vided a ftatute, that whoever propofed any alteration to be made, fhould step out and do it with a rope about his neck: if the matter propofed were generally approved, then it should pass into a law; if it went in the negative, the propofer to be im mediately hanged. Great minifters may talk of what projects they please; but I am deceived, if a more effectual one could ever be found for taking off. (as the prefent phrase is) thofe hot unquiet spis rits, who disturb affemblies, and obftruct publick affairs, by gratifying their pride, their malice, their ambition, or their avarice.

Thofe, who in a late reign began the distinction between the perfonal and politick capacity, feem to have had reason, if they judged of princes by themfelves; for, I think, there is hardly to be found through all nature a greater difference between two things, than there is between a representing commoner in the function of his publick calling, and the fame perfon when he acts in the common offices of life. Here he allows himself to be upon a level with the rest of mortals: here he follows his own reafon, and his own way; and rather affects a fingularity in his actions and thoughts, than fervilely to copy either from the wifeft of his neighbours. In short, here his folly, and his wisdom, his reafon and his paffions are all of his own growth, not the eccho or infufion of other men. But when he is got near the walls of his affembly, he affumes and affects an entire fett of very different airs; he con ceives himself a being of a fuperior nature to those without, and acting in a sphere, where the vulgar methods for the conduct of human life can be no

afe.

afe. He is lifted in a party, where he neither knows the temper, nor defigns, nor perhaps the perfon of his leader: but whofe opinions he follows and maintains with a zeal and faith as violent, as a young scholar does those of a philofopher, whose fect he is taught to profefs. He hath neither opinions, nor thoughts, nor actions, nor talk, that he can call his own, but all conveyed to him by his leader, as wind is through an organ. The nourishment he receives, hath been not only chewed but digefted, before it comes into his mouth. Thus instructed, he follows the party right or wrong through all its fentiments, and acquires a courage and fiffness of opinion not at all congenial with him.

This encourages me to hope, that during the prefent lucid interval, the members retired to their homes may fufpend a while their acquired complexions, and taught by the calmnefs of the fcene and the feafon, reaffume the native fedateness of their temper. If this fhould be fo, it would be wife in them, as individual and private mortals, to look back a little upon the ftorms they have raifed, as well as thofe they have escaped. To reflect, that they have been authors of a new and wonderful thing in England, which is, for a houfe of commons to lofe the univerfal favour of the numbe they reprefent: to obferve, how thofe, whom they thought fit to perfecute for righteoufnefs fake, have been openly careffed by the people; and to member how themselves fate in fear of their perfons from popular rage. Now, if they would know the fecret of all this unprecedented proceed.

re

ing in their masters, they must not impute it to their freedom in debate, or declaring their opinions, but to that unparliamentary abuse of fetting indi viduals upon their fhoulders, who were hated by God and man. For, it feems the mafs of the people, in fuch conjun&tures as this, have opened their eyes, and will not endure to be governed by Clo dius and Curio, at the head of their Myrmidons, though these be ever so numerous, and composed of their own reprefentatives.

This averfion of the people against the late proceedings of the commons is an accident, that, if it laft a while, might be improved to good ufes for fetting the balance of power a little more upon an equality, than their late measures seem to promife or admit. This accident may be imputed to two causes the firft is an univerfal fear and apprehenfion of the greatnefs and power of France, whereof the people in general feem to be very much and justly poffeffed, and therefore cannot but resent to fee it, in fo critical a juncture, wholly laid afide by their minifters, the commons. The other cause is a great love and fenfe of gratitude in the people towards their present king, grounded upon a long opinion and experience of his merit, as well as conceffions to all their reasonable defires : fo that it is for fome time they have begun to fay, and to fetch inftances, where he hath in many things been hardly used. How long these humours may laft, (for paffions are momentary, and efpecially thofe of the multitude) or what confequences they may produce, a little time will difcover. But

when

whenever it comes to pass, that a popular affembly, free from fuch obstructions, and already poffeffed of more power, than an equal balance will allow, shall continue to think they have not enough, but by cramping the hand that holds the balance, and by impeachments or diffentions with the nobles, endeavour still for more; I cannot poffibly fee in the common course of things, how the fame caufes can produce different effects and confequences among us, from what they did in Greece and Rome.

VOL. III.

F

THE

THE

SENTIMENTS

OF A

Church of England Man

With respect to

RELIGION and GOVERNMENT.

WHO

Written in the Year 1708.

HOEVER hath examined the conduct and proceedings of both parties for fome years past, whether in or out of power, cannot well conceive it poffible to go far towards the extremes of either, without offering fome violence to his integrity or understanding. A wife and good man may indeed be sometimes induced to comply with a number, whose opinion he generally approves, though it be perhaps against his own. But this liberty fhould be made use of upon very few occafions, and those of small importance, and then only with a view of bringing over his own fide another time to

This appears to be an apology for the Tories, and a juftification of them against the mifrepresentations of the Whigs, who were then in the miniftry, and used every artifice to perpetuate their power. Mr. Harley, afterwards lord Oxford, had by the influence of the duke of Marl

borough and lord-treasurer Godolphin, been lately removed from his poft of principal feoretary of ftate; and Mr. St. John, afterwards lord Bolingbroke, refigned his place of fecretary at war, and fir Simon Harcourt that of attorney-general.

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