, are fo. 
 But Mr. B. becaufe he happens to be himfelf 
 pure and immaculate on the article of venality 
 (which confifts partly in accepting remunera- 
 tion for profeffions of patriotifm and the verbal 
 fervice to one's country) cannot poflibly ima- 
 gine fuch voters, who alfo voted to ferve their 
 country, would receive for that fervice any 
 reward; he concludes therefore that the fup- 
 pofkion of Dr. P. is injurious, and comes for- 
 ward to defend their caufe by mifreprefenting 
 what Dr. P. had advanced ; and inftead of 
 giving us Dr. P.'s own words concerning the 
 imfamous bribe alluded to, converts both the 
 terms and the perlons by faying, " the humbler 
 " part of the community." There are crafty 
 jefuits in all countries, but they may be defied 
 to exceed this manoeuvre. I hope Mr. B.'s 
 
 friend
 
 ( "7 ) 
 
 friend is not fo ignorant as to be deluded by 
 this impofition on his underftanding. 
 
 I am concerned Mr. B. fhould have given 
 fo much reafon to complain that his letter, 
 either from inadvertence, defign, want of in- 
 formation; or from whatever caufe it proceeds, 
 is replete with mifreprefentation ; it would be 
 an endlefs tafk to collect the feveral inftances ; 
 I fhall therefore advert only to one or two 
 more. That there were riots and exceffes 
 committed at Verfailles on the 6th of October, 
 1789, no one denies, nor can any perfon in his 
 fenles approve of them ; yet to a philofophic 
 mind great allowance might be made for an 
 intemperate and intoxicating draught of free- 
 dom taken by the populace, while the third 
 occafioned by the fever of defpotifm was yet 
 upon them. That thefe exceffes were as great 
 as reprefented by Mr. B. I have fome reafons 
 to doubt;* nor was he there to prove his 
 alfertions. Improving on the report of others 
 he forms his plaintive eommifcrating tale, ever 
 partially adhering to one fide of the quellion ; 
 whereas had he confined himfelf to the bare 
 truth without cmbellifhment, or had he ex- 
 plained 
 
 * P. 10;.
 
 ( "8 ) 
 
 plained the zukok tranfa&ion, much might have 
 been adduced in mitigation. But then indeed 
 the tale would have fuffered conliderably in 
 the pathos, for which purpofe it fecms to have 
 been principally calculated. If Mr. B. is real- 
 ly acquainted with the whole of that tranfa6Hon, 
 he will perhaps perceive that the following 
 epitomized narration is pretty near the truth. 
 Some of the principals in the French revolu- 
 tion had received indubitable intelligence, that 
 a plot was concerted to remove, or more pro- 
 perly to carry of the king from Verfailles to 
 Metz ; they had the names of the chiefs con- 
 cerned in the confpiracy againft the (late, toge- 
 ther with a moll minute account of all the pro* 
 greffive meafures that were to be taken before 
 and after that event, by an intercepted courier 
 to a perfon whofe name it is not neceflary here 
 to introduce. If the king was removed as pro- 
 pofed, the inevitable cenfequence was deemed 
 to be a civil war carried on in the king's name 
 againft the people. The knowledge of this 
 confpiracy was endeavoured to be concealed 
 from the populace, and continued to be fo for 
 fome time; while thofe who were in the fecret, 
 employed every precaution to defeat the in- 
 tended removal and confpiracy, not divulging 
 the motive of their proceedings left coming to 
 
 the
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 the public ear the people fhould be too vio- 
 lently exafperated. A matter of fuch magni- 
 tude, and known to more than one perfon, 
 would not be long hufhed in filence ; thole who 
 had gained the intelligence divulged it to others, 
 thefe communicated it again, and the whole 
 was known in a fliort time to every perfon in 
 Paris. Part of the populace, perhaps to the 
 amount of thirty thoufand, frantic on this re- 
 port, without knowing for what purpofe, and 
 without any concerted defign immediately rufhed 
 forwards to Verfailles ; when they came there, 
 having no fixed purpofe, fo they did nothing ; 
 the night following all was quiet. But early 
 on the next morning the king's body-guard 
 who conceived themfelves to be watched by 
 the populace began to be out of humour, re- 
 flected on the populace for wearing the national 
 cockade, which was followed by other provo- 
 cations, and thefe from the other fide were re- 
 fented and returned. On this, one of the king's 
 guard fired either a piftol or a mufket among 
 the populace whereby one of them was killed. 
 The multitude enraged, afTaulted the gaurds, 
 who again fired upon them, and an aftion com- 
 menced. The guards were rcpulfed, and re- 
 treated to the palace ; the populace in their fury 
 purfued them into the very apartments whithe r 
 
 they
 
 ( 120 ) 
 
 they had retreated fparing none, and cutting 
 down every man they met, That the popu- 
 lace had any the leail premeditated defign 
 againft the life of either the king or the queen, 
 is a circumftance which I no more believe than 
 I do that Mr. B. was prefent at the tranfaftion ; 
 I do not even fufpect that they intended either 
 of them the leaft violence. The plain unfo- 
 phifticated faft, and which has been artfully 
 worked up to ferve finifter purpofes by exciting 
 commiferation and affecting the paflions of 
 mankind to prejudice the revolution, is fimply 
 this : the populace of Paris ignorantly rufhed 
 forth to Verfailles under the notion of prevent- 
 ing the king's efcape ; when arrived, they be- 
 haved peaceably, till the guard imprudently fired 
 urion them, and made themfelves the aggref- 
 fors; retaliation fucceeded, a general action 
 commenced, the guards overpowered retreated, 
 the enraged viclors purfued and flaughtered 
 them in the very recedes of the palace, from 
 which the illuftrious pcrfonages had fled; in- 
 flamed with rage and vengeance for the infult 
 received from the guards, they were determined 
 if poflible none mould efcape, and with their 
 bayonets they pierced the queen's bed left any 
 of them fhould have taken refuge and conceal- 
 ment there. This I truft is a plain but true 
 
 narrative
 
 ( 121 ) 
 
 narrative of that tranfa&ion, which from fuch 
 fa& has been worked up into as arrant fi&ion 
 as any of the tales in Ovid's Metarmorphofes. 
 But as I imagine mankind are not likely to give 
 credit to fuch fables, lefs occalion is there to fay 
 more concerning it. I would not however in 
 any thing I have faid he underftood to applaud 
 or even to countenance a fingle aftion in this 
 fcene of rage, even when reprefented with 
 candour : much lefs in that picture which has 
 been given of it. The lefs men are acquainted 
 with the circumftances, the more mould they 
 avoid defcribing them. But in what eftima- 
 tion are we to hold thofe who are acquainted 
 with the whole but fupprefs a part for the pur- 
 pofe of deception, and thus work it up into a 
 tale to play upon the paflions by mifreprefen- 
 tation for finifter views, and to caft an odium 
 on men and meafures merely becaufe they do 
 not quadrate with their whimfical fancies and 
 caprices ; and to do this the more effectually 
 pafs over whatever might tend to give true 
 information, and in fome meafure extenuate 
 thefe exceflcs; 
 
 Foibles amufcmeKs d'une dculeur Ji grande f* 
 
 Q From 
 
 * Racine, Berenice.
 
 ( I22 ) 
 
 From the fame manufa&ory of mifreprefen- 
 tation we are inftrulcd to vilify the donations 
 of the French nation : but before the ridicule 
 can be fuppofed to take place, we are to be led 
 to imagine that fuch donations were intended 
 as a fubftitute for 'taxes, or at lead to make up 
 for their deficiency.* It appears to me that 
 from pique nothing can be more difingenuoufly 
 reprefented than thefe offerings of the people 
 to the National Affembly ; nothing can be more 
 wantonly ridiculed, more petulantly derided, or 
 more puerilely conttrued. The " fapient" Mr. 
 B. muft furely know what all the world is ac- 
 quainted with, that in all facrifices the value of 
 the offering is not the point to be attended to, 
 but the mind, the difpofition of him who makes 
 the oblation which is thereby exprefled. Nei- 
 ther hecatombs, nor temples could enrich 
 Heaven ; and a faked cake was as acceptable, 
 becaufe the fentiment was equally difplayed in 
 the latter as by the former, 
 
 Non fumptwjfa blandior hcji.d 
 
 Mollebit a^etfos ptnates , 
 
 Farre pit., tt falientc mica, 
 
 Hor. Od. xvii. lib. 3. 
 
 And 
 * p 57 339 3+- ct ail!ji -
 
 ( ^3 ) 
 
 And on this principle Horace fays to Mecenas, 
 
 RedJere itclimas, 
 
 Jl'.demque 'votivam memento : 
 Nos bumilem Jeriemus agnam. 
 
 Hot. Od. xvli. lib. 2. 
 
 The trinkets and trifles fo eagerly brought from 
 every quarter, if we . furvey them with a view 
 to national finance, pcrverfely turning our eyes 
 from the donors and the difpofition which ac- 
 companied them to merely the things given, 
 might be confidered as infignificant unimpor- 
 tant bawbles. But to look on them in this 
 light only betrays, in my apprehenfion, either a 
 weak or mifcheivous babit of judging. The 
 people indifcriminatcly prcffed forward to make 
 a facrifice of fuch things they had at the altar of 
 liberty in prefence of the National AfTembly, 
 whom they looked uptoastheir deliverer from the 
 iron arm of defpotifm. The proudefl: monarch 
 in Europe might, and 1 truft would, glory in 
 fuch a facrifice. Compare thefe oblations, 
 truly expremve of the feelings of the heart, 
 with the frothy addrelfes where nothing of what 
 is exprcffed is felt. Compare them with the 
 ful fume flattery of courts and of lofty nobility, 
 while it finks into fervile offices and abject com- 
 pliances degrading to a private gentleman of 
 Q 2 fpirit.
 
 ( "4 ) 
 
 fpirit. Compare them with the empty proffers 
 of life and fortune obtained by artifice and pub- 
 lifhed with oftcntation, from perfons who never 
 intend to move fo much as a finger in the caufe 
 they pretend to fupport. All, crafty impofi- 
 tions on monarchs, to excite in their minds 
 vifionary and and delufive dreams, ever to their 
 injury, and fometimes to their ruirt. On a 
 comparifon, that one is a real fubftance, the 
 other a fhadow. In France the holy flame of 
 freedom darted from man to man, and in an 
 inftant like eleftrical fire pervaded every bread, 
 nor is it within the circumfcribed imagination 
 of Mr. B. who " defires honours, diftinctions, 
 " and emoluments" though " but little," and 
 who feems with a ghaftly. fmile to put a per- 
 verfe mifconftruftion on almoil every thing that 
 has been faid or done by thefe revolutionises, 
 to limit fuch a fpirit, or to fay what it will per- 
 form for the public good. Men who would 
 not offer an atom of their property to the 
 demon of defpotifm, may facrifice their all to 
 the deity of freedom : while he may lie looking 
 out to foreign courts for exotic human deities 
 propiiic;ufly'to fmile on the oblation of his lite- 
 rary incenfe. 
 
