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eft rules of modern policy; and they now feel the effects that tranfgreffion *.

* These politicians may indeed allege, that it is in degree only, and not in kind, they have differed from their predeceffors in this refpect, all of them, without exception, having been guilty of inconfiftencies of the fame nature. There feems indeed to be a ftrange infatuation to which the bulk of the people in all ages are fubjected, that nothing is capable of removing: viz. the believing that statesmen in general, especially mini ters while in office, are men of irreproachable integrity of morals, who are entitled to equal credit for what they fay in their official capacity as other men. Though the most invariable experience hath decidedly proved, that in times past this hath perhaps in no one instance been the cale; yet the prefent perfons are, by their party, always held up to view as an exception to this univerfal rule, and by the multitude of their favourers they are actually believed to be fo. Senfible men however know, that if ever there can be an exception to the rule, it must very rarely occur: nor can any individual be admitted as exceptionable, till it fhall be clearly proved, that he is fairly entitled to that rare, and fingularly honourable distinction, which can in no cafe be done, till long after he shall have left the stage. It is upon the fuppofition that the conduct of minifters and their adherents, as well as that of their principal opponents, is regulated by the fame principles at prefent with what we know that of their predeceffors has been, that the writer of these fkethes pretends to delineate their characters, and to reprefent them in general, as regarding with great indifference fome of thofe fundamental moral principles, which other men rightly think, are of the greatest importance in civil fociety. God forbid, that ever the moral principles of the nation at large, fhould become as much relaxed as those of the minifterial tribe, and their chief rivals for power; for the ruin of the nation would then be at hand. But could men in general be induced to view the whole tribe of courtiers, in their true light, the people would not be in danger of being perpetually gulled by their little arts, as they noware.

Those who know nothing of courts, either from perfonal experience, or a careful perufal of the records of paft times, will read this note with horror.-Perhaps fome may look upon it as little fhort of blafphemy.Others, however, will recognize the juftness of it; and while they inter nally smile at the ignorant credulity of the vulgar, will try to avail themfelves of its influence. It is the duty of every honest man to display every interesting object in its true colours.-Error ought to be univerfally eradicated.—We, with good reason, laugh at the foily of our forefathers, who refpectfully believed in the infallibility of the Pope.-Do thofe act more confiftently, who rely, with implicit confidence, upon the infallibility of a minifter?

Thefe obfervations are general, and are not meant to be applied to any particular perfon, or concatenation of incidents.-The advancement or degradation of any particular party, is not, in the eye of a good citizen, an

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Among the allurements of minifterial power, the temptation it affords of accumulating family wealth, is generally esteemed one of the most powerful. Yet this, like every other minifterial purfuit, there is good reason to believe, is often productive of effects, very dif ferent from thofe intended. Domeftic tranquillity is perhaps the circumftance which contributes the most towards the happiness of mankind. But a great and fudden influx of wealth, is, perhaps of all others, the circumftance which oftenest disturbs the peace of families. If that wealth be even in the most permanent manner secured, it affords temptations to diffipation and irregularities of conduct among the younger branches of a family, that can feldom add to the happiness of the parents, but much the reverfe: But if the wealth be only temporary, arifing from emoluments that may be withdrawn, the confequences are more deplorably diftreffing. A man whofe family has been accustomed to live in a certain ftile, finds it neceffary that they should continue to live at the fame rate. When his temporary emoluments therefore are withdrawn, he finds himself subjected to a real diftrefs, which the habits his family have acquired, render it impoffible for him to evade. Had they been accustomed to live on his original patrimonial estate, his family would have been contented and happy, and he himself might have preferved all that independency of mind, which juftly conftitutes the pride of a free man. By the fortunate event, as it is ufually deemed, of his temporary elevation to office, he is however effectually deprived of all this comfort: a continuance of emoluments becomes neceffary; he must court

object worth regarding; but to moderate the power of the rulers of the people, fo as to make them cautiously avoid engaging in thofe ruinous fchemes, which, while they serve to augment minifterial influence, by increasing the sphere of corruption, directly tend to relax the industry, and to weaken the energy of the ftate, will ever, by him, be viewed as objects of the very highest importance, that call for the utmost exertions of his powers, to counteract.

