12,6 CHARACTER OP TH& iAST 



Compelled, as he was, to renounce his dignity, and 

 cut off from all' hope of riling again, he itill might 

 have gained fome femblance of fame, had he fet about 

 diftinguifliing himfelf, in his misfortunes, by alTuming 

 the virtues of an ordinary partoT. Mankind would have 

 been readily difpofed to attribute his pari: failings to ari 

 incapacity for government, or to coniider them as a 

 iieceifary confequence of the maxims of his order. But, 

 even as a private ecclefiaftic, he exhibited no laudable 

 character* 



The regular clergy are no more than ftewards of the 

 temporal goods committed to their care by pious fouls, 

 for their own fupport, or for what is held to be thef 

 fervice of God* The lawful magiftrate can not only 

 call them to account, but even, when neceflary for the 

 general welfare, or when the aims of their pious foun- 

 ders are no longer attained, may deprive them at once 

 both of adminiftration and pofleflion.. Accordingly, 

 the pope had an unqueffionable right to bring the pere 

 general to account for the treafures which were not 

 without grounds fuppofed to be in his college, and for 

 all the temporal poffeffionS, dues, and demands of it ; 

 efpecially, as he was obliged to maintain the ex-jefuits 

 of his dominions, and provide for the proper execution 

 of the duties enjoined by the pious inilitutors, for 

 example, the publick worfhip, and the inftruclion of 

 youth. Yet in his examination, he behaved juft as a 

 man does when fet upon by robbers, parting with no- 

 thing but what is extorted from him by holding the 

 dagger to his breaft. He was, therefore, even as a 

 private perfon, a dangerous member of civil fociety ; 

 and pope Ganganelli had a right to reply, as he did, 



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