179*' HISTORICAL FRAGMENTS— pAMERICA. 283 



21. For thofe people that had gone into that far 

 country, foon rebelled, and they turned their arms a- 

 gainft their parent country, and thej did what was in 

 their power to undo the land of their fathers. 



22. And they faid, it is not fit that we Ihould obey 

 thee ; neither will we longer be fubjefted to thy fway. 



23. And the rulers of Britain w;.Te grieved thereat ; 

 and they ftirred up the people, fo that they were en- 

 raged ; — and they warred againft them for many years. 



24. But the colonies at laft prevailed, and they be-. 

 ■came a free people- 



25. Neither did the people of Britain at firfl per- 

 ceive the favour that their colonies had done them, by 

 thus freeing them from a burden that they never would 

 have been able to .bear ; 



26. For their underftanding had been perverted by 

 thofe who govern them, and a fpirit of delulion had 

 gone forth through the land. 



27. Verily, they Itill fhut their eyes againft the 

 cleared light ; nor will they now fee, that while they 

 are fighting to extend their dominions, they are only 

 ilruggling to load themfelves, and their children^ and 

 their children's children, with freih burthens. 



28. And the rulers fmile at the fuccefs of their arts, 

 and they fay in their hearts, the bubble will not breaK 

 till we fliall have aggrandized ourfelves. 



29. Whom the Lord loveth to chaften, he harden- 

 cth their hearts, fo that their judgment is perverted. 



3c. Nevcrthelefs, the people think they are a great 



and a wife people ; and that all other nations, when 



compared with them, are as nothing. 



31. He that hath ears to hear, Itt him hear ; and he 

 tliat hath an underftanding, let him ponder thefe things ! 



, N 



