MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 131 



by the taxes, and those who were advocates for 

 the liberties of mankind ; but it always appeared 

 to me that a very great majority of the people 

 were decidedly against the war. These writings 

 and debatings, which the war occasioned, certainly 

 served greatly to alter the notions and the opinions 

 of the people respecting the purity of the British 

 government, and its representative system ; and 

 this attempt at doing it away altogether in America 

 seemed a prelude to the same system of misrule, 

 when, by slower degrees, a future opportunity 

 offered for doing it away at home. In these 

 political debatings, the question was often asked, 

 "Whether the government was made for the 

 people, or the people for the government ?" Great 

 numbers, who hoped for the best, still clung to the 

 government under which they had been brought 

 up, and had been taught to revere as excellency 

 itself. While others were contending whether a 

 kingly government or a republic was best, it was 

 generally admitted that a deal might be said pro 

 and con; for many examples might be adduced of 

 mal-administration under both forms. Some of 

 these disputants would repeat what Pope had 

 said 



" For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight, 

 His can't be wrong whose life is in the right ; 

 For forms of government, it is confest 

 That which is best administered is best." 



In England the people may boast that their 

 forefathers had a king, in Alfred the Great, the 

 wisest, the bravest, and the best the world ever 

 knew ; by whose excellent conduct was laid the 

 foundation of the liberties of his country, and 



