Cxi LIFE OF BACON. 



leges to all Scotland, that the rights enjoyed by the 

 children should not be withheld from their parents. 



The journals of the Commons contain an outline of many 

 of his speeches, of which one upon the union of laws, and 

 another upon the general naturalization of the Scottish 

 nation were completed, and have been preserved ; and are 

 powerful evidence of his zeal and ability in this good cause, 

 exerted at the risk of the popularity, which, by his inde 

 pendent conduct in parliament, he had justly acquired. () 

 But he did not confine his activity to the bar or to the 

 House of Commons. In his hours of recreation he wrote 

 three works for the use of the King : &quot; A Discourse upon 

 the happy Union ; (5) &quot; Considerations on the same ;&quot;(c) 

 and a preparation towards &quot;the union of these two mighty 

 and warlike nations under one sovereign and monarchy, 

 and between whom there are no mountains or races of 

 hills, no seas or great rivers, no diversity of tongue or 

 language that hath created or provoked this ancient and 

 too long continued divorce.&quot; 



Church His anxiety to assist in the improvement of the church 



e orm&amp;lt; appears in his exertions in parliament, and in his publica 

 tions in his times of recreation. When assisting in the 

 improvement of our civil establishment, he was ever mind 

 ful that our country ought to be treated as our parents, with 

 mildness and persuasion, and not with contestations ; (d) 

 and, in his suggestions for the improvement of our religious 

 establishments, his thoughts have a glory around them, 

 from the reverence with which he always approaches this 

 sacred subject, and particularly on the eve of times, which 

 he foresaw, when voices in religion were to be numbered 

 and not weighed, and when his daily prayer was, &quot; Re 

 member, O Lord, how thy servant hath walked before 



() Vol. v. p. 1. (6) Vol. v. p. 16. 



(c) Vol. v. p. 1 to 106. (d) Advancement of Learning. 