this at the expence of compliances, which his mind, before it fuffered this degradation, would have fpurned at with contempt. He becomes a little, mean, dependent thing, who, if ever he poffeffed any native dignity of mind, muft feel how much he deferves to be defpifed, and who, therefore amidst the glare of pomp that furrounds him, muft envy the fuperior refpectability of the independent man, however low in rank, who dares to look inward with felf approbation, and to affert without fear his own privileges, alike against the minions of the minifter, the minifter himself, or even the king, and all the powers that be.

The philofopher thus coutemplates at a distance, the confequence of thofe purfuits in which mankind are ever engaged, with the keenest ardour, and the moralift attempts to appreciate the value of thofe high offices that are so univerfally defired; not with a hope of diffuading those who think these things are within their reach, from attempting to obtain them, but with a view to prevent many others from looking forward to these objects, and coveting them as the most certain means of procuring enjoyment in life; as there cannot be a doubt, that those men who depend upon their own exertions alone for fubfiftence, without any fhare of court favour, have the best chance of enjoying life with fatisfaction to themselves, and comfort to their families.

For the Bee.

Hiftorical Fragments.

If the Editor of the Bee fhall think the following fragments worthy of a place in his publication, they are at his fervice. It is unneceffary to make any apology for the ftile in which they are written, or to tell how they fell into my hands; it is enough for me to fay, that

he will never receive any challenge from the writer for inferting them :-But whether I fhall be permitted to transcribe more largely from the work of which this is a part, I cannot fay.Wishing fuccefs to your lau dable undertaking, I am, &c.

CANDIDUS.

Chronicles of Great Britain, Chap. cv.

21. AND it came to pass, that, in those days, a defire of revolutions prevailed, and whole nations were employed in ascertaining the rights of men; and scarcely any thing else was spoken of than liberty.

22. And the people of Britain believed themfelves to be a free people, and they prided themselves upon this privilege.

23. And they boasted, that by their bill of rights, it was decreed, that the person of no man among them could be seized, unless he had been guilty of a crime; and that their judges had declared that no man could be a flave in this land.

24. And the trade of this nation was very great, and its feamen were hardy and bold, infomuch that the people used to boast that their fhips formed a wooden rampart around their ille.

Chap. cvi. The Sailors.

1. Now it came to pass, that a fhip had returned from a voyage to a far country, the mariners whereof were emaciated with hunger and fatigue; for they had been abfent from home many years.

2. And when they landed, they rejoiced; and their hearts leaped within them, on the prospect of once more meeting their wives, their children and friends, and in recruiting their exhausted strength in the bofom of their families.

2

3. And they went cheerfully along converfing together, unfufpicious of harm,-when lo! a band of ruffians fell fuddenly upon them in broad day, in the fight of all the people.

4. And they beat them with clubs, and bound them with cords, and dragged them along to a darksome dungeon, into which they were thrust among many others who had been treated after the fame man

ner.

5. And they said to the ruffians who attacked them, what evil have we done; but they got no anfwer, except oaths and curfes, and fevere usage.

6. And they called out to the people for affiftance, saying, we have done no harm; but no one regarded them.

7. And they paffed forrowfully along through crouds of people; and they fmiled at their fate, while they fhouted inceffantly, "Liberty! liberty for ever!"This is the land of freedom!"

8. And these men were forced to go down again dis rectly into the fea in fhips, without having feen their wives, their children, and their friends.

9. And their wives and their children were fore diftreffed by poverty, and hunger, and nakedness.

10. Neither could the men afford them any relief, for they were constrained to go out to battle against their enemies.

11. And many of them fell in battle, and perished; and their names were fergotten among the people.

12. And their children were reduced to beggary, and were defpifed because they were poor.

13. Behold fuch is the liberty that mariners enjoy, and fuch is the protection that the law affords to their beft defenders in this land of freedom.

VOL. III.

D&

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