F792: lucubrations of Timothy Hairbrain. 539: 
degree of political freedom that ever was experien- 
ced on the earth; for I hold, with old Hudibras, that, 
No argument like mattér of fact is. 
Or if you can fhow me a country in which I could be 
' better protected from the ravages of others, or where 
I could enjoy with more perfect freedom, the full 
exercise of all my faculties, I fhall then begin to 
Respect it. But if no such place can be found, I 
fhall consider those who there boast of their liberty 
as a parcel of char/atans. LizBERTY in the mouths of 
such persons is asacrilegious profanation; and the noise 
they make about it, I can only view as the ravings of 
a set of bedlamites, who make use of words, the 
meaning of which they do not understand; of words 
too sacred to be permitted lightly to pafs through such 
unhallowed lips, lest the veneration so justly their. 
due, fhould come thus to be abated among mankind. O 
sacred freedom !. heaven’s last, best gift to man! who 
ean justly appreciate thy value? Man inspired by 
thee rises superior to all.created things. He afsumes 
adignity of mind, that excites the admiration, —and a. 
firm and steady beneficence that commands the vene- 
ration ofall beholders. Before thy sacred fhrine I bow 
with humble adoration !—in thy defence the forfeiture 
~ ef life would be but a trivial sacrifice! How then 
_mustI detest the execrable profanations of that rabble 
rout that pollute thy sacred fhrine with deeds too hor- 
tible to name! It is not of such men thy true votaries 
consist. This house ought to be the abode of peace,, 
where order and subordination ever reign; but they 
have converted it into a den of murderous afsafsins. 
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