couraged a bill for fhortening the duration of parliaments, but that, (whoever was minifter) the oppofition to this meafure, ever since the feptennial act paffed, has been constant and uniform on the part of government.---You cannot but conclude, without the poffibility of a doubt, that long parliaments are the foundation of the undue influence of the crown. This influence anfwers every purpose of arbitrary power to the crown, with an expence and oppreffion to the people, which would be unneceffary in an arbitrary government. The best of our minifters find it the eafieft and most compendious mode of conducting the King's affairs; and all minifters have a general interest in adhering to a fyftem, which of itself is fufficient to fupport them in office, without any affiftance from perfonal virtue, popularity, labour, abilities, or experience. It promifes every gratifiVOL. I.

b

cation

cation to avarice and ambition, and fecures impunity.-----These are truths unquestionable.---If they make no impresfion, it is because they are too vulgar and notorious. But the inattention or indifference of the nation has continued too long. You are roufed at laft to a fense of your danger.---The remedy will foon be in your power. If Junius lives, You shall often be reminded of it. If, when the opportunity prefents itself, You neglect to do your duty to yourselves and to pofterity,---to God and to your country, I shall have one confolation left, in common with the meaneft and basest of mankind.---Civil liberty may ftill last the life of

JUNIUS.

PREFACE

(xi)

PREFACE.

HE encouragement, given to a multi

THE

tude of fpurious, mangled publications of the letters of JUNIUS, perfuades me, that a compleat edition, corrected and improved by the author, will be favourably received. The printer will readily acquit me of any view to my own profit. I undertake this troublefome task, merely to ferve a man who has deserved well of me, and the public; and who, on my account, has been exposed to an expensive, tyrannical profecution. For these reasons, I give to Mr. Henry Sampson Woodfall, and to him alone, my right, interest, and property in these Letters, as fully and compleatly, to all intents and purposes, as an author

author can poffibly convey his property in his own works to another.

THIS edition contains all the letters of JUNIUS, PHILO JUNIUS, and of SIR WILLIAM DRAPER and Mr. HORNE to JUNIUS, alfo thofe of MODEST US, FRANCIS, JUNIA, with their respective dates, and according to the order in which they appeared in the Public Advertiser. The auxiliary part of PHILO JUNIUS was indispensably neceffary to defend or explain particular paffages in JUNIUS, in an wer to plaufible objections; but the fubordinate character is never guilty of the indecorum of praifing his principal. The fraud was innocent, and I always interded to explain it. The notes will be found not only useful, but neceffary. References to facts not generally known, or allufions to the current report or opinion of the day, are in a little time unintelligible. Yet the reader will not find himself overloaded with explanations. I was not born to be a commentator, even upon my own works.

IT remains to fay a few words upon the liberty of the prefs. The daring fpirit, by

which thefe letters are fuppofed to be diftin guished, seems to require that fomething ferious should be faid in their defence. I am no lawyer by profeffion, nor do I pretend to be more deeply read, than every English gentleman should be in the laws of his country. If therefore the principles I maintain are truly conftitutional, I fhall not think myself answered, though I should be convicted of a mistake in terms, or of mifapplying the language of the law. I fpeak to the plain understanding of the people, and appeal to their honest, liberal conftruction of me.

GOOD men, to whom alone I addrefs myfelf, appear to me to confult their piety as little as their judgment and experience, when they admit the great and effential advantages accruing to fociety from the freedom of the press, yet indulge themselves in peevish or paffionate exclamations against the abuses of it. Betraying an unreasonable expectation of benefits, pure and intire, from any human inftitution, they in effect arraign the goodness of Providence, and confess that they are diffatisfied with the common lot of humanity. In

the