626 Dr. PercivaPs Notes and Uluftraiions. 



" reduftion of the ancient prerogative may have rendered. In 

 " fome degree, neceflary) the vail acquifition of force, arlfmg 

 " from the riot aft, and the annual expence of a Handing 

 " army ; and the vaft acquifition of perfonal attachment, arifing 

 " from the magnitude of the national debt, (now, 1788, aug- 

 mented one hundred millions) and the manner of levying ihofe 

 " yearly millions that are appropriated to pay the intereft ; we 

 '• fhall find that the crown has, gradually and imperc ptibly, 

 *' gained almoft as much in influence, as it has apparently loft 

 •' in prerogative." Commentaries, B. IV. ch. 33. 



Mr. Hume obferves, that, " on a moderate computation, 

 " there are near three millions a year at the difpofal of the 

 " crown. The civil lift amounts to near a million; the coUec- 

 " tion of the taxes to another ; and the employments in the army 

 " and the navy, together with ecclefiaftical preferments, to above 

 " a third million : An enormous fum, and what may fairly be 

 " computed to be more than a thirtieth part of the whole income, 

 " and labour of the kingdom." EflTay VII. vol. I. p. 49, 8vo. 

 edit. But Mr. Hume's remarks were firft publiflied in 1742; 

 fmce which period, th^ national debt has been more than 

 doubled. The army has been increafed, and ecclefiaftical pre- 

 ferments have been confiderably augmented in value. An im- 

 menfe patronage has alfo been eftabliftied in the Eaft-Indies. 

 That of America has indeed been loft; but, in a comparative 

 view, it was of fmall eftimation. 



The influence of the crown may be confidered in two points 

 of view ; firft, as it refpefts the exercife of the royal prerogative ; 

 fecondly, as it affi^fts the freedom and independence of parlia- 

 ment. In the firft, we muft regard the exercife of every branch 

 of the royal prerogative, as no other than a difcrelionary ptmtjer to 

 do good ; and confcquently that every appointment to civil or 

 military offices, except of perfons known or believed to be beft 

 qualified for their execution ; every diftinftion of rank conferred 

 on thofe who are not of adequate defert; and every reward given, 

 but for real fervices to the ftate, is a violation of a truft repofed 

 in .the fupreme magiftrate. In the fecond point of view, we are 

 to confider each individual, compofing the two branches of the 



legiflature. 



