EXCURSION TO THE REAI/MS BELOW. 87 



7. Either thou mufl admit, that the rude nations 

 who concluded thy original compact with their kings, 

 were molt amazing matters in political dynamics and 

 ftatics, and had hit upon the true expedient for the 

 proper diftribution and modification of the powers of 

 adm migration in an infinitely curious conftitution ; or 

 this lawful authority will in a pretty fhort time make 

 bad work for us. For, is this authority in the hands 

 of the king; then mayft thou be afTured, that he will 

 foon enough find means to bieak through the limita- 

 tions of the compacl:, and to govern as arbitrarily as to 

 him and his minifters, courtlings, favourites, wives, 

 and miftrefTes, mail feem fit. But, is v it in the hands 

 of the people ? who mail compel the fubjects to fulfil 

 their terms of the contract, whenever fuch cafes mould 

 happen as to give them caufe to find no pleafure in fa 

 doing ? What a lamentable part would the king then 

 have to play ; and what could we expect from him and 

 his fucceffors, but that they would never reft from try- 

 ing the pofiible and the impoflible till they had put 

 themfelves in pofTefTion of the fovereign power ? The 

 more mutinous the fubjects fhould appear on thefe oc- 

 cafions, the worfe it would be for them : for one ex- 

 ample where the ifTue of the conteft has been in favour 

 of the people, there are ten where it has terminated to 

 the advantage of the prince. Has he now once got the 

 power in his hands ? then the compacl: entered into by 

 him or his ^nceftors with the people, even though it 

 were, written in golden letters on tables of marble, 

 would fignify juft as little as if it never exifted at all. 

 Then, woe to the people who lliould pretend to ele - 

 rate their confirmed rights againft the arbitrary claims 



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