Ch. vi. the principal Cause of Poverty, S^c. 315 



just reason to suppose that, if the vo.v populi had 

 been allowed to speak, it would have appeared to 

 be the voice of error and absurdity, instead of the 

 VO.V Dei. 



To say that our conduct is not to be regulated 

 by circumstances, is to betray an ignorance of 

 the most solid and incontrovertible principles of 

 morality. Though the admission of this principle 

 may sometimes afford a cloak to changes of opi- 

 nion that do not result from the purest motives ; 

 yet the admission of a contrary principle would 

 be productive of infinitely worse consequences. 

 The phrase of " existing circumstances " has, I 

 believe, not unfrequently created a smile in the 

 Endish House of Commons ; but the smile should 

 have been reserved for the application of the 

 phrase, and not have been excited by the phrase 

 itself. A very frequent repetition of it has indeed, 

 of itself, rather a suspicious air; and its application 

 should always be watched with the most jealous 

 and anxious attention ; but no man ought to be 

 judged in limine for saying, that existing circum- 

 stances had obliged him to alter his opinions and 

 conduct. The country gentlemen were, perhaps, 

 too easily convinced that existing circumstances 

 called upon them to give up some of the most 

 valuable privileges of Englishmen ; but as far as 

 they were really convinced of this obligation, they 

 acted consistently with the clearest rule of mo- 

 rality. 



The degree of power to be given to the civil 

 government, and the measure of our submission 



