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js fo eflential to the fupport of our mixed government, 
this fufficiently decides the queftion, whether this liberty 
be advantageous or prejudicial; there being nothing of 
greater importance in every flate than the preiervation of 
the ancient government, efpecially if it be a free one. 
But I would fain go a ftep further, and affert, that fuch 
a liberty is attended with fo few inconveniences, that it 
may be claimed as the common right of mankind, and 
ought to be indulged them almoft in every government; 
except the ecclefiaftical, to which indeed it would be fa¬ 
tal. We need not dread, from this liberty, any fuch ill 
confequences as followed from the harangues of the po¬ 
pular demagogues of Athens, and tribunes of Rome. A 
man reads a book or pamphlet alone and coolly. There 
is none prefent from whom lie can catch the paffion by 
contagion. He is nat hurried away by the force and 
energy of aflion ; and, fhould he be wrought up to ne¬ 
ver fo feditious a humour, there is no violent refolution 
prefented to him, by which he can immediately vent his 
paflion. The liberty of the prei's, therefore, however 
abufed, can fcarcely ever excite popular tumults or re¬ 
bellion. And, as to thofe murmurs or fecret difcontents 
it may occalion, it is better they fhould get vent in words, 
that they may come to the knowledge of the magiftrate 
before it be too late, in order to his providing a remedy 
againft them. Mankind, it is true, have always a greater 
propenfion to believe what is faid to the difadvantage of 
their governors, than the contrary ; but this inclination 
is infeparable from them, whether they have liberty or 
not. A whifper may fly as quick, and be as pernicious, 
as a pamphlet. Nay, it will be more pernicious, where 
men are not acctiftomed to think freely, or diftinguifh 
betwixt truth and falfahood.” Hume’s Effays, p. u. as 
quoted in the Edinburgh Review, vol. xviii. 
It being thus painf ully uncertain, where the liberty of 
the prefs ends, and where the law of libel begins to at¬ 
tach, Mr. Hart, the inftitutor of a new weekly paper, has 
thought fit (farcaftically perhaps) to put himfelf under 
the protection of the law, by dedicating his work “To the 
Attorney and Solicitor General for the time being.” To 
underhand one of the paffages we fhall quote, it will be 
neceflary to premife, that Mr. H. while printer of another 
paper, had fmarted under the lath of a former attorney-ge¬ 
neral. Now therefore he craves advice from the fountain¬ 
head, how he may avoid fuch calamities in future: 
“ Gentlemen, If remembrances be as warnings to lead 
to fafety, you will doubtlefs do juftice to my prefent feel¬ 
ings and intentions in humbly dedicating to you, and re¬ 
commending to your molt efpecial care and protection, 
my prefent undertaking in the public fervice. Gentlemen, 
I know your power; I mean the power of your office, as 
well what it is as what it ought to be; experience has 
taught me to regard though not to fear it ; I do not wilh 
to brave that power needlefsly, or to incur the heavy pe¬ 
nalty it has laid upon me. I therefore throw myfelf upon 
your juftice, or, if that be too prefumptuous, upon your 
indulgence, that, as I have conftituted you the patrons 
of my paper, you will at leaff impart to me the fecret of 
fecurity. Gentlemen, in claiming the countenance of the 
law, it will readily be fuppofed I do not leek its violation : 
but in the prefent uncertainty of what is law, that is, of what 
is made to conftitute offence, without fome better guide 
than common reafon, there is no definition of duty, no 
fafety for exertion, no incitement or encouragement to 
induftry or public fpirit. Under fuch circumffcances, it 
muff be owned, the perplexity is great, as well to afcer- 
tain what to tolerate as what to avoid; and, if your offi¬ 
cial obligation lead as much to explain as to punilh, I 
call upon you to impart the necelfary information. I 
fhall proceed, therefore, to tell you, what I conceive I 
may lawfully perform, aud call upon you thus publicly to 
intimate the objection; to tell me what is the rule of libel, 
