638 Dr. Perci'val's Notes and Illujlratitnu 



with promptitude, zeal, and love. This warmth of loyalty 

 ought to be peculiarly encouraged in a free ftate ; becaufe it may 

 often be found neceffary to counteraft the infidious arts of fadlion, 

 or the enterprizing fpirit of ariftocratic ambition. 



It is a common obfervation, adopted even by fome repub- 

 lican writers, that an abfolute monarchy is the beft of all forms 

 of government, provided a fucceflion of wife, virtuous, and 

 patriotic fovereigns be infured. But, admitting the fuppofition, 

 however improbable it may be, I am perfuaded it is eflential 

 to the higheft inrerefts of the people, that they poflefs a Ihare 

 in the adminiftration ; and that the calm of defpotifm, even 

 under a Titus or an Antoninus, would be Icfs favourable to moral 

 and intelleftual improvement, than the agitations which occa- 

 fionally arife in our mixed fyftem of polity. Thefe agitations 

 diffufe the love of our country, kindle the ardour of ambition, 

 animate the fpirit of enterprize, and call forth into public exer- 

 tion many talents, which might otherwife have remained in 

 obfcurity. 



This is true liberty, when free-born men. 

 Having to advife the public, may fpeak free ; 

 Which he who can and will, deferves high praife. 

 Who neither can nor will may hold his peace : 

 What can be jufter in a ftate than this !* 



Thefe Ugh and important privileges infpire a veneration for the 

 dignity of the human charafter, and a difdain of whatever tends 

 to the degradation of our fpecies . And the enthuliafm of liberty, 

 thus roufcd, extends itfelf beyond our country : We learn to 

 regard ourfelves as citizens of the world, and become aflertors 

 of the equal and unalienable rights of all mankind. 



It is to the influence of this magnanimous principle, that we 

 may reafonably afcribe the noble efforts, which have been lately 

 made, towards accompliftiing the abolition of flavery and the 

 African flave trade. " A Slave, or a Negro," fays Judge 

 Elackilone, " the moment he lands in England, falls under the 



• Milton, Motto to the Areopagltica ; tranflated from Euripides. 



* " proteftion 



