222 politicul progrefs of Eri:ain. Oct. ic,-- 



infer, that princes are pernicious, ministers destructive, . 

 and parliaments uselefs. But unlefs it could be proved, 

 that the electors are lefs venal than the elected ; that the 

 lower orders of people are lefs corrupted than the higher 5 

 that the illiterate have more knowledge than the learned ; 

 and that personal property will be more anxiously pre- 

 served inviolate by those who have little to lose, than 

 by those who have much at stake, we (hall be obliged to 

 admit that, notwithstanding all the weaknefs, extravagance,,. 

 and follies of the higher ranks, it is by no means clear 

 that we (hould be gainers by transferring power from- 

 their hands into the hands of others, who would iu all 

 human probability be weaker, more extravagant, foolifti, 

 and wicked than the others. Indeed the experience of 

 all past times fully proves, that, among a people whose 

 morals are already lax, whose manners are corrupted by 

 luxury, and whose conduct is not Iiilluenced by the ties of 

 religion, the people would not proJ?ably, but certainly ^ be 

 more corrupted and base than tlieir superiors. Witnefs 

 the {hocking scenes at present acting in France, which it 

 Is impofsible to mention without horror. Scenes which, 

 for atrocity, have no parallel In history j but which, In 

 hind^ more nearly resemble the transactions of the Roman 

 Pretorian bands than any other. To give power to such 

 persons, Is to kindle a fire that consumes, and which 

 can only be extingulflied by the destruction of the whole . 

 mafs. 



While we remain in this world, evils must subsist ; 

 and under every arrangement of things, wickednefs must 

 still abound. If therefore we were to reject every govern- 

 ment that is imperfect, we would annihilate the whole 5 

 and every man would, of course, pillage, rob, or murder at 

 pleasure, another who was weaker than himself. That 

 government is surely the most perfect, which Is so con- 



