A gross Cheat upon the Nation.
True.Are not you Conscious to your selves of your Iniquities? who madeYouaCommissionerfor theTown, orYoufor theCountry? But we are like to have a fine business of it, when theDreggsof thePeopleset up for theRepresentativesof theNation; to the Dishonour of the mostConsiderable, and Sober part of theKingdome. Pre'theeBumpkin, with thyPoles, andBaltiques, how shouldst thou come to understand theBallanceofEmpires? who areDelinquents, and whonot? the Right ofBishops Votes? AndYou(forsooth) are to Teach theKingwhen to call aParliament, and when to let it alone. And are not you a fine Fool i'the mean time, to Drudg for the Faction that Sets ye on, to be afterwards made a slave for your pains?
Lewd Practises of the Faction.
And then for You,Citt, with yourMouldy Records, yourCoordinate Estates, and yourSovereign Power of the People. Do not I know all your Fallacies, your Shifts, and Hiding-holes? There's not one step you set, but I can trace you in't: You have yourSpiesupon allLibraries, as well asConversations; yourAgentsfor the procuring of oldManuscripts, andRecords, and for theFalsifyingofNew ones, to make them look likeOld Ones. Nay, thePapersofStatethemselves had much ado to scape ye. Those that assert theJust Rightsof theCrown, you eitherBuryorConceal; only Publishing thePresidentsofSeditious Times, in Vindication of such Principles.
Citt.I must confess I take theGovernmentto beCoordinate, and theKing Oneof theThree Estates, with submission to be better inform'd.
Against Coordination.
True.If it be so, how comes it that the House ofCommonseven in their most Popular seasons, have still own'd the Crown ofEnglandto beImperial? How comes it that all ourLawsare call'd theKings Laws: all ourCourts of JusticehisMajesties Courts, and allPublick Causestry'd in theKings Name, and by theAuthorityof hisMajesty?
Citt.But have not theTwo Housestheir share in theLegislative Power?
It is the sanction makes the Law, not the Consent.
True.You must distinguish betwixt theConsent, and theSanction; thePreparatoryPart isTheir's, theStampis theKings: The TwoHousesConsent to aBill; It is only aBill, when it ispresented, and it remains yet aBill, even when the King hasConsentedto it; and in thisCommon Consent, in Order to aLaw, theTwo Housesmay be said tosharewith hisMajesty: But then theFiat, that superinduces anAuthority, and isOnly, andProperlythe Act ofLegislation, issinglyin theKing. So that though theysharein theConsent, they have no pretence at all to theSanction: which is an Act ofAuthority; the other but ofAgreement.
The Inconveniences of a Coordination supposed.
And yet again, admitting yourCoordination; First, every King runs the hazzard of his Crown upon every Parliament he calls: ForThat Third Estatelies at the Mercy of theOther Two: And further, 'tis a kinde of Ringing the Changes with the Government, theKingandLordsshall be UppermostOne day, theKingandCommons,Another, and theLordsandCommons, theThird: For in this Scale of Constitution whatsoever theOnewillnot, theOther Two,may.
Citt.Well, but Ours is a MIXT Government, and we are aFree People.
Of a mixt Government and a Qualified.
True.If ours be aMixt Government, so as to anyPopular ParticipationofPowerwith theKing, then it is not aMonarchy: (which is theGovernment OnlyofOne) but if you'l call it aQualifi'd Government; so as to distinguish it from anAbsoluteandUnlimited Government, I'le agree with you. But let theGovernmentbewhatit will, andwhereit will, let it doRightorWrong, it isEqually Unaccountable, for there lies noAppeal, but to aSuperiour, and theSupremehasnonebutGod Himself.
Citt.But if we be aFree People, have notWeas muchRighttoOur Liberties, as theKinghas tohis Crown?
True.Yes, we have, but the King has this Advantage of us, thatWemayForfeitourLibertiesbutHecannot forfeit hisCrown.
Citt.What if aKingwill Transgresse all the Laws ofGodandMan? may not thePeopleresume theirTrust?
Power is from God, not from the People.
Soveraignty of the People most ridiculous.
