infamy and degradation to the yoke. If we have feen the rcverfe of this picture take place during a long feries of years which fucceeded the Revolution, we must attribute it lefs to a change of governors, than to the courage and vigilance which the people derived from their own fuccessful struggles, and to the renovation of the conftitution. Whatever magic there may be in particular names, whatever real distinctions in the character of individuals, experience fufficiently evinces, that the effects of power are as fimilar and univerfal as the paffions and nature of man; and that neither private obligations nor public confidence, neither shame nor gratitude, nor the facred doctrines and influence of religion itfelf upon its immediate profeffors, have ever been fufficient to reprefs the inordinate effects of ambition. Were it neceffary to illuftrate this by example, we might thew by what steps the petty fovereigns of all the European nations have gradually emancipated themselves from their former state of limited dominion. We could, in almost every instance, ascertain the particular æra when, either by force or fraud, they have wrefted from their fubjects, or from their brother tyrants the nobility, each of the privileges which are now become the favorite claim of royalty. We could fhew through what unparalleled crimes, by what fucceffive fcenes of perfidy and cruelty, with what an utter difregard of all the fanctions of morality and religion, as well as the continual facrifice of public good, they have arrived at the diftinguished honours they now enjoy; we could even frequently fix, with accuracy, the time, when a particular family has become divine, by throwing off every thing human in its character or conduct. This was well understood by the fubtle and comprehenfive genius of Machiavel, when he afferted, that no government can be lafting which is not frequently reduced to its first principles. He knew, that laws and forms were weak barriers against the encroaching spirit of thofe who are intrusted with their execution; that mercenary troops can never be wanting to defend, nor cafuifts to vindicate, nor priests to fanctity the ex ceffes ceffes of ambition. He lived in à country, which had feen the confular fafces borne before the deftroyers of the republic; and where the most dreadful defpotifm that ever trampled upon the rights of nature, had been erected, under the shadow of a religion which breathes peace, good-will, and equality to mankind. He therefore taught, that the vigilance and vengeance of the people must be placed like a flaming fword to guard their rights; and gave the moft falutary and effectual admonitions against unlimited power, by exhibiting the crimes through which it is purfued, the horrors by which it is maintained. That the government of England underwent this procefs, at leaft to a certain degree, must be evident to all who have studied the history of thofe times. Though the agents in this great business, startled at the importance of their own attempt, and wanting honesty and boldness to avow the principles upon which they acted, have left the justice they owed their country's wrongs unfinished, though latest pofterity may execrate that timid or interested policy which meanly betrayed the cause of freedom, at the very instant when her triumph was complete; yet, under whatever pretext a king is driven from the throne, there can be little difpute concerning the principles upon which that expulfion must be juftified. Foreign nations were indeed furprised to fee the rights of humanity springing up and bløf foming under the fhadow of a throne; and that thofe who were for annihilating the liberties of millions, to gratify the pride of a few indolent ufurpers, fhould be driven from the precincts of a court: they did not confider that the love of power, which continually impels the great to violate every duty, may even produce contrary effects; and make them, when it is their interefts, encourage virtue, and patronize truth. To thefe principles of our conftitution, restored to part at leaft of their original purity, have been owing the internal stability and fafety, the external glory and power of England.— In vain were the tyrants of the world leagued against that government, which refted upon the broad bafis of general confent and public freedom. Vain alike were the attacks of violence, and and the machinations of fraud. While civil and religious per→ fecutors were depopulating all the continent, here might a real lover of humanity have contemplated an afylum open to the unfortunate; religion, which addreffed itself to the reason, not to the fears of men; laws which defended property, without oppreffing the poor; a government which preferved its own authority, without annihilating the privileges of its fubject, and fubjects who had learned to obey, without abandoning their claim to refift. If warlike feats deferved a place in the page which is dedicated to human happiness, we could produce atchievements which equal the luftre of Rome in its brightest blaze of glory. We could fhew the ocean covered by our . fleets, our arms triumphant upon every fhore, and our empire not only acknowledged, but bleffed by the remoteft inhabitants of the globe. Such and so irresistible are the efforts of a people. whofe government is founded upon freedom, whofe arms are directed by justice. But what renders the retrofpect more awful and interefting, is to behold commerce, agriculture, and population, increasing even amidst the tumults of war; and numerous bands of generous adventures, iffuing from the prolific bofom of the parent ftate, to tranfport their manners, rights, religion, to the extremities of the earth, and carrrying with them the protection of heaven, and the feeds of future greatnefs. Were we not acquainted with the continual viciffitude of human affairs, was hiftory itfelf any thing but a register of public calamitics, of nations enslaved, and empires funk for ever, we furely might have considered so ftupendous an edifice as perfect and fecure; and while we admired the beauty of the work, pronounced the eternity of the pile. Poliefied of freedom fo often vindicated, of rights fo accurately afcertained, of a government not founded upon the ravages of conqueft, or the immemorial degradation of mankind, but deduced from plain and pofitive compact; deriving greatnefs not from the oppreffion of its neighbours, but from the bleffings of nature, and the exertions of industry, this country might furely feem preferved from all the common caufes of decay. Above all, whoever whoever had turned his eyes towards the vaft Atlantic, and beheld the majestic form of the English conftitution, with all its admirable proportions and noble fimplicity, imitated and improved by a multitude of rifing ftates, which gloried in their common origin, and limited dependence upon this country, would have thought that Providence itself had directed the wonderous plan of human happinefs; and while he faw nothing within the reach of either wisdom or fortune to add, would have only breathed a pious prayer for its perpetuity. Let us now confider a different fcene, which presents a mournful inftance of the inftability of human affairs, and the rapid decline of greatnefs. Let us again turn our eyes to the fame people, and behold them labouring under the complicated calamities of hoftile attacks and domeftic corruptions: toiling through all the horrors of an unfuccefsful civil war, wafting their small remaining forces on vifionary fchemes of mad ambition, baffled and despised by their enemies, deferted by their friends, abandoned by heaven, and delivered up to almost inevitable deftruction. |