/ 1 



83 EXCURSION TO THE REALMS BELOW. 



and usurpations of their monarch,! Every refiftance 

 would be regarded as rebellion, and be revenged with 

 fwords and gibbets on the leaders, and with complete 

 qppreffion on the people. Of what import then is thy 

 original compact, which, for want of a fuperior autho- 

 rity to compel the two contracting parties to the fulfil- 

 ment of the conditions, will be no longer valid than 

 the one or the other party will allow it to be fo ? 



Menipp. It can no more lofe its binding quality by 

 unlawful infringements, than any duty, by being fre- 

 quently neglected, can ceafe to be a duty. 



/. A glorious confolation for the opprefTed ! In 

 how many inftances would the condition of perfons be 

 bettered by the reflection that they fufFered unjuilly ? 

 But they have deprived themfelves of even this 

 wretched comfort , by the reproach of flupidity they 

 N muft ever be calling on themfelves, for building their 

 rights and liberties on fo weak a foundation as 

 words or writings. How could they expect, that a 

 contract, fetting paper bounds to an ambitious and 

 arbitrary monarch, would place their rights in fafety 

 againfh his power ? Nothing but the iron hand of ne- 

 ceffity can fix boundaries which even the moft potent 

 tyrant is obliged to refpect. This is the firil and 

 .greateft natural law, and the only one that never has 

 been tranfgreffed, becaufe it is impoffible it Ihould be 

 tranfgreffed. The firil king was the leader of a peo- 

 ple, who fubmitted themfelves to him, becaufe they 

 acknowledged a natural prerogative in him, and were 

 in want of a leader. Men feel themfelves free, fo foon, 

 as they are determined in their dealings and actions by 

 no outward coercion, but the conviction that their own 



. . goo4 



