8] 
to another, because that being is 
my father, my wife, or my son; 
but, because, for reasons which 
appeal equally to all understand- 
ings, that being is entitled to pre- 
ference. One among the mea- 
sures which will be. successively 
dictated by the spirit of democracy, 
and that probably at no great dis- 
tance, is the abolition of surnames*. 
In a word, it is in the spirit of 
Mr. Godwin’s political system, to 
harden the heart against all the en- 
dearing charities of life; to teach 
men, and even women, according 
to his own phrase, “¢ to rest on their 
own centre.”? He would reverse 
the actual order of nature, in the 
different circles of society, from a 
single family to the most exten- 
sive empire; and arrange all ideas 
of social attachment and duty, 
around the centre of a most com- 
plicated chaos of cold abstractions. 
This Book of Gedwin, not. the 
Jeast curious among the fruits of 
French principles and revolution, 
seemed not unworthy of particular 
attention on the present occasion ; 
as it shews to what consequences 
some of these principles might be 
pushed, by a process of reasoning, 
if the principles be granted, not 
easy to be refuted. Though the 
wrongheadedness and insanity of 
Mr. Godwin’s publication must 
be admitted, he must be allowed to 
possess great subtlety of genius, as 
well as hardiness of thinking, and 
vigour of fancy. 
In London, and in every great 
town in Britain, many idle, discon- 
tented, and self-conceited persons 
were to be seen, affecting the ha- 
bit, character, and name of philo- 
sophers. It is very proper to men- 
tion, that their philosophy consisted 
ANNUAL REGISTER,.1792. 
not. so much in an investigation of 
truth in general, or in a. wise 
pursuit of “the best ends, by the 
best means, as in a freedom from 
all manner of prejudice; particu- 
ar ; from all respect for established 
overnments, and all reverence 
for religion. Yet a common cause 
seemed to be made, and sympathy 
formed between those atheists and 
many religionists of different sects, 
from a common aversion to the 
established church, not to say go- 
vernment. They frequently as- 
sembled together in small parties, 
in close divan; from which all who 
were not notoriously dissatisfied 
with the present order of things, 
were carefully excluded. And it 
was very curious to observe, that 
men, who were generally ac- 
counted the most crabbed, morose, 
and unsociable in their manners 
towards their countrymen and 
neighbours, were - the loudest 
advocates ‘for universal philan- 
thropy. 
There were also men, and among 
these some of note, who, uniting 
a species of christianity with a spi- 
rit of philosophical inquiry, in- 
ferred from the present pheno- 
mena of the world, compared with 
the scriptural prophecies, that the 
time was fast approaching when 
there should be a new or regene- 
rated earth; and considered what 
had passed in America, and was 
passing at the time in France and 
Poland, as. the commencement, 
at least the sure and immediate 
forerunner, ofthe millennium ; when 
Satan should be bound for a thou- 
sand years, and human felicity 
promoted by the promotion of 
knowledge and_ righteousness, 
Dr Price, well known as a 
* Godwin’s Inquiry into Political Justice, vol. ii, p, 582. 
writer 
a ee a en 