 The
 
 ( 125 ) 
 
 The confi (cation of church property in France 
 feems alfo to hurt Mr. B. much ; but I who have 
 nothing to hope or fear from any man, and am 
 totally uninfluenced, will freely fpeak my mind 
 on this bufmefs; and ingenuoufly confefs that 
 the mode by which that property was acquired by 
 the clergy, hurts me much more than their lofs 
 of it. In rlie acquifition, increafe, detention, 
 and difpofal of it there was fcarcely any fpecies 
 of art, artifice, and fraud that was left unprac- 
 tifed. To enrich the church, the timorous and 
 weak in understanding among the laity, were as 
 palpably and completely duped out of their pro- 
 perty as they could be by any fet of fwindlers 
 whatever. The priefts were indefatigable in 
 their purfuit of wealth, which they obtained 
 from every quarter and by every mean. When 
 princes were diftreffed and too feeble to refift, 
 they bullied them out of their lands and forcibly 
 kept poifcflion ; when powerful, they gained 
 their ends by flattery and adulation. They rob- 
 bed the poor of the fund with which they were 
 entrulted for their fupport, and for preferring 
 the edifices of devotion which they left to fall 
 into ruin, applying the money to their own 
 avaricious or luxurious purpofes. And in fhort, 
 hardly any method was left unattempted by 
 which they might arrive at wealth and power. 
 
 It
 
 ( "6 ) 
 
 It may be faid thefe arc heavy charges. I an- 
 fwer, they are no more weighty than they are 
 true; neither are they mine; they come from 
 unquestionable authority. It is impoflible for 
 me in this place to go through the whole of this 
 hiftory j but I will epitomize fo much of it as is 
 necelTary for my purpofe and produce my 
 voucher. 
 
 At the commencement of Chriftiany and fo 
 early as the times of the apoftles, the preachers 
 and the poor were fupported by oblations, alms, 
 and voluntary contributions of the faithful, 
 which formed one flock to fupply their refpeelive 
 neceflities.* Thefe contributions in a fhori 
 time became great from a prevalent opinion 
 among Chriftians at that time, that a diffolution 
 of the world^was at no great diftance, and of 
 courfe their property could not be better be- 
 
 ftowed 
 
 * Doppo che Chiijlo noflro Sigvore mould al Cielo li Santi 
 Apojhli feguirono nella chitfa di Gierufalemme. l'ifi r jft> injtilnla 
 d' hater il danoro ecchjiajlko per li due effetti jopradetti, ace per 
 bff-jgvo delli mb;i(tri dell' Evatigelio e per elemofsne die poveri : < 
 il fondo di qurjlo danoro era Jlmilmente le oblatieni delli fedeli, 
 quail aneo mettendo cgui loro hater m commune. 
 
 F. Paoli Sarpi, delle Mat. Eencficiare, p. ( .
 
 ( 12 7 ) 
 
 flowed than in alms.* As by fuch liberal con- 
 tribution the church was enriched, the bifhops 
 or pallors of the flock were no longer fatisfied 
 with remaining on their former footing, would 
 live no longer in common, but feparated, took 
 a houfe for themfelves, and had their allowance 
 paid in money. t But the diforder did not clofe 
 here, for they began to withhold from the poor 
 their fhare of the alms, and to apply it fraudu- 
 lently to their own ufe ; laid out their money on 
 ufury ; and wholly negle&ing the duties of their 
 function, devoted themfelves to avarice. J As 
 
 avarice 
 
 * Erano molio fronti (i chrifiiani in quel primi tempi a fpog- 
 Uarfe delli beni temporali per impiegarli in elemofine, percbe 
 afpcttci'vano di pro/firm il fine del mondo tra-vendoli Chrijlo N. Sig- 
 nore lafciati in incerti, e quantenque fojfe per durare quanta fit 
 "joleffe, non rha<veano per confiderabile piu, che fe fiffe all' bora 
 per finire, tenendo per fermo, che la figura di quejlo mondo, cioe lo 
 ftato della vita pnjenti trapaffa ; percbe ancor le oblationi fempre 
 piu s'aumentavano. Id. ib. p. 6 7. 
 
 + Doppo che le chit-fa furono fatte ruche, anco li clerichi comin- 
 ciorono a 'vi'vere cou maggior commodita, e aleuni non Ji con- 
 tent ando di quel t'itto commune della chief a quotidians, <~Jo!fero 
 vi'vere feparatamente nella propria cafa, e dalla chicfa haver lafua 
 portione feparatamente in danari igni giorno per un mefe continue, 
 * ancor a per il piu lungo tempo. Id. ib. p. 12. 
 
 % Non ft fermo perd in quejlo flato il difordine, ma incominciorno 
 li vrfco'vi a mancare deile folite thmofme alii poveri, e rilener per 
 
 f*
 
 ( 128 ) 
 
 avarice has no bounds, they perfevered in the 
 fpirit of accumulation, and from weak princes 
 beguiled with the idea of devotion they now ob- 
 tained permiffion to poffefs real eftates.* From 
 this period avarice raged with thefe wretches, 
 and every engine of art and artifice with com- 
 plicated fraud was worked to enable them to 
 feize on every fpecies of property ; the weak of 
 all conditions and ranks, but principally widows 
 and maidens, became their prey; by gift or 
 teftament the relation, the heir, and the orphan 
 were fwindled out of their inheritance ; it was 
 transferred to the church, which with infatiate 
 hunger like the grave fwallowed all, and flill 
 
 gaped 
 
 fe quello che doroea ejfcr difiribuito, e con li beni della chiefa com- 
 muni fattl riechi,faccendo anche delle ufure per aurefculi, e lafcianda 
 la cura delV infignare la dottrina di Chriflo, tutti ft occupavana 
 nelV avariiia. Id. ib. p. I 2 . 
 
 * Maffentio otto anni doppo reflitui tutte le pojfeffioni alia chiefa 
 Romana, e poco doppo Conftantino ; e licinio concejfa la liberta di 
 religione alii chriflianii e apprwati li collegii tccleftajiici, che con 
 'voce Greca chiamamano chiefe, concjfe generalmenie per tutte 
 I'imperio, che potejfero acquejlare beni Jiabili cose per donation, 
 come per teftamento, efentando ancora li clerichi dalle fattioni per- 
 fonalipublichc, acriu potejfero attendere piu commadamente al ferviti* 
 della religione. Id. ib. p. 14. -15.
 
 ( i 2 9 ) 
 
 gaped for more.* The flagrancy of thefe ini- 
 quitous practices alarmed mankind, they had 
 proceeded to fo great a length as to be almoft 
 paft redrefs ; an edict came forth to reprefs 
 and control them : but -without effect. t And 
 this was fucceeded by another which abfo- 
 lutely forbade widows devoting themfelves 
 to the church from giving or bequeathing 
 to it any moveables or immoveables of any 
 value. J But neither thefe repreffive edicts, 
 nor any remonftrances could prevail on ec- 
 clefiaflics from enriching themfelves beyond 
 R the 
 
 * Cos! avenne nelli primi tempi doppo che la chiefa ottenue 
 facoltd d'acquieflare beni flabili, era creduto d'aleceni religiofi, che 
 foffe fer-vitio di dio pr'rvare li proprii fgliuoli, a parent i per dsnare 
 alle chiefs, perilche nan tralajciavano arte aleuna per indur le 
 Vedo<ve t Donzelle, ed altre perjone facili a privare le proprie cafe 
 per lafciar alia chiefa. Id, ib. p. 18. 
 
 + II difordine paffd cost pre/Id li termini differ fuperato, che fit 
 necjfitato il principe di proxederci, e del y,o fit fatta la legge che 
 fe ben nan piivava le chief d acquiflare affolutamtnte , prohtbiva 
 perd a gle ecclefiafiici I'andar in cufa di ledcie, e pupilli, e il 
 reccvere per donations, & tejlamenta alcana cofe dalle donne, nan fah 
 direttamtntc, ma ne anco per M:za di terza perfjna ; la qual legge 
 S. GirolamOy confeffa ejfer flata medicina per la carnuttione entrata 
 velli clerici. Id. ib. p. 18. 
 
 % Pace anni dopo, che dell 3 90/// fatta un altra legge, che la 
 Vedwa, quale ft dediewva alii fervitii della chiefa non poteffe do- 
 vargli, lafciar gli per tejlamenta bent flabili, mobili prethji di 
 cafa. Id, ib, p. 19.
 
 ( *3 ) 
 
 the bounds of all reafon.* Poffefling great 
 opulence and power they interfered in what did 
 not concern them; they not only traded, and 
 were exempted from all duties ; t but on a rebel- 
 lion of cities againft the emperor ^hey headed 
 them, and feized on the rights and royalties of 
 the crown, which they would never relinquifii, 
 fo that in the conclufion they remained with 
 them as fiefs, whence feveral of the bifhops 
 derive their titles, J which they maintain to this 
 
 day; 
 
 * Ma con tutti i freni pofti dalli Santi Padri con le buone tjorta- 
 tioni, e delli Principi con le buone leggi, non Ji potc perd fare che 
 li bent ecchjiajiici non crejcejftro Jopra il doverc. Id. ib. p. 20. 
 
 + Ritrovaji nel Codice Theodofiano una legge di conftanto de 359. 
 che efenta lillerici mujanti dal pagar datio. Id. ib. p. 2 3. 
 
 J Nelle turbe, che Juccejfero per le caufe fudeite molte citta fole- 
 vate dalli Vejcarvi covfederati col Papa (i ribellorono dall' Imperatsre, 
 e li Vejcoi'i fe ne fecero Capi, onde ottenero anco le publiche entrate % 
 e le ragioni regie ; e quando le different Ji compojerp haveano prejo 
 cojl fermo pffijfo, che fu neccjjilato il Premipe conceder Cora in 
 
 fcudo quelle, che de Jaclo Ji crano ujurpato^ onde anche acquiftorno 
 li tiioli di Duchi, Marchcfi, Conti, come molti nejono in Get mania, 
 che rejlano anco tali, 13 in name, & in fatli, ed in Italia di nome 
 
 Jolo, il che Jcce ecclejiajiici gran quant ita di bent Jccolari e fit au- 
 mento molio notabile, non Jolo nelle turbe di che habhiamo parlato % 
 ma in quelle ancora, che Jeguirono Jot to gl' Imperatori Sue-vi. 
 
