268» \ — omthe coustitution. . Fune 27. 
. The inference a wise man must draw -from this. 
‘last fact is, that, since absolute perfection is not to be. 
attained in matters. of government, the best thing that, 
can be done, is to rest satisfied that it is impofsible ;, 
‘and, therefore, without running away in search of 
ideal refinements, to bend our chief efforts to the at- 
tainment of such blefsings, only, as the imperfect, 
state in which we are placed in this world, render 
practicable and attainable by us. . 
In every proposed plan of improvement, therefore, - 
while, on one hand, our imagination puthes forward 
into the regions of ideal refinement, let it be ever mo-- 
derated, on the other hand, by our reason, which, by, 
looking backward to the past, marks what has been, 
done in former times, when similar objects have been, 
in contemplation. We fhall thus be led, to distin- 
guifh between the things that are practicable, and 
those that cannot be executed. To fix nearly the. 
hounds of pofsibility will be a great point gained in. 
this discufsion, ) 
That ‘all men are born equal ;” that is to say,- 
that nature has made no distinction between the ta-- 
lents of men born in different ranks of society, canr 
not be denied; but that nature hath endowed indi- 
viduals of the human species with an infinite diver- 
sity of talents and perceptions, can as little admit of: 
dispute. 
The natural inference to be drawn from all this is, — 
that it has been the will of providence that men: 
fhould not continue equal in this world. It has been: 
plainly intended that they fhould afsume different de- 
grees of superiority. In consequence of the superior, 
4 
