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CONSTITUTION

O F

ENGLAND;

OR,

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE

ENGLISH GOVERNMENT:

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IN WHICH IT IS COMPARED BOTH WITH THE
REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT

THE OTHER MONARCHIES IN EUROPE.

AND

By J. L. DE LOLME, ADVOCATE,

MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWO HUNDRED IN THE
KEPUBLIC OF GENEVA.

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KING.

SIRE,

THE approbation with which the

Public have been pleased to favor this Work, together with the nature of the fubject, embolden me to lay the present fourth and enlarged Edition of the fame at your Majefty's feet, both as an homage, and an expreffion of the defire I entertain, the Book may for a few minutes engage the attention of a person of your deep and extensive knowledge. Your Majesty's reign has, for many years past, afforded proofs in more respects than one, that, though human wisdom may not always be able to anticipate difficulties, yet, affifted by fortitude, it can fucceed in terminating

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*This Dedication was firft prefixed to the fourth Edition.

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them in a more favorable manner than it seemed at firft poffible to be expected, or even in bringing them to a happy iffue. According to the common course of Nature, your Majefty has only yet feen the lefs confiderable part of the years of which your reign is to be compofed that the part which now opens before your Majesty, may be attended with a degree of fatisfaction proportionate to your Majefty's public and private virtues, to your disinterested government, and religious regard for your royal engagements, is the fond hope of

Your Majesty's

Moft humble and

Most devoted Servant,

And these many Years

Subject by Choice,

May, 1784.

J. L. DE LOLME.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Book on the English Conftitution, of which a

new Edition is here offered to the Public, was first written in French, and published in Holland. Several persons have afked me the question, How I came to think of treating fuch a fubject? One of the first things in this Country, that engages the attention of a Stranger who is in the habit of obferving the objects before him, is the peculiarity of its Government: I had moreover been lately a witness of the broils which had for fome time prevailed in the Republic in which I was born, and of the revolution by which they were terminated. Scenes of that kind in a State which, though fmall, is independent, and contains within itself the principles of its motions, had naturally given me fome competent infight into the first real principles of Governments: owing to this circumstance, and perhaps alfo to fome moderate share of natural abilities, I was enabled to perform the task I had undertaken, with tolerable fuccefs. I was twenty-feven years old when I first came to this Country: after having been in it only a year, I began to write my work, which I publifhed about nine months afterwards: and have fince been furprised to find that I had committed so few errors of a certain kind: I certainly was fortunate in avoiding to enter deeply into thofe articles with which I was not fufficiently acquainted.

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