True.No, not unlesse you can produce an expressestipulationtoThat very purpose. But let me shew you, First, the Errour of taking That to be aTrustfrom thePeople, which, in truth, is anOrdinanceofProvidence, ForAll Power is from God; And Secondly, theAbsurdityof the verySupposition, even in the Case of a Trust conferr'd by the People. If theKing breakshisTrust, thePeople Resumeit: butwhoare ThesePeople? If aRepresentative, they are butTrustees Themselves, and may incur aForfeituretoo, by the same Argument. Where are we next then? For if it devolves to theLoose MultitudeofIndividuals, (which you will have to be the Fountain ofPower) you are Then in anAnarchy, without any Government at all; and There you must either Continue in aDissociated State, or else agree uponUnitinginto some Form ofRegiment, or other: and whether it beMonarchy,Aristocracy, orDemocracy, it comes all to a Point. If you make theGovernment Accountableupon every Humour of thePeople, it lapses again into aConfusion. To say nothing of the ridiculous phansy of aSovereigntyin thePeopleupon This Account; that they can never be so brought together either toEstablishor toDissolveaGovernment, as to authorize it to be thePeoples Act. For there must be,First, anAgreementtoMeetandConsult.Secondly, anAgreementupon theResultof ThatDebate; and anyOne Dissenterspoils all, where everyIndividuallhas anEquall Right: So that unlesse the People be all of the same minde, This Supposition will be found wholly Impractible and Idle.
Citt.But is there no Fence then againstTyranny?
True.OnlyPatience, unless you run intoAnarchy, and then into that which you callTyrannyagain; and so tread Eternally that Circle ofRigourandConfusion.In fine, the Question is this, whether people had better runCertainlyintoConfusionto avoid aPossible Tyranny, or venture aPossible Tyranny, to avoid aCertain Confusion.
Citt.But where we findePositive LawandProvisionstofailus, may we not in those Cases, betake our selves to theLawsofNatureandSelf-Preservation?
Self-preservation is no Plea for the People.
True.No, ye may not; for many Reasons. First, it makes youJudges; not onlywhenthose Laws take Place, but alsowhattheyare. Secondly, theGovernmentisDissolved, if Subjects may go off or on at pleasure. Thirdly,Self-Preservationis the Plea only ofIndividuals; and there can be no Colour for the exposing of thePublickin favour ofParticulars. What would ye think of aCommon Seamanthat in aStormshould throw theSteers-man Overboard, and set himself at theHelm? Or of aSouldierthat shou'd refuse aDangerous Postfor fear of being knock'd on the Head, when thewhole Army, depends upon the Maintaining ofThat Pass.
Citt.Pray'e tell me what it is that you callGovernment, and how far itextends? for you were saying even now, that theReasonofall Governmentsisalike.
What Government is.
Certain Priviledges essential to Government.
True.Government is theWill,andPowerof aMultitude,United in some One Person, or More, for the Good, and safety of the whole.You must not take it thatall Governmentsarealike; but theRatioofall Governmentsis thesamein some Cases. As in the Instance ofSelf-Preservation; which is only Pleadable by theSupream Magistrate, in Bar to allGeneral Exceptions; for he is First, presumed in Reason, to be vested with allPowers necessaryfor theDefence, andProtectionof theCommunity: without which his Authority is Vain. He is Secondly, Oblig'd inDutyto exert thosePowersfor theCommon Good: and he is Thirdly, entrusted with the Judgment of allExigencesofState, be theyGreaterorLesse; wherein the Publick Good may be concern'd. Now put the Case that a Magistrate should make a wrongJudgmentof Matters, and misemploy thosePowers; it were an Infelicity in theAdministration; but theSacrednessofAuthorityis still the same: And he is a Mad man, that plucks down hisHouse, because it rains in at theWindow. And in case of theMagistrate, it is not so muchHe, asThey; for theKingis (as I said before) theUnited PowerandWillof thePeople. And so Fare ye well.
The End.
1. 'Fraudulant' changed to 'Fraudulent'. (Introdution)2. 'deux ex machina' changed to 'deus ex machina'. (Introdution)3. Closing bracket inserted. (The mean ways of promoting their Designs.)4. Possibly this should be 'Gaols' rather than 'Goals'. (The way of getting hands in and about _London_.)5. Possibly this should be 'Gaol' rather than 'Goal'. (A Salvo for a Lye.)6. 'Dop' should read 'Drop'. (Consciences of State or Interest.)7. 'original' changed to 'Origin'. (PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT 1964-1965- 109.)_Errata._ (From the original, these errors have been corrected)Page 1. line 24. forhis, readethis.p. 3. l. 27. forReligionr.Religions;p.11 l. 25. forHands, r.Heads.p.22. l. 9. foron allr.on to all.
_Errata._ (From the original, these errors have been corrected)Page 1. line 24. forhis, readethis.p. 3. l. 27. forReligionr.Religions;p.11 l. 25. forHands, r.Heads.p.22. l. 9. foron allr.on to all.
WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARYUniversity of California, Los Angeles
PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT
1948-1949
15. John Oldmixon,Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley... (1712) andA. Mainwaring's The British Academy... (1712).
17. Nicholas Rowe,Some Account of the Life of Mr. William Shakespeare(1709).
1949-1950
22. Samuel Johnson,The Vanity of Human Wishes(1749) and twoRamblerpapers (1750).
23. John Dryden,His Majesties Declaration Defended(1681).
1950-1951
26. Charles Macklin,The Man of the World(1792).
1951-1952
31. Thomas Gray,An Elegy Wrote in a Country Church-yard(1751); and The Eton College Manuscript.
1960-1961
85-6. Essays on the Theatre from Eighteenth-Century Periodicals.
90. Henry Needler,Works(1728).
1961-1962
93. John Norris,Cursory Reflections Upon a Book Call'd, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding(1960)
94. An. Collins,Divine Songs and Meditacions(1653).
95.An Essay on the New Species of Writing Founded by Mr. Fielding(1751).
96. Hanoverian Ballads.
1962-1963
97. Myles Davies, Selections fromAthenae Britannicae(1716-1719).
98.Select Hymns Taken Out of Mr. Herbert's Temple(1697).
99. Simon Patrick,A Brief Account of the New Sect of Latitude Men(1662).
100. Simon Patrick,A Brief Account of the New Sect of Latitude Men(1662).
101-2. Richard Hurd,Letters on Chivalry and Romance(1762).
1963-1964
103. Samuel Richardson,Clarissa: Preface, Hints of Prefaces, and Postscript.
104. Thomas D'Urfey,Wonders in the Sun, or, the Kingdom of the Birds(1706).
105. Bernard Mandeville,An Enquiry into the Causes of the Frequent Executions at Tyburn(1725).
106. Daniel Defoe,A Brief History of the Poor Palatine Refugees(1709).
107-8. John Oldmixon,An Essay on Criticism(1728).
1964-1965
109. Sir William Temple,An Essay upon the Origin and Nature of Government(1680).
110. John Tutchin,Selected Poems(1685-1700).
111. Anonymous,Political Justice. A Poem(1736).
112. Robert Dodsley,An Essay on Fable(1764).
113. T. R.,An Essay Concerning Critical and Curious Learning(1680).
114. Two Poems Against Pope: Leonard Welsted,One Epistle to Mr. A. Pope(1730); Anonymous,The Blatant Beast(1740).
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library: University of California, Los Angeles
The Augustan Reprint Society
General Editors: Earl Miner, University of California, Los Angeles; Maximillian E. Novak, University of California, Los Angeles; Lawrence Clark Powell, Wm. Andrews Clark Memorial Library
Corresponding Secretary: Mrs. Edna C. Davis, Wm. Andrews Clark Memorial Library
The Society's purpose is to publish reprints (usually facsimile reproductions) of rare seventeenth and eighteenth century works. All income of the Society is devoted to defraying costs of publication and mailing.
Correspondence concerning subscriptions in the United States and Canada should be addressed to the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, 2205 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles, California. Correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to any of the general editors. The membership fee is $5.00 a year for subscribers in the United States and Canada and 30/—for subscribers in Great Britain and Europe. British and European subscribers should address B. H. Blackwell, Broad Street, Oxford, England. Copies of back issues in print may be obtained from the Corresponding Secretary.
PUBLICATIONS FOR 1965-1966
Thomas Traherne,Meditations on the Six Days of the Creation(1717). Introduction by George Robert Guffey.Charles Macklin,The Covent Garden Theatre[manuscript] (1752). Introduction by Jean B. Kern.Roger L'Estrange,Citt and Bumpkin(1680). Introduction by B. J. Rahn.Daniel Defoeand Others,Accounts of the Apparition of Mrs. Veal(ca. 1705). Introduction by Manuel Schonhorn.Henry More,Enthusiasmus Triumphatus(1662). Introduction by M. V. DePorte.Bernard Mandeville,Aesop Dress'd or a Collection of Fables Writ in Familiar Verse(1704). Introduction by John S. Shea.
Thomas Traherne,Meditations on the Six Days of the Creation(1717). Introduction by George Robert Guffey.
Charles Macklin,The Covent Garden Theatre[manuscript] (1752). Introduction by Jean B. Kern.
Roger L'Estrange,Citt and Bumpkin(1680). Introduction by B. J. Rahn.
Daniel Defoeand Others,Accounts of the Apparition of Mrs. Veal(ca. 1705). Introduction by Manuel Schonhorn.
Henry More,Enthusiasmus Triumphatus(1662). Introduction by M. V. DePorte.
Bernard Mandeville,Aesop Dress'd or a Collection of Fables Writ in Familiar Verse(1704). Introduction by John S. Shea.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
The Society announces a special publication, a reprint ofJohn Ogilby,The Fables of Aesop Paraphras'd in Verse(1668), with an Introduction by Earl Miner. Ogilby's book is commonly thought one of the finest examples of seventeenth-century bookmaking and is illustrated with eighty-one plates. Publication is assisted by funds from the Chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles. Price: to members of the Society, $2.50; to non-members, $4.00.
William Andrews Clark Memorial Library
2205 WEST ADAMS BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90018
Make check or money order payable toThe Regents of the University of California.