1792. poiitkal pyogrefs of Britain. 2 J 3' 



TfiMPORA I But had this plan been adopted, it is pofsible 

 that we (hould, at this day, have looked back with regret 

 on the humiliating, yet tranquil despotism of a Scotch, or 

 a Cornilh borough. 



" The style of this work is concise and plain ; and it Is 

 hoped that it will be found sufRciently respectful to all 

 parties. The question to be decided is, are we to proceed 

 with the war system ? Are we, in the progrefs of the nine- 

 teenth century, to embrace five thousand fre(h taxes, — to 

 squander a second five hundred millions sterling, — and to 

 extirpate twenty millions of people V 



The progrefs of human reason is but slow 5 and when 

 any one begins to combat prejudices that have long been 

 cheriflied by a whole nation, many individuals are displea- 

 sed to find, that the doctrines they have been accustomed 

 from their infancy to think infallible, are treated with little 

 respect. In this way, some readers will no doubt be 

 displeased at meeting with the disagreeable truths which 

 this pamphlet contains. Thus it was that many a well 

 disposed Christian was fhocked at the blatphemous heresies, 

 as they were then called, of Wickliffe and of Luther : we 

 now view them in another light. Thus- it also was, that 

 ten years ago, the first pamphlets that were written to prove 

 that Britain would be a gainer by the lofs of her Ameri- 

 can colonies, were considered as absurd and ridiculous pa- 

 radoxes, though no person now disputes the unerring truth 

 of these conclusions \ and thus it ever will be with the 

 first efforts of reason towards eradicating prejudices of 

 every sort. 



No national prejudice is of longer standing, or has had 

 a more extensive influence in Europe, than the war system, 

 or requires to be combated with greater ardour j because 

 pone has been productive of so much national mischief, or 

 individual distrefs. National glory, the balance of power, 



