LIBERTY CP THE PRESS* 



for granted, tliat the author of this difrin6tion had 

 fomething of a determinate idea annexed to it, and a 

 thoroughly good intention, or that he fancied he had 

 them (which, you know, in regard to the will, amounts 

 to the fame thing) ; and therefore we cannot fuppofe 

 he meant to urge this diftinclion againfl the liberty of 

 the prefs. It might indeed happen to Caius or Titius, 

 (as it may happen to us all who are fubjecT: to human 

 frailty), inajuft, but rather a too paffionate zeal, for 

 what he holds to be truth and juflice, and therefore 

 for the caufe of human nature, to exprefs himfelf ir> 

 terms of unufual force. I fay, it might happen to 

 Caius, or however elfe you chufe to call him, in a too? 

 ftrong emotion of the animal fpirits and the imagi- 

 nation, againfl which an author, who is richly pro- 

 •vided with both, and is writing on an extremely in-* 

 terefting fubjec% cannot always be enough on his 

 guard; it might happen that undesignedly he tranf- 

 grefs a little the ariftotelian line of courtefy andrefpect; 

 that he fnould hyperbolife a little, and fay fomewhat 

 more, than, for example, a cool and fedate Roman 

 would fay to the face of an Auguilus or a Titus, ~ not 

 to mention one of their minifrers (who are naturally- 

 more fenfible to affronts than the Auguilus himfelf) 9 - 

 though a man might venture to fpeak in pretty ftrong, 

 terms to the face of either of thofe caefars. Caius, 

 then, could not juflly take it much araifs, of an Aft- 

 nius Pollio or Lucius Pifo, or whoever you pleafe to 

 place above him, if the latter gave to fuch paffionate, 

 though not ill-meant, effu lions, for greatly exceeding 

 the ufual bounds of freedom, a name that, according 

 to Adelung's dictionary, betokens thofe who both 



in con- 



