179I* LITERACY INTELLIGEyCER. 279 



with the multiplicity of affairs, that for ever claim his atten- 

 tion, find leifure to enter into the many difficult inveliiga- 

 tions nectlTary to keep him from deviating from the riglit 

 path : If therefore, he has not had time to make thefe necef- 

 fary inveiligations, while he was in a private itation, he cannot 

 afterwards do i\ himfelf. Thefe im.poilant dilcuflions mull 

 then be left to others •, and fo many finiiler views may induce 

 thele counfcllors to give improper advice, that it is next to im- 

 pofTible hcdiould be able to avoid being wilfully led into enor. 

 It ought, therefore, to be an objedf of greater wonder, that a 

 miniller Ihould be ever right, than that he Hiould be ofteji 

 wrong. 



Thelt* few general obfervations on the government of a 

 free country, are enough to give forae flight notion of the 

 prefcnt political rtate of Britain j for to cenfurc or to applaud 

 individuals, is no part of the plan of this work. Wlien pav- 

 ticular laws or regulations Ihall come to be confidered fepa- 

 rately, in the conrfc of this work, their tendency will be 

 pointed out with that candour, it is hoped, which is becom- 

 ing a liberal mmd, and with that freedom which ought to 

 accompany difquifitions that are indeed intended to enlighten 

 the people, without any intention of either hurting or ferv- 

 ing any party whatever ; fo that the remarks will fometimes 

 fecm to favour the one, and fometimes the other, as circum- 

 ftances ihall render necefiary. — It is not diificult, however, 

 to forefee, that if truth be the fole objefl of purfuit, it matt 

 naturally happen, that thofe who, from their iitaation in the 

 ftate, are obliged to take the lead, will be found more fre- 

 (juently deviating into error, than thofe who aie only allow- 

 ed to aft a negative part. 



The only other great objeft refpefting the internal ftate 

 of this country, that feenis to be necefl'ary to be here taken 

 notice of, is the trial of Mr. Mailings ; — a trial which has 

 given room tor a great difplay of talents, and which has 

 brought to ligiit many of thofe abufes in government, which 

 •muft make every individual 'in his pri^ite capacity (huddcr 

 with horror. Theie abufes, however, feem to be rather the 

 confequences of the office of a delegated power in a diilant 

 country, than an imputation agaiatt the individual, who ex- 

 ercifts it at the time. Perhaps a perfon Itfs culj^able in 

 that high (lation. could not liave been pitched upon than the 