 Id. ib. p. 102, 103. Nor is what is advanced confined to 
 
 Germany alone; the like took place in France, and it was 
 purely on account of thefe fiefs that the French bifliops were 
 obliged to attend in the holy wars as they are called.
 
 ( '3' ) 
 
 day ; for according to the practice of all in- 
 vaders and ufurpers, they fet up long poffeflion 
 in opposition to a right and juft title; mijjum 
 difceptatorem a Claudio agrorum, quos regis Apwnis 
 quondam habitos, it populo Romano cum regno re- 
 litlos, prcximus qui/que pojjcjjbr invaferant diuter- 
 naque licentia et injuria, quuji jure et aequo, nite- 
 bantur ;* fo that in fa6l they were obtained and 
 maintained by violence and fraud. 
 
 Pofleffing fuch wealth, without confidering at 
 this moment by what means it was acquired, I 
 am not in the lead furprized when I am inform- 
 ed that the neceflitous heathen emperors occa- 
 fionally laid their fingers on church treafures; 
 and this the rather if they vouchfafed them- 
 felves, or any one for them, to look into the 
 New Teftament, where they could not fail of 
 obferving that the author of the Chriftian reli- 
 gion renounces all claim to the wealtht of this 
 world, exprefsly informs the preachers of his 
 gofpel, that they are to claim no more of this 
 world than is expedient to fupply their ne- 
 R 2 ceffities ; 
 
 Tacit. Ann. lib. xiv. feci. 18. 
 
 + My kingdom is not of this world. John, ch. xviii. 
 ver. 56 ; and to the fame cfrccl in many other paiTigcs of the 
 gofpels.
 
 ( *3* ) 
 
 ceffitics;* that fome of thet apofiies in their 
 epiftles to the parlors remind them of the fame 
 doctrine, and that being fupplied with thefe ne- 
 ceffaries they are to be therewith content. The 
 heathen emperors therefore on feeing a doctrine 
 fo plain, clear, and exprefs, thus fcandaloufly 
 tranfgrefled by thefe ecclefiaftics, would confl- 
 der them in no better light than a fet of de- 
 ceivers, and therefore proper object of plunder 
 and punifhment. If ye will adhere, might they . 
 fay, to the laws of the religion ye profefs, go 
 on unmolefted, for we difcover nothing in it 
 that counteracts our authority ; it will render 
 you modeft and humble men, the friends of 
 morality,, virtue, and temperance. But ye have 
 thrown afide your law, far exceeded all the' 
 limits prefcribed you by your religion, and 
 grofsly violated the commands of its author, 
 which indicates that ye have either no belief, or 
 
 no 
 
 * Luke, ch. x. ver. 7, 8. 
 
 + And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 
 Bat they that will be rich fall into temptation, and a fnare, 
 and into many foolith and hurtful lulls, which drown men in 
 deftruftion and perdition. For the love of money i-. the root 
 of all evil. But thou, Oman of God, flee thefe things and 
 follow after righteoufnefs, godlinefs, faith, love, patience, 
 meeknef*. Paul, 1 Tim. ch. vi. ver. 8, ic. And to the 
 fame purpofe in innumerable paflages of the Tcftament.
 
 ( 133 ) 
 
 no principle; and as there is no human power 
 that can or will reprefs this lifcence, we will 
 make your crimes fubfervient to our neceflities, 
 and for punifliment will take from you that 
 which by the law of your religion you have no 
 right to acquire or poflefs.* I cannot therefore 
 blame the emperor Decius, whatever ecclefiaftics 
 may do, for fending an officer to St. Lawrence, 
 as he is called, a fuperintendent of church trea- 
 fures, with the meifage : Quod Caefaris fcis 
 Caefari da, nempe juilum poftulo ; ni fallor, 
 haud ullam tuus fignal Deus pecuniam.t The 
 true meaning of which is, " Your church hath 
 " amaffed great riches which by the law of your 
 " religion you cannot pofTefs, therefore refign 
 Ci them, to Caefar who may polfefs and now 
 " wants them ; your lawgiver laid no claim to 
 
 " fuch 
 
 * An emperor, though a heathen, who fhould reafon after 
 this manner, would not exprefs himfelt" very differently from 
 what St. Ciprian is reported to have faid : Con li beni dd'.a 
 chieja fatti ricchi, facertdo anar dalle ufere per accrefculi, e lafci- 
 ando la cura dell' infeguare In dattrina di Crijlo, tutii ji occupavano 
 veil' avaritia, le quale cofe S. Cipriano piange, che nel fuo tempo 
 fiffero ufate, e conclude, che per purgare la fua chiefa da quejli er- 
 rori Dia pumetejfe qiulla gran per/ecu! iane. 
 
 F. Paolo Sarpi, delle M. Benef. p. j i. 
 
 I That is, " What you know to be CaTar's give to Ccfar ; 
 *' I afic no more than is jult, for if i millake not, your God 
 " coins no money." This is recorded by Piudentius.
 
 ( '34 ) 
 
 " fuch things nor fuffered you to do fo, but 
 " faid, render unto Caefar the things which are 
 " Ceefar's, and unto God the things which arc 
 " God's, that is, your devotions, and meddle 
 " not with what does not concern you."* 
 Where is the impropriety of it ? That wealth, 
 provided he were a good emperor, was certainly 
 better depofited in his hands for the benefit of 
 the Mate, than to remain the trcafure of eccle- 
 fiaftics, contrary to religion, and probably to be 
 employed to pernicious purpofes. 
 
 I may be told in the reafoning of Mr. B. 
 that fuppofing all to be true which has been ad- 
 vanced concerning the quantity of this wealth, 
 and the mode of acquiring it, yet thofe perfons 
 in France, who on the Revolution are difpof- 
 feffed, are not the perfons who committed thefe 
 artifices and frauds. True, but they are the 
 fucceffors of thofe who fo poffeffed themfelves 
 of that property ; and the fucceffors of thofe 
 
 who 
 
 * It is obfervable, that at thefe times the church was alway9 
 very charitable ; for it no fooner had intimation of thefe de- 
 figns, than it diftributed largely to the poor, left their wealth 
 Ihould fall into the hands of the emperors. When they could 
 no longer ktep it, they recollected where it ought to have 
 gone ; but fo long as they could grafp it, their memory failed 
 them.
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 who were fo duped now recover them from 
 thofe unjufl pofleffors. PoiTeffion is not right, 
 and it is the conftant practice, as I have above 
 obferved, for invaders and ufurpers to fet up 
 a long unjufl: poffefiion in oppoiition to a juft 
 claim and title. What is obtained by fraud or 
 force is always in juftice recoverable ; and no 
 man or fet of men arc to be benefited by their 
 iniquity, nor ought their fucceflbrs to reap the 
 advantage. 
 
 But even fuppofing this property had not 
 been obtained by indirect means, yet I fee no 
 rcafon why the nation might not difpoffefs 
 them. It had hitherto been appropriated to 
 particular perfons for particular purpofes in the 
 nature of a falary, but which was rather con- 
 verted into penlion ; and if fuch men and fuch 
 purpofes were no longer neccifary, or if only 
 a certain number of them were deemed expe- 
 dient, the date had a right to difcharge. the re- 
 mainder, and to apply the refidue of fuch falary 
 or penfion to the public neceffity. Is a ftatc 
 under obligation to keep up all its old forms, 
 appointments, ceremonies, when they become 
 ufelcfs, injurious, or too expenfive ? If fo, 
 the admiiiion of any penfion becomes extremely 
 dangerous, for when once granted it mult re- 
 main
 
 ( >3 ) 
 
 main a burthen on the people for ever; and 
 on this principle I do not fee how our anceftors 
 could be juftified in changing the religion of 
 the country and making it proteftant, for not 
 only do&rines, but appointments, forms, cere- 
 monies, and old eftablifhments were totally 
 reverfed or fuperfeded. In fhort, fuch quaint 
 reafoning carried to its extent would preclude 
 all improvement of every kind in every ftate. 
 
 Before a religious or church eftablifhment 
 in any ftate can be pleaded, it might firft be 
 proper to fhow that fuch men are abfolutcly 
 neceffary to promote religion, and that religion 
 cannot be duly promoted without them. This 
 point which by fpme means or other is gener- 
 ally taken for granted, I cannot admit till it 
 has been properly difcufled. In our own coun- 
 try as I have before obferved, we have a re- 
 ligious feci; among whom are no priefts ; yet I 
 prefume no perfon of candour will fay, that in 
 point of moral and religious principles, which 
 are to be determined by their effeft, that is, 
 by life and converfation, that thefe perfons are 
 inferior to thofe of any eftablifhment whatever. 
 This admitted, for I truft it cannot be denied, 
 here then is an inftance to prove that priefts 
 are not abfolutcly neceffary to promote reli- 
 gion,
 
 ( 1# ) 
 
 gion, and that religion may be properly pro- 
 moted without priefts. At flrft and originally 
 I grant this might not be the cafe ; but when 
 once the gofpels were written and difperfed, 
 I do not fee that thefe men became any longer 
 abfolutely necefTary. Perhaps it may be ob- 
 jected, that the feci: adverted to .is but com- 
 paratively fmall to the reft of chriftendom. 
 But I fee no reafon if this feci; in different 
 parts of the world can maintain good order 
 and affeclually promote religion without priefts, 
 why all the reft of chriftendom might not do 
 the fame ; for the whole body of chriftians 
 is made up of fmaller communities, each of 
 which might do the like. But to thofe who 
 improperly would make numbers an obilacle, 
 it may be recommeded that they take a view 
 of the mahometans, among whom there are no 
 priefts ; yet no men entertain a more fervent 
 zeal for their religion (true or falfe is not here 
 the queftion) ; nor do any perfevere with more 
 vigour in prayer, in falling, and a long train of 
 incumbrances and feverities attending it, with- 
 out having fo much as a finglc prieft to exhort 
 or incite them. If therefore fo much is performed 
 without priefts in a religion admitted by all 
 chriftians to be falfe, what might not be effeclcd 
 in like manner by chriftians in a religion that 
 S is
 
