£792. political progre/s of Britain. 243 
He acknowledges that ‘‘ the abuses which I point 
** out deserve the severest reprehension, and ought: 
*< to be reprobated. by every human being who has. 
** the smallest pretensions to common sense.” But if 
this be true, could it be expected that I was to write: 
in the stile of panegyric? The sentence in his letter 
which deserves most notice is what follows: ‘* Un- 
“ lefs the minister has as fully the approbation of the 
“ people at large, as of parliament, he must im- 
*¢ mediately lose his seat.” 
This is very strange language. Walpole kept his 
place for twenty years, though he was universally 
detested. Lord North led us into the. American war 
in direct contradiction to a majority of the nation. 
The Rufsian armament is a solitary instance. This 
is exactly as if a person who had drawn a prize of 
ten thousand pounds in the lottery, were to expect 
the same fortune for ever.. 
The first duty of a writer is to be consistent. with: 
himself. On this account, [recommend the two follow-. 
ing pafsages of your correspendent’s letter ta his se-. 
rious perusal: ‘‘I think that you, Sir, are not quite: 
** freefrom blame, for permitting them, (thestrictures 
‘of Thunderproof) to have accefs into your Bee,” 
Agreed.. But what follows?‘ Bleffed is the state 
‘¢ when the peacemaker can raise his. voice without 
““ fear. Long then may such writers as Thunder- 
‘** proof be permitted to exert their talents. A FOOL- 
** ISH PROCLAMATION may be disregarded, while”-— 
but my respect for ‘ /ega/ establifhments’’ forbids me. 
to quote farther. 