the ftandard whereto we may fhape our cenfure or ani- 
madverfton. In the firit place, I profefs to hold every 
public character in refpefl, fo long as he refpefts his pub- 
L I B 607 
lie character; and never to vilify the great becaufe of 
their exaltation, but only when, forgetting their high 
Ration, they fhall be found to debafe themfelves: thus, 
gentlemen, you will perceive my hoftility will not be 
againft the perfon or his office, but Amply againft his 
malverfation ; which I take to be the true line of duty, 
both in law' and reafon. That the liberty of the prefs is a 
national blefling I have never heard officially difputed $ it 
is its licentioufnefs alone againft which the legal thunders 
are directed; confequently, as truth cannot be deemed li¬ 
centious, fo neither can it reafonably be held- in abhorrence 
or treated with feverity. A public truft is a public pro¬ 
perty, and its violation a general grievance; but, as fuch 
abufes are the effect of fecret contrivance and deceptions 
machinations, to unveil the myftery and difplay the public 
wrong mult furely be the reverfe of reprehenfible. Of the 
policy of government, the capacity of minifters, the con¬ 
dition of lociety, and the general feature of the empire; 
to fpeak of thefe as vve find them can never be conltrued 
an offence, provided the picture apply to the general feel¬ 
ing for confirmation. With thefe plain fubjefts, then, I 
truft I have leave to meddle; and, as I never mean $0 
fhelter myfifif under the veil of ambiguity, fo do I enter 
my public proteft againft the power of inuendo, or the in¬ 
genuity of interpretation. I will not fo prefume as to 
fay I fhall not err, or be the dupe of impofition, perhaps 
of malice; the firft being the common fate of man, the 
latter too often the attempt of envy or revenge; but, 
whatever may betide, I fhall not fhrink from my refponfi- 
bility, or feek to fhelter my folly or my fault by any fub- 
terfuge, by meanly fhifting off the blame to others, or 
difavow’ing what I had approved. What I dare promulge, 
I truft I ever dare defend ; as I afk no patronage at the 
expenfe of integrity, fo I afk no favour at the facrifice of 
truth, of private honour, or of public principle. If you 
receive this as a defiance to authority, a contempt of pow¬ 
er, you do me wrong; I venerate authority when governed 
by principle, and not warped by prejudice or paflion ; and 
thus it is I dedicate my labours to your high confidera- 
tion, not perfonally but officially ; and call upon the world 
to note, that The Whig, or Public Guardian, ftands now, 
and for ever, moft refpebffully dedicated to his majefty’s 
attorney and folicitor-general for the time being, by their 
moft devoted and obedient fervant, J. H. Hart.” 
April 18, 1813. 
LIB'ETEN, a town of Hungary: fifty-four miles eaft- 
north-eaft of Leopoldftadt, and 112 ealt of Vienna. Lat. 
48. 47. N. Ion. 19. 37, E. 
LIBE'THRA, in ancient geography, the fountain of 
fong, was fituated in Magnefia, a diftrift of Macedonia 
annexed to Theflaly ; diftinft from the town of Libetbra, 
which ltood on Mount Olympus, where it verges towards 
Macedonia; hence the niufes are called Libethrides : (Vir¬ 
gil.) Strabo places on Helicon, not only Hippocrene, 
and the temple of the Mufes, but alfo the cave of the 
nymphs Libethrides. 
LI'BEWALDE, a town of Pruftia, in Oberland: twenty 
miles fouth or Elbing. 
LIB'IA. See Libya. 
LIB'ICI, Libe'cii, or Li'brx, a people of Gaul who 
palled into Italy A.U.C. 364. 
LIBID'INIST, f. [from libidinous .] A fenfualift; one 
who gives himfelf up to his lulls. 
LIBID'INOUS, adj. [ libidinofus, Lat.] Lewd ; luftful. 
—None revolt from the faith becaufe they muft not look 
upon a woman to lult after her, but becaufe they are much 
more reftrained from the perpetration of their luffs. If 
wanton glances and libidinous thoughts had been permitted 
by the gofpel, they would have apoftatized neverthelels. 
Bentley. 
LIBID'INOUSLY, adv. Lewdly; luftfully. 
LIBID'INOUSNESS, f. Lewdnefs; luftfulnefs. Scott. 
LIB'IDQ, f [Latin.] Luff, a ftrong inclination. Scott. 
LIB'ILITZ, a town of Sweden, in the government of 
Kuopio: fifty-five miles ealt-iouth-eaftof Kuopio. 
3 LPBISQH,. 