 ( i-s8 ) 
 
 is true ? But fiich aclive vigour can never be 
 the produce of eftablifhments, for in eftablifh- 
 ments the pried has an appointment for a cer- 
 tain duty, which he claims whether he performs 
 that duty or not ; the duty therefore is gener- 
 ally much negle&ed ; and the common people 
 efpecially being taught in the bufinefs of religion 
 to rely folely on the prieft, they become ha- 
 bitually fatisfied with his negleft, which con- 
 cludes in a torpor of fupinenefs and indiffer- 
 ence. Hence in all eftablifhments there is 
 little of the effeuce of religion, but inftead of 
 it occafional form, ceremony, fhow and parade, 
 fufficient to announce that it is not wholly dead 
 though it be enervated and motionlefs. This 
 is no favourable pifture of eftablifhments, but 
 I fear it is a true one. If true, there certainly 
 can be no neceflity for fuch eftablifhments, and 
 efpecially as I think it hns been made appear 
 that religion may flourifh without priefts, at 
 lcaft as well as with them. The confideration 
 I grant is important and deferves attention ; but 
 on a ftricl: and candid enquiry I truft it will be 
 difcovcred that intercft, rather than religion, is 
 the bafis of all religious ftatc eftablifhments. 
 It is a tender cafe,, and too delicate perhaps to 
 be propofed to thofc who enjoy fuch emolu- 
 ments; befidcs, the time is improper while in 
 
 health
 
 ( 139 ) 
 
 health they embrace them : but I could wifh 
 to have the fentiments, after due refle&ion, of 
 a fenfible perfon on this fubje&Jmmediately on 
 his departure from this world to another, when 
 probably gibes and prevarication would yield 
 to lincerity and truth, on finding he could* no 
 longer fhun the place 
 
 " Where friends and foe 
 *' Lieclofe; unmindful of their former feuds. 
 " The lawn-rob'd prelate, and plain prefbyter 
 " E'er while that flood aloof, as (hy to meet, 
 " Familiar mingle here, like fifter-ftreams 
 rt That fome rude interpou'ng rock, had fplit." 
 
 The Grave, by Blair. 
 
 But waving a fubjeft fo truly ferious, can any 
 man in his fenfes imagine that the French le- 
 giflators are not as competent as Mr. B. who 
 officioufly intrudes himfelf, to determine the 
 number of priefts neceflary for the purpofes of 
 religion in their own country, and what ought 
 to be their (Upend or appointment ? That per- 
 fon furely is an objet of pity who being pof- 
 feffed by the fpirit of interference engages him- 
 felf in the concerns of others without an ade- 
 quate knowledge to fanetion the intrufion. It 
 may be alleged that humanity calls forth Mr. 
 B. to plead the caufc of lb many- di ft re fled 
 objects on being difcharged from their appoint- 
 S 2 menu
 
 ( Ho ) 
 
 merits and functions. It is with relu&ance 1 
 would call any man's humanity into queftion ; 
 but if an impartial reader will go over his letter 
 he muft meet with fo many ft ri king paffages* 
 of a fpirit diametrically oppofite to humanity, 
 to good nature, to delicacy, to decency in the 
 treatment of particular perfons, and fuch a 
 licenfe given to inve&ive both in fentiment and 
 expreffion, as cannot fail to fhock their feelings, 
 while virulence plucks up humanity by the 
 roots to burn it on the altar of malignity. But 
 let us pafs over the mifnomer, and fay thefe 
 outrages were the effufions of humanity. What 
 then ? Does not every one know that in all 
 great revolutions there muft be fufferers ? were 
 none to fuffer, there would have been no need 
 of a revolution, all things being as they fhould 
 be, right; whereas the intention of a revolution 
 is to reform what is wrong : and it is impoflible 
 that in fuch violent and extenfive agitations 
 but that fome muft receive even an unmerited 
 fhock. In cafes lefs formidable than revolu- 
 tions, the like occurs for the benefit of the 
 ftate; I can remember when in our own coun- 
 try, in a time too of profound peace and tran- 
 quility, 
 
 * P. ii, 5,-, 56, J7, 58, 61, 62, 63, 67, 77, 78, 99, ico, 
 joi, 102', 106, 10S, 114, 115, 135, and a yanrty of other 
 paffages, as 158, 1 59, 5vC.
 
 ( Ml ) 
 
 quility, many hundred of very reputable citi- 
 zens were by a fingle at of parliament thrown 
 out of that bufinefs in which they had expended 
 much time and money for inftruclion, and were 
 in an inftant almoft turned adrift to feek a 
 livelihood as they could, while neither the lfgi- 
 flature nor the reft of mankind conceived that 
 this was in any wife amifs, or thought of making 
 them any compenfation.* -.The French church 
 was furcharged with an unneceffary number of 
 clergy of all denominations ; and in the diftrefs 
 of the ftate, (or even were there no fuch 
 diftrefs) there could be no reafon why opulent 
 indolence fhould con fume in luxury the chil- 
 dren's inheritance. The ufelefs hands were 
 therefore difmiflcd, and as many as were judged 
 ufeful and neceflary, retained, and on compe- 
 tent falaries, by which the interefts of religion 
 would be much better promoted than by fup- 
 plying them with the means of luxury to be 
 employed to the ncglecl of their funclion, and 
 the fetting the relt of mankind a bad and danger- 
 ous precedent by their example. But this pru- 
 dence, I fhould rather fay fagacity, is traveftied 
 
 by 
 
 * Alluding to the ;it which caufed the diflillers, or rcflificrs 
 of malt fpirit*, almoit all of them to a very fmall number to 
 rclinquiih their bufinefs and fuut up thc-ir oili^s throughout 
 the kingdom.
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 by our author, and converted into a reprefen* 
 tation exhibiting cruelty and injuftice,* while 
 to ftimulate our fcnfibility we are, as I fliould 
 think, ludicroufly informed, that the church 
 made to the date a voluntary offer of a large 
 contribution. t That is, thefe holy men made 
 an offer of part of thofe riches of which it fore- 
 faw it would be difpoffeffed. But if the church 
 on conftraint was fo wonderfully generous now, 
 why was it not fomewhat voluntarily generous 
 leforc y and why did it not come forth like wife 
 men to make their offerings ? This clumfy 
 artifice was therefore juftly treated with con- 
 contempt as a fabrication from the vile manu- 
 factories of avarice and deception. They would 
 not retinquifh any part of their luxuries but on 
 compulfion though the Rate ftarved ; the ftate 
 they confidered as nothing to them, but fo far 
 as they were gainers by making a property of 
 it ; and as to the duties of their office, the 
 principle of which I underftand to be preaching 
 and praying, thofe of the higher orders among 
 them had almoft wholly declined, while many 
 of them were neither from their learning nor 
 mode of living adapted to fuch flations, but 
 were Ituck there like ollentatious elcutcheons 
 
 againlt 
 
 * P, i 5 6 tc8. \ P. 179.
 
 ( M3 ) 
 
 againft a church wall, not with any view to 
 religion, but to indicate they belonged to fome 
 great families who through intereft had pro- 
 cured them thefe lucrative and lazy appoint- 
 ments. To difmifs'fuch men was furely not an 
 aft of cruelty, but of juftice to religion and to 
 the ftate ; and inftead of complaining, they 
 might be thankful that they were not fooner 
 discharged not only as unprofitable, but as bad 
 fervants, who could give no account of their 
 ftewardfhips but fuch as directly tended to their 
 condemnation, and the forfeiture of a property 
 fo conftantly abufed that its confifcation was 
 become a meafure abfolutely requifite for the 
 putting their order under better regulations 
 both with regard to religion and the ftate. This 
 is the light in which this confifcation of church 
 property appears to me ; it meets with my 
 hearty and fincere approbation, and I prefume 
 it will be applauded by every candid and im- 
 partial friend of mankind who has not refigned 
 up his reafon to be led away by fophiftry and 
 to be bewildered in chimerical rhapfodies, 
 teeming with bigotted notions of the confacra- 
 tion of kingdoms,* and the (acrednefs of church- 
 Und, and church-men, t to which with equal pro- 
 priety 
 
 * P. 136-137. + P. i J7 .
 
 ( Hi ) 
 
 priety might have been added their induftrious 
 indolence, the fan&ity of their debaucheries, 
 and the holinefs of their vices. 
 
 But though in confequence of this confifca- 
 tion of church property, opulent indolence and 
 pampered ofcitancy and ignorance have been 
 fcnt empty away, and a mafs of wealth which 
 was conftantly imployed in imparting ftrength 
 to the power of a foreign fovereign in the 
 kingdom, is now directed to better purpofes in 
 the ftate, towards relieving its exigencies ; yet 
 as all who have been difmiffed come not under 
 that defcription, I could have wifhed fome re- 
 gard had been paid to fuch of them as had 
 merit, by a proviiion allotted them according 
 to their rank. But on reflexion, I find this 
 was impracticable. Such a marked and partial 
 diftin6lion would have been a frefh fource of 
 exafperation. Molt men conceive as highly at 
 leaft of themfelves as they do of others ; there- 
 fore every man would have thought himfelf 
 equally intided, and on being refufed might 
 fay, Is it not enough that you injure me, with- 
 out adding infult to injury ? It would alfo have 
 been highly impolitic, for each perfon who was 
 difmiffed would not only conceive himfelf in- 
 jured as an individual, but he would feel and 
 
 refent
 
 ( *45 ) 
 
 refent it for the whole body, and no charm of 
 private gratuity would be able to ftifle fuch re- 
 fentmcnt ; to have given fuch gratuity therefore 
 would have been like putting arms into their 
 hands, which they would have employed in re- 
 fitting their adverfaries; and not to grant it, was 
 of courfe providing for their own fecurity. 
 The National Affembly could not be unac* 
 quainted with the general character of this body 
 of men ; that it poffeffes a charaieriftic is not 
 fingular, whatever the particular character may 
 be ; moft communities are fo, from the largeft 
 to the fmalleft. Thus nations are characlerif- 
 tic, we fpeak without referve of the hauteur of 
 the Spaniard ; punick faith was proverbial ; in 
 Virgil * we read, Timeo Danaos et dona Jerentes ; 
 the Cretans are marked by Pault as very defi- 
 cient in point of veracity ; and laltly. not to enter 
 into ufelefs enumerations, the name John Bull, 
 which has been applied to us, or which we have 
 applied to ourfelves, characterizes the fturdy 
 bluntnefs of our own countrymen. As nations 
 are chara&eriftic, fo are fmallcr focieties, and 
 it would be not only unneceflary but invidious 
 to explain what mult occur to every one, efpe- 
 cially in treating of fmaller communities. Of 
 T that 
 
 * /En. ii. v. 49. + To Titus, ch. i. v. 12.
 
