another weakly, by the very fame men, merely or account of the difference of the forms and inticetions, by which there parts are regulated. Hiftorians inform us, that this was actually the cafe with Genna. For while the fare was always full of fedition, and tumult, and diforder, the bank of St. George, which had become a considerable part of the people, was conducted, for several ages, with the etmeft integrity and wifdem *.

THE ages of greatest public spirit are not always mot eminent for private virtue. Good laws may beget order and moderation in the government, where the manners and customs have indill'd little hemaley or juilice into the tempers of men. The meЯ iek trious period of the Roman hillory, corüder'd in a political view, is that betwixt the beginning of the frit and end of the laft Punic war; the due balance betwixt the nobility and people being then fix'd br the contents of the tribunes, and not being yet led by the extent of congres. Yet at this very time, the horrid practice of polloning was to common, thag during part of a fexion, a Pretir punish'd capitally for this crime above three thousand + perions, in

2

* E_Templa verastinte raro, I du Filing intanto lure m &cedate Republicbe mai men trecuts, quibre donero ad fin a cardina, fra migóni dibodu, la borta, & la ti arret, la vita crulle et la corretta, la giofitia & in bonus perde qucha ordine fola muntione quella citta piena di effumé ano Côè y venerabili. E s'agit zuo fide cut tompa in gui made ars verrà) que San Giorgia tuta quella città accipo fi, farræde qacôm la una Republica piu que Veretiana memorabile, Della Hift. Florentine, lib. 8.

† T. Livii, lib. 40. cap. 43.

part

part of Italy; and found informations of this nature ftill multiplying upon him. There is a fimilar, or rather a worse instance *, in the more early times of the commonwealth. So deprav'd in private life were that people, whom in their hiftories we so much admire. I doubt not but they were really more virtuous during the time of the two Triumvirates, when they were tearing, their common country to pieces, and fpreading flaughter and defolation over the face of the earth, merely for the choice of tyrants †.

HERE, then, is a fufficient inducement to maintain, with the utmost ZEAL, in every free state, those forms and inftitutions by which liberty is fecured, the public good confulted, and the avarice or ambition of particular men restrain'd and punish'd. Nothing does more honour to human nature, than to fee it fufceptible of fo noble a paffion; as nothing can be a greater indication of meanness of heart in any man, than to fee him devoid of it. A man who loves only himself, without regard to friendship or merit, is a deteftable monster; and a man, who is only fufceptible of friendship, without public fpirit, or a regard to the community, is deficient in the moft material part of virtue.

BUT this is a fubject which needs not be longer infifted on at prefent. There are enow of zealots on

* Id. lib. 8. cap. 18.

L'Aigle contre L'Aigle, Romains contre Romains

Combattants feulement pour le choix des Tyrans, CORNEILLE.

both fides who kindle up the paffions of their partizans, and under the pretence of public good, purfue the interefts and ends of their particular faction. For my part, I fhall always be more fond of promoting moderation than zeal; tho' perhaps the fureft way of producing moderation in every party, is to increase our zeal for the public. Let us therefore try, if it be poffible, from the foregoing doctrine, to draw a leffon of moderation with regard to the parties into which our country is at present * divided; at the fame time, that we allow not this moderation to abate the induftry and paffion with which every individual is bound to pursue the good of his country.

THOSE who either attack or defend a minister in such a government as ours, where the utmost liberty is allow'd, always carry matters to an extreme, and exaggerate his merit or demerit with regard to the public. His enemies are fure to charge him with the greatest enormities, both in domeftic and foreign management; and there is no meanness nor crime, of which, in their account, he is not capable. Unneceffary wars, fcandalous treaties, profufion of public treafure, oppreffive taxes, every kind of maladministration is afcribed to him. To aggravate the charge, his pernicious conduct, it is faid, will extend its baneful influence even to posterity, by undermining the best constitution in the world, and difordering that wife system of laws, institutions and customs, by which our ancestors, for fo many centuries, have been fo happily governed. He is not only

a wicked minister in himself, but has remov'd every fecurity provided against wicked minifters for the fu

ture.

On the other hand, the partizans of the minifter make his panegyric run as high as the accufation against him, and celebrate his wife, fteady, and moderate conduct in every part of his administration. The honour and intereft of the nation supported abroad, public credit maintain'd at home, perfecution reftrain'd, faction fubdu'd; the merit of all these bleffings is afcrib'd folely to the minifter. At the fame time he crowns all his other merits, by a religious care of the best conftitution in the world, which he has preferv'd inviolate in all its parts, and has tranfmitted entire, to be the happiness and fecurity of the latest posterity.

WHEN this accufation and panegyric are receiv'd by the partizans of each party, no wonder they engender a moft extraordinary ferment on both fides, and fill the whole nation with the most violent ankmofities. But I would fain perfuade these party-zealots, that there is a flat contradiction both in the accufation and panegyric, and that it were impoffible for either of them to run fo high, were it not for this contradiction. If our conftitution be really that noble fabric, the pride of Britain, the envy of our neigh bours, rais'd by the labour of fo many centuries, repair at the expence of fo many millions, and cemented by fus... a profufion of blood; I fay, if our conftitut

* Differtation en Parties, Letter

C 6

any degree deserve these eulogies, it wou'd never have fuffer'd a wicked and a weak minifter to govern triumphantly for a course of twenty years, when oppos'd by the greatest geniuses of the nation, who exercis'd the utmoft liberty of tongue and pen, in parliament, and in their frequent appeals to the people. But, if the minifter be wicked and weak, to the degree fo ftrenuously infifted on, the conftitution must be faulty in its original principles, and he cannot confiftently be charg'd with undermining the best conftitution of the world. A constitution is only fo fir good, as it provides a remedy against mal-administration; and if the British conftitution, when in its greatest vigour, and repair'd by two fuch remarkable events, as the Revolution and Acceffion, where our ancient royal family was facrific'd to it; if our conftitution, I fay, with fo great advantages, does not, in fact, provide any fuch remedy, we are rather beholden to any minifter who undermines it, and affords us an opportunity of erecting in its place a better conftitution.

Is

I wou'd make ufe of the fame topics to moderate the zeal of those who defend the minister. our conftitution fo excellent? Then a change of miniftry can be no fuch dreadful event; fince 'tis effential to fuch a conftitution, in every ministry, both to preserve itself from violation, and to prevent all enormities in the adminiftration. Is our conftitution very bad? Then fo extraordinary a jealoufy and apprehenfion, on account of changes, is ill-plac'd; and a man fhould no more be anxious in this cafe, than a

hufband,