220 political progrefs of Britain. Oct. lo. 



at defiance. It would equally frustrate the views of 

 whigs and of tories, — of aristocrates and democrates,— 

 it would dimini(h the emoluments of lawyers, and dis- 

 appoint the rapacity of voters. Who then is to support 

 such a proposal ? All the active interested turbulent spirits 

 of the nation would cordially unite to execrate it. It 

 could be relilhed only by quiet, peaceable, honest men j 

 but such men choose to remain in the bosom of their own 

 families, enjoying the blefsings of tranquillity, while all the 

 others are up in arms against it. 



Our author in the courseof his work makes some quotations 

 from Dodington's diary, a book too little known j for of all 

 the publications that ever ifsued from the prefs in Britain, 

 this one contains the fullest developement of the farce of 

 government. In that work arc produced many authentic 

 proofs of the roost popular ministers recommending in par- 

 liament the difsipating of national wealth, under pretexts 

 that they knew to be false, and opposition even concur- 

 ring in these measures, knowing them to be false, rather 

 than run the risk of disobliging certain persons. The same 

 thing has occurred during- the political life of persons now 

 on the stage. Yet as long as ministers fliall have places 

 and money to bestow, they will continue to be idolized by 

 their party ; and as long as others expect to get into place, 

 they will take care nut to touch upon certain topics that 

 they think too tender to be publicly investigated by them. 



Let us not deceive ourselves. In the political world, 

 the love of plunder is the universal pafsion. Its inflt^- 

 ence is tliere as universal, as that of gravitation in the 

 physical world. It is this which, like affinities in chemistry, 

 is the cause of all those wonderful combinations and se- 

 parations^ which keep the universe in a perpetual state of 

 hostilities and ferment ; it is this all powerful agt-nt 

 which sets reason at defiance, and overturns in a mo- 

 ment her sovereign decrees. By its irresistible influence* 