 ( 146 ) 
 
 that community however which is under confe- 
 deration fomething muft be faid. Davila, the 
 hiftorian of the civil wars of France, and who 
 cannot be fuppofed to caft unmerited reproach 
 on the priefts of his own perfuafion, reprefents 
 them as audacioufly violent in fupport of their 
 own caufe or intereft; no extremities confined 
 them, nor would they be deterred by force 
 or reafon from obtaining their ends while the 
 profpect afforded a glimpfe of fuccefs. Their 
 activity induced them to publifh falfitjes from 
 their pulpits to inflame the people.* They 
 fcandalized in their preachments without refpeft 
 to chara&er or rank.t They filled the ears of 
 the populace with inflammatory tales to fan the 
 flames of civil difcord.J And again, they thun- 
 der 
 
 * Le quali cofe ivtonando da pulpiti i loro predicaiori, empiicno 
 il poprfo di <vano terrore, e d' acerb iffimo odio contra alia perfne 
 del prinape, e contra a' anjiglieri, e favoriti fuo':. 
 
 Davila, delle Guerre Civ. di Francia. Lib. vii. p. ^ r ,. 
 
 "t Entrava egli molte volte in penjtero di cafligare la temtrita di 
 cftiroy e di -vendicarjt coii drlio fprezzo, che mefiraxnm i predica- 
 tori, fpatlando in publico della perjona Jua, come ddle cc/:jpi>atioxi 
 di qwjli follevatori del popolo, che It batfjano rrvoltata contra la 
 tnaggior, e piit conftdente cilia del regno fir,, ma viJte cofe lu rite- 
 nevano. Id. lb. lib. viii. p. yiS. 
 
 1 Ed i predicuiori con Ic maniere folite, ma con tnagior licenza 
 ftarlanda apertamente delle cofe i>iy'en.':\ embivano. L'orecchie del
 
 ( <47 ) 
 
 der from their pulpits the eulogies of their fa- 
 vourites for the fame purpofe; exciting the po- 
 pulace to ferocity and revenge.* Their preach- 
 ments probably, but certainly the advife of fome 
 of their orders, inftigate, not merely to common 
 murther, but even to regicids ;f and the at- 
 T 2 tempt 
 
 popolo delle marauiglie, anzi de' miracoli, cash li chiamavano , di 
 queffo tiuvvQ Gedeone, fenuto al ?nondo per la defiderata falvozza 
 della Francia. Id. ib. lib. ix. p. 570. 
 
 * Intonarotio i predicatori da pulpitl la mdtjima /era, ed il 
 giornofequente, le lodi del marteria del Duca di Guifa, e le detejla- 
 tioni della /I rage commeffa crudelmente dal Ri, di modo, che glianimi 
 f/onfolo della infima plebe, ma anco de' piu cottfpicni tni i cittadini 
 refiarono ingombrati dalle loro ragimi ed accefi di grar.dififimo defi- 
 derio di fame la <vendetta ; il quale ardire, e tie' predicatori, e nel 
 popolo fi raddoppib quando fpragiunfe la nuvva della morte de 1 Car- 
 dinale, la quale fine di ridurre gli animi all' ultima efiFera'.ione. 
 
 Id. ib. lib. X. p. 4.. Habere con patienza inrudita tollerate 
 
 l' ingiurie de' popoli, le in<vetlive de' predicatori, le 'villatie infolenze 
 de' fattkfi, i decreti temerarii della Sorbona. Id. ib. lib. x. p. 23. 
 I predecalori, betichc molto caduti di animo, e di ripiitalione, atten- 
 dt-vano ad inanimire il popolo, il quale manifijiamcnte fi 'vedeva 
 mejlo, td awilito. Id. ib. lib. x. p. 49. 
 
 + Giacpj Clemcntt dclV ordine di San Dcm-'nico guidato 
 di lla propria fantafia, 6 fiimnlato dalle prcdicattmi, che giornal- 
 mente jentroa fare contra Henrico di Valois nominato il perfecutore 
 della fide, ed il tiranno; prije rifolutione di <voler pericolare la jua 
 'vita per let/tare in alcana maniera d'ammazzarlo, ne tenne figreto 
 queflo ccsi t.w.'r.rh ptnfiero, rr.a attdava lociferands trd Jusi, eke
 
 ( >4 } 
 
 tempt was made with all coolnefs and delibera- 
 tion, by plunging a knife into the king's body,* 
 of which wound he died foon after ; yet the 
 preachers applauded the afTaffination, and com- 
 mended in high terms, from their pulpits, the 
 , aflaffin. 
 
 era neceffario d f adoperare I'armi, e di eflerminare il tiranno diffe 
 ad un padre de'fuci, che baveva una infpirationc gagliarda di on- 
 dare ad amazzare Henrico di Valois, e che domeffe conjigliarlo, fe 
 la dcvfjje efeguire. II padre conferito il fat to con il prior e , il quale 
 era uno de* principals confeglieri della lega, rifpofero uvitamente, che 
 tedeffe bene, che quefta non fjfe una tentatioue del demon io, che 
 digiunaffe ed oraffe, pregando il Signore che gl' illuminoffe la ntente 
 di quello dovrva operare. Tornufrd pochi giorni coftui al priore, ed 
 al altro padre, dicendo loro, che ba-veva fatio quanlo gli haietano 
 conjigliato, e chefentiva pin fpirito che mat di'volere intraprendere 
 qneflo fatio. I Padri, come molti d'JJtro, conferito il negotio con 
 Madama di Mompetferi, o come vcglicno qvei della lega, di propria 
 loro motito I ejorlarono al tentati'vo, ajfermavduli, che vivendofa- 
 rebbe Jlalo fat to Cardina/e, e morendo ptr harcer liherata la cittd, 
 ed vecifo il perfecutore della f'de, jarebbe fenza auhbio cannonizato 
 per S auto. Id. ib. lib. x. p. 50, 51. 
 
 * hitrodoito il Fraie, mentre ft ritiravo amendue a canto ad una 
 five/ha, porf la letroa dJ coute di Brienua, la quale letta bat-en 
 dogli detto il Re, che J'rguitajjc u fpiegargli tlfue negotio, egli finfe 
 di metier mano ad un'altra carta per prefeutarla, e menire il Re 
 intentamentt Vafpetta, ccvatofi il folito coltclio dalia manica, lo 
 fere a canto, all' umbclico della parte Jinifira, t lajcio tut to il fcrrt 
 con ft lo nellaftrita. Id. ib. lib. X, p. 52.
 
 ( M9 ) 
 
 aflaffin.* Fired with fuch zeal in fupport of 
 their interefts, we are not to be furprized that 
 they excited the people to take arms, nor even 
 that they themfelves bore them.f Nor yet that 
 they fhould grant abfolution for known deli- 
 berate murther f J which however his holinefs 
 
 would 
 
 * Tra i quali il Padre Edmonds Borgoino priore di Frati 
 di San Domenico, il quale convinto da tejiimonii d'haver 
 lodato publicamente in ptrgamo Vhoimcidio commeflo nelle per- 
 fona de Re, e d'>a<ver conjigliato, ed injligato il percujfore, 
 comparandolo atico dopo il fatto utile fue prediche a Giudit, il 
 Re morto ad Oloferne, la citta Vtberata a Bttulia, fu per fentenzu 
 de portamento di Turs fenletitia/o a rjjere da quattro ca=valliJbranato, 
 le membre abbruciate, e fparfe le ceneri al <vento. Id, ib. lib. X. 
 p. 68. E. Padre Roberto Frandfcano, che harvcva quiui publica- 
 mente lodato la morte del Re, t/ch-wata con le fue predkationi la 
 plebe,fnro/io condannati alio mane. Id. ib. lib. x. p. go. 
 
 + Mo/'Jignore di Rono facendo vfficio di maflro di campo generate 
 fcorrci'a per ogni luogo, e i preti, e i frati toncsrrendo alle fatthrti 
 rniliiau popilarmente, haveia/io p>eje I'armi. Id. ib. lib. x. 
 p. 49. Edivifo in tiii hande, fecotido la di-vijione dei quart ieri, 
 sappre(enta<va <volonterofo e pronto a tu.te le fattioni, e con I'efempio 
 de' Preti, e de' Frati, i quali armati falivano le muraglie, e s'ado~ 
 pertrvano in tutte le cfe con atnmirabile cojlanza. 
 
 Id. ib. lib. xi. p. 147. 
 
 % Per la qual cofa, fe bene in virtu di un Breve concrjfoli dal 
 papa prejtnte pnchi mcji prima, di poterfi far ajjol-vere di ogni cafo 
 rijcrvato dal J.liio Juo confjf'e, ft haveva fa! to dare VaJfJutiont 
 delta morte del cardinale, nondimeno vedendo che qutjh nan baflat-a, 
 Jpe-ti Claudia d'Angtne dcila famiglia Jua favor ita di Rbam- 
 bur ghetto I'efccvo dt Mam, huomo di prof on Ja literal ura, e di 
 fi>;gular tloqucn^a, accioc.be infrmato di tutte le ragtoni, come Juo 
 pr:cu:atore rictrcajji I ' ajTci;tik:;e dt Pontifce. Id. ib. lib. X. p. ij-
 
 C *5 ) 
 
 Would not confirm but on political c on (i aera- 
 tions and advantages.* The zeal of the prelates 
 was alfo of a fimilar complexion; again!! the 
 rcmonftrances, not even the threatcnir.gs of his 
 holinefs, nor the caufe of religion had any 
 weight, when they found it was more conducive 
 to their intereft to join the party of the king; 
 at the fame time intimating that there were fea- 
 fons when the earned withes of his holinefs 
 might be complied with, but that it was un- 
 rcafonable to expect it now that his majeftv's 
 
 affairs 
 
 * Non havendo tnai h&vuta intentkne d'offendere la giurifdittiont 
 della feda Apojldica, depo chs gli ri era fiat a fatta cofcienza, m'ffi'i 
 da interna fcrupolo, sera proftrato a' pied: dtl confeffore, e halved 
 chief' a e impetrata I ' cffalutkne , pcrquanto faceffe bifogng, ben: be 
 firr.cfft de non haver ejj'cttuamente irajgredtto. Aqueflo ri/pofe it 
 pontefice, che il breve era concejfo per le eye pnfatc, ma che non 
 fi poteva (jlmdere a peccati f atari de' quali non ji pud anticipate 
 I'ajpdutiane Ejpndo Ji molte volte rtpetita, e con gtunde allegation 
 d'antoritd e di ragioni, dijcujfa quefla traliaiione, Jinalmcnte gli 
 ambafceatori londfcejerc a contentarje a dimandar in ifcritto Vajfolu- 
 titne del papa, il quale miflrava dejlderarla, eper ;tilZz: di cjpi 
 dover reftar placato e Jodisfatto ,' per la qua I cfa depo gli vjficii 
 paffati da gli ambajciatori di Vcnezia e di Tcjcana a favor e del Re, 
 che Je ne affaticarono Jommcmente per ordiae dc' loro prencipi il 
 vtfeovo con fnpplica ejfej'a in forma di mulia Jomm'JJione dimandb 
 al pontefice VaffJutione, il quale con parole place-colt rtj'po/e, che 
 vchntieri Vharebbe cr.naffa, quando fffe fta'o fcuro dells contri- 
 lione del Re, dtlla quale <volcva quefiofegxo, che ponejfe in libcrta 
 il cardinale di Borboue, e V Archivefccns di L;;;::. 
 
