fented to him, by which he can immediately vent his paffion. The liberty of the prefs, therefore, however abus'd, can scarce ever excite popular tumults or rebellion. And as to thofe murmurs or fecret difcontents it may occafion, 'tis better they should 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 against them. Mankind, 'tis true, have always a greater propenfion to believe what is faid to the disadvantage of their governors, than the contrary; but this inclination is infeparable from them, whether they have liberty or not. A whisper may fly as quick, and be as pernicious as a pamphlet. Nay, it will be more pernicious, where men are not accustom`d to think freely, or distinguish betwixt truth and falfhood.

Ir has also been found, as the experience of mankind increases, that the people are no fuch dangerous monfter as they have been reprefented, and that 'tis in every refpect better to guide them, like rational creatures, than to lead or drive them, like brute beafts. Before the United Provinces fet the example, toleration was deem'd incompatible with good government; and 'twas thought impoffible, that a number of religious fects could live together in harmony and peace, and have all of them an equal affection to their common country, and to each other. England has fet a like example of civil liberty; and tho' this liberty feems to occafion fome fmall ferment at prefent, it has not as yet produc'd any pernicious effects; and it is to be hop'd, that

men,

men, being every day more accuftom'd to the free difcuffion of public affairs, will improve in their judgment of them, and be with greater difficulty feduc'd by every idle rumour and popular clamour.

"Tis a very comfortable reflection to the lovers of liberty, that this peculiar privilege of Britain is of a kind that cannot easily be wrefted from us, but muft laft as long as our government remains, in any degree, free and independent. "Tis feldom, that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. Slavery has fo frightful an afpect to men accuftom'd to freedom, that it must steal in upon them by degrees, and must disguise itself in a thousand shapes, in order to be receiv'd. But, if the liberty of the prefs ever be loft, it must be loft at once. The general laws against sedition and libelling are at present as strong as they poffibly can be made. Nothing can impofe a farther restraint, but either the clapping an IMPRIMATUR upon the prefs, or the giving to the court very large difcretionary powers to punish whatever displeases them. But thefe conceffions would be fuch a bare-fac'd violation of liberty, that they will probably be the last efforts of a defpotic government. We may conclude, that the liberty of Britain is gone for ever when these attempts fhall fucceed.

ESSAY

ESSAY III.

Of IM PUDENCE and MODESTY.

I

AM of opinion, That the complaints againft Providence have been often ill-grounded, and that the good or bad qualities of men are the caufes of their good or bad fortune, more than what is generally imagin'd. There are, no doubt, inftances to the contrary, and thefe too pretty numerous; but few, in comparison of the inftances we have of a right dikribution of profperity and adverfity: Nor indeed could it be otherwife from the common course of human affairs. To be endow'd with a benevolent difpofition, and to love others, will almoft infallibly procure love and efteem; which is the chief circumstance in life, and facilitates every enterprize and undertaking; befides the fatisfaction, which immediately refults from it. The cafe is much the fame with the other virtues. Profperity is naturally, tho' not neceffarily attach'd to virtue and merit; and adverfity, in like manner, to vice and folly.

I MUST, however, confefs, that this rule admits of an exception, with regard to one moral quality; and that modefty has a natural tendency to con

ceal

ceal a man's talents, as impudence difplays them to the utmost, and has been the only cause why many have rifen in the world, under all the difadvantages of low birth and little merit. Such indolence and incapacity is there in the generality of mankind, that they are apt to receive a man for whatever he has a mind to put himself off for; and admit his over-bearing airs as proofs of that merit which he affumes to himself. A decent affurance feems to be the natural attendant of virtue; and few men can distinguish impudence from it: As, on the other hand, diffidence, being the natural refult of vice and folly, has drawn difgrace upon modefty, which in outward appearance so nearly resembles it.

As impudence, tho' really a vice, has the fame effects upon a man's fortune, as if it were a virtue; fo we may obferve, that it is almost as difficult to be attain'd, and is, in that refpect, distinguish'd from all the other vices, which are acquired with little pains, and continually encrease upon indulgence. Many a man, being fenfible that modefty is extremely prejudicial to him in the making his fortune, has refolv'd to be impudent, and to put a bold face upon the matter: But, 'tis obfervable, that fuch people have seldom fucceeded in the attempt, but have been oblig'd to relapfe into their primitive modefty. Nothing carries a man thro' the world like a true genuine natural impudence. Its counterfeit is good for nothing, nor can ever fupport itself. In any other attempt, whatever faults a man commits and is fenfible of, he is fo much the nearer his end.

But

But when he endeavours at impudence, if he ever fall is the attempt, the remembrance of that failure will make him bluth, and will infallibly duconcert him: After which every blush is a caule for new blushes, 'til he be found out to be an arrant cheat, and a vain pretender to impudence.

Is any thing can give a modeft man more affùrance, it must be fome advantages of fortune, which chance procures to him. Riches naturally gain a man a favourable reception in the world, and give merit a double luftre, when a perion is endowed with it; and fupply its place, in a great measure, when it is abfent. 'Tis wonderful to obferve what airs of fuperiority fools and knaves, with large poffeffions, give themselves above men of the greateil merit in poverty. Nor do the men of merit make any strong opposition to thefe ufurpations; or rather feem to favour them by the mos deity of their behaviour. Their good fente and experience make them diffident of their judgment, and caufe them to examine every thing with the greatest accuracy: As, on the other hand, the delicacy of their fentiments makes them timorous left they commit faults, and lofe in the practice of the world that integrity of virtue, fo to speak, of which they are fo jealous. To make wildom agree with confidence, is as difficult as to reconcile vice and modeây.

THESE are the reflections which have occur'd upon this fubject of impudence and modeity z

and