Dr. PercivaPs Notes and Illuftrations. Szy 



legiflature, as under a facred obligation, to weigh, attentively, 

 all queftions, that relate to the public intereft ; and to vote upon 

 them agreeably to his honeft and ferious conviftion. If he de- 

 viate from this rule, he betrays his truft, and forfeits the cha- 

 rafter of patriotifm, probity, and honour: And if the crown 

 have feduced him, by office, titles, or pecuniary reward, the 

 double guilt is incurred of violating its own duty, and of inciting 

 another to a correfpondent violation. 



What then is juft and honourable influence ? In the fovereign, 

 it is to ftimulate to exertion, and to excite fteadinefs in duty, 

 by well-grounded refpeft, gratitude, and attachment. In the 

 fubjeft, it is to feel thefe principles in all their force, but with 

 a proper attention to their true objed ; to difcriminate between 

 the perfonal and official capacity of the fupreme magiftrate ; and 

 whenever a competition fubfifts between their refpedlive interefts, 

 to regard himfelf as the beneficiary of the public, and as thus 

 bound, by an additional obligation, to fulfil the duties of his 

 ftation, either as a military commander, a magiftrate, or a legi- 

 flator. This diftindtion the emperor Trajan nobly maintained, 

 on the appointment of Suberanus, to be captain of the praetorian 

 guard. Prefenting him with a fword as the badge of his fealty, 

 he faid, " Let this be drawn in my defence, if I rule according 

 to equity ; but if otherwife, it may be employed ag^nft me." * 

 With the fame magnanimity he would have addreffed a pr^feft 

 of the treafury, or of the city. " I have inverted you with a 

 " poft of high dignity, authority, and emolument, becaufe I have 

 " confidence in your talents and your virtues. Manifeft your 

 *• fenfe of the favour, by your zeal in my fervice ; always re- 

 " membering however that my fervice implies only that of the 

 " commonwealth." Prince Kaunitz, the minifter of the imperial 

 court of Vienna, is applauded by Mr. Necker, for his impar- 

 tiality, integrity, and dignity of charadler, in the choice of 

 perfons to fill up the great offices of ftate. He relates, that 

 having perfuaded the emprefs Maria Therefa, to beftow the con- 

 duft of the war department on a general of great ability, but 



• PlinU Eplftojae. 



S f -■'. whom 