 Ici. ib. lib. x. p. i 8, 19.
 
 ( "5i ) 
 
 affairs were in fo profperous a fituation.* In 
 what has been here advanced the reader will be 
 pleafed to take notice that it is not I who fpeak, 
 the authorities are given, and the words of the 
 author in doing which a few pafTages only are 
 felected from a great variety of the fame ten* 
 dency : but thefe are fufiicient to give fome idea 
 of the defcription of thofe perfons in the ge- 
 neral, with which the National Aifembly had to 
 deal when it confifcated church property. It is 
 in vain to tell us that I have been fpeaking of 
 perfons who lived two centuries ago. I anfwer, 
 that I have been treating of communities which 
 
 exifted 
 
 * Ccnfideravano i Signori franeefi ejfer cofa non folo difficile, 
 ma da ncn /per aria per alcun modo, cbe i prelati e la nobilta, i 
 qua!: bavevano nelle mani del Re la roba, le dignita, e le prela* 
 turc rifolnjejjero a'abbandonarle per compiacere il papa, ejjendo 
 pocbi a i tempi prefenti color o cbe per rijpetlo delVanima Ji cca- 
 tcntino di abandonare le Inro Jojianze ; cl/ej/i giii da principio 
 s'erano d'awantaggio rcjpgurate qitejle minaccie, e quejie in- 
 timatloni dt Roma, ibavevano preparato gli animi per fojj'rirle ; 
 che piu cbe ji sjorzajjoo, piu s'indurerebbono, e perdendo la 
 Jperanza d'lJJ'ere riccvuti mai in gratie del papa, Ji Jarebbcno piu 
 cjiinati a Jcguitare, cd a proiurare la mittoria alia laro parte ; 
 cbe bijegnava allettarli, e- deftramenti tirarli, non Jpaventarli, e 
 mttterli neV ultima difperaiici'.c ; cbe fimil minacchit jartbbono 
 pro t rie d-pa la litter ia per dare lira colore cd occafione di aban- 
 donare con quejlo p'etcjlo il Re, quando le cofe Jue JoJJero dtplorate, 
 a non bora, cfj 'ejjendo egli Jlorido e potente, non era da credere, 
 ealcuno .'o ahbandonajfe. Id. ib. lib. xii p. 221.
 
 ( >s ) 
 
 exifted from that time, till this event ; that com- 
 munities rarely, if ever, lofe their original cha- 
 racter, that they had maintained the fame cha- 
 racter for many centuries before, and that two 
 centuries is a very fhort period with refpeft to 
 communities for diverting themfelves of their 
 original chara&er. I am ready to admit they 
 may undergo fome variation in the degree, but 
 ftill the fame character remains though in a dif- 
 ferent degree ; but that degree cannot be afcer- 
 tained till opportunity prefents them the power 
 of a&ing. As the National Affembly had de- 
 termined to eftablifh the revolution, it could 
 not leave the church property in thefe hands, 
 nor could it fafely penfion fuch of them as had 
 merit, nor could it do otherwife than diflblve 
 thefe focieties. While connected, they were a 
 formidable body a&ing by one will; and as 
 their funBion eftablifhed an intercourfe with all 
 ranks and degrees, they might be highly dan- 
 gerous to the revolution ; 'to have left in their 
 hands property of any kind, which is only ano- 
 ther name for power, would have increafed the 
 danger; fo that confifcation and difmiflion, if 
 the revolution was to ftand on a firm bafis, be- 
 came abfolutcly neceffary and unavoidable : and 
 ] peiTuadc myfelf the revolution would have 
 had much more to apprehend from thefe men if 
 
 continued
 
 ( *53 ) 
 
 continued in their former ftate, than from all 
 their other adverfaries combined together. But 
 I (hall add nothing more, than that if the revo- 
 lution was to (land, thefe men muft fall. 
 
 As Mr. B. has opened to Us a fpacious Held, 
 and well (locked, I (hall now decline this purfuit 
 for fome* other game, and endeavour in the 
 poet's phrafe to " moot folly as it flies ;" " We 
 " look up," fays he, "with awe to kings:"* 
 Some perfons may think it a misfortune, this 
 doctrine was not promulgated before Beckford 
 went up with his petition ; for awe Was fo far 
 from his thoughts, that after delivering it he 
 flood reafoning ahd remonftrating; as the fcroll 
 to his ftatue teftifies to this day ; and as that 
 ftatue was erected at the expence of the city of 
 London, it evinces that this doctrine of aw"e was 
 
 not known and praftifed there at that time. 
 
 Let us take a candid view of the hiflory of 
 kings, and fee if their general character does 
 hot excite in us fomething of a very different 
 complexion from awe. Is Mr. B.'s memory 
 treacherous, or does he mean to mock mankind ; 
 his own doctrine on this fubject formally de- 
 livered, puts every thing in the (hape or fem- 
 
 U blance 
 
 * P. ij9.
 
 ( 154 ) 
 
 blance of awe wholly out of the queftion ; we 
 cannot entertain awe for thofe who have fo little 
 regard to their own character as to delight in 
 " mean company ;" we may behold fuch objects 
 with pity, but he who entertains pity is fuperior 
 to awe. It was obferved at page 74 of this 
 work, that Mr. B. had improved upon ancient 
 ethics and had favoured the world with a new 
 dottrine ; he here comes forward as an addi- 
 tional apoftle, or one improving on the old 
 ftandard ; for the words of the apoftle are in all 
 my editions " Fear God, honour the king;"* 
 but Mr. B.'s doctrine is, " Fear God, ftand in 
 " awe of kings :" awe or dread implies fear in 
 the exceftn fo that by this do&ine of Mr. B. 
 our fubmiffion to kings is greater than that which 
 is due to God himfelf. No one the lead ac- 
 quainted with the Englifh language will afTent, 
 that fear and awe are convertible terms; but 
 were they fo, even then our author places God 
 and kings on the fame parallel. Without affect- 
 ing a nicer conscience or more religion than 
 every perfon ought to pofibfs, Mr. B. will ex- 
 cufe me if I cannot pledge him in this {t cup of 
 c abomination" t and idolatry. With the cha- 
 racter of a courtier, agreeably to Montefquieu's 
 
 dcfcription, 
 
 * 1 Peter, ch, ii. v. 17. + P. 156.
 
 ( *55 ) 
 
 defcription, it may be compatible ; or it may be 
 confiftent with the ideas of thofe who " defire 
 " honours, diftin&ions, and emoluments, but 
 " little,"* to hold forth this draught toman- 
 kind and ingratiate themfelves with thofe who 
 have thefe trumperies at their difpofal ; but fuch 
 as have a fenfe of their duty to heaven, and 
 who claim little more than mens fana in corpora 
 fano, and which kings have not to beftow, will 
 dafh this irreligious cup to the giound with 
 horror, leaving the impious dregs to be licked 
 up with the duft by reprobates. 
 
 . Knowledge, even that fmall portion of it that 
 can be acquired, is the fruit of much labour, 
 obfervatlon, time and experience; the ftation, 
 modern education, and mode of life of princes, 
 rarely fupplies them with any tolerable fhare of 
 it. Hence flatterers, their greateft enemies, 
 make them an eafy prey ; and the fofter the 
 matter they have to work upon, the deeper is 
 the impreflion. If there is no political vice in 
 the character of a prince, great allowance ought 
 to be made for deficiencies, which are rather a 
 failure than a fault. But not one grain of lenity 
 is due to their flatterers who taking advantage 
 
 U2 Of 
 
 Pult.
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 of their foibles, and with a view to private emo- 
 lument, would endeavour to perfuade them they 
 are, what they are not. A good king, and a wife 
 one, are two diftincl beings ; I prefer a good, to 
 a wife king ; becaufe goodnefs of heart is likely 
 to be more beneficial to the people than the 
 goodnefs of the head, which often leads both 
 themfelves and others into perilous difficulties,* 
 while from the former their flows a conftant and 
 full ftream of tranquility and beneficence. The 
 perfect chara&er is to be wife and good, but 
 this is a character we have no right to expect ; 
 and when it does come, it fhould be confidered 
 as a prodigy : if he be but good I honour him ; 
 my duty demands it ; and it would be unjuft and 
 ungenerous, not to fay folly and weafcnefs, con- 
 fidering the mamy difadvantages under which 
 he labours ; or rather the mary^ opportunities 
 of which he is deprived, to expeft to fee a king 
 wifer than the reft of mankind. The treafure of 
 wifdom was never intended to be the poffeffion of 
 
 all 
 
 * Charles the Firft had the reputation of being a wife prince, 
 but his wifdom tended to nothing fo effectually as to embroil 
 him with his fubjeccs, and to be productive of a fatal end to 
 himfelf ; and he died a mar/ji to his wifdom or obftinancy. 
 I could point to one or two more reputed wife fovereigns in 
 Europe, whofe wifdom centered in lavishing the blood and 
 treafure of their fubjccls. But the criterion of a good prince 
 are peace, harmony, beneficence.
 
 ( 57 ) 
 
 all men ; but it is expected of all men that they 
 fhould be good, and all men have wifdom 
 enough, though not the will, to be good. 
 Therefore I honour a king if he be but good, 
 but I do not look up with awe to any king but 
 the King of Heaven. From a bad king I avert 
 my light, as from a thing that is odious and in- 
 sufferable ; becaufe he has it in his power to be 
 good; his ftation in a particular manner re- 
 quires it of him ; and his not being fo, will moft 
 probably be productive of the greateft mifchief. 
 This leffon, perhaps, will be acceptable to few 
 of them ; but I truft it is more ingenuous than 
 any they are likely to meet with in the whole 
 range of their courtiers; and happy may fuch 
 be who attend to it. 
 
 Before we relinquilh this fubjecl: it is neceffary 
 to advert to a paffage in Mr. B.'s letter, which 
 as it feems to contain fome latent meaning, it 
 may be proper to call it forth to public view 
 and examine it. He fays " Our conftitution 
 " has made no fort of provifion towards render- 
 " ing him (the king) as a fervant, in any de- 
 " grce rcfponfible." * Docs Mr. B. here mean 
 to fay that our kings are not refponfible ; or, 
 does lie employ the words "asa fervant" for a 
 
 difguifc 
 
 * P. 42.
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 difguife or fubterfuge, thereby meaning, that he 
 is not refponfible as a Jcrvant* but yet he is 
 refponfible. If the latter be his meaning, it is 
 nothing better than a petty quibblmg about 
 terms, and by which the fai is no wife affecled. 
 Now he either is refponfible, or he is not fo. 
 If he is refponfible, fee is fo to fome perfon, or 
 fome body of men, for it would be ridiculous 
 to affirm that a perfon is refponfible, and yet 
 that there are none to whom he is fo ; and if he 
 be but refponfible, it is wholly immaterial under 
 what character or appellation, whether as a fer- 
 vant, agent, or under any other name. The 
 queftion therefore is, Is he refponfible ? and this 
 Mr. B. though he Marts the fubjeci, endeavours t 
 evade by mifleading us, affirming that he is not 
 refponfible as a fervant, which determines no- 
 thing concerning his refponfibiluy in any other 
 
 character ; 
 
 * The author of Anti-Machia<vel , whom no one doubts was 
 the late King of Pruffia, in fpeaking on this fubjett, fays, Le 
 Swerain, lien kin d etre le maitre abfolu des peuples qui font fous 
 fa domination, n en eft que le premier Magijirat. Anti-Mach. 
 ch. i. p. 2. " The Sovereign, very far from being the abfo- 
 lute maP.er of the people under his government, is but their 
 ' chief magiflrate." And I muft confefs I underftand all ma, 
 giftrates, though in different degrees, to be the fervants of the 
 public. But all this is no more than cavilling about terms.: 
 for the fad is, that each is refponfible, under whatever deno- 
 mination he holds a truft.
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 chara&er ; and we want to know whether he is 
 at all refponfible, becaufe that infinuation feems 
 to be held forth rather as implying that he is not. 
 Now to clear up this matter, if it be afferted 
 that he is not refponfible, I would wifh to know 
 how James the lid came to flee this kingdom; 
 was not his reafon for fo doing, becaufe he was 
 convinced that he was refponfible, and he would 
 not wait the event of becoming accountable for 
 his actions. Again, if kings are not refponfible, 
 with what propriety can Mr. B. fay, " The pu- 
 " nifhment of tyrants is a noble and aweful aft 
 " of juflice."* But how fo, and where is the 
 juftice ? for though a tyrant, he is ftill a king; 
 none I prefume will deny that Henry the VHIth 
 was a tyrant, nor will they deny he was a king ; 
 as being a tyrant therefore does not deftroy the 
 title and character of king, and kings are not 
 refponfible, where is the juftice of this punifh- 
 mcnt. It is not meant furely to punifh without 
 calling to account. If vou mean to call them 
 to account, you have no right to do fo ; how 
 can you call to account him who is not re- 
 fponfible ; and if you call him to account, and 
 punifh, it is an at of injuflice, becaufe he is 
 not refponfible. And laftly, to fay that a king 
 
 is 
 
 * P. 123 and 157,
 
 t 6o ) 
 
 is not rerponfible, is only in other terms id 
 affert that he is defpotic. If a king is not rc- 
 fponfible, he may certainly acl and do whatever 
 he pleafes ; and in the three following defcrip- 
 tions of men I would gladly be informed where 
 is the difference between a pririce who als and 
 does whatever he pleafes, a prince who is not 
 refponfible, and a defpotic prince j the only 
 difference is in the letters and found of the 
 terms, while in facl: each and all of them imply 
 one and the fame thing : for he that is not re- 
 fponfible, may aft and do what he pleafes, with 
 impunity ; can any defpotic prince do more ? 
 As this fubjeft ftarted by Mr. B. appears to be 
 clogged with a hefitation, or rather a falfe bias 
 has been given to it. I judged it advifable to 
 guard all parties from error by giving it a dif- 
 cuffion, the refult of which is, that every prince 
 who is not refponfible is defpotic ; and as there 
 is no defpotic power in this country, the prince 
 
 therefore is refponfible. There is another 
 
 maxim nearly allied to this fubjeft, I fpeak not 
 of it as coming from Mr. B. but as the affinity is 
 fo great, it fhould not be paffed over in filence; 
 it is included in thefe fix important words, The 
 king can do no wrong. This maxim appears to 
 me to have been fabricated by perfidious or flat- 
 tering flatcfmen. I would it were as true, as it 
 
 is
 
 ( ii ) 
 
 lis falfe. A king may do much wrong, much 
 evil; I have it not in my nature to deny what' 
 fact and experience daily evince ; and this he 
 may do with or without the advice of counfel- 
 lors ; and to fay that, for what is fo done by 
 their advice, they alone are refponfible, is as 
 unjuft and partial a determination as the mjxim 
 itfelf is falfe, becaufe it tends at mod to the 
 punifhing of a part only inftead of the whole; 
 but generally ends in the punifhment of none, 
 as they elude their deferts by their power and 
 influence, and that of thofe connected with them 
 
 in the mifchief. By a fimilar defcription of 
 
 men, for they abound in all courts, and in times 
 of ignorance, which is their only excufe, they 
 wrefted from the King of Heaven his attributes 
 and titles, difpofed of them to a mere mortal, 
 and hailed him " Sovereign Lord the King;"* 
 as though by this profane fporting with titles, 
 he had in the inltant changed his nature, and 
 put on immortality. To thele human divinities 
 the deluded populace led on by artful parafites, 
 and.bigotted pricfts, might " look up with awe," 
 and entertain a veneration for them, fimilar to 
 that which the vulgar among the heathens ex- 
 preired for their deities, though contaminated 
 
 X with 
 
 * P. ui.
 
 ( >6* ) 
 
 with all the vices that can blot, deface, and 
 degrade human nature. But it is to be pre- 
 fumed that fince thofe days of ignorance the 
 prince, the prieft, and the people, have under- 
 gone a compleat tranfmutation by the alchemy 
 of the times : if not, I truft that old alchemift 
 will not defift from his labours till the tranfmu- 
 tation is perfect. 
 
 Mr. B. complains of falacies concealed under 
 terms employed by others, " It would require," 
 lays he, " a long difcourfe to point out to you the 
 "' many fallacies that lurk in the generality and 
 " equivocal nature of the terms inadequate re* 
 " prejcntation."* But of all dida&ic writers I 
 ever read, r.o one to the belt of my recolleQion 
 ever ufed terms in fo vague and indeterminate 
 a manner as Mr. B. I do not remember that he 
 employs one definition, though he ufes tenrn 
 in a manner very different from the reft of 
 mankind, and in a mode which appears to me 
 exceptionable. I am led to this obfervation by 
 the following palfagc, " I (hall only fay here 
 " in juflice to that oldfafhioned conftitution, 
 *' { under which we have long profpered."t I 
 would willingly underitand what it is he meant 
 
 mould 
 
 * P. 83. + P. 83.
 
 ( '6 3 ) 
 
 fhould be underftood by the terms u old- 
 " fafhioned conftitution," and, " we have long 
 14 profpered ;" if he means, that fyflem of laws 
 and original mode of government ufed in this 
 kingdom, I fhould anfwer, they are no more, 
 but in a manner totally done away, and are fo 
 continually changing and fluctuating that the 
 traces of what he adverts to are hardly to be 
 found. Let us take a tranfcicnt view of our 
 profperity under what he calls the old-fafhioned 
 government or conftitution, by which we have 
 been fo long profperous down to the prefent 
 hour. Not to go too far back, we may firft 
 obferve the people were reduced to the dreadful 
 neceflity of difpatching one king, and of ex- 
 pelling another; in the reign of George the 
 firft there was a deeply concerted rebellion to 
 deprive him of the throne ; and in the fucceed- 
 ing reign there was another, when the rebels 
 entered England and put the whole kingdom 
 into a confternation. Either that old-fafhioned 
 conftitution is not retained, or we are not 
 altogether fo profperous under it, or both ; 
 while for annual parliaments, we have now 
 feptennial ones ; for a few laws which inflicted 
 capital punifhment, the number is now almofl 
 innumerable ; the excife laws which are daily 
 increafing have trampled down and almofl ex- 
 X 2 terminated
 
 ( f*i ) 
 
 terminated both the ancient law and liberty of 
 the'fubjeft, and a thoufand other violences have 
 been committed againft the old conftitution, To 
 that the constitution we now have is either a 
 new one, or the old one fo totally defaced and 
 mutilated as to be with difficulty recognized 
 in our prefent fituation ; and yet Mr. B. as in 
 derifion. is applauding our profperous ftatc 
 under the old conditution, as though we fttll 
 pofTeffed it. The old conflitdtion I make no 
 doubt might have been improved as all which 
 is the product of humanity may be meliorated, 
 human nature producing nothing that is per- 
 fe6t ; but the old conititution has been totally 
 vitiated, and our profperous ftate is the confe- 
 quence. Our prefent profperous fituation re- 
 fembles that of a heedlefs country fquire who 
 has mortgaged the whole of his patrimony for 
 nearly the value. The importunate tax-getherer 
 is neve: out of our houfes, collecting money for 
 the light of heaven, and diving into our pockets 
 for the lad folitary (hilling, while water and 
 air remain the almoft only articles untaxed in 
 the kingdom. We have a ftupendous debt 
 which can only be enumerated by hundreds uf 
 millions oi pounds fterling; the fum is fo vaft, 
 that a' tolerable arithmetician can hardly obtain 
 a clear and diftinct idea of it ; and the weight i ; 
 
 fo
 
 ( i65 ) 
 
 fo opprefTive to the nation, that it rocks from 
 one fide to the other threatening " hideous 
 Si ruin/' not lefs agitated than yEtna when 
 tortured by her convulfive fires : but we are 
 not left comfortefs, this national debt is paying 
 ofF under this old conftitution with a profpeft 
 as promifing as that of employing an ant to carry 
 away by atoms the rock of Gibraltar. We are 
 fo very profperous that Spain alone and on her 
 fole ftrength dares menace us without our giv- 
 ing the lead provocation, put us to the charge 
 of fitting out a great armament, and then in 
 dcrilion as our Mate is fo profperous leave us to 
 bear all the expence of it. Part too of our 
 profperity according to this capricious and 
 paradoxical writer mult confift in our lofs of 
 America, which to fay nothing farther fupplied 
 us with excellent failors and foldiers, who to 
 us ate now no more, unlefs as adverfaries. 
 The flowing tide of this our profperity has for 
 fomc time pall run fo high that fliould it con- 
 tinue for the next half century, having no 
 longer fuflicicnt mounds to oppofe it, we muft 
 be deluged. In fhort, I tremble for the guz- 
 zling down of this profperity in fuch large and 
 frequent draughts ; I fear it muft in the end 
 intoxicate, and there is no anfwering for what 
 u.cn fo intoxicated may not do. Thefe are 
 
 fome
 
 ( i66 ) 
 
 fome of the bleflings derived to us under this 
 old or new-fafhioned conftitution, for call it 
 by what name you pleafe, neither the fafhion 
 nor the effects of it are thereby altered or 
 abated ; and whoever ftiles this a ftate of prof- 
 perity has very different ideas of a ftate of 
 profperiry from thofe which I entertain, and 
 I fliould prefume too from thofe of the 
 reft of mankind. It prefents us with a 
 picture reprefenting to our view a diffipating 
 heir confuming with jollity and glee the laft 
 lonely guinea of the fquandered inheritance, in. 
 defiance of that diftrefs which muft be the 
 certain and inevitable confequence ; while an 
 arch rogue who longs to partake of it, applauds 
 the meafure, and reminds him how long he 
 has profpered by purfuing this pralicc. As to. 
 the conftitution I here determine nothing con- 
 cerning it ; what I affert is this, If it be good, 
 a very bad ufe muft have been made of it to. 
 reduce us to the unprofperous ftate in which 
 we now are ; and then, Rebus autem ajflttis cum 
 palriam obfederi audifjit, non quifivit ubi tuto 
 viveret, that is he fought not " honours, diftinc- 
 " tions, and emoluments," to the gratification 
 of his avarice or ambition, fed wide praefidio 
 pofjtt ejje civibusfuij* And if it be bad, then 
 
 Confulite 
 * Ncp. in vita Canonis.
 
 ( '67 ) 
 
 Confulite in medium, et rebus Juccurrite njejlrii.* 
 
 t 
 
 There certainly is fomething wrong fomewhere, 
 egregioufly wrong, as will be feen on the appli- 
 cation of this concife ftatement in the words of 
 Salluft : ProfeHo virtus atque fapientia major in 
 Mis freit, qui exparvis opibus tantum imperium 
 fecere, quam in nobis qui ea bene parta vix re- 
 tinemus.f To what purpofe then is trumpeted 
 forth to us the encomium on cc this old-fafhioned 
 " conftitution under which we have long prof- 
 " pered," unlefs it be to infult the fenfes and 
 underftandings of mankind ! 
 
 Air. B. with an air of fuperiority and con* 
 tempt, afks " who now reads Bolingbroke ? 
 " who ever read him through ?"J And again, 
 " I do not often quote Bolingbroke, nor have 
 " his works in general made any permanent 
 <; impreflion on my mind. He is a prefump- 
 " tuous and fuperficial writer."^ I could wifh 
 this prefumption and fuperficiality had retted 
 there; but I find that men in point of literature, 
 are like women in refpect to beauty, blind to 
 their own imperfections. I will frankly ac- 
 knowledge I have read Bolingbroke through 
 
 and 
 
 * Virg. &n. xi. v. 33J. + Sal. Bell. Cat. % P - 133- 
 h P. 187.
 
 ( i68 ) 
 
 and have been highly gratified, Tonic of his 
 works I have read more than once : and part of 
 the knowledge he has communicated has made a 
 deep and permanent imprelfion on my mind. 
 Amidft a great variety of inftrucliVe, and enter- 
 taining matter in many of his works, his letter 
 to Sir William Windham appears to me excel- 
 lent ; in that private hiftory great light is thrown 
 upon fome important tranfa6tions of thofe times, 
 not omitting thofe which preceded, and in the 
 former of which he was no inconfiderable agent. 
 Among many other interesting events, it exhibits 
 a ufeful leffon in his own perfon of a wife man 
 completely duped by a fet of fools and knaves. 
 The characters of Charles and James are finely 
 contrafted, and though given by a few (trokes 
 are a mafter-piece in that kind of painting. I 
 cannot refrain laying them before my reader 
 with the introduction. <: The exile." fays he, 
 " of the royal family, under Cromwell's ufurpa- 
 " tion, was the principal caufe of all thofe mif- 
 " fortunes in which Britain has been involved, 
 " as well as of many of thofe which have hap- 
 " pened to the relt of Europe, during more 
 " than half a centui) " 
 
 " The two brothers, Charles and James, bc- 
 ,: came then infected with popery to fuch de- 
 grees,
 
 ( 6g ) 
 
 " grees, as their different characters admitted 
 " of. Charles had parts; and his good under- 
 " {landing ferved as an antidote to repel the 
 " poifon. James, the fimpleft man of his time, 
 11 drank off the whole chalice. The poifon 
 " met, in his compofition with all the fear, all 
 " the credulity, and all the obftinacy of temper 
 " proper to increafe its virulence, and to 
 " ftrengthcn its effect .*** I do not conceive 
 that the perfon who writes in this ftile is fo de- 
 fpicable a writer ; but I am neither Boling- 
 broke's critic, nor his fecond ; he has his ble- 
 mifhes and his beauties, but he who traduces 
 him as a writer miftakes his own way to literary 
 fame. I profefs to know but little of men or 
 books; there appears to me to be no criterion 
 or ftandard to regulate and determine fuch judg- 
 ment, while we fee one praifes what another 
 condemns with equal plaiifibility. My own in- 
 ability is countenanced by that of others; and 
 as Mr. B. fpeaks freely of Bolingbroke, which 
 is but matter of opinion, I (hall not hefitate to 
 take into confideration the abilities of the author 
 of that opinion, that we may know haw far it 
 may be relied on. I have no doubt Mr. B. is 
 a great reader; he appears to me to have col- 
 Y leded 
 
 * Bolingbroke, letter to Sir W. Windham, p. 288, 289.
 
 ( *7<> ) 
 
 leted and amafTed from all quarters good and 
 bad indifcrin.inately, a large mafs of indigcfted 
 matter, with which his mind is furcharged, and 
 from which it labours at times to be relieved. 
 Acquired without fele&ion, retained without 
 arangement it forms a confufed chaos ; and in- 
 flead of invigorating the mind, like an ex- 
 uberance of flefli in the human body, tends only 
 to render it more unweildy and fuller of hu- 
 mours. Hence that inequality fo obvious in all 
 be writes or fpeaks; hence ftrange do8rines, 
 and ftill ftranger conclufions; eccentric fenti- 
 ments delivered in exaggerated, tortured, and 
 diftorted language, one while elevated and car- 
 ried beyond the fublime into the bombaft, at 
 other times meanly creeping and licking the 
 dud; metaphors injudicioufly chofen, impro- 
 perly applied, and fometimes difgufting from the 
 unnecefiary horror they convey, at other times 
 from the offenfive and indelicate ideas they 
 excite; rancor wrapped up in foul language; 
 affe&ed pathos worked into puerility ; petty 
 antethefis apologizes for wit; a jingle of words 
 is fubftituted for fenfe : all this, and much more, 
 which certainly are not the characterises of 
 bright talents, are here to be found ; they are the 
 natural refult of a plodding mind, long engaged 
 in Itoring heaps of heterogeneous mutter which 
 
 it
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 it cannot aflort, arrange, or felect for life, as 
 the exigency may require ; nor can it be ex- 
 pected that purer or clearer Streams mould flow, 
 till the rubbifh which disturbs and pollutes the 
 fountain-head is removed. Notwithstanding 
 this, I make no queftion but Mr. B. conceives 
 his production will acquire him literary fame, 
 and I well know how fuch fame is frequently 
 acquired; ^et I cannot but obferve, that to 
 harrangue, and to write are two things very 
 diftinft; all who jjarrangue are not good writers, 
 nor do all who harrangue much, fpeak or write 
 well. Bolingbroke, whom he contemns, appears 
 to me upon the whole to poiTefs great merit, 
 the knowledge he imparts on many Subjects is 
 highly inftructive and interefting ; he had an 
 exteniive understanding, and good judgment ; 
 and I apprehend he not only is read, but will 
 be read and admired too for his Strength of 
 thought, glowing imagination, and unattested, 
 manly, nervous di&ion, with all its inaccura- 
 cies, when the letter on the French Revolution 
 will (link off the public Stage, and take refuge 
 
 In 'vicum 'vendenttm thus et odoret, 
 Et piper, et quicquid chartis amiciiur ineptis ; 
 
 Hor. Ep. i. lib. z. 
 
 even though gorgeoufly bound in red morocco. 
 Y 2 This
 
 ( *7* ) 
 
 This indignant fpurning of Bolingbroke in his 
 grave, reminds me of the fable of the afs kick- 
 ing a dead lion, at whofe voice, fays the writer, 
 when living he would have been panic-ftruck. 
 The adage of Horace is certainly not amifs, 
 
 Metirife quemque fuo modulo, ac pede, <verum eji. 
 
 When I began, I propofed only giving fome 
 few animadverfions on this letter; I have been 
 infenfibly induced to make many ; I cannot 
 therefore, confidently with that propofal, pro- 
 ceed farther. 1 might apprehend too, left in 
 the progrefs I fhould contract from my author a 
 taint for vilifying, which I fufpeft is coming 
 upon me, and by longer contaft might prove 
 irrefiftible. I fhall therefore, after making one 
 
 reflection, drop the pen. If Mr. B. could 
 
 have any the raoft diftant idea that mankind 
 paid ever fo little deference to his opinion de- 
 livered in a publication, whatever he might 
 privately communicate to a friend, he could not 
 coniiftcntly with humanity have publifhed this 
 letter. For if only one half of the French 
 nation had his abilities as a ftatefman or politi- 
 cian in any eftimation, the conftant repetition 
 of degrading, vilifying and inflammatory palfages 
 directed againft the principal perfons who fup- 
 port the revolution, mull inevitably have been 
 
 productive
 
 ( *73 ) 
 
 produ&ive of fuch difcord throughout that nation 
 as would have been followed by the moft tragi- 
 cal events. The fcenes of confufion and horror 
 might have been unutterable. It is however a 
 confolation to all who rejoice not in thofe mi- 
 feries which afflict mankind, in defolation, de- 
 ftru&ion, and death, to find that the good fenfe 
 of that nation is not to be perverted by a.com- 
 pofition teeming with rhapfody and wild enthu- 
 fiafm. which has had no other efFet on their 
 understanding, than it has with the candid and 
 rational among ourfelves ; and fo far from ope- 
 rating with violence to their injury, has not as 
 yet produced a bloody nofe or a fcratched face, 
 but on the contrary, was received with pity as 
 the effufion of a brain fuffering under the dif- 
 tra&ing impulfe of knight-errantry. 
 
 FINIS.
 
